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"The Reason You Suck" Speech in this series.

The following have their own pages:


  • In Aqua Man Vol. 8 Issue 64 Aquaman insults Ocean Master after he demands Mera to relinquish the throne to himself:
    Ocean Master: You were not born for this!
    Aquaman: Theeeere he is! There's the Orm we all know! You're not a grand diplomat. You're a jealous little boy. Forever bitter you don't get to play king. You blame me. You blame Mera... but you know the truth. It wasn't us. It was you. You weren't strong enough.
  • In Batgirl (Rebirth), Batgirl berates Kai for deliberately putting the girl he claims to love in danger:
    Batgirl: I'll get it back— on one condition. Leave Barbara alone. You put her in danger, and I can't tolerate that.
    Kai: What?! But nothing happened to her! Nothing ever happens to her! There's always someone to protect her—
    Batgirl: You used her to keep yourself safe. You used me. And who's protecting Barbara while I'm protecting you?
  • Batman Beyond: The "Undercloud" arc ends with Max rebuking Rebel One after her scheme of using the Metal Men to raze Gotham City is thwarted.
    Rebel One: NO! What are they doing? What are they doing?!
    Max: They're trying to save lives, Rebel! Lives you put on the line to make a stupid point!
    Rebel One: It's a point that somebody had to make, Max! Otherwise, things are only going to get worse! We live in a society where the rich literally rise above the poor! Their feet never have to touch the ground! How long before families like mine are pushed underground and we're all just slaves to those who live above us?! And don't think your family will be fine, up there in the twenties...the rich will just rise higher and higher, and all the levels below will be pushed down! I hoped you might understand and—
    Max: Understand?! I understand you're warped, just as warped as Shriek...or Clayface, or any of the other crackwits who've tried to hurt or kill people in this city over the years! You created Undercloud— a collective of hackers— as a scam to make money to finance buying the key pieces of those Metal Men, then turned them into a killing machine! All those people who joined you to fight against the "system", all those people who had no intention of hurting anyone, but who you made accomplices... Do you know how much real good you could have done, with the skills of those people at your fingertips? You could have made real progress towards the change you talk about, but you just wanted to put on a show. You wanted to feel powerful...when all you are is just another crazy criminal!
  • Batman Beyond (Rebirth): At the end of "The Long Payback", Terry rebukes Dr. Gray Stanton, who took up his son Kenny's mantle of Payback after his son committed suicide because he blames Batman for his son's death, on how it is actually his own fault that his son killed himself.
    Gray Stanton: This can't end now! Not until you've paid!
    Terry: You're the one who's paying, Stanton! You're paying for all the times your own son was begging for attention...even as you ignored him. You're the one who drove him to hopelessness. Forced him into a pit of despair so deep that he took his own life. Now you get to live with that for the rest of your life.
  • Batman Eternal:
    • Jason Bard lost his partner/lover to a Batman wannabe ruining a drug bust. Now, after working with Hush to become Gotham's police commissioner, Bard sets a trap that smashes up the Batmobile. He's delighted...until he sees the cops on the roof glaring at him in disgust and then walking away.
      Bard: You don't understand, Harvey.
      Harvey Bullock: Guys like you? I don't want to understand.
    • Of course, Batman survives and Bard tries to give him a speech on the damage Batman does...only to have it flipped right back on him.
      Bard: You go out there and you don't see the effect you have on the world. I see it! I've lived it. There wasn't a single life lost tonight because of what I—-
      Batman: Three stabbings. Eight shootings. A young woman was beaten to death by a mugger six blocks away from here. The officers you assigned to this foolish display of force are just getting the calls now. Far too late for you to do anything!
  • Batman - One Bad Day, an anthology focusing on one of Batman's rogues gallery each issue, has several.
    • In Mr. Freeze's issue Batman gives Freeze a vicious one, calling him out for keeping Nora in a cryogenic slumber out of his own selfishness while disregarding her desire to be euthanized and his general possessiveness.
      Batman: When your wife became ill, she wanted a dignified end. You robbed her of that! You stole time from her. Did you even try to get her out of the ice?[…] She deserved better. You didn't want to share her with the world ever. You put her in the ice for you, not for her. And there was never a way out, was there?
    • In Clayface's issue, he gives one to a director of a movie he's working on for his lack of artistic vision and being content to make a soulless blockbuster.
      Clayface: You're one of those directors. You don't help other people. You don't value the art. You don't see what I see. I hate you, Mr. Director. [grins] I was hoping you'd be last.
    • Batman gives one to Clayface, calling him out for his narcissism and accusing him of being an Empty Shell.
      Clayface: You think I've hurt innocent people, Batman, but spend one moment here and you'll- you'll see the truth! They only look innocent because they've taken classes on it! There are no friends here, Batman! No community! Just stepping stones! Little fish gobbling up everything smaller! This place deserves me, Batman! Don't you understand that yet?! It deserves me!
      Batman: Nine people, Basil. …Nine people. In one day. Nothing else matters.
      Clayface: SHUT UP!
      Batman: No, Basil. I've been silent too long. Let you go on your way. Hoped you'd listen to the voice inside. But I see now. There is no voice inside.
      Clayface: YOU'RE WRONG! I'M EVERYONE! I'M ANYONE!
      Batman: Which means… you're no one. Corey Jameson. Beatrice Hess. Rebecca Desalia. Ali Keshai. David Stellis. Jameesha Monroe. Paul Baldurra. Max Taylor. Harry Silverman. It was their story. You're just acting in it.
    • When the Penguin confronts his head of security Max for betraying him to Umbrella Man, the two both wind up handing each other these.
      Max: You didn't give a shit about any of us, Oswald. We were with you from the beginning. I begged you to give me a piece of the action, to let me make something out of myself. You never gave me a shot.
      Penguin: So you set me up for twenty-five thousand dollars. And what did you do with the money? You wasted it getting wasted. It's not that I didn't trust you, Max. It's that I know human nature is a constant. People don't change, they just become more of who they are. And you always were a man who, given an opportunity, would do nothing with that opportunity. Sadly, you proved me right.
    • Penguin gives an epic one to Batman, outlining that he is a Necessarily Evil and that he has always been the one in control of Gotham.
      Penguin: Let me tell you something, Batman. It was never about you. You always thought you were the one keeping the balance between control and chaos in Gotham. But I ran the crime in this city. What every good businessman understands is that one's business can never become obsolete. So I supplied the tools of the trade to Joker, and Riddler, and Scarecrow… but I never supplied them so much, or so well, that in the end you couldn't prevail. I would make my bank, and trade would continue at a… well, a rate "acceptable" to the police and the populace. Statistically, our crime rate was lower than Metropolis. I did that! But you got arrogant, Batman. You started believing you really were the savior of this city, and not just one piece of a bigger conglomerate. My conglomerate. And then along comes Umbrella Man, who has no interest in playing "theater" with you and your rogues gallery. Who doesn't care about "balance". And now, Batman, you're useless. So turn around. Walk away. Let me deal with Umbrella Man.
      Batman: Do you think for one second that I would turn my back on you?
      Penguin: Look at yourself. You have turned your back on Gotham right now. How many assaults, rapes, murders are happening while you stand here posturing at me? Leave, and I'll give you back the Gotham you used to think was yours.
    • Penguin gives in to Umbrella Man after he gives Penguin a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, outlining why he's just a Smug Snake poser while Penguin is the real deal right before murdering him by biting out his throat.
      Penguin: …You think you can kill me…? You don't know what it takes to survive. You're just a man. But I have never been anything except an ugly little… ANIMAL.
  • Quite a few Black Lantern rings in Blackest Night give these to their targets to force emotional reactions out of them so they can rip their hearts out. They're disturbingly effective since their targets are people who had strong connections to the rings' hosts. The Black Lantern rings also draw on the memories and feelings of their hosts to make these speeches, so their targets can't even dismiss them as liars.
  • Delivered to Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) by many other superheroes who did not believe him in the lead up to Infinite Crisis, including Superman and Martian Manhunter. It makes you wonder how pathetic a hero has to be before Superman decides to give him one of these. And how horrific it must have been when everyone discovered he was the Only Sane Man and had in fact figured out the entire OMAC conspiracy... getting a bullet to the head for his troubles.
    • At least Booster was able to give a nice, short speech to Batman that summed up not only Batman's greatest flaw but one of the fans' biggest complaints about Bat-God.
      Booster: (after Superman claims Batman will be punished) No he won't... he'd have to admit he was wrong first.
  • In Convergence: Speed Force #2, Wally delivers this to Flashpoint Wonder Woman after trying in vain to reason with her. Diana promises that he and his son will die and his daughter will serve in her army. He tells her that she is the worst version of Diana in any universe and that she does not really know what love is. Wally defeats her with help of his kids.
    Wally!Flash: You don't... need your lasso... I've known... for a year... how bad I screwed up... kept Linda from our kids... I've lived with that pain... now I'll die with it... But you? You I feel sorry for. All these universes... and you're the worst Diana in any of them...! A disgrace... and you don't even know it. You said you loved someone... but you don't know what love is. What I feel for Linda, Jai, and Iris... would shatter your heart. Outlive me a thousand years... you'll still never even know what you're missing. And that's your truth.
  • DCeased: Jimmy Olsen chews Lex Luthor out for wallowing in his envy of Superman, using his intellect on endless schemes to hurt him and hating him for being more human than Lex could ever be.
  • Green Arrow During the Cry for Justice & Rise and Fall storyline, where Green Arrow I (Oliver Queen) murders Prometheus for destroying Star City and causing the death of his adopted granddaughter Lian Harper, both his wife Black Canary (Dinah Lance) and adopted son Speedy I/Arsenal/Red Arrow I (Roy Harper) cut ties with Oliver, both telling him they're done with him.
    • In Green Arrow #32, Dinah calls him out for all the problems he caused and driving her away:
      Dinah Lance: Stop. I said stop. Ollie, I didn't come here for any answers or explanations. And I certainly didn't come for any more of your apologies. You've always found a way to put things between us. Now, this glass is making it literally true.
      Oliver Queen: What are you talking about?
      Dinah Lance: I'm talking about you, Ollie. The way you always managed to find some way to mess it all up.
      Oliver Queen: That's crazy.
      Dinah Lance: It goes back to our days in Seattle. We were perfectly happy; so you started talking about getting married and having a family. You let me feel guilty for not wanting to have children. Then ashamed for not being able to. But the truth is, you never wanted to be a father. You ran out on Connor the day he was born. When that whore of an assassin Shado told you about your other son, Robert, you didn't seem interested there, either. Face it, Ollie. Lying about this was just another wedge to drive me away.
      Oliver Queen: It wasn't like that, Dinah. I… I killed somebody. Don't you realize that? I murdered Prometheus. I crossed a line, and I can never take it back.
      Dinah Lance: Please. You crossed that line a long time ago, Ollie. It's old hat. But I know something you can take back.
      (Dinah takes off her wedding ring and drops it)
      Oliver Queen: Dinah... no!
      Dinah Lance: I can't. Out on the streets, I never give up. I never quit. But I can't fight this; not anymore. Deep down, you always wanted to be alone. Congratulations, Ollie. You win.
      (Dinah leaves and Oliver stares at her wedding ring)
    • In Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #2, Roy calls Oliver out on being a bad father to him:
      Roy Harper: Are you friggin' kidding me? You're in jail—big deal. Look at me, Ollie. Look at Me! I lost my arm. Prometheus maimed me, but none of it even registers because she's gone. Lian's dead My… My… …My little girl.
      Oliver Queen: I know, Roy. I'm so sorry. I'd do anything to bring her back anything. I tried to make it right— make him pay. But killing Prometheus didn't change a thing.
      Roy Harper: Maybe for you. But it would have changed everything for me. Getting back at Prometheus was the only thing I had left anymore. He took my arm. He took Lian. But you took my revenge from me, Ollie. What now? You tell me. What am I supposed to do now?
      Oliver Queen: The same thing we always have— you keep going. It's all we can do. I might be behind bars, but that doesn't mean I won't be here for you.
      Roy Harper: Seriously? You're here for me? Ollie, you've never been there for me. Maybe when it was convenient for you, but never when it really mattered. It's the same with me as it is with Connor, or even Mia for that matter. You're no father— you just like to pretend you are from time to time. And that's why you'll never understand what I'm going though right now. You don't know what it's like to be a father— to really be a father.
      Oliver Queen: Roy, listen—
      Roy Harper: Listen? To what? You can't help me Ollie. You can't even help yourself.
  • Green Lantern:
    • In Green Lantern: Rebirth, John Stewart gave one to Batman after the latter, who had up to that point in the story had been drawn completely in shadow, badmouths Hal one too many times.
      John Stewart: I'm tired of this. I'm tired of the disrespect Batman slings Hal's way. You've always had a thing against him, haven't you? And I finally see why. (illuminating Batman with his ring, revealing his true appearance - a man in a costume) Hal is the one person in the world that didn't buy what you're selling. Hal was the man without fear. And what is "the Batman" when you're not afraid of him? Just a man.
    • Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps: Soranik Natu delivers a particularly scathing one to Kyle Rayner in issue #24 for hiding from her that Sarko, the villain that he'd killed earlier and whom she was just done autopsying, was actually their son from the future.
      Soranik: You forget that I'm a Natu by name, but a Sinestro by blood. Fear is the family gift. I feel it throbbing inside you. The fear that made you keep your secret. Fear that I wouldn't want to be with you. Fear that I'd be the love you let slip away. You fear a wounded heart! You can't hide from your fear, alley rat.
  • Hardware (1993):
    Wise Son: You think money is the answer to everything? You're nothing but a slave to the dollar. Nothing but a slave to Mr. Alva. Nothing but a slave. You know what a slave is, don't you? I mean, you are a black man in there, right?
    • Issue 31 had Hardware fight Edwin Alva while giving an earful over what a manipulative dirtbag he is.
    Hardware: I looked up to you, Edwin. I worshiped the ground you walked on. I wanted to be like you. So I remade myself into your image. I turned my back on my friends, my family, my values, myself...and in return for my devotion, you used me. And used me. And used me. Until you used me up. But I'm nothing special. That's standard operating procedure for you. You prey on this city, only pretending to give back to it. You've discarded your own wives and children when they weren't of use to you anymore. And you always win. Except for today. When you put on the suit, you stopped playing your game and started playing mine. Just because you can manipulate me doesn't mean you've got your own *** together.
  • In Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Zero, Poison Ivy delivers one to Joker after he abuses Harley one too many times, choking him with vines to drive the point home.
    Joker: You think...hnn...you think you can threaten me?
    Poison Ivy: Of course I can. You're not special. You're not exceptional. You're like every other pathetic troll, lashing out, hoping someone who's actually worth a damn will pay attention. You want Batman to notice you and he does, but not because you're worthy, not because he needs you. It's because he feels sorry for you. You're an object of pity for him.
    Joker: You @#$%!
    Poison Ivy: And Harley feels the most pity for you. She looks at you and sees a sad, broken man who needs fixing.
    Joker: Heh. She'll...hnng...still come crawling back.
    Poison Ivy: Maybe. But every time she leaves she gets further away. Every time your gaslighting bull@#$% gets a little less effective. Harley is special. She's managed to grow despite your rot. You know it. And she'll realize it one day soon, too.
    Joker: If you think...hrrr...you'll get away with this-
    Poison Ivy: You're not in control! (binds Joker tighter with vines, breaking his nose) You will wake up tomorrow because I allowed it. And because she'd never forgive me if you didn't. But you're not powerful. You're a @#$%&@$# joke.
  • The Sandman (1989): Morpheus gives a damning one to the First Corinthian:
    Morpheus: You disappoint me, Corinthian. You and these humans you inspired and created disappoint me. YOU were my masterpiece, or so I thought. A nightmare created to be the darkness, and the fear of darkness in every human heart. A black mirror made to reflect everything about itself that humanity will not confront. But look at you. Forty years walking the earth, honing yourself, infecting others with your joy of death, and what have you given them? What have you wrought, Corinthian? NOTHING. Just something else for people to be scared of, that's all. You've told them that there are bad people out there. And they've known that all along.
  • Catman gives a nasty one to the Crime Doctor in Villains United by breaking free of his shackles and explaining how he's nothing but a vulture picking off the meat on the bones of captured prey, putting him low on the ladder and then royally screwing him up.
  • Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock shows Ozymandias giving one to Batman (and to the extent the rest of the DC superheroes in general) when it comes to their antics and how they contributed to their world compared to his.
    Ozymandias: I've read and seen enough to know you're tripping over your own capes, playing a game of tag, while the world falls apart. You've put these people through hell. Your world is worse off than mine ever was. Look at the sheer number of people you lost in the narrative of Good versus Bad. Wandering aimlessly in a fog of self-righteousness. You're so busy putting these "super-villains" into prisons with revolving doors, you've ignored the world's real problems. And now you're caught in this vicious cycle of entertaining yourselves. You cling to a simplistic morality based on pulp heroes. I wonder. Is that why Jon came here? To observe the futility of your colorful lives? Or did he come here believing he would blend in? I weaned my world off gasoline and oil. I cured famine and disease. I negotiated nuclear disarmament. I turned the world upside down. I did whatever I had to, to try and save it. And, yes, I failed. But what have you tried to do to make this world a better place?
  • Wonder Woman:
    • Wonder Woman (1942): Judgment In Infinity, Diana becomes flabbergasted when the Adjudicator reveals he was given permission to play with several worlds on the condition that he does not bother his "overseers" again. It turns out that the so-called, self-appointed judge of worlds is a delusional outcast who his minders do not want to put up with.
      Wonder Woman: Mad! I see it all now— You're mad! Your "overseers"— are some kind of cosmic keepers assigned to keep you from hurting yourself!
      The Adjudicator: Be still! I do not like these thoughts.
      Wonder Woman: They didn't care about worlds like Earth, so they let you obliterate them— like a dangerous lunatic playing with expendable toys! No wonder the space-traveling Justice Leaguers hadn't heard of you before! You're not a real judge of worlds at all— But only a madman!
    • Wonder Woman (1987):
      • #176 opens with Diana having a dream in which Cassie Sandsmark and Vanessa Kapatelis, the new Silver Swan are fighting and this exchange occurs:
        Cassie: Did you just call me a thief?
        Vanessa: Well, that's what you are, aren't you? You stole, my role, my name and my best friend! You helped turn me into this!
        Cassie: Are you nuts? You were too weak to be anything but that! You couldn't handle being Wonder Girl!
      • The climactic battle between Diana and Circe from the same issue has the two of them trading both physical blows and cutting tirades. Circe mocks Diana for a naive fool who doesn't see that Humans Are Bastards while Diana claims that Circe is only terrified of imagining a world of peace, love and equality because she's spent the entirety of her life scaring away anyone that loved her.


Alternative Title(s): DC Universe

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