History Main / VillainRespect

* In ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'', this is a big part of [[TheDragon Hawke's]] personality. While he generally treats anyone, friend and foe alike, who is incompetent with scorn, he tends to take an interest in those who he sees as being {{worthy opponent}}s: he's become interested in Andy to the point it borders on FoeRomanceSubtext by ''Dual Strike'' and considers him a rival, he apparently is the one who promoted [[DumbMuscle Flak]] to CO after seeing potential in him, and one of his win quotes is "[[NotBad You're not bad]] -- [[OvershadowedByAwesome I'm just that good]]."

* In ''VideoGame/CityOfVillains'' We have BigBad, Lord Recluse, a [[NoNonsenseVillain no-nonsense]], nigh-immortal, [[WorldsSmartestMan super genius of the highest measure]]. The man rules his own country as a SocialDarwinist utopia - to the point where he encourages assassination attempts against him, though, he assures everyone only gets one chance. However when the Player Villain goes to the near identical future and kills him, then returns with his helmet as a trophy, Lord Recluse all but gives them a golf clap and declares he acknowledges them as his peers -- ones which he will of course kill if they interfere in his plans but otherwise leave to their own schemes. Likewise Lord Recluse has an automated air-ship of doom that routinely spawns over his capital as a “Giant Monster” type, the badge for destroying it claims
--->''' ”You have successfully brought down one of Lord Recluse’s flyers. Lord Recluse is amused.”'''
** This sort of treatment of his fellow villains has resulted in both NPC and player villains having more respect for Lord Recluse than any other arch-villain. He’s a blatant CardCarryingVillain but he’s also an EqualOpportunityEvil, BenevolentBoss, and that goes a long way to a country of outcasts, thieves, and psychos, grateful for a government that lets them be themselves.

* From ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', [[spoiler:Senator Armstrong spends his last moments praising Raiden's ability to follow his own path, and gives him his blessing for the latter's plans to bring down the war economy once and for all.]]

** During the USJ arc, even Tomura Shigaraki has to pause for a moment to acknowledge Eraserhead's coolness when the latter prevents him from killing a student despite being [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beaten to a bloody pulp]] by the Nomu.

** During the Internship arc, Kirishima and his mentor Fat Gum end up facing off against Rappa, an enforcer the Yakuza hired from an illegal pit fighting arena. Together the two manage to beat him, and over the protests of his Yakuza handler Rappa [[FairPlayVillain admits defeat]] and tells Fat Gum about a nearby room with a first aid kit where he can treat Kirishima's wounds ("Take care of that boy...no, that '''man''' before he bleeds out.")

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': Demise, the Demon King, is legitimately impressed with Link when they meet, as Link is the only human in history who has ever stood up to him rather than fleeing in terror. This is enough for him to offer to fight Link in a duel, giving Link time to prepare rather than attacking immediately. Doesn't stop Demise from cursing Link's entire family line with an eternally resurrecting incarnation of pure rage and hatred upon his death.
** Downplayed towards Groose, as Demise is mildly impressed that Groose was brave enough to dive in and catch Zelda after she was freed from Ghirahim's ritual.

* At the end of ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen'', [[spoiler:as the teens perform the ritual, they all suddenly start dying. It’s then that all they realize, much to their horror and anger, that Cole had lost his virginity to Phoebe, thus tainting the blood of their would-be VirginSacrifice... all except for Max, who gleefully proclaims how proud he is of their would-be victim for losing his virginity even as he dies a painful death.]]

* At the end of ''Film/TheBabysitterKillerQueen'', [[spoiler:as the teens perform the ritual, they all suddenly start dying. It’s then that they realize, much to their horror and anger, that Cole is longer a virgin...all except for Max, who gleefully proclaims his respect and pride in their would-be victim for losing his virginity.]]

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': While whether she's a ''villain'' is debatable, Oryou Sonozaki is used to getting her way in everything, mostly because everyone is ''terrified'' of her. In ''Minagoroshi-hen'', when Keiichi appeals to her to rally the village to help Satoko, she asks what he would do if she refused. He immediately replies that he would bash her head open and install Mion as the new head of the Sonozaki family. Though she reacts in fury at the time, Keiichi is later told that it was this proclamation that convinced her to support him. In private, Oryou tells her daughter Akane (Mion's and Shion's mother) that if she should die in the near future, Akane should look after Keiichi.

* ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'': After being defeated by him in their third fight, Daisaku Kuze suggests that Kiryu surrenders [[spoiler:Makoto Makimura]] to the Tojo Clan to save himself from more trouble. Kiryu warns that if anyone from the Tojo Clan so much as lays one finger on [[spoiler:Makoto]], he'll bury them all to the last man, and walks out with the [[spoiler: now-deceased Tachibana]] in his arms. Needless to say, Kuze was impressed by his determination.

** Juza of the clouds earned Raoh's respect by not only mounting Kokuoh (Raoh's huge horse that can crush humans; only a few had mounted him) but by also being a formidable opponent [[spoiler: that chose death instead of betraying the last general of Nanto (in the anime, Juza kept fighting even after his death). After that, Raoh ordered his army to give Juza a respectful burial.]]

-->'''[[spoiler:Katakuri]]:''' ''[exhausted]'' Someday... will you... come back here... to defeat [[spoiler:Big Mom]]?\\
'''Luffy:''' ''[similarly exhausted]'' Of course! I am the man... who will be the Pirate King!\\
'''[[spoiler:Katakuri]]:''' ''[smirk]'' You're looking... pretty far into the future...!! ''[collapses]''

--> '''Noah:''' You possess both the skill and judgement necessary to catch your enemies off guard the second they lose focus. When you think about it, you and I have no reason to be enemies. If you swear your loyalty to me, I'll save all your friends from hell this very instant!

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': His RoguesGallery tends to have this as their defining trait toward their nemesis (prominently toward Barry Allen when he was wearing the mask, but also toward Wally West as well), to the point that the code of conduct of the ones actually calling themselves the Rogues forbids them to ever kill ''any'' Flash. It helps that most of them [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards to begin with]]. (However, this doesn't carry over to their ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' incarnations, where they're more than willing to kill Wally West at the first opportunity.) It does carry over to their incarnations in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', albeit limited to Barry Allen (they are dismissive of Jay Garrick and Wally West).

* ''Fanfic/ASupeOfAMan'': In chapter 15, while talking to Clark privately about his concern about his plan to deal with Homelander, Stan Edgar admits that Clark is one of the few superheroes he respects for his ability to manage any situation that he finds himself in.

** [[spoiler: Maddie Pryor]], at this point an AntiVillain, is impressed by Harry's unconventional but effective use of his powers, which allow him to keep ahead of more nominally powerful and skilled opponents. She's also later impressed by the fact that, while he's less powerful than she is, he's strong enough to fight on even footing with her.

* ''Fanfic/EquestriaGirlsAFairlyOddFriendship'': [[spoiler: The Dazzlings come to respect Timmy after he nearly beats them singlehandedly.]]
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11378510/5/Powerless Powerless]]'' upon learning that Xander brought [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]] back from the dead, [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Jack O'Toole]] compliments his work and mentions that his grandfather would love to talk shop with Xander some time. Of course, he doesn't know Xander simply gave Buffy CPR.

** [[MadScientist Jail Scaglietti]] pays his respects to Zero over his achievements at Narita. That extends from using a landslide to eliminate Cornelia's forces [[spoiler:to capturing Cornelia herself ''and'' defeating Nanoha in a one-on-one battle.]]
* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'': [[MagneticHero Luffy]] manages to get this a lot:
** [[BloodKnight Lucci and Jabra]] admire Luffy's {{Determinator}} status and fighting ability.
** Crocodile respects Luffy's ability, mostly since it proves he didn't lose to some pathetic rookie but rather the next rising star.
** Sengoku respects Luffy enough to [[spoiler:offer him a Warlord position after Luffy defeats Lily Carnation and has Baron Omatsuri buried with his crew]].
*** This goes the other way in that Cross actually respects Sengoku. [[spoiler:Until Enies Lobby anyway]].
** The Straw Hats cause so much chaos that Doflamingo openly declares that he can't wait to see the sheer madness the Era of the Straw Hats will bring.
** Cross' ToThePain speech to Spandam impresses Sadi-chan enough to have her copy down his ideas and state that if he weren't a pirate, he'd make executive at Impel Down within six months.
** To say nothing of virtually all of the other Supernovas, including characters like Kidd and Bege.
* Mayor Wilkins in the epilogue of ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2172417/18/False-Smiles False Smiles]]'' genuinely congratulates the Scoobies for successfully preventing (or rather, delaying) his ascension. He's genuinely impressed they succeeded and set him back three hundred years.
* Voldemort admits to himself in ''Fanfic/ForLoveOfMagic'' that he would actually admire all Harry's accomplished over the years if they hadn't come at his expense, noting that in a few years Harry undid decades of work.
* Lord Commandant Jeor Mormont from ''Fanfic/TheDifferenceOneManCanMake'' is actually a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who opposes Harry and the Norfolk because his sworn duty as a Black Brother compels him to protect the Seven Kingdoms from threats beyond the Wall, and a potential invasion force led by a powerful sorcerer certainly qualifies. He still was very grateful to Harry for killing Alfyn Crowkiller -- responsible for many Black Brothers' death -- and acknowledged him as strong and competent enough to become King-Beyond-the-Wall. Nowadays, he's more friendly since the Norfolks don't make plans for going south.
** Varys is a more straight example, since he DoesNotLikeMagic and has no qualms about putting a hit on Harry's life. However, he notes the wizard must be an exceptional leader to take the wildlings and make them into a true nation.
* In ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', Paul has been shown to be capable of acknowledging Ash and his skills if he does something impressive, such as when he manages to defeat a Mudsdale with Pikachu, overcoming the odds despite having everything against him.
* After Pinkie's chat with O'Malley in ''Fanfic/IAgainstIMeAgainstYou'' [[spoiler:-- and in the midst of a successful purging of the Meta's collected A.I. via the Elements of Harmony]] -- he gives her a grateful look before he disappears.
* In ''Fanfic/AHero'', Dalek Sec has a profound admiration for human determination and considers them the second greatest species in the universe (after Daleks, obviously). The fact that the Incubators have been undermining them just so they could be used for their master plan... angers him greatly, even by Dalek emotional standards. While he admits it's a solid plan and one the Daleks might have carried out, he still thinks the humans deserve to make their own choices.
* In the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''/''Series/{{Angel}}'' fic "[[http://www.geocities.ws/debnockels/newadditions/homebeforedark01.html Home Before Dark]]", Holtz feels as though he's received this when Angel(us) tells the Scooby Gang that Holtz is a good man who can be trusted to keep his word.

* ''Fanfic/BiomassEffect'': [[VideoGame/MassEffect The Leviathans]] consider [[Videogame/{{Prototype}} Blacklight]] to be a fellow apex race. Considering in canon they believed they were the ''only'' apex race in the galaxy, that is probably the highest compliment they could possibly give to anyone.
* [[Series/GameOfThrones Tywin Lannister]] in ''Fanfic/ADovahkiinSpreadsHisWings'' honestly respects Jon Snow/Whitewolf for making a name for himself and building a respectable life from the ground up despite his status as a [[HeroicBastard bastard]].
* Doctor Doom in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11737205/46/Spider-Man-Shoulders-of-Giants Spider-Man: Shoulders of Giants]]'' thinks Spider-Man is deserving of respect for not only disabling Doom's highly advanced nuclear missile, which even ''he'' thought was impossible but managing to survive getting blasted into space with it.
* ''Fanfic/UnbreakableRedSilkenThread''
** Despite Heather's hatred for Gwen, she had always respected that she was able to beat her with honesty, determination, and not giving a fuck what other people thought. And not go to her level, using underhanded tricks, deception, and backstabbing.
** {{Averted|Trope}} with Alejandro, Duncan and Leshawna. With Alejandro and Duncan, it was the fact they used the same tactics as her. For Leshawna, Heather admitted she earned some respect, but she ultimately fell short and lost it because she was too easily cowed into submission by the desires of her team. Heather also admits she was still bitter at her for forgetting about the truce they made during Action when World Tour started up.

* ''Fanfic/TheresNoRuleThatSaysAWolfCantBeAJedi'': Being the polite and philosophical wolf that he is, by the time he's done on the Sith world of Korrigan, Swift has earned a degree of cordiality from the spirit of the ancient Sith Lord Thrain, who admits that he "could almost get to like you, Jedi" and will miss the company.
* In ''Fanfic/ToTheNightSky'', Justin Everson is a petty, nasty doctor who couldn't stand the idea of twelve-years-old Edward Elric succeeding in becoming a State Alchemist when Everson himself failed in spite of years spent studying (mainly because he was AxeCrazy). He nonetheless concedes that Edward is just ''that'' brilliant and rightfully earned his title.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiritStallionOfTheCimarron'': At the end of the movie, the horse Spirit and the Lakota Little Creek who is riding him are being chased by the United States Calvary, led by an unnamed Colonel. They successfully make an incredible leap of faith over a ravine, landing where the U.S. Cavalry cannot follow them. The Colonel and the horse stare each other down for a moment, but when one of the soldiers is about to shoot Spirit and Little Creek, the Colonel stops him. He nods his head to Spirit and Little Creek, acknowledging them as {{Worthy Opponent}}s, then takes his men and leaves the pair to their freedom.

* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed''

* In ''Fanfic/The Scorpion Jar'', Akaguro Chizome, also known as Hero Killer Stain, comes to respect and admire Izuku after hearing his testimony about what makes a hero in an interview.

* In {{''The Scorpion Jar''}}, Akaguro Chizome, also known as Hero Killer Stain, comes to respect and admire Izuku after hearing his testimony about what makes a hero in an interview.

* In [[''The Scorpion Jar'']], Akaguro Chizome, also known as Hero Killer Stain, comes to respect and admire Izuku after hearing his testimony about what makes a hero in an interview.

* We have Roger Bacon [[spoiler:(actually ‘Albert Simon’]]) a British Gentleman Warlock from ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'' who happens to want to set off an Apocalypse and has multiple plans to test run it. At about the halfway point of the game Bacon summons an angel/Kaiju to test run a ritual, an angel/Kaiju that protagonist, Yuri Hyuga, deals with by letting it possess him to try to [[FightingFromTheInside fight from the inside]] and emerges sane... eventually. As of the Kaiju fight Bacon feels ethically obligated to treat Yuri with the utmost respect. Throughout the game Bacon conducts himself with so much respect for Yuri that even at their climatic final battle both agree A, It’s going to be a battle to the death and B, It’s NothingPersonal. To the point that in the sequel Yuri is prone to beating the crap out of his new antagonists for even pretending they are better than [[spoiler: Albert]].

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': The protagonist Akira gets the remark "you’re really loyal, aren’t you" as this from multiple villains because his strict adherence to IGaveMyWord and IOweYouMyLife.

* Khan in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'', is impressed when Dr. [=McCoy=] (at whose throat he was holding a scalpel) advises him on which artery to sever to make his own death a quick one.
* [[TokenEvilTeammate Garak]] in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' often compliments those who say they don't trust him, with "There's hope for you yet." He gives a similar compliment to Dr. Bashir in "Our Man Bashir" after the latter shoots him non-lethally and then lets Garak know he ''might'' have been shooting to kill.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': His RoguesGallery tends to have this as their defining trait toward their nemesis (prominently toward Barry Allen when he was wearing the mask, but also toward Wally West as well), to the point that their code of conduct forbids them to ever kill ''any'' Flash. It helps that most of them [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards to begin with]]. (However, this doesn't carry over to their ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' incarnations, where they're more than willing to kill Wally West at the first opportunity.) It does carry over to their incarnations in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', albeit limited to Barry Allen (they are dismissive of Jay Garrick and Wally West).

* ''Fanfic/ASupeOfAMan'': In chapter 15, while talking to Clark privately about his concern about his plan to deal with Homelander, Stan Edgar admits that Clark is one of the few superheroes he respects for his ability to manage situations, any situation that he finds himself in.

* ''Literature/TheBible'' gives us an example in Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Although he overthrew Judah, as documented in [[Literature/BookOfJeremiah Jeremiah 39]], he gave orders that the prophet Jeremiah should be well taken care of (it helps that Jeremiah, under orders from God, had [[CassandraTruth tried to convince the Jews to submit meekly to Nebuchadnezzar instead of trying to revolt]]). Later on, in the book of [[Literature/BookOfDaniel Daniel]], Nebuchadnezzar showed regard to Daniel as the man who correctly interpreted his dreams (despite throwing Daniel's three friends into the fiery furnace). Both cases occur ''before'' his HeelFaceTurn, which he himself talks about in Daniel 4.