Line #3 Main/NotInTheFace


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3	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Take care to put your example in its proper place in accordance with Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings!
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7	[[quoteright:261:[[Webcomic/{{Collar 6}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_notintheface.png]]]]
8	[[caption-width-right:261:[-Even in a world of bondage, no one likes being hit in the face.-] ]]
9
10	->''"Not the face!"''
11	-->-- '''Every character on this page'''[[note]]Besides [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands2}} Face McShooty]], obviously[[/note]]
12
13	A character in a fight or facing punishment from a henchman does not want to be struck or injured in a certain manner. They could have a low pain tolerance in general, or they may be able to take other kinds of punishment, just not ''that'' specific punishment. In these cases, it isn't uncommon to hear a character desperately shout this StockPhrase at their attacker.
14
15	Usually the character gets hit in the face anyway. Often subverted when it turns out that the character's pleas were just BriarPatching all along.
16
17	The character asking not to get hit in the face may be asking for professional reasons, if they make a living from their looks, as with a model, actor, or a member of TheOldestProfession. Alternatively, the request may be because the requestor is vain.
18
19	Can involve, but doesn't demand, AHandfulForAnEye, BoomHeadshot, and if someone's being particularly vindictive, FacePalmOfDoom. Compare OwMyBodyPart, OhGodWithTheVerbing, NobodyTouchesTheHair. Not to be confused with [[OrificeInvasion actually going inside the face]].
20	----
21	!!Examples:
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24	* Grell from ''Manga/BlackButler'' yells this when Sebastian is about to hit. He of course gets hit several times in the face.
25	* ''Manga/EdensZero'': When the tyrant Madame Kurenai is about to punish Cedric for [[DisproportionateRetribution touching her without permission]], he begs her not to harm his face because he is a model. She proceeds to burn his face and disfigure him.
26	* In the ''Manga/LoveHina'' manga, Keitarō tries to spank Sarah, who promptly exclaims, "Nooo, not the buttocks!" Turns out [[spoiler:she has a panda-shaped birthmark on one of her buttocks]].
27	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': When Sasuke is hunting down escapees from Orochimaru's lab, amongst the screams one person can be heard shouting, "Please, please, not the face!" It rather undermines the drama of the situation.
28	* Brook from ''Manga/OnePiece'' does not want you to mess with his afro. To be fair with him, it will never grow back if cut, and he needs it [[spoiler:for Laboon to recognize him]].
29	* Conrad in ''Anime/RuneSoldierLouie'': "Not the face! Please, anywhere but the face!"
30	* During an early chapter of ''Manga/ZombiePowder'', a {{Mook}} who [[YouHaveFailedMe has failed his boss]] is given a choice of punishment: Get it in the face or the stomach. He politely asks to not get it in the face. [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe So his boss slices him in half at the stomach.]]
31	[[/folder]]
32
33	[[folder:Card Games]]
34	* Shown on a sign held in the art of the ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' joke card [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=74275 "Erase (Not the Urza's Legacy One)."]]
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Comic Books]]
38	* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
39	** Although he never openly ''said'' anything of this nature, Tim Drake occasionally worried about this when out superheroing -- mainly because a teenage boy having visible bruises invites uncomfortable questions.
40	** ''ComicBook/ArkhamAsylumLivingHell'' has a vicious outbreak of all of the inmates from their cells, and the guards are getting their asses kicked until head guard [[BadassNormal Aaron Cash]] arrives, giving the following scene:
41	--->'''Junkyard Dog:''' Aw, man! Not ''you!'' Wait... just not the face!\
42	'''Cash:''' You giving me orders, Dog?! '''''CRACK'''''
43	** ''ComicBook/Batman66'': Or "not in the beak", as the Penguin says.
44	* ComicBook/{{MODOK}} screams this when ComicBook/SquirrelGirl's sidekick Tippy-Toe jumps on him. Given that he's about 90% face, it's surprising he doesn't do this more often.
45	* ComicBook/MoonKnight gets this a lot. He rarely listens.
46	* Lampshaded by Grace Choi in ''Outsiders'' #36 after an evil speedster [[RapidFireFisticuffs beats her up]], leaving her with a face like raw hamburger.
47	-->'''Grace:''' Ow. Always the face. ''Why'' do these douchebags always mess up the face?
48	* A corrupt cop repeatedly begged the (Ultimate) [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Punisher]] not to shoot him in the face. He knew he was going to die, but wanted to be shot in the heart or strangled so at least his mother could identify him. Frank's response?
49	-->'''Punisher:''' Face it is, then.\
50	'''''BANG'''''
51	* The TropeCodifier likely comes from Arthur from ''ComicBook/TheTick'' comic series. He shouted "Not in the face!" as a potential battle cry. The cartoon turned it into more of a RunningGag.
52	* In ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'', Doll-Master asks Mr. Rictus that he leaves his face intact while killing him. He already knows that he's gonna die — he just wants to make sure his family finds a relatively peaceful body. Mr. Rictus then spectacularly [[KickTheDog kicks the dog]] and reveals that he already killed them.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Fan Works]]
56	* ''Fanfic/IAmNotGoingThroughPubertyAgain'': {{Invoked\|Trope}} by Orochimaru during his fight with Hinata in Chapter 11:
57	-->'''Orochimaru:''' OH GOD NOT THE FACE.
58	* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'': During the Skelter Bite saga, the Kung Fu Dugongs get pissed at Sanji for leaving them behind. Even though Boss is quickly sated by the presence of his old friends from the Great Kung Fu Fleet, the TDWS are still angry and [[TooDumbToLive try to fight Sanji]]. In the middle of the carnage that ensues, this happens:
59	--> NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FAAAACE! ''(Crack)'' [[VerbalBackspace BACK TO THE FACE! BACK TO THE FAAAACE!]]
60	* ''FanFic/TotalDramaLegacy'': As is established early on in "Reality Shogun", [[ProudBeauty Emilia]] ''hates'' being hit in her beautiful face. This makes sense; after all, she's Alejandro's daughter, and [[Recap/TotalDramaSuckersPunched "not the face" is the Burromuerto family code]]. [[spoiler: It makes her ultimate fate- having her beautiful face ''scarred''- all the more karmic.]]
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
64	* "Hey, not in the face, pal!" Said during a fight in ''WesternAnimation/TheBraveLittleToaster''... by Radio, the only character who does not have any sort of face at all.
65	* ''WesternAnimation/CatwomanHunted'' has the title character [[FemmeFatale using her attractiveness to advantage]], so when Cheshire slashes Selina with her WolverineClaws....
66	-->'''Selina:''' Oh come on, not in the face; that's my money maker. [[ClassyCatBurglar Or one of them.]]
67	* A subversion in ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCatTheMovie'': one of the Mizards tells Felix (whom they thought, because he's a cat, he plans to eat them) not to eat his tail first. Because he lost many tails, which takes a long time for a new one to grow.
68	* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueVsTeenTitans'', Weather Wizard says this line when he's disarmed. In response, The Flash [[ExactWords punches him in the gut]] with RapidFireFisticuffs.
69	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'', Tulio says this during his sword fight with Miguel.
70	* In ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'', the robot B.E.N. shouts it when captured by pirates.
71	[[/folder]]
72
73	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
74	* ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'': When Bianca punches a [[JerkAss very deserving]] [[BrainlessBeauty Joey]] in the face, he howls, "Shit, Bianca, I'm shooting a nose-spray ad tomorrow!"
75	* At one point in ''Literature/AmericanPsycho'', Patrick Bateman chases a hooker through an apartment and tries to eat her leg. She kicks him in the face and, being a self-absorbed yuppie, he screams at her, "Not the face! Not the fucking face!"
76	* Parodied (if that's even possible) in ''Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy'' at the beginning of the Newscasters Fight Scene. Even more amusing is the blasé way the other newscasters agree to it, as though it was something so incredibly obvious. Judging from the Canadian newscaster's reaction of "What do we look like, rookies?" this is indeed the case. Of course just the fact that full-on brawls between different news organizations actually having ROE (Rules of Engagement) is hilarious in its own right.
77	-->'''Ron Burgundy:''' Now before we do this, let's go over the ground rules. Rule number 1: "No touching of the hair or face." And that's it! Now let's do this!
78	* ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'': Barbarella points a laser gun at the Black Queen's face and threatens that she'll melt it if she doesn't release Pygar. The Black Queen gets all dramatic at the prospect: "Stop! My face! My beautiful face!"
79	* ''Film/BlazingSaddles''. When director [[CampGay Buddy Bizarre]] is about to be punched by [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Taggart]]:
80	-->'''Buddy:''' Not in the face!\
81	''[Taggart punches him in the stomach]''\
82	'''Buddy:''' Thank you. ''[collapses]''\
83	'''Dancer:''' They hit Buddy! Let's get 'em, girls!
84	* In ''Film/TheEliteSquad'', this is [[spoiler:Baiano's]] plea when BOPE are about to finish him off, so as not to ruin it for the wake. [[spoiler:[[DefiedTrope Matias doesn't]] [[BoomHeadshot care.]]]]
85	* Inverted in ''Film/GoodFellas'' where [[spoiler:Tommy is shot through the back of the head so his mother will have to give him a closed casket funeral]].
86	* ''Film/GrandSlam'': When Weiss slaps Jean-Paul around to stop him [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere walking away from the job]] after the CaperCrew discover [[SpannerInTheWorks the new "Grand Slam 70" safe system has been installed]], Gregg tells him not to hit Jean-Paul in the face as they still need him to be able to seduce Mary Ann.
87	* ''Film/{{Head}}'': In an old movie parody, Davy Jones plays the sensitive violinist from the slums who becomes a prizefighter. In a casting session he looks over a line of boxers and chooses Sonny Liston (sort of the Mike Tyson of his time). He good-naturedly banters "You won't hurt the face, will you? Million-dollar face, this is." This is [[GilliganCut intercut]] with ringside footage of Liston beating Jones' face to a swollen bloody pulp.
88	* In ''Film/HeroicTrio'', the three main characters get put through the wringer but when an explosion gets too close for comfort, the youngest member of the trio exclaims, "My face! Am I still pretty? ([[BeautyIsNeverTarnished she is]])," indicating the one and only part of her body she is concerned about.
89	* ''Film/TheLastBoyScout'':
90	** Whenever someone does something that irritates Bruce Willis' character:
91	--->'''Hallenbeck:''' ''[to the friend his wife is having an affair with]'' Head or gut?\
92	'''Matthews:''' Gut. ''[cue the punching]''
93	** And at the end of the movie...
94	--->'''Hallenbeck:''' ''[to the ingrate Senator whose life he helped save]'' Head or gut?\
95	'''Sen. Baynard:''' Huh? ''[gets punched in the face ''and'' the gut]''
96	* ''Film/{{Leatherheads}}'' inverts this during a fight between Carter and Dodge. After discussing numerous places not to hit, they agree to stick to hitting each other ''only'' in the face.
97	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
98	** ''Film/IronMan3'':
99	*** ''Almost'' directly quoted by Tony in Florida, as the pieces of the MK XLII fly to him; the last one is the face plate, which he catches in midair rather than letting it slam into place, paraphrasing this trope at the same time.
100	*** Trevor Slattery, when Tony Stark points a gun at his face:
101	---->'''Trevor:''' Don't hurt the face, I'm an actor!
102	** ''Film/{{The Marvels\|2023}}'': Nick Fury has a bit of a scare while holding a newborn flerken and it suddenly whips out the tentacles, in a ContinuityNod to how he lost his eye in ''Film/{{Captain Marvel\|2019}}''.
103	--->'''Fury:''' Oh no, not my good eye!
104	* In ''Film/{{The Punisher\|2004}}'', when Mickey thinks he's about to be killed by the mob for the death of Howard Saint's son, he calmly asks them not to damage his face, for his mother's sake. Luckily, they don't intend to kill him.
105	* ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows''. Irene Adler leaves Sherlock to get worked over by Moriarty's thugs, but tells them to leave his face intact [[FoeRomanceSubtext as they have an upcoming dinner date]].
106	* In ''Film/WildWildWest'', Artemis Gordon is captured by the villain and (because he's secretly wearing a bulletproof vest) makes a last request to be shot in the heart that he used to love his country so much. The villain realizes what's going on and orders his men to shoot Artemis in the head.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Literature]]
110	* In the book version of ''Literature/TheGodfather'', Johnny Fontane's unfaithful movie-star wife tolerates his beating her -- but "not in the face, I'm making a picture." That Fontane complies with the request is [[DeliberateValuesDissonance presented as a sign of lack of manliness]] that the Godfather reprimands him for.
111	* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': From ''[[http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php/content_page/item/446-insanity-prerequisite-part-4 Insanity Prerequisite (Part 4)]]'', when Hippolyta, a frequent fighter, gets offended by a shirt Peeper's selling, the scene ends with "NOT IN THE FACE!"
112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
115	* ''Series/{{Arrow}}''. Roy Harper is captured by the [[ComicBook/BlackCanary Canary]] who starts whacking him in the face with her bo staff. Apart from fear of damaging his MrFanservice looks, Roy isn't happy because he had told his girlfriend Thea that he'd given up his vigilante activities, so can't afford unexplained bruises.
116	-->'''Roy:''' Not my face! I have a disapproving girlfriend.
117	* ''Series/TheATeam'', "[[Recap/TheATeamS1E8TheOutOfTowners The Out-of-Towners]]". When one of East Side Charlie's underlings ends up stuck in the backseat of a cab Face is using just as he has to go back to the street to prepare for the showdown, he threatens to punch him. Face responds, "Not in the face." However, as he's already employed safety equipment to keep the guy away from him, he says it very in a very blase style, unlike the usual versions of the trope.
118	* From ''Series/BurnNotice'', Westen plays this straight, as the villain of the week has a gun pointed at him and ready to shoot: "If you're gonna do it, then not in the face, please. Please, not in the face!" He's not BriarPatching, merely buying a few seconds while he moves out of range of the trap he set for her.
119	* Jeff from ''Series/{{Community}}'' claimed that he had never been in a fight due to his vanity. When it came time to get into a fight with the college's bullies, he asked not to be hit in the face. He was punched in the gut instead.
120	* ''Series/DoctorWho''. When "the fam" confront [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Jack Robertson]] in "Revolution of the Daleks", he thinks he's being mugged and tells them to take his car but leave his face intact.
121	* On ''Series/{{Friends}}'' when Ross and Chandler are going to fight the couch bullies, they agree to no face attacks, because they all have work on Monday. Nor [[GroinAttack below the belt]] because one of the bullies and his wife are trying to get pregnant.
122	* ''Series/{{Glee}}'':
123	** When Puck tries to recruit more people into glee by telling his football teammates how cool it is, they decide he needs to be beaten up like all the other nerds, and he yells for them not to damage his pretty face.
124	** When Rachel expects physical retribution for betraying Quinn, she ''offers'' her face, but requests that, if she can, Quinn try to avoid her nose.
125	* On ''Series/GreysAnatomy'', when Izzie thinks Callie wants to [[CatFight fight her]] over her affair with George, Alex and Cristina give her some advice:
126	-->'''Alex:''' Punch with your left, protect your face with your right.\
127	'''Cristina:''' No, protect your hands. Your surgeon hands. Your face can heal.
128	* An episode of ''Series/HappyDays'' sees the Fonz being forced to punch Richie in order to keep up his tough guy image (long story). He asks Richie where he wants to be punched, mentioning that a gut punch hurt more but a punch to the face would leave a bruise. Richie ends up convincing him not to hit him but as they leave the room, Richie hits his head on the door, prompting everyone to believe Fonz did it. This restores Fonz's tough-guy image but also leads to Richie earning the sympathy of every girl in town.
129	* ''Series/LostGirl'': In "Caged Fae", Bo is tortured by the guards after striking one of them, but they're ordered not to harm her face as [[GirlsBehindBars "the Warden wants her pretty."]]
130	* On one occasion in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Ted was angry at Barney, who offered Ted one free hit anywhere but the face. Ted complied -- by punching Barney [[GroinAttack in the groin]] instead.
131	* Inverted in an episode of ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' has Malcolm wanting to get out of something, so he asks Reese to hit him. Naturally, Reese obliges with a punch to the stomach. Malcolm then says he ''wanted'' to be hit in the face, and Reese answers that their mother would see the bruises, and ground him for it, thinking Malcolm just wanted to get him in trouble.
132	* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
133	** The first episode of ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' had Ziggy screaming this after his carjacking attempt goes awry. He didn't exactly expect the lone traveller to be a skilled fighter capable of chopping metal with his bare hands.
134	** In ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce'', this is practically Prince Vekar's catchphrase. As soon as he's in the slightest bit of danger, he panics, starting with screaming "Not in the face!!"
135	* Played with in ''Series/{{The Prisoner\|1967}}'' episode "[[Recap/ThePrisonerE15TheGirlWhoWasDeath The Girl Who Was Death]]", as Number Six is pulled into a boxing match with a typical hulking bruiser who tells him between punches "'Ey, take it easy, me face is me fortune, you might knock it back into shape!"
136	* ''Series/TheProfessionals'':
137	** Doyle enters a BadGuyBar and hauls a customer into the storeroom. Turns out he's an undercover cop and the two of them start knocking things off the shelves to make it sound like Doyle is beating him up. When it's time to leave, Doyle goes to inflict the required facial injury, and the cop tells him not to hit his good side as he's got a date tonight.
138	** On another occasion, Bodie and Doyle have to fake a fight, so Bodie agrees to avoid Doyle's good side only to get it wrong in the excitement.
139	* ''Series/{{The Punisher\|2017}}''. When Frank Castle is about to shoot Nikolai Poloznev with a SawnOffShotgun, the Russian oligarch decides to FaceDeathWithDignity, his LastRequest that Frank not shoot him in the face for the [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes sake of his wife and daughter]] who'll be looking at his body in the coffin. Frank decides to spare his life, though he's killed shortly afterwards by Pilgrim--ironically by being shot in the face.
140	* Recurring bad guy on ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries'' William Ray "Pudface" Morgan has an issue with this, ever since his first encounter with [=RoboCop=] resulted in him being disfigured from toxic waste; Morgan blames Robo for it, but according to Sgt. Parks (the series's equivalent of Sgt. Reed from the movies), it was Morgan's own fault. In their subsequent encounters, whenever [=RoboCop=] has Morgan cornered, he will invoke this trope. [=RoboCop=] does not oblige him.
141	* On ''Series/TheSopranos'', during the episode "[[Recap/TheSopranosS2E13Funhouse Funhouse]]", [[spoiler:Pussy]] makes this request (which is granted - not that it matters because he'll be SleepingWithTheFishes) just before being shot by Tony and the others for being an FBI informant.
142	* On one episode of ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'' which stars a pair of bandit lovers, the man is always paranoid about something happening to his visage. At the end of the episode you find out that the reason for this is [[spoiler:that they are zombies, and therefore any bodily damage done to them will not be deadly but still leave a lasting mark. He gets shot in the face and, while still undead, is left looking like that for the rest of time.]]
143	* On ''Series/That70sShow'', Kelso is being beaten by Jackie and yells this, there is then a pause and he yelps in pain and says "Alright, alright! In the face!"
144	* ''Series/Tracker2001'', "Double Down". Troy Montana, the underwear model whose billboard Cole took his human form from, says this several times. Obviously, he's afraid of being out of a model job if his face gets messed up.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Pinballs]]
148	* In ''Pinball/TheChampionPub'', this is one of [[CampGay Steveo]]'s reactions to getting hit.
149	[[/folder]]
150
151	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
152	* When [[Wrestling/BrutusBeefcake Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake]] returned to wrestling in 1993, many of his matches had a stipulation that he couldn't be hit in the face. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that he had (legitimately) destroyed his face in a parasailing accident and had to have screws inserted, and too much trauma would've destroyed his face again. It was only a matter of time where – in {{Kayfabe}}, of course – this would be averted … and it was, when Wrestling/TedDiBiase interfered in [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Shyster]]'s match against Beefcake and struck him head-on with a metal briefcase, this after Beefcake had Shyster ready for a free haircut.
153	* Caleb Konley's entire reason for being in EVOLVE is to show of his "flawless face", so naturally he doesn't take contact to it too well.
154	* Through his career, legendary British heel Mick [=McManus=] HATED anyone messing with his ears (apparently they were extra sensitive). The inevitable result was many matches where his ears became the sole focus of his opponents, much to the delight of the fans.
155	* This is an aspect of Wrestling/TheMiz's "Hollywood Megastar" persona, beginning in summer 2014. In backstage interviews he refers to his face as "the moneymaker" and stresses that he can't allow any harm to come to it. He'll even retreat from the ring if he fears his opponent might target his face.
156	* Chris Nowinski wore a plastic face mask claiming his reconstructive surgery (or something) was too expensive to be hit in the face. Naturally, Wrestling/ScottSteiner hit him in the face every opportunity he got, which made Chris get a metal face mask which he used as a weapon. (Too bad Wrestling/{{the Dudley\|boys}}s were on its receiving end [[MisplacedRetribution instead of Scott]].)
157	* "Dashing" Wrestling/CodyRhodes, who played a slightly toned-down GorgeousGeorge gimmick, started doing this in a team elimination match in Survivor Series (2010) after getting slapped in the face. He left the ring to make sure it didn't leave a mark and even started crying. Then Wrestling/ReyMysterioJr broke his nose. Cody Rhodes [[UnstoppableRage did not react well.]]
158	* [[Wrestling/SherriMartel Sensational Sherri]] placed a stipulation in the match between Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/RickMartel at ''[=SummerSlam=] 1992'' that neither was supposed to hit the other in the face.
159	* Wrestling/WorldWonderRingSTARDOM ruled that any punch in the face would draw an immediate match-ending disqualification following the February 22 2015 Korkuen Hall main event gaining infamy as "[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown The Seisan Matchi]]" for leaving budding draw Act Yasukawa hospitalized with three facial fractures a mere two months after her return from cataract surgery.
160	* ''Wrestling/{{WWE NXT}}'' features Tyler Breeze, a narcissistic GorgeousGeorge type who struts around like a supermodel and is always taking pictures of himself. For a while he went absolutely ballistic if his face was hurt in a match, but as the character became more serious this element was gradually dropped.
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:Sports]]
164	* The PantyFighter league Lingerie Fighting Championships promotes itself on {{fanservice}}, and to this end banned all strikes to the face after their show in Las Vegas, though apparently everyone still tries to sneak them in anyway...
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
168	* This is the name of a Knack in ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}''. The Scion yells this phrase or something similar, which supernaturally unnerves the enemy enough that they start unconsciously pulling their punches.
169	* ''TabletopGame/{{Starfinder}}'': The envoy class has this as an improvisation they can take, making it harder for enemies to hit them.
170	* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': Lucius of the Emperor's Children was the handsomest of an entire Legion of bishonen SpaceMarines, but his nose was broken and unable to be fixed in a fight. Later, the Legion's descent into Chaos and another scar to the face sent him way off the deep end, voluntarily scarring his face. These days, he's an absolute mess.
171	[[/folder]]
172
173	[[folder:Theatre]]
174	* In ''Theatre/CrossRoad'', it's not Niccolo Paganini, the violinist, who realizes that getting into a fight might damage his hands. His [[DealWithTheDevil contracted devil]], Amduscias, has to point it out to him. And this is right after Niccolo warned his student Asha to take care of her hands and not wait outside in the snow for him.
175	[[/folder]]
176
177	[[folder:Video Games]]
178	* In ''VideoGame/ArmyMen'', this was General Plastro's reaction anytime violence was ready to be visited upon him.
179	* ''VideoGame/AtlasReactor'': Lockwood occasionally says this when hit.
180	* Inverted with Face [=McShooty=] in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2''. Not only does he want to be shot in the face, but he becomes irritated with the player if shot anywhere else.
181	* Variant: In the ending cinematic of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'', Mog is literally hanging by a hair after being saved from a BottomlessPit, but he still cries: "Not the hair!"
182	* ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Jedi Outcast]]'' had a line "Please! [[{{Pluralses}} Noble Jedis! Not in the faces!]]"
183	* ''VideoGame/{{Paladins}}'': Kill Fernando, a narcissistic knight, and he'll let out a slightly more long-winded version of the trope.
184	* ''Super VideoGame/PunchOut: Narcis Prince'' is, as his name suggests, overly protective of his beautiful face. Punching him there pushes his BerserkButton -- he TurnsRed and becomes very aggressive, while at the same time dropping his defenses and becoming much easier to fight. It’s temporary, as his cornerman is able to get him to calm down after enough time has passed or he gets knocked down, but you can send him right back into with another shot in the chops.
185	* In ''VideoGame/SpiderManShatteredDimensions,'' Amazing Spidey will occasionally shout "Not the face!" when the player doesn't dodge enemy attacks.
186	* Vega of the various ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' games. He goes so far as to wear a metal mask to protect his face from damage. In Vega's case, though, it has nothing to do with the pain of being hit: he just doesn't want his face damaged since he's a hopeless narcissist. In fact, in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', you can have Vega toss away his mask intentionally because by exposing his face to damage, he knows it'll allow him to fight more aggressively and he'll do better damage as a result.
187	* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'': This is one of Zelos' "ouch" phrases.
188	[[/folder]]
189
190	[[folder:Web Animation]]
191	* "Not the face!" is a catch phrase for Matt in ''WebAnimation/EddsWorld''.
192	* In ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'', Blue shouts this when Red kicks him for interrupting her video on Literature/TheAeneid.
193	* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'':
194	** The reds have Tex captured, and they unload her ammo (the game engine didn't allow people to be unarmed). Grif taunts Tex upon finding out that she's a girl.
195	--->'''Tex:''' Hey, punk. I don't need a weapon to kill you.\
196	'''Grif:''' Yeah, right. What're you gonna do, punch me?\
197	(''Tex silently motions towards Grif'')\
198	'''Grif:''' (''hastily stepping back'') AAAARGH! Not the face!
199	** Before this occurs, Simmons gets hit in the back of his head, stating "Oh geez, the back of my head!" When Church goes back in time, Simmons wakes up only to get hit in the face, this time saying, "Oh geez, the front of my face!"
200	* Yang says this when Penny throws a dodgeball at her in ''WebAnimation/RWBYChibi''.
201	[[/folder]]
202
203	[[folder:Webcomics]]
204	%% ZCE * ''Webcomic/Collar6'': See the image at the top of the page.
205	* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'':
206	** Played with:
207	--->'''[[GeniusLoci Castle Heterodyne]]:''' No! Not in the facing!
208	** Agatha's reindeer clank also says "Not the face!" after jumping down a ledge. It tries again when faced with Bohrlaikha, but gets KilledMidSentence.
209	* From ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', Old Blind Pete, after having his eyes just regenerated, pleads before a vengeful Belkar: "Please don't stab my eyes out, please don't stab my eyes out, please don't stab my eyes out..."
210	* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' created a Website/{{Kickstarter}} project in the form of a {{Gamebook\|s}} called ''Trial of the Clone''. Your character is supposed to be genetically engineered to be TheChosenOne, but is in reality the Universe's biggest ButtMonkey. Quite a number of the deaths in the book have your character's last words as "Not in the face!" On a few occasions it's even put on your tombstone as well.
211	* In ''Webcomic/StarImpact'', this is [[GirlyBruiser Lily]]'s one big drawback as a boxer -- even though she never says the trope's name or anything to that effect. She values her IdolSinger career more than her boxing career, so she'll throw in the towel if she thinks that her face is sustaining too much damage. [[TheHero Aster]] plans on [[ExploitedTrope exploiting]] this, [[DeconstructedTrope as her need to protect her face leaves her wide open to body blows]]. [[spoiler:However, Aster [[SpiritedCompetitor gets her fired up enough]] to continue the fight even after scoring a hit on the moneymaker -- [[DidntThinkThisThrough which]] [[LetsGetDangerous Aster]] [[SuperMode didn't]] [[GrowingMusclesSequence anticipate]].]]
212	* ''Webcomic/TwentyFirstCenturyFox'': A [[InvisibilityCloak cloaking device]] equipped black jaguar assassin runs afoul of Jack's similarly equipped hyena bodyguard and her shield [[http://www.hirezfox.com/21cf/d/20231127.html here]].
213	* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': After Duane cuts Ephsephin's cheek in their first encounter Ephsephin tries to protect his fact from further harm. He's therefore furious when Sette manages to add another slash to the same cheek:
214	-->''WHY? '''WHY''' [[https://www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic/ch05/ch05_08.html WOULD YOU CUT ME THERE!]]''
215	* Grape from ''Webcomic/WeakHero'' hates getting hit in the face above anywhere else. Makes it satisfying when not only does Gerard deck him with a kick, but then Gray pelts his head with a soda can.
216	[[/folder]]
217
218	[[folder:Websites]]
219	* ''Website/SFDebris'' likes to give this line to Picard in his {{Gag Dub}}s of ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
220	[[/folder]]
221
222	[[folder:Western Animation]]
223	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', as part of a trap laid out for a rogue agent, Cyril is left naked in a compromising position, where said rogue agent finds him, and aims a rifle at him. Cyril begs him "please, not the face," to which the agent responds "[[JerkAss said your mom!]]"
224	* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': When Laura Limpett becomes the Big Badolescent after tasting the Delightful Children's cake (angry that it has coconut in it), she advances on them menacingly. The Delightful Children, [[SpeakInUnison in unison]], say "Not in the face! Not in the face!"
225	* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' has the title character get harassed by another student leading up to a fight. At the time of the confrontation, the guy ends up being a complete wuss and even tells Doug to hit him in the arms because his stomach wasn't feeling so great.
226	* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', this trope is, verbatim, the motto of Timmy's soccer team, the Dimmsdale Victims.
227	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' ChristmasSpecial, Grim requests the vampire elf bats attacking him (long story) to not target his face.
228	* At the end of an episode of ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' (in which he has dressed up as a Barney-like dinosaur) he yells at the kids jumping on top of him "Not the face! Not the face!"
229	* In ''WesternAnimation/JumanjiTheAnimatedSeries'', episode 17, Peter has been frozen solid (long story). Alan and Judy end up using him as a bridge; when walking across him he remarks, "Not the face, not the face!"
230	* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'':
231	** Cotton once says that he would take a bullet for Bobby, except in the face, because "that's how I makes my livings." Hank is unable to process what this means.
232	** Hank also displays this trope in one episode when he got a nose job after it was broken during football practice. He admires his new nose so much that he goes to great lengths to protect his face so that his new nose doesn't get damaged.
233	** After Hank and the gang make a golf course out of the alley, they invite Kahn to be a member. When Kahn answers the door to Hank holding a golf club, he automatically says "Oh please! Not in the face!"
234	* In ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'', it tends to come from Gorrath's [[NumberTwo second in]] command near immediately after he [[CommanderContrarian calls out his superior's commands.]]
235	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E11KeepCalmAndFlutterOn Keep Calm and Flutter On]]", Rarity pleads "Not the dress! NOT THE DRESS!" to the animated soup tureen spitting on everypony.
236	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
237	** Moe says this quite a lot. He once got attacked by an eagle and screamed "Not in the face! Not in the face!" Eagle switches to his crotch, and trope is inverted. "OK, the face! The face!" When the eagle goes back to the face, he even remarks "That actually feels okay, after the crotch."
238	** And in the ''WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror'' segment, "The Ned Zone", Lisa basically lampshades an unwritten rule of said HalloweenEpisode series -- namely, facial injuries are rarely shown. The line in question is as follows:
239	--->'''Lisa:''' Remember, if you really have to [[spoiler:kill our dad]], remember the Simpsons'[[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke "The Simpsons" in the "title of the show" sense]][[/note]] rule: not in the face.
240	* Vanity in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode "Chlorhydris' Lost Love" says this when he gets hit in the face with a tomato by the Smurfs affected by the black heart arrow.
241	* Plankton shouts it as he is about to be stepped on in the ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' episode "Sleepy Time".
242	* Arthur's battlecry on ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'', as mentioned above.
243	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
244	** Justin and Chris both do this on ''Total Drama Action''.
245	** Alejandro and Jose also avoid face shots in ''All Stars''. It's the Burromeutro family code.
246	[[/folder]]
247
248	[[folder:Real Life]]
249	* At the battle of Pharsalus, Julius Caesar directed his pikemen to aim at the faces of Pompey's cavalrymen, guessing (correctly) that they would [[FateWorseThanDeath fear disfigurement more than death]].
250	* Maximilian I of Mexico gave each of his executioners a gold coin so that they wouldn't shoot him in the head, in order for his mother to see his face. [[note]]Not that it helped. It was reported, upon the arrival of his corpse in Vienna, that his face was horribly disfigured, with bared teeth, bulging eyes, cuts from broken glass via the window of the coffin, and his beard cut off by souvenir hunters.[[/note]]
251	* When Joachim Murat (one of UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte's generals, as well as his brother-in-law) was executed by firing squad for sedition against the Kingdom of Naples, he specifically said "Aim for the heart, but avoid the face". Although Murat was considered something of a vain dandy, this was more an example of him being [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments flippant in the face of death]] to cap off a long life of general badassery.
252	* Benito Mussolini said the same thing before he was executed. Even had his executioner complied, the population caved his skull in after his corpse was brought to Milan.
253	* A subversion happened on the set of ''Film/RedPlanet'': Creator/ValKilmer and Tom Sizemore ended up getting into a fight and before it started, a crewmember insisted that Kilmer not be struck on the face (although Sizemore knocked him out via a punch to the chest).
254	[[/folder]]

Context Main / NotInTheFace