Line #130 Main/ScrewYouElves


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10	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ScrewYouElves3_5939.jpg]]]]
11	[[caption-width-right:350:The Thalmor came to prove the supremacy of Mer over Man. The [[PlayerCharacter Last Dragonborn]] had a few [[SuperScream strong words]] for them.]]
12
13	->'''The Warden:''' Elves have strange powers.\
14	'''Sten:''' Being easily conquered does not constitute a "power".
15	-->-- ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''
16
17	As CantArgueWithElves is such a frustrating thing to many human viewers (and most viewers are human), the trope of humans telling and occasionally showing [[CulturalPosturing arrogant]] magical races ''exactly'' where to stick it is popular. If humans don't do it, [[ElvesVersusDwarves the Dwarves]] will be happy to. For this reason humans and dwarves tend to get along much better in fiction.
18
19
20	Compare:
21
22	* CallingTheOldManOut, where parental figures are in place of elves.
23	* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu, where it's an EldritchAbomination or something similar.
24	* HumanityIsSuperior, the elves not only lack superiority, [[SubParSupremacist they are actually]] ''inferior''.
25	* PayEvilUntoEvil, where said ManipulativeBastard is given his medicine (see page image).
26	* TheDogBitesBack: Similiar to the above trope(s) where a supposely "inferior" race fights back.
27	* KirkSummation, where the non-elf outargues the elf.
28	* ShutUpHannibal, where it's a ManipulativeBastard getting screwed.
29	* TalkToTheFist, where the immediate response is physical. Sometimes it's a DopeSlap if both parties are friendly.
30
31	Contrast: EnslavedElves.
32
33	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant This trope is not pornographic;]] well, ''[[RuleThirtyFour usually]]'' not pornographic. It also doesn't apply when the elves aren't stuck-up in the first place, or when elves fail at something but no one InUniverse rubs their nose in it.
34
35	----
36	!!Examples:
37	[[index]]
38	* ScrewYouElves/FanWorks
39	* ScrewYouElves/{{Literature}}
40	* ScrewYouElves/LiveActionTV
41	* ScrewYouElves/TabletopGames
42	* ScrewYouElves/VideoGames
43	[[/index]]
44
45	[[foldercontrol]]
46
47	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
48	* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts frequently tells off Apostles who think they're a superior species just because they're powerful demons that can prey on humans with impunity. If he defeats one he will rub this in as much as possible, such as when he tortured the Baron of Koka Castle and the Slug Baron while telling them they should experience the same pain as their victims.
49	** Perhaps the example that fits best is his fight with Rosine, a teenage Apostle with moth wings who inhabits the Misty Valley and rules over a swarm of children whom she abducted and turned into elves (which in this setting look more like what are usually called fairies). Rosine was an abused child and grew up loving fairy tales about elves, which became such an escapist fantasy for her that she sacrificed her parents in order to become one and create a utopia where grown-ups and humans were unwelcome. She claims that HumansAreTheRealMonsters, and demonstrates MoralMyopia by having her children kill humans for her amusement but getting outraged when Guts shows up and starts killing her fake elves in return. Guts, of course, tells exactly where she can shove her sense of superiority.
50	** Averted with the ''actual'' elves, who are nothing but kind and helpful, not to mention instrumental in [[spoiler:restoring Casca's mind]].
51	* ''Anime/CrossAnge'': During the second half of the series, Ange doesn't take too kindly to Sala's audacity towards attempting to recruit her at first, and especially the latter's accusations of the Norma being violent, and killing [=DRAGONs=], when it was mainly in self-defense as they were used as involuntary CannonFodder by the human society, and Sala had very recently launched an attack that annihilated most of the Norma, which, given their ChildSoldier [[{{Conscription}} conscript]] status, would count as a war crime in the real world. (And that's not even counting the dehumanization the Norma race from the Mana people.)
52	* ''Manga/InuYasha'':
53	** Inuyasha delivers a rather impressive one to his brother, Sesshomaru; after the latter spends two or three episodes going off on how humans and half-demons are worthless, he not only gets his arm cut off, but he is also mocked by Inuyasha on how a mere half-demon got to inherit the Tessaiga.
54	** Lots of demons are condescending toward humans and half-demons. The humans Kikyo, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango, and the half-demons Inuyasha and [[BigBad Naraku]] are all ready, eager, and able to put them in their place.
55	* Arlong of ''Manga/OnePiece'' constantly goes on and on how great {{fish\|People}}men are and how inferior humans are to them. Luffy rebuts with his fists. Turned on its head several hundred chapters later, when it's revealed that Arlong's whole crusade was an attempt to pull this trope on ''humanity''. Turns out, being naturally ten times stronger than humans doesn't matter much in a world of [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower Charles Atlas Superpowers]] and regular superpowers, and the humans had actually been exploiting the fishmen.
56	* At the end of ''Literature/{{Slayers}} TRY'', the BigBad (a composite entity of two gods and a nearly immortal dragon) argues via MindProbe how inherently rotten the world is as a result of flaws introduced during its creation, and that the universe essentially needs a controlled reboot to flush out these flaws. As the good guys (mostly horribly guilt-ridden ancient angels, demons, and dragons) begin acquiescing to his criticism, Lina stands up to deliver an epic KirkSummation, declaring that grand cosmic screwups, ancient atrocities, or reincarnation into a better world mean nothing to mortals like her, and how DARE they presume to ignore all the life flourishing across the world as it is today.
57	[[/folder]]
58
59	[[folder:Comic Books]]
60	* In ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' when Kahvi sneers at the trolls for their ancestor's mutiny causing the High Ones to crash on the World of two Moons Picknose's reply is "Slaves have a right to rebel!" In fact this seems to be the default attitude of trolls in general.
61	* In one storyline of ''Franchise/TheFlash'', Wally reacts this way to the society of the 64th century, which counts "individualism" as a crime and manages to make ''Abra-frickin'-Kadabra'' look like a heroic rebel.
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
65	* Happens twice in ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'', from the humans to the Asgardians. Firstly when Thor sees fit to abscond with Loki so he can face Asgardian justice: Iron Man and Captain America are having ''none'' of that and one brief duel later he's agreed to let them take Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D. instead. Secondly when Loki tries to pull his AGodAmI antics on ''The Hulk''. One [[CurbStompBattle completely one-sided supreme Hulk-flavored ass-beating later]] and he's left on the floor, physically and mentally in shock.
66	-->'''Hulk:''' Puny "god"...
67	* As shown in ''Film/TheHobbit'', the dwarves of Middle-Earth ''really'' do not like elves. And as several flashbacks make clear, this resentment is not without reason. Thorin is so disdainful of them that he very nearly refuses to wield one of the finest and mightiest blades ever forged in Middle-Earth, purely because it is of elvish make.
68	* Although ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace'' probably did intend its viewers to think that the alien characters were [[BenevolentAlienInvasion ultimately right]], they come across as [[JerkassHasAPoint extremely rude]] and [[VillainBall unnecessarily combative]]. It's oddly satisfying to see [[TheHero Jeff]] finally lose his patience with the constant belittling remarks from Eros ("Because all you of Earth are idiots") and finally smack him in his smug mouth.
69	-->'''Eros''': You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! ''[[BigStupidDoodooHead Stu]]''pid!\
70	'''Jeff''': That's all I'm takin' from you!
71	* Zigzagged in the ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes'' movies, particularly the [[Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968 first]] [[Film/BeneathThePlanetOfTheApes two]], which show a world fully dominated by apes, with mute, animalistic humans living in their shadow (and a CargoCult of bomb-worshipping mutated humans with PsychicPowers living underground like {{morlocks}}). Taylor and Brent, both regular humans [[TrappedInAnotherWorld from modern times]], find themselves frequently exasperated by the apes' and mutants' convictions of being a SuperiorSpecies. A good example of this can be found when Taylor is tying up the [[NonActionBigBad disarmed Doctor Zaius]], to the protests of Doctors Zira and Cornelius (chimpanzees he has befriended):
72	-->'''Dr. Zira''': Taylor, don't treat him that way!\
73	'''Taylor''': Why not?\
74	'''Dr. Zira''': It's humiliating!\
75	'''Taylor''': The way you humiliated me? ''All'' of you? ''[[WhatTheHellHero You]]'' led me around on a ''leash''!\
76	'''Dr. Cornelius''': That was different. We thought you were inferior.\
77	'''Taylor''': Now you know better.
78	** ''Film/BattleForThePlanetOfTheApes'', the final movie in the original series, ends with Zira and Cornelius' son Caesar, the hero of the movie, [[WhatTheHellHero being called out]] by the human characters for his condescending and paternalistic treatment of them, showing that even the good guys can fall into that kind of thinking.
79	--->'''[=MacDonald=]''': If we appear to be lacking in gratitude, Caesar, what have we to be grateful for? If you mean to set us free, then free us completely.\
80	'''Caesar''': What do you mean?\
81	'''[=MacDonald=]''': We are not your ''children'', Caesar!
82	*** To his credit, Caesar accepts the wisdom of [=MacDonald=]'s words, and announces his intent for further social reforms.
83	* In ''Film/TheWildHunt'', a belligerent [=LARPer=] taunts the elf faction by shouting, "Elves are gay!"
84	[[/folder]]
85
86	[[folder:Let's Play]]
87	* During LetsPlay/TheDarkId's run of ''VideoGame/Drakengard3'', which is a prequel to the series, he for once sees a point with Verdelet.
88	-->'''Id:''' ...What? Verdelet was a dickhead, but I'm with him on the elf racism. Fuck elves. I've seen enough of those downtrodden orcs get butchered for funsies all the time. Where's the [[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor Shadow of Mordor]]-esque game where you're an orc assassin making elves' heads explode and punting them down ravines?
89	[[/folder]]
90
91
92	[[folder:Toys]]
93	* ''ComicBook/BeastWarsUprising:'' One story ends with a pair of humans being the Elves. After showing up to take a plot device of theirs away, the two Cybertronian presents call them out on humanity's awful treatment of Cybertronians over the centuries (in this continuity, that consists of ludicrously levels of DisproportionateRetribution, attacking all Cybertronians regardless of faction, "sterilizing" entire planets of theirs for the same reason, and hemming them into a small "pemitted" sector by the time the story starts, shooting down anyone who tries leaving). The first calls them spoiled children who've never suffered any real hardship, and the second, Rampage, calls them out on judging all Cybertronians for what happened centuries ago.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Web Animation]]
97	* A hearty disdain for elves (and gnomes, albeit for entirely different reasons) is one of the running themes in the ''[=WoW=]'' machinima ''WebAnimation/OxhornShortShorts'', in which all elves are portrayed as stereotypical hippies.
98	[[/folder]]
99
100	[[folder:Webcomics]]
101	* Thief from ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' is certainly pretentious enough. But all of the Light Warriors are {{jerk\|ass}}s (except Fighter who's just really stupid, and possibly Red Mage as he veers into {{Cloudcuckoolander}} territory). And on [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2006/04/04/episode-681-of-civilizations/ this page]], Thief's arrogance is ''gloriously'' shot down.
102	** [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2008/11/29/episode-1065-team-up-spectacular/ This]] strip also mocks Elven niceties, such as they are.
103	** In fact, the ''8-Bit Theatre'' setting in general: elves are ''all'' rampaging sociopaths.
104	--->'''The Dragon:''' You're an ''elf''. Your history is a very long love poem dedicated to bloodshed. ''And'' to yourselves.
105	** Just in case you think he's exaggerating, here's another example straight from the mouths of the elves themselves:
106	--->'''Dark Elf:''' But what I find most surprising is that you think I could ever help one of my father's murderers! [...] Why shouldn't I tip off the other Light Warriors now? Or rally the Dark Warriors against you?\
107	'''Thief:''' Well, '''''technically''''' I merely stood idly by while my friends killed him. ... and then took credit for the kill whenever it was politically convenient.\
108	'''Dark Elf:''' Damn. That's practically defending him under elf law.\
109	'''Thief''': Like it says in our national anthem, ''Elfland, and Fuck You Too'', "We are a race of total bastards."
110	* ''Barbie the Barbarienne'' reveals humanity did this about a millennia or so ago to the elves who thought we were just big stupid short-lived oafs ripe for the conquering and got magically stranded on a deserted island for trying to do so. They still haven't learned a damn thing since then, but they're so simultaneously [[SmugSnake arrogant]] and [[IncompetenceInc incompetent]] that they best they've done since then is [[GoneHorriblyRight breed a god-level Elf-Imp hybrid more dangerous to them than the rest of the world]] and MindControl one PirateGirl that ended up on the same island.
111	* ''Webcomic/DaughterOfTheLilies'': Historically, elves thought that orcs were "stupid" enough that their homelands would be an easy target for invasion. Some elves are still [[http://www.daughterofthelilies.com/dotl/814 quite sore]] about the resulting military defeat.
112	* ''Webcomic/DMOfTheRings'': In [[http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=762 "Fire Safety"]], the players decide they've had enough of these stupid Elves and their stupid trees and stupid songs and stupid... dirt.
113	* In [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?id=2302 this comic]] of ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'', it is described in detail how the Zorblaxians are literally the center of the universe. The Universes Pulsar Emissions, when expressed as musical tones, even spell out the Zorblazian Anthem! [[spoiler: The Humans then spend thousands of years devoting their society to science and technology, flying Earth to Zorblax Prime with giant rocket boosters, and blasting the Zorblaxian Homeworld to oblivion with a giant laser.]]
114	* In ''Webcomic/DumnestorsHeroes'', one of the main characters is an elf who's been turned into a human. So far, he's been pretty useless to have around, and the other characters make fun of OurElvesAreDifferent to his face.
115	* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Tara has had it with Voltaire once it becomes evident he's been manipulating her so she drops the respectful demeanour she had toward him and threatens him into leaving.
116	* Jon from ''Webcomic/ErrantStory'' has mocked back more than once.
117	** As well as killed several elves, one of them with a shot to the stomach.
118	** And come out and said as much (well, ''[[IntentionalEngrishForfunny tried to, anyway]]'') in [[https://www.errantstory.com/?p=4479 this strip]].
119	--->'''Jon:''' <Please be going to fuck self well!> Heh.
120	** And when the elves arrogantly suggest using Sara as an anti-[[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Ian]] weapon because "That's what they ([[TouchedByVorlons The Ensigerum]]) were created for.":
121	--->'''Sara:''' [[http://www.errantstory.com/?p=4534 Give me that power and I swear, I'll kill every last elf in the world myself.]]
122	** Protip for any [[AssInAmbassador elven ambassadors]] to Tsuiruaku: Leave the superiority act at home, and when you're meeting with [[PapaWolf Councilman Hinadori]], if you ''have'' to talk about his granddaughter, avoid using words like [[FantasticSlurs "Errant" or]] "'''[[FantasticSlurs it]]'''". [[http://www.errantstory.com/?p=4687 Diplomatic immunity isn't much help against a fireball to the face.]]
123	** Sarine also likes to join into these speeches, as part of her MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch-attitude.
124	%%** And that's not even mentioning [[spoiler:the carnage Ian has caused on his RoaringRampageOfRevenge]]
125	* ''Webcomic/FriendshipIsDragons'' has two examples so far. The Red Dragon's attempt at a [[BreakThemByTalking Breaking Speech]] about ponies' hypocrisy is interrupted by Dash attacking; however, the head of the Diamond Dogs delivers a blistering rant to Rarity about the stupid, smug po-nies.
126	* ''Webcomic/GuildedAge'': While supposed an ancient, powerful and all advanced civilization, the Sky Elves where easily cowed by [[AxCrazy Frigg]] after she had enough of their pretentiousness. Even Syr'Nj told them that it would be better to get in a good relationship with Gastonia before... [[UnusualEuphemism they get diplomatic.]]
127	* In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'', [[HigherTechSpecies Nemesites]] tend to act condescending to humans, even [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Voluptua]] who's probably the nicest of them. Jean has no patience with this and is always quick with a sarcastic retort.
128	* In ''Webcomic/{{Inverloch}}'', one of the villains is trying to sever Elves from magic (which is also the source of their immortality) as revenge for them killing his father years before... and the second villain, a mage, helps the first one in what is essentially a genocide attempt because he thinks Elves are too arrogant to deserve life. Then there are the elves who were severed in the first place [[spoiler: The severing causing them to age like humans and be unable to wield magic, most easily identified by their white hair and gold eyes]] were proven to have been born to elves who were strikingly bad examples of just how arrogant the elves had become, their children being born severed as a punishment to them, some of the worst cases of arrogance who were not born severed becoming so later in life. The elves thought the severing was a genetic thing, evidently, as they banished all severed elves (including children and newborns) from their cities, leaving them to make their way as best they could among humans or other severed, who evidently had their own community. This only made the problem [[FromBadToWorse much, much worse]], as this was a clear sign that they were too arrogant at this point to be worth saving. The hero himself even gives a speech to his companions after he finds out [[spoiler: his father was killed by an elf who broke his word to help protect his people, the Da'kor, despite a deal they had made.]]
129	* Done in ''Webcomic/TheMeek'' with Emperor Luca [=deSadar=] and the Ambassadors from Caris in chapter two. Caris is implied to be very proud and considers the Northern Territories inferior. When the ambassador from Caris claims that the queen cannot and will not pay reparations for the [[SinsOfOurFathers acts of her father while he was king]]. Luca [[BerserkButton did not take it well...]]
130	-->'''Luca:''' With respect, ambassador. Your king alone did not uphold an [[PuttingOnTheReich entire country's institution of torture and murder against my people]].
131	::Then later he melts the other one's eyes. Turns out maybe your diplomatic position should be a little more accommodating when the other guy is backed by some crazy giant god-tiger and you live a world of GreyAndGrayMorality. Luca is correct in that his people suffered greatly, but the men responsible for such atrocities are ''dead'', and there is no evidence whatsoever that the current government of Caris had any involvement with those crimes (though that may change in the future).
132	* Laurin Shattersmith in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has this attitude towards elves, resenting that they live in the fertile forested area of the western continent, while humans and lizardfolk fight over scraps in the remainder of the continent, much of which is uninhabitable desert.
133	* In ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'', this attitude is copped by the entire [[TheEmpire Souballo Empire]] and there is a lot of racial tension on the main continent because of this.
134	* In ''WebComic/{{WIGU}}'', seven-year-olds Wigu and Hugo reject the [[TheChosenOne Elf Queen's prophecy]] and instead [[http://wigucomics.com/adventures/index.php?comic=550 scare the poop]] out of the retarded Hillbilly Elves.
135	[[/folder]]
136
137	[[folder:Web Original]]
138	* The dwarves from ''LetsPlay/{{Bravemule}}'', a ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' LetsPlay, tend to refer to everything bad (or simply non-dwarven) as "elf", even though no real elf has shown up in the story so far.
139	* The ''Literature/ElfslayerChronicles'': What happens when a DM beats players over the head with [[OurElvesAreDifferent beautiful]], [[CantArgueWithElves perfect]] elves (who have lots of gay sex) and [[HumansAreBastards evil, xenophobic, warlike humans]]? One player [[OffTheRails derails the whole thing]] by murdering a missing human prince, framing his elven lover, and getting away with it by being that damn good. In the archived discussion, not only does "Elfslayer" compare the DM's elves to the [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'avi]] and Creator/ChristopherPaolini's elves, but another poster references this exact trope page. When the DM (and the only player who actually liked the setting) complained, "Elfslayer" pointed out that an "evil, xenophobic, warlike human" like himself would never tolerate his prince shacking up with an elf; on top of that, his mission was to serve the kingdom to the best of his ability, and the relationship becoming public knowledge would damage the kingdom's reputation, so in that case MurderIsTheBestSolution.
140	* [[http://everything2.com/title/Fifteen+Elvish+ways+to+die "Fifteen Elvish ways to die"]]
141	* In ''Tales of Ubernorden'' a whole bunch of elves die in [[http://www.ubernorden.com/the-killing-field.html "The Killing Field"]].
142	* The punchline of [[http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/12730648/#12730737 this copy-pasta]]. [[spoiler:It's also on the ColonyDrop page.]]
143	* [[https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:mgYTtV3rWV4J:https://terra-arcanum.com/forums/index.php%3Fthreads/elven-arrogance-quoted.17067/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pl&client=firefox-b-is-oem1 This speech]]. From an Orc, no less.
144	[[/folder]]
145
146	[[folder:Western Animation]]
147	* In ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', it's shown that some of the dinosaurs survived and became {{ultraterrestrials}} colonizing the universe. Upon meeting them Rick initially enjoys having what he views as intellectual equals around, but upon discovering they're [[InsufferableGenius even smarter than he is]] and full of CondescendingCompassion [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex he becomes hellbent on humiliating them]]. He then proceeds to do so by exploiting their SuicidalPacifism in order to force them to [[MurderByInaction compromise their values]] to save his life.
148	* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'':
149	** A {{stock\|Punishment}}aded Lizard prisoner, MadeASlave for his thievery, [[DefiantToTheEnd defiantly]] bristles while explaining to young Prince Lion-O why he was scavenging the Cats' crops: They've little land and resources of their own, thanks to the Cats' expansionism and strongarming. They are habitually oppressed and enslaved by the Cats, scraping by while the Cats' kingdom of Thundera throws lavish feasts. The Cats even style themselves a SuperiorSpecies while engaging in FantasticRacism.
150	** Another wonderful moment of Screw You, Elves! occurs later in the second episode of the series. The Thundercats rush towards an army of lizards, who are wielding traditional medieval weapons, just like the cats: swords, bows, arrows, etc. The cats are dominating the battlefield... until the lizards bring [[HumongousMecha giant robots]], grenades, and laser guns. Even lampshaded by a lizard, who claims "To go from superior race to endangered species in one day... how ironic."
151	** It continues through the entire season, as nearly every new species/settlement they encounter has deep-seated animosity against the Cats due to their self-righteousness and decadence. Except the Buddhist-like Elephants. And the Avians, but only because they're even ''worse'' in their arrogance than the Cats and hold ''all'' land-walking races in contempt. The fact that this continues after Thundera has been destroyed and most of their race killed or enslaved seems rather harsh, until we find out the whole backstory of how the Cats came to be so powerful to begin with....
152	* In the ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' episode "The Box", Sylvia chews out [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien the Lords of Illumination]] for putting her and Wander through a SecretTestOfCharacter that, due to resisting the temptation to open the box, drove Wander insane. She makes the aliens put some junk in the box, which Wander is satisfied with.
153	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ScrewYouElves