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Comic Books
...Until the day that, like a serpent slithering into a garden, a certain spider lowered itself into its life... and cursed this good boy named Peter. Or blessed him, though that depends on who is telling this story.
— Narrator, Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 2 #40
Fan Works
"Psst. Check it out, Steve. It's the Witcher. SWEET ARMOR, BITCHER! I BET YOU GOT IT OFF OF ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF MONSTERS YOU KILLED WITH YOUR SUPERHUMAN POWERS! YEAH, YOU BETTER KEEP WALKING! WHAT'S WRONG, ABOUT TO GO FUCK ONE OF YOUR THREE SUPERMODEL WIZARD GIRLFRIENDS? Heh. What a loser."
Goombella: You're not tricking us this time!
Link: Yeah, we know all about this "legendary hero" and "find a black key" and get a "curse" which is actually something awesome!
Sonic: And maybe this time we won't fall for it!
Link: Yeah, we know all about this "legendary hero" and "find a black key" and get a "curse" which is actually something awesome!
Sonic: And maybe this time we won't fall for it!
— Paper Mario X 2, Chapter 55
"I don't know how old the rest of you are, but you realize Alice would be dead by now, right? Humans generally don't live to be a hundred years old. Whatever she misses about being human, she wouldn't have it anyway."
— Bella Swan to Edward Cullen, Luminosity
Film — Live-Action
"It's not a 'curse,' Phil. It just depends on how you look at it."
—Rita on Phil's immortality, Groundhog Day
Lancelot of the Lake: I am Lancelot of the Lake, from across the sea. And I have yet to find a king worthy of my sword.
Arthur Pendragon: That is a wild boast. You lack a knight's humility!
Lancelot: Not a boast, sir. But a curse. For I have never met my match in joust or duel.
Arthur Pendragon: That is a wild boast. You lack a knight's humility!
Lancelot: Not a boast, sir. But a curse. For I have never met my match in joust or duel.
Literature
"You'll grow into it. Some curses have cloth-of-gold linings. Mind you, some curses just grind you down and leave you broken. Some blessings do that too, though. Hmm."
— Fairy Godmother, "Toad Words"
by Ursula Vernon
by Ursula Vernon Live-Action TV
Buffy: There's a burden we can't share.
Faith: And no one else can feel it. Thank God we're hot chicks with superpowers.
Buffy: That does take the edge off.
Faith: And no one else can feel it. Thank God we're hot chicks with superpowers.
Buffy: That does take the edge off.
Music
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees
— Five For Fighting, "Superman (It's Not Easy)"
Podcasts
"'Boo hoo, I can fly!' That’s you."
— Sadie Doyle, The Thrilling Adventure Hour
Roleplay
"'Boohoohoo look at the torment I feel. The Torment of being an incredibly cool personification that also happens to look like an attractive woman. Boo hoo. My life is soooo horrible.' Seriously, there are far worse fates you could have received."
—LeChuck, We Are Our Avatars
Tabletop Games
"My 'condition' is a trial. The weak are consumed by it. The strong transcend it."
Video Games
"Well if it makes me strong, it's my kind of curse!"
— Omega-Xis, Mega Man Star Force 2
"You know, God, I always hated that you made my arm like this... But now with it, I can destroy this thing. Who would've thought..."
— Nero, Devil May Cry 4
Joker: Biotics face a lot of discrimination. Maybe if they save the galaxy, people will get over their issues.
Shepard: I didn't expect you to be sensitive about that.
Joker: Hey, I'm just tired of them stealing the spotlight from people with actual disabilities. I break ribs if I sneeze too hard. Being able to move crap with your mind is not a handicap.
Shepard: I didn't expect you to be sensitive about that.
Joker: Hey, I'm just tired of them stealing the spotlight from people with actual disabilities. I break ribs if I sneeze too hard
. Being able to move crap with your mind is not a handicap.Reggie: You seem to be getting the hang of your new, uh... symptoms.
Delsin: Right!? The only downside being... nope, can't think of anything. This is pretty freaking awesome!
Delsin: Right!? The only downside being... nope, can't think of anything. This is pretty freaking awesome!
"I owe you my gratitude. This form has been a blessing in disguise. Without it... There are things I'd never had obtained!"
— Frog to Magus, Chrono Trigger
"Pokérus is so weird, imagine if getting the flu made you better at everything for the rest of your life.
— Tweet
Web Animation
"Many heroes will explicitly have something super special about them, like a unique or rare heritage or an ability no one else has, and while many stories will paint this specialness as a source of internal conflict or external prejudice, we're still supposed to find that specialness undeniably cool. It doesn't matter that your anime prettyboy thinks his wings or his weird ears are hideous, cause we all think they're dope as hell."
Qrow: You don't get it, kid. Ozpin gave me the power to turn into a bird.
Ruby: Is that... is that a bad thing? Are you—are you cursed?
Qrow: No, no. I can do it whatever I want! And I can change back! Whenever I want.
Ruby: I don't get it. That sounds exclusively beneficial.
Ruby: Is that... is that a bad thing? Are you—are you cursed?
Qrow: No, no. I can do it whatever I want! And I can change back! Whenever I want.
Ruby: I don't get it. That sounds exclusively beneficial.
"Bryce was cursed with immortality by the king of the demons back when the king of the demons wasn't clear on what the word 'curse' meant."
Webcomics
"Sid, in what way is turning into a dragon a terrible curse?"
— Kit, Fey Winds
Web Original
Chris: I’m starting to think that think Tom Welling smirking obliviously while looking down at his own junk is a metaphor for this entire series.
David: ...you know, there’s a LOT of merit in that analysis. Not the least reason of which being that it takes a smarter person than Superman to inhabit Superman’s body and realize his potential. The only thing more emasculating would have been if Lionel/Superman flew.
David: ...you know, there’s a LOT of merit in that analysis. Not the least reason of which being that it takes a smarter person than Superman to inhabit Superman’s body and realize his potential. The only thing more emasculating would have been if Lionel/Superman flew.
Eventually Kaine finally gets tired of punching Spider-Man and reveals his true identity by taking his mask off: he’s actually a flawed Peter Parker clone, face malformed by clone degeneration. This degeneration has somehow enhanced all of his powers instead of, you know, killing him or making him weaker. I mean, when I think 'degenerative condition' I don’t think 'wow that shit is gonna pump you up,' but that’s just me.
— Topless Robot, "The 13 Dumbest Spider-Man Stories.. Just From The Clone Saga"
Just From The Clone Saga"Sometimes at night, while everyone else sleeps, Cyclops wanders the X-Mansion to loudly fuss about how his eyes shoot lasers. We’re real sorry your blasted energy-blasting head does something so awesome, buddy.
Biggest gripe about the Gray Jedi trope. The dark side comes at a cost. That cost has to be more than "It makes me a total bad-ass."
—Pablo Hidalgo on the Gray Jedi
on the Gray Jedi Web Video
"Did he just give me a cool ability and call it a curse?"
"Cain, for crimes against your creator and your fellow man, I sentence you to immortality. I am also giving you superspeed, and super strength. You can also turn invisible. Would you like to polymorph as well? Sometimes I like to turn into a burning bush and scare the shit out of Moses."
"So, yeah. Urick has a pact with the Grim Reaper, and his pact price was...losing the ability to die. That is, uhh, probably the least negative 'price' I have ever heard of before."
Western Animation
Grass Wizard: THAT'S NOT HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REACT TO AN ETERNAL CURSE!
Finn: Whatevs.
Finn: Whatevs.
2003 Cyborg: This cybernetic body is a gift... (extreme closeup, mood lights, face grimaces) ...and a curse.
2013 Cyborg: Hey! What did we say?
2003 Cyborg: Sigh. "There are no downsides to a cool robot body."
2013 Cyborg: Hey! What did we say?
2003 Cyborg: Sigh. "There are no downsides to a cool robot body."
Kronis: We should get you back into one of those stasis shells before that... leaves a mark.
Evelyn: As you recover, I'm sure I can discern some way to reverse your affliction.
Keldor/Skeletor: Thanks, but no. My curse is a blessing in disguise. I've been looking at everything wrong for so very long.
Evelyn: As you recover, I'm sure I can discern some way to reverse your affliction.
Keldor/Skeletor: Thanks, but no. My curse is a blessing in disguise. I've been looking at everything wrong for so very long.
