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"If anyone dares to resist my supreme authority, they shall know the devastating power of the F.L.E.I.J.A."
— Lelouch Vi Britannia, Code Geass
"Fool. It's a Death Note. Without this there won't be any evidence to convict me! ...I am Justice!! I'm the hero who's liberating people from fear. I'm the savior who's going to be like a God of this perfect new world that everyone desires! Those who oppose me! They're the evil ones... Heh, heh. Now we'll see what happens to those who offend Lord Kira. The whole world's watching... L."
— Light Yagami, Death Note, as he murders Lind L Tailor.
Comic Books
Maybe I have been interfering unnecessarily! I decide what's right or wrong— and then enforce my decision...by brute strength!
Bandit Chief: "We're soldiers, damn you, authorized to seize this land by—"
Phantom: You're pirates, simple thieves. And your authority ends with me.
Phantom: You're pirates, simple thieves. And your authority ends with me.
— The Phantom, 1989 comic series, #1
Fan Works
Sharkov: Silence! How dare you! I carry a sacred office, and I demand that you apologise for your rudeness!
Kyril: And I carry a blade.
Kyril: And I carry a blade.
Film — Animation
Bobo: Okay, crazy man, this is all very generous. But why in the hell should we listen to you?
(Red Hood throws a duffel bag in front of them. The criminals look inside and recoil in horror. One throws up.)
Red Hood: Those are the heads of all of your lieutenants. That took me two hours. You wanna see what I get done in a whole evening? Make no mistake. I'm not asking you to cut in with me, I'm telling you!
(Red Hood throws a duffel bag in front of them. The criminals look inside and recoil in horror. One throws up.)
Red Hood: Those are the heads of all of your lieutenants. That took me two hours. You wanna see what I get done in a whole evening? Make no mistake. I'm not asking you to cut in with me, I'm telling you!
Film — Live-Action
Confederate Soldier: How much you willing to pay?
Keoma Shannon: Four cents.
Soldier: Four cents? Four cents is mighty little.
Keoma: The price of four bullets.
Keoma Shannon: Four cents.
Soldier: Four cents? Four cents is mighty little.
Keoma: The price of four bullets.
— Keoma
Michael Corleone: My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Kay Adams: What was that?
Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.
Kay Adams: What was that?
Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.
"They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far. I present to you the newest in Stark Industries' Freedom line. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee, the bad guys won't even wanna come out of their caves. Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration... the Jericho."
— Tony Stark, Iron Man
"You'd be amazed what you'll agree to when you're on fire."
— Bobby Chicago, End of Days
"Between your faith and my Glock 9mm, I'll take the Glock."
— Jericho Cane, End of Days
Yusuf: She bears no mark.
Sinbad: Nonsense! All ships bear identity! It's the law of the sea!
Yusuf: Law? What law is stronger than strength?
Sinbad: Nonsense! All ships bear identity! It's the law of the sea!
Yusuf: Law? What law is stronger than strength?
Vampiress Larisa: You, the "Light" ones, the "kind" ones, who've decided they have a right to protect the world from Darkness. Where were you when they drank my blood? Why can't I do that now?
Anton Gorodetsky: Because I won't let you.
Anton Gorodetsky: Because I won't let you.
"If you rich folks don't follow him willingly, then the peasants will break every bone in your bodies!"
—Mikula, Alexander Nevsky
Literature
It is the eternal fate of the noble and enlightened to be brutally crushed by the armed and dumb.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
"All is mine on earth," said gold.
"All is mine," said iron cold.
"I will buy it all," said gold.
"I will take," said iron cold.
"All is mine," said iron cold.
"I will buy it all," said gold.
"I will take," said iron cold.
— Alexander Pushkin, "Gold and Iron"
Kevan: Balon Greyjoy, who now styles himself King of the Isles and the North, has written to us offering terms of alliance.
Cersei: He ought to be offering fealty. By what right does he call himself king?
Tywin: By right of conquest.
Cersei: He ought to be offering fealty. By what right does he call himself king?
Tywin: By right of conquest.
In my experience, being allowed to shoot anyone who disagrees with you tends to persuade them of the validity of your viewpoint with remarkably little difficulty.
—Ciaphas Cain (who ironically enough rarely if ever actually needs to do so), The Last Ditch
Live-Action TV
"Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til you understand who's in ruttin' command here!"
— Jayne Cobb, Firefly
Varys: Power is a curious thing, My Lord. Are you fond of riddles?
Tyrion Lannister: Why? Am I about to hear one?
Varys: Three great men sit in a room: a king, a priest, and a rich man. Between them stands a common sellsword. Each great man bids the sellsword kill the other two. Who lives? Who dies?
Tyrion Lannister: Depends on the sellsword.
Varys: Does it? But he has neither crown, nor gold, nor favor of the Gods.
Tyrion Lannister: He has a sword. The power of life and death.
Varys: But if it's swordsmen who rule, why do we pretend kings hold all the power? When Ned Stark lost his head, who was truly responsible? Joffrey? The executioner? Or something else?
Tyrion Lannister: ...I've decided I don't like riddles.
Tyrion Lannister: Why? Am I about to hear one?
Varys: Three great men sit in a room: a king, a priest, and a rich man. Between them stands a common sellsword. Each great man bids the sellsword kill the other two. Who lives? Who dies?
Tyrion Lannister: Depends on the sellsword.
Varys: Does it? But he has neither crown, nor gold, nor favor of the Gods.
Tyrion Lannister: He has a sword. The power of life and death.
Varys: But if it's swordsmen who rule, why do we pretend kings hold all the power? When Ned Stark lost his head, who was truly responsible? Joffrey? The executioner? Or something else?
Tyrion Lannister: ...I've decided I don't like riddles.
Lord Tywin: You really think a crown gives you power?
Tyrion: No, I think armies give you power.
Tyrion: No, I think armies give you power.
— Game of Thrones, "Mhysa"
Video Games
"It is only right that I should take your realm. For none among you has the power to stop me!"
— Gaius van Baelsar, Final Fantasy XIV
"Our words are backed with nuclear weapons!"
— Mahatma Gandhi, Civilization
Web Animation
Weiss: What's the council going to say [about your plan to leave Mantle to die]?
Ironwood: Nothing, once I declare martial law.
Ironwood: Nothing, once I declare martial law.
"This is not a democracy! I have a gun, so I'm in charge! Many governments around the world function on this principle, AND SOME OF THEM LAST FOR MONTHS!"
— Gordon Freeman, Freeman's Mind
Webcomics
"Those not wearing body-armor are hereby advised to keep their arguments on-topic."
— Massey, Schlock Mercenary
Sam: Florence is not part of the crew. Someone like her isn't going to stay with people like us. She's a temp! Why shouldn't I steal from her?
Helix: If you do, I will beat you with this stick.
Sam: A monosyllabic, but surprisingly effective argument.
Helix: If you do, I will beat you with this stick.
Sam: A monosyllabic, but surprisingly effective argument.
Sawtooth:note I want to speak privately to her. The law says I can.
Sam: What law?
Sawtooth, looming over Sam: The law of superior tonnage.
Sam: What law?
Sawtooth, looming over Sam: The law of superior tonnage.
Massey: Your Honor, you must help us. The military cannot be allowed to trespass on civil liberties just because they're bigger and stronger than everyone else.
Luna Judge: I agree with you in principle, counsel. In practice, however, there are numerous gray areas and quantifiable elements to take into account. For instance, you might try accounting for just how much bigger and stronger than everyone else that battleplate really is.
Massey: And here I thought you were about to lecture me on the necessary sacrifice of personal liberties for the sake of security.
Luna Judge: Speaking of liberties, it's time for you to stop taking them with my time. I'm going back to sleep now.
Luna Judge: I agree with you in principle, counsel. In practice, however, there are numerous gray areas and quantifiable elements to take into account. For instance, you might try accounting for just how much bigger and stronger than everyone else that battleplate really is.
Massey: And here I thought you were about to lecture me on the necessary sacrifice of personal liberties for the sake of security.
Luna Judge: Speaking of liberties, it's time for you to stop taking them with my time. I'm going back to sleep now.
Alison: You did the right thing. Against your wishes, but you did it. You deserve the credit for it. I truly hope you find a way to let it bring you joy.
Max: You have no right! Who made you the arbiter of good and evil? Why do you get to decide what other people should do?
Alison: Because I'm stronger than you.
Max: Hah! At least you're honest! And what's to stop you coming back and helping me "Do the right thing" again?
Alison: Nothing. And if I want to, I will. Goodbye, Max.
Max: You have no right! Who made you the arbiter of good and evil? Why do you get to decide what other people should do?
Alison: Because I'm stronger than you.
Max: Hah! At least you're honest! And what's to stop you coming back and helping me "Do the right thing" again?
Alison: Nothing. And if I want to, I will. Goodbye, Max.
Fang Lin: So this nobody of a farmer, Meng Qi, he pops up and says he's Yan Yu's nephew. He accuses General Wen of usurping the governor's court, says he has no authority beyond the tip of a spear.
Liu Wong: What'd Wen Yuan say to that?
Fang Lin: "Good thing I have five thousand of them."
Liu Wong: Ha! [Beat] Well, it is a good point.
Liu Wong: What'd Wen Yuan say to that?
Fang Lin: "Good thing I have five thousand of them."
Liu Wong: Ha! [Beat] Well, it is a good point.
Western Animation
Leegola: Prepare to fire again, brave cowards!
Hermaphrodite: I still say, I won the debate. [Leegola strikes him in the stomach with a piece of wood.]
Hermaphrodite: I still say, I won the debate. [Leegola strikes him in the stomach with a piece of wood.]
— Futurama
Ahsoka Tano: I am here to bring you to justice.
Darth Maul: "Justice" is merely the construct of the current power base. A base which, according to my calculations, is about to change.
Darth Maul: "Justice" is merely the construct of the current power base. A base which, according to my calculations, is about to change.
Man: You can't just pull that nuke whenever you want to talk.
Prime Minister: Yes, yes I can. We have a nuke now, and it gives us access to tables where decisions are done.
Prime Minister: Yes, yes I can. We have a nuke now, and it gives us access to tables where decisions are done.
Real Life
"Inter arma enim silent leges."note
"Vae Victis"note
— Brennus, Gaul chieftain who sacked Rome in 390 BC
"War gives the right of the conquerors to impose any conditions they please upon the vanquished."
"You are urging a wrong course, my friends, when you do not suffer me to regard as the most learned of men the one who has thirty legions."
— The philosopher Favorinus, explaining why he ceded a point of scholarship to the Emperor Hadrian.
"One man with a gun can control a hundred without."
— Vladimir Lenin
"Not through speeches and majority decisions are the great questions of our time solved, but through iron and blood."
—- Otto von Bismarck to the prussian parliament
"Political power flows out from the barrel of a gun."
— Mao Zedong
"A Smith & Wesson beats four aces"
— Canada Bill Jones
I didn't think that Fascism was a viable form of government, but Bill beat me with a stick until I changed my mind.
— Internet joke
Supposing an emperor was persuaded to wear a new suit of clothes whose material was so fine that, to the common eye, the clothes weren't there. And suppose a little boy pointed out this fact in a loud, clear voice...
Then you have The Story of the Emperor Who Had No Clothes.
But if you knew a bit more, it would be The Story of the Boy Who Got a Well-Deserved Thrashing from His Dad for Being Rude to Royalty, and Was Locked Up.
Or The Story of the Whole Crowd Who Were Rounded Up by the Guards and Told "This Didn't Happen, OK? Does Anyone Want to Argue?"
Or it could be a story of how a whole kingdom suddenly saw the benefit of the "new clothes", and developed an enthusiasm for healthy sports in a lively and refreshing atmosphere which got many new adherents every year, and led to a recession caused by the collapse of the conventional clothing industry.
It could even be a story about The Great Pneumonia Epidemic of '09.
It all depends on how much you know.
Then you have The Story of the Emperor Who Had No Clothes.
But if you knew a bit more, it would be The Story of the Boy Who Got a Well-Deserved Thrashing from His Dad for Being Rude to Royalty, and Was Locked Up.
Or The Story of the Whole Crowd Who Were Rounded Up by the Guards and Told "This Didn't Happen, OK? Does Anyone Want to Argue?"
Or it could be a story of how a whole kingdom suddenly saw the benefit of the "new clothes", and developed an enthusiasm for healthy sports in a lively and refreshing atmosphere which got many new adherents every year, and led to a recession caused by the collapse of the conventional clothing industry.
It could even be a story about The Great Pneumonia Epidemic of '09.
It all depends on how much you know.
