History Main / PoseOfSupplication

* Pictured above, Bogel and Weerd from The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo in a cave after Zimbulu chastens them for bungling the task of stealing the Demon Chest at the TV studio, they bow to his knees, kissing on his hooves.

* Yukari and Ryo spend nearly two hours straight in the PoseOfSupplication in order to save both of their jobs in ''Manga/PenguinRevolution''.

* Toyed with in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. The ability of Izuru Kira's zanpakutou, Wabisuke, is to double the weight of whatever it strikes. As a consequence, after some blocked hits, the enemy is unable to even lift their weapons, and often go in PoseOfSupplication due to said weapon's weight. Kira uses this as a chance to deliver the ''coup de grace'', decapitating the opponent with his zanpakutou. In his words: "''A warrior does NOT beg for his life''"

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Hiashi ends his telling Neji the truth about his father's death by entering a PoseOfSupplication and asking for his forgiveness. This is especially significant because Hiashi is head of the clan and Neji is a branch house member forced to serve him, and Neji, overwhelmed, accepts his apology and tells him to raise his head. Later on, Naruto approaches the Raikage and enters this pose to beg him to spare Sasuke, but the Raikage is unimpressed, and tells him that the strong rule the ninja world and that begging for one's comrades is not friendship. Naruto then realizes that he must ultimately deal with Sasuke himself.

* In the older ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' games, the defeated characters would be shown in the background as the match goes on, sitting or kneeling around sadly after their losses. Their poses were different per character, but several of these were very similar to the traditional PoseOfSupplication. i.e, Athena Asamiya, Benimaru Nikaido, Mai Shiranui, etc.
* The temple-guardian {{Mooks}} in ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2'' all give up fighting and assume the PoseOfSupplication after you get the Flame. Hilariously, if they're at the edge of a platform, they'll fall right into a BottomlessPit.
* Shu, who is being targeted for recruitment as TheStrategist by the [[HelloInsertNameHere player character's]] army in ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', asks [[QuicklyDemotedWoman Apple]] to assume the PoseOfSupplication before he'll consider [[JoinedYourParty joining up]]. One sign he's at least a minor JerkAss is that he admonishes her for throwing away her pride so quickly, then leaves the room.

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* ''Disney/TheLionKing'':

* The "Prince Ali" song in Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' directly refers to this: "Genuflect/Show some respect/Down on one knee". And when Jafar [[TookALevelInBadass becomes]] ''Sorcerer'' Jafar, one of the first things he does is magically ''make'' the Sultan and Princess Jasmine [[KneelBeforeZod genuflect]].

* Parodied in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'' where incompetent, cowardly, wizard Rincewind muses that not only does it symbolise submission, but also provides quite a good launching pose to break into a sprint from if the person you are doing it for doesn't accept your submission.

** When Ryo Shishido finishes his self-appointed TrainingfromHell, he goes into this pose in from of Atobe and the Coach Sakaki to ask them to return to the regulars team. When Sakaki refuses, Shishido [[ImportantHaircut cuts his until-then long hair]] to prove that he's serious and Atobe [[PetTheDog intercedes for him.]]

** Kido does this after the heroes clear all his and his friends' trials in the early Chapter Black arc, after revealing that [[spoiler:Genkai told them to do it]].

* Lelouch does this to Suzaku in ''Anime/CodeGeass R2''. At this point, Suzaku is so pissed off at Lelouch he steps in his head and grinds his face into the gravel.

* Early on in the Drum Island arc of ''Manga/OnePiece'', Vivi assumes this pose after accidentally getting shot while trying to gain entry to Drum Island for Nami's medical treatment, and [[WhatTheHellHero chastizes Luffy for losing control]]. Luffy apologizes and follows suit. Zoro [[spoiler:enters this pose shortly before the timeskip, when begging Mihawk to train him]].

* In the Franchise/StarTrekNovelVerse, the Voth demand this from others as their due, particularly when bestowing their benevolence. As the eldest race in the Delta Quadrant (or at least they assume so), they consider themselves its rightful rulers. In a story from ''Literature/StarTrekMyriadUniverses'', when agreeing to spare Fluidic Space from destruction their condition is that the Species 8472 representative bow before them and pledge his loyalty to the Voth Council.

* In the ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'' fic ''FanFic/HereInMyArms'', after receiving a WhatTheHellHero speech from Kurumu for spurning Tsukune's LoveConfession, which drove him to jump off of the cliff and become a vampire in the first place, Moka, realizing that Kurumu is [[JerkassHasAPoint completely right]], does this, complete with placing her forehead on the ground, while tearfully begging her for forgiveness.
* ''FanFic/TangledAdventuresInArendelle'' has Elsa get into this pose to beg Rapunzel and Eugene for help around her kingdom on day 9 of their honeymoon. It technically doesn't count as AintTooProudToBeg since Elsa is the one with more power in the situation, but this is also Elsa trying to ask for Rapunzel and Eugene to put aside their anger towards her from the last few days. Elsa's just overwhelmed and guilty about her life situation, and she wants a break from the two. That said, it also shows some good development seeing the girl who use to push everyone away actually get down on her hands and knees to ask for help.

* In ancient Iranian culture, there were three ways for people to greet others. The first was a kiss on the lips, done between people of equal standing. The second was a kiss on the cheek, done by a person of slightly (but not much) inferior standing. The third was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proskynesis prosykinesis]], a type of bowing/prostation done by a person much lower in social standing. It might be a slave to his master, or a commoner to a government official. Naturally, the only person who received proskynesis from everyone in the empire was the shah. The ancient Greeks mistook this as a sign that Persians worshiped their emperors and gleefully attacked it in propaganda during the Greco-Persian Wars.

* In ancient Iranian culture, there were three ways for people to greet others. The first was a kiss on the lips, done between people of equal standing. The second was a kiss on the cheek, done by a person of slightly (but not much) inferior standing. The third was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proskynesis prosykinesis]], a type of bowing/prostation done by a person much lower in social standing. It might be a slave to his master, or a commoner to a government official. Naturally, the only person who received proskynesis by everyone in the empire was the shah. This led to the misconception by ancient Greeks that Persians worshiped their emperors and gleefully attacked it in propaganda during the Greco-Persian Wars.

* According to Muslim practice, one may bow, even kneel before humans, but ''never'' prostrate oneself. Only GOD gets this treatment. It's actually ''forbidden'' to touch your forehead to the ground unless it's for Him. And if you aren't practicing, not even then. Might be a problem in Japan...
** Presumably, most sane clerics would be understanding of what is considered appropriate in certain cultures.
** The Jewish religion works the same way, except that even bowing to another human is discouraged (because Jews pray standing up, and therefore bow to God rather than make full prostration).
*** Karaite Jews are known to make full prostration in prayer.
*** It was practice in the Jerusalem temple, but it was discontinued, since it was destroyed. Twice.

* Full prostration before God (bowing so that one's forehead touches the ground) was and is practiced on certain special occasions by Orthodox Christians. It's particularly associated with Orthodox monks and nuns, but is not limited to them. Orthodox priests are supposed to perform one prostration while consecrating the Eucharist on Sundays. As in Islam, it is a type of extreme reverence strictly reserved for God.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', Sora takes this pose before Saix when begging him to bring him to Kairi. Saix refuses contemptuously, and pays for it later -- with his life.
** In [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts the first game]], Sora takes the pose in Hollow Bastion when Riku [[spoiler:possessed by Ansem (or should we say, Xehanort's Heartless)]] reveals to him that [[spoiler:[[ItWasWithYouAllAlong Kairi's heart had been inside of him the entire time]]. He's briefly incapacitated by the revelation, as well as Kairi's heart resonating within him, prompting Rikunort to attempt a deathblow (so that he can release Kairi's heart and complete the Final Keyhole), but Kairi's voice rouses Sora to action, giving him the strength to fight back. Cue boss battle.]]

* The "Prince Ali" song in Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' directly refers to this: "Genuflect/Show some respect/Down on one knee". And when Jafar becomes ''Sorcerer'' Jafar, one of the first things he does is magically make the Sultan and Princess Jasmine genuflect.

* Aito of MangakaSanToAssistantSanTo spends approximately 120% of the time in said pose, the girls occasionally join him.

*** It was practice in the Jerusalem temple, but it was discontinued, [[CaptainObvious since it was destroyed]]. Twice.

* [[FragileFlower Kaoruko]] falls into this when she heard that her manga is very poorly received in the first episode of ''Manga/ComicGirls''.

* ''LightNovel/TheTwelveKingdoms'' anime features a ruler who bans the pose of supplication from his subjects, since he's come to think of it as humiliating. Additionally, the kirin in ''The Twelve Kingdoms'' select the rulers for their realm by bowing in front of them. (They're not able to bow in front of anyone else -- even if they want to, they're physically incapable of doing so. This causes lots of angst to Taiki, the NaiveNewcomer among them, since he's not sure if he'll be able to do so.)
** One of Youko's first decrees as Queen: banning the pose of supplication.

* Lelouch does this to Suzaku in ''Anime/CodeGeass R2''. Needless to say, by that time Suzaku is so pissed off at Lelouch (and has been for quite a while) that he grinds his face into the dirt with his foot.

Note for Anime/Manga fans: This is called "dogeza (土下座)" in Japanese, and is often used in works as a sign of complete humiliation (either humiliation forced upon someone by making them do it, or humiliation received by a character willing to accept it as their just due, or as a price to pay for a failure). However, it is used without this context (as more a sign of respect than humiliation) in various formal ceremonies (including sports), as well as when beseeching various favors as a supplicant to someone higher on the social ladder.

* In ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'', Kanata demands that Haruka do this when [[spoiler:Haruka beseeches her twin sisterto tell her the truth of which girl was the child of a criminal]]. Haruka immediately falls to the ground and lowers her head, showing that she wants to get to the truth and cast off [[spoiler: her hate for Kanata and her family]] even if it means abandoning her pride. Kanata even mentions "have you no shame" when Haruka is so quick to comply, but Haruka finally being serious and telling the truth is what compels Kanata [[spoiler: to finally come clean, and along with some support from Riki ("I think you want to talk from the bottom of your heart as well"), finally tell the heroes her true feelings: that she's been bullying Haruka to keep her safe from their twisted and evil family, because she loves Haruka as her little sister "and nothing can change that".]]