History Main / ThinkNothingOfIt

* He knows, or at least believes, that someone else did most of the work and/or had a harder task than him. He believes that they are more worthy of gratitude than him.

* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'':

* Zaphod Beeblebrox is uncharacteristically impressed by Arthur Dent in ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' when Arthur uses the Infinite Improbability Drive to save the Heart of Gold from being hit by two guided missiles. Arthur says "it was nothing, really". Zaphod takes it literally, says "oh, well then forget about it, then" and goes back to completely ignoring Arthur.

* Mr. Mighty of ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes'', trying to get to work, has to go through this [[http://eheroes.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891138/traditions-kept/ over]] and [[http://eheroes.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891137/tastes-like-heroism/ over]] and [[http://eheroes.smackjeeves.com/comics/1891142/mighty-annoyed/ over]] ...

* ''Webcomic/ImpureBlood'': [[http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter004/ib023.html And I'll forgive you for not thanking for me for your freedom]]
* In ''Webcomic/WakeTheSleepers'', [[http://wakethesleepers.com/comics/62 an offering of forgiveness.]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=1824 the angels tell Slick not to mention it]] -- after they went to give him happiness, which apparently didn't take.
* In ''Webcomic/EvilDiva'', [[http://www.evildivacomics.com/?p=883 Diva's mom, after she got Angela acquitted and so saved her from Hell.]]

* In ''Webcomic/DocRat'', [[http://www.docrat.com.au/default.asp?thisItem=721 administering CPR is just doing my job -- as is rescheduling the patients while the doc deals with the heart attack patient.]]

* In ''The Webcomic/CityOfReality'', [[TheAtoner the Manumitor]] [[http://cityofreality.com/2010/01/01/05-108-alakazam/ refuses to accept]] [[http://cityofreality.com/2010/01/01/05-109-heroes/ any credit]] for helping fix [[BalefulPolymorph Baleful Polymorphs]].

* In ''Webcomic/ImpureBlood'', [[http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/ISSUE08Pages/ib180.html Caspian alerts Roan to an enemy behind him, and then says, thank me when we're not dead.]]

* He was responsible for the original problem and felt that he MustMakeAmends; he feels that [[BeAllMySinsRemembered he doesn't deserve their praise because of his past actions]] and gratitude only reminds him of his original guilt.

[[caption-width-right:350:Damn it [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony]], don't fall asleep during [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Cap's]] award ceremony.]]

* In ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo Puyo Pop Fever]]'', when Ms. Accord is about to give Amitie a reward for finding her flying cane, the latter responds with something along the lines of "No, thanks. You don't need to." [[spoiler:Accord takes this statement literally and decides against giving a reward, leaving Amitie shocked.]]

* In the anime of ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'', Tomo's ''hatsuyume'' (first dream of the year) involves her being a MarySue and dismissing all her well-earned compliments with "No, no, it was nothing really."

--> '''Gordon''': ...Thank you.
--> '''Batman''': You don't have to thank me.
--> '''Gordon''': Yes, I do.

** Katara says this after [[ShortCon turning in Toph to the guards for a reward]]. The Mayor then takes her literally and Katara has to specify she still wants the money.

* In the ''Anime/MaiHime'' prequel story, "Natsuki's Prelude", Natsuki, while investigating the school at night, encounters Akane, who is retrieving her notes. Natsuki agrees to help Akane, largely to get her out of the way, rejecting Akane's suggestion that she's imposing on her.

* Hayato Kazami from ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'' said that he "just trusted in Asurada" at a reception party for him when he was talked about him saving Asuka, Osamu, and everyone in a plane when said plane couldn't lower the wheel.

His response? It may be acted, or spoken, or merely thought, but it's summed up in a Stock Phrase: "Think Nothing of It" or "Don't Mention It". If this is his job, or routine to him, "AllAPartOfTheJob". If they praise him, DismissingACompliment sometimes occurs, and if more tangible gratitude is forthcoming, KeepTheReward will appear.

* He's embarrassed to receive all the credit, when others contributed. He may try to share; success is unlikely, but it is often appreciated. Again likely for TheCape. Also for AFatherToHisMen.

A SmugSuper will be ''very'' vocal about how it was nothing... because it was a trivial effort on his part that shows how much ''better'' a hero he is, and should be thanked profusely for it by all.

* Hayato Kazami from ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'' said that he "just trusted in Asurada" at a reception party for him when he was talked about him saving Asuka, Osamu and everyone in a plane when said plane couldn't lower the wheel.

* ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures'': ComicBook/CaptainAmerica gets praised at an award ceremony. He does actually say "Aw, shucks" when cheered, and immediately says that the real praise should be for -- well, then he's cut off by the inevitable supervillain attack. Cap commonly is portrayed as being a bit embarrassed or taken aback by praise and hero worship, as seen in the Capmania miniarc.
* ''ComicBook/AstroCity'''s Samaritan, having saved the shuttle, told everyone he was just a good Samaritan. He tried to evade awards and honors at first, before he realized how much they meant to people.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'', when MACH-1 and Spider-Man went up against the rest of the Thunderbolts under mindcontrol, Spider-Man saved MACH-1 from an attack; MACH-1 expressed his thanks, and Spider-Man dismissed it as something he would do for him. [[spoiler:In this case, it's utterly untrue: MACH-1 is secretly a villain with no fondness for Spidey. Except that he does, in fact, do it at the end, giving him what he needs to clear his name.]]

* ''Film/BestSeller'' is about a hitman who approaches a detective-turned-crime novelist to write his story. At the end of the movie the hitman performs a HeroicSacrifice to save the detective's daughter, so he quips as he's dying, "Don't mention it...except in the book."
* Amusingly subverted in a scene from ''Film/CharlieWilsonsWar'' when congressman Charlie Wilson first meets the CIA contact Gust Avrakotos. Gust brings him a relatively expensive bottle of scotch as a "thankyou" for doubling the CIA budget for covert ops in Afghanistan.

* Part of ''Film/{{Hancock}}'''s be-a-better-hero training is telling any law enforcement officials that happen to already be on the scene "Good Job." He's obviously awkward about it the first few times (ie whenever we see in the movie); still gets a pretty positive reaction, though.

** Cain is savvy enough to realize from the very start that being regarded as a hero will endanger his life greatly. Unfortunately, hours after his first assignment, his only options were either pretend to be a hero or admit that he was fleeing from a battlefield. Then a snowball effect took it to the point that even Space Marines think that his caliber of hero absolutely shall [[spoiler: board the space hulk along with the Terminator Squad.]] His attempts to downplay his heroics are genuine self preservation.

--> '''Zaphod''': "That’s very good thinking, you know that? You’ve just saved our lives."
--> '''Arthur''': "It was nothing really..."
--> '''Zaphod''': "Oh was it? Oh well forget it. OK computer, take us in to land..."

** In ''Ghostmaker'', Gaunt has to pry out of Mkoll what opposition he had faced on a patrol, because while he admired his modesty, he really needed to know. In the ensuing flashback, Mkoll goes back to check out something he saw on the patrol, kills a Chaos dreadnaught, and while his surviving companion is awe-struck, forbids him to report it.

* In William King's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} novel ''Literature/SpaceWolf'', after Ragnar comes to Kjel's aid when two other aspirants are beating himm, Kjel thanks him, and Ragnar dismisses it, "Think nothing of it. You'd do the same for me." Later, during their punishment, climbing a mountain, Ragnar starts to slip, and Kjel [[TakeMyHand helps him]], and then dismisses his gratitude with the comment he should thank him when they actually finished.

* In Creator/JohnCWright's ''[[Literature/TheGoldenOecumene The Phoenix Exultant]]'', when [[spoiler:Temer Lacemodian]] goes into exile by talking Phaethon, Phaethon thanks him, and he says he did what his duty called for, (Besides, this will let him watch the ship fly, and he's ''fascinated'' with that ship.)

* An inversion in ''Series/ThirtyRock'', where Tracy Jordan tries to get back his bad reputation by causing havoc, until he comes across a man drowning in the Hudson. Tracy is visibly upset and rescues the man, later the man is interviewed by a news network, saying that Tracey had told him not to tell anyone (to avoid further praise).

* ''Series/InspectorMorse'' is offered a large cheque by a millionaire businessman. Morse refuses stating that he was doing his job, the businessman responds that it's not for that, it's for being the first person in years to act like his comatose daughter is still alive. Morse still doesn't accept.

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': see below. In this case the character development comes from the [[{{Foil}} contrast]] between [[ShellShockedVeteran veteran hero]] Auron and Sora, the goofy KidHero who hero worships Auron.

* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'': If you're Good/Open Palm/Light Side, you're supposed to shrug off thanks and especially any rewards they offer you. This gets you karma points, and on occasion the same or even a better reward than if you had just accepted. Conversely, the Evil/Closed Fist/Dark Side path is to insist your rescuees give you even more.

* This is [[BadassNormal Yuri]] [[HumbleHero Lowell]]'s thing in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' sometimes to the economic despair of his fellow guild members. It's a trait he shares with his ChildhoodFriend [[NiceGuy Flynn]] [[KnightInShiningArmour Scifo]] who is just as humble as him...and rather Yuri just admit to how much world saving he's responsible for.

** In the afterlife, Roy's grandfather offers to show Roy a feat, and dismisses the gratitude with this.

** [[http://cucumber.gigidigi.com/archive/page-247/ Cucumber gives Princess Nautilis a spell to breath underwater and says it's nothing, really.]]

*** For those too lazy to read the link, this is the man who managed to successfully splash down his failing airliner in the Hudson river, with no loss of life.

** Giorgio Perlasca was an Italian businessman who in 1944 pretended to be Spanish consul-general to Hungary, and saved more than 5000 Jews. After the war, he didn't talk about his actions to anyone, and remained unknown until 1987, when he was discovered by a group of Jews saved by him. When asked about his motives, he said "I couldn't stand seeing children being killed. That's what I think it was. I don't think I was a hero." In another occasion his answer was "What would you have done in my place?"

* After Comicbook/SquirrelGirl rescued [[ComicBook/GreatLakesAvengers Flat Man and Doorman]], the police thanked her for keeping Central Park safe, and she replied that the cops are the real heroes, not her.

* ''Film/MasterAndCommander'': Captain Aubrey decided to abandon his pursuit of the French privateer to allow his friend Dr. Marturin to recover from an accidental shooting, which would also allow him to pursue his naturalist studies on a nearby island.
-->'''Maturin''': Jack, I fear you have burdened me with a debt I can never fully repay.\\
'''Aubrey''': Tosh. Name a shrub after me. Something prickly and hard to eradicate.\\
'''Maturin''': A shrub? Nonsense! I shall name a new species of tortoise after you: ''Testudo aubreii''!

** Chelsey B. Sullenberger III, the pilot of the "[[http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Miracle-on-the-Hudson.html Miracle on the Hudson]]" incident, [[http://www.nypost.com/seven/02102009/news/regionalnews/key_for_captain_marvel_154415.htm insisted that he wasn't the hero of the story]], saying "Our crew of five, as well as the first responders here in New York and the cooperation of the passengers, made this successful emergency landing possible."

** The NY Waterway ferry ''Thomas Jefferson'' arrived at the accident scene less than five minutes after the plane splashed down. Captain Vincent Lombardi and his crew rescued 56 people and transported them safely to shore. When Lombardi was praised for this later, he said he was [[https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/local/2019/01/15/time-plane-landed-water-and-everyone-survived/2514780002/ just "fulfilling his oath as a mariner."]]

** Angel does this. It is much-ridiculed by Spike, who sees it as a cheap act to impress women.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. After being dumped by the evil philandering Parker, Buffy is day-dreaming a RescueRomance in which she saves his life from vampires, thus achieving apologies, promises of eternal love, and [[HeartbreakAndIceCream ice cream]].

* Captain Archer of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' tends to avoid receiving praise for his accomplishments and heroics, though part of this is because [[IDidWhatIHadToDo he's done things that he really doesn't consider praiseworthy]]. A more positive example of this attitude comes in [[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E22TheseAreTheVoyages "These Are the Voyages..."]], in which Archer has to prepare a speech for the founding of TheFederation. His bridge officers speculate that he'll do everything possible to avoid taking credit for his role, even though he was absolutely crucial in it. A moment later, he walks onto the bridge, grumbling that no matter how he words his speech, it sounds like he's trying to take credit for everything.

* In ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'', Rapunzel, after Mother Gothel talks of how difficult hauling her up must be. She says it's nothing, and Mother Gothel then asks why it takes so long, then.

* In ''Disney/TreasurePlanet'', Jim prompts the robot cop with the precise paragraph of his offense, is thanked, and says, "Don't mention it."

* In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards!'' Vimes is surprised hearing that he and his men will be rewarded for their efforts to save the city. At the ceremony, they are told that they can have a reward, and the men ask for a small raise, a new tea kettle, and a dartboard (being afraid that they went too far with the last one.)