Line #25 Main/BurningTheFlag


1	[[quoteright:320:[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/burning_the_flag.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:320:The Fire Nation flag, [[{{Irony}} destroyed by fire]].]]
3
4	->''"I'm going to have you wrapped in the U.S flag and burned personally by the President, in high-octane American gasoline!"''
5	-->-- '''Agent Burns''', ''Film/JMenForever''
6
7	A flag is the symbol of the nation it represents, its principles, its ideal, and its people and leaders. So, how does someone who's an enemy of said nation demonstrate that? You get one of their flags and light it on fire.
8
9	There are a number of ways this can be portrayed. It can be used by political activists to show their displeasure with a particular country, which is how it is most often used in RealLife in recent years. It can also be used to symbolize the defeat of a conquered nation, especially if done by their conquerors.[[note]]An alternative form of displaying contempt to a hated enemy was displayed by Soviet troops participating in the victory parades in Moscow in 1945; the Red Army marched over a sea of captured German flags and regalia, symbolically rubbing in the totality of their victory.[[/note]] Occasionally, dissidents might burn the flag of their own country.
10
11	There is a more positive version as well. In some countries, such as the United States and Denmark, it is customary for old, worn-out flags to be ceremonially destroyed by fire. This is referred to as retiring the flag. The [[http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/04C1.txt US Flag Code]] instruction on the matter:
12	->The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
13
14	It is worth noting that to both prevent this from happening and to stop protesters from hurting themselves,[[note]]many synthetic fibres melt as they burn -- and now guess what many flags are made from today[[/note]] there are a small but growing number of fire-retardant flags on sale. [[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-nazi-filmed-spectacularly-failing-to-burn-eu-flag-in-protest-against-forced-immigration-10141197.html Trying to burn one of these]] tends to end [[EpicFail rather dismally]].
15
16	BookBurning is a similar form of setting cultural symbols on fire, as both a protest and a display of power. Compare TatteredFlag for when a ruined flag is shown.
17
18	[[noreallife]]
19	----
20	!!Examples
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
25	* ''Manga/OnePiece''
26	** Luffy and Usopp end up doing this to the flag of the World Government -- which in the world of the series amounts to nothing less than a ''declaration of war'' against said government -- in a bid to persuade Nico Robin that they and the entire Straw Hat Crew stand behind her as TrueCompanions.
27	** That incident [[MeaningfulEcho echoes]] Luffy protecting Dr. Hiriluk's flag from Wapol during the Drum Island arc for Chopper's sake. He takes several cannon blasts to the face and still raises it proudly, despite not knowing who Hiriluk was and what was the significance of the flag.
28	--->"I don't know who this belongs to... but as a flag backed by a man's conviction and will, it's not something you can play around with! A bumbling idiot like you shouldn't even dare to touch this flag!!"
29	* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}} OVA'' there is a brief shot of a Union Jack catching fire during Millenium's initial bombing. This symbolises that Britain is burning.
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Comic Books]]
33	* In ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' #44, the Punisher's Iowa vacation gets cut short when he is forced to rescue a flag-burning protester from his would-be attackers. This act of kindness leads the Punisher deeper into a local fight between protester and rapper Arc Light and a banker with a grudge.
34	* ''ComicBook/Transformers2019'': Megatron does the symbolic version in issue #11. He burns away the Ascenticon flag to create a new insignia that represents the future of the movement...that which becomes the insignia of the Decepticons.
35	* ''ComicBook/YTheLastMan'': the induction ceremony of the [[RightWingMilitiaFanatic Sons of Arizona]] includes swearing an oath over a burning US flag.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Fan Works]]
39	* Featured in the tapestry of Vesper the Morning Star in ''Fanfic/QueensOfMewni'': as she lifts her wand to the first peek of sunlight in a cloudy sky, eight flags representing the eight queens of the Dark Age (via having their cheek marks on them) begin to burn, symbolizing how Vesper was the light of hope that took Mewni out of the Dark Age and into the Renaissance.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Film]]
43	* ''Film/TheAmericanPresident'': President Andrew Shepherd's Republican opponent Sen. Bob Rumson attempts to smear him with a picture of his girlfriend, lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade, burning an American flag during a late-'80s anti-apartheid demonstration. (Presumably they were demonstrating against US inaction or something to that effect.) Shepherd later responds by arguing that the symbol of a free country cannot just be a flag: "the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest."
44	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'': As the Huns attack the Great Wall, a Chinese soldier lights a signal fire as he is confronted by [[BigBad Shan Yu]], and defiantly says, "Now all of China knows you are here." Shan Yu breaks a nearby flag off its pole and puts it in the fire. "Perfect!"
45	* ''Film/{{Revolution 1967}}'': At one point, the protesters burn the flag of England.
46	* ''Film/TheRocketeer'': A Nazi propaganda film showing their rocket soldiers attacking America has a burning American flag falling to the ground as the Nazi banner rises in its place.
47	* ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1993'': The Musketeer corps is disbanded, and the Cardinal's guards ask what to do with the Musketeer flag. Rouchefort, the former musketeer turned enforcer for the Cardinal, tells his men to burn it.
48	* ''Film/IronMan3'': One of the images the Mandarin uses in his announcements is of an effigy of the President Ellis being set on fire with an American flag attached.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Literature]]
52	* In ''[[Literature/HonorHarrington A Rising Thunder]]'', the Manticoran ambassador to Earth observes a 'spontaneous' protest against his nation, noting how the crowd is setting fire to Manticoran flags as well as badly-made effigies in Manticoran naval uniforms. One of the protesters waiting a bit too long to let go of a burning flag adds a bit of humor to an otherwise bleak scene.
53	* ''Literature/OddlyEnough'': "Old Glory" revolves around the dystopian future of 2041 where the main character's great-grandfather ends up standing in front of a crowd, announcing that their flag no longer stands for what it used to, so there's no point in having it -- so he sets it on fire as a sign of protest (or at least tries to, since it's fireproof). And then gets shot by the government for doing so.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
57	* Nazis take over Metropolis in an episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'', and at the end, after they've been foiled, Superman uses his heat vision to burn a Nazi banner that had been hung from the Daily Planet.
58	* One controversial episode of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' had a comedic example of this trope. While walking through the Puerto Rican Day Parade, Kramer accidentally sets the Puerto Rican flag on fire with a sparkler and immediately tries to stomp it out. HilarityEnsues when several Puerto Ricans see him stomping on the still-burning flag...
59	* In ''Series/TheWestWing'', Creator/PennAndTeller "burn" a flag at Zoe's birthday party after stuffing it into a rolled-up copy of the Constitution as an example of the rights given by the First Amendment: the flag is gone, but the Constitution is unharmed. Naturally, this causes something of a PR stir.
60	** In fact, this is part of their stage show in RealLife as well. To say that Penn and Teller have strongly held and expressed political convictions would be an understatement.
61	* In the ''Series/GameOfThrones'' third season finale, "Mhysa", there is a shot [[spoiler:of a Stark flag burning, symbolizing the defeat of the Northern rebellion after the Red Wedding.]]
62	* In ''Series/{{Revolution}}'', when Monroe Militiamen find an American flag in someone's house, their leader orders it burned.
63	* One episode of ''Series/MockTheWeek'' poked fun at how quickly offended people in certain countries seem to be able to obtain a foreign flag to burn, speculating that said people must [[CrazyPrepared have a filing cabinet filled with every flag in the world just in case]] one of them does something to annoy them.
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:Music]]
67	* Music/ManicStreetPreachers' ''Generation Terrorists'' depicts a European Economic Community flag with flames superimposed atop it on the back cover.
68	* Music/MarilynManson's ''Burning Flag''.
69	* The song ''Lapdance'' by N.E.R.D. featuring Lee Harvey and Vita includes the lyrics "Burnin' the flag, all in the name of white trash", sung by Harvey.
70	* Music/RageAgainstTheMachine burned the US flag on stage at Woodstock 99. On "Bombtrack", Zach also raps:
71	-->''Instead, I warm my hands upon the flames of the flag\
72	To recall the downfall and the businesses that burnt us all''
73	[[/folder]]
74
75	[[folder:Other]]
76	* Similar to the above example, Creator/PennAndTeller burn an American flag wrapped in a copy of the Bill of Rights as one of the tricks in their Las Vegas show, as seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxHKObRq-iE here]]. They do the trick to make a point about how Americans have the freedom to burn their own flag if they wish. Additionally, the Bill of Rights is unaffected by the conflagration, symbolizing how it is unharmed. [[spoiler:No, they don't actually burn the flag; Teller has removed the flag before they ignite the flash paper.]]
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Poetry]]
80	* Referenced in [[http://americanveteransmemorial.org/Military_Quotes.html this poem]] by US Marine Corps chaplain Dennis Edward O'Brien:
81	-->"It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag. And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protester to burn the flag."
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
85	* Famously averted in 1991 as part of Wrestling/SgtSlaughter's heel pro-Iraqi sympathizer gimmick, in the midst of the Persian Gulf War. Shortly after winning the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, one draft would have had Slaughter and Gen. Adnan -- during a house show taping -- enter the arena with an American flag before cutting an anti–Wrestling/HulkHogan promo and then setting fire to the flag. Very wisely, Slaughter[[note]](who along with his family had been receiving multiple real-life death threats at this point)[[/note]] and the writers nixed the idea about as quickly as it was made and decided the same point -- that Slaughter was bigger, badder, and stronger than Hogan and that he wouldn't stand a chance against him at Wrestling/WrestleMania VII -- could be made (and get the desired heel heat) by burning a Hulk Hogan T-shirt attached to a flagpole.
86	** That said, as Mean Gene Okerlund was interviewing Hogan after the 1991 Wrestling/RoyalRumble (wherein Slaughter won the World Championship), they "received word" that Slaughter was "defacing the American flag"...implying (but not outright stating) the possibility that Slaughter and Adnan were burning the American flag. Slaughter, of course, was safely inside the Miami Arena where the event took place, under tight security, and waiting to tape a month's worth of promos, before he could be led out of the arena safely...long after fans had gone home.
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Video Games]]
90	* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', one of the thieves' guild quests has you assassinating the leader of a rival guild, the Summerset Shadows. You're given the option to set fire to a banner while in the Shadows' headquarters; if you do so, the quest giver will compliment you for sending a message that the guild won't be trifled with.
91	* '' VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'': When you capture a tower, the flag attached to it is set on fire to let the citizens know that the Borgia no longer have control of the area.
92	* Used again in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate''. Whenever Jacob or Evie Frye take over a Blighter stronghold, they hand a torch to one of their Rooks and have them burn the Blighter flag.
93	* One of the heroic missions on Nar Shaddaa in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' involves invading a Mandalorian stronghold, killing their leaders, and burning their clan flags.
94	* In the first ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' game, the parody [[StrawmanPolitical right-wing radio talk show]] discusses flag burning. One of the hosts is quite positive to it, much to his co-host's confusion. [[BurnTheWitch Turns out he missed]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice the l.]]
95	* ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'': Colonel Konrad blacked out the stars on his flag after going rogue. The game's DifficultyLevels are depicted as the Army flag patch plastered over with increasing amounts of duct tape.
96	* ''VideoGame/HomeFront'': Seen in some of the promotional images.
97	* One expository cutscene in ''VideoGame/HostileWatersAntaeusRising'' explains that in 2012 (the game is set in 2032), the people all across the globe collectively forgave their past squabbles and disputes and united together as one, resulting in a "world gone sane." This is illustrated with a series of burning flags, symbolizing humanity letting go of their nationalistic impulses. (Later cutscenes explain that during that year, people overthrew their oligarchic regimes to create a freer, unified world government, ushering in a {{Utopia}} made possible thanks to the [[PostScarcityEconomy abundance of resources]] created by NanoMachines.)
98	* A variation in the Empire final cinematic in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3''. One of the Empire's King Oni mechs slices an Allied flag in half using its EyeBeams before replacing it with an Imperial one.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:WebVideos]]
102	* ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'':
103	** Fundy burns the flag of the country he fought for in the L'Manburg War for Independence, proving his loyalty to the new dictator [[spoiler:which does later turn out to be a cover for him spying]], something that contributes heavily to [[spoiler:his own father's [[SanitySlippage mental spiral]]]].
104	** While not technically a flag, [[spoiler:the L'Mantree]], a symbol of the country's determination and livelihood, is burned by [[spoiler:[[BreakTheBeliever Niki]], previously one of the country's most loyal supporters, after reaching her DespairEventHorizon during the Doomsday War]] and deciding that L'Manburg did not stand for the same things it used to.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Western Animation]]
108	* In the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' Iroh, after defeating the Fire Nation forces occupying Ba Sing Se, [[{{Irony}} the very city he had once attempted to conquer]] ''[[HeelFaceTurn for]]'' the Fire Nation, burns down the Fire Nation flag hanging on the Earth King's palace.
109	* Done for practical purposes in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', when Zoidberg burns an "Earthican"[[note]]Which is basically the US stars and stripes with a picture of the planet in place of the stars.[[/note]] flag to give a heat-seeking missile a heat source to lock onto. The plot at the beginning of the episode concerned him getting in trouble for ''eating'' a flag (ironically he's more patriotic than any of the humans present; he did it to demonstrate the freedom it represents). By burning a flag to ''literally'' preserve freedom he was able to get his point across and is vindicated.
110	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
111	** In a FlashForward episode Homer & Bart greet Lisa's British fiancee by running the UK flag up their flagpole.
112	--->'''Bart:''' Here they come: raise the flag!\
113	''[Homer does so; it sparks as it touches something electrical]''\
114	'''Marge:''' Oh, Lisa!\
115	'''Homer:''' Yo, Hugh! Here's a little bit of US hospitality. Whaddaya think of ''that''?\
116	''[unbeknownst to Homer, the flag is now on fire. Hugh gasps]''\
117	'''Lisa:''' Dad!\
118	'''Homer:''' Aah!\
119	''[he and Bart pull it down and stomp on it]''\
120	'''Marge:''' Now throw compost on it! ''[they do so]''\
121	'''Homer:''' Whew! ''[hands the flag to Hugh]'' Er, enjoy.\
122	'''Hugh:''' Oh...''[a tear forms]'' it's still warm.
123	** "An Amendment to Be", in "The Day the Violence Died", a "campy '70s throwback for Gen Xers" (parodying "I'm Just a Bill" from ''WesternAnimation/SchoolHouseRock''), deals with flag burning, and the proposed [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Desecration_Amendment Flag Desecration Amendment]]. The show-within-a-show appears to be [[SpoofAesop in favour]] of the Amendmemt; the actual show not so much.
124	---> There's a lot of flag-burners\
125	Who have got too much freedom\
126	I want to make it legal\
127	For policemen to beat 'em.\
128	'Cause there's limits to our liberties\
129	At least I hope and pray that there are\
130	'Cause those liberal freaks go too far.
131	** In the episode "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington" Nelson writes a superpatriotic essay for a contest, for which this is his theme.
132	--->So burn that flag if you must! But before you do, you'd better burn a few other things! You'd better burn your shirt and your pants! Be sure to burn your TV and car! Oh yeah, and don't forget to burn your house! Because none of those things would exist without six white stripes, seven red stripes, and a helluva lot of stars!!
133	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': While Peter and Lois are in Cuba, a passerby is kind enough to [[CouldntFindALighter light Peter's cigar]] with the American flag he's burning.
134	* The ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "Old Glory" has Bill being reluctant to burn an American flag his General deems oversized for flying.
135	[[/folder]]

Context Main / BurningTheFlag