Crucified Hero Shot: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

{{quote|''And you stare at me in your Jesus Christ pose<br />

It's very common for a character who just performed a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] to be lying with their arms outstretched like the crucified [[Jesus]]. The "person with outstretched arms symbolically representing Christ" pose is so deeply ingrained into modern culture that anytime we see a character in that pose, [[Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory|we tend to assume the director was going for this trope]], even when it's obvious from the context of the scene that he or she ''wasn't.''

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Mazinger Z]]'': It happened several times to several characters: [[The Hero|Kouji]], his little brother, his friend Boss and Boss's gang... [[The Dragon|Baron Ashura]] seemed loving the trope. It also happened in ''[[Great Mazinger]]''. Occassionally both series featured ''the [[Humongous Mecha]] themselves'' being crucificed. And in the Mazinger Z vs Devilman movie, {{spoiler|[[Devilman]]}} himself.

** In an episode of Sailor Moon S, Hotaru is also bound to a cross and [[Nightmare Fuel|attacked by legions of demonic hands]] in a nightmare sequence.

** A rather unconventional example occurs in the R movie, in which Fiore kind of crucifies [[Sailor Moon]] (who has sacrificed herself to save her friends and the earth), except he himself acts like the cross and holds her in place with [[Naughty Tentacles|long tree roots]].

* In ''[[X 1999]],'' several characters are subjected to the crucified hero shot in different circumstances, in some cases building up to a [[Heroic Sacrifice]].

* In the opening sequence of ''[[Ef a Tale of Melodies]]'', Yuu is seen in this pose, pierced by what appears to be many spears, struggling to pull out the nails that bind his hands to the wall. Only in the final version of the opening {{spoiler|in the series finale does he manage to do this.}}

*** Hmmm, son of the Pokémon Adam/Eve genetic predecessor to all Pokemon Mew, gifted with amazing powers, speaks actively of the corrupt relationship between man and Pokemon, hmm. Yeah, why not?

* In the manga version of ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]'', upon storming Michel's mountain lair, the mermaids are suddenly trapped upon crosses. {{spoiler|Kaito and Rihito run in to free them after the latter convinces the former to stop [[Achilles in His Tent|sulking]] about [[It's All My Fault|not having been able]] to save Michal.}} Like most of [[Erotic Dream|the]] [[First Blood|manga's]] [[I'm a Humanitarian|objectionable]] [[Naked First Impression|scenes]], this is nowhere in the anime.

* Parodied in ''[[Puni Puni Poemi]]'', Poemi finds her parents crucified and manages to actually knock down the crosses, leading her to repeat the shot, with über-dramatic sound effects to boot. Extra points for the scene taking place [[Against the Setting Sun]].

** Nabeshin is the [[Mary Sue|Mary-Sue Messiah]]. He died for the sins of your transparent self-insertion fanfic.

** Considering [[Church Militant|the nature of the group they belong to]], it's probably intended as mockery.

* In ''[[Bleach]]'', when Rukia is about to be executed by the Sogyoku, she's held up in a position similar to crucifixion.

** And this was just before she was to be stabbed by what used to be a spear.

** There also a bit of a gruesome image in a flashback of the the manga near Haku arc when the reader sees Kaiza tied to a cross with his arms cut off. In the edited version it's just a pole and his arm have just been severely beaten.

** Shikamaru is also forced into this position by another Genjutsu fighter, and has to watch his arms melt down to the bone. {{spoiler|He gets better.}}

* In an early episode of ''[[Gundam Wing]]'', Trowa takes on this pose for a knife-throwing stunt. In a later episode, when he attempts to self-detonate his gundam, Catherine flashes back to this scene; as it fades out, there's a brief moment where it looks as if Trowa really is crucified.

** There's a red band of paint too, so double the cross imagery.

* Tsukune is subjected to this in ''[[Rosario to Vampire]]'' as punishment after being discovered to be a human.

* After being detained by the D-Reaper, Beelzemon is positioned this way in ''[[Digimon Tamers]]''.

** The standard pose is also used, though in an unusual fashion. Rem does this in flashback when she tries to talk down Law after he snaps. We see it again in [[My Greatest Second Chance|similar circumstances]] with Meryl holding the pose.

* ''[[Last Exile]]'', the last episode, Alex Rowe. Tortured to death (sort of, basically), he ends up looking more-or-less crucified. Held in place by thorns.

* ''[[Akagi]]'' gets subjected to one of these. It's symbolic for a game of [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|mahjong]].

* A scene in the ''[[D.N.Angel]]'' anime had Satoshi in a feathery transformation scene, hanging from nothing in this postion.

* At one point in the ''[[Chrono Crusade]]'' anime, Chrono charges at the [[Big Bad]] but an explosion sends him flying backwards, in slow motion, with his arms outspread. When he lands on the ground, he's buried under rubble from the building he was in--including a steel, cross-shaped beam marking the spot where he's buried.

** There's also a promo art piece for the anime that shows Joshua bound to a cross, and a scene in the manga where Chrono is kept in a cross-like restraining device {{spoiler|when the Order imprisons him}}.

* Syaoran is very temporarily crucified by some cute bunny rabbits in [http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/50/17/ this panel] of [[Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle]] in preparation for being eaten/burned at the stake/sacrificed to a demon god. Not surprisingly, they don't go through with it after they learn he can speak.

* ''[[Shakugan no Shana]]'': Happened to Shana at one point, but that was probably a matter of convenience for the villain in question.

* Optimus Prime in ''[[Transformers Armada]]'' takes this pose when he intercepts the Hydra Cannon's blast, giving his own life to save Earth.

* In the final TV episode of [[Uta Kata]], Ichika is literally crucified to a mirror (although the crystals which are used in place of nails don't actually pierce her hands until she tries to free herself).

* ''[[Eureka Seven]]'': Nirvash gets one in the last episode.

* ''[[Kanashimi no Belladonna]]'' ends with Jeanne being burned on a cross-shaped stake.

* Episode 11 of ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]'' gives both Madoka and Homura one as Kyubey explains why Madoka holds such a huge potential as a magical girl -- {{spoiler|Homura is causing Madoka to bear more misfortune as Homura keeps on trying to save Madoka in different timelines, which causes Madoka's potential as a magical girl to increase.}}

* ''[[Genesis of Aquarion]]'': the Shadow Angels have a thing for ''actual crucifixion''. Apollonius was nailed up twelve millennia back, and in the same episode but 12000 years on Aquarion itself gets pinned to the ground with arms outstretched. {{spoiler|In both cases, bits were torn off while getting out of said pose - Apollonius deliberately tore off his wings so he could protect Celiane, and his reincarnation ripped off Solar Aquarion's arms and used the arm components of Vector Luna as a substitute}}.

* In the manga of ''[[Deadman Wonderland]]'' this trope is referred to by name when the leader of {{spoiler|The Forgeries}} refers to this trope by name while crucifying Ganta on a nearby wall... bonus points: {{spoiler|the spikes used for the cruxifiction are drops of blood, while the pain is really only inside Ganta's mind, as the Forgery's special power is, apparently, [[Mind Rape]]}}

* In ''[[Saint Beast]]'', {{spoiler|Shin}} is actually crucified by Zeus as punishment for stealing Pandora's box (in attempt to save the human world from chaos). Being an angel, he survives, [[Fridge Horror|which might make it even worse]].

== Comic Book ==

* The cover to the ''Sinestro Corps War'' special has a semi-crucifixion for all the Earth Lanterns and Kilowog.

* Mediocre [[Crisis Crossover]] ''Marvel: The End'' had its bad guy, the very difficult name to remember [[Unreliable Narrator|Ankhatamanatotep]] or something, energy blast an assembly of superheroes and proceeded to put them on floating crosses around New York city.

* [[The New Gods|Mister Miracle]] usually incorporates this into his escape artist's act, being strapped to a cross-shaped platform before being shot at, blow up, etc.

** Earlier than that, Angel got crucified by the Marauders in the Morlock tunnels.

*** Plus, Wolverine got crucified by the Reavers at one point.

* The classic [[Green Lantern]]/[[Green Arrow]] #89 features an [[Green Aesop|environmental activist]] named [[The Messiah|Joshua]] who is trying to stop an [[Evil, Inc.|evil corporation]]. And just in case that's [[Anvilicious|too subtle]], '''[http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/image_cover/GreenLantern_Arrow_Jesus.jpg this]''' is the cover.

* ''[[The Invisibles (Comic Book)|The Invisibles]]'' has plenty of these, but a particularly significant one occurs when [[Dane Mc Gowan]] (aka "Jack Frost") is floating in space during his "alien abduction" (contact w/Barbelith). A disembodied voice comments that this imagery was chosen for Dane because of his lapsed-Catholic background.

* In [[Doctor Strange]]'s first confrontation with Shuma-Gorath, the [[Eldritch Abomination]] was attempting to enter the world through the mind of the Ancient One, Strange's teacher in magic. Shuma showed Strange that his master was picturing him hanging with his arms outstretched, as a sign that he had lost hope.

* [[Bionicle]]: In the infamous {{spoiler|Matoro Death scene, the hero assumes this pose temporarily}}.

* ''[[Cool Hand Luke]]'' has the title character assume one of these at the conclusion of the egg-eating contest.

* ''[[The Matrix]]'', [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic|naturally]].

* Every survivor of the slave revolt in ''[[Spartacus]]'' was also crucified. And yes, the people in real life were too.

* ''[[Superman Returns]]'': The falling-from-orbit scene. Further driving the Christ metaphor is his also getting ''stabbed in his side'' with a piece of Kryptonite in a prior scene. While one of Lex Luthor's [[Mooks]] ''holds him up with his arms outstretched'', even. The movie doesn't specify that he convalesces for three days in the hospital afterwards before reviving, but it can easily be inferred.

{{quote| '''Jor-El''': They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... [[Does This Remind You of Anything?|my only son.]]}}

{{quote| '''Servo:''' So, why ''this'' symbolism? Did Christ hunt people on deserted islands?}}

* Willem Dafoe in ''[[Platoon]]''. Since this became the main poster/video box/DVD cover image, this rather builds up expectations of the film. The closing narration doesn't help. The image is a homage to the famous 1968 photograph by Art Greenspon.

* ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' takes the piss out of the the famous ''Platoon'' scene. The hero of the fictitious [[Vietnam War]] movie gets shot while maintaining the pose for an absurdly long time. The scene is later echoed when the actor playing the hero {{spoiler|has to run from an angry mob.}}

* Charlton Heston in ''[[The Omega Man]]'' pulls a crucifixion death pose in the final scene of the film, and Vincent Price is speared to death at the foot of a cross in ''The Last Man on Earth.'' Despite both being adaptations of ''[[I Am Legend]]'', which does not employ this trope, the two films share little else in common.

* For some completely inexplicable reason, the villain Bullseye gets this in the movie ''[[Daredevil]]''. It comes complete with wounds on the hands that resemble stigmata, and the entire fight scene [[Bloodstained-Glass Windows|takes place in a church]].

** He's Irish, isn't he? To Brits, that tends to imply Catholicism- not sure if the director was aware of that.

* ''[[El Topo]]'' uses this motif, which in its case is a [[Justified Trope]] because the movie is, among other things, a [[Deconstruction]] of the [[Messianic Archetype]].

* ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'': Conan was crucified on the Tree of Woe <ref>bet he wished it was the Sofa Of Reasonable Comfort instead</ref> in the movie of the same name. The scene was inspired by the opening scene of the Robert E. Howard story, "A Witch Shall Be Born," which had him crucified on an actual cross.

* In the Sylvester Stallone gangster (not [[Jive Turkey|gangsta]]) comedy ''[[Oscar]]'', Stallone's character ends up feeling very fatigued with everything that's gone wrong up to that point. He sighs, leans back, and drapes his arms across the mantlepiece behind him, horizontally. There's a little bit of Christian imagery in prior scenes, too ...

* In ''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'', when Andy is held over a building, he throws his arms out in a pretty obvious cross pose.

* A non-sacrificial example appears in [[Kenneth Branagh]]'s ''[[Hamlet]],'' when the "four captains / bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage."

* ''[[Carrie]]'''s mother, {{spoiler|in her [[It Was His Sled|final scene]],}} was impaled against a doorframe in a picture-perfect imitation of the Christ-on-the-Cross that she locked Carrie in with at her first period. Kind of a subversion, as the statue in the closet was actually Saint Sebastian (note the arrows), not Jesus Christ.

* ''[[Dead Man Walking]]'': Though he sure is no hero -- just a criminal victim -- Matthew Poncelet gets one of them when he's being executed.

* Clint Eastwood's character, at the end of ''[[Gran Torino]]''.

* ''The Mission'' opens with one of these combined with an [[Inevitable Waterfall]]. Justified in that the missionary being martyred was intentionally given a death resembling Christ's by the group rejecting him and his message.

* ''[[The Lawnmower Man]]'' had this; Pierce Brosnan's character shows up in cyberspace, and Job first says "I am God here", and then handwaves Brosnan's avatar into a crucifixion pose. [[Take That|Rather a pity they couldn't have done the same to the film's director.]]

* ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'': In the Al Pacino film version, during the court scene, Antonio repeatedly consigns himself to death, and then is stripped of his clothes, strapped down with his arms outstretched, and then waits helplessly while Shylock, a Jew, is about to kill him. For bonus points, Antonio is wearing a large crucifix around his neck. Real subtle, director. So much for modern interpretations of the play making Shylock less of a [[Card-Carrying Villain]].

* The 2000 ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' has Judas, of all people, strike this pose shortly before hanging himself.

* ''[[Mad Max|Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome]]'': Max is seen by the children as the [[Second Coming]] of Captain Walker, complete with a Max-as-Walker picture of him spread out in crucified form carrying the children away upon himself. This is before Max almost kills himself helping the children get to their [[The Promised Land|Promised Land]] with the help of an antagonistic airplane pilot.

* John Lennon, in the film ''The Killing of John Lennon'', is shown, after being shot, in a slow-mo, freeze-frame shot, in a pose that made this troper think of crucifixion almost immediately. Could be deliberate or not, considering Lennon's martyrdom, which was, of course, caused by the shooting depicted.

* As in the comic, John Osterman stretches his arms out as he is being disintegrated in ''[[Watchmen]]'', then slowly raises his arms into this pose when reborn.

{{quote| '''Quasimodo''':(repeatedly)SANCTUARY!!!}}

* In ''[[The Seventh Seal]],'' the girl [[Burn the Witch|accused of being a witch]] is tied up with her arms spread out.

* In ''[[The Fionavar Tapestry]]'', Paul voluntarily gets tied to the [[World Tree]] for three days and three nights. {{spoiler|He comes back as Pwyll 'twice born'}}

* ''[[Les Misérables]]'': " {{spoiler|Enjolras}}, pierced by eight bullets, remained backed up against the wall as if the bullets had nailed him there. Except that his head was tilted."

* In ''[[Matthew Reilly|The Six Sacred Stones]]'', {{spoiler|Jack}} is crucified by his own father. He gets better, obviously.

* [[Inverted Trope]] in the [[Warhammer 40000]] [[Night Lords]] novel ''Blood Reaver''. There is indeed a hero being crucified, [[Flaying Alive|flayed]] and [[I'm a Humanitarian|partially eaten alive]], but the torturers are the [[Villain Protagonist|Villain Protagonists]].

** And in the very next season, his side is pierced by a <s> lance</s> piece of shrapnel.

* Captain Jack from ''[[Doctor Who]]'' strikes a Jesus Christ Pose when it's time for him to die. Later, after being resurrected, he gets shot again (he's ''[[Immune to Bullets]]'', so he survives) and strikes another Jesus Christ Pose. He has no real need to the second time, perhaps he just enjoys it.

** In the ''Doctor Who'' [[Made for TV Movie]], the Master straps the Doctor into a regeneration-syphoning machine in the Jesus pose. Then he drives a nasty looking circle of electrodes into his head, which may or may not have been intended to resemble the Crown of Thorns. Ironically, this all occurred ''after'' he'd woken up in the morgue and cast off his burial shroud...

** He does this again in the episode "Beneath You," having completely lost it due to {{spoiler|the weight of his new soul}}, he drapes himself over a church cross.

** Buffy herself does this both times she dies. The first time, she's found facedown in water, her arms floating out from her sides. The white dress also seemed to paint the scene as a [[Virgin Sacrifice]]. The second time, her dive into the deadly portal has a definite cross shape to it. Both times, of course, she comes back to life to save the world from evil.

* ''[[The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'' had {{spoiler|Chromartie's final shootout take place in a church,}} firing at people on both sides of him. At one point it was also shot to show the cross silhouette clearly. Probably not a coincidence, as the show has been talking a lot about religion in second season.

* In ''[[Jekyll]]'', Hyde does this in the last episode, posing on the edge of a roof right before he {{spoiler|throws himself off. He survives, though. [[Mind Screw|Somehow]]. Of course, later in the episode he does make a [[Heroic Sacrifice]]}}.

** Sylar also gets crucified with a nail gun by Peter in ''The Fifth Stage''. The episode features also a subversion of this trope: Nathan plummets to his death in the standard pose, but then he starts grinning and morphs into Sylar while he is falling.

*** And then later Matt {{spoiler|buries Sylar in the basement, after which he busts out of his "tomb" before he and his buddy [[Rule of Symbolism|Peter]] go to save the day.}}

** The pose is resurrected in Swan Song when he's about to {{spoiler|throw himself into hell.}}

* In ''[[Neverwhere]]'' Croup and Vandemar crucify the Marquis. He's hardly the hero, though.

* {{spoiler|Ben}} at the end of ''[[Carnivale]]'' is lying like this as the carnies carry him through the cornfield.

** How about Jack Shepherd in the End. {{spoiler|He gets mortally wounded by the Monster with a stab wound in his side.}}

** He also strikes a [http://lewisshepherd.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/the-prisoner-intro.jpg?w=468&h=374 heroic version of the pose] in the opening sequence.

== Video Games ==

* Used a few times in the ''[[Sakura Wars]]'' franchise. In the first game Maria is captured and crucified, in the second game every member of the team except the girl you're leading with (who at this point is almost assuredly the one you'll end up with), is captured and put into crystaline crucifixes. It shows up a few other times aside with the next game, with Reni and Orihime hanging from a double sided giant floating cross [[Nuns Are Mikos|Erica the novitiate nun]], and more. But then Christian symbolism is really embedded into the Sakura Wars franchise... And used in a way where it seems the creator knows what he's doing.

** The fact that his energy source in the original Japanese was "Holy" rather than lightning just adds to the [[Faux Symbolism]] value.

** And that's without the [[Fridge Logic]] of the characters in the cockpits of their [[Humongous Mecha]] acting as if ''they'' are in physical pain, and the obvious question "Why not just get out?".

* The intro of ''[[Persona 3]]'' includes a brief shot of Shinjiro Aragaki in this pose. {{spoiler|It's repeated when he's shot to death midway through the game.}}

** In ''Persona2'', after Jun's mother becomes a Masquerade executive and his father commits suicide starting the whole chain of events, they are seen crucified during the ending.

* Played with in ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'', where {{spoiler|Seymour,}} resident [[Dark Messiah]], ends up in one of these {{spoiler|after his first death.}}

* There's a crucified ''villain'' shot in ''[[Silent Hill 4]].''

* ''[[Oddworld|Abe's Oddysee]]'' has the hero receive painful scars on the backs of his hands which convey mystical powers and allow him to become the saviour of his people. Everything is narrated in verse, and the line "With hand-scars complete" has Abe standing with his arms held out for no real reason other than [[Rule of Symbolism]] [[Faux Symbolism]]. Oh yeah, and he already died and came back to life. In a cutscene, not [[Nintendo Hard|all those other times]].

* {{spoiler|Tassadar}}, in the final cutscene of ''[[Starcraft]]'' (not ''Brood War''), adopts a modified Crucified Hero Pose as he unleashes his last blast of psionic energy against the Overmind and channels it through the ''Gantrithor''. He would have gone all the way, one imagines, but he had to keep his footing stable, and of course Protoss legs really aren't designed for it.

* Solid Snake throwing himself off the George Washington Bridge, outlined in rain, invisible, long-haired, [[Spy Catsuit|nude-looking]] and backed by an ecstatic chorale, at the start of ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 2''. He wasn't dying, but considering he'd abandoned his dream of having a normal life and family in the name of his 'duty to the world', it's a sacrifice.

* In ''[[Baten Kaitos]]'', {{spoiler|during the arc where you play as Xelha, you are separated from the rest of your party and must go off to save them. Each individual character you rescue is found hanging not on a cross, per se, but a giant "Y".}} One may wonder if the creators were attempting to subvert this trope.

** And in the Japanese version of ''Origins'', after {{spoiler|turning into an afterling and being captured by the Machina Vanguard}} Sagi is attached to a cross. In the American version it was changed to a rectangle, but he's still hanging in a crucified position.

* In one of the later levels of ''[[Second Sight]],'' Pieter, one of the Zener Children, takes this pose when fighting off the Russian mercenaries with his telekinetic powers. [[Power Floats|He's also levitating.]]

* In ''[[.hack|.hack//Infection]]'', Skeith pins his victims up to his staff before Data Draining them. This is better seen when Skeith Data Drains Orca in the very beginning of the game. Played totally straight in the Japanese version, and some of the anime where Skeith's staff is in the shape of a Celtic cross instead of the "Q" shape.

* Subverted in ''[[Dragon Age]]''. King Cailan deluded himself into thinking he was the [[Messianic Archetype]] who'd end the Blight once and for all... [[Wrong Genre Savvy|he was wrong]]. When the Warden returns to Ostagar, you come across his body, stripped of all his armour and mockingly posed in a crucified shot. The Archdemon seems to have purposely directed the horde to do this for nothing more than its own amusement at the sheer irony.

** [[Fridge Logic]] kicks in when you realize that there's no reason for that pose to have any special meaning in [[Dragon Age]].

*** [[Fridge Brilliance|They never show us any depictions of]] [[Crystal Dragon Jesus|Andraste]] [[Gory Discretion Shot|being burned]], though, it's hypothetically possible she was tied to a cross and then burned...

* The Overlord DLC in ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'' has an enormous (extremely spoiler-ridden example. {{spoiler|When Shepard finally discovers David Archer, he is hung up in some kind of diagnostic equipment in a distinctly crucifix-like pose; arms out to either side, feet together, and head lifted toward heaven. But the analogy goes even further than the pose itself. He also has some sort of metal ring bolted into his head which strongly resembles a crown of thorns, and he has a number of probes that pierce his wrist and arms, much like the nails in Christ's hands and feet. He is also either naked or nearly naked, as Jesus is said to have been when he was crucified.}}

== Western Animation ==

* In ''[[South Park]]'', one of the children, Eric Cartman is crucified in the episode "Spontaneous Combustion".