| 1 | ->''"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."'' |
| 2 | -->-- '''Literature/TheLittleEngineThatCould''' |
| 3 | |
| 4 | To contrast MadnessMantra, this is a prayer, {{koan}}, or just plain reassuring phrase that gives the speaker peace or confidence, or at least forestalls a [[HeroicBSOD panic attack]] in a dangerous situation. |
| 5 | |
| 6 | Be advised, reading these entries [[ItWasWithYouAllAlong may or may not]] actually make you brave... but it is all pretty reassuring! |
| 7 | |
| 8 | If it works at a crucial moment, it may be adopted as a BadassCreed; alternatively, characters may use an existing Badass Creed to galvanise themselves in a moment of panic. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | See also MadnessMantra. Might be used in a MeditationPowerup or BravadoSong. Often an illustration of ThePowerOfLanguage. |
| 11 | ----- |
| 12 | !!Examples: |
| 13 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 14 | |
| 15 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 16 | * ''Anime/ArgentoSoma:'' "Maki... Maki... Maki... Maki..." A Survival Mantra that tragically, TRAGICALLY borders on MadnessMantra. |
| 17 | * ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'''s Eren Yeager has "TATAKAE! TATAKAE! TATAKAE! TATAKAE! TATAKAE!"[[labelnote:*]]Fight![[/labelnote]] |
| 18 | * In ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'', Tomo and Osaka end up in the doldrums after summer vacation. To try and get them ready to go back to school, Chiyo starts up a chant of "Get motivated! Get motivated!" Unfortunately, keeping them motivated proves to be like spinning plates, and she quickly gets worn out. |
| 19 | ** Then she tries it on someone else who is suffering from the same problem. Said someone else is ''[[ApatheticTeacher Ms. Yukari]].'' |
| 20 | ** At the beginning of each school year, Osaka tries to psyche herself up with a mantra of "Get it together! Get it together!" Unfortunately, she often focuses too hard on the mantra and forgets to listen to the teachers. |
| 21 | * ''Manga/BlackClover'''s Asta says "I'm not done yet" so frequently, it practically becomes this. |
| 22 | %%* ''Manga/BusoRenkin:'' "I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...I WILL FIGHT!" |
| 23 | * Sakura from ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' has her "invincible spell": "Everything will be all right". |
| 24 | * Clare of ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' has a simple ''"I'' will ''survive."'' and ''"I will not die!''" |
| 25 | * ''Anime/CrossAnge'': When [[RebelliousPrincess Ange]] finally gains control of [[HumongousMecha Villkiss]], she snaps out of her earlier HeroicBSOD as she attacks the [[OurDragonsAreDifferent DRAGON]] that killed Commander Zola earlier that episode (which was where her current [=BSOD=] intensified). As she lays the smackdown on the feral beast, Ange keeps screaming that she doesn't want to die, then finishes it off in a rage with a promise to the [=DRAGON=] that ''it'' [[IllKillYou will be the one to die]] as she lands the final blow. |
| 26 | * [[spoiler:Azami]] of the ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'' series is shown to use one of these. It comes across as both a Survival Mantra and MadnessMantra: [[spoiler: "I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. ''I'M ALL RIGHT!!''" Poor thing.]] |
| 27 | * Played with in ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' Shizuo Heiwajima's "Kill them all" MadnessMantra is actually this, as he's using it to channel his inner anger and ''avoid'' going into {{Unstoppable Rage}}s. |
| 28 | * ''Anime/EurekaSeven'' has "Don't beg for things, do it yourself or else you won't get anything." |
| 29 | * Naoki Shinjyo does this in episode 6 of ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula Zero'' at the near end of the Asian race in Hong Kong: |
| 30 | -->'''Shinjyo''': "Run, Ex-Superion! Run...run...'''RUN!''' RUN! RUN! RUN! '''RUN!''' |
| 31 | * In ''Manga/{{Gantz}}'' Kurono Kei claims that he always wins because he always believes he will win and that others lose because they've already accepted that they might lose. |
| 32 | * Possibly the most direct version is Hana Hatsuno's "(I'm) not scared!" refrain in ''King of Braves Anime/GaoGaiGar''. |
| 33 | * ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'': |
| 34 | ** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing:'' At the end of the anime, [[spoiler: Heero Yuy]] literally says "I will... I will... I WILL SURVIVE!" |
| 35 | ** Jerid Messa of ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'' recites a more sinister one as he scrambles to board a transport out of Jaburo, competing against fellow Federation and Titans soldiers: "If you're weak, you won't survive." Justified, as those left behind were certain to perish in the [[NukeEm trap]] the Titans had set for the AEUG in Jaburo. |
| 36 | ** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamTheWitchFromMercury'': Shy, sheltered Suletta Mercury often repeats some variation of the mantra "If you run, you gain one. If you move forward, you gain two." Taught to her by her mother, Lady Prospera, it means that while there's no shame in fleeing from trouble, she'll gain more if she faces it head on. In the prequel novel, it's compared to a "spell" that helps her press forward. [[spoiler:Episode 12, however, shows a dark side to this "magic spell", as it can justify any logic to Suletta as long as it is couched in this mantra. Prospera tells Suletta that [[IDidWhatIHadToDo murder is one way of "moving forward", as long as she "gains" the safety of her loved ones]], and the girl immediately makes it part of her belief system without question.]] |
| 37 | * In the ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' OVA, a wounded Alexander Anderson starts shouting "FORWARD!" repeatedly while cutting through Alucard's ghoul army in order to get to him. |
| 38 | * Kaoru from ''Manga/ICantUnderstandWhatMyHusbandIsSaying'' would say "It'll be ok." to herself to deal with her dead-end job and loneliness in the past. [[HappilyMarried Not so much anymore.]] |
| 39 | * In ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'' Brocken Junior is mortally wounded when attacked by three superhumans after having thrown away his own super power source, an eagle badge. Muttering 'I have failed in my duty', he slowly closes his eyes as death approaches. But then a friend throws the badge back to him. His response is to mutter 'I must do my duty...I must do my duty...I must do my duty' before screaming in the manliest possible way 'I MUST DO MY DUTY'. What follows is the first and last instance of his new finishing move which defeats his target. This moment is pretty heart breaking because all his teammates are aware he's going to die if he exerts himself and scream his name, so he gives an insanely long speech about duty before he pulls off his move. And mumbles 'I have done my duty' before dying. |
| 40 | * In ''Anime/LastExile'' Mullin Shetland chants his mantra, which runs to the effect of ''"Disith bullets will avoid Mullin Shetland's body"'' as he's lifted up on deck in his role as [[RedShirt cannon fodder]]. It helps that the mantra [[NominalImportance contains his name.]] |
| 41 | ** [[spoiler:When Mullin falls in love with another grunt and rewords his mantra to protect her instead, the inevitable happens.]] |
| 42 | ** [[spoiler:He lives anyway, so I guess the mantra has a blanket clause.]] |
| 43 | * ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': "I'll never go back on my word because that's my way of the ninja!" or "Give up on trying to make me give up!" (which also doubles as a BadassBoast). |
| 44 | * ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': |
| 45 | ** Shinji has: "I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away..." Not that it works very well. Sure, he doesn't run away when he starts chanting this... but it doesn't really stave off ''insanity''. |
| 46 | ** Asuka's is "I don't want to die!" in ''End of Evangelion''. It eventually devolves into a MadnessMantra. |
| 47 | ** In an early episode, Shinji continually recites the steps for loading and firing the Eva's rifle to himself during practice. |
| 48 | ** Asuka also developed a self-reassurance tactic later on: if someone said something negative towards her, she started yelling '''"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"''' over and over again in rapid succession as if she was trying to lock reality out of her mind. |
| 49 | * ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi:'' Majo Rika, Majo Rika, MAJO RIKA! |
| 50 | ** To be specific, Hazuki (and later Momoko) whimper this when they encounter ghosts. Played to hilarious effect in one episode of ''Dokkan'', where Doremi and Hana-chan turn it into an actual chant...Aiko eventually gets fed up with the scaredy cats behind her. |
| 51 | * ''Manga/OnePiece'': |
| 52 | %%** "Dereshi shi shi shi shi..." %%ZCE - who says this, and why is this an example? |
| 53 | ** Brook hums the tune of "Brinks' Sake" to keep himself calm, and sings it when humming isn't enough. It's his cetacean friend Laboon's favorite song [[spoiler: and the last song he and his first crew sang together as they all died]]. |
| 54 | * In ''Anime/PrincessPrincipal'', Beatrice has a mechanical voice box she got thanks to being the daughter of a MadScientist. Having machinery surgically installed into her throat without the use of any anesthetics was traumatizing enough, but it also turned her into the subject of harsh discrimination, as she was seen as a "mechanical girl". When it breaks down during an emotionally-charged moment, she rushes away to fix it, and concentrates on saying "Hime-sama" (what she calls the Princess, the only person to reach out to her), which not only keeps a breakdown at bay, but gives feedback on the status of her voice as it's being repaired. |
| 55 | * ''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'': In the manga/anime/novel Mika thinks about how Yuu inspires him to keep going and try hard to survive in their messed up world when he sees how determined Yuu is to survive. He sustains his resolve by saying "Yuu-chan, I'll try extra hard today." |
| 56 | * In ''Manga/ShamanKing'', Yoh has his "Everything will work out" motto. |
| 57 | * Death the Kid from ''Manga/SoulEater'' manages to turn what was seemingly a MadnessMantra into one of these during his prologue chapter, right after he realizes [[spoiler: the actual body of the pharaoh isn't as symmetrical as he thinks]]. |
| 58 | -->'''Death the Kid''': It's all in the way! In the way! In the way! In the way! In the way! In the way! In the way! ''IT'S ALL IN THE WAY!'' |
| 59 | * Kirito in the first episode of the ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'' anime adaptation: ''"I will survive in this world!"'', while later in the Fairy Dance Arc during his solo attempt at the World Tree Grand Quest he chants ''"Asuna"'' in a borderline MadnessMantra way. |
| 60 | * Simon in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' ends up curled up in Lagann's cockpit mumbling "not my business" over and over after seeing Yoko and Kamina kiss. |
| 61 | ** Kamina has this all over the place, with the most famous three being "Who the hell do you think I am?!", "Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb!", and finally "Gattai! (Combine!)" |
| 62 | * ''Anime/WolfChildren'': As a child, Yuki was known for shifting in and out of her werewolf stasis, particularly when she'd get excited. When it came time for her to start school, Hana gave her a little rhyme to sing to help her remain calm and human. As a teenager Yuki began to mellow out more but in a later scene when she was being confronted by a boy in her class she nervously repeats the rhyme over and over again. |
| 63 | * Another Creator/{{CLAMP}} example can be found in ''Manga/{{xxxHOLiC}}'' (around vol. 4). Wherein Watanuki tries to help the far less confident sister of a set of twins by encouraging her to replace her detrimental borderline MadnessMantra with, "I won't know unless I try!" and then later, "Everything will surely go well." [[spoiler:With a little help from Yuko, ''it works'']]. |
| 64 | * ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'': The "three things" mantra [[spoiler:an eight-year-old Revolver told Yusaku]] helped him cope during and after the Lost Incident. He keeps repeating this mantra to this very day. |
| 65 | * In ''Manga/MissionYozakuraFamily'', Nanao recites his own genetic code when he needs to calm down to prevent himself from grotesquely HulkingOut into his normal, three-meter tall form. |
| 66 | * ''Literature/RebuildWorld'': Akira has "Resolve is my responsibility", to which his VirtualSidekick Alpha responds with "Leave the rest to me!". This is basically Akira saying ThisIsGonnaSuck but he’ll bear it, while Alpha uses his PoweredArmor like PeoplePuppets. Akira does say it on his own in a few significant moments separated from Alpha, proving it to be this. |
| 67 | [[/folder]] |
| 68 | |
| 69 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 70 | * In an issue of ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'', Weasel starts chanting the Litany Against Fear when he and Al are in the Box. |
| 71 | * With the heroes of ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'', their battles often involve battles of the spirit as well as physical, so when they are hard pressed and derided as weak and worthless in that moment of pressure, a Lantern can often find strength by remembering their BadassCreed, "In Brightest Day/In Blackest Night/No evil shall escape my sight/Let those who worship evil's might/Beware my power: Green Lantern's light!" |
| 72 | * ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' #40 had alternate reality John Constantine walking through a dark void, only to come face to face with the main version of himself: |
| 73 | -->'''Alternate Constantine:''' Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil...\ |
| 74 | '''Main Constantine:''' ...for I am the evilest bastard in this valley. |
| 75 | [[/folder]] |
| 76 | |
| 77 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 78 | * ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'': During the history Shinji replaces his "''I mustn't run away''" chant for another one: "''Don't say "I'm sorry", or she'll kill me''" |
| 79 | * ''Fanfic/AsylumOfDoom'': At the end of her first day [[CuckooNest as a patient]] in the [[BedlamHouse Burke Lunatic Asylum]], as she's strapped into a patient bed for the night, Gaz keeps telling herself that it's AllJustADream and to "wake up, wake up, wake up" over and over until she eventually falls asleep. |
| 80 | * In ''Cake and Lies,'' a {{VideoGame/Portal}} fanfiction, human!Wheatley's survival mantra is "I am a shotgun." This leads to an amusing scene.... |
| 81 | -->'''Wheatley''': ''I am a shotgun... I am a shotgun... I am a shotgun... This is the worst survival mantra ever... I am a shotgun...!'' |
| 82 | * Parodied in ''[[Film/TheAdventuresOfCaptainProton Captain Proton]] and the Planet of Lesbians'' when Buster Kincaid does the student version of the [[Franchise/{{Dune}} Litany Against Fear]]. |
| 83 | -->"I must drink beer. Beer is the mind killer. Beer brings the hangover that causes [[WhatDidIDoLastNight total obliteration]]. I will scull my beer. I will let it pass through me, till only urine remains!" |
| 84 | * The post-[[WhamEpisode Malachor]] WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11999827/2/A-Day-of-Recovery A Day of Recovery]]'' has Kanan repeating "There is no emotion, only peace" to himself, to try and remain stable. |
| 85 | * In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/10358532/chapters/23013618#workskin The Devil is in the Detail]]'', [[Series/Lucifer2016 Dan Espinoza]] has the phrase, "The pudding isn't worth killing over," which allows him to break free of Loki's mind control, much to Nick Fury and Black Widow's bafflement. In context, it's because that same phrase let him break out of mind control in his series; [[spoiler:when Dan is under the influence of an evil weapon that inflicts murderous rage, he's pointed at Lucifer. Since the only thing Lucifer directly did to Dan was steal his pudding, Dan backed down after realizing that lost pudding wasn't worth murder]]. On a more mundane level, after the incident, he uses the phrase to calm himself in stressful situations. |
| 86 | * ''Dusk to Dawn'' Batman novels: |
| 87 | ** ''Batman: Melody for a Mockingbird'': Whenever Mr. Freeze starts to lose his cool, he recites the recipe for an orange and almond cake as if coaching someone on how to make it. He's actually trying to [[HappyPlace relive a memory of cooking with his wife Nora]]. [[spoiler:Bruce and Selina use the same cake in their wedding at the end of the book in some manner of tribute.]] |
| 88 | ** ''Batman: Grudge Match'': During the [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass test of worthiness]] to retrieve the Sword of Salvation, Talia repeats, "Nyssa is dead! Nyssa is dead! Nyssa is dead! [[PunctuatedPounding Nyssa! Is! Dead!]]" while fighting [[spoiler:sand copies of her sister born of the repressed guilt of betraying her years ago. It dissolves into a MadnessMantra as her attacks becomes more brutal and desperate to no avail.]] |
| 89 | * In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11315839/1/An-Element-of-Fun An Element of Fun]]'' Harry's mantra for dealing with his relatives' abuse and neglect is "I don't want to die." |
| 90 | * In ''FanFic/FalloutEquestriaProjectHorizons'', [[AntiHero Blackjack]] has "I must do better", which she appropriated from a Ministry of Peace propaganda poster. |
| 91 | * In the ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Forward}}'', River uses the words "I am functional" as her Survival Mantra, after making the resolution that she is not going to let her traumatic past control her anymore. |
| 92 | * ''Fanfic/{{Frostbite}}'': Tess's name, rank and serial number starts out as the only things she has to give her captors, but turns into this after Dalsh Ruul starts torturing her. |
| 93 | -->"Siritesjha sh'Phohlhi, Commander, Mike-Hotel-2404-2294-3037-9022." ''I hold to that one thought. They can do nothing to me but kill me.'' |
| 94 | * In ''Fanfic/FrozenHeartsSakume'', [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Prince Hans]] has the final part of a BadassCreed about what a prince is. |
| 95 | -->'''Prince Hans''': A prince I am, and a prince I will be. |
| 96 | * In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6515474/6/The-Hardest-Battle The Hardest Battle]]'', [[SternTeacher Minerva McGonagall]] hears [[TheGadfly Cane]] [[LikeFatherLikeSon Black]] happily recalling how he pranked Beauxbatons' staff and taking a shine to [[TricksterTwins the Weasley twins]] and has to remind herself that "he's not at Hogwarts". |
| 97 | * In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9312749/2/Harry-Potter-and-the-Effects-of-Inattentional-Blindness Harry Potter and the Effects of Inattentional Blindness]]'' Harry's mantra during all the craziness after the war is "One thing at a time." |
| 98 | * In ''Fanfic/HurricaneSuite,'' Naruto keeps count of how long it's been since he killed someone. |
| 99 | -->'''Naruto:''' [[ThouShaltNotKill X days. X+1 is better, though.]] |
| 100 | * ''Fanfic/InDreamsYouFollowButIDreamInTheDark'': Kiba repeatedly reminds/reassures himself that "[[ArcWords Somebody has to]]" take care of DirtyBusiness, or else it won't get done. |
| 101 | * In the fanfic series ''Fanfic/{{Name}}'', the unnamed primary character repeats her mother's last words as a reminder to keep her cool under extreme pressure. |
| 102 | * ''Webcomic/NaruHinaChronicles Mini-sodes'': Naruto tries to take out Naruko, his female clone, during a bikini contest. However, upon seeing Hinata in a bikini, he keeps repeating "Be strong" to himself, only to have a major {{Nosebleed}}. |
| 103 | * In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2571676/10/Not-Your-Usual-Veela-Mate Not Your Usual Veela Mate]]'' Harry repeatedly thinks "Not there, not there, I'm not there!" after taking a portkey for the first time since the Triwizard Tournament. |
| 104 | * An X-rated ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' 2002 FanFic, "[[http://www.trektales.com/terosroadnot.html The Road Not Taken]]" by Cheree Cargill, has Spock using this as he tries to recover from a quieter but still insanely rageful state after the "Amok Time" ritual fight. Repenting of his execrable actions towards both T'Pring and Christine, he meditates using the Tenets of Surak: "The words came easily. He had repeated them countless times since childhood. They were the mantra by which he meditated, the lullaby that sent him to sleep at night, the chant that awoke him in the morning. At the Academy, he had trotted miles in full gear to the rhythm of their cadence while around him other cadets were fainting from fatigue and the grueling physical training." |
| 105 | * ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager'': |
| 106 | ** Captain Janeway suffers a panic attack after being [[StrappedToARocket sealed up in a cargo rocket]] and [[ThrownOutTheAirlock shot out into space]] and recites, [[Literature/{{Desiderata}} "Remember what peace there may be in silence"]] as a mantra to gain control of her breathing. |
| 107 | ** Spoofed with B'Elanna Torres who was raised Catholic. |
| 108 | --->She tried to think of an inspiring prayer, something from Psalm 23:4, but she forgot the words halfway and ended up mumbling a [[Film/PulpFiction distorted version of Ezekiel 25:17 instead]]. |
| 109 | * During her MindRape in ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'', Asuka repeatedly told herself "This isn't real". [[spoiler: It didn't work, and she only survived because [[LivingEmotionalCrutch Shinji]] had Misato set up a private comm channel in advance.]] |
| 110 | * In ''Series/TheProfessionals''/''Series/DoctorWho'' crossover fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Silver}}'' Doyle gets one after he is [[DemonicPossession possessed]] by The Darkness. |
| 111 | -->'''Doyle''': Bodie's gonna save me. Bodie's gonna save me. |
| 112 | ** He gets one later that isn't [[MadnessMantra about survival.]] |
| 113 | -->'''Doyle''': [[NightmareFuel He was awake. He felt it all.]] [[AndIMustScream He was awake. He felt it all.]] He was awake. He felt it all. He was awake… |
| 114 | [[/folder]] |
| 115 | |
| 116 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 117 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie'': |
| 118 | -->'''Matilda:''' Deep breath! Deep breath! DEEEEP BREEEEAAAATH! |
| 119 | * In ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', we are briefly given a shot of Milo and Audrey in an escape pod as Milo nervously chants "it's only a grease trap, it's just like a sink, it's only a grease trap, it's just like a sink..." |
| 120 | * Used in the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' when the swarm of grasshoppers come to take the ants' offering of food. The ants are all gathered underground in the colony waiting and listening. Atta, terrified, chants, "They come, they eat, they leave. They come, they eat, they leave." |
| 121 | * ''Franchise/{{Cars}}'' protagonist Lightning [=McQueen=] recites a mantra to himself before he races to psyche himself up. "Speed. I am speed." |
| 122 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}}'', Casey Junior the circus train has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR-p_Ux2yUw his own little mantra]] while climbing a steep hill "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..." |
| 123 | * ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': |
| 124 | ** "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." It was revealed in the [[WesternAnimation/FindingDory sequel]] the song was taught by Dory's parents to stop being indecisive. |
| 125 | ** When Marlin and Dory are stuck in the Jellyfish fields, Marlin invokes this trope while playing it straight. He keeps Dory awake by asking her to repeat where P. Sherman lives, and keeps himself awake by repeating "Stay awake!" |
| 126 | * ''Franchise/{{Frozen}}'': |
| 127 | ** Queen Elsa's "Conceal, don't feel" in ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''. It [[MadnessMantra doesn't always help, though]]. |
| 128 | ** In ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'', Anna manages to break herself out of her HeroicBSOD after [[spoiler:Elsa and Olaf's deaths]] by repeatedly telling herself (through song) to "do the next right thing". |
| 129 | * In ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeTheMeltdown'', Sid tells Diego that because he fears the water, that makes him its prey. When Diego has to swim, he repeats to himself, ''"I am not your prey! I am not your prey!"'' When actually in the water, Diego keeps repeating Sid's swimming instructions, ''"Claw! Kick! Claw! Kick!"''. |
| 130 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'', whenever the title character runs into trouble on her voyage, she repeats what her grandmother told her to tell Maui when they met: "I am Moana of Motunui! You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti!" [[spoiler:After Maui abandons her, she changes it to, "I am Moana of Motunui! Aboard my boat, I will sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti!"]] |
| 131 | * The titular heroine of ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'' chants, "Get off the roof, get off the roof," when the rocket is about to explode. |
| 132 | * ''Franchise/ToyStory'': |
| 133 | ** In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', when the rest of the toys come across Barbie, Mr. Potato Head breaks out into "I'm a married spud, I'm a married spud, I'm a married spud..." |
| 134 | ** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStoryOfTerror'' has "Combat Carl never gives up, Combat Carl finds a way". Jesse replaces the name with hers. |
| 135 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'', on Judy Hopp's second day of parking duty, after being worn down by receiving steady verbal abuse from those she has ticketed, she returns to her three-wheeled joke mobile and bangs her head against the steering wheel, reminding herself desperately, "I am a real cop, I am real cop, I am a real cop..." |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 139 | * ''Film/TheThirteenthWarrior'': ''"Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters, and my brothers. Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning. Lo, they do call to me. They bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever."'' [[spoiler:Ironically, it is a funeral chant that was heard at the beginning of the movie. The heroes are facing down an entire army and the heroes' leader, who starts the chant, already knows he is dying from being poisoned in the last confrontation. The others join in as they don't expect to survive either and it gives them the courage needed to fight anyway.]] |
| 140 | * ''Film/TheAccountant2016'' recites the Solomon Grundy nursery rhyme in high-stress situations. It provides an early clue to his identity to [[InspectorJavert Medina]], who has a recording of his voice analyzed and is told the [[DissonantSerenity lack of inflection]] implies the use of this trope by someone who suffered a trauma or mental disability from a young age. |
| 141 | * In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', when Ripley is getting ready to fight the alien inside the escape shuttle, she sings to herself, ''"You are my lucky star... Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky."'' |
| 142 | * In the 1966 movie ''AroundTheWorldUnderTheSea'', divers have to place a seismic monitoring device near some [[ChekhovsVolcano fumaroles which may well explode]]. They recite the TongueTwister "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". |
| 143 | * ''Film/DeepBlueSea'': Starts Biblical ("Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.") then the blackness kicks in ("Because I carry a big stick and I'm the meanest mother fucker in the valley! Two sharks down, Lord! One demon fish to go! Can I get an Amen?"). |
| 144 | * Stan from Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{It}}'' uses his Scout Promise as a child. It doesn't really work. He then (since he's an avid bird-watcher) recites "as loud as he could, the name of every bird he could remember", which does work. |
| 145 | ** Bill uses the rhyme "He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts!" as his anti-stuttering mantra [[spoiler:and as his weapon against It]], which is King's tribute to its use in Curt Siodmak's ''Donovan's Brain''. |
| 146 | ** Interestingly the mantras they use against It work ''because'' they believe they work. |
| 147 | * ''Film/ThePrincessBride:'' "JustForFun/{{Hello}} MyNameIsInigoMontoya. YouKilledMyFather. PrepareToDie. JustForFun/{{Hello}} MyNameIsInigoMontoya. YouKilledMyFather. PrepareToDie..." |
| 148 | ** "Stop ''saying'' that!" |
| 149 | * In the film ''Film/CapricornOne'', one of the escaping astronauts keeps reciting jokes to himself as he struggles through a harsh desert. |
| 150 | * Riggs & Murtaugh in ''Film/LethalWeapon4'': "We're not too old for this shit...we're not too old for this shit..." |
| 151 | * ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', with a twist: ''"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar." '' |
| 152 | ** Also [[LampShadeHanging lampshaded]] the second time Wash says it in the big space battle, when Mal asks him "what does that mean?!" |
| 153 | * Inverted in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' with, "Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!" and the Cowardly Lion's, "I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks"; both of which just served to make the characters more afraid. |
| 154 | * From the ''[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 MST3K]]''-featured film ''Film/ThePumaman'': ''"Each man is a god; each man is free." '' |
| 155 | -->'''Crow:''' So if each man is a god, where does that leave God? |
| 156 | ** ...another man? |
| 157 | * In the 2007 film version of ''Film/IAmLegend'', Will Smith as Robert Neville likes the song "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley, but it doesn't really become a mantra until [[spoiler:he sings it to calm down his dying dog just before he has to strangle her to death because she was infected with the vampire zombie virus while saving his life.]] |
| 158 | * ''Film/{{Zulu}}'': "Men of Harlech, stop your dreaming / Can't you see their spear points gleaming / See their warrior pennants streaming / To this battlefield..." |
| 159 | * ''Film/TheGoonies''. While running through trees in the night, Chunk plays this straight and also inverts it. |
| 160 | -->'''Chunk''': I'm not afraid of the dark. I like the dark. I love the dark. But I hate nature. I hate nature! |
| 161 | * ''Film/AnnieHall'': Subverted, "I forgot my mantra." |
| 162 | * The hero in ''Film/FlightOfTheIntruder'', while taking a second pass at the most heavily defended target in all of North Vietnam, shouts the "and though I walk through the valley in the shadow of death" Psalm over the sound of the flak. |
| 163 | * ''Film/{{Predator}}'' has a character reciting "Long Tall Sally" before his final stand - but then it turns into a MadnessMantra. |
| 164 | * ''Film/ABridgeTooFar''. Robert Redford keeps repeating "Hail Mary, full of grace" as he paddles across the river under fire from German machine gun and mortar fire (TruthInTelevision for the character he was playing, who was too tense to remember the rest of the prayer). A terrified army chaplain can also be seen saying "Thy will be done...they will be done..." in the same scene. |
| 165 | * 1984's ''Film/{{Dune|1984}}'' and 2003's ''Series/ChildrenOfDune'' adaptations both contain shortened versions of the Litany Against Fear above. |
| 166 | * In ''Film/TheWickerMan1973'', the 23rd psalm is used at [[ItWasHisSled an appropriate moment]]. |
| 167 | * In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', whenever a prisoner attempts the climb to escape from [[HellholePrison the Pit]], the rest of the prisoners gather to cheer them on with a chant of "Deshi! Deshi! Basara! Basara!" which is Moroccan for "Rise". |
| 168 | * ''Film/TheForceAwakens'': |
| 169 | ** As Finn takes Poe to the hangar to escape pretending to be his prisioner, he repeats: "Okay. Stay calm. Stay calm." |
| 170 | --->'''Poe''': I'm calm.\ |
| 171 | '''Finn''': I'm talking to myself. |
| 172 | ** Later when Finn and Rey enter the Millennium Falcon... |
| 173 | -->'''Finn''': (in the gunner's chair) I can do this. I can do this.\ |
| 174 | '''Rey''': (in the pilot's chair) I can do this. I can do this. |
| 175 | * In ''Literature/WarHorse'', a WWI-soldier crosses no-man's-land alone and against orders to rescue an entangled horse. On the way, he starts slowly saying Psalm 23. |
| 176 | * In ''Film/{{Ted}}'', John and Ted are both [[FearOfThunder scared of thunder]], so they sing a foul-mouthed "Thunder Song" to deal with it. |
| 177 | --> When you hear the sound of thunder, |
| 178 | --> Don't you get too scared, |
| 179 | --> Just grab your thunder-buddy, |
| 180 | --> And say these magic words: |
| 181 | --> ''FUCK YOU THUNDER!'' |
| 182 | --> You can suck my dick! |
| 183 | --> You can't get me, thunder, |
| 184 | --> 'Cause you're just God's farts! [''blow raspberries''] |
| 185 | * In ''Film/{{Pixels}}'''s final sequence: ''Pretend you're the guy and you don't want to die.'' |
| 186 | * ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjay Part 1'' shows Katniss [[TroubledFetalPosition cowering]] in an air duct of a hospital, desperately trying to avoid slipping into madness. |
| 187 | -->'''Katniss''': Start simple- start with what you know is true. My name is Katniss Everdeen. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. Peeta... Peeta was left behind. |
| 188 | * In ''Film/WarCraft2016'', Khadgar [[spoiler:fights back against fel corruption]] with "From light cometh darkness, from darkness cometh light". |
| 189 | * In ''[[Film/RogueOne Star Wars: Rogue One]]'', Chirrut Îmwe believes in the Force, and invokes it through a mantra in the most critical situations to give himself enough courage to accomplish his mission: |
| 190 | --> I am one with the Force, the Force is with me. |
| 191 | * Literally in ''Film/ReignOfFire''. The prayer we see being taught to children is actually a list of survival instructions and psychological prepping in a world where dragons have laid waste to civilization. |
| 192 | -->What do we do when we wake?\ |
| 193 | ''[[DeathFromAbove Keep both eyes on the sky]].''\ |
| 194 | What do we do when we sleep?\ |
| 195 | ''Keep one eye on the sky.''\ |
| 196 | What do we do when we see 'em?\ |
| 197 | ''Dig hard, dig deep, [[RunOrDie run for shelter]], '''never look back'''.'' |
| 198 | * In the {{Bollywood}} movie ''[[Film/ThreeIdiots 3 Idiots]]'', Rancho, one of the main characters, teaches his two roomies and best friends the phrase "Aal iz well" (mispronounciation of "All is well", which is a phrase he learned from a night guard in his hometown and he uses it to calm himself. |
| 199 | -->'''Rancho''': I've learned that this heart gets scared easily, so I whisper ''Aal iz well'' to it whenever things are wrong. \ |
| 200 | '''Raju''': And how does that solve the problem?\ |
| 201 | '''Rancho''': It doesn't. But it gives me the calm I need to confront it. |
| 202 | ** Played with when it's further explained that this was a sort of Survival Mantra for his whole town: the night guard would shout that ''Aal iz well'' every night and people would sleep peacefully knowing everything was in order. [[spoiler: Until there was a robbery and the town learned that the night guard couldn't see anything at night, he just ''told'' people that everything was OK, and they believed it]] proving that mere words can have a big impact over one's state of mind. |
| 203 | * ''Film/BoBurnhamInside'' features one over the end credits, the same one used by many to get through the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. |
| 204 | --> ''It'll stop any day now...'' |
| 205 | * ''Film/WingsOfCourage'': Crash survivor Henri Guillaumet repeats to himself that he must walk, walk and not stop until he's safe, because if he stops for a rest he'll fall asleep and freeze to death. |
| 206 | * ''Film/AmericasSweethearts'': Eddie has been struggling with rage issues ever since his girlfriend/co-star Gwen left him for another man. The wellness retreat he went to taught him to list off things in life that he's grateful for to keep himself calm. Throughout the movie whenever he gets stressed he starts repeating "I'm grateful for the sun, I'm grateful for the cool breeze" and similar variations. |
| 207 | [[/folder]] |
| 208 | |
| 209 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 210 | * ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy:'' DON'T PANIC! |
| 211 | * The Litany Against Fear in ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' is a prime example. [[labelnote:full litany]]\ |
| 212 | I must not fear.\ |
| 213 | Fear is the mind-killer.\ |
| 214 | Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.\ |
| 215 | I will face my fear.\ |
| 216 | I will permit it to pass over me and through me.\ |
| 217 | And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.\ |
| 218 | Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.\ |
| 219 | Only I will remain.[[/labelnote]] |
| 220 | * In ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities:'' the so far not religious-seeming Sydney Carton uses the mantra "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die," to comfort himself as he prepares to [[HeroicSacrifice go willingly to the guillotine]]. |
| 221 | * ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire:'' |
| 222 | ** [[LittleMissBadass Arya Stark]] repeats the snippets of lectures from her fencing teacher: "Swift as a deer. Quiet as a shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Quick as a snake. Calm as still water. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Strong as a bear" - and her "prayer" of repeating the names of everyone she's going to kill once she gets out of her hellish situation. (Did we mention she's ten years old?) |
| 223 | ** Danaerys has ''"I am the blood of the dragon"'' and ''"If I look back I am lost"'' |
| 224 | ** Most of the House Words. "Hear Me Roar"; "Ours is the Fury"; "Fire and Blood" |
| 225 | *** Subverted by the Starks' words: "[[AStormIsComing Winter is Coming]]" is not reassuring in the least, but is intended to remind everyone to prepare for the worst. |
| 226 | ** During combat soldiers shout the names of their kings, or the place they came from: "Winterfell!" "Casterly Rock!" "Stannis!" "The King in the North!" etc. |
| 227 | ** Members of the Night's Watch tend to use brief snippets of the [[BadassCreed oath they make on joining the Brotherhood]], particularly one or more of the following: "I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, [[HarbingerOfImpendingDoom the horn that wakes the sleepers]], [[YouShallNotPass the shield that guards the realms of men]]." |
| 228 | ** Theon Greyjoy: You have to know your name. |
| 229 | * In ''Literature/TheStand'' Glen Bateman and Larry Underwood both use "I will fear no evil." |
| 230 | * ''"Tenser, said the Tensor. Tension, Apprehension, and Dissension have begun!"'' (a self-inflicted EarWorm designed to keep peeping telepaths [[PsychicStatic from accessing someone's surface thoughts]], in Creator/AlfredBester's famous science fiction novel ''Literature/TheDemolishedMan'') |
| 231 | * Many scary things happen to the character Chyna Shepherd in Creator/DeanKoontz's novel ''Intensity''. She gets through them with the mantra "Chyna Shepherd, untouched and alive," repeated over and over, which she developed to maintain her sanity under the childhood threat of her mother's sexually predatory boyfriends. The killer, hearing her, becomes more intrigued and decides to take her alive instead of killing her immediately. |
| 232 | * After hearing a story about aircraft mishaps, the main character of Creator/WilliamGibson's ''Literature/PatternRecognition'' has a habit of mentally repeating "he took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots" to get herself through panic attacks. |
| 233 | * ''Literature/AnimalFarm'' features Boxer the dim witted Horse who survives on "I will work harder!" and "If Napoleon says it, it must be right." [[spoiler:Until Boxer gets too old to work and Napoleon has him ReleasedToElsewhere.]] |
| 234 | * The ''Literature/SholanAlliance'' has a group of Litanies which are designed to help one overcome various mental/emotional hurdles. In no particular order, they are the Litanies for Pain, Relaxation, Fear (inspired by the one from ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'', above), Clear Thought, and Preparation. They're never actually spelled out within the narrative, and in fact weren't more than named/mentioned until the seventh book in the series, where they were included on otherwise blank pages between chapters, spaced throughout the book. On a side-note, they were actually written by members of the books' fan club. |
| 235 | * ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars:'' "I still live!" |
| 236 | ** At one point, "Remember, [[spoiler:Ghek]], you still live!" |
| 237 | * Tucker from ''Literature/TheSagaOfTuck'' uses the [[ShoutOut Litany Against Fear]] when in a truly dire situation. Tuck's father uses one similar to the ''Film/DeepBlueSea'' example below although in a humorous manner. |
| 238 | * In C. L. Wilson's ''King of Sword and Sky'' it's a BadassCreed used as a Survival Mantra during torture: ''I am the steel no enemy can shatter. I am the magic no dark power can defeat. I am the rock upon which evil breaks like waves. I am [[OurElvesAreDifferent Fey]], warrior of honor, champion of light.'' |
| 239 | * In Creator/TadWilliams' ''Tailchaser's Song'', the hero is taught a mantra/litany against fear to give him strength when in dire need [[spoiler:which is also used to restore an [[ObfuscatingStupidity insane]] companion to his [[SealedGoodInACan true]] [[GodWasMyCoPilot form]] ]]. |
| 240 | * ''Literature/{{Nation}}:'' "Does not happen!" |
| 241 | * ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': |
| 242 | ** In ''Literature/{{Thud}}'' Sam Vimes uses the text of "Where's My Cow?" as this. It sounds really silly out of context, but it's his two year-old son's favourite nursery rhyme, and Sam reads it to him every night before bedtime. |
| 243 | --->[[PunctuatedForEmphasis THAT! IS!! NOT!!! MY!!!! COW!!!!!]] |
| 244 | ** In ''Literature/SmallGods'', Brutha makes use of the mantra "In a hundred years we'll all be dead, but here and now we are alive!" in crossing an inhospitable desert. |
| 245 | * ''[[Literature/TheActsOfCaine Blade of Tyshalle]]:'' "Keep your head down and inch towards daylight." |
| 246 | * In ''Literature/{{Ripper}}'' Mountie Zinc Chandler turns the RCMP get-your-man slogan into one of these while struggling to suppress his epileptic seizure. |
| 247 | * In ''Literature/TalesFromJabbasPalace'', Bib Fortuna spends several minutes at the end of every day reciting a mantra that soothes his nerves and focuses his objectives: "Of the day's annoyances, these," followed by all the inconveniences of the day. Over the course of the story, Bib's first entry is "[[TheStarscream That Jabba still lives]]," but during the epilogue, his list shortens considerably and the first entry becomes "That I had to drop the teaspoon eighteen times." This is because [[spoiler: he has been "recruited" by the B'omarr Monks, and he is a BrainInAJar attached to a SpiderMech, which aren't exactly the most dextrous machines on the planet.]] |
| 248 | ** In ''[[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Imperial Commando: 501st]]'' we have: |
| 249 | ---> "''I'm not in pain. Any pain that I feel is temporary. Nothing can touch me. This is happening to someone else. I just observe it as I pass.'' |
| 250 | ---> That mantra kept Darman going when all he wanted to do was lie down and die." |
| 251 | * ''Literature/CherubSeries:'' "This is tough, but Cherubs are tougher." Used at one point to overcome conditioning by a cult... |
| 252 | * In the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse in general, the various forms of the Jedi Code's central mantra is sometimes used this way. |
| 253 | -->''There is no emotion, there is peace.''\ |
| 254 | ''There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.''\ |
| 255 | ''There is no passion, there is serenity.''\ |
| 256 | ''There is no chaos, there is harmony.''\ |
| 257 | ''There is no death, there is the Force.''\ |
| 258 | ::Compare and contrast? The Sith Code; |
| 259 | -->''Peace is a lie, there is only passion.''\ |
| 260 | ''Through passion, I gain strength.''\ |
| 261 | ''Through strength, I gain power.''\ |
| 262 | ''Through power, I gain victory.''\ |
| 263 | ''Through victory, my chains are broken.''\ |
| 264 | ''The Force shall free me.'' |
| 265 | * ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': In ''Lord of Chaos'', "This comes of trusting Aes Sedai. Never again; not an inch; not a hair." Arguably more of a MadnessMantra as he doesn't use it to calm himself, or mobilize hidden strengths. |
| 266 | * In ''Literature/ASwiftlyTiltingPlanet'', Patrick's Rune is used for active protection as well as a comforting prayer. Starts out stating where you are or who you're with 'in this fateful hour' ('At Tara in this fateful hour' or 'With Chuck in this fateful hour', for example) and continues: |
| 267 | -->''I place all Heaven with its power,\ |
| 268 | And the sun with its brightness,\ |
| 269 | And the snow with its whiteness,\ |
| 270 | And the fire with all the strength it hath,\ |
| 271 | And the lightning with its rapid wrath,\ |
| 272 | And the winds with their swiftness along their path,\ |
| 273 | And the sea with its deepness,\ |
| 274 | And the rocks with their steepness,\ |
| 275 | And the Earth with its starkness,\ |
| 276 | All these I place\ |
| 277 | By God's Almighty help and grace\ |
| 278 | Between myself and the powers of darkness.'' |
| 279 | * ''"The Lorica of Patrick"'' is also used in Alexander Yang's ''Literature/MidnightWorld'' series as a VampireHunter crew's battle prayer. They recite The Lorica in ''Bullets from Beyond'' [[spoiler:before and during the battle with four vampire mercenaries]], and in ''Chance with No Rules'' [[spoiler: while Aeneas fights states-vampire Koshelev barehanded]]: |
| 280 | -->''I arise today\ |
| 281 | Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity\ |
| 282 | Through belief in the threeness\ |
| 283 | Through confession of the Oneness\ |
| 284 | Towards the creator.\ |
| 285 | I arise today\ |
| 286 | Through the strength of heaven:\ |
| 287 | Light of sun\ |
| 288 | Brilliance of moon\ |
| 289 | Splendor of fire\ |
| 290 | Speed of lightning\ |
| 291 | Swiftness of wind\ |
| 292 | Depth of sea\ |
| 293 | Stability of earth\ |
| 294 | Firmness of rock...\ |
| 295 | [[http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/poetry/stpatrick.html ...and so on]]'' |
| 296 | ** When Aeneas encounters two vampires at once (in the same book), he recites not "The Lorica of Patrick" but Psalm 27: |
| 297 | -->''The LORD is my light and my salvation —\ |
| 298 | whom shall I fear?\ |
| 299 | The LORD is the stronghold of my life —\ |
| 300 | of whom shall I be afraid?\ |
| 301 | When the wicked advance against me\ |
| 302 | to devour me,\ |
| 303 | it is my enemies and my foes\ |
| 304 | who will stumble and fall.\ |
| 305 | Though an army besiege me,\ |
| 306 | my heart will not fear;\ |
| 307 | though war break out against me,\ |
| 308 | even then I will be confident.'' |
| 309 | ** Besides, Aeneas got his nickname because he'd chosen ''Literature/TheAeneid'' as his personal Survival Mantra. |
| 310 | *** And it was not the old chap Vergilius' masterpiece, but a Ukrainian burlesque poem by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Kotlyarevsky Ivan Kotlyarevsky]]. |
| 311 | * Not quite a mantra, but there's also Sam's song from ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]''. (Also a DarkReprise of an earlier song.) |
| 312 | -->''Though here at journey's end I lie\ |
| 313 | In darkness buried deep,\ |
| 314 | Beyond all towers strong and high,\ |
| 315 | Beyond all mountains steep,\ |
| 316 | Above all shadows rides the Sun\ |
| 317 | And Stars for ever dwell:\ |
| 318 | I will not say the Day is done,\ |
| 319 | Nor bid the Stars farewell.'' |
| 320 | * ''Timequake:'' "You were sick, but now you are well, and there's work to do." |
| 321 | * ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles:'' |
| 322 | ** "POLKA WILL NEVER DIE!" seems to skirt the boundary of survival mantra and {{madness mantra}} for Butters when he gets dragged into serious action away from the safety of his lab. What really seals this as a survival mantra is that Harry later uses it to pull Butters out of a panic. |
| 323 | ** Murphy in ''Aftermath'' and ''Literature/GhostStory'' tells herself, "They {{never found the body}}" of [[spoiler:Harry Dresden.]] It seems to be the only thing keeping her going sometimes. |
| 324 | * In ''Literature/{{Shardik}}'', children in the possession of slave-dealer Genshed tell each other they'll be "home soon. Underground, all the way". |
| 325 | * ''Hourglass Door'' has "feel the fear till the count of ten, then count once more to feel brave again." Also, random quotes from the Inferno section of ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' (used by, guess who? Dante!). |
| 326 | * ''Literature/AmericanGods:'' "It's easy, there's a trick to it, you do it or you die." |
| 327 | * In ''[[Literature/TheHungerGames Mockingjay]]'', Katniss uses one of these to remind herself of what she knows. ''My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. I was in the hunger games...'' |
| 328 | * In ''Literature/TheGlassKey'' by Creator/DashiellHammett, [[TheDragon Ned]] [[AntiVillain Beaumont]] has, "I can take whatever I've got to take." |
| 329 | * In ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen'', it's hinted that the story George tells Lennie about the little farm they'll get when they have money has become the survival mantra for both men. George has told it so many times, in nearly the same words, that Lennie has it memorized and can finish his sentences for him. |
| 330 | * Ravi from the ''Literature/BloodyJack'' series repeats "Happy puppy, happy puppy, happy puppy" to himself whenever he's afraid for his life. (He believes if he dies at that moment, he'll be reincarnated as a happy puppy.) |
| 331 | * A young Vlad Dracula escapes life as a [[ChildSoldier Janissary]] in ''Literature/CountAndCountess'' and chants, "I am a lion of God," to help himself make the 200+ mile walk home on his own. |
| 332 | * Parodied in "Nefarious Times We Live In", a short story by Creator/WoodyAllen. When the protagonist is beaten and starved by the men of an insane cult leader, he claims that "the only thing kept me from going insane was the constant repeating of my private mantra, which was "Yoicks." |
| 333 | * In Creator/JohnBellairs' ''Literature/TheCurseOfTheBlueFigurine'', Professor Childermass is climbing a mountain on a stormy night, searching for Johnny Dixon, who has been abducted by a ghost. The professor is afraid of heights, so he repeatedly quotes the "Lay on, Macduff!" speech from ''Macbeth'' and recites a prayer to Saint Michael to keep himself from panicking and turning back. |
| 334 | * In ''Literature/TheMostDangerousGame'', Rainsford is only able to last against Count Zaroff hunting him for three days by repeating [[NervesOfSteel “Nerve, nerve, nerve, nerve!”]] |
| 335 | * What sounds like [[Literature/HarryPotter Sirius Black's]] MadnessMantra--"He's at Hogwarts, he's at Hogwarts, he's at Hogwarts"--is revealed to be this. |
| 336 | * ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'': "Adapt!", which is what Amar would say to initiates. |
| 337 | * In the ''Literature/StarDarlings'' franchise, each Star Darling has a Mirror Mantra, which helps them focus and feel better about themselves in tough situations. |
| 338 | * ''Literature/{{Illuminatus}}'' has "There is no enemy anywhere" or "There is no friend anywhere", depending on how Hagbard Celine assesses your personality type. (optimist or pessimist?) |
| 339 | * The title of Maria Semple's novel, ''Today Will Be Different'' is written as one of these in the style of WritingLines six times across the cover of the book: "''Today Will Be Different'' ''Today Will Be Different'' ''Today Will Be Different'' ''Today Will Be Different'' ''Today Will Be Different'' ''Today Will Be Different''". |
| 340 | * In ''Literature/TheHeartsWeSold'', James uses "I chose this" to get him through the rougher parts of working for the Daemon. Later, Dee adopts it. |
| 341 | * In ''Literature/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'', adherents of the White Queen have a particular prayer which is often used as this trope. Because the Queen [[GodIsEvil is unworthy of their faith]], she never comes...but more than once, [[AngelDevilShipping her lover]] has. ([[spoiler:Olivia]], for her part, sees no difference between the two.) |
| 342 | -->"Oh, White Queen who guides us to victory in extraordinary battles, please reach out to this fragile human soul..." |
| 343 | ** The [[spoiler:Colorless]] Little Girl often repeats or prefixes her other dialogue with "Nii-sama", seemingly as a way to remind herself of [[spoiler:her original identity as a human]] and [[spoiler:her reasons for changing into a Material- to protect him]]. |
| 344 | * In ''Literature/TheWitchlands'', Iseult has "Stasis. Stasis in your fingers and your toes." as her mantra. She repeats it whenever she needs to center herself; ''keeping to it'', however, is another matter entirely. |
| 345 | * Scarlett O'Hara of ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'' tells herself, "I'll think of it tomorrow" or a variation thereof. At the beginning, she uses the phrase to soothe her conscience about doing unsavory acts; later, she tells herself that when her fears of losing her home, starving to death, and such get too hard to bear. She tells herself so in the very last lines of the book, after [[spoiler:Melanie dies and Rhett leaves her.]] ''Tomorrow Is Another Day'' even was one of the proposed titles of the book. She also recites the mantra "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!" |
| 346 | [[/folder]] |
| 347 | |
| 348 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 349 | * In an episode of ''Series/TheAvengers1960s'', Emma Peel notes Steed repeating phrases of nursery rhymes over and over and fears it is a madness mantra. It is actually to keep a mind reader out of his head and she joins in with him once she figures this out. |
| 350 | * ''Series/BabylonFive'': |
| 351 | ** When confronted by a guardian of the Technomages in "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS02E03TheGeometryOfShadows The Geometry of Shadows]]", Vir Cotto stands his ground, reciting his credentials over and over: |
| 352 | --->''"My name is Vir Cotto, diplomatic attaché to Ambassador Mollari of the Centauri Republic!"'' |
| 353 | ** [[spoiler:Doctor Franklin]], after having been stabbed in [[TheCityNarrows Downbelow]], ends up crawling through the corridors while saying "I want to ''live!''" and "I wanna do it all over again!" over and over again. |
| 354 | * ''Series/BandOfBrothers'': When Joe Toye gets his leg blown off, and goes into shock. "I've gotta get up... I've gotta get up... I've gotta get up..." It doesn't work. |
| 355 | * ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': |
| 356 | ** In "[[Recap/BattlestarGalactica2003S02E02ValleyOfDarkness Valley of Darkness]]", Lee Adama mutters, "Headshot, reload, headshot, reload" as they wait for the Cylon boarding party, as he had only a few explosive rounds, each of which had to be individually loaded into the under-barrel attachment of his pistol. |
| 357 | ** In ''[[Recap/BattlestarGalactica2003Razor Razor]]'': "Fear gets you killed. Anger keeps you alive." |
| 358 | * [[OurWerewolvesAredifferent Oz]] from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' living his worst fear in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS4E4FearItself Fear Itself]]". |
| 359 | -->'''Oz:''' [[ResistTheBeast You're not gonna change, you're not gonna change, you're not gonna change...]] |
| 360 | ** The same thing happens with Ben, who unwillingly shares the same body with demonic god Glory. At one point he senses he's going to change and starts saying, "I'm Ben, I'm Ben, I'm Ben!" only to morph into Glory; "[[BrainFood I'm hungry]]". |
| 361 | * In ''Series/CanadasWorstDriver Ever'', Kevin recites the oath of the [[Characters/GLBlueLanternCorps Blue Lantern]]: "''In fear filled days, in raging nights, with strong hearts full, our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the war of light, look to the stars, for hope burns bright. All will be well.''" Unfortunately, it never seems to help. |
| 362 | -->'''Andrew:''' All will be well... if Michael maintains 70K an hour and keeps his hands on the wheel. ''[Michael crashes into a foam person and fails the challenge for the final time]'' Michael may be Canada's Worst Driver ''Ever''. |
| 363 | * ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': in "Chuck Vs The A-Team", Chuck has to disarm a nuke before it takes out a large chunk of L.A County. From the Intersect, he recognizes the bomb a coming from a Chinese sub, and that it was designed to shut down if exposed to salt water. While checking the ingredients of a juice box he has on his person, Chuck murmurs "Please have sodium, please have sodium." Fortunately there is enough sodium in his juice box to shut down the bomb. |
| 364 | * In ''Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019'', when [[spoiler:trying to absorb the energy of the antimatter cannon]], Series/{{Black Lightning|2018}} recites his school's motto, causing the others to give him weird looks. |
| 365 | --> '''Jefferson Pierce:''' Where's the future? Right here. Whose life is this? Mine. What are you going to do about it? Live it by any means necessary. |
| 366 | * In Season 2 of ''Series/Daredevil2015'', [[Comicbook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]] mutters "One batch, two batch, penny and dime" to himself when lining up a shot or when pinned down by gunfire. He reveals [[Recap/Daredevil2015S2E4PennyAndDime in the episode of that name]] that it's from his daughter's favourite storybook (the same book Karen finds when she breaks into his house), which he refused to read to her the night before [[PartingWordsRegret she and the rest of his family were killed]]. |
| 367 | * A LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek, ''The Debbie Smith Story'', depicted the title character being dragged from her home and raped. Throughout the terrifying ordeal, she recites the 23rd Psalm so as to distract herself. |
| 368 | * One episode of ''Series/DharmaAndGreg'' has Dharma talking about Greg's parents' sex life. In response Greg tries to clear his mind by running through the Bill of Rights "Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure. Fifth Amendment: Self-Incrimination. Sixth Amendment..." |
| 369 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 370 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E3TheCurseOfFenric "The Curse of Fenric"]]: The Doctor repels an army of vampires who cannot harm those who have faith by reciting the names of his past companions under his breath. |
| 371 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday "Doomsday"]]: |
| 372 | --->'''Yvonne:''' [[{{Tearjerker}} I did my duty for Queen and Country. I did my duty for Queen and Country.]] |
| 373 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E16TheWatersOfMars "The Waters of Mars"]]: After the Doctor [[SanitySlippage snaps]] and starts getting really terrifying while fighting the Flood, he has one crossed with a MadnessMantra: "Not beaten, ''not beaten''." |
| 374 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E8LetsKillHitler "Let's Kill Hitler"]] gives us: |
| 375 | --->'''The Doctor:''' Fish fingers and custard. |
| 376 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E1TheWomanWhoFellToEarth "The Woman Who Fell to Earth"]]: Crane operator Karl recites phrases from his affirmation tape while psyching himself up to jump between two cranes. |
| 377 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E2TheGhostMonument "The Ghost Monument"]]: The Doctor has Ryan recall facts that he learned about acetylene that he learned during an NVQ[[note]]National Vocational Qualification[[/note]] while scaling a ladder to help him keep his mind off his fear that he might slip and fall. |
| 378 | * ''Series/GameOfThrones'': |
| 379 | ** In Season 1, Arya picked up one from Syrio Forel. "What do we say to the God of Death?" "Not today. Not today." |
| 380 | ** In Season 2, Arya gains a new survival mantra in the form of listing off the names of the people who have harmed her and those she cares about and who she will bring to justice. The list is a coping mechanism that gives her the illusion of control while horrific things happen around her. |
| 381 | * ''Series/{{Lost}}:'' "One...two...three...four...five." |
| 382 | * ''Series/MIHigh'', in the episode "Millionaire Flatley": "Frank's a good man in a crisis...Frank's a good man in a crisis..." |
| 383 | * On ''Series/MyCatFromHell'', on the episode "My Cat Ruined My Wedding", after being badly scratched by the cat Pink, host / cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy has to remind himself "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job." |
| 384 | * On ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', "Serenity Now" is ''intended'' to be one of these, but it ends up being a MadnessMantra in practice, as Lloyd Braun warns George. |
| 385 | -->'''Lloyd:''' You know, you should tell your dad that "Serenity Now" thing doesn't work. It just bottles up the anger, and then, eventually... you blow.\ |
| 386 | '''George:''' What do ''you'' know? You were in the nuthouse.\ |
| 387 | '''Lloyd:''' What do you think ''put'' me there?\ |
| 388 | '''George:''' I heard they found a family in your freezer.\ |
| 389 | '''Lloyd:''' "Serenity Now". ''Insanity'' later. |
| 390 | * ''Series/SpaceAboveAndBeyond'' featured an episode where the [[TheSquad Wildcards]], under the effects of a [[WhatDoTheyFearEpisode fear-enhancing weapon]], finally [[ThePowerOfFriendship come together]] and march to the landing zone for extraction while reciting a boot camp marching jodie. Through a minefield, because that was the only way they could get there in time. |
| 391 | * ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': |
| 392 | ** The Jem'Hadar's motto is "Victory is Life". They also have a call-and-response phrase uttered when distributing ketracel-white: "Obedience brings victory." "And victory is life." |
| 393 | ** Bashir and O'Brien adopt one in "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS06E07YouAreCordiallyInvited You Are Cordially Invited]]" during [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Worf]]'s extremely trying bachelor party. It's PlayedForLaughs. |
| 394 | --->''"Kill Worf, kill Worf, kill Worf..."'' |
| 395 | * ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': |
| 396 | ** In "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS2E23TheThaw The Thaw]]", Harry is held prisoner in a LotusEaterMachine by the Clown, who is the AbstractApotheosis of fear. Harry gives the famous UsefulNotes/FranklinDRoosevelt quote, so the Clown has him StrappedToAnOperatingTable. |
| 397 | --->'''Kim:''' ''[desperately]'' The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!\ |
| 398 | '''Clown:''' Keep repeating, Harry. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.\ |
| 399 | '''All:''' ''[mocking]'' The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!\ |
| 400 | '''Clown:''' And how about: "[[Film/TheWizardofOZ There's no place like home]]. There's no place like home." ''[EvilLaugh]'' Try clicking your heels together three times. Oh, [[AndIMustScream but your legs are restrained]], aren't they? |
| 401 | ** In "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E2Flashback Flashback]]", as Tuvok's mental control is slipping, he begins reciting "Structure. Logic. Function. Control. A structure cannot stand without a foundation. Logic is the foundation of function. Function is the essence of control. I am in control. I am in control." |
| 402 | * ''Series/StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekStrangeNewWorldsS2E04AmongTheLotusEaters Among the Lotus Eaters]]", the crew is suffering from amnesia thanks to an AsteroidThicket full of radiation. Ortegas focuses on her name and [[AcePilot job]] as she flies the ''Enterprise'' to safety. |
| 403 | -->''"I'm Erica Ortegas. I fly the ship. "I'm Erica Ortegas. I fly the ship..."'' |
| 404 | * In the ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'' episode "[[Recap/SupernaturalS07E14PluckyPennywhistlesMagicMenagerie Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie]]", Sam is getting chased by [[MonsterClown evil clowns]] ([[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes a childhood phobia of his]]) and mutters over and over to himself, "[[Film/{{Predator}} If it bleeds, you can kill it...]] if it bleeds, you can kill it.... if it bleeds, you can kill it...." And then he finds out that they don't bleed. |
| 405 | * ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S4E16OnThursdayWeLeaveForHome On Thursday We Leave for Home]]", Captain William Benteen instructs "his" people to chant "There's a ship coming!" in order to maintain a spirit of hope after Al Baines raises doubts in their minds. |
| 406 | * In ''Series/TheWalkingDead2010'', Enid oftentimes writes the symbols "JSS." This stands for "Just Survive Somehow." |
| 407 | * Convicts in ''Series/TheWire'' like Avon Barksdale like to remind themselves no matter how long their sentence: "You only serve two days. The day you go in and the day you come out". |
| 408 | [[/folder]] |
| 409 | |
| 410 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 411 | * Art Brut's "Rusted Guns of Milan": |
| 412 | -->"I know I can, I know I can, I know I can..." |
| 413 | * The Pillow's "I Think I Can" |
| 414 | * Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" |
| 415 | * The bridge to Music/BonJovi's "Livin' on a Prayer", which is about a young couple, Tommy and Gina, trying to work through economic hardship. Gina says it after the first verse, Tommy says it after the second: |
| 416 | -->''"We've gotta hold on to what we've got\ |
| 417 | It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not\ |
| 418 | We've got each other and that's a lot\ |
| 419 | For love we'll give it a shot."'' |
| 420 | * Music/{{Tool}}'s "The Patient" |
| 421 | -->''I must keep reminding myself of this...'' |
| 422 | ** Of course, it's also Tool, and considering the [[MadnessMantra next two tracks on the album]], [[SubvertedTrope it doesn't seem to work very well.]] |
| 423 | * The chorus of Music/MyChemicalRomance's "Famous Last Words" from ''Music/TheBlackParade'' is a nice one: ''"I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone..."'' |
| 424 | * Three days Grace "Time of Dying" |
| 425 | --> ''I will not die'' |
| 426 | -->'''Echoed:''' ''I will not die'' |
| 427 | -->''I will survive'' |
| 428 | * Music/{{Radiohead}}'s ''How To Disappear Completely'' from ''Music/KidA''. "I'm not here... this isn't happening. I'm not here... this isn't happening." The song's inspiration came from Thom Yorke, who suffers from perfomance anxiety, being taught the phrase as a way to disconnect. |
| 429 | * [[Music/EmilieAutumn "One foot in front of the other foot in front of the one foot in front of the other foot in front of the..."]] |
| 430 | * Shirley Bassey's "This Is My Life" |
| 431 | * Music/PattiSmith takes the 23rd Psalm and makes it her survival mantra in ''Privilege(Set Me Free)'' from ''Music/{{Easter}}''. |
| 432 | * Music/{{Marillion}}'s ''Happiness is the Road'': |
| 433 | --> You are not your pain! Say it again. You are not your pain! |
| 434 | --> Happiness aint at the end of the road. Happiness IS the road. |
| 435 | * [[Music/ExplosionsInTheSky "The earth is not a cold dead place, the earth is not a cold dead place, the earth is not a cold dead place..."]] Not a lyrical example, as Explosions In The Sky are primarily an instrumental group, but the cover art to the album ''The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place'' is simply that sentence scrawled across a piece of paper over and over. |
| 436 | * Raffi's "Joshua Giraffe", when confronted by a tribe of nasty saviars in his dream: |
| 437 | -->''Nothing can go wrong-o, I'm in the Congo!'' (repeat with increasing speed) |
| 438 | [[/folder]] |
| 439 | |
| 440 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 441 | * In ''Podcast/InStrangeWoods'', Peregrine and the teens' chanting as they train for The Final includes how long you can last without basic needs, such as water, food, and hope. |
| 442 | * From ''Podcast/{{Jemjammer}}'': "Ethla knows that we are weak and yet she asks for strength" is Jylliana's, presumably a prayer to her Goddess Ethla. Later it's mentioned that she's expanded to muttering ''the entire holy text'' while inside the neogi ship. |
| 443 | [[/folder]] |
| 444 | |
| 445 | [[folder:Roleplay]] |
| 446 | * In ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'', Sebastian repeatedly mutters "Stay calm" to himself while trying to, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin stay calm]] and escape the locked school during the MassSuperEmpoweringEvent. |
| 447 | [[/folder]] |
| 448 | |
| 449 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 450 | * The Imperium, especially the Imperial Guard, of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has far too many of these to count. [[CrapsackWorld They need them.]] |
| 451 | ** Most Notably "THE EMPEROR PROTECTS!". Poor, poor Imperial Guard. |
| 452 | *** "I am a man, prone to weakness, but I am a guardsman, where weakness is death, I will crush my weakness with the weight of my pride." |
| 453 | *** Too bad they're not [[AmazonBrigade Adepta Sororitas]] (them the Emperor really ''does'' protect). Speaking of whom, there's also the inquisitorial battlecry/creed/mission statement, "BURN THE HERETIC! KILL THE MUTANT! PURGE THE UNCLEAN!" |
| 454 | ** "They have their foul gods on their side! But we have the TANKS on OURS!" |
| 455 | ** "All the Emperor asks of you is that you HATE!" |
| 456 | ** Grey Knights: "I am the hammer! I am the hate! I am the woes of Daemonkind! I am the hammer! I am the hate! I am the END!" |
| 457 | *** [[http://fallfromgrace78.wordpress.com/2006/10/14/the-canticle-of-absolution-of-the-grey-knights/ Alternately]] |
| 458 | * In ''The Way of the Tiger'', Avenger sometimes has the option to recite the 'Ninja No Chigiri' when confronted by frightening enemies. |
| 459 | -->"I will vanish into the night; change my body to wood or stone; sink into the earth and walk through walls and locked doors. I will be killed many times, yet will not die; change my face and become invisible, able to walk among men without being seen." |
| 460 | [[/folder]] |
| 461 | |
| 462 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 463 | * The final scene of ''Theatre/{{Allegro}}'': "One foot, other foot, one foot, other foot..." |
| 464 | * In the re-done version of ''Literature/{{Carrie}} the Musical'', the Lord's Prayer has this function for Carrie. The first sign that she's losing it after the incident with the pig's blood is that this doesn't work any more. |
| 465 | * "Stroke by Stroke" from ''Theatre/JasperInDeadland''. |
| 466 | * "I Whistle A Happy Tune" from ''Theatre/TheKingAndI''. |
| 467 | * The ''Theatre/MrsHawking'' play series: |
| 468 | ** The poem "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll becomes one of these for Nathaniel in ''[[https://vimeo.com/321115275 Mrs. Frost]]''. |
| 469 | ** The names of Jack the Ripper’s victims for Mrs. Hawking in ''Fallen Women''. |
| 470 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''Theatre/{{Ruddigore}}'', where saying the word "Basingstoke" always succeeds at bringing Mad Margaret to her senses. |
| 471 | * On a similar note, "I Have Confidence" and "My Favorite Things" from ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'' are both supposed to be this. |
| 472 | * In ''Theatre/SweeneyTodd'', Johanna repeats lines from her earlier song with Anthony, in order to stay sane while locked within Fogg's Asylum. |
| 473 | [[/folder]] |
| 474 | |
| 475 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 476 | * ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed:'' "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." |
| 477 | ** Which is a phrase attributed to Hassan-i Sabbāh, the historical founder of the Hashshashin. |
| 478 | * ''VideoGame/ParappaTheRapper:'' "Yeah! I know! I GOTTA BELIEVE!" |
| 479 | * Lampshaded in ''AlterEcho'' by Stome when he reveals his mantra. |
| 480 | * Volgin from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' was severely [[FearOfThunder afraid of thunder]]. Many gamers have fond memories of his "Kuwabara, kuwabara" chant. |
| 481 | ** Ironically [[spoiler: when he neglects his Survival Mantra at the end of the game, he ''is'' actually struck by lightning (though it's implied that it was summoned by the Sorrow). It may have helped that he actually [[SmiteMeOhMightySmiter taunted the rain]]...]] |
| 482 | * ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'': "Although they call me crazy, I care not, for thou art my helper, my strength, and my saviour. I have been laid down in a pit of darknesses and the shadow of death. And thy anger has pressed down upon me; and all thy cares have come down upon me. And from this bed I cry out for the kindling of thy Light! For the days of my life have vanished like smoke, and my bones are parched like ash, and let all my impurities be as... fuel for that fire! Until nothing remains, but the Light alone." Of course, this being [[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Father_Grigori Father Grigori]], the line between Survival and MadnessMantra may be a bit blurred... |
| 483 | * ''VideoGame/TombRaider2013'': Lara Croft frequently says "I can do this. I can do this." throughout the game. |
| 484 | ** Also "keep moving", the game is actually designed so that during action scenes you get punished if you stay static. |
| 485 | * ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'': “To the edge of the universe and back. Endure and survive.” |
| 486 | * In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', at least three of the main characters have Survival Mantras playing in their heads, discovered when Kreia teaches you how to read minds. These three are arguably the most traumatised out of all the team members (An eyeless Dark Jedi, a [[spoiler:Sith torturer-turned-smuggler]], and a reformed war criminal), and have some pretty interesting mantras. |
| 487 | -->'''Visas Marr''': As my feet walk the ashes of Katarr, I shall not fear, for in fear lies death... |
| 488 | -->'''Atton Rand''': [[PsychicStatic Switch the face of the +1/-1 card, the totals are nine-ten. Switch the face of the +2/-2 card, the totals are eight-eleven...]] |
| 489 | -->'''Bao-Dur''': Your command echoes still, General. And I obey, as I did at Malachor... |
| 490 | * ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrangeTrueColors'': Alex repeats "I'm okay... I'm okay... I'm okay" to calm herself down after an emotional episode. |
| 491 | * ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'': "One Day....." One day...people will stop hating Marona and [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer telling her so]]. She ''must'' believe this. |
| 492 | * In the Unlimited Blade Works route of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', [[spoiler: Shirou repeats "it isn't a mistake!" to himself while fighting Archer in order to convince himself that his ideal is worth having.]] |
| 493 | * In ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry,'' [[spoiler:it is revealed that Maria's Uu-Uu is this. It is magic incantation that is supposed to make Rosa love her.]] |
| 494 | %%* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness:'' "This... Isn't... Really... HAPPENING!" %%ZCE - who says this, and why is it an example? |
| 495 | * ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'' has Reznov's request to Mason: "Dragovich. Kravchenko. Steiner. [[GottaKillEmAll All must die]]." |
| 496 | * ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': As revealed in the novel ''Literature/HaloTheFlood'', Captain Jacob Keyes recites his name, rank, and service number constantly to resist MindRape by [[EldritchAbomination the Flood]], which is stripping away his memories systematically. It works for a while, but eventually he is forced to forget his own name. The scene was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8O09zQ-YkM adapted]] to animation for ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved [[UpdatedRerelease Anniversary]]'', to many [[{{Tearjerker}} tears]]. |
| 497 | * ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss:'' "It's not my fault, it's not my fault, it's not my fault!" [[spoiler: Sorry, [[IdiotHero Luke]]. It totally is your fault. Cue total party abandonment and HeroicBSOD]]. |
| 498 | ** Later, he adopts a more conventional [[spoiler: I don't want to die! I don't want to die!]] Surprisingly, this one actually works. |
| 499 | * ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'': "Count to four, inhale. Count to four, exhale." |
| 500 | * Apollo Justice, ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' uses the phrase, "I'm fine!" or "You'll be fine!" for encouragement, often shouted at the top of his lungs. |
| 501 | * ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess:'' While facing the Nightmare, your body begins to shut down due to her supernaturally terrifying nature. To counter this, the Voice of the Paranoid (one of the possible voices in your head) constantly chants "Heart. Lungs. Liver. Nerves.", forcing your organs to keep working through sheer obsession. |
| 502 | * In ''VisualNovel/CodeRealize'', on the rare occasion that [[OneManArmy Van Helsing]] is pressed hard enough in battle where he believes his survival is in doubt, he starts repeating "I can't die yet" to himself. |
| 503 | [[/folder]] |
| 504 | |
| 505 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 506 | * Season 3 of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' introduced Neon Katt, a woman who fought on [[RollerbladeGood rollerblades]] and repeated the phrase, "Never miss a beat." to keep her focus. |
| 507 | [[/folder]] |
| 508 | |
| 509 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 510 | * In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', Antimony always kept in mind something that her mother told her. At one point, remembering it gives Antimony the courage to march into a spectral inferno. ''[[spoiler:"Always remember... remember I will never send you into danger."]]'' |
| 511 | * In ''Webcomic/KoanOfTheDay'', the reader is told to keep as their mantra, "[[http://www.koanoftheday.com/about/ I will visit every weekday for new koans]]." They are promised this will help increase their bodhi. |
| 512 | * ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent:'' "[[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=351 I must not laugh.]] Laughter is the Marten-killer..." |
| 513 | * In ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'', Mannick chants Happy thoughts [[http://www.charbythevampirate.com/comic/874 happy thoughts]] [[http://www.charbythevampirate.com/comic/1086 happy thoughts]] when he gets upset enough for it to [[PowerIncontinence affect his portal]]. |
| 514 | * In ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', Abel starts [[http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_707.php mentally reciting]] the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear, when Merlitz's (who he's disguised as) old adventuring group stops by, on the look out for Cubi (which Abel is). |
| 515 | * In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' the use of the 23rd Psalm is parodied [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0203.html here]]. |
| 516 | * The Webcomic/WalkyVerse probably has [[LongRunners quite a few]], but of note is [[http://www.itswalky.com/d/20041002.html this one]] from ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'': ''We are beautiful.'' |
| 517 | * In [[http://www.molebashed.com/post/127450893585/there-are-a-lot-of-forms-that-need-to-be-filled this episode]] of ''Webcomic/{{MOLEBASHED}}'', Wes says a prayer that he won't make any mistakes when filling out hospital forms. |
| 518 | [[/folder]] |
| 519 | |
| 520 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 521 | * One particularly bad game sees WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier mutter "you love retro gaming, you love retro gaming". |
| 522 | * WebVideo/ThatDudeInTheSuede uses the MST3KMantra in this fashion. |
| 523 | [[/folder]] |
| 524 | |
| 525 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 526 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In the episode "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS5E14SimonAndMarcy Simon and Marcy]]", in a flashback to an earlier time when remnants of the world before [[EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Great Mushroom War]] were more prevalent, and Simon/Ice King's SanitySlippage was not yet complete, he actually [[SanitySlippageSong uses the theme song]] from ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' as this to try to stay sane and in control while using his [[ArtifactOfDoom magic crown]] to defend himself and Marceline from a pack of green, oozing zombie/ghoul things. |
| 527 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': "A [[MonsterClown clown]] is not a hairy spider. A clown will not bite me and throw me in the basement." Admittedly, it doesn't work very well... |
| 528 | * ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': In one childhood flashback, Zuko tries to console himself with ''"Azula always lies, Azula always lies..."'' after Azula informs him that their father is going to kill him. [[spoiler:Of course, she was actually telling the truth that one time.]] |
| 529 | * In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'', we have "Strong, Xander... Strong, Xander..." |
| 530 | * Peter Puppy in ''WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim'' uses the first three lines of the Bene Gesserit Litany almost OnceAnEpisode. It never works, and is almost always a sign Peter is about to [[BerserkMode transform]]. Wonderfully lampshaded in one episode by Jim: |
| 531 | -->'''Puice Dynamo:''' What's that muttering about?\ |
| 532 | '''Jim:''' Oh, he's just gonna turn into a monster and maul us. |
| 533 | * ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': Mr. Herriman is [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes dreadfully afraid that there is a dog in the house]], so Frankie tells him to do what she did when she thought that there were monsters under her bed and say, ''"There are no such things as dogs."'' Realizing this is not true, she changes it to ''"A dog cannot get into the house."'' Realizing that was not appropiate either, she settles for ''"A dog is not in the house presently."'' |
| 534 | * Mrs. Gleeful has one in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': "Just keep vacuuming, ''just keep vacuuming''..." |
| 535 | * {{Invoked|Trope}} in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' when a psychologist/psychiatrist has taken a claustrophobic patient on the subway to help her face her fears using the phrase "Big open spaces. Big open spaces." When the subway breaks down, the doctor freaks out too and yells at her that the mantra is a crock. |
| 536 | * Not exactly the same, but the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E5And6OnlyADream Only a Dream]]" has Batman looping Frere Jaques in his head to stop Dr. Destiny from messing with his mind. This is when Dr. Destiny has previously incapacitated the rest of the League, is at his most powerful, and is dangerously close to Batman. |
| 537 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': During the finale of the second season, Tenzin, Kya and Bumi are searching for Jinora in the Spirit world and end up in the Fog of Lost Souls, which imprisons victims in their darkest memories. Tenzin tries to stay focused by reminding himself he is the son of Avatar Aang and the hope of future generations of airbenders. But the moment he almost lost his mind, a vision of Aang appeared, teaching him he should be his own person, instead of merely following in Aang's footsteps. Then he repeats to himself that he is Tenzin, freeing himself from the pressure he was about to succumb to and causing the Fog to dissipate. |
| 538 | * Similar to the ''Wizard of Oz'' subversion above, in ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'' episode "A Knight to Remember", Piglet made his way through a dragon's cave chanting "I am ''not'' brave, I am ''not'' brave..." |
| 539 | * In ''WesternAnimation/PeterRabbit'', when [[CowardlySidekick Benjamin]] gets scared of something, he likes to remind himself that "Rabbits are brave, rabbits are brave, rabbits are brave..." |
| 540 | * In the earlier seasons, ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' occasionally has Chuckie break out in: ''"I'm a big brave dog, I'm a big brave dog, I'm a big brave dog..."'' Referenced again in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' |
| 541 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 542 | ** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E18SeparateVocations Separate Vocations]]" shows miss Hoover relying on "Calm, blue ocean ... calm, blue ocean" under stress. |
| 543 | ** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E1KampKrusty Kamp Krusty]]", Bart is seen keeping himself sane by reminding himself that "Krusty is coming... Krusty is coming... Krusty is coming..." |
| 544 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E1HelpWantedReefBlowerTeaAtTheTreedome Tea at the Treedome]]", [=SpongeBob=] referring to water, "I don't need it! I don't need it! I ''definitely'' don't need it." It becomes a MadnessMantra when he sees a vase of it in front of him before finally howling "'''''I NEED IT!'''''". |
| 545 | * How does ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' Prowl do it? He says it himself in one episode: "Stillness... then ''strike''!" |
| 546 | [[/folder]] |
| 547 | |
| 548 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 549 | * During the Second Battle of Fallujah, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia of the US Army's 2nd Infantry Regiment decided to ''single-handedly'' assault a house where a half-dozen entrenched insurgents had earlier fended off his entire squad. Right before moving into a room which had held a cunningly-constructed barricade and machinegun emplacement, Bellavia overcame his own fear by trying to find a Survival Mantra in his mind, and remembered watching ''Film/TheExorcist'' just before the battle. Thus, he charged into close combat with a half-dozen insurgents while screaming ''"The power of Christ compels you!"'' over and over again. He lived, and killed all but one insurgent in the building, including one with his pocketknife. The last, left alone because he was too exhausted to even check if they were there, was shotgunned by his squadmates later. |
| 550 | * The poem "[[http://www.bartleby.com/103/7.html Invictus]]" by William Ernest Henley is a popular choice for many people facing difficult situations. |
| 551 | ** A well-known example is Nelson Mandela, who recited the poem to his fellow inmates in Robben Island prison. |
| 552 | * For Catholics, the [[http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/b009rpMichael.htm St. Michael prayer]] could qualify for this trope, as many have been known to repeat it in times of trouble. |
| 553 | ** Or anything involving St. Jude (the patron saint of impossible situations). |
| 554 | ** 23d Psalm, particularly the first four verses: |
| 555 | --> 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. |
| 556 | --> 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. |
| 557 | --> 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. |
| 558 | --> 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. |
| 559 | --> 5 You set a table before me in the sight of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. |
| 560 | --> 6 Surely goodness and justice shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for years to come. |
| 561 | * The Lord's Prayer, any part: |
| 562 | --> Our Father, who art in Heaven, |
| 563 | --> Hallowed be Thy name, |
| 564 | --> Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, |
| 565 | --> On earth as it is in Heaven; |
| 566 | --> Give us this day our daily bread, |
| 567 | --> Forgive us our trespasses |
| 568 | --> As we forgive those who trespass against us |
| 569 | --> And lead us not into temptation, |
| 570 | --> But deliver us from evil |
| 571 | --> For Thine is the power, the Kingdom, and the glory |
| 572 | --> Forever and ever, |
| 573 | --> Amen. |
| 574 | |
| 575 | ** And the Divine Mercy Prayer: Jesu Ufam Tobie (Jesus I trust in you). |
| 576 | ** O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. |
| 577 | ** The oldest prayer to Mary, from (at least) the third century AD: "Beneath thy protection we seek refuge, Mother of God, hear my prayer. Forget us not in our time of need, but deliver us from danger; only pure, only blessed one." |
| 578 | ** The 91st Psalm: '' I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress...'' |
| 579 | * Speaking of religion, Muslims have ''Allahu Akbar'', meaning "God is the Greatest." Despite the [[SuicideAttack popular misconception]], it can actually be used as a mantra for anything in a Muslim's life, such as giving thanks, resisting a crisis of faith, or a general expression of determination and self-assurance despite life's hardships. |
| 580 | * Jews have ''Sh'ma Yisroel -- Adonai elohenu, Adonai ech'od'', "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One", which serves the same purpose. |
| 581 | * One for a program on an attempt to run back to back marathons in Death Valley. The support team noticed the runner had created his own mantra. |
| 582 | -->''Pain is a sensation.''\ |
| 583 | ''Sensations are to be enjoyed.''\ |
| 584 | ''I am in ecstasy.'' |
| 585 | * A common one for soldiers (and sailors), playing on [[GallowsHumor black humour]]: "[[ThisIsGonnaSuck For what we are about to receive...]]" This is reflected in a large number of fictional works depicting combat. |
| 586 | * "The Mary Ellen Carter" by Stan Rogers (rest in peace) became this in addition to being SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic after the February 12, 1983 sinking of the ''Marine Electric'' off the coast of Virginia in a bad storm. The ship's Chief Mate, Bob Cusick, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mary_Ellen_Carter clung to a damaged lifeboat for three hours]] in hypothermia-inducing temperatures, screaming part of the chorus in between waves to keep himself from letting go and drowning. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT-aEcPgkuA Here's the man himself]] telling the story (plus a performance of the song) from the documentary ''One Warm Line''. |
| 587 | * Italian writer Giovannino Guareschi during his time in a German POW camp: "I won't die even if they kill me." It worked. |
| 588 | * After Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia were fatally shot in Sarajevo, Franz begged Sophie to live on for their kids (she didn't make it, though), and then repeated "It's nothing, it's nothing, it's nothing..." all over. [[SubvertedTrope He didn't make it, either.]] |
| 589 | * Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs use the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_prayer Serenity Prayer]] as a survival mantra. |
| 590 | * [[https://www.desiderata.com/desiderata.html The Desiderata]] was created to be one of these. |
| 591 | * While man-hauling a sledge on Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova expedtion, Apsley Cherry-Garrard repeated the mantra "You're got it in the neck - stick it - stick it - you've got it in the neck" as a distraction. |
| 592 | * Creator/StevenSpielberg declared that during the TroubledProduction of ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', a DrunkenSong from a certain scene, "Show Me the Way to Go Home" ("I'm tired and I want to go to bed.") became one of those to the crew (who even cried as Shaw, Scheider and Dreyfuss sung it!). |
| 593 | * "Self-talking" does actually do good. When one is in a stressful situation, saying "it's going to be okay" or some variation to oneself is exceedingly helpful in calming one down. |
| 594 | ** And if that doesn't work out, then [[ClusterFBomb swearing a lot]] has been known to increase one's pain tolerance. |
| 595 | *** But only if said person isn't already a SirSwearsALot. PrecisionFStrike works better than ClusterFBomb. |
| 596 | * If countless spy and war movies are to be believed, the whole "Name, Rank, Serial Number" routine becomes one for a prisoner being interrogated. It's the only thing they are required to reveal, and as torture or interrogation becomes more intense, it becomes the one thing they can let themselves say, over and over, to keep themselves from letting any other information slip. |
| 597 | ** TruthInTelevision: many British army personnel, most notably RAF pilots and the SAS, are put through a severe mock interrogation lasting up to 72 hours. If they reveal anything other than name, rank and serial number they are failed. [[note]]While most military biographies focus on the severity of the interrogation from the point of view of the recipient, those delivering the interrogation are ''also'' British Army personnel. Who must be learning how to ''deliver'' effective grilling. Torture allegations have repeatedly been made against British forces in Northern Ireland and Iraq.[[/note]] |
| 598 | * Creator/AleksandrSolzhenitsyn's mantra under KGB torture was ''Intense pain is never prolonged. Prolonged pain is never intense." |
| 599 | [[/folder]] |
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