History Main / ReverseArmFold

* ''''Franchise/StarTrek'':

* General Zod in ''Videogame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' does this by default. In ''VideoGame/Injustice2'', this is also Darkseid's default stance.
** This is Darkseid's default pose ''VideoGame/Injustice2''. While it's nothing new for the character, this version does it ''constantly'', even while ''jumping''. 90% of his time is spent with [[WithMyHandsTied at least one hand behind his back.]]

** Beerus also does this, such as while talking with Goku in space after their fight.

* Zeno Zoldyck from ''Manga/HunterXHunter''.

* Darth Vader from ''Franchise/StarWars'' is sometimes seen doing this, as are many Imperial officers.

* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' adaptations, Gandalf does this on the rare occasion that he's not clutching his staff or a pipe.

* In ''Literature/IslandInTheSeaOfTime'' and its sequels, [[TheCaptain Marian Alston]] frequently adopts this pose, because she's a Coast Guard officer.
* In the first ''Literature/{{Burke}}'' novel, Burke drops in unannounced at the home of snuff-film producer Goldor. When the door opens, Goldor is standing in this position and Burke notes that it's an old bodybuilders trick -- squeezing your hands behind your back to pump blood into the upper body, thus making yourself look bigger. [[spoiler:Burke finds out too late that the real reason Goldor is standing like this is because he's holding a taser pistol behind his back.]]
* In ''[[Literature/HoratioHornblower Lieutenant Hornblower]]'' the officers on the quarterdeck are described as walking "with their hands clasped behind them as a result of the training they had all received as midshipmen not to put their hands in their pockets." The novel ''The Commodore'' has a pointed subversion with Lieutenant Mound, who repeatedly reaches for his pockets before remembering that he's in the presence of a very senior officer. Commodore Hornblower eventually orders him to just do it and quit fidgeting, at which point Mound falls into a comfortable slouch.

* In early seasons of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' Jadzia Dax walked about with her arms behind her back, to demonstrate the "old man" that was inside her. A later episode, in which Dax's colleagues temporarily embody the symbiont's previous hosts, reveals that she got it from an earlier host, a politician who started doing it when she realized her male colleagues were making fun of her prolific gesticulating, and continues trouncing them all on the debate floor anyway.
* [[TheSpock Spock]] In ''Franchise/StarTrek [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries TOS]]'' uses this pose many times in the second season onward.

* If Avon of ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is not LeaningOnTheFurniture, he's doing this.
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
** Captain Janeway does this [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness in the early episodes]], later replaced by her iconic hands-on-hips posture.
** In "Meld", Tuvok does a MindMeld with a psychotic murderer, and starts to pick up some of his more unstable traits, including twitching his hands. But when Tuvok goes to visit the murderer in his cell the latter does this trope, showing that he in turn has picked up Tuvok's mental discipline.

* ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'':
** Master Chen walks around hunched over like this, but wow, that old guy can dodge a punch.
** Lan Di, too, by way of ArrogantKungFuGuy.
* OldMaster Wang Jinrei of ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' gained one of these during his intros circa ''Tekken 5''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'': Citan Uzuki is frequently shown doing this.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
** [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Master Xehanort]] does this a lot, but as with the Master Chen example, he's not as frail as he looks.
** [[BlowYouAway Xaldin]] does this too, as his non-combat pose. [[ThatOneBoss Fittingly, he's one of the harder members of the Organization.]]
* [[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice President Max]] adopts this pose when discussing Matters of State.

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** Thane Krios uses that stance a lot, underlining his calm and composed personality. Shephard imitates him in an interrogation scene, adding to the formality of the set-up.
** Shepard often adopts this pose when speaking with superior officers or the Council during the first game, or while receiving a briefing from Hackett during an N7 mission in the third.

* This is Darkseid's default pose ''VideoGame/Injustice2''. While it's nothing new for the character, this version does it ''constantly'', even while ''jumping''. 90% of his time is spent with [[WithMyHandsTied at least one hand behind his back.]]

* Cyrus from ''Videogame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' does this regularly.
* Serperior in ''Videogame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' crosses two leaves behind its back in mimicry of this pose, combined with an upturned nose to establish a general air of superiority.
* Aegislash in ''Videogame/PokemonXAndY'' mimics this pose with its tassels when in Shield Forme.
* ''Videogame/TheElderScrollsOnline'': This is a stock animation that characters will use in dialogue. Most typically, it's some sort of person of nobility or importance. Queen Ayrenn and [[spoiler:Meridia]] are notable examples.

* In early seasons of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' Jadzia Dax walked about with her arms behind her back, to demonstrate the "old man" that was inside her. A later episode, in which Dax's colleagues temporarily embody the symbiont's previous hosts, reveals that she got it from an earlier host, a politician who started doing it when she realized her male colleagues are making fun of her prolific gesticulating, and continues trouncing them all on the debate floor anyway.

# Military personnel, while on duty but not actively engaged in some activity (for instance, in formation but not being inspected, waiting for inspection formation, or waiting to be told to form up for inspection). The stance shown in the picture is known as "Parade Rest" in the US military (and possibly elsewhere) and "At Ease" in UsefulNotes/{{The Commonwealth|OfNations}}.

* In at least Canadian military drill, the position is known as "At Ease" and consists laying the back of your right hand against the palm of your left behind your back with your thumbs intertwined, your fingers extended, your shoulders square, your elbows tight to your body, and your feet apart.

** Captain Janeway does this [[EarlyInstallmentWierdness in the early episodes]], later replaced by her iconic hands-on-hips posture.

** In "Meld", Tuvok does a MindMeld with a psychotic murderer, and starts to pick up some of his more unstable traits. When he goes to visit the murderer in his cell, the latter does this trope, showing that he in turn has picked up Tuvok's Vulcan discipline.

# Military personnel, while on duty but not actively engaged in some activity (for instance, in formation but not being inspected, waiting for inspection formation, or waiting to be told to form up for inspection). The stance shown in the picture is known as "Parade Rest" in the US military (and possibly elsewhere) and "At Ease" in TheCommonwealth.

Villains are also fond of the pose, as it allows them lean forward intimidatingly and not look silly as they would if they just let their arms hang loosely. Compare and Contrast CoyGirlishFlirtPose.

Compare and Contrast CoyGirlishFlirtPose.

* General Zod in ''Videogame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' does this by default.

* This is Darkseid's default pose ''VideoGame/Injustice2''. While it's nothing new for the character, the fact that he does it constantly, even while ''jumping'', is. 90% of his time is spent with [[WithMyHandsTied at least one hand behind his back.]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Zeno Zoldyck from ''HunterXHunter''.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film]]

* Morpheus does it all the time ''Film/TheMatrix'' when he is not kicking ass. His variation particularly stands out because he's frequently gripping his arms at the elbow. Note that this [[FridgeLogic isn't particularly comfortable or relaxing, especially if you're a reasonably well-muscled guy in a bulky]] BadassLongcoat, so either it's simply RuleOfCool, or it's emphasising his flexibility and badassery that he's able to relax in this pose.
** This particular variant of the pose is typically identified with the OldMaster, so doing so suggests his mentorship to the rest of the crew as well as the general badassery required to make the pose work.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Music ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]
* Master Chen in ''VideoGame/{{Shenmue}}'' walks around hunched over like this, but wow, that old guy can dodge a punch.

* [[VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} Citan Uzuki]] is frequently shown doing this.
* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''

* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', Thane Krios uses that stance a lot, underlining his calm and composed personality. Shephard imitates him in an interrogation scene, adding to the formality of the set-up.

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* Many villains demonstrate this trope in the Franchise/{{DCAU}}. Among them are Lex Luthor, Ra's Al Ghul (though it might just be his cape), Vandal Savage, and Gorilla Grodd.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', Ultron does this, particularly when [[{{Technopathy}} possessing Iron Man's armour]].

[[folder: Real Life ]]
* In the US Military, personnel are forbidden to have their hands in their pockets, as it appears unprofessional. This leaves 3 main stances - hands across the chest, hands across the back, and hands straight down. Hands across the chest is a defensive position and usually avoided (unless it is cold). Hands straight down is strongly associated with the position of Attention, and [[DrillSergeantNasty a lot of yelling]], and is discouraged unless a lot of yelling is needed. Hands behind the back tends to be used in a more casual environment, such as when the Old Man is lecturing his troops ([[RamblingOldManMonologue no, not like that...]] well, o.k., maybe sometimes). Often the 'at ease' stance is used to signal to the troops that what follows will be a [="business as usual"=] speech (or maybe even a FatherToHisMen moment).

* A signature tic of {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}, Franchise/{{Superman}}'s awesome foe, is to go arms behind the back while doing some Exposition about how whatever the heroes can throw at him will mean nothing, or stuff like that. The counter to Superman's WorldOfCardboardSpeech in ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]] is a good example, as is his beating of both Superman and Supergirl in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanBatmanApocalypse''.

* The back cover of Music/TheBlackParade album depicts some of the members of MyChemicalRomance in the pose.

* In ''[[Literature/HoratioHornblower Lieutenant Hornblower]]'' the officers on the quarterdeck are described as walking "with their hands clasped behind them as a result of the training they had all received as midshipmen not to put their hands in their pockets."

* In early seasons of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' Jadzia Dax walked about with her arms behind her back, to demonstrate the "old man" that was inside her. A later episode, in which Dax's colleagues temporarily embody the symbiont's previous hosts, reveals that she got it from an earlier host, a politician who started doing it because she gestured too much while speaking.

# Military personnel, while on duty but not actively engaged in some activity (for instance, in formation but not being inspected, waiting for inspection formation, or waiting to be told to form up for inspection). The stance shown in the picture is known as "Parade Rest" in the US military (and possibly elsewhere) and "At Ease" in TheCommonwealth. (The name is fitting as a Marching Band, includeing non-military, will take this pose as best they are able with their instruments, when standing in formation as well)