Dude, Where's My Respect?: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

'''Volus:''' I heard about that. And I think it's really cool. Anyway. I was thinking you could go and get me some artifacts.|''[[Penny Arcade]]''}}

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* Joey Wheeler from ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh (anime)|Yu-Gi-Oh]]'' has had several amazing victories over cheaters, put up a tremendous fight against the duelists he lost against, and helped save the world several times. Yet, everyone treats him like a joke or has no idea who he is.

* In the first season of ''[[Tiger and Bunny]]'', this is somewhat a [[Running Gag]] for the main character Kotetetsu T. Kaburagi, aka Wild Tiger. Despite being a veteran Hero whose [[The Cape|only wish is to save people]], he tends to get little to no respect from the citizens of Steinberg or his fellow Heroes for being a [[Destructive Savior]] and is very low on the Hero food chain. Whenever he does do something impressive, most people tend to credit his partner, [[Always Someone Better|Barnaby Brooks Jr]]. [[Hanging a Lampshade|Lampshaded]] at one point when Barnaby is receiving all of the praise for killing {{spoiler|Jake Martinez}}, despite the fact that it was Kotetsu who {{spoiler|figured out that Jake had the second ability of mind reading and [[Batman Gambit|tricked both Barnaby and Jake with a flash bomb, which caught Jake off-guard and gave Barnaby the opening to defeat him]] and then it was Kotetsu who caught Jake during his attempted escape which led to Jake's accidental death}}:

== Film ==

* In ''[[The Hebrew Hammer]]'', the title character has saved Hanukkah, and has dinner with his stereotypical [[Jewish Mother]], who's been berating him the whole film for not being a doctor. {{spoiler|She actually ''is'' proud, just playing it up.}}

* In ''[[Groundhog Day]]'', Phil notes that one kid that he has saved multiple times in the [[Groundhog Day Loop]] has never thanked him.

* Reminiscent of one of the [[Real Life]] mentions below, Rachel/Ellis in ''[[Zwartboek|The Black Book]]'' is deemed a traitor and collaborator after [[World War II]] despite being a Jewish member of the [[La Résistance|Dutch Resistance]], mostly because in her work as [[The Mole]], she worked for the Nazis and became chummy with a [[Anti-Villain|sympathetic Nazi officer]].

* It's what motivates Jimmy Ford in ''[[Leverage]]''.

* This comes up a lot in ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'', where the eponymous character is a powerful warlock who has saved Camelot more than once and saved Arthur more times than we can count, but since magic is banned on pain of death, he has to keep it a secret. He's Arthur's manservant, and the two share a very [[Vitriolic Best Buds|vitriolic]] [[With Friends Like These...|friendship]], so he gets plenty of humiliating tasks on a regular basis. Though it's usually [[Played for Laughs]], it can be surprisingly poignant at times.

'''Merlin:''' When? Everything I do is for him, and he just thinks I'm an idiot. }}

* On ''[[The X-Files|The X Files]]'', every time Mulder presented Scully with his theory for what was going on in their current case, she would automatically dismiss it, even after he'd been proven right nearly every time. Most of the time Mulder was OK with this, saying that Scully's skepticism kept him on his toes. Sometimes, however, he'd get fed up with it and say something like "How often have I been wrong?"

* Inverted in ''[[Brutal Legend]]'', where - as you are a ''roadie'' - you're ''supposed'' to stay the hell out of the spotlight. Not that it stops your buddies from appreciating what you do.

* Lampshaded in ''[[Jak and Daxter|Jak II]]'' when Daxter asks Torn why they get all the crummy missions:

* In the ''[[Overlord]]'' games, especially the 2nd one, most people don't show you the respect an [[Evil Overlord]] deserves. In the first game you can try to earn their respect or slaughter them. In the second game you don't even pretend to be nice; you can either brainwash them or again slaughter them.

* In the Eye of the North expansion to ''[[Guild Wars]]'', 'faction' mechanics toyed with in previous installments reach the point where some items are only possible to acquire through earning a reputation-based title with that faction, with characters lacking that title being rudely informed that the items in question aren't available to just anyone. Nevermind that for three of these factions, it is perfectly possible to have single-handedly rescued the organisation from their greatest enemies or to have destroyed the entity that serves as their greatest nemesis without having achieved sufficient reputation to "earn" these services.

*** Your reputation in ToB is so widespread that fearful sovereigns feel the only way to subdue you as a possible threat is to send an entire army out to kill you. It doesn't work.

** Late-game quote:

** Memorably subverted when talking with an insane NPC very late in the game. He asks you to go and [[Fetch Quest|fetch an eyestalk]]. You have the option to subcontract to less accomplished adventurers, as such tasks are now beneath you (and act like a [[Large Ham]] when giving them the quest in the process). [[Hilarity Ensues]] [[Crowning Moment of Funny|ensues]].

** Hilariously lampshaded in the original Baldur's Gate: At one point, you will get the option to say this:

* In ''[[Diablo]] II: Lord Of Destruction'', the expansion pack for ''[[Diablo]] II'', this is how you are treated by the Barbarians (and especially by {{spoiler|[[Face Heel Turn|the corrupt]] [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Elder Nihlithak]]}}) in the fifth and final Act of the game. You have just defeated {{spoiler|the Lord of Terror himself, Diablo}}, not to mention previously defeating {{spoiler|his brother Mephisto}}, and what do you get? Qual-Kehk says, "You have the look of a warrior. An extra soldier would be useful, ''but don't expect anyone to mourn if you get yourself killed''." Nihlithak is a lot nastier. "After so many have died, who are you to think you can accomplish what our warriors could not?" And, "Ending the siege [will] not earn immediate respect, outsider. Respect only comes with sacrifice -- something I'm sure you know nothing of." The worst from Nihlithak? "What are you still doing here? I thought you were going off to die. Go...Be quick about it."

* In ''[[Runescape]]'', your character is verbally trodden upon regularly by computer characters. Many of the quests involve menial tasks with lots of time-consuming running around, to the point that the game develepors (Jagex) treat it as an in-joke. In some of the quests, your character will actually say things along the lines of "Let me guess, you want me to run around all over Runescape to get some easily-obtainable item?" And some of the computer characters inspire true hatred with their constant refusal to recognise your contributions/good work/single-handed saving of everyone.

* ''[[Impure Blood]]'': [http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Issue4PAGES/ib080.html It's their duty to arrest him for his blood after he fought their battle for them.]

* [[Dominic Deegan]] has done a number of quite impressive things including--most notably--saving the universe as the Champion of Balance. He is a ''really good'' seer. But he still gets [http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2011-06-03 this] when he tries to give warnings.

'''Szark:''' That happened '''once'''. }}

** Somewhat justified in that not much of what he's done that was awesome was in the public eye. A lot of it, even those immediately involved didn't know the extent of his contribution. And the war in Hell, the only effect we ''know'' he had was saving the lives of his loved ones and [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero|helping Karnak keep going long enough]] to blow Hell up (because if Karnak died, so did Szark). Although maybe Karnak blowing up Hell was good {{spoiler|apart from ''killing Siegfried''.}}