History Main / XMarksTheHero

* Three characters of ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' sport X-shaped scars on their body: Lei on her left cheek, Akira on his forehead, and Matsu on his chest.

* ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'''s [[ChildSoldier Sousuke Sagara]] has had one of these since he was at most twelve-years old (and likely younger). It's origins have yet to pop up, but {{fanon}} suspects that they were inflicted during torture. Humorously, his Bonta-kun costume has the same scar.

* ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}'s'' main character has this by the end of the series, though it is explicitly shown how he got it. [[spoiler: From intentionally taking two ''bullets'' to the face and body.}]]

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': The injury that awakened Katarina's PastLifeMemories and set her down the path to becoming the story's protagonist left her with an X-shaped scar on her forehead (though it fades after several years).

** Tibarn, the [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority king]] of the [[NobleBirdOfPrey Hawk tribe]] [[{{Animorphism}} laguz]], from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' has a large one where the horizontal cut extends across his nose and onto his other cheek.

* Ginji from ''Manga/PokemonMysteryDungeonGinjisRescueTeam'' is a boy with a large x-shaped scar on his forehead. He keeps this when he gets [[BalefulPolymorph turned into a Torchic]].

* The bosses in ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' all have this, with the only arguably "heroic" of them being [[spoiler:DJ Octavio, who is trying to keep the Octarians from losing their power supply and dying out]]; the rest are machines. Arguable because they're the ones who reignite a century-old conflict.

* Two of the protagonists in ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' have x-shaped scars on their cheek; Mecha Chapter protagonist [[PsychicPowers Akira Tadokoro]] and partymember/possible protagonist [[spoiler: provided she survives]] [[ActionGirl Li Kuugo]]. Akira's is easily seen in what official art of the game exists, but Li's only gets seen if [[spoiler: she's selected as the main character for the final chapter, in which case the player will be treated to a shot of her face after the credits]].

* Tsukune Aono from ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' has a huge one on his chest, among several smaller scars. Got it from a random {{mook}}, but it also marks the first time he released his ghoul powers without Moka's aide.

** Yamcha has one.

* The [[TropeCodifier poster child]] and provider of this trope's page image is Kenshin Himura of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' fame. The cross-shaped scar is associated with him so utterly that characters with this scar are regularly accused to ripping the idea from him, [[OlderThanTheyThink even if they predate him by years]]. Unlike many examples, Kenshin's scar proves to be [[spoiler: from two separate incidents. In the anime, the second one was deliberately inflicted so as to make it an X.]]
* Domon Kasshu from ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' has such a scar, the origins of which are mostly unexplained. It's a quick indicator of his ten-year TrainingFromHell. [[spoiler: A gag manga "reveals" that it's actually marker that Master Asia drew on his face as punishment for messing up during said training, and he messed up so often that it became permanent]].

* ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'''s [[ChildSoldier Sousuke Sagara]] has had one of these since he was at most twelve-years old (and likely younger). It's origins have yet to pop up, but {{fanon}} suspects that they were inflicted during torture. Humorously, his Bonta-kun costume has the same scar.

* Subverted in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' where [[EvilOldFolks Danzo]] has one of these on his chin. [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Maybe.]]
* Mikage from ''Manga/ZeroSevenGhost'' in both incarnations.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Whie vice-admiral Doberman is a villainous character, he stands out for having no less than six X-shaped scars scattered across his face and neck.
** Coby also got one above his right eye at some point while training with Garp. It helps show that he TookALevelInBadass.
** Anti-hero X Drake has one on his chin.
** Laboon, a whale, is covered in x-shaped scars from his attempts to destroy Reverse Mountain by bashing it with his head.
** After the TimeSkip, Luffy also has a huge X shaped scar on his chest. He got it from [[spoiler: Admiral Akainu during the war at Marineford.]] If you check him out while [[spoiler: Jimbei]] is carrying him, you can see it's still fresh.
* Double subverted in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. Scar, who has one of these across his forehead, starts out as a HeWhoFightsMonsters-style AntiVillain, but the ensuing CharacterDevelopment slowly [[HeelFaceTurn turns him into]] an AntiHero instead.

%%* Tetsugyu from ''Manga/GiantRobo''
* While not the main character (just his boss), Saki Vashtal of ''Manga/{{Area 88}}'' has an X scar on his forehead. In the manga, it's revealed to be self-inflicted after a disastrous attempt to make peace.

* ''Anime/WolfsRain'''s Tsume also has one on his chest that Toboe asks about, though [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Tsume]] [[MyGreatestFailure ain't exactly]] [[TallDarkAndSnarky eager to]] [[TroubledButCute talk about]] [[FailureKnight it...]]

* [[spoiler: Sora]] from ''Manga/{{Shitsurakuen}}'' has one of these.
* In ''Manga/DogsBulletsAndCarnage'', Naoto has one on her chest.
* Tsukune Aono from ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' has a huge one on his chest, among several smaller scars. Got it from a random {{mook}}, but it also marks the first time he released his ghoul powers without Moka's aide.
* [[spoiler:Captain Miria]] from ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' came BackFromTheDead sporting an X-shaped scar across her face and looking more badass than ever.
* ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}'s'' main character has this by the end of the series, though it is explicitly shown how he got it. [[spoiler: From intentionally taking two ''bullets'' to the face and body.}]]
* Apollo from ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'' has one on his cheek. It's never mentioned how he got it.
* [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Manji]] of ''Manga/BladeOfTheImmortal'' sports several on the right side of his face, caused by two horizontal scars [[spoiler: and one vertical [[GoodScarsEvilScars scar]] running ''through'' his right eye, causing him to be blind on that side]].
* Bean Bandit from ''Anime/RidingBean'' - and its successor, ''Manga/{{GunSmith Cats}}'' - sports one centered right between his eyes.
* Takuto Tsunashi in ''Anime/StarDriver'' has an X-shaped Mark on his chest.
* Non-action manga example: Sentaro from ''Manga/KidsOnTheSlope'' has a small X-shaped scar under his left eye to show that he used to get into a lot of fights.
* Gin from ''{{Manga/Gintama}}'' has one after the TimeSkip.
* [[ArtificialHuman Veronica Maradaki]] from ''Manga/FrankenFran'' sports an X stretching across her whole face composed of stitched scars.
* Ginji from ''Manga/PokemonMysteryDungeonGinjisRescueTeam'' is a boy with a large x-shaped scar on his forehead. He keeps this when he gets [[BalefulPolymorph turned into a Torchic]].
* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': The injury that awakened Katarina's PastLifeMemories and set her down the path to becoming the story's protagonist left her with an X-shaped scar on her forehead (though it fades after several years).

* John Hartigan of ''ComicBook/SinCity: That Yellow Bastard'' has an X-scar on his forehead.

* the "hero" of ''ComicBook/JustAPilgrim'' has a cross-shaped scar over his eye. It's not the result of a cut, instead he pushed a heated crucifix into his face when he thought God broke him out of prison.

* Inverted in ''ComicBook/WhiteSand'' - X-shaped scar on the forehead marks the fanatic warrior-priest ''[[FantasticCasteSystem daikeen]]'' who want to murder the hero.

* Mowgli from the live-action ''Film/TheJungleBook2016'' movie has a thin scar on his chest from living in the wilds, and gains another slash crossing it during the climax.

* This is an option for custom characters in ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Calibur 3]]''

* Bang Shishigami of ''VideoGame/{{BlazBlue}}'' has one of these within his massive collection of [[TestosteronePoisoning uber-manly characteristics]].

* ''Ouendan's'' SpiritualSequel ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'' has Commander Khan. Slightly more understandable, since he was a former CIA agent, but not by much.
* Zack Fair of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' fame has one of these on his cheek. ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'' shows how he got it... but strangely it only shows him getting one cut on his cheek.
* Inverted in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', as [[TheDragon Saix]] has a big ol' X right across the bridge of his nose, and he's ''not'' a heroic sorta guy. We later learn that [[spoiler: he's been slowly turning into yet another Xehanort host for some time, and Xehanort's obsession with that letter involves using it to brand his "property". This raises some worrying questions about how he got that scar...]]
* Sue from ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' has one of these across the bridge of her nose.
* Raven from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' has the two scars in the middle of his face, meeting above the nose.
* Oscar, a sniper from ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', sports one of these on the left side of his forehead. He acquired it when he protected his brother in an unexplained incident from when they were children. Musaad, a scout, also sports a similar one in the same place. His scar likely came from his involvement in the previous war in the backstory of the game, him being a famous war veteran and all.
* Glenn in ''VideoGame/ChronoCross''. Due to SpriteMirroring, it's hard to say whether he has these on both cheeks or just one. And this is only the kid brother of the ''really'' heroic knight.

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' has [[BadassAdorable Riki]], who has a large X shaped scar-like mark in his fluffy [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Nopon]] stomach. Why he has it is never brought up, but it sure is appropiate for the Nopon with the title of Heropon.

* An option for the Player Characters in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' is a large, uneven cross over the right eye and the nose. It is not exclusive to the "good guys", but the players are - even at their most evil - invariably the "heroes" of the story.
* Two of the protagonists in ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' have x-shaped scars on their cheek; Mecha Chapter protagonist [[PsychicPowers Akira Tadokoro]] and partymember/possible protagonist [[spoiler: provided she survives]] [[ActionGirl Li Kuugo]]. Akira's is easily seen in what official art of the game exists, but Li's only gets seen if [[spoiler: she's selected as the main character for the final chapter, in which case the player will be treated to a shot of her face after the credits]].
* Reiji from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 1}}'' is seemingly just another violent delinquent, but the cross scar on his forehead highlights his [[SecretCharacter possible]] status as a heroic party member.

* ''Webcomic/AquaRegia'': Has the protagonist, having an X-shaped scar that he hides with his long hair, in chapter 7 it's revealed that [[spoiler: he got it at the end of his conscript year, because a friend and mentor of his was about to be raped due the fact he was homosexual, something that's sadly TruthInTelevision. Daniel jumped at the guys and saved him, but he ended up tortured instead. Months later, his then girlfriend tells him that he should be proud of that scar, because even if he got desfigured, he did the right thing.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' has [[BadassAdorable Riki]], who has a large X shaped scar-like mark in his fluffy [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Nopon]] stomach. Why he has it is never brought up, but it sure is appropiate for the Nopon with the title of Heropon.

* Ripred gets this type of scar near the end of ''[[Literature/TheUnderlandChronicles Gregor and the Code of Claw]]'' [[spoiler: from himself, so he could fill the role of the a person from one of Sandwich's prophecies.]]

* Tsukune Aono from ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'' has a huge one on his chest, among several smaller scars. Got it from a random {{mook}}, but it also marks the first time he released his ghoul powers without Moka's aide.

* Inverted in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' with Kevin's future self, who's still evil, yet sports one of these on his chin. ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'', where he [[TakeALevelInJerkass took a level in jerkass]] after his HeelFaceTurn, sees how he got it.

* Inverted in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' with Kevin's future self, who's still evil, yet sports one of these on his chin. ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'', where still after his HeelFaceTurn, sees how he got it.

* Reiji from ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'' is seemingly just another violent delinquent, but the cross scar on his forehead highlights his [[SecretCharacter possible]] status as a heroic party member.

[[caption-width-right:208:[[TheAtoner The scar from the past that redefined of who he is now.]]]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Juumonji from ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'' sports one. He is a {{Delinquent}} JerkWithAHeartOfGold. His father has the same scar, though in a different place. Hero marks are apparently genetic in the ''Eyeshield 21'' universe, though given everything else that is perfectly acceptable.
* Tetsugyu from ''Manga/GiantRobo''

* ''Manga/WolfsRain'''s Tsume also has one on his chest that Toboe asks about, though [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Tsume]] [[MyGreatestFailure ain't exactly]] [[TallDarkAndSnarky eager to]] [[TroubledButCute talk about]] [[FailureKnight it...]]

[[folder:Films]]

* In the latter books of ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'', Callahan has a cross-shaped scar. It was a memento from two would-be killers, who had tried to carve a swastika into his forehead, but were interrupted.