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Anime and Manga
"L will die this easily?"
— Light Yagami, Death Note
Karna: Warrior who allows Saber of Black to possess his body, tell me your name.
Sieg: My name is Sieg!
Karna: A superb name! And now, with the utmost respect for the greatest rival I have come across in this second life, I shall hereby dedicate my most powerful attack to you!
Sieg: My name is Sieg!
Karna: A superb name! And now, with the utmost respect for the greatest rival I have come across in this second life, I shall hereby dedicate my most powerful attack to you!
"So that was the Dempsey Roll. A fast combination of punches that use the whole body. Once it starts you can't stop it. He got himself something amazing. Makunauchi's one hell of a guy."
— Sendo after getting hit by the Dempsey Roll, Hajime no Ippo
"Vell spoken. Intega Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Sorry if I ever called you un amateur. I'll never say it again. You've now finally become mien enemy. Mein precious, fantastic archenemy of a powerful force vich must be defeated. Fate hast shuffled the cards. Come to me. I call your bet."
— The Major, Hellsing
"No doubt about it. This — woman. These people — who else could be worthy to be our sworn enemies? Our archenemies... What was I supposed to do? Just sit back and watch? We will be the ones who will crush them! We are the only ones who deserve to crush them!"
— Anderson, Hellsing, regarding Integra in particular and Hellsing in general.
"I fought humans, sorcerers, and cursed spirits a thousand years ago, and you were still one of the better ones I fought. Be proud. You were strong."
— Ryomen Sukuna, complimenting Jogo after their battle, Jujutsu Kaisen
"You were magnificent, Satoru Gojo. I shall never forget you for as long as I live."
— Ryomen Sukuna, complimenting his opponent after their battle, Jujutsu Kaisen
"You... cracked me up!"
Signum: You're strong, Testarossa.
Bardiche: Thank you.
Fate: You and Levantine are strong as well... Signum.
Levantine: Danke.
Signum: If I didn't have a goal I must achieve, I'd let my heart out a little to play in this battle, but for my allies and friends, I can no longer stay that way. I don't have the confidence to say that I'll finish this without killing you. Can you forgive my immaturity?
Fate: I couldn't care less. I will be the one to win after all.
Bardiche: Thank you.
Fate: You and Levantine are strong as well... Signum.
Levantine: Danke.
Signum: If I didn't have a goal I must achieve, I'd let my heart out a little to play in this battle, but for my allies and friends, I can no longer stay that way. I don't have the confidence to say that I'll finish this without killing you. Can you forgive my immaturity?
Fate: I couldn't care less. I will be the one to win after all.
"I can no longer look at you as someone beneath me."
— Charlotte Katakuri, One Piece, seeing Luffy as an equal during combat.
"This man... makes me wanna go all out!"
— Boros, One-Punch Man, concerning his battle with the title character.
"I haven't had this much fun in a long time boy. Now, back into the dirt with you!"
— Lordgenome, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
"Yugi! You are the only duelist I recognize as a rival! Only you and I have true pride!"
— Seto Kaiba, Yu-Gi-Oh!
Comic Books
"I should make you suffer, Captain. I really, really should. But I, more than anyone, can appreciate a good trick! Well played, mortal. Next time, I shan't underestimate The Avengers and their star-spangled leader."
— Loki, Marvel Adventures: The Avengers
"Superman certainly is fair in this interview! Even though he despises me, he gives me full credit for saving his life!... He's a worthy opponent for my genius. Perhaps I should spare him!"
— Lex Luthor, The Super-Revenge of Lex Luthor
Fan Works
Socrates 2: It's been so long since I met a worthy adversary.
Socrates 1: You've only been alive for a few days!
Socrates 1: You've only been alive for a few days!
Luthor saw a new expression on Superman's face, now. Grimmer, more resolute, more vengeful. The Big Blue Bumpkin was finally getting down to business. In that, Luthor felt a bit of pride.
"I find you... exciting. Like a really challenging summit. The more energy I use to best someone... the more distracting they become."
— Mari, Evangelion 303
"There's no need for such unnecessary ritual. For you see, our souls have already made a pact of higher order!"
"He's right!" Nidai seconded with a voice just as loud as his. "We agreed and fought on equal grounds. There's no lingering resentment on either side. We're all good! Ahahaha!" He laughed heartily.
It seemed that not all of the murders happened in bitterness.
"That was a bit… anti-climactic." Sonia commented and then clapped her hands. "But I'm happy for you both to be at peace with yourselves."
"This was the fate that we chose and we had swore our oaths on that day." Gundam added with a tone of pride. "We have transcended our mortal vessels and met in Valhalla. We may have been opponents but only on the battlefield. Make no mistake, we were rivals but not enemies."
"He's right!" Nidai seconded with a voice just as loud as his. "We agreed and fought on equal grounds. There's no lingering resentment on either side. We're all good! Ahahaha!" He laughed heartily.
It seemed that not all of the murders happened in bitterness.
"That was a bit… anti-climactic." Sonia commented and then clapped her hands. "But I'm happy for you both to be at peace with yourselves."
"This was the fate that we chose and we had swore our oaths on that day." Gundam added with a tone of pride. "We have transcended our mortal vessels and met in Valhalla. We may have been opponents but only on the battlefield. Make no mistake, we were rivals but not enemies."
— Reminisce
, a Danganronpa 2 fanfiction
, a Danganronpa 2 fanfiction Film — Animated
"So that is his name... Po. Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be LEGENDARY!"
— Tai Lung, Kung Fu Panda
"I tip my hat to you, one legend to another."
— Rattlesnake Jake to Rango, Rango
Film — Live-Action
"From deep down in my stomach, with every inch of me, I pure, straight hate you. But goddammit do I respect you!"
— Wes Mantooth, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
"Any man brave enough to fight with his guts strapped to him can drink from my canteen any day."
"If there's anything I admire more than a dedicated friend, it is a dedicated enemy."
— Major Henry Terrill, The Big Country
"We're both fighting men. I respect that. Fighting men do not deserve to be killed like sheep. But... respect... must be taught."
"I will never forget this day. The day I came to Hue City and fought one million NVA gooks. I love the little commie bastards, man, I really do. These enemy grunts are as hard as slant-eyed drill instructors. [...] These people we wasted here today are the finest human beings we will ever know. After we rotate back to the world, we're gonna miss not having anyone around that's worth shooting!"
—Crazy Earl, Full Metal Jacket
"You lost today kid. But it doesn't mean you have to like it."
"Finally. A man worth killing."
Francisco Scaramanga: You see, Mr. Bond, like every great artist, I want to create an indisputable masterpiece, once in my lifetime: the death of 007; mano a mano, face to face, will be me mine.
James Bond: You mean— stuffed and displayed at your rocky mantelpiece?
Francisco Scaramanga: It's an amusing idea, but I was thinking in terms of history. A duel between titans. My golden gun against your Walther PPK. Each of us with a 50-50 chance.
James Bond: Six bullets to your one?
Francisco Scaramanga: I only need one.
James Bond: You mean— stuffed and displayed at your rocky mantelpiece?
Francisco Scaramanga: It's an amusing idea, but I was thinking in terms of history. A duel between titans. My golden gun against your Walther PPK. Each of us with a 50-50 chance.
James Bond: Six bullets to your one?
Francisco Scaramanga: I only need one.
"Rommel, you Magnificent Bastard, I read your book!"
— Gen. George S. Patton Jr., Patton
"Someone make a note of that man's bravery."
— The Spaniard, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
"You're incredible, Ryback. It's a shame you're not cooking for us."
— Daumer, Under Siege
"Finally, gentlemen... many misinformed Japanese believe that America is a nation divided... isolationist... and that Americans are only interested in enjoying a life of luxury, and are spiritually and morally corrupt. But that is a great mistake. If war becomes inevitable, America would be the most formidable foe that we have ever fought. I've lived in Washington and studied at Harvard, so I know that the Americans are a proud and just people."
— Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Tora! Tora! Tora!
Landlady: So you're on their side now?
The Beast: Don't get me wrong. I only want to kill you... or be killed by you.
Adonis: How good was he?
Rocky: Apollo? Perfect fighter, ain’t nobody ever better.
Adonis: So how’d you beat him?
Rocky: Time beat him, time takes everybody out, it’s undefeated.
Rocky: Apollo? Perfect fighter, ain’t nobody ever better.
Adonis: So how’d you beat him?
Rocky: Time beat him, time takes everybody out, it’s undefeated.
— Creed
"You'd have made a pretty good cowboy yourself, Hans."
— John McClane, Die Hard
Chang: I've so wanted to meet you, Captain.
Kirk: I'm not sure how to take that.
Kerla: Sincere admiration, Kirk.
Chang: From one warrior to another.
Kirk: Right...
Kirk: I'm not sure how to take that.
Kerla: Sincere admiration, Kirk.
Chang: From one warrior to another.
Kirk: Right...
"You have my respect, Stark. When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive. I hope they remember you."
— Thanos, Avengers: Infinity War
He flew alongside to salute a worthy adversary... only to be greeted by an ancient Teutonic gesture.
— Bullshot
"You're a piece of work, Dredd. But then so am I."
—Ma-Ma, Dredd
Cassian: When I kill you, I'll make it quick. Consider it a professional courtesy.
John: Thanks. I'll try to do the same.
Student #1: He is getting slow!
Student #2: He's been retired for five years.
Student #1: Ah, but he is still... John Wick.
Student #2: He's been retired for five years.
Student #1: Ah, but he is still... John Wick.
John, you're incredible. Exhausted, outnumbered, obviously in pain... and you still beat all of my students! If I didn't have to kill you... maybe we could be pals.
Zero: Hey, John... that was a pretty good fight, yeah?
John: ...yeah.
(John gets up to leave)
Zero: (while impaled on his own sword) I'll catch up with you.
People always think of us as rivals, but he was among the very few I liked, and the even fewer that I respected. He remains the only person I envied.
—Niki Lauda on James Hunt, Rush
Inigo Montoya: Kill me quickly.
Westley: I would sooner destroy a stained glass window than an artist like yourself.
Westley: I would sooner destroy a stained glass window than an artist like yourself.
"How odd that it should end this way for us after so many stimulating encounters. I almost regret it. Where shall I find a new adversary so close to my own level?"
—Rene Belloq, Raiders of the Lost Ark
"What makes you think it isn't just as much sport for the animal as it is for the man? Now take that fellow, for instance. There never was a time when he couldn't have gotten away, but he didn't want to. He got interested in hunting me. He didn't hate me for stalking him anymore than I hated him for trying to charge me. As a matter of fact, we admired each other."
—Bob Rainsford on hunting a tiger, The Most Dangerous Game
"Is this guy something or is he something. This crew is good. You know what they're looking at? Us. We just got made."
—Lieutenant Vincent Hanna, Heat
"Grant and Lee. Wellington and Napoleon. Custer and Sitting Bull. You might not be much of a reader, but this is a big moment."
— Col. McCullough, War for the Planet of the Apes
Literature
"You may have only enemies whom you can hate, not enemies you despise. You must be proud of your enemy: then the successes of your enemy are your successes too."
— Zarathustra, Also sprach Zarathustra
Genghis Khan: Remember the name of Jelaudin, Kublai. He was a strong enemy.
Kublai: That is a good thing.
Genghis: Even enemies can have honour. His father was fortunate to have such a son. Remember this day and perhaps in time you will make your own father proud.
Kublai: That is a good thing.
Genghis: Even enemies can have honour. His father was fortunate to have such a son. Remember this day and perhaps in time you will make your own father proud.
"But there is neither East nor West, nor Border nor Breed nor Birth,
when two strong men come face to face, though they come from the ends of the Earth."
when two strong men come face to face, though they come from the ends of the Earth."
— Rudyard Kipling, "The Ballad of East and West"
"Now heroes are the ones who cherish lofty designs in their bosoms and have plans to achieve them. They have all-embracing schemes, and the whole world is at their mercy... The only heroes in the world are you and I."
— Cao Cao to Liu Bei, Romance of the Three Kingdoms
"At least thou art valiant; beyond all whom I have met. And they lie who say that we of our part do not honour the valour of our foes."
— Glaurung, Father of Dragons, The Silmarillion (although he's being less than honest)
"I keep forgetting that he's smarter than me. [...] He is an exceedingly dangerous man. I may have to kill him. [Beat] Or possibly offer him a job."
— Mace Windu on Separatist Militia Colonel Geptun, Star Wars: Shatterpoint
"So 'ere 's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan;
You 're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man..."
You 're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man..."
— Rudyard Kipling, "Fuzzy-Wuzzy"
Peppone: No doubt about it: we're not bad, you and me. Too bad you're not one of us.
Don Camillo: My thoughts exactly. Too bad you're not one of us!
Don Camillo: My thoughts exactly. Too bad you're not one of us!
— The Little World of Don Camillo
"If I did not release you now, how should I ever have the pleasure of hunting you myself some fine, bright evening?"
— The Erlking, The Dresden Files
"You ignored the advice I gave you Saturday. You also ignored the demonstration you received Sunday night. May I say that it didn't surprise me? [...] It didn't. I hope there will never be an occasion for a more pointed demonstration. It's a more interesting world with you in it."
— Arnold Zeck to Nero Wolfe, The Second Confession
Three lighteyed men got up the nerve to attack him, and Szeth raised his Shardblade in salute.
— The Way of Kings (2010) (first book of The Stormlight Archive)
"Do you suppose I would ever reproach you, of all my foes? I am sorry only to have faced you across the field, when you ought to have been by my side. Loss is the hazard of battle. One who cannot bear to taste it cannot be a soldier. Now come and sit with me, and tell me how the fighting unfolded, from your side."
"Well Kane, this has been a most interesting game. I salute you. You have led an extraordinary career, to use an absurd understatement. I admire you. Perhaps I understand you. And you of all men are the first to command my respect."
If you make your enemy look stupid, you lose the justification for taking him on.
— The trope being invoked and discussed in The Quest for Karla (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Live-Action TV
"[The humans] fight bravely. They cannot harm our ships, but they continue to try."
— Delenn, Babylon 5
Baron von Richthoven: Ah, and the Lord Flasheart. This is indeed an honour. Finally, the two greatest gentleman fliers in the world meet. Two men of honour, who have jousted together in the cloud-strewn glory of the skies, face to face at last. How often I have rehearsed this moment of destiny in my dreams. The panoply to encapsulate the unspoken nobility of a comradeship.
[Flasheart shoots von Richthoven]
Lord Flasheart: What a poof!
[Flasheart shoots von Richthoven]
Lord Flasheart: What a poof!
Paul Gerard: You're a very able man, Lieutenant. I respect that. But I really don't care for you very much.
Columbo: You know, sir, I was thinking the same thing about you. I respect your talent. But I don't like anything else about you.
Columbo: You know, sir, I was thinking the same thing about you. I respect your talent. But I don't like anything else about you.
— Columbo
"And about my work being dark and frightening, I'll tell you the truth, I'm not sure about that, either. I like my job. Oh, I like it a lot. And I'm not depressed by it. And I don't think the world is full of criminals and full of murderers, because it isn't. It's full of nice people just like you. And if it wasn't for my job, I wouldn't be getting to meet you like this. And I'll tell you something else: even with some of the murderers that I meet, I even like them, too. Sometimes. Like them and even respect them. Not for what they did, certainly not for that. But for that part of them which is intelligent or funny or just nice."
— Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo
"That's what makes you dangerous. It's not the mask. It's not the skills. It's your ideology. The lone man who thinks he can make a difference. I'm glad we could talk. I...I respect your conviction even if it runs counter with my own."
— Wilson Fisk, Daredevil (2015)
"You have heart. I'll take that, too!"
"If you don't respect your enemies, that's how stupid men die."
— Sonny Puzikas, Deadliest Warrior
"You are indeed a worthy opponent, Doctor. It's what gives your destruction its... piquancy."
— The Master, Doctor Who, "The Mark of the Rani"
"We've underestimated the Stark boy for too long. He has a good mind for warfare, his men worship him...You've been waiting for him to fail; he is not going to fail. Not without our help."
— Tywin Lannister, Game of Thrones
"These men living out here eating rice and beans, sleeping out here in the cold on these rags; these are some fucking hard men. You ladies bitch if you get an MRE without a fucking Pop-Tart."
— Pappy, Generation Kill
"Motherfucker died trying to get a round off. Combat discipline."
— Espera, Generation Kill
"I've never thought higher of her than I do at this moment. She lost, but she played to win."
— Frank Underwood following Linda's resignation, House of Cards (US)
"Goodbye, Ace Rimmer! You were a most worthy adversary!"
— Alternate Universe Nazi Captain, Red Dwarf
"I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."
— Romulan Commander, Star Trek: The Original Series, "Balance of Terror"
Captain Picard: What shall it be, Tomalak?
Commander Tomalak: You will still not survive our assault!
Picard: And you will not survive ours. Shall we die together?
[A long, tense pause...]
Tomalak: I look forward to our next meeting, Captain.
Commander Tomalak: You will still not survive our assault!
Picard: And you will not survive ours. Shall we die together?
[A long, tense pause...]
Tomalak: I look forward to our next meeting, Captain.
Jem'hader First [Captain] Ikat'ika: Prepare yourself. I've found you a worthy opponent.
Worf: Where is he?
Ikat'ika: Right in front of you.
[Later]
Ikat'ika: I can't defeat this Klingon. All I can do is kill him. And that no longer holds my interest.
Worf: Where is he?
Ikat'ika: Right in front of you.
[Later]
Ikat'ika: I can't defeat this Klingon. All I can do is kill him. And that no longer holds my interest.
Gai Yuuki: "So this is the final showdown for us, isn't it, Gray? But you know, it's somewhat strange. I don't know why the heck why, but I don't wanna fight you."
Gray: "Point taken. Black Condor. No. Gai Yuuki. But I'm a fighter. And I'm destined to fight.
later
Gray: "Excellent. Gai Yuuki. Now go."
Gai Yuuki: "Gray."
Gray: "I am a fighter. I don't want to be seen in my last moments." pulls out a cigarette that Gai lights for him
Gray: "Point taken. Black Condor. No. Gai Yuuki. But I'm a fighter. And I'm destined to fight.
later
Gray: "Excellent. Gai Yuuki. Now go."
Gai Yuuki: "Gray."
Gray: "I am a fighter. I don't want to be seen in my last moments." pulls out a cigarette that Gai lights for him
— Choujin Sentai Jetman, "Ep. 50: Battles to the Death"
Music
When Honest Abe heard the news about your fall
The folks thought he'd call up a great victory ball.
But he asked the band to play the song "Dixie"
for you Johnny Reb and all that you believed.
(chorus)
'cause you fought all the way Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb.
Yeah, you fought all the way Johnny Reb.
The folks thought he'd call up a great victory ball.
But he asked the band to play the song "Dixie"
for you Johnny Reb and all that you believed.
(chorus)
'cause you fought all the way Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb.
Yeah, you fought all the way Johnny Reb.
— Johnny Horton, Johnny Reb
Tabletop Games
"The only enemy worth your admiration is one who has accepted the superiority of mankind and knelt before you to be executed. All others are to be despised. Honor means nothing when it is used to oppose the Emperor's will."
— The Catechisms Martial, Warhammer 40,000
"We crushed da stunties on Golgotha, an' we caught old one-eye when da speed freeks blew da humies' big tanks ta bits. I let 'im go 'cause good enemies iz 'ard to find, an' Orks need enemies ta fight like they need meat ta eat an' grog ta drink."
— Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, Warhammer 40,000
"Humies is all weak scum that deserve ta get stomped. 'Cept for One-Eye Yarrick. He knows how ter fight."
— Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, Warhammer 40,000
"Believe me when I say that you should never underestimate the Void Engineers. That doesn't mean they're not stupid; they are. But they are a cunning kind of stupid, backed up with the full technological might of their fellow Conventions. I must say, I have a little respect for them. Of all their fellows, they are the only ones willing to Go Out There. Certainly, their reasons for embarking on the Grand Adventure are wrong, but they do it nonetheless. I wish we weren't enemies, but they will have it no other way."
— Captain Tiberius, Mage: The Ascension - Tradition Book: Sons of Ether
"Finally, a clan worthy of being called enemy - nay, archenemy. True, they are fatally misguided dupes of the Antediluvians, but I respect their dignity and poise. The last one I played with took four nights to scream and twelve to die. Admirable indeed."
— Tzimisce viewpoint on the Ventrue, Vampire: The Masquerade - Clanbook: Tzimisce
"I am sparing your life, Lambert: you fought with courage. And I'm going to leave this forest; you have saved your precious peasants, so your pride is intact. Now let your good steed take you to the village. There you will rest and heal, so that you can continue your quest. If you complete it, you will become a more interesting opponent, and maybe we will have a fairer duel if we meet again. My name is Caleb, of the Order of the Blood Dragon, and if you learnt something from today's experience, you will not come after me before you are truly ready. Fare thee well, knight of Bretonnia."
Fascinating. Heretical of course, in its admiration, but fascinating.
I find myself imagining Ralei, hunched over his desk in this wondrous library, between adventures on strange worlds, poring over dusty tomes, writing a dozen letters a day, dispatching them to all corners of the galaxy. What a mind, to juggle such resources! There's far more to this man than meets the eye. I almost wish I'd met him.
[pause]
Tyra of the Rasalhague led,
Forth her fiery flying Drakøns,
Gallant in bronze. A warrior woman whose hands
Were unskilled in the ways of hearth and home,
In skills of war she was hard and trained
To leave behind the airy winds and fight
Where the void is eternal and life fleeting.
Tyra and her warriors fought
Like crazed demons above Radstadt.
When her fighter was crippled by ours,
And her life leaked away into the endless night,
She chose to die
And sent her fighter like a spear
Through the Dire Wolf, claiming as isorla note
Our mighty ilKhan's life. Sing of our loss, warriors!
Sing, but of Tyra also,
For though an enemy, her courage none can deny.
Forth her fiery flying Drakøns,
Gallant in bronze. A warrior woman whose hands
Were unskilled in the ways of hearth and home,
In skills of war she was hard and trained
To leave behind the airy winds and fight
Where the void is eternal and life fleeting.
Tyra and her warriors fought
Like crazed demons above Radstadt.
When her fighter was crippled by ours,
And her life leaked away into the endless night,
She chose to die
And sent her fighter like a spear
Through the Dire Wolf, claiming as isorla note
Our mighty ilKhan's life. Sing of our loss, warriors!
Sing, but of Tyra also,
For though an enemy, her courage none can deny.
—The Remembrance, Passage 294, Verse 8, Lines 17-33, BattleTech
Theatre
Coriolanus: They have a leader,
Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't.
I sin in envying his nobility,
And were I any thing but what I am,
I would wish me only he.
Cominius: You have fought together.
Coriolanus: Were half to half the world by the ears and he.
Upon my party, I'ld revolt to make
Only my wars with him: he is a lion
That I am proud to hunt.
Tullus Aufidius, that will put you to 't.
I sin in envying his nobility,
And were I any thing but what I am,
I would wish me only he.
Cominius: You have fought together.
Coriolanus: Were half to half the world by the ears and he.
Upon my party, I'ld revolt to make
Only my wars with him: he is a lion
That I am proud to hunt.
The people are asking to hear my voice
The country is facing a difficult choice
And if you were to ask me who I promote
Jefferson has my vote.
I have never agreed with Jefferson once
We have fought on like, 75 different fronts
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs —Burr has none!
The country is facing a difficult choice
And if you were to ask me who I promote
Jefferson has my vote.
I have never agreed with Jefferson once
We have fought on like, 75 different fronts
But when all is said and all is done
Jefferson has beliefs —Burr has none!
— Hamilton
Video Games
"You are indeed family. No other could have lived to oppose me in person."
— Sarevok Anchev, Baldur's Gate
"Know that you die with honor, which is more than can be said for most."
"The dragons shall never be forgotten. We knights fought valiantly, but for every one of them, we lost three score of our own. Exhilaration, pride, hatred, rage... the dragons teased out our dearest emotions. Thou will understand one day. At thy twilight, old thoughts return, in great waves of nostalgia..."
— Hawkeye Gough, Dark Souls
"You are a dragon, more dragon than I."
— Last words of Hawkwood the Deserter, Dark Souls III
Tahril was greatly pleased when he vanquished the famed soldiers, but was even more elated at how worthy an adversary the Space Marines proved. One can weary of docile playthings, but no Dark Eldar ever feels so alive as the moment when one stands victorious, having narrowly skirted defeat and death. The Archon considered it the greatest compliment to the slain Blood Raven commander when he placed his severed shrunken head on the upper tassel of his warbelt.
—Dawn of War: Soulstorm
"If I am defeated, I know that I will fall to something mighty. Something that craves might, something that loves what I love, which is the Deep, a principle and a power, the versatile, protean need to adapt and endure, to reach out and shape the universe entirely for that purpose..."
— Oryx the Taken King, "Calcified Fragment: Insight", Destiny
"'A man is made by the quality of his enemies.' Maric told me that once. I wonder if it's more a compliment to you or me."
— Loghain Mac Tir, Dragon Age: Origins
"Shanedan, Hawke. I expected you. Marass toh ebra-shok. You alone are basalit-an. (to nobles) This is what respect looks like, bas! Some of you will never earn it!"
— The Arishok, Dragon Age II
Kakarot...you really are something else. I think I've finally figured it out...I think I know why a genius like me can't keep up with you. I thought it was because you had people you wanted to protect. It was as if having a strong desire to save others gave you some mysterious power...and maybe it does, in some way. I, too, have those I care about now...but you were always different. You don't fight to win, you fight to continue pushing yourself past your own limits. That's why you never took the lives of your opponents. You...you even had the opportunity to kill me...but you didn't. You didn't! Damn you, Kakarot...I can't believe a battle-loving kind-hearted Saiyan even exists! Only you can do this...you are Number One!.
Tarnished Warrior. 'Twas nobly fought.
— Godfrey should he defeat the Tarnished, Elden Ring
"You are brave. Balaan hokoron. note Your defeat brings me honor."
I have defeated the Ebony Warrior. May he find rest in Sovngarde.
— Player's Journal, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Old Orc: My time has come. I am old. Too old to become chief. It would be wrong for me to take wives at this age. So I will die. Malacath has given me a vision of a glorious death. I am to wait here until it finds me. As you can see, it has not yet arrived.
The Dragonborn: Maybe I could give you the death you seek?
The Old Orc: Perhaps. Are you sure about this?
The Dragonborn: Yes, I am sure. I will give you a good death.
The Old Orc: Hm. We shall see.
The Dragonborn: Maybe I could give you the death you seek?
The Old Orc: Perhaps. Are you sure about this?
The Dragonborn: Yes, I am sure. I will give you a good death.
The Old Orc: Hm. We shall see.
By bringing down my other Hunters, you turned the chase inside out. And they were no base prey. You continue to amuse and impress. Go forth, with my blessing.
— Hircine, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Courier: There is victory in wisdom, Legate.
Legate Lanius: As for wisdom... There is wisdom in your words, wo/man of the west. Know that I shall return East. I shall not remain there forever. On that day, the strength of the bear shall be tested. If the West is one day filled with ones such as you, perhaps it shall be a worthy fight indeed.
Legate Lanius: As for wisdom... There is wisdom in your words, wo/man of the west. Know that I shall return East. I shall not remain there forever. On that day, the strength of the bear shall be tested. If the West is one day filled with ones such as you, perhaps it shall be a worthy fight indeed.
"So that's General Leo. He could be my friend, if he weren't my enemy."
— Sabin Rene Figaro, Final Fantasy VI
"Bwahahaha! Brilliant, brilliant! You are indeed the Warrior of Light... But I am the Bull of Ala Mhigo!"
— Raubahn Aldynn, Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward
"You are a Raider... Legendary!"
— General Tozen, For Honor
"I had taken my measure of that Warden. Once you cross swords with someone, you know their heart."
— The Orochi, For Honor
Lord of Admirals. So very many years have we battled. My finest opponent, the Mantle accepts all who live fiercely, who defend their young, who build and struggle and grow. And even those who dominate - as humans have dominated; cruelly, without wisdom. But for all of us, there is a time like this... And for you, that time is now. Know this, relentless enemy, killer of our children. Lord of Admirals. Soon we will face the enemy you have faced, and we are afraid...
— The Didact to Forthencho, Lord of Admirals, Halo 4
"I'd dearly love to fight you someday... and I mean that with the greatest respect."
— Master-at-Arms Ollie Madsen to the Fateless One, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
"You make a good other."
— Roxas, Kingdom Hearts II
"Your enemies are my enemies! We'll shove the Collectors' claws where a dark sun can't shine. And they will deserve it. I won't disrespect their strength by doing less than the worst to them."
— Grunt, Mass Effect 2
"Your idealism is... admirable, Shepard."
— The Illusive Man, Mass Effect 3
"Meet me on the field of battle. It will be glorious!"
— Chivalric General, Medieval II: Total War
Major Ocelot: What's your name?
Naked Snake: ... Snake.
Ocelot: No. Not that name. You're not a snake, and I'm not an ocelot. We're men, with names. My name is Adamska. What's yours?
Snake: (smirks) John.
Ocelot: Very well, John. Plain name... But I won't forget it.
Naked Snake: ... Snake.
Ocelot: No. Not that name. You're not a snake, and I'm not an ocelot. We're men, with names. My name is Adamska. What's yours?
Snake: (smirks) John.
Ocelot: Very well, John. Plain name... But I won't forget it.
"I am Liquid's doppleganger. And you are His. Just like your father... you're pretty good."
— Revolver Ocelot, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
"You may be the enemy, but I'll remember your name til death!"
— Might Guy to his formerly-Unknown Rival, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3
"Well fought Oak... A shame we only had the trees as audience."
"Dying in battle... That is the only honorable thing you've ever done, Gravicius."
"Your glory will be remembered in song forever, Daresso. I promise you that."
"Dying in battle... That is the only honorable thing you've ever done, Gravicius."
"Your glory will be remembered in song forever, Daresso. I promise you that."
— The Duelist, Path of Exile
"I must admit, Ratchet, you've proven to be a far more worthy adversary than that imbecile Qwark."
— Dr. Nefarious, Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
"Enough! In your hands, a mere farmer's tool burns with the fury of Hades! Surely you have the gods' favor."
"Impressive. A worthy pretender. My perversion fails to deceive you. You have seen through my mask."
— The Simulacra to the player character, SIMULACRA
"Farewell, Sonic, my admirable adversary."
— Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Sonic Adventure 2
"Tenacious little hedgehog. I'd respect you if I didn't HATE you so much."
— Zavok, Sonic Lost World
"I'm Impressed! I haven't had this much fun since I fought your father."
— Wolf O'Donnell, Star Fox Zero
"Farewell. Know that few creatures survive earning my hatred and my respect."
— Darth Jadus to Cipher 9, Star Wars: The Old Republic
"Not bad! I guess I chose the right guy to be my archenemy. At least you always put up a fight."
— Bowser, Super Mario Galaxy
Lucina: Is that... the Hero-King himself?
Robin: And the Radiant Hero of legend. Worthy opponents, indeed!
Robin: And the Radiant Hero of legend. Worthy opponents, indeed!
"Noble enemy: I mourn your loss as I mourned; for my first-born son."
"It is rare to find an opponent worthy of my skills, rarer still to find one capable of besting me more than once."
—The Assassin, XCOM 2
"Permit me to apologize for calling you bugs just now. You proved to be a worthy adversary after all, Shulk!"
— Egil, Xenoblade Chronicles 1
I'm a big fan—er, I mean...I've always wanted to battle you. Even if I get stomped, it would be an honor.
—A Goomba to Mario, Paper Mario: The Origami King
"YOU DO NOT FAIL TO ENTERTAIN - MAN AND MACHINE IN SYNC, THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - MAY WE FIGHT ONE DAY!"
—Zir, SYNTHETIK
"Yellow Thirteen posted an Allied paper faxed over by Headquarters. It praised the pilot who destroyed Stonehenge. Thirteen said to everyone, "Look! Here's something worthy of praise. Even among the enemy, there are men like this. Not all of them are despicable bastards who rob our wings through cowardly sabotage.""
— The Narrator, quoting Yellow Thirteen's thoughts on Mobius 1's extraordinary achievements, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
"The Demon Lord of the Round Table. A warrior who soared through the Belkan War, inspiring both fear and admiration. His presence filled the skies for but a few short months before he disappeared. Apart from that, nothing is known about him. I was never able to find out what kind of a person he really was. But whenever they talked about him, they always had a slight smile on their faces. That, perhaps, may be my answer."
— Brett Thompson, concluding his documentary on the Demon Lord of the Round Table, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
"You're quite the entertainer, but the show's over with this next shot...He wasn't a bad pilot."
— Mihaly A. Shilage/Mr. X, complimenting Wiseman moments before he shot him down, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Sage: I can confirm Sonic has made multiple breaches into Cyber Space and escaped.
Dr. Eggman: Through raw talent and no shortage of tenacity, I'm sure. Impressive.
Sage: You speak of him with respect as often as you curse him. I do not understand.
Dr. Eggman: Oh, I hate that hedgehog. But that doesn't change the fact that he is a formidable adversary. I respect him, but I don't have to like him.
Dr. Eggman: Through raw talent and no shortage of tenacity, I'm sure. Impressive.
Sage: You speak of him with respect as often as you curse him. I do not understand.
Dr. Eggman: Oh, I hate that hedgehog. But that doesn't change the fact that he is a formidable adversary. I respect him, but I don't have to like him.
Black Adam: You expect to best a god?
Sub-Zero: It would not be the first time.
Black Adam: I cannot deny a worthy foe.
Sub-Zero: It would not be the first time.
Black Adam: I cannot deny a worthy foe.
"I'm glad I chose your company over Snail's. You fight like a hound on the hunt. At this altitude...I'd expected a scavenger bird."
— V.I Freud, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Web Animation
"Can this be...? My heart's beating so fast. My muscles ache! I can feel them again! [...] I never thought it would happen... a serious fight! I FOUND IT! Thank you... weird spinach mascot."
Goku: Aw, darn it.
Superman: (chuckles) Almost had me there. That was actually pretty fun.
Goku: Hee-hee! Yeah, it sure was. But I'll be stronger next time.
Superman: I look forward to it.
Goku: (holding out his fist) Let's go again.
Superman: (bumping his in turn) You're on.
Superman: (chuckles) Almost had me there. That was actually pretty fun.
Goku: Hee-hee! Yeah, it sure was. But I'll be stronger next time.
Superman: I look forward to it.
Goku: (holding out his fist) Let's go again.
Superman: (bumping his in turn) You're on.
Webcomics
"You're a quick thinker and spiteful. I can respect that. You won't be killed, Bikke."
— Sarda, 8-Bit Theater
Web Original
"You are indeed the most worthy adversary."
Interviewing Scientist: Why does his death bother you? You've killed many humans before, why is he so-
Able: Different? Because, unlike you [Sumerian word, untranslated], he was a challenge, a real enemy.
Interviewing Scientist: Why would that be good for you? Every time you have awoken you've tried to escape. He was responsible for apprehending you several times. Surely you must be glad he's dead.
Able: I would hardly expect you to understand. Do you know, he managed to shoot me in the head over [censored two-digit figure] times? A man like that deserves to die in combat, so close to his opponent he can feel his breath. Not in some [Sumerian words, untranslated] destruction ordered by cowardly kings and princes safe in their palaces.
Able: Different? Because, unlike you [Sumerian word, untranslated], he was a challenge, a real enemy.
Interviewing Scientist: Why would that be good for you? Every time you have awoken you've tried to escape. He was responsible for apprehending you several times. Surely you must be glad he's dead.
Able: I would hardly expect you to understand. Do you know, he managed to shoot me in the head over [censored two-digit figure] times? A man like that deserves to die in combat, so close to his opponent he can feel his breath. Not in some [Sumerian words, untranslated] destruction ordered by cowardly kings and princes safe in their palaces.
Web Video
"In addition to being built like a steel mill, Radhan has the ability to defy gravity, which constantly gets him into fights with solar bodies. This man is skateboarding a horse while holding back the stars and killing everyone he comes into contact with, and he's doing it from the hospice. Radhan is an absolute god among chads and this fight's intensity lives up that and then some."
"Goku... Killing you is going to be the hardest thing I'll ever enjoy."
— Perfect Cell, Dragonball Z Abridged
Cell: You know, if you want my personal opinion, "Kikoho" is a pretty sad choice for last words. But to be fair... it's far from the worst decision you've made today....
Tien: Kiko- f*ck yourself.
Cell: Aw, see? That's the spirit!
Cell: Aw, see? That's the spirit!
"Magnificent! One last stand against me! A climactic showdown! Give me what your daddy couldn't, before I send you home to him!"
—Perfect Cell to Gohan, Dragon Ball Z Abridged
"Take solace, Gohan. Though you will die here, you will not die alone. That is my final gift to you: a perfect death!"
—Perfect Cell, Dragon Ball Z Abridged
Dracula: Alucard is not here right now. You face count Dracula of Wallachia.
Anderson: Call yourself whatever you want, you crazy vampire bastard! I'm here to clease the Earth of your filth once and for all!
Dracula: Many have tried and failed. Yet if it is my fate to fall to your blade, so be it... worthy opponent.
Anderson: ...time the fuck out. If we're doing this - and we are doing this - I'm not going to come swinging at Dracula. I'm killing ALUCARD.
Dracula: .... you do know it's just my name spelled backward-
Anderson: OF COURSE I DO! Shut up and bring him out!
Dracula: Very well... if you insist....
Alucard: Hey there, padre! How's little Timmy? Know the best way to get cum stains out of altar boy robes? HOLY WATER! Did you miss me?
Anderson: Like coke after Lent!
Alucard: Wait, are we talking Cola or Cocai-
Anderson: Call yourself whatever you want, you crazy vampire bastard! I'm here to clease the Earth of your filth once and for all!
Dracula: Many have tried and failed. Yet if it is my fate to fall to your blade, so be it... worthy opponent.
Anderson: ...time the fuck out. If we're doing this - and we are doing this - I'm not going to come swinging at Dracula. I'm killing ALUCARD.
Dracula: .... you do know it's just my name spelled backward-
Anderson: OF COURSE I DO! Shut up and bring him out!
Dracula: Very well... if you insist....
Alucard: Hey there, padre! How's little Timmy? Know the best way to get cum stains out of altar boy robes? HOLY WATER! Did you miss me?
Anderson: Like coke after Lent!
Alucard: Wait, are we talking Cola or Cocai-
Western Animation
Long Feng: You have beaten me at my own game.
Azula: Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player.
Azula: Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player.
"I'm almost sorry that it's over. If nothing else, you have been a most worthy adversary."
— Dr. Robotnik to Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM)
"I'm impressed. No one has ever gotten the better of me like that. It is almost a shame to take the bending of someone so talented. Almost."
— Amon to Mako, The Legend of Korra
" Incredible. I could crush your body, I could smash your bones, but I could NEVER break your spirit. You are a marvel little Monkey! Any planet who could spawn one as noble as you is truly blessed! I spare your Earth! Oh yeah!"
"You were a worthy foe. You were indeed All That. Farewell, Kim Possible."
— Drakken, Kim Possible, "Graduation"
"You're a magnificent opponent Superman. But even you must realize it's hopeless."
"I will choose my vessel well, to best serve you. And the human most capable for this task is my nemesis, Jackie Chan."
"Well, I can see I'm dealing with a formidable opponent."
— The Lizard King, 3-2-1 Penguins!
"I guess I should salute you as a 'worthy adversary' and all that, but the truth is I really did ''hate your guts!''"
"I fooled the police, the doctors, the parole board, all of them! There's only one person who's ever been able to challenge me; Batman! He's the only one worthy of the game!"
"You must be the Belmont."
—Dracula, Castlevania (2017)
Real Life
"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives; You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours; You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
— Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, carved on the Australian war memorial at ANZAC Cove
"Put all their other men together in one scale, and poor Castlereagh in the other - single he plainly weighed them down... One can't help feeling a little for him, after being pitted against him for several years, pretty regularly. It is like losing a connection suddenly. Also he was a gentleman, and the only one amongst them."
— Whig politician Henry Brougham, after the death of the much-hated Tory Lord Castlereagh.
André Masséna: My lord, you owe me dinner for you positively made me starve.
The Duke of Wellington: You should give it to me, Marshal, for you prevented me from sleeping.
The Duke of Wellington: You should give it to me, Marshal, for you prevented me from sleeping.
— Spoken at a diplomatic dinner in France in 1814, from The War of Wars: The Great European Conflict by Robert Harvey
"It is interesting to note that in most such verse-tales of the wars between Christianity and Islam, the knightly class saw their Saracen foes virtually as mirror images of themselves; equally brave, loyal and skilled, similarly motivated. But none the less doomed simply because they fought for the wrong cause."
— Medieval Warfare Sourcebook by David Nicolle
"Perish any man who suspects that these men either did or suffered anything unseemly."
— Philip of Macedon on seeing the corpses of the Theban Sacred Band from their Last Stand at Chaerona
"He at least never lied to us. His words gave us hope."
— Sioux Chief Red Cloud, on Indian Fighter, Indian rights activist, and peacemaker General George Crook.
"The Man in the MiG. A famous hero or an unknown just starting to blossom, he was deserving of one more thing, and to this day I hope it was granted to him. I hope he died instantly when the missile hit and did not live that last second and never, never knew that he lost the battle."
— Israeli Air Force pilot Asher Snir, recalling a MiG-17 pilot from the 1970 War of Attrition
"The courage of your enemy honors you."
— Chinese proverb
"To forgive our enemies their virtues - that is a greater miracle."
— Voltaire
"Even though I lifted the double crown at the worlds, it won't mean anything as long as people say it was won in Douillet's absence."
— Olympic judoka Shinichi Shinohara, when French champion David Douillet did not compete at the 1999 World Judo Championships due to back injury
"The British battleships caught fire and began to sink, yet the men did not leave their stations until the last moment. Gallant you are, men of the Royal Navy! I wish you peaceful sleep though you were my enemies."
— Uchida Manabu, Japanese airman who helped sink HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales.
"The Bismarck had put up a most gallant fight against impossible odds worthy of the old days of the Imperial German Navy, and she went down with her colours flying."
— Admiral Sir John Tovey KCB DSO RN
"Gentlemen, the battle against Scharnhorst has ended in victory for us. I hope that if any of you are ever called upon to lead a ship into action against an opponent many times superior, you will command your ship as gallantly as Scharnhorst was commanded today."
— Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser KCB KBE RN after the Battle of the North Cape
"I have heard, Conscript Fathers, that men are reproaching me for having performed an unmanly deed in leading Zenobia in triumph. But in truth those very persons who find fault with me now would accord me praise in abundance, did they but know what manner of woman she is, how wise in counsels, how steadfast in plans, how firm toward the soldiers, how generous when necessity calls, and how stern when discipline demands. I might even say that it was her doing that Odaenathus defeated the Persians and, after putting Sapor to flight, advanced all the way to Ctesiphon. I might add thereto that such was the fear that this woman inspired in the peoples of the East and also the Egyptians that neither Arabs nor Saracens nor Armenians ever moved against her. Nor would I have spared her life, had I not known that she did a great service to the Roman state when she preserved the imperial power in the East for herself, or for her children. Therefore let those whom nothing pleases keep the venom of their own tongues to themselves. For if it is not meet to vanquish a woman and lead her in triumph, what are they saying of Gallienus, in contempt of whom she ruled the empire well? What of the Deified Claudius, that revered and honoured leader? For he, because he was busied with his campaigns against the Goths, suffered her, or so it is said, to hold the imperial power, doing it of purpose and wisely, in order that he himself, while she kept guard over the eastern frontier of the empire, might the more safely complete what he had taken in hand."
— Aurelian on Zenobia, quoted in the Historia Augusta
"And I respect you for challenging me. And that's why I came on the show."
— Marilyn Manson to Bill O'Reilly
"It may be proper to compare me with Nelson, but not with Korea’s Yi Sun-sin, for he has no equal."
— Admiral Togo Heihachiro on being compared with other famous Admirals Horatio Nelson and Yi Sun-sin
"In this age, in past ages, in any age: Napoleon."
— The Duke of Wellington, Napoleon's final opponent, on being asked to name the greatest general of his age
"I have just done one of the hardest tasks I have ever had to do. I have had to condemn to death one of the finest characters I have ever come across. There must be something very wrong in the state of things that makes a man like that a rebel."
— General Charles Blackader, speaking of Patrick Pearse in the aftermath of the Easter Rising.
