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Anime & Manga
"Are you out of your mind? You don't know anything about Yokohama! Anger the Detective Agency and you'll never survive!"
— Criminal, Bungo Stray Dogs
Ripperdoc: Adam Smasher, name to know. To some, a hero of the Fourth Corporate War. To others, a fully-borg'd boogieman, a walking nightmare. But to all, a living legend! Ask anyone.
David: What kind of legend?
Ripperdoc: The kind that fills graveyards on Arasaka's orders.
David: What kind of legend?
Ripperdoc: The kind that fills graveyards on Arasaka's orders.
King Kai: IT'S FRIEZA!
Goku: Hey, what's wrong? Did you see who it is?
King Kai: Goku, listen to me! This is the strongest and fiercest opponent you could ever face! There's no way you're ready for him!
Goku: But...what do you mean, King Kai?
King Kai: I'm not just saying this for your sake, Goku, but for all people everywhere: you can't anger Frieza! If you do, his wrath will follow us to the ends of the universe! I'm ordering you not to go anywhere near him! Now, you promise me! Promise you won't attempt to face Frieza at any cost! You can't win! All you'll do is provoke him, it would be just like hitting a beehive with a stick! The best thing you can do is to stay away form him altogether!
Goku: But what about the Dragon Balls? I at least have to try!
King Kai: NO! YOU HAVE TO PROMISE ME! RIGHT NOW!
Goku: C'mon!
King Kai: ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Goku: Hey, what's wrong? Did you see who it is?
King Kai: Goku, listen to me! This is the strongest and fiercest opponent you could ever face! There's no way you're ready for him!
Goku: But...what do you mean, King Kai?
King Kai: I'm not just saying this for your sake, Goku, but for all people everywhere: you can't anger Frieza! If you do, his wrath will follow us to the ends of the universe! I'm ordering you not to go anywhere near him! Now, you promise me! Promise you won't attempt to face Frieza at any cost! You can't win! All you'll do is provoke him, it would be just like hitting a beehive with a stick! The best thing you can do is to stay away form him altogether!
Goku: But what about the Dragon Balls? I at least have to try!
King Kai: NO! YOU HAVE TO PROMISE ME! RIGHT NOW!
Goku: C'mon!
King Kai: ABSOLUTELY NOT!
"If your hurt the White Devil's feelings, your life is forfeit, or so it is said."
Van Augur: Captain! The Marines have come into view!!
Blackbeard: They'd better have brought the battleship we asked for!
Van Augur: They do have a battleship, but I doubt they intend to hand it over!
Blackbeard: Huh?! How can you tell?!
Van Augur: Akainu is on board!!
Blackbeard: They'd better have brought the battleship we asked for!
Van Augur: They do have a battleship, but I doubt they intend to hand it over!
Blackbeard: Huh?! How can you tell?!
Van Augur: Akainu is on board!!
Assorted Pirates: I don't believe what I'm seeing!! Is that a navy battleship flying up there?! Wait, is someone standing on it?! Isn't that?! That's impossible... isn't he retired?! You're kidding... it's the Legendary Hero...
Monkey D. Garp: BWA-HA-HA-HA!!
Assorted Pirates: IT'S VICE ADMIRAL GARP!!! Run for it!!
Monkey D. Garp: BWA-HA-HA-HA!!
Assorted Pirates: IT'S VICE ADMIRAL GARP!!! Run for it!!
Comic Books
Mr. Combustible: Oh Oswald... you're scared of a "mob killer"? Really?
The Penguin: It's not a mob killer. It's Lady Shiva.
Mr. Combustible: Come, girls. Let us find better accommodations for tonight.
Girl #1: What? Where?
Mr. Combustible: Anywhere but Gotham.
The Penguin: It's not a mob killer. It's Lady Shiva.
Mr. Combustible: Come, girls. Let us find better accommodations for tonight.
Girl #1: What? Where?
Mr. Combustible: Anywhere but Gotham.
— Batman
"All these months I've lived in a fool's paradise, refusing to believe his claim to be the real Red Skull, refusing to believe that my greatest enemy had found a way to cheat death... but he has. The Red Skull lives — God help us all."
— Steve Rogers, Captain America
Brothel owner: Throw those bums away!
Bouncers: But... those are Brous.
Brothel patron: Throw them away or you're fired!
Bouncers: We are fired.
Bouncers: But... those are Brous.
Brothel patron: Throw them away or you're fired!
Bouncers: We are fired.
Reed: It turns out they speak trinary code. So I said to them, "I am Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, and I..."
Sue: Go on...
Reed: Actually, that's as far as I got. It was enough to send them running.
Sue: Go on...
Reed: Actually, that's as far as I got. It was enough to send them running.
"We were frightened of [Darkseid] before we knew who he was, Sun Boy — unfortunately, there's more reason for fear now."
— Dream Girl, The Great Darkness Saga
"They speak my name in whispers in the nurseries in thine icy home!"
— Thor, The Mighty Thor
"You want me to go after Spider-Man? Sure. Daredevil? I'll have a go at him, why not? Hell, I've made a career out of taking a poke at Captain America. But Moon Knight? He crashed a damn helicopter into a building to get at me. Like I need to live through my own personal 9/11 again. Good luck finding anyone in the city who's up for that kind of pain. Anyone who ain't a psycho or a scrub at least, neither of which are worth the money."
— Taskmaster, Moon Knight
"Outside the prison on Ryker's Island, Hurricane Linda rages. Inside? A storm of whispers chills the inmates to the bone. They fear the storm to come. That's how I like it. I am like the hurricane. There's a calm in my eye. And I'd like to blow them all away...."
— Frank Castle, The Punisher: Circle of Blood
"Someone said setup, hands slid towards holstered pistols. Someone said cops and I put the charge aside in case, but it made no sense... Someone said Punisher and the room turned arctic, if only for a second. Gratifying. But way too flattering."
— Frank Castle, The Punisher MAX #50
Supergirl: I grew up on Krypton, didn't I? Everyone who did knows about Brainiac. He's what kept us from going out after dark.
Superman: You're... scared?
Supergirl: It was the scariest thing that ever happened on Krypton. Next to the day it died. I'll never forget Brainiac.
Superman: You're... scared?
Supergirl: It was the scariest thing that ever happened on Krypton. Next to the day it died. I'll never forget Brainiac.
Besides, this new Brainiac frightens me...He's unlike any enemy I've ever met before. He has no morality, no compassion— He simply wants to control. And I don't know if even a Superman can stop him!
— Superman, "Brainiac Rebirth"
"Great going, Neron, bring in the one guy no one wants to be in the same room with. When super-villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories."
— Trickster, Underworld Unleashed
"None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with ME."
— Rorschach, Watchmen
Fan Works
"Holy crap, it's Angel!"
— Random vampire, Bring Me to Life
Then a head hung upside down in their view. A head with a tremendous grin on it, and the clincher: grass-green hair.
At that point, Blinky and his boys weren't too concerned with niceties like the head's skin color, or the fact that a red-dyed sheepskin was hanging down from the newcomer's shoulders on either side of the head. The three of them had processed two pertinent facts.
1) Laughter.
2) Green hair.
They managed to get out a string of frightened obscenities, but the only really relevant thing they said was two words: "The Joker!"
In such cases, you didn't stop to wonder why the Joker would want to horn in on you busting up an ATM and grabbing the money. Maybe it was his territory. Maybe he needed the dough, too. Maybe he just didn't like your looks, or it had been too long since he killed somebody. It really didn't matter.
All that mattered was getting the hell out of there before he did something that left you on a slab with a toe tag and a big grin all over your face.
At that point, Blinky and his boys weren't too concerned with niceties like the head's skin color, or the fact that a red-dyed sheepskin was hanging down from the newcomer's shoulders on either side of the head. The three of them had processed two pertinent facts.
1) Laughter.
2) Green hair.
They managed to get out a string of frightened obscenities, but the only really relevant thing they said was two words: "The Joker!"
In such cases, you didn't stop to wonder why the Joker would want to horn in on you busting up an ATM and grabbing the money. Maybe it was his territory. Maybe he needed the dough, too. Maybe he just didn't like your looks, or it had been too long since he killed somebody. It really didn't matter.
All that mattered was getting the hell out of there before he did something that left you on a slab with a toe tag and a big grin all over your face.
— The Creeper being mistaken for the Joker, Dance with the Demons
I had experienced terror before, had woken up next to my murdered family and been chased by zombies. Over the past week I had looked death and worse in the eye, and while I didn't laugh at it, I had survived. I had kept my head and gotten myself to safety each time. But against this stallion, such a thing was impossible. Looking at him obliterated all thought, bone deep fear gripped my heart and lungs in a vice and a cold clammy sweat soaked me. Adrenaline burned in my veins, telling me, begging me to run, but my hooves were out of my control as surly as if I had sunken into the stone floor. I wasn't just feeling fear, I was looking at it.
Of course, to be fair, any ninja less than a kage or living legend who possessed the faintest degree of sense would only fight an opponent like Itachi Uchiha if there was absolutely no other option. There were loads of loonies and psychos in the world of rouge ninja, and all sorts of horror stories about the biggest and baddest bastards of the underworld, but even compared to the most feared and infamous criminals out there, a ninja wiping out their own clan was nothing to sneeze at.
And when that clan was, by itself, a force that could nearly rival the military of a hidden village, with centuries of history and a fearsome bloodline that could be traced back to the earliest days of shinobi history, a clan that most considered to be the elite of the elite, renowned for producing masters and prodigies with such frightening regularity that pretty much anyone bearing their family crest was automatically marked down as a potential serious threat... well, the person who accomplished that would become the boogieman's boogieman.
And when that clan was, by itself, a force that could nearly rival the military of a hidden village, with centuries of history and a fearsome bloodline that could be traced back to the earliest days of shinobi history, a clan that most considered to be the elite of the elite, renowned for producing masters and prodigies with such frightening regularity that pretty much anyone bearing their family crest was automatically marked down as a potential serious threat... well, the person who accomplished that would become the boogieman's boogieman.
"Where they were from, they were a truly terrifying force. Others trembled at the mere mention, nay, the mere thought, of their name. Everyone feared the Clan of Wu."
— King Andrias, A Moth to a Flame
All Ryuko and the other attendees had been told was that the girl was supposedly named Nui Harime, and that she was the closest associate and younger daughter of Ragyo Kiryuin. A simple order had been given for all potential encounters with her, allowing for no exceptions until further notice: "Abort and retreat."
It was just as well that the Lord Executioner was so feared by the people. Crime in the Western District had lowered ever since he had sent two of his cadre out to patrol the streets to put down any burgeoning criminal enterprise. There were even rumors that the Good Hunter himself was out at night, which sent even the most bloodthirsty criminal and hardened thief cowering into their homes.
"Warlocks and demons didn't stand a chance, and monsters? Hah! Monsters begged their mommies to check under their beds for ME!"
— Sunset Shimmer, Student 32: Sunset Shimmer
Villains used to cry when they heard Kyle Rayner was in town.
— the superhero game, Chapter 22 Tagline
TheCretin: I love how everyone else is in a different form, but Yuuka's still just Yuuka.
BarefeetChaser: Truth
Fruderica: Did the painter thinks YUUKA is human?
user 12382: They were trying to make scarier, more monstrous versions of the characters.
And the only thing more scary than Yuuka ... is Yuuka.
FantasySpark: I'm pretty sure Yuuka is just Yuuka because she has no predetermined youkai form, she's just a youkai.
Sal.N: Yuuka is a flower youkai. Her motif should be flowers. The artist simply chose to depict her as human to emphasize how terrifying she is among them all.
BarefeetChaser: Truth
Fruderica: Did the painter thinks YUUKA is human?
user 12382: They were trying to make scarier, more monstrous versions of the characters.
And the only thing more scary than Yuuka ... is Yuuka.
FantasySpark: I'm pretty sure Yuuka is just Yuuka because she has no predetermined youkai form, she's just a youkai.
Sal.N: Yuuka is a flower youkai. Her motif should be flowers. The artist simply chose to depict her as human to emphasize how terrifying she is among them all.
— Danbooru users discussing a piece of fanart depicting Cute Monster Girls from Touhou Project as actual monsters... except for Yuuka Kazami.
depicting Cute Monster Girls from Touhou Project as actual monsters... except for Yuuka Kazami."Speak not his name, or he will descent on us, to drink our blood, or tear us to bloody fragments, or taunt us for his own vile amusement!"
— Sybil Trelawney, The Uncertainty Principle
Films — Animation
The air grows still with a sudden chill, no talk, no laughs, no chatter
With trees shaking, the ground quaking, the crowd began to scatter
Out of his lair, came the third bear, with murder in his eyes
He took in the scene of love serene with jealousy and surprise
He was the roughest, toughest, meanest bear
Lumpjaw by name, a villain for fair
With trees shaking, the ground quaking, the crowd began to scatter
Out of his lair, came the third bear, with murder in his eyes
He took in the scene of love serene with jealousy and surprise
He was the roughest, toughest, meanest bear
Lumpjaw by name, a villain for fair
Basil: That bat, one Fidget by name, is in the employ of the very fiend who was the target of my experiment! The horror of my every waking moment! The nefarious Professor Ratigan!
Dawson: Eh, Ratigan?
Basil: He's a genius, Dawson! A genius twisted for evil. The Napoleon of crime!
Dawson: As bad as all that, eh?
Basil: Worse! For years, I've tried to capture him. And I've come close — so very close — but each time, he's narrowly evaded my grasp! Not a corner of London's safe while Ratigan's at large. No evil scheme he wouldn't concoct. No depravity he wouldn't commit. Who knows that dastardly scheme that villain may be plotting, even as we speak...
Dawson: Eh, Ratigan?
Basil: He's a genius, Dawson! A genius twisted for evil. The Napoleon of crime!
Dawson: As bad as all that, eh?
Basil: Worse! For years, I've tried to capture him. And I've come close — so very close — but each time, he's narrowly evaded my grasp! Not a corner of London's safe while Ratigan's at large. No evil scheme he wouldn't concoct. No depravity he wouldn't commit. Who knows that dastardly scheme that villain may be plotting, even as we speak...
"This thing never steals food, never shows itself and... never misses."
— Hiccup describing a Night Fury, How to Train Your Dragon
Buzzy: Run, friend! Run!
Mowgli: Run? Why should I run?
Shere Khan: Why should you run? Could it be possible that you don't know who I am?
Mowgli: I know you, alright. You're Shere Khan.
Shere Khan: Precisely. [bares his claws] Then you should also know that everyone runs from Shere Khan.
Mowgli: Run? Why should I run?
Shere Khan: Why should you run? Could it be possible that you don't know who I am?
Mowgli: I know you, alright. You're Shere Khan.
Shere Khan: Precisely. [bares his claws] Then you should also know that everyone runs from Shere Khan.
Something evil's watchin' over you
Coming from the sky above
And there's nothing you can do
Prepare to strike, there'll be no place to run
When you're caught within the grip
Of the evil Unicron!
Coming from the sky above
And there's nothing you can do
Prepare to strike, there'll be no place to run
When you're caught within the grip
Of the evil Unicron!
Films — Live-Action
Bruce Wayne: I came here to show you that not everyone in Gotham's afraid of you.
Carmine Falcone: Only those who know me, kid. Look around you: you'll see two councilmen, a union official, a couple off-duty cops, and a judge. Now, I wouldn't have a second's hesitation of blowing your head off right here and right now in front of 'em. Now, that's power you can't buy. That's the power of fear.
Carmine Falcone: Only those who know me, kid. Look around you: you'll see two councilmen, a union official, a couple off-duty cops, and a judge. Now, I wouldn't have a second's hesitation of blowing your head off right here and right now in front of 'em. Now, that's power you can't buy. That's the power of fear.
"My God, men. Do you know what this means? Do you know whose brother... ? This ghetto is gonna be turned upside-down, I tell you, upside-down. The streets are gonna run crimson with the blood of the men responsible for his brother's death. Man I'm speaking of is a veritable one-man army. And if you get on his bad side, brother, you're done for. It's only a matter of time before he finds out. And when he does, no matter where he is, get ready, gentlemen, because hell's a-coming. Coming, coming, coming..."
— Captain Nancy on Black Dynamite, Black Dynamite
Vicky: Can you take us to Isaac?
Sarah: No.
Vicky: Why not?
Sarah: He's scary.
Sarah: No.
Vicky: Why not?
Sarah: He's scary.
"Let's wind the clocks back a year: these cops and lawyers wouldn't dare cross any of you, so what happened? Did your balls drop off? I know why you choose to have your little group therapy sessions in broad daylight. I know why you're afraid to go out at night: The Batman."
— The Joker, The Dark Knight
John Blake: Bane? What do you know about him?
Selina Kyle: That you should be as afraid of him as I am.
Selina Kyle: That you should be as afraid of him as I am.
Edgar Friendly: They thawed this guy out just to kill me? I'm flattered.
John Spartan: Don't be flattered, be frightened. This guy's a certifiable nightmare.
John Spartan: Don't be flattered, be frightened. This guy's a certifiable nightmare.
Dr. Raymond Cocteau: I hadn't counted on this, but I must say, you worked out beautifully. People are terrified of you.
Simon Phoenix: What's new? People have always been terrified of me.
Simon Phoenix: What's new? People have always been terrified of me.
"It's my idiot cousin, Gaston Grimsdyke! You don't think he's coming to work here, do you?"
— Dr. Miles Grimsdyke, Doctor in Clover
Lex: One million credits.
Ma-Ma: A million?
Lex: You have a problem with a Judge. You know who he is?
Ma-Ma: No.
Lex: I do. One million.
Ma-Ma: A million?
Lex: You have a problem with a Judge. You know who he is?
Ma-Ma: No.
Lex: I do. One million.
— Dredd
"One takes cyanide, another would let her arm be broken, neither will talk. Who puts that sort of fear into people?"
— James Bond, Dr. No
"There's two things you don't know about the Earth, Kid. One is me. And the other is... Godzilla."
— Douglas Gordon, Godzilla: Final Wars
"With respect, sir, you'll need a team that's prepared and ready to fight, because if that thing shows up again... you're going to have a lot of professional tough guys pissing in their pants, sir."
— Emil Blonsky regarding the Hulk, The Incredible Hulk (2008)
"Our battle plan will be that of the Apache Resistance. We will be cruel to the Germans, and through our cruelty, they will know who we are, and they will find the evidence of our cruelty in the disembowled, dismembered, and disfigured bodies of their brothers we leave behind us, and the German won't be able to help himselfs when imagining the cruelty their brothers endured at our hands, and our bootheel, and the edge of our knives, and the German will be sickened by us, and the German will talk about us, and the German will fear us, and when the German closes their eyes at night, and they're tortured by their subconscious for the evil they have done, it will be with thoughts of us that they are tortured with."
— Aldo Raine, Inglorious Basterds
Viggo: It's not what you did, son, that angers me so. It's who you did it to.
Iosef: Who? That fucking nobody?
Viggo: That "fuckin' nobody"... is John Wick. He once was an associate of ours. They call him "Baba Yaga".
Iosef: The Boogeyman?
Viggo: Well John wasn't exactly the Boogeyman. He was the one you sent to kill the fucking Boogeyman.
Iosef: Oh.
Viggo: John is a man of focus, commitment, sheer will... something you know very little about. I once saw him kill three men in a bar... with a pencil. With a fucking... pencil. Then, suddenly, one day he asked to leave. It's over a woman, of course. So, I made a deal with him. I gave him an impossible task. A job no one could have pulled off. The bodies he buried that day laid the foundation of what we are now. And then my son, a few days after his wife died, you steal his car and kill his fucking dog. [...] John will come for you. You will do nothing because you can do nothing.
Iosef: Who? That fucking nobody?
Viggo: That "fuckin' nobody"... is John Wick. He once was an associate of ours. They call him "Baba Yaga".
Iosef: The Boogeyman?
Viggo: Well John wasn't exactly the Boogeyman. He was the one you sent to kill the fucking Boogeyman.
Iosef: Oh.
Viggo: John is a man of focus, commitment, sheer will... something you know very little about. I once saw him kill three men in a bar... with a pencil. With a fucking... pencil. Then, suddenly, one day he asked to leave. It's over a woman, of course. So, I made a deal with him. I gave him an impossible task. A job no one could have pulled off. The bodies he buried that day laid the foundation of what we are now. And then my son, a few days after his wife died, you steal his car and kill his fucking dog. [...] John will come for you. You will do nothing because you can do nothing.
Julius: I fail to recall the last time you were in Rome. And here I heard you had retired.
John: I had.
Julius: Then humor me with but one question... [in Italian] Are you here for the Pope?
John: I had.
Julius: Then humor me with but one question... [in Italian] Are you here for the Pope?
Bagheera: You don't understand, the boy's in danger.
Baloo: I know, he told me. He's being hunted by a tiger.
Bagheera: Not any tiger. Shere Khan.
Baloo: Shere Khan's hunting him? Oh.
Baloo: I know, he told me. He's being hunted by a tiger.
Bagheera: Not any tiger. Shere Khan.
Baloo: Shere Khan's hunting him? Oh.
"I want every gun we have to fire on that man..."
— Kylo Ren regarding Luke Skywalker, The Last Jedi
Walker: Is it true Lane gassed a village of two thousand people?
Ethan: Yes.
Walker: Is it true he brought down an entire passenger plane just to kill one man?
Ethan: Yes.
Walker: Is it true that—
Ethan: Hey, Walker. Whatever you've heard, if it makes your skin crawl, it's probably true.
Ethan: Yes.
Walker: Is it true he brought down an entire passenger plane just to kill one man?
Ethan: Yes.
Walker: Is it true that—
Ethan: Hey, Walker. Whatever you've heard, if it makes your skin crawl, it's probably true.
"Follow. But! Follow only if ye be men of valor! For the entrance to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel, that no man yet has fought with it... and lived! Bones of full fifty men lie strewn about its lair! So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth!"
— Tim the Enchanter regarding the Killer Rabbit, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
"Fear. Fear attracts the fearful, the strong, the weak, the innocent, the corrupt... fear. Fear is my ally."
— Darth Maul, The Phantom Menace promotional clip
"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die."
— Billy regarding the Predator, Predator
"This is dread, mon. Truly, dread."
— King Willie, Predator 2
Moff Jerjerrod: Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence...
Darth Vader: You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule.
Moff Jerjerrod: I assure you, Lord Vader. My men are working as fast as they can.
Darth Vader: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them.
Moff Jerjerrod: I tell you, this station will be operational as planned.
Darth Vader: The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
Moff Jerjerrod: But he asks the impossible. I need more men.
Darth Vader: Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives.
Moff Jerjerrod: ...The Emperor's coming here?
Darth Vader: That is correct, Commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
Moff Jerjerrod: We shall double our efforts.
Darth Vader: I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
Darth Vader: You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule.
Moff Jerjerrod: I assure you, Lord Vader. My men are working as fast as they can.
Darth Vader: Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them.
Moff Jerjerrod: I tell you, this station will be operational as planned.
Darth Vader: The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.
Moff Jerjerrod: But he asks the impossible. I need more men.
Darth Vader: Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives.
Moff Jerjerrod: ...The Emperor's coming here?
Darth Vader: That is correct, Commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress.
Moff Jerjerrod: We shall double our efforts.
Darth Vader: I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am.
Sévérine: What do you know about fear?
James Bond: All there is.
Sévérine: Not like this. Not like him.
James Bond: All there is.
Sévérine: Not like this. Not like him.
— Skyfall
Brick Top: Do you know who I am?
Lincoln: I do.
Brick Top: Good. That will save me some time, then.
Lincoln: I do.
Brick Top: Good. That will save me some time, then.
— Snatch.
Commander Walters: This needs a much more sophisticated mind, someone who understands technology.
Army General: You wanna send in a lab rat?
Commander Walters: Not just any lab rat. A lab rat with teeth.
NASA Rep: You're not suggesting who I think you're suggesting...
Commander Walters: I know he's a little weird—
NASA Rep: "Weird"?!
Army General: No, no!
NASA Rep: He's a psychological tire fire!
Commander Walters: But he's also brilliant! Five PhDs, IQ off the charts, and his drone tech is revolutionary!
Army General: You're sure he can handle this?
Commander Walters: He has a perfect operations record. Remember the coup in Pakistan?
Army General: No...
Commander Walters: Or the uprising in Azerbaijanistan?
Navy Chief of Staff: That's not even a country.
Commander Walters: Exactly! And you can thank Robotnik for that.
NASA Rep: I can't believe you're bringing that freak into this...
Commander Walters: Neither can I, but... we have no choice.
Army General: You wanna send in a lab rat?
Commander Walters: Not just any lab rat. A lab rat with teeth.
NASA Rep: You're not suggesting who I think you're suggesting...
Commander Walters: I know he's a little weird—
NASA Rep: "Weird"?!
Army General: No, no!
NASA Rep: He's a psychological tire fire!
Commander Walters: But he's also brilliant! Five PhDs, IQ off the charts, and his drone tech is revolutionary!
Army General: You're sure he can handle this?
Commander Walters: He has a perfect operations record. Remember the coup in Pakistan?
Army General: No...
Commander Walters: Or the uprising in Azerbaijanistan?
Navy Chief of Staff: That's not even a country.
Commander Walters: Exactly! And you can thank Robotnik for that.
NASA Rep: I can't believe you're bringing that freak into this...
Commander Walters: Neither can I, but... we have no choice.
GUN Soldier: When we were wiping Robotnik off our database, we found something: a file buried deep in our system dating back over fifty years.
Commander Walters: What was it?
GUN Soldier: Coordinates, sir.
Commander Walters: Coordinates? For what?
GUN Soldier: A secret research facility...it was a black site, sir. Someone worked very hard to keep this hidden.
Commander Walters: ...my God...Project Shadow...
Commander Walters: What was it?
GUN Soldier: Coordinates, sir.
Commander Walters: Coordinates? For what?
GUN Soldier: A secret research facility...it was a black site, sir. Someone worked very hard to keep this hidden.
Commander Walters: ...my God...Project Shadow...
James Bond: Tell me where [Blofeld] is.
Mr. White: He's everywhere! EVERYWHERE! He's sitting at your desk, he's kissing your lover, he's eating supper with your family!
Mr. White: He's everywhere! EVERYWHERE! He's sitting at your desk, he's kissing your lover, he's eating supper with your family!
— Spectre
Asgardian Guard: Heimdall demands your presence!
Volstagg: We're doomed.
Volstagg: We're doomed.
— Thor
Thor: Has anyone here fought the Grandmaster's champion?
Korg: Yeah, Doug has. Hey, Doug, could you come over here? Oh, yeah, I forgot... Doug's dead. Anyone who fights the Grandmaster's champion perished. You're not actually thinking about fighting him, are you?
Korg: Yeah, Doug has. Hey, Doug, could you come over here? Oh, yeah, I forgot... Doug's dead. Anyone who fights the Grandmaster's champion perished. You're not actually thinking about fighting him, are you?
Literature
Status as a (temporary) Angel of Music afforded a degree of protection. She was grateful to be in the employ of an individual more terrifying than any colossus of capital. Those who'd happily see impertinent females skinned alive, beheaded by a Lord High Executioner or bankrupted by a libel suit thought twice about crossing Monsieur Erik. No one wants a chandelier falling on their head.
— Angels of Music, Act III: Guignol
"But — listen — the night before they were to start, Boyle's men were heating the furnaces in that place on the coast, when they heard a voice, they didn't know whether it came from a plane or a radio or some sort of loud-speaker, but it was a man's voice and it said that he would give them ten minutes to get out of the place. They got out. They started going and they kept on going — because the man's voice had said that he was Ragnar Danneskjöld. In the next half-hour, Boyle's mills were razed to the ground. Razed, wiped out, not a brick of them left standing. They said it was done by long-range naval guns, from somewhere way out in the Atlantic. Nobody saw Danneskjöld's ship."
— Eddie Willers, Atlas Shrugged
Shipmasters and their officers, as a separate class of Hij and as required by their trade, were particularly social creatures. Other Hij — generals, engineers, artisans of every sort, even choosers — jealously guarded their methods and thoughts to promote their own value, but shipmasters had to share their knowledge of the sea, the weather, and the meticulously crafted charts they were taught to make. They also shared tales of places they'd been, shores they'd seen — and enemies they'd fought. That information spread much more widely than any passed by comparatively insular regency generals, and the one ship that had entered the collective nightmares of Grik shipmasters everywhere, particularly those still commanding the hopelessly outdated "Indiamen," was USS Walker.
— Destroyermen: Straits of Hell
Aeron "Damphair": No godless man may sit the Seastone Chair!
Euron "Crow's-Eye": I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray.
Euron "Crow's-Eye": I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray.
General Adams clasped his hands behind his back. "This isn't a game. It's better to have you in here working for us instead of out there making alliances with someone worse."
"Who's worse than me?" she sneered. Because there wasn't anyone. She was the beast that everyone feared.
"Who's worse than me?" she sneered. Because there wasn't anyone. She was the beast that everyone feared.
The Last Mistake was a place where the underworld of Camorr bubbled to the surface; a flat-out crook's tavern, where Right People of every sort could drink and speak freely of their business, where respectable citizens stood out like serpents in a nursery and were quickly escorted out the door by mean-looking, thick-armed men with very small imaginations.
Here entire gangs would come to drink and arrange jobs and just show themselves off. In their cups, men would argue loudly about the best way to strangle someone from behind, and the best sorts of poisons to use in wine or food. They would openly proclaim the folly of the duke's court, or his taxation schemes, or his diplomatic arrangements with the other cities of the Iron Sea. They would refight entire battles with dice and fragments of chicken bones as their armies, loudly announcing how they would have turned left when Duke Nicovante had gone right, how they would have stood fast when the five thousand blackened iron spears of the Mad Count's Rebellion had come surging down Godsgate Hill toward them.
But not one of them, no matter how far doused in liquor or Gaze of the strange narcotic powders of Jerem — no matter what feats of generalship or statecraft he credited himself with the foresight to bring off — would dare suggest to Capa Vencarlo Barsavi that he should ever change so much as a single button on his waistcoat.
Here entire gangs would come to drink and arrange jobs and just show themselves off. In their cups, men would argue loudly about the best way to strangle someone from behind, and the best sorts of poisons to use in wine or food. They would openly proclaim the folly of the duke's court, or his taxation schemes, or his diplomatic arrangements with the other cities of the Iron Sea. They would refight entire battles with dice and fragments of chicken bones as their armies, loudly announcing how they would have turned left when Duke Nicovante had gone right, how they would have stood fast when the five thousand blackened iron spears of the Mad Count's Rebellion had come surging down Godsgate Hill toward them.
But not one of them, no matter how far doused in liquor or Gaze of the strange narcotic powders of Jerem — no matter what feats of generalship or statecraft he credited himself with the foresight to bring off — would dare suggest to Capa Vencarlo Barsavi that he should ever change so much as a single button on his waistcoat.
Frodo: What are the Black Riders?
Gildor: Has Gandalf told you nothing?
Frodo: Nothing about such creatures.
Gildor: Then I think it is not for me to say more, lest terror should keep you from your journey.
Gildor: Has Gandalf told you nothing?
Frodo: Nothing about such creatures.
Gildor: Then I think it is not for me to say more, lest terror should keep you from your journey.
And I, Faethor Ferenczy — known to the Franks as the Black One, or Black Grigor, the Hungarian Devil — I was ever in the thick of it. The thickest. For three days, I glutted myself as if there were no end to my lust.
I did not know it but the end — my end, the end of glory, of power, of notoriety — was already looming. For I had forgotten the prime rule of the Wamphyri: do not be seen to be too different. Be strong, but not overpowering. Be lustful, but not a legendary satyr. Command respect, but not devotion. And above all do nothing to cause your peers, or those who have the power to consider themselves your superiors, to become afraid of you. But I had been burned by Greek fire and it had merely infuriated me. And rapacious? For every man I had killed I had taken a woman, as many as thirty in a day and a night. My Szgany looked to me as a sort of god — or devil. And finally... finally, of course, the Crusaders proper had come to fear me. More than all matters of 'conscience', more than all the murder and rape and blasphemies they had committed, my deeds had given them bad dreams.
Aye, and they were sore in need of a scapegoat.
I did not know it but the end — my end, the end of glory, of power, of notoriety — was already looming. For I had forgotten the prime rule of the Wamphyri: do not be seen to be too different. Be strong, but not overpowering. Be lustful, but not a legendary satyr. Command respect, but not devotion. And above all do nothing to cause your peers, or those who have the power to consider themselves your superiors, to become afraid of you. But I had been burned by Greek fire and it had merely infuriated me. And rapacious? For every man I had killed I had taken a woman, as many as thirty in a day and a night. My Szgany looked to me as a sort of god — or devil. And finally... finally, of course, the Crusaders proper had come to fear me. More than all matters of 'conscience', more than all the murder and rape and blasphemies they had committed, my deeds had given them bad dreams.
Aye, and they were sore in need of a scapegoat.
— Faethor Ferenczy, Necroscope II: Wamphyri
All I had was a name. A name that closed doors and emptied bars. A name that, spoken aloud, invoked sewn-shut lips, pulled-down shades, drink-up-and-get-out looks, hastily remembered appointments and muttered warnings. Just a name.
Truro Daine.
Truro Daine.
Alkmene wasted a good two heartbeats looking at Hanno like he’d just murdered her puppy. The Calamities, as in those scary Praesi fuckers up north with a graveyard full of heroes behind their lair? Shit. Shit. Words stronger than shit, which were not coming at the moment because oh Gods they were all about to die.
"Of [Tsotha-lanti] dark tales were told; tousle-headed women in northern and western villages frightened children with his name, and rebellious slaves were brought to abased submission quicker than by the lash, with threat of being sold to him. Men said that he had a whole library of dark works bound in skin flayed from living human victims, and that in nameless pits below the hill whereon his palace sat, he trafficked with the powers of darkness, trading screaming girl slaves for unholy secrets. He was the real ruler of Koth."
But [Lussk's] most outstanding feature was the self-contained silence that hovered around him like a lethal cloud. To approach him closely was to experience a climate of dull dread; the one or two times Nickter had accidentally bumped into Lussk in the halls of the academy, he'd actually felt the temperature drop along with the oxygen content. Lussk emanated menace; he breathed it out like carbon dioxide.
I always used to say, you put Hitler, and the devil, and Gadaffi, and you name it, and The Batman in the room, Batman's still the scariest guy in the room.
— Len Wein, Superheroes: A Never Ending Battle
"That lord is named Sir Guy of Gisbourne, the Horse Knight. A name that in certain parts of the kingdom inspires worry. In the rest, fear."
— Sheriff Mark Brewer, Will in Scarlet
From all reports, progress was good. Jackson's men were estimated to arrive in less than ten hours. Salazar's troops had not even seen any fighting yet.
Then a name reached them.
Gohvis. Bearing down on them from the north.
Then a name reached them.
Gohvis. Bearing down on them from the north.
Live-Action TV
"If you're not building a robot that scares the [bleep] out of you, you're not building a good combat robot."
— Ray Billings, builder of Tombstone, BattleBots
Walter White: You all know exactly who I am. Say My Name.
Declan: Do what? I don't — I don't have a damn clue who the hell you are.
Walter: Yeah, you do. I'm the cook. I'm the man who killed Gus Fring.
Declan: Bullshit. Cartel got Fring.
Walter: You sure? That's right. Now say my name.
Declan: [quietly] ...You're Heisenberg.
Walter: You're goddamn right.
Declan: Do what? I don't — I don't have a damn clue who the hell you are.
Walter: Yeah, you do. I'm the cook. I'm the man who killed Gus Fring.
Declan: Bullshit. Cartel got Fring.
Walter: You sure? That's right. Now say my name.
Declan: [quietly] ...You're Heisenberg.
Walter: You're goddamn right.
— Breaking Bad, "Say My Name"
Huell: rolling on Walt's money Mexico. All's I'm sayin'.
Kuby: Guy hit ten guys in jail within a two-minute window. All's I'm sayin'.
Kuby: Guy hit ten guys in jail within a two-minute window. All's I'm sayin'.
"I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about. And right now, you and me are gonna show 'em why."
— Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Alexi: [about Micheal Weston] You joke. Everyone in Russian Special Forces has heard the name Westen. He's like the Boogeyman: not real.
Sam: I don't know about that. [Mike shows Alexi his license]
Alexi: It's fake. You can't be.
Mike: [in Russian] Do you have a brother? I shot a man once... who looked like you. In Kiev. In '93 I think. I'm sure you heard about it. The Spetsnaz team... that tried to sell a warhead. Nobody... ever saw them... again. [Oh, Crap! look from Alexi] That was a good winter for me. [laughs]
Sam: I don't know about that. [Mike shows Alexi his license]
Alexi: It's fake. You can't be.
Mike: [in Russian] Do you have a brother? I shot a man once... who looked like you. In Kiev. In '93 I think. I'm sure you heard about it. The Spetsnaz team... that tried to sell a warhead. Nobody... ever saw them... again. [Oh, Crap! look from Alexi] That was a good winter for me. [laughs]
Matt Murdock: I know you're regaining power in here.
Wilson Fisk: Yes, ask my lawyer. He'll deny it. Ask the guards! They'll deny it. Ask the inmates here. They'll cut their tongues out before they talk!
Wilson Fisk: Yes, ask my lawyer. He'll deny it. Ask the guards! They'll deny it. Ask the inmates here. They'll cut their tongues out before they talk!
"Five million Cybermen? Easy. One Doctor? Now you're scared."
— Rose to the Cult of Skaro, Doctor Who, "Doomsday"
"There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."
"Seven kingdoms united in fear of Tywin Lannister."
— Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones
"A temple is comprised of stones. One stone crumbles and another takes its place and the temple holds its form for a thousand years or more. And that's what the Iron Bank is, a temple. We all live in its shadow and almost none of us know it. You can't run from them, you can't cheat them, you can't sway them with excuses. If you owe them money and you don't want to crumble yourself, you pay them back."
— Tywin Lannister, Game of Thrones
"When men see my sails, they pray."
— Euron Greyjoy, Game of Thrones
Wynn Duffy: Let me tell you about Theo Tonin. The man carries an ear in his pocket. He carries a human ear in his pocket. And when he wants to talk to somebody, he wants to get their attention, he reaches into his pocket, takes out the ear, and he speaks directly into it.
Boyd Crowder: What does he say?
Wynn Duffy: The point is, Mr. Crowder, when he asks me, and he will, where Robert Quarles is, does Theo Tonin sound like the kind of man to whom you'd like to say, "I'm sorry, but he escaped from a disease-ridden whore factory up in inbred holler"?!
Boyd Crowder: What does he say?
Wynn Duffy: The point is, Mr. Crowder, when he asks me, and he will, where Robert Quarles is, does Theo Tonin sound like the kind of man to whom you'd like to say, "I'm sorry, but he escaped from a disease-ridden whore factory up in inbred holler"?!
— Justified, "Coalition"
Eliot Spencer: How'd you get this number, Riley?
Riley: Hitter like you comes back to DC, and... buzz-buzz. Hell, three foreign presidents choppered out of the city when they heard you were around.
Riley: Hitter like you comes back to DC, and... buzz-buzz. Hell, three foreign presidents choppered out of the city when they heard you were around.
— Leverage, "The Rundown Job"
"I was terrified of him. Everyone was terrified of Doug. I've seen grown men... pull their own heads off rather than see Doug. Even Dimsdale was frightened of Doug..."
— Monty Python's Flying Circus, "Piranha Brothers" sketch
"Picard, you are about to move into areas of the galaxy containing wonders more incredible than you can possibly imagine — and terrors to freeze your soul. [...] You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you have encountered so far. The Romulans, the Klingons. They're nothing compared to what's waiting."
— Q (referring to the Borg), Star Trek: The Next Generation', "Q Who"
Leskit: Two years, I spent on the Carassian border. Two years fighting Guls and Legates and Glinns. They were cunning enemies, always had us chasing holoprojections and sensor ghosts. Everything was a game to them, always had a plan within a plan within a plan leading into a trap! It was an honor to kill them...
Ortakin: (scoffs) The Cardassians...
Leskit: Ah, but you can respect a Cardassian, because he fights for his people, and he follows a code just like we do! But not the soldiers of the Dominion, not the Jem'Hadar, no...they don't fight for anything! They fight because they're designed that way, because they're programmed to!
Ortakin: They have no honor.
Leskit: You're right, and that is why they're better than us!
Dax: That's enough. You're on duty in an hour and you should-
Leskit: The trill doesn't want you to know, my young friend, but you deserve to know: the Jem'Hadar are smarter, they are faster, and they are stronger than we are!
Leskit: How can you say these things?!
Dax: He's drunk, ignore him.
Leskit: NO! Listen! Listen, and maybe learn something! The Jem'Hadar are the future!
Dax: Shut up, Leskit!
Leskit: You know why? Because they can break us, just like they broke Martok!
Dax: THAT'S ENOUGH!
Leskit: She doesn't want you to know the truth! Martok fears them! That's why we didn't attack them, MARTOK FEARS THEM!
Ortakin: (scoffs) The Cardassians...
Leskit: Ah, but you can respect a Cardassian, because he fights for his people, and he follows a code just like we do! But not the soldiers of the Dominion, not the Jem'Hadar, no...they don't fight for anything! They fight because they're designed that way, because they're programmed to!
Ortakin: They have no honor.
Leskit: You're right, and that is why they're better than us!
Dax: That's enough. You're on duty in an hour and you should-
Leskit: The trill doesn't want you to know, my young friend, but you deserve to know: the Jem'Hadar are smarter, they are faster, and they are stronger than we are!
Leskit: How can you say these things?!
Dax: He's drunk, ignore him.
Leskit: NO! Listen! Listen, and maybe learn something! The Jem'Hadar are the future!
Dax: Shut up, Leskit!
Leskit: You know why? Because they can break us, just like they broke Martok!
Dax: THAT'S ENOUGH!
Leskit: She doesn't want you to know the truth! Martok fears them! That's why we didn't attack them, MARTOK FEARS THEM!
— Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "Soldiers of the Empires"
"Omar comin'."
— The Wire
"You don't think I'm gonna send any of my people up against Brother? Shiiiiiit... that nigga got more bodies on him than a Chinese cemetery."
— Proposition Joe, regarding Brother Mouzone, The Wire
Music
Gods and titans shudder at the name.
— A Father's Arms, on Kratos
, on Kratos Tabletop Games
One enduring story is that of the Red Monk, and those that recount the tales do so with dread-filled voices. Encountered only on the days when dozens of foreign stars split the skies, the Red Monk appears on the horizon and moves with a determined stride. He bears no mark or sigil beyond a golden hourglass etched into his vermilion robes, and as they billow around him all nearby creatures act in opposition to their desires. The Helwyr tell of fearless Scale-Drake herds that flee at the sight of him, how crazed Helbrutes calm unnaturally in his presence, and of titanic battles between the Monk and enormous Frostwyrms that take place far from the Frozen Wastes. As the years pass, the tribes add more examples of the Red Monk’s power to the legend, but each tale ends with the same warning: run.
— Black Crusade: The Tome of Excess
"If I run into a Nephandus, I run away. If I even think that there's one nearby, I clear out and then I tell my buddies. I am not big on dying, or eternal soul torture, or emotional games or becoming someone's pawn in a sick parody of a cosmic joke played out on the entire human race.
I'd shoot the damn bastards in the back if I could trust a gun to work on them."
I'd shoot the damn bastards in the back if I could trust a gun to work on them."
— Mark Gillain, Mage: The Ascension — Lost Paths
From everything I've ever seen and heard, these are the absolute worst: you can be serving them aperitifs one evening and the very next night, you're strapped to a lab table, being pulled apart by their flesh-shaping talons and reassembled into something that they happen to like better. Mutated like some Frankestein monster or radiation accident, or fed to the latest creations. They like torture, too — positively delight in pulling you apart nerve by nerve, just to hear what pitch you scream in. No, that's not right. The worst part is that they don't delight in it: they just hang back like some doctor or something, curiously watching the raw mass of manflesh on the table squirm and twitch, like they're running some goddamn experiment.
I've heard that some people go to them willingly. "Make me beautiful," they say. "Make me muscular." "Teach me to do what you do."
Never go to the Fiends. If you ever see one, or even hear there's one around, run. Try to get away, even if it kills you.
I've heard that some people go to them willingly. "Make me beautiful," they say. "Make me muscular." "Teach me to do what you do."
Never go to the Fiends. If you ever see one, or even hear there's one around, run. Try to get away, even if it kills you.
— Ghoul perspective on the Tzimisce, Vampire: The Masquerade — Ghouls: Fatal Attraction
Even the oldest smugglers and fences cannot remember a time when things were different. As they learned their illicit trades from the greybeards of the day, they were taught not to cross the Master of Shadows, and of the grisly fates that have defied his wishes. Every lowlife thief and petty crook in the east dock has heard of "Bent Harald," how he was found with no hands or heart after he burgled a nobleman's house against the Master of Shadows' orders. Then there is the tale of the Great Temple, his dead face screaming in a pale rictus of utter terror. Everyone knows not to cross the Master of Shadows, for his spies see every misdeed and his retribution is truly terrible.
Were these underground denizens to know the truth, their terror would be all the greater.
Were these underground denizens to know the truth, their terror would be all the greater.
— Warhammer: Vampire Counts Army Book (7th edition)
Man has learned to fear Malagor as a devil without equal, and even the merest sign of his presence can send the defenders of a town into the cold embrace of terror, robbing their will to fight.
When Malagor takes to the battleifled, the direst of blasphemies are sue to be enacted on those who dare to face him. It was Malagor who ripped in two the state colours of the army of Averland; who cast down the statue of Sigmar Ascendant from atop the greatest temple in Altdorf, crushing the congregation; who drenched a hundred maddened Flagellants in oil and set them afire the Church of Grunberg, burning down the building along with half the town; who caused the waters of the Stir to flood and boil as the Knights Griffon forded it near Wurtbad, cooking each within his armour.
When Malagor takes to the battleifled, the direst of blasphemies are sue to be enacted on those who dare to face him. It was Malagor who ripped in two the state colours of the army of Averland; who cast down the statue of Sigmar Ascendant from atop the greatest temple in Altdorf, crushing the congregation; who drenched a hundred maddened Flagellants in oil and set them afire the Church of Grunberg, burning down the building along with half the town; who caused the waters of the Stir to flood and boil as the Knights Griffon forded it near Wurtbad, cooking each within his armour.
— Warhammer: Beastmen Army Book (8th edition)
Within the year, the crime rate of Nostramo had fallen away to nothing. Society was transformed, and the ripples were felt all over the planet. Quintus developed a self-imposed curfew; none strayed out later than early evening. The midnight streets, previously buzzing with activity, were as silent as the grave. Mothers threatened disobedient children with the depraved attentions of the Night Haunter. Soon, the name became more commonplace, used by the populace as a whole. Rumours of a hideous, dark creature that stalked the alleyways and tunnels, its claws ever-ready to disembowel those who strayed, abounded within the city. The citizens of Quintus lived a half-life of fear, silent lest their words should be taken as heresy. Nostramo was ripe for the rule of the Night Haunter.
— Warhammer 40,000 — Index Astartes: Bringers of Darkness
You see a person wearing a distinctive hat pushing through the crowd. It's a witch hunter's hat.
Roll Save versus Fear.
Roll Save versus Fear.
Theatre
"Strong men tremble when they hear it
They've got cause enough to fear it
It's much blacker than they smear it
Nobody mentions... my name.
Rich men take their five pound notes out
Saves me emptying their coats out
They know I could tear their throats out
Just to live up to... my name!"
They've got cause enough to fear it
It's much blacker than they smear it
Nobody mentions... my name.
Rich men take their five pound notes out
Saves me emptying their coats out
They know I could tear their throats out
Just to live up to... my name!"
— Bill Sykes, Oliver!
"You better leave your hopes behind
No one's gonna stop him
You better hope he's out of sight
Or you're doomed to be a victim
You won't defeat his kind
Never look in the eye
He's a literal monster!"
No one's gonna stop him
You better hope he's out of sight
Or you're doomed to be a victim
You won't defeat his kind
Never look in the eye
He's a literal monster!"
''"Every person in school
Is aware of her stare
When she tosses her hair
They go perfectly still
All their eyes say, "don't attack me."
Watch them sweat and pant and shake
Every food chain has its acme
Regina George eats steak
She's the queen of the beasts
She can smell your fear
In this biosphere
She's the apex predator.
Is aware of her stare
When she tosses her hair
They go perfectly still
All their eyes say, "don't attack me."
Watch them sweat and pant and shake
Every food chain has its acme
Regina George eats steak
She's the queen of the beasts
She can smell your fear
In this biosphere
She's the apex predator.
Video Games
Balam MT Squad Member: Looks like Arquebus sent some clown on a suicide mission. Cute, real cute.
G1 Michigan: The only clown around here is YOU, Kennebec! You're talking about the Wallclimber. The Wormkiller. The only G13 who's managed to live this long! Until the LIGER TAIL deploys, the odds are NOT in your favor. You better keep the emergency eject primed!
G1 Michigan: The only clown around here is YOU, Kennebec! You're talking about the Wallclimber. The Wormkiller. The only G13 who's managed to live this long! Until the LIGER TAIL deploys, the odds are NOT in your favor. You better keep the emergency eject primed!
Blackbeard: Caution's nothing without charisma! For if a man plays the fool, then it's only fools he'll persuade. But appear to be the devil, and all men will submit.
Edward: And would you be the devil?
Blackbeard: For an audience, aye. It's all a big show. Give your quarry something to fear, some hellish thing from a fever'd dream, and men will drop to their knees pleading for their Lord before aught else!
Edward: And would you be the devil?
Blackbeard: For an audience, aye. It's all a big show. Give your quarry something to fear, some hellish thing from a fever'd dream, and men will drop to their knees pleading for their Lord before aught else!
"When the mugger or the thief stops to think twice: that is fear. That is what I am. That is why they hired assassins — because I am the reason criminals breathe easier when the sun rises."
— Batman, Batman: Arkham Origins
"There are so few rules to our world now. So little truths. But there is one rule we all know and respect down here. Beware the Ink Demon."
— Alice Angel, Bendy and the Ink Machine
"He is here."
— The Dark Lord of Hell, Doom (2016), when the Doom Slayer arrives in Hell
"In the first age, in the first battle, when the shadows first lengthened, one stood. Burned by the embers of Armageddon, his soul blistered by the fires of Hell and tainted beyond ascension, he chose the path of perpetual torment. In his ravenous hatred he found no peace; and with boiling blood he scoured the Umbral Plains seeking vengeance against the dark lords who had wronged him. He wore the crown of the Night Sentinels, and those that tasted the bite of his sword named him... The Doom Slayer."
— Slayer's Testament I, Doom (2016)
Warning: The Slayer has entered the facility.
— PSA Accouncement, Doom Eternal
"We must pray now, brothers. Pray that he is watching. For it is he that they fear! Not man, or his armies!... They fear the mark of the Beast."
— Street Prophet, Doom Eternal
Tevinter Soldier: Wait! You are no Tevinter! Who are you?
Warden: I am [Name], the Grey Warden.
Tevinter Soldier: Oh, no, I have heard of you! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ATTACK!
Warden: I am [Name], the Grey Warden.
Tevinter Soldier: Oh, no, I have heard of you! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ATTACK!
"Do not pursue Lu Bu."
— Yuan Shao, Dynasty Warriors
"But there is one they fear. In their tongue, he is Dovahkiin, Dragonborn!"
— Esbern, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim trailer
"I got the captain drunk enough and he took us right there. They feared me, you know. They fear those who seek the Name."
— The Northbound Parlamentarian, Fallen London
Entire protection rackets have sprung up, claiming to be able to defend against you. They have, of course, failed.
— Dedicated Brawler quality (when reaching 77 and up), Fallen London
Sole Survivor: I am the instrument of Justice and I cannot fall. DEATH HAS COME FOR YOU, EVILDOER! AND I... AM ITS SHROUD!
Sinjin: Stop talking like that!
Avery: It... It is the Shroud! It really is! Screw this!
Sinjin: Cowards... all of you! COWARDS!
Sinjin: Stop talking like that!
Avery: It... It is the Shroud! It really is! Screw this!
Sinjin: Cowards... all of you! COWARDS!
The Courier: Major Dhatri said I should ask you about Cook-Cook.
Little Buster: The rapist with the flamethrower? Yeah, that's a combination I stay the fuck away from.
Little Buster: The rapist with the flamethrower? Yeah, that's a combination I stay the fuck away from.
Ba'Gamnan: You see? It is as I said, Brother. Let them come to us!
Bwagi: Should we kill them now?
Ba'Gamnan: No. The time is not right.
Bwagi: When has that stopped us before?
Ba'Gamnan: Fool! Do you see that one? Slayer of gods, they call him/her. Warrior of Light!
Bwagi: Should we kill them now?
Ba'Gamnan: No. The time is not right.
Bwagi: When has that stopped us before?
Ba'Gamnan: Fool! Do you see that one? Slayer of gods, they call him/her. Warrior of Light!
— Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood
Pandora: You're the Ghost of Sparta. Everyone knows who you are. Everyone is afraid of you.
Kratos: There are reasons for that.
Kratos: There are reasons for that.
Michael: I ever tell you about Trevor?
Franklin: Man, I-I— I think so?
Michael: Well, if you only think so, then I wasn't being completely honest. He's — I don't — Hell walking on Earth. That's what he is. [...] Look, I done a lot of things I ain't proud of. I never claimed to be an angel. But you meet Trevor, Franklin... you'll swear I am an angel.
Franklin: Man, I-I— I think so?
Michael: Well, if you only think so, then I wasn't being completely honest. He's — I don't — Hell walking on Earth. That's what he is. [...] Look, I done a lot of things I ain't proud of. I never claimed to be an angel. But you meet Trevor, Franklin... you'll swear I am an angel.
"Ravenwest... Just our luck. We should aim for third."
— Team Manager, GRID
These fearsome monsters have lived in Hyrule since ancient times. Their ability to breathe fire makes White-Maned Lynels among the toughest of the species; each one of their attacks is an invitation to the grave. There are so few eyewitness accounts of this breed because a White-Maned Lynel is not one to let even simple passersby escape with their lives.
— Hyrule Compendium regarding the White-Maned Lynel, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
"It wasn't like anything we'd seen before. I can't explain it... only that it was a form of fear itself."
— Professor Tohjima regarding Snark, Mary Skelter: Nightmares
"When the krogan name a thresher maw, you know you're in trouble. They don't think anyone is ever gonna kill it."
"Holy shit! It's SHEPARD!"
"Samus Aran, the Accursed Hunter, has arrived!"
— Space Pirate Log, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Throughout Argentina, society prepared for the future. It mattered not when, or how, but only because the rumor was sufficiently vague to be taken at face value without being a promise.
The stock market plummeted as if it had a lead parachute, travel agencies had kilometer-long queues for service, embassies couldn't cope with the influx of requests, and many airlines of OFN nations promised special flights to satisfy the demand of people who wished to escape a horror that already seemed to have come true.
And while Argentina appeared to come undone, many toasted in the shadows. Businessmen who had managed to keep certain contacts a secret, members of terrorist organizations and even a few workers and intellectuals who could already see the days of walking around with garrotes return.
The rumor had simply been: "Agreement reached. Perón returns."
The stock market plummeted as if it had a lead parachute, travel agencies had kilometer-long queues for service, embassies couldn't cope with the influx of requests, and many airlines of OFN nations promised special flights to satisfy the demand of people who wished to escape a horror that already seemed to have come true.
And while Argentina appeared to come undone, many toasted in the shadows. Businessmen who had managed to keep certain contacts a secret, members of terrorist organizations and even a few workers and intellectuals who could already see the days of walking around with garrotes return.
The rumor had simply been: "Agreement reached. Perón returns."
"The station's swarming with monsters. Even here I can hear their cries. But it's not the zombies I'm afraid of.
Codename: Tyrant.
The ultimate bioweapon, developed by those bastards in the utmost secrecy. To think that that thing might be wandering around here.
Chances are they've ordered it to wipe out the witnesses."
Codename: Tyrant.
The ultimate bioweapon, developed by those bastards in the utmost secrecy. To think that that thing might be wandering around here.
Chances are they've ordered it to wipe out the witnesses."
— Ben Bertolucci's posthumous letter, Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
"Read this very carefully: Do not lose Lilith.
She's the real deal. Her seventeen names tripped some alarms on my computer. We're in an alert with a color I've never seen. Way past Defcon-5. The talking heads, the ones at the very tippy-top of the pyramid are sending word directly to me. They never do that!
I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him, and I'm more afraid of the talking heads, and they're afraid of her. Stay on her. I don't know what will happen to either of us if you don't.
I'm not fucking around."
She's the real deal. Her seventeen names tripped some alarms on my computer. We're in an alert with a color I've never seen. Way past Defcon-5. The talking heads, the ones at the very tippy-top of the pyramid are sending word directly to me. They never do that!
I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him, and I'm more afraid of the talking heads, and they're afraid of her. Stay on her. I don't know what will happen to either of us if you don't.
I'm not fucking around."
— Kirsten Geary, The Secret World
"Wait wait wait, I know this guy! ...Yeah, we're screwed."
— The Terror Mask regarding Biggy Man, Splatterhouse (2010 remake)
Cal: That doesn't look good.
Cere: It isn't. It's him.
Cere: It isn't. It's him.
— Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, as Darth Vader shows up
Lord Scourge: What a mystery the Force can be. I came seeking a traitor, but found you instead. The time draws near...
Hero of Tython: You're not making any sense. Do you know me, Sith?
Lord Scourge: Many know your name: Some whisper it, others shout it. I alone recognize what it means...
Hero of Tython: You're not making any sense. Do you know me, Sith?
Lord Scourge: Many know your name: Some whisper it, others shout it. I alone recognize what it means...
— Star Wars: The Old Republic, Jedi Knight Storyline
Aric Jorgan: Major Jorgan, Havoc Squad. You I don't recognize.
Theron Shan: You've heard of Cipher Nine.
Aric Jorgan: And now I've got a face to put to all those scary stories.
Theron Shan: You've heard of Cipher Nine.
Aric Jorgan: And now I've got a face to put to all those scary stories.
— Star Wars: The Old Republic, Knights of the Fallen Empire Storyline (Imperial Agent)
There is power in deeds that others fear to do.
Say. If I have ONE piece of advice for you... DON'T. Let his brother. Find out ANYTHING about you. He'll... well... Let's just say. He's caused me more than my fair share of resets. Stay away from that guy.
Web Animation
Charlie: Uhh.... Vaggie?
Vaggie: What?
Charlie: The Radio Demon is at the door...
Vaggie: WHAT?!
Charlie: What do I do?!
Vaggie: What?
Charlie: The Radio Demon is at the door...
Vaggie: WHAT?!
Charlie: What do I do?!
"The plan was as follows: wherever Napoleon advanced, whoever he advanced on, would avoid battle, allowing the others to sweep in from the sides and attack the French marshalls guarding his flanks. Essentially the plan was: DON'T TRY TO FIGHT NAPOLEON!"
Raven: ...Old Man Oz has a great and terrible secret. One that could spread fear across the world. One that he eventually entrusted to our team... and once I knew, there was no going back. I needed to know more, but with every new discovery I made, the more horrifying the world became.
Yang: Okay... then tell us. What's the big secret? What's so crazy that the rest of us don't know?
Raven: The Creatures of Grimm have a master named Salem. She can't be stopped... she can't be reasoned with... and she will not rest until humanity crumbles at her feet.
Yang: Okay... then tell us. What's the big secret? What's so crazy that the rest of us don't know?
Raven: The Creatures of Grimm have a master named Salem. She can't be stopped... she can't be reasoned with... and she will not rest until humanity crumbles at her feet.
— RWBY
The Heavy: I fear no man! But that... thing... It scares me.
The Scout: No, I... I-I ain't talkin' about that freak, alright? ...He's not here, is she?! [fiddles with microphone] How do I get this [bumps microphone]-ing thing off?!
The Spy: [dramatically stares at a lit cigarette] One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask... What dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...
The Scout: No, I... I-I ain't talkin' about that freak, alright? ...He's not here, is she?! [fiddles with microphone] How do I get this [bumps microphone]-ing thing off?!
The Spy: [dramatically stares at a lit cigarette] One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask... What dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty...
— Team Fortress 2, "Meet the Pyro"
Webcomics
"Goku... You don't understand. Freeza isn't just one hundred times stronger than the saiyans. He's invincible. You haven't even seen a fraction of his power! If you face him, you will die, it's that simple!"
— King Kai, Dragon Ball Multiverse
Complains of Names: Ears! Thaco! Here comes Kore!
Minmax: The goblins are leaving. Why are the goblins leaving? Huh? Who's that guy?
Forgath: Wait. Kore? You mean like... The Kore? The Cursed Scourge of the Realm? Last of the greyhill paladins? That Kore? Oh no.
Minmax: The goblins are leaving. Why are the goblins leaving? Huh? Who's that guy?
Forgath: Wait. Kore? You mean like... The Kore? The Cursed Scourge of the Realm? Last of the greyhill paladins? That Kore? Oh no.
— Goblins
"It sounds suspiciously like Cans is about to plow through the wall Kool-Aid Man style. You pray to God that it is not Cans about to plow through the wall Kool-Aid Man style."
Haley: Crap! It's Redcloak!
Elan: Maybe it's just an illusion?
Belkar: Nah, that would mean we weren't totally boned.
Elan: Maybe it's just an illusion?
Belkar: Nah, that would mean we weren't totally boned.
[The Card-Carrying Villain Xaneth descends from the sky into a crowded street]
Xaneth: Ahem. Hello everyone. My name is Xaneth Antaris.
[Xaneth looks around the now-empty street]
Xaneth: Heh. It's the little things.
Xaneth: Ahem. Hello everyone. My name is Xaneth Antaris.
[Xaneth looks around the now-empty street]
Xaneth: Heh. It's the little things.
Web Original
"There's no name more feared by predators than Chris Hansen. Chris Hansen is to predators what the Antichrist is to everyone else. He signals the end, fear, terror, confusion, and... a lot of times jailtime!"
"Oh, was that an ultimatum? I love ultimatums! Here's mine! [to his soldiers] Die to him, or die to me!"
"One night before Minecraft Mondays, [Junky Janker and I] got in a call, and we started reading out the list of teams and he said, 'Technoblade? And ShotGunRaids? Those guys are fu– Those guys are fucking monsters! They're awful!' And I was like, I was like, 'Dude. Dude, no, they're not, you're– you're exaggerating.' To be honest, Techno, I didn't know nothing about you at that point... THEN WE PLAYED MINECRAFT MONDAYS AND, LIKE– YOU RUINED MY FUCKING LIFE."
— Quackity to Technoblade, Dream SMP
"This is horrorcore. Beware if you're a common whore,
Or at late night you may find me knocking on your door!
Not keen to leave until I'm knee-deep in blood and gore!
Your grieving family on their knees, weeping, scrubbing floors!"
Or at late night you may find me knocking on your door!
Not keen to leave until I'm knee-deep in blood and gore!
Your grieving family on their knees, weeping, scrubbing floors!"
"What's goin' on with the smoke? [...] Oh, fuck. [...] Oh, FUCK. No fuckin' way. Oh, they're so fucked! [Unintelligible screech] [...] Hahaha, oh my God! [...] Where's his health bar? [...] Oh, shit, did he just grab that? Jesus! [!!!] Ha— I'm so glad we're saf— WHAT THE FUCK!? [unintelligent screech 2, electric boogaloo] Jesus, every strike just knocks Cal down! [...] Welp, Cal's dead, there's nothing to do now."
— GamingWins, Everything GREAT About Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, on the Final Boss battle against Darth Vader
, Everything GREAT About Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, on the Final Boss battle against Darth VaderI've heard stories of someone like you. A terror that strikes in the day when goblins sleep. Invisible to the eye and nose, they navigate our caves as though they were born in them, and when they strike, entire colonies are wiped out without a trace. I thought you were only a fairy tale but here we are, face-to-face. The elves called you "Orcbolg," the dwarves called you "Shitdick," but we goblins called you...the Hunter.
— The Goblin Lord, Goblin Slayer Abridged
"If you see the Beast, just run. Just run, and don't stop."
— Anderson, Nan Quest
"Why would an entire school literally run away from a group of bullies? What, do they stuff their pants with TNT or something?"
— The Nostalgia Critic, in his review of The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia
"See, I've been reviewing pop music a long time. And in doing so, I've said something to piss off every major fanbase in the universe. I have had my mentions swarmed and my day ruined by the BTS Army, the Rihanna Navy, the Little Monsters, the Swifties, the Beyhive, the Beliebers, the Barbz - oh God, the Barbz..."
— Todd in the Shadows, "TRAINWRECKORDS: Katy Perry's 'Witness'"
"If I could give any advice to the last few remaining bad guys in [Vandal Hearts], it would be this: Forget about your world domination or destruction plans, pack your suitcases, go home, and pray you never hear the name Ash Lambert ever again."
Deadshot: What about Batman?
Amanda Waller: What about Batman? You see him, run your little asses the other way!
Deadshot: You think we can't take him?
Amanda Waller: I think you are crazy.
Amanda Waller: What about Batman? You see him, run your little asses the other way!
Deadshot: You think we can't take him?
Amanda Waller: I think you are crazy.
— Young Justice Abridged: Suicide Squad Abridged
"So Metroid Prime takes place directly after the original Metroid game. It's very early in the Metroid timeline. The planet Zebes was the site of a massive underground Space Pirate base, which Samus completely destroyed. From the Space Pirate perspective, this would be a traumatic and shocking event — a single person, a single bounty hunter, laid waste to an entire planet's worth of Space Pirates; all their technology, all their soldiers. For them, it must be nearly unbelievable.
"One thing I think is really interesting is seeing how the Space Pirates perceive Samus. Like, what is their view of her? What do they think of her? And the writers did a particularly good job answering that question: the Space Pirates refer to Samus as "the Hunter", and I love this title. "The Hunter" comes with it an implicit sense of respect and fear. If she is "the Hunter", then they are her prey. The Space Pirates aren't the kind of villains who shake their fists and say, 'We'll get you next time, loser, you just wait and see!' Instead, they're like, 'That lady is freaking crazy! She is the Hunter! We don't want anything to do with her!' I really like this. As the player controlling Samus, reading this makes you feel powerful. Like, you guys should be scared of me, I'm kickin' your butts!"
Western Animation
Zuko: If the Earth Kingdom finds us, they'll have us killed.
Iroh: But if the Fire Nation finds us, they'll hand us over to Azula.
[Beat]
Zuko: Earth Kingdom it is.
Iroh: But if the Fire Nation finds us, they'll hand us over to Azula.
[Beat]
Zuko: Earth Kingdom it is.
Timmy: You think they'll remember me?
[pan out to him on screen in a Yugopotamian theater]
Yugopotamian: It's Timmy Turner! The Earth warrior who ate the dreaded chocolate!
[the audience runs away in panic]
Cosmo: I'd call that a yes.
[pan out to him on screen in a Yugopotamian theater]
Yugopotamian: It's Timmy Turner! The Earth warrior who ate the dreaded chocolate!
[the audience runs away in panic]
Cosmo: I'd call that a yes.
Brian: Oh my God, that's Deirdre Jackson!
Stewie: Who's that?
Brian: Only the deadliest fighter in all of women's boxing. She's killed three people in the ring. Her fists are so dangerous, she's not allowed to be a lesbian.
Stewie: Who's that?
Brian: Only the deadliest fighter in all of women's boxing. She's killed three people in the ring. Her fists are so dangerous, she's not allowed to be a lesbian.
"The time has come for benders to experience fear."
— Amon, The Legend of Korra
Fish: Some say that [Mr. Krabs] crawled out of a trench in the bottom of the ocean!
Pearl: He's the saltiest of the sea dogs!
Spongebob: He's the most hated creature in Bikini Bottom!
Mr. Krabs: And he's finally got the Krabby Patty!
Pearl: He's the saltiest of the sea dogs!
Spongebob: He's the most hated creature in Bikini Bottom!
Mr. Krabs: And he's finally got the Krabby Patty!
Yellow Diamond: We can only do so much, if it was the four of us.
Blue Diamond: Oh, no! We can't let her see this!
Steven: Who? Who do we need?
Yellow Diamond: What do you mean "who"? White!
[everyone is dumbstruck]
Pearl: W-White D-Diamond?
Amethyst: What?!
Pearl: Steven... White Diamond isn't like us. She isn't even like them. [gestures to Yellow and Blue Diamond] You have no idea what she's capable of!
Steven: I just want to talk.
Blue Diamond: I don't think you'd have much luck with that... White... hasn't left Homeworld in eons.
Blue Diamond: Oh, no! We can't let her see this!
Steven: Who? Who do we need?
Yellow Diamond: What do you mean "who"? White!
[everyone is dumbstruck]
Pearl: W-White D-Diamond?
Amethyst: What?!
Pearl: Steven... White Diamond isn't like us. She isn't even like them. [gestures to Yellow and Blue Diamond] You have no idea what she's capable of!
Steven: I just want to talk.
Blue Diamond: I don't think you'd have much luck with that... White... hasn't left Homeworld in eons.
"Scientists, like artists, have signatures to their work! I know who cloned Jean: a man so dark and twisted, he can be described as nothing other than...Sinister!"
— The Beast, X-Men '97, "Fire Made Flesh"
