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Anime & Manga
"Chane, my animal experiment... Guinea pigs often behave in ways you don't expect."
—Huey to his daughter, Baccano!
"Well, I've got to hand it to you, you're the first one who's ever hurt me - besides my loving parents, that is."
—Frieza, Dragon Ball Z
"Under no circumstances are you to ever identify yourself as my offspring! You are the sole blemish in my life... the one thing that I am ashamed of. Do I make myself clear?"
—Vinsmoke Judge to Sanji, One Piece
"If you insist on calling yourself Oden, it'd be better if you did die, Yamato."
—Kaido, One Piece
Comic Books
Spoiler (Stephanie Brown): When my dad was mad at me he'd lock me in the closet. What did yours do?
Batgirl (Cassandra Cain): Shot me.
Batgirl (Cassandra Cain): Shot me.
Meethra Kahzar: What was that, Hexador? Is there something about my parenting style you find irksome?
Hexador: O-of course not, great one. It's just your revels usually have more merriment and less, uh, impalement.
Hexador: O-of course not, great one. It's just your revels usually have more merriment and less, uh, impalement.
— Maestros
Vanya: Dad.. ? I mean, Mr. Monocle, sir? Why can't I play with the others?
Reginald: Well number seven... there's just nothing special about you.
Vanya: Oh.
Reginald: Well number seven... there's just nothing special about you.
Vanya: Oh.
Kara Zor-El: I told you, this isn't my fault! There was a Kryptonian woman—
Alura In-Ze: Enough. One more chance. Bring me Reactron. You owe it to your father's memory. [...] I warn you. Do not return to New Krypton empty-handed, Kara. [...] If you pass this test, you will prove to me that you are not as useless a soldier as some would lead me to believe—
Kara Zor-El: Mother. (smashing her comm device to bits) SHUT UP!
Alura In-Ze: Enough. One more chance. Bring me Reactron. You owe it to your father's memory. [...] I warn you. Do not return to New Krypton empty-handed, Kara. [...] If you pass this test, you will prove to me that you are not as useless a soldier as some would lead me to believe—
Kara Zor-El: Mother. (smashing her comm device to bits) SHUT UP!
"I was happy to be rid of what I had for a father! But you...you got them! You're not human! You don't deserve to be Clark Kent!"
— Lex Luthor, The Black Ring
"Did you just try to chi-block your own mother?! I'll bury you, you ungrateful child!!"
— Liling to Ru, Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance
Fan Works
"Well, seeing as my dad was locked up and didn't seem to wanna lift a talon to help me, my grandfather stepped in. He raised me, taught me, trained me, right up until I was seventeen. Then he brought me back to a father I barely knew, a dragon who'd only gotten colder and unforgiving in those seven years. And no matter what I did, nothing was good enough for him."
— Drago describing the future version of Shendu, The Stronger Evil, Chapter 18, "Hidden Desires"
"Everyone knows about Tiger Claude Mason — it would be hard not to, in a town as small as ours — but whispered rumors about attempted murder when teachers aren't listening don't compare at all to seeing his son have a panic attack in the backseat because of a phone call."
— First Person Plural Exclusive
, a Warrior Cats AU fic
, a Warrior Cats AU fic"You think Asuka's step-mother (the psychiatric doc) didn't try medicating Asuka's emotional issues away when she was younger? Asuka's recognizing the drugs. They tried using similar things on her, to make Asuka's issues go away, and make her into the Perfect... Little... Doll..."
— Strypgia, Advice and Trust Character Notes #22
Vernon: Boy! I'm trying to come up with some new ways that I could make your life even more miserable than it already is, but I'm having a hard time with it. What do you think?
Harry: I don't know, Uncle Vernon. I mean, you're already allowing me only the barest minimal necessities for keeping me alive. You're also beating me on a four times a day basis, five times on Saturday since it's your day off, plus the beatings that Dudley and his friends give me whenever they feel like it. Also, I've never been allowed to properly tend to any of the wounds I've received from those beatings, so my body's probably heavily infected in multiple places right now. You killed my owl and then forced me to cook her for your supper, and then beat me because she was too salty. I could honestly die any day now of starvation, dehydration, overexertion, or a combination of all three. The jury's still out on whether or not I've contracted cancer from that toxic waste you dumped on me the other day, and let's not forget that I'm also mentally scarred, not just from all the verbal abuse I take from you three, but also from seeing my godfather, the last remaining family I have that cared about me even the slightest bit, killed right in front of me not so long ago. I can honestly say that my life sucks about as hard as is metaphorically possible already and, off the top of my head, can't think of a single way that you could make it worse short of murdering the rest of my friends in front of me.
Harry: I don't know, Uncle Vernon. I mean, you're already allowing me only the barest minimal necessities for keeping me alive. You're also beating me on a four times a day basis, five times on Saturday since it's your day off, plus the beatings that Dudley and his friends give me whenever they feel like it. Also, I've never been allowed to properly tend to any of the wounds I've received from those beatings, so my body's probably heavily infected in multiple places right now. You killed my owl and then forced me to cook her for your supper, and then beat me because she was too salty. I could honestly die any day now of starvation, dehydration, overexertion, or a combination of all three. The jury's still out on whether or not I've contracted cancer from that toxic waste you dumped on me the other day, and let's not forget that I'm also mentally scarred, not just from all the verbal abuse I take from you three, but also from seeing my godfather, the last remaining family I have that cared about me even the slightest bit, killed right in front of me not so long ago. I can honestly say that my life sucks about as hard as is metaphorically possible already and, off the top of my head, can't think of a single way that you could make it worse short of murdering the rest of my friends in front of me.
Agatha Visser: WAT HEB IK JE VERTELD?! GEEF ANTWOORD! note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se (fearfully): D-Dat... dat alle hypnotiseurs vernietigd moeten worden, moeder. note
Agatha Visser: En? note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se: Dat ik niemand zou moeten vertrouwen. note
Agatha Visser: En...?! note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se (close to tears): Dat ik waardeloos ben. note
(Agatha slaps Lucas across the face)
Agatha Visser: Precies! Jij, Lucas, bent niets meer waard dan een nutteloos stuk afval! Moet ik het blijven herhalen, of ben je echt zo stom?! note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se (fearfully): D-Dat... dat alle hypnotiseurs vernietigd moeten worden, moeder. note
Agatha Visser: En? note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se: Dat ik niemand zou moeten vertrouwen. note
Agatha Visser: En...?! note
Lucas Visser/ HyPN0se (close to tears): Dat ik waardeloos ben. note
(Agatha slaps Lucas across the face)
Agatha Visser: Precies! Jij, Lucas, bent niets meer waard dan een nutteloos stuk afval! Moet ik het blijven herhalen, of ben je echt zo stom?! note
— Pokémon × Nimja: Play the Game, Chapter 15, "Under Pressure" (Part 1)
Shinji: You know, on some level I should be surprised that you would threaten to have a fourteen-year-old Girl sent to her death if I didn't do exactly what you said… but I'm not.
Fuyutsuki: Now Shinji, that's not what he-
Shinji: Oh of course it is. You don't have any need to defend this man in front of me. Yesterday he paraded Rei out as the consequence of me defying him, putting her through hell just to blackmail me into Unit One. Every one of us knows she wouldn't have lasted five seconds in combat, but he didn't give a damn.
Fuyutsuki: Now Shinji, that's not what he-
Shinji: Oh of course it is. You don't have any need to defend this man in front of me. Yesterday he paraded Rei out as the consequence of me defying him, putting her through hell just to blackmail me into Unit One. Every one of us knows she wouldn't have lasted five seconds in combat, but he didn't give a damn.
"Lex finally turned on his parents, then. He said that Superboy had gotten to them, too. He said that they should just go ahead and adopt Superboy, if they cared about Supes more than they did him. He said that maybe they really weren't his parents, after all. They were so dumb, and he was so smart. Arlene was yelling at Lex by then, telling him to stop it, telling him that he was still her son, but Lex said it wasn't true."
"And Jules hit him."
"It was an open-handed slap, not a punch. But it knocked Lex off his feet, made the inside of his mouth bleed a little bit, and bashed him up against an old grandfather clock in the front room. Both of them were looking at each other, not saying a damn word, and sure as hell not smiling. Arlene was trying to go to Lex, but Jules got her by the arm and held her back. He finally said, 'Go to your room, Lex. Whether you go on the run tonight, or we take you to reform school tomorrow, makes no difference to me.'"
"And Jules hit him."
"It was an open-handed slap, not a punch. But it knocked Lex off his feet, made the inside of his mouth bleed a little bit, and bashed him up against an old grandfather clock in the front room. Both of them were looking at each other, not saying a damn word, and sure as hell not smiling. Arlene was trying to go to Lex, but Jules got her by the arm and held her back. He finally said, 'Go to your room, Lex. Whether you go on the run tonight, or we take you to reform school tomorrow, makes no difference to me.'"
"And there's another kid, Kanzi or Kenzie Martin. I think she's seven now and lives somewhere around Baltimore. Her parents Irene and Julien are abusive, as in they-should-be-incarcerated-immediately levels of abuse."
— Antares, Warp
"So you must understand, my son. I do this, not for evil, but for the greater good. A greater good than any of these fools can understand. And it is for this reason that I must do... what I must do. I think this may be love. And if so, Orion... you must understand that I love you."
After another long moment, Darkseid got up. He pushed past Kalibak, and opened the door. A shrouded figure came in, tentatively, yet with eagerness on his face.
Tigra cried out in fear.
"I want the Equation," said Darkseid to Desaad. "Do with him what you will."
After another long moment, Darkseid got up. He pushed past Kalibak, and opened the door. A shrouded figure came in, tentatively, yet with eagerness on his face.
Tigra cried out in fear.
"I want the Equation," said Darkseid to Desaad. "Do with him what you will."
—Darkseid getting his son Orion tortured, Hellsister Trilogy
"What?" he whispered hoarsely, his trembling arms tugging unconsciously on the cuffs around his wrists. "WHAT?? Those words... those words that I had been longing to hear for so long... and you dare," tears formed in his eyes, but he couldn't tell whether from anger or disappointment, "you DARE to say them now? You've never been a father to me. You've sent me away, only called me back to pilot against my will, forcing me through the worst time of my life. Just in the last few hours, you imprisoned me, indirectly threatened to kill me and worst of all used my missing child to torture the woman I love. And you seriously expect me just to be... a good son... and tell you everything you want to know..."
—Shinji Ikari, The Second Try
"My own da! He never wanted me, not before and not after! Said he didn't need a daughter that couldn't think for herself, couldn't do anything right!"
—Brooklyn McNally, Resonance Days
Films — Animated
"I'm your father, and that sweet woman that you insulted with your rude birth is Mother. If you need love, I beg you, find it elsewhere. Thank you. Oh, you are Tim, and you are a Willoughby. Good day, sir."
— Mr. Willoughby to Tim on the day he was born, The Willoughbys
Films — Live-Action
Kane's Father: A good whuppin's all the kid really needs.
Mary Kane: You think that, don't you?
Father: Yeah.
Mary: That's why I'm sending him where you can't get at him.
Mary Kane: You think that, don't you?
Father: Yeah.
Mary: That's why I'm sending him where you can't get at him.
"You wanna know how I got these scars? My father was...a drinker and a fiend. And one night, he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that, Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. He turns to me and says, 'Why so serious, son?' He comes at me with the knife, 'Why so serious?' He sticks the blade in my mouth, 'Let's put a smile on that face.' and...
Why so serious?"
Why so serious?"
— The Joker, The Dark Knight, explaining part of his Multiple-Choice Past
"As a child, my father would have Gamora and me battle one another in training. Every time my sister prevailed... my father would replace a piece of me with machinery, claiming he wanted me to be her equal. But she won... again and again, and again, never once refraining."
—Nebula, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Ainsley: No matter what I say, it's always 'Shut up, Ainsley!' or 'You're a queer, Ainsley!' or 'Why can't you be more like your sister, Ainsley!'
Sampson: I said shut up, you little queer!
Ainsley: See?
Sampson: I said shut up, you little queer!
Ainsley: See?
Henry: She was a whore. My mama was a whore. But I don't fault her for that. It ain't what she done, but how she done it. Long as I can remember, she'd bring men up to the house. My daddy was there too, but it didn't matter none to her. She'd make me watch.
Becky: That's creepy.
Henry: She'd beat me too. A lot. She'd beat me when I wouldn't watch it. And sometimes she'd beat me, and make me wear a dress, and watch her doin' it. Then they'd laugh at me.
Becky: That's creepy.
Henry: She'd beat me too. A lot. She'd beat me when I wouldn't watch it. And sometimes she'd beat me, and make me wear a dress, and watch her doin' it. Then they'd laugh at me.
"I can't ever remember really liking my daddy. I wanted to, I really did. One time he bought me - when I was about five - he bought me an ice cream cone and I dropped it. And he slapped me and made me pick it up and eat it. I never liked my daddy. One time, when my mama was at work, and I was about 13, he'd come into my room and he, uh, told me to take my shirt off' 'cause he wanted to see how I was developed. And when I wouldn't, he got really mad and he-and he hit me. And he told me he had a right because he was my daddy and I was his daughter and, uh, he fed me and let me live in his house and he could do whatever he wanted... and he did. Then he started coming into my room a lot after that, and I didn't fight him because when I did, he just hit me. I was afraid I was gonna have a baby and that my baby would be deformed. But I never got pregnant. I tried to tell mama, but she didn't wanna hear about it. She pretended not to believe me but I knew she did."
"Mom said that if I get lost, I should forget our address and phone number. She gets drunk and says we should die."
—Jeong So-mi, The Man from Nowhere
Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad, my father gave my nose a tweak and told me I was bad.
— Bert, Mary Poppins
Mr. Rockbottom: Right, Lionel? Now you enjoy yourself here, my boy. Understand? Or I'll brain ya.
Lionel: Yes, sir.
Literature
I speak severely to my boy and beat him when he sneezes.
— The Duchess, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Before the incident, he loved his mother openheartedly in spite of the worrisome signs - the spankings that left welts, the way her gaze would sit upon his skull like a tarantula ready to sink in its fangs.
But during the Bad Years, she became truly cruel. In time, Luke realized that cruelty was an implicit facet of her nature; she'd simply taken a while to express it.
But during the Bad Years, she became truly cruel. In time, Luke realized that cruelty was an implicit facet of her nature; she'd simply taken a while to express it.
I can get rid of all of you!
—Richie Trout to his stepchildren and son, Eleanor & Park
Nobby: I don't want to go to the Tanty, sir. Sconner's in there.
Vimes, to himself: And he used to break your arms.
Vimes, to himself: And he used to break your arms.
Live-Action TV
Will: Uncle Phil...
Uncle Phil: [hissing] SILENCE! If I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you!
Uncle Phil: [hissing] SILENCE! If I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you!
"When you do get around to having kids, avoid all this modern idiocy. Kindness, kisses, hugs, all that bullshit. Kids must be hated!" It's how they grow up angry.
— Goustan the Cruel (father of Léodagan the Bloodthirsty), Kaamelott
Robbie: I asked you a question: Do. You. Love. Me. Mom? If you do, if you love me, just say it!
Mom: Robert, I will not be held hostage like this. You know I don't play this game.
Mom: Robert, I will not be held hostage like this. You know I don't play this game.
— Louie
Bobby Singer: Well, that's a load of crap. Who the hell were you to say?
Ed Singer: I'm your father. And you show your father respect.
Bobby: The day he deserves it! You drunken bully! Punchin' women and kids - is that what they call fatherhood in your day?!
Ed: Oh, you deserved it. Believe me. You were nothin' but ungrateful.
Bobby: I was a kid! Kids ain't supposed to be grateful; they're supposed to eat your food and break your heart, you selfish dick! You died, and I was still so afraid I'd turn into you, I never even had kids of my own!
Ed: Good. You break everything you touch.
Bobby: Uh-huh? Well, as fate would have it, I adopted two boys. And they grew up great. They grew up heroes. So you can GO TO HELL!!!
Ed Singer: I'm your father. And you show your father respect.
Bobby: The day he deserves it! You drunken bully! Punchin' women and kids - is that what they call fatherhood in your day?!
Ed: Oh, you deserved it. Believe me. You were nothin' but ungrateful.
Bobby: I was a kid! Kids ain't supposed to be grateful; they're supposed to eat your food and break your heart, you selfish dick! You died, and I was still so afraid I'd turn into you, I never even had kids of my own!
Ed: Good. You break everything you touch.
Bobby: Uh-huh? Well, as fate would have it, I adopted two boys. And they grew up great. They grew up heroes. So you can GO TO HELL!!!
— Supernatural, "Death's Door"
"My father was an obsessed bastard! All that crap he dumped on me about protecting Sam, that was his crap. He's the one that couldn't protect his family! He's the one who let mom die! Who wasn't there for Sam, I always was! It wasn't fair! I didn't deserve what he put on me, and I don't deserve to go to Hell!"
— Dean Winchester, Supernatural, "Dream a Little Dream of Me"
"People with happy families don't become spies. A bad childhood is the perfect background for covert ops. You don't trust anyone, you're used to getting smacked around, and you never get homesick."
"We all wanted to be loved by a man incapable of giving love."
— Vanya about Reginald, The Umbrella Academy (2019), "Extra Ordianary"
"Come on, even I got my bottom whacked by my Dad once or twice."
— Miles O'Brien, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "Cardassians"
Rimmer: [My father] always wanted to join the Space Corps, be an officer, but they wouldn't take him 'cause he was an inch below regulation height. One inch. I had three brothers. When we were young he bought a traction machine so he could stretch us. By the time my brother Frank was eleven he was 6'5". Every morning he'd measure us. If we hadn't grown, back on the rack.
Lister: Sounds like he had a screw loose.
Rimmer: I don't think he had one screw perfectly tightened to be perfectly honest with you. He had this fixation that we all had to get into the Space Corps. At mealtimes he'd ask us questions on astronavigation. If we got them wrong, no food.
Lister: God, Rimmer, how did you cope with that?
Rimmer: I didn't. I nearly died of malnutrition.
Lister: Sounds like he had a screw loose.
Rimmer: I don't think he had one screw perfectly tightened to be perfectly honest with you. He had this fixation that we all had to get into the Space Corps. At mealtimes he'd ask us questions on astronavigation. If we got them wrong, no food.
Lister: God, Rimmer, how did you cope with that?
Rimmer: I didn't. I nearly died of malnutrition.
— Red Dwarf, "Better than Life"
"You do what I tell you to do and you shut your damn mouth about it. That's the problem. You can sit there and throw your tears all you want."
— Phil Davis to his stepdaughter Morgan, Supernanny ("The Davis Family")
Music
"Guileless son, each day you grow older
Each moment I'm watching my vengeance unfold
For the child of my body, the flesh of my soul
Will die in returning the birthright he stole"
Each moment I'm watching my vengeance unfold
For the child of my body, the flesh of my soul
Will die in returning the birthright he stole"
—Heather Dale, "Mordred's Lullaby"
Video Games
"Both of you are really going to get it now!"
— Aloysius Minch, EarthBound (1994)
"My dad really got after me. He said I get no dessert for the rest of the decade..."
— Porky Minch, EarthBound (1994)note
"I'm gonna beat you. I'm gonna beat you, boy. Daddy's gonna beat you."
— Hallucination Flint, Mother 3
"I think of my father, I see a "fuck you" and a fist flying at my face."
— B.J. Blazkowicz, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
"Man, do I hate psychics...and seeing my son happy!"
— Mental Augustus Aquato, Psychonauts
Psychiatrist: I've heard that your father didn't treat you well.
Peketo: That's right, he drank too much and hit me very hard.
Peketo: That's right, he drank too much and hit me very hard.
"You think because you're my daughter
You think that you're above it all
My schemes are currently in motion
Your choice: Be a wife! Or be a thrall!"
You think that you're above it all
My schemes are currently in motion
Your choice: Be a wife! Or be a thrall!"
Anton Castillo: (examining a model car his son Diego has made) It's beautiful, mijo. Perfect... but useless. I have something for you, Diego. Give me your hands.
(Diego holds out his hands, and Anton slips a grenade into them)
Diego: Papa?
Anton: Now, the grenade is simple. It has four basic parts. The shell, which contains the explosive. The fuse. The handle. And, of course, the pin. (pulls the pin out of the grenade)
Diego: (holding onto the grenade) What are you doing?!
Anton: Breathe, Diego. Breathe. The pin simply holds the handle in place. It is only when you let go that this grenade goes boom. (stands up) Follow me. (after a Beat) Now.
(Diego holds out his hands, and Anton slips a grenade into them)
Diego: Papa?
Anton: Now, the grenade is simple. It has four basic parts. The shell, which contains the explosive. The fuse. The handle. And, of course, the pin. (pulls the pin out of the grenade)
Diego: (holding onto the grenade) What are you doing?!
Anton: Breathe, Diego. Breathe. The pin simply holds the handle in place. It is only when you let go that this grenade goes boom. (stands up) Follow me. (after a Beat) Now.
"My dad would beat the shit out of me if he found this."
— Natsuki, Doki Doki Literature Club!
"You are just a pawn. An insect engineered by ME. I birthed you, I'm your father! And you must obey me!"
—Dr. Yado, LISA: The Joyful
"My old man hit harder than you!"
— Captain Cold, Injustice 2
"You always were a dirty girl, weren't you, Annabelle? Useless! USELESS! You do NOTHING around here but rot your own brain!"
—Jason Sunray, Annabelle: Projection
"Haha, my boy! Never shying away from telling the world how WEAK he is. [...] This beautiful city will only ever be run by the greatest men! That's why I'm trying to prevent my son from becoming a loser, a loner, a useless selfish boy! If I don't raise him right he will never make anything of himself and he will absolutely NEVER stand up to the task that is running Ravena! He needs to learn discipline!"
—Mayor James P. Ravena, The Brains And The Brawn
"All of these TOYS are worthless. we [sic] need to get rid of them. Anita says no but I don't give a fuck what Anita thinks. She's not the boss around here. He is. And I am not going to disobey him. hes [sic] wasting out space and time and energy aannd I won't stand FOR IT ANY LONGER YOU LAZY FREELOADING PIECE OF GARBAG"
—A note by Onaga Yamazaki about his son Hikaru, Bubbaruka!
"That's like a new electric lock my dad put on the door cuz once, when I was grounded, I tried to leave to go to the bathroom."
— Butters, South Park: The Fractured but Whole
Your punches are nothing compared to my father's fists!
— Alan, Troublemaker
Sonia: Once you've killed the prince, kill Nino too.
Jaffar: What!?
Sonia: The assassinations... Both come directly by the king's request. The prince is well loved, and his death will trigger much chaos. If the assassin is not caught and hanged immediately, the chaos will engulf Bern. A scapegoat is needed. Do you understand?
Jaffar: Nino is your daughter!!
Sonia: She is trash. Garbage. Human refuse. I'm just happy at last to have found a use for her. She did say she would do anything to please her loving mother, did she not? Her death will please me more than her living ever did.
Jaffar: What!?
Sonia: The assassinations... Both come directly by the king's request. The prince is well loved, and his death will trigger much chaos. If the assassin is not caught and hanged immediately, the chaos will engulf Bern. A scapegoat is needed. Do you understand?
Jaffar: Nino is your daughter!!
Sonia: She is trash. Garbage. Human refuse. I'm just happy at last to have found a use for her. She did say she would do anything to please her loving mother, did she not? Her death will please me more than her living ever did.
"After all of that, do you think you're still worthy of sharing the name Harmonia with me? You good-for-nothing boy! To start with, I spurred N into pursuing ideals/the truth. The reason we reawakened the legendary Pokémon now was to give MY Team Plasma more power! Power to control the fearful masses! That at least was well done. After saying you had to put your beliefs on the line and battle to see which one chosen by the legendary Pokémon was the true hero... You lost to an ordinary Trainer! There is such a thing as being too stupid! Add it up, and you are nothing more than a warped, defective boy who knows nothing but Pokémon..."
— Ghetsis to N, Pokémon Black and White
Web Animation
Sonic: I'm hoping that little Soniqua will "accidentally" get murdered to death on this job. That way, I won't have to pay child support anymore.
Tails: You're a despicable piece of shit.
Sonic: I really am.
Tails: You're a despicable piece of shit.
Sonic: I really am.
"I'm sorry you didn't have a mommy that loved you, but I had a father who hated me. He never went easy on me. Every day of training was a beating. And when I unlocked my Semblance, he stole it with his! 'This is a crutch! This makes you weak!' He told me I could have it back when I was strong, so I got strong, but I never got it back. I've had to work harder than anyone to get where I am! You may not like it here without Cinder, but I think I'm right where I'm supposed to be!"
This enraged his father, who punished him severely.
Webcomics
B—-: ...My dad was an abusive alcoholic, or whatever. He'd go to the bar, come home drunk, find out I'd fucked up at school, and he'd choke me out. (beat) He never hit mom or my sisters. He tried to be a good dad. We had some great times, man. He only got physical with me... I guess I was always thinking that one day he'd hurt mom or L—- or M——-. If I pissed him off, he'd only hurt me and that was okay.
C——: My family was a lot like B—-'s... but different... My dad... (beat) My parents beat the shit out of my sister. Dad would make a joke about how worthless she was, and push her down the stairs, and just... laugh. And I did it, too. I didn't even know it was bad. It's just what my family did. When I did realize it was wrong, I got scared. If I didn't hurt M— too, maybe they'd start hurting me. M— left home at 18 and I've never heard from her. I wish I could say I'm sorry.
Web Original
Nuka: I'll do it for you, mother! (climbs onto a log dam)
Reaction: You know you're the disappointment child / a fuck-up when you do something suicidal and your mother doesn't even say; "Be careful".
Reaction: You know you're the disappointment child / a fuck-up when you do something suicidal and your mother doesn't even say; "Be careful".
— A fan on Nuka's death in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
"Boris the Teeth Guy, you always ground your son for no reason. The witness said what you did, And that is Child Abusing."
— GoAnimate Jury, GoAnimate
"Based on the evidence, Boris the Teeth Guy! You have been found guilty for child abusing and beating up your wife. I have no choice but to sentence you to death. It will happen today!"
— Judge, GoAnimate
Boris the Teeth Guy: Please give me another chance! I am so sorry!
GoAnimate Police: (Angrily) NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! YOU'VE GONE WAY TO FAR THIS TIME! YOU KEEP ON CHILD ABUSING CAILLOU, ROISE, CODY, AND DAISY. AND YOU HAVE ALSO ABUSE YOUR WIFE, DORIS! EVERSINCE 2013! TIME FOR YOUR EXECUTION! GOODBYE-FOREVER! (Sets electric chair on. Boris dies and the police then smiles for joy) Finally, He is dead!
GoAnimate Police: (Angrily) NOPE! ABSOLUTELY NOT! YOU'VE GONE WAY TO FAR THIS TIME! YOU KEEP ON CHILD ABUSING CAILLOU, ROISE, CODY, AND DAISY. AND YOU HAVE ALSO ABUSE YOUR WIFE, DORIS! EVERSINCE 2013! TIME FOR YOUR EXECUTION! GOODBYE-FOREVER! (Sets electric chair on. Boris dies and the police then smiles for joy) Finally, He is dead!
See, the reason Lusamine gets so much praise as a villain is because, behind all the talk of space travel and intergalactic monsters, there's a very real kind of antagonist that so many people have to deal with every single day: a mother, or a father, or some other close person in someone's life that treats them terribly and disregards their feelings about it. That's such a relatable and real terror for so many people that Lusamine feels so much more villainous than other team leaders because that kind of evil hits hard on a personal level.
Children are basically slaves to their parents for the first ten to fifteen years of their lives, and parents have a special social permission to use force against their children.
In the best possible case, this is an incredibly silly metaphor and one no one would ever even think about. In the worst possible case, it’s completely and literally true.
I have met people with horrible parents. The first eighteen years (or less, if they were able to get themselves legally emancipated early) of their lives were a living hell. These are people who literally have control of every single thing you do, from whether you can eat dinner to who you are allowed to make friends with to what church you go to to what opinions you can express to whether you’re allowed to sleep at night. They are people who can torture and beat you to within an inch of your life, and maybe a social worker will take you away for a few months, and then that social worker will probably return you right back to them. And if it’s just emotional torture, you can forget about even getting the social worker.
In the best possible case, this is an incredibly silly metaphor and one no one would ever even think about. In the worst possible case, it’s completely and literally true.
I have met people with horrible parents. The first eighteen years (or less, if they were able to get themselves legally emancipated early) of their lives were a living hell. These are people who literally have control of every single thing you do, from whether you can eat dinner to who you are allowed to make friends with to what church you go to to what opinions you can express to whether you’re allowed to sleep at night. They are people who can torture and beat you to within an inch of your life, and maybe a social worker will take you away for a few months, and then that social worker will probably return you right back to them. And if it’s just emotional torture, you can forget about even getting the social worker.
— Scott Alexander, Slate Star Codex
Web Videos
Green Goblin, to Harley Quinn: I've never seen someone be so cruel to someone they love!
Harry Osborn: Really, dad?
Green Goblin: SHUT UP OR YOU'RE OUT OF THE WILL!
Harry Osborn: Really, dad?
Green Goblin: SHUT UP OR YOU'RE OUT OF THE WILL!
"And before you start whining about your father, again—and I get it—take a moment to consider that my father made me a soulless killing machine to kill your father. And that doesn't even come close to the complete tragedy of fatherhood that is Vegeta."
— Android #16, Dragon Ball Z Abridged
"Everyone scars their children, Starlight. It's unavoidable. The trick is to hurt them in a way that motivates them"
— Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Totally Legit Recap, "Sparkle Seven"
Bowser: Of all the Bowsers, I get stuck with the one who can't even blow a single spark of fire!
Bowser Jr.: I can, too!
Bowser: Then redeem yourself, you little turd nugget!
Bowser Jr.: OK, I will! [takes a deep breath and then blows out smoke]
Bowser: See?! Useless!
Bowser Jr.: No, I'm not!
Bowser: Well, it's my word over yours!
Bowser Jr.: And what's your word?!
Bowser: I WANTED YOU UP FOR ADOPTION! [throws Bowser Jr. down a hatch, leaving him hanging on a ledge]
Bowser Jr.: I can, too!
Bowser: Then redeem yourself, you little turd nugget!
Bowser Jr.: OK, I will! [takes a deep breath and then blows out smoke]
Bowser: See?! Useless!
Bowser Jr.: No, I'm not!
Bowser: Well, it's my word over yours!
Bowser Jr.: And what's your word?!
Bowser: I WANTED YOU UP FOR ADOPTION! [throws Bowser Jr. down a hatch, leaving him hanging on a ledge]
— StacheBros, "Mario & Luigi! Stache Bros - Episode 2-8 - Castle Hassle"
Shouzou Yuuki: It's good of you to keep visiting her [Asuna] like this. Like a watchful guardian looking after a slumbering princess. Lying there like a perfect, beautiful little parasite, SUCKING THE MARROW FROM MY VERY BONES! (motions to pull the Nervgear, which means she will die for real)
Kirito: I'm not letting you pull the plug, sir!
Shouzou: Ah, sorry. Force of habit. You can relax. My lawyers have advised me that killing my daughter to get out of medical bills would cause more problems than it would probably solve.
Kirito: I'm not letting you pull the plug, sir!
Shouzou: Ah, sorry. Force of habit. You can relax. My lawyers have advised me that killing my daughter to get out of medical bills would cause more problems than it would probably solve.
Western Animation
"All I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor that I wanted, but really, I was trying to please you. You, my father who banished me just for talking out of turn! My father who challenged me, a thirteen year-old boy, to an Agni Kai! How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?"
— Zuko, to Fire Lord Ozai, Avatar: The Last Airbender
"You WILL learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."
— Fire Lord Ozai, to Zuko, Avatar: The Last Airbender
"Hey, I know terrible mothers, and you're not a terrible mother."
— BoJack, BoJack Horseman, "Chickens"
"You know the shittiest thing about all of this? Is when that stranger behind the counter gave me that free churro, that small act of kindness showed more compassion than my mother gave me her entire goddamn life. Like, how hard is it to do something nice for a person? This woman at the Jack In The Box didn't even know me. I'm your son! All I had was you!"
— BoJack, BoJack Horseman, "Free Churro"
You need to get a titan here. But you don't have powers...[Sees his son Storkules crying.]... except the power to manipulate my children.
— Zeus, DuckTales (2017)
Wanda: [panicked] Cosmo! Timmy's parents found Poof!
Cosmo [also panicked] Oh no! Those people have no idea how to raise a child! [notices Timmy glaring] No offense, Timmy.
Timmy: [deadpan] None taken...
Cosmo [also panicked] Oh no! Those people have no idea how to raise a child! [notices Timmy glaring] No offense, Timmy.
Timmy: [deadpan] None taken...
"When you were babies, I used to knock you kids out every month or so. Sometimes by accident, sometimes when the Patriots lost."
— Peter Griffin, Family Guy, "Brian Griffin's House Of Payne"
Gary, my mother tried to sacrifice me to a snake demon, and yours is still worse.
— Ash to Gary after his own mother threatens to kill him, Final Space, "The Sixth Key"
PJ: [straining at pulling a weed] Oh, please, Dad! It's been six hours! Can't I take a break?
Pete: [sitting around reading a newspaper] Weeds don't take breaks. They turn into jungles. You want your mom to get eaten by a tiger in our own backyard!?
Pete: [sitting around reading a newspaper] Weeds don't take breaks. They turn into jungles. You want your mom to get eaten by a tiger in our own backyard!?
You ignoramus! Your brother was gonna be our ticket out of this dump! All you ever do is lie and cheat right on your brother's coattails! Well, this time, you cost our family potential millions! And until you make us a fortune, you aren't welcome in this household!
—Filbrick Pines' last words to his teenage son Stanley Pines as the latter is kicked out and disowned for an accident, Gravity Falls
Sedusa: (as Ima Goodlady) I THOUGHT I GROUNDED YOU, SPOILED BRATS! I AM GETTING THE PROFESSOR!
Blossom: I afraid not. He stepped out!
Buttercup: And we found out that you are NOT a good lady at all!
Bubbles: What's in the bag, Sedusa? (Bubbles her wig and dress)
Narrator: SEDUSA?!? Who could had guess it?
Sedusa: (as Bubbles tries to grab the bag) LET GO OF IT! (the bag burst opens to reveal the Mayor's jewels)
Bubbles: Well, What do you know! The Mayor's jewels! Nice try, Sedusa. But the game is over for you!
Sedusa: HA! NEVER! (in her sweet voice) I will just sweet talk that sap with the professor, He will believe me! (in her evil tone) WHILE YOU ALL BUG-EYED CREEPS ARE ALL GOING TO BE GROUNDED FOREVER!!!! (Evil Laugh)
Bubbles: OH YEAH! GROUND THIS! (The girls attack Sedusa)
Professor Utonium: Oh, girls. I am back from the— whoah! What's going on here?
Sedusa: (soft tone, sobbing) Oh, Professor! Thank goodness you're back! Those spoiled brats jumped on me when I came home and....
Blossom: NO, PROFESSOR! IT'S NOT TRUE!
Buttercup: SHE IS REALLY SEDUSA!
Bubbles: AND SHE GROUNDED US, SO SHE CAN GO OUT AND STEAL THE MAYOR'S JEWELS!
Sedusa: LIARS! (to the Professor) Oh, Professor! Do you believe me? Please help me, Please?
Professor: (holds Sedusa's hands) GIRLS, CALL THE POLICE! This crook isn't going to deceive us anymore!
Blossom: I afraid not. He stepped out!
Buttercup: And we found out that you are NOT a good lady at all!
Bubbles: What's in the bag, Sedusa? (Bubbles her wig and dress)
Narrator: SEDUSA?!? Who could had guess it?
Sedusa: (as Bubbles tries to grab the bag) LET GO OF IT! (the bag burst opens to reveal the Mayor's jewels)
Bubbles: Well, What do you know! The Mayor's jewels! Nice try, Sedusa. But the game is over for you!
Sedusa: HA! NEVER! (in her sweet voice) I will just sweet talk that sap with the professor, He will believe me! (in her evil tone) WHILE YOU ALL BUG-EYED CREEPS ARE ALL GOING TO BE GROUNDED FOREVER!!!! (Evil Laugh)
Bubbles: OH YEAH! GROUND THIS! (The girls attack Sedusa)
Professor Utonium: Oh, girls. I am back from the— whoah! What's going on here?
Sedusa: (soft tone, sobbing) Oh, Professor! Thank goodness you're back! Those spoiled brats jumped on me when I came home and....
Blossom: NO, PROFESSOR! IT'S NOT TRUE!
Buttercup: SHE IS REALLY SEDUSA!
Bubbles: AND SHE GROUNDED US, SO SHE CAN GO OUT AND STEAL THE MAYOR'S JEWELS!
Sedusa: LIARS! (to the Professor) Oh, Professor! Do you believe me? Please help me, Please?
Professor: (holds Sedusa's hands) GIRLS, CALL THE POLICE! This crook isn't going to deceive us anymore!
— The Power Puff Girls 1998 note
"Why don't you just leave me alone? I'm sick of you kids comin' over here lookin' for your dad. I got a million of 'em comin' here and they look just like you! UGLY!"
— Mr. Bull to his son Heffer, Rocko's Modern Life ("Who's For Dinner?")
You have never been anything more than a nuisance to me! I've kept you around this long because Adora was fond of you, but if you ever do anything to jeopardize her future, I will dispose of you myself. Do you understand?
— Shadow Weaver, to Catra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, "Promise"
"Why you little—"
— Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
Butters: I just had a nightmare.
Stephen: Well, you'd better stop having nightmares or else you're gonna be grounded!
Stephen: Well, you'd better stop having nightmares or else you're gonna be grounded!
Meteora (younger): You know, my mind's been wandering so much lately, I thought I could use a little refresher. Get me back on track.
St. Olga: Time for a nice, relaxing brain massage.
Meteora: No, not that memory! Rewind more! Go back!
(The slideshow then shows Meteora as a teenager, looking at her monster tail in the mirror.)
Meteora (teen): Mother, why do I have to hide my tail?
St. Olga: You know that old rhyme, dear. "Boys do not make passes at girls with devil tails."
(Teenage Meteora hides her tail under her dress.)
Meteora: No, rewind!
(The slideshow then shows Meteora as a child, looking at her glowing cheek marks in a puddle of water.)
Meteora (toddler): Oh, Mommy, Mommy, look! My cheeks are glowing! Isn't it pretty?
St. Olga: Do you know what would make you even prettier?
Meteora (toddler): What, Mommy?
St. Olga: Suppressing your flaws.
(St. Olga wipes young Meteora's cheeks.)
Meteora (toddler): (crying) Mommy, wait! I can fix it!
(Young Meteora tearfully makes her cheek marks stop glowing.)
St. Olga: Time for a nice, relaxing brain massage.
Meteora: No, not that memory! Rewind more! Go back!
(The slideshow then shows Meteora as a teenager, looking at her monster tail in the mirror.)
Meteora (teen): Mother, why do I have to hide my tail?
St. Olga: You know that old rhyme, dear. "Boys do not make passes at girls with devil tails."
(Teenage Meteora hides her tail under her dress.)
Meteora: No, rewind!
(The slideshow then shows Meteora as a child, looking at her glowing cheek marks in a puddle of water.)
Meteora (toddler): Oh, Mommy, Mommy, look! My cheeks are glowing! Isn't it pretty?
St. Olga: Do you know what would make you even prettier?
Meteora (toddler): What, Mommy?
St. Olga: Suppressing your flaws.
(St. Olga wipes young Meteora's cheeks.)
Meteora (toddler): (crying) Mommy, wait! I can fix it!
(Young Meteora tearfully makes her cheek marks stop glowing.)
— Star vs. the Forces of Evil, "Skooled"
Steven: Maybe Pink thought you guys were right to lock her in here when she messed stuff up. But I know what it's like to have a loving family, and we don't do stuff like this to each other. [...] That isn't normal!
Blue Diamond: That's enough! (throws energy blast that sends him across the room)
Steven: ...This isn't normal. How many times did you lock her in here? How many times did you make her cry?
Blue Diamond: (stammering) I didn't, I... and I'm doing it again, aren't I? And this is why [Pink] left, isn't it?
Blue Diamond: That's enough! (throws energy blast that sends him across the room)
Steven: ...This isn't normal. How many times did you lock her in here? How many times did you make her cry?
Blue Diamond: (stammering) I didn't, I... and I'm doing it again, aren't I? And this is why [Pink] left, isn't it?
— Steven Universe, "Change Your Mind"
