Like a God to Me

"You... are... GODS!"

— Peter Griffin to KISS, Family Guy

A dialog trope where Bob calls Alice a god, but metaphorically. As in Bob doesn't actually think Alice is a god (nor is Alice actually a god), just that she did something, or several things, that Bob thinks is really awesome. What Alice does can vary. It could be getting everyone in her office a raise with a stingy boss, to her being a rock star.

Often phrased as "You're my god" or "He/She is a god to me". "Personal Jesus" is another phrase in common use.

When the character deems him/herself a god, and is in fact serious about this, see A God Am I and Blasphemous Boast.

A Sub-Trope of Blasphemous Praise. Sister Trope to Bigger Than Jesus (when someone gets this a lot and quotes The Beatles) and Answers to the Name of God (when someone says "Oh God" and the character replies, "Yes?"). The romantic version of this is Love Is Like Religion.

Compare The Knights Who Say "Squee!" and Hero-Worshipper.

Contrast Moral Event Horizon.

Not to be confused with God Guise, nor if someone has actually done a miracle.

---

In-Universe Examples Only

Anime & Manga

• Used as a Running Gag in Attack on Titan. Krista Lenz is frequently referred to as a "Goddess" by her comrades, with Sasha initially mistaking the girl for God during their first meeting.
• Berserk: Griffith tends to be seen metaphorically as a saint or angel by many people he encounters because of his unearthly beauty and charismatic leadership skills. His second-in-command, Casca, admits to Guts that Griffith has been like God to her ever since he saved her as a girl; Judeau explains that her feelings toward Griffith go beyond love, and are more like worship. The strange thing is that later in the story he gains godlike powers by sacrificing his humanity, thus literally fulfilling what before was spoken of only metaphorically.
• In Black Butler, Prince Soma's khansama (butler) Agni thinks of him this way, ever since the prince saved his life.
• Bleach: Soi Fon came from a clan dedicated to serving and protecting the noble Shihoin clan. When she was chosen to serve under Yoruichi Shihoin, she gradually came to see Yoruichi as a personal god as well as a personal friend, leading to a high level of close dedication to her. Soi Fon was understandably devastated when Yoruichi defected from the Soul Society and was branded a traitor, explaining her sour personality in the present.
• In Fullmetal Alchemist, Tim Marcoh is largely responsible for the near extermination of the Ishvalan race, and feels horrible about it. Marcoh ends up saying this to Scar, one of the surviving Ishvalans, as a sign of his own humility, but it only serves to piss Scar off. Marcoh wanted Scar to kill him (both to atone for his sins and so that he could never be forced to make another Philosopher's Stone), but in the end Scar had other plans.
• In Gravitation, Shuichi has said numerous times that Ryuichi is a god to him.
• Enrico Pucci thinks very highly of Dio Brando in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
  Pucci: You are the king of kings. Where will you end up? I want to see it to the end. I love you as I love God.
• Maria no Danzai: Although Akihiro Yuda decided to kill Okaya and his gang with his own hands, in the end chickened out at the last second as he stalked Kowase to his house. In that moment, he watched Maria enter Kowase's house to kidnap him, after which he followed her as she drove Kowase to the abandoned church where she ultimately killed him. When Maria confronts Yuda in the present for murdering Iijima, he states that seeing Maria cradling Kowase's corpse was like seeing a God, and thus Yuda has resolved to become her accomplice.
  Yuda: Your presence, through my eyes... was that of a God.
• Overlord (2012):
  • Played for Drama in that the Nazarick denizens really do think Ainz is a god: since they're custom-designed NPCs brought to life by means unexplained, they think of Ainz and his fellow guildmembers as creator deities, despite Ainz' efforts to convince them otherwise (since they're no longer in a game, he can't edit or create new NPCs anymore).
  • Upon meeting Ainz and seeing for himself how abysmally powerful he is, Fluder comes to believe that Ainz is the world's resident God of Magic and prostrates himself before him, begging Ainz to teach him.
    Fluder: My faith lies in the god that rules and presides over magic. But if you are not that exalted being, then I shall immediately recant my faith, for the one true god has finally appeared before me.
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Because of the way the setting works, Shuna's unyielding faith in Rimuru allows her to use Holy Magic, which is usually fueled by the user's faith in a particular god. Adalman is so impressed by this that he asks to meet with Rimuru after Shuna defeats him, eventually worshipping Rimuru as his new god.

Comic Books

• In Mighty Avengers Jocasta claims this is how she and most sentient machines view Hank Pym, the creator of Ultron, as he created one of the first and most advanced true independent A.I in the Marvel Universe. This is later backed up in Secret Avengers, where a planned machine uprising has the death of their 'god', Pym, as one of their key objectives.
• Transformers: More than Meets the Eye: Ultra Magnus is well regarded and feared by both sides in the war. When dealing with a Galactic Counsel detachment, who are known for their hatred of Cybertronians, the captain is honored to meet Magnus and it's revealed that most of the command structure respects his rigid adherence to the law both in letter and spirit. With the Reveal that Magnus is a Legacy Character whose original died long ago, the current Magnus, Minimus Ambus, reveals that he thought of Ultra Magnus as this, the fair and just lawman that he always aspired to be.

Fan Fiction

• Touched on in the Contractually Obligated Chaos series, in a Call-Back to an episode of the show. Reminding his listeners (and the reader) that Beetlejuice has an actual functioning shrine for Lydia inside his head, the Fairy Godfather observes that while best friends don't normally get shrines, goddesses do. She's naturally a little uncomfortable with that implication.
• in the Bleach fanfic Heirverse Gin's petname for Aizen is his 'Sun', and references to the legend of Helios are made constantly.
• In Mega Man: Defender of the Human Race, Metal Man sees Wily as a god. It's not played for laughs.
• Demonstrated by Shino to Naruto in Naruto Genkyouien, by word in the chapter linked, and to an increasing degree as the story progresses. Shino, apparently a shameless pervert, is openly admiring of Naruto's apparent and implied success with the various attractive human-form kitsune he finds himself surrounded by.
  "That Naruto..." Kiba mumbled. "...he needs to answer some questions..."
  "Just 'some'?" Ino contested. "I'll go with 'a lot' myself."
  "He might have just become my new God."
  Everyone stared at Shino very, very oddly.
• In basically any Naruto fanfiction where Naruto either sleeps with, gropes, or exposes Tsunade in some fashion, Jiraiya will declare him God and/or Master.
• New Vegas Showtime: Vince, in reference to the Let's Player he's an expy of, invokes the name of John Moses Browning like this when giving Ann a free 1911.
• Discussed in Poké Wars: The Defervescence, when Ho-oh and Uxie meet a giant Alakazam that quickly pledges his services to Uxie:
  Ho-oh: "Might I ask what you told the Alakazam to inspire such reverence for you?"
  Uxie: "Alakazam are creatures of intellect, more so than other psychics. Knowledge valued as much as air. Meeting creator of their lively hood akin to humans meeting their god. Am in uncomfortable position of being revered as much as Arceus."
  Ho-oh: "Many would kill for that kind of loyalty."
  Uxie: "Unnecessary reverence. Did not bestow knowledge, only gave tools with which to reach current status. Sculptor praised for creating art from block of marble, not manufacturer of chisel and hammer. Illogical to believe otherwise. Saddening to see one of such wisdom and intellect blinded by unnecessary worship. Another example of emotions becoming obstacle in clarity. Preferable to no longer have them. Allows for better work ethic."
• Downplayed in Domovoi, as the Jaegers do refer to Caitlin Lightcap as a deity of sorts for creating the Jaeger project, but mostly in the form of swearwords ("Lightcap-dammit" being one example). Dr. Lightcap is not amused.

Films — Live-Action

• Fair Play: Luke tells Campbell that the job is his religion and Campbell is his god to convince him that he would give the PM position everything he's got. Unfortunately, the PM Campbell has actually hired for the job arrives at that moment, furthering Luke's humiliation.
• In A Knight's Tale, William tells Wat why he is listening to Jocelyn when she tells him to lose the tournament.
  Wat: And your love? Have you proven that yet?
  William: Wat, you remember church as a boy. The fear, the passion. That's what she makes me feel. And for that, I say my rosary to Jocelyn and no one else.
  Wat: William, that's blasphemous.
  William: Then may I burn in hell.
• When Neo gives a hacking disk to a client in The Matrix, the client says "You're my savior, my own personal Jesus Christ." This is a downplayed variation, as he seems to be just being nice instead of thinking Neo was amazing. Also a very subtle form of Foreshadowing, as that's what Neo ends up becoming.
• Said by Roy in the movie Wolf (Mike Nichols), when Will tells him of a ballsy business stunt he is going to pull.

Jokes

• What's the difference between dogs and cats?

  Dog: You feed me, care for me, and cater to my every need. YOU MUST BE A GOD!
  Cat: You feed me, care for me, and cater to my every need. I MUST BE A GOD!

Literature

• Referenced very quietly in one passage of Louisa May Alcott's Eight Cousins, when Uncle Alec's beloved niece Rose is battling what appears to be pneumonia, and may die. Alec, a seasoned world traveler, has many relics of his visits to India and other faraway lands, and he shakes his fist at the carved image of an Indian god as if the god had somehow caused the illness in "[Alec's] own little goddess."
• In Girls Kingdom, this is how Sara sees Sakura, who rescued her from the gutter and gave her a reason to live, by hiring her as her maid. She even says, "To me, I can honestly say that she's akin to a goddess."
• I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level: After reincarnating in another world, Azusa lived in the highlands above Flatta for 300 years, providing effective medicine at a nominal fee. Because of this, the villagers see her as more of a guardian spirit than a neighbour, though they don't actively worship her.
• A non-blasphemous example: in a conversation Leon Fortunato has with David Hassid in the Left Behind book Assassins, Leon asks David who he finds to be the most inspirational person that he idolizes, and David answers "My father", saying that "he's like God to me". Leon says that he would want to meet him someday, and David says there's a very good chance that Leon will, face to face.
• David, protagonist of The Reckoners Trilogy, initially thinks of the titular Cape Buster group, which he spent his adolescence dreaming and scheming to join, in these terms.
  David (first person narration): It was bizarre to see them as people. A part of me was actually disappointed. My gods were regular humans who squabbled, laughed, got on one another's nerves, and - in Abraham's case - snored when they slept. Loudly.
• A non-humorous example occurs in Tai Pan, when one character tells Dirk Struan that he is God to her. He doesn't actually like hearing this, as he is a devout Christian, has been trying to have a mentor-relationship with the woman in question, and probably recognises such a declaration as the result of her slavish admiration and unhealthy obsession with him.
• In A Song of Ice and Fire Ser Davos the Onion Knight greatly revers Stannis Baratheon, his king and the man who raised him to knighthood after the rebellion. Both Stannis and Davos's son Matthos become followers of the Red God, R'hollor, a religion of which Davos himself is skeptical. When Matthos keeps trying to convince him to become a follower as well, Davos finally says that if Matthos wants him to have a god, his god is Stannis Baratheon. Despite (or because of) his feelings, however, Davos is one of the few people willing to stand up to Stannis and call him out when he feels his king is making the wrong decision.

Live-Action TV

• Doctor Who: In "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", the Villain of the Week Magnus Greel uses a God Guise, but doesn't try to hide the fact that he's actually a time traveler from Li H'sen Chang, to whom it makes no difference as Greel raised him up from a humble Chinese peasant to a magician who performs before crowned heads of Europe.
  Doctor: You know he's not a God, don't you?
  Chang: He came to me like a God, in his cabinet of fire!
• Friends:
  Joey: Heh. Let me get this straight. He got you to beg to sleep with him. He got you to say he never has to call you again. And he got you thinking this is a great idea?
  Phoebe: [weakly] Uh-huh.
  Joey: This man is my god!
• How I Met Your Mother
  • Randy says this to Barney.
  • Barney also idolizes Marshall for a short time after he accidentally sends him to flirt with his own bride to laugh at his failure.
• I, Claudius. Herod tells Claudius that when he first came to Rome as a royal hostage, all the Romans seemed like gods, even him. Ironically Herod later dies after pretending to be the Son of God in a bid for power.
• Interview with the Vampire (2022): In the first scene of "...After the Phantoms of Your Former Self", when Rashid tires of Daniel Molloy's line of questioning, he simply asserts that his vampire boss Louis de Pointe du Lac is a deity whom he's happy to obey.
  Daniel: Did you always work for [Louis]? Sign an NDA? I mean, is it only work or are you and he...?
  Rashid: I serve a god. It is my honor to serve.
• Abby, in one episode of NCIS, tells McGee that "You are a god among men" when he partially solves a problem she's having with some evidence. He then redirects the comment to Gibbs ("I'm not a god among men, you are") when Gibbs makes a comment that helps McGee figure out the rest of the problem.
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024): In the finale, the "super high risk" John and Jane talk about their employer like he's a god (which Jane lampshades), because they worship their boss's apparent omniscience.
• Mr. Robot: Tyrell Wellick's immediate reaction post the successful 5/9 hack is to manically compare both him and Elliot Alderson to gods. Understandably, Robot isn't exactly pleased by this, viewing Tyrell's obsession with Elliot and his overinflated ego as more of a risk than anything else. He's right, and the events of Season 2 combined with Tyrell's increasing instability nearly culminate in Elliot bleeding out from a gunshot wound, Tyrell tearfully insisting throughout that Elliot is meant to be a god and is needlessly throwing away his chances at achieving such a thing. Though, it's not as if Robot is entirely blameless for the situation either...
• Smallville:
  • While Chloe has always been a Hero-Worshipper to Clark, ironically, the only time she called him something along the lines, he was demanding her to help him find a crystal when she is already waist-deep in her own problems. She tells him to stop looking down on her from Olympus.
  • A straight(er) example in Lara: Kara says Zor-El always seems to be a god to her but she finds out he has a thing for his brother's wife.
• That '70s Show when Fez and Kelso think Eric slept with Donna's mom, they prostrate themselves on the floor and call him a god.
  Kelso: A GOD I SAY!

Music

• The Depeche Mode song Personal Jesus, where it's arguably deconstructed, as the one who has a personal Jesus is alone and lonely.
• Inverted in the Keith Urban song "You're Not My God" about getting over drugs.
• Vertical Horizon's song "You're a God", which ironically seems to be implying that particular feeling toward the subject is gone.

Professional Wrestling

• Spoken word for word by Hulk Hogan to André the Giant when he is trying to talk Andre out of his Face–Heel Turn during their appearance on "Piper's Pit" on the February 7 (taped January 26), 1987 WWF Superstars.

Theatre

• Assassins: Two characters sing a duet love song, "Unworthy of Your Love", in which each declares that they worship the figures of their desire as if they were gods. This would seem very touching, except that the characters aren't singing to each other: they are Lynnette 'Squeaky' Fromme and John Hinckley Jr, and the objects of their ardor are Charles Manson and Jody Foster, respectively - each is explaining why they must kill the US president to prove their devotion. The effect is creepy in the extreme.

Video Games

• The Warden, in Dragon Age: Origins, can be seen this way by his/her party members if their approval rating is high enough. A few lines of party banter state it outright.
  Zevran (to Shale): Take a long look at our Grey Warden, my good friend. Right there we have an object worthy of worship, no?
  • In Awakening, if the Warden has the Dwarven-Commoner origin, Sigrun has this reaction upon learning their true identity. It appears that "Paragon Brosca" has become a Folk Hero amongst their fellow Casteless Dwarves in Orzammar.
• In Half-Life 2, Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance are seen this way by the Vortigaunts, calling them "the Freeman" and "the Alyx Vance" respectively.
• In Knights of the Old Republic, Juhani describes the renegade Jedi who freed her from slavery on Taris as this, citing them as the reason why she felt the call to go to Dantooine and pursue the Jedi path. It's later revealed that this Jedi was actually Darth Revan before their fall to the Dark-Side, ironically the very person she's speaking to, implanted with Laser-Guided Amnesia by the Jedi Council.
• In Mass Effect 2, Ashley Williams, (providing she survived Virmire in the first game), berates an ungrateful colonist on Horizon who dared to insult Shepard, claiming that they're standing in the presence of a God. Then subverted once the colonist left, Ashley berates Shepard and loses her 'faith' in him/her because Shepard is working for Cerberus.
  • In Mass Effect 3, at one point during the Citadel DLC, the Cerberus-created Clone!Shepard mocks the Normandy crew for their hero worship towards Shepard, accusing them of being little more than a cult.
  • The Distant Finale of Mass Effect 3 implies that many in the galaxy continue to revere "The Shepard" well into the far-future.
• Tale of Food: Longjing Shrimp holds this attitude towards Zitui Swallow, despite the latter's insistence to be treated as just a friend.
• In Sengoku Basara, Ishida Mitsunari worships Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a god for having saved his life as a child and giving that life purpose as one of his retainers. When Tokugawa Ieyasu killed Hideyoshi in Sengoku Basara 3, Mitsunari was consumed by rage and despair, founding the Western Army in a Roaring Rampage of Revenge. Mitsunari always prays to Hideyoshi's memory to ask him for the resolve to carry out his vengeance.

Web Animation

• Tyrian Callows from RWBY is an Ax-Crazy Serial Killer. When he was arrested and being transported to prison, his escort was attacked by the Creatures of Grimm lead by Salem who came to rescue and recruit Tyrian to her cause. Since that day, Tyrian has revered Salem as his personal goddess and serves her dutifully in her grand design. His loyalty to her is so complete that he is the only one of Salem's subordinates to know the true extent of her goals.

Web Original

• When 90s Kid does his take on the Atop the Fourth Wall Theme Tune, he inverts the comment about Rob Liefeld to "Liefeld, you are my god!"
• In the Epic Rap Battles of History match David Copperfield vs. Harry Houdini, Copperfield begins his first verse by acknowledging Houdini was a god to him when he was a child, then bragging that he will crush his inspiration.
• Mike Burnfire: Zach refers to John Moses Browning as a god multiple times.
• When The Spoony Experiment reviewed Ultima I, Noah gushed about the high concept mixing fantasy and sci-fi works, then saying about Richard Garriot, "He is a god among nerds."

Western Animation

• When Peter meets the members of KISS in Family Guy, he can just stammer "You... are... GODS!"

---