I Am the Noun: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

A character declares him- or herself to be the sole representative of a group or abstract concept. The implication is often that they believe that they can speak for the entirety, and that their needs, wants, and thoughts and those of the group are one and the same.

 

Not to be confused with [[Screw the Rules, I Make Them]]. Unrelated to [[I Am the Band]].

See also [[A God Am I]] and [[Badass Boast]]. A phrase like this is usually spoken with [[Punctuated! For! Emphasis!|copious amounts of punctuation]]. Said phrases might also be lyrics to an [["I Am" Song]].

 

* Australian company Quicksilver Cruises claims, "Quicksilver is the Great Barrier Reef."

* Charter Internet has introduced Timothy, who [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DO0Ts7c8KM IS the Internet].

 

* Catherine II in ''[[Le Chevalier d'Eon]]'': "I am Russia!"

* In ''[[Death Note]]'', we get this in stereo from Light and L: "I am... Justice!" They both use the same word for 'justice' but [[Japanese Pronouns|different ones for 'I.']]

** Piccolo says to Cell, "I am the Namek!" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS0D8kiDlyU here]

* Setsuna F. Seiei from ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00]]'': "I am Gundam!"

 

* "I am the law" is a [[Catch Phrase]] of [[Judge Dredd]].

* In the [[Marvel Universe]], [[Galactic Conqueror]] [[Thanos]] delivers a perfect one after [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence|having achieved Godhood]].

* In ''[[100 Bullets|One Hundred Bullets]]'', Augustus Medici, the head of [[Ancient Conspiracy|The Trust]], is staring out his hotel window at the lights of the city below. He says they make him happy. The call girl in his room, wondering why, asks if he works for the power company. His response: "Work? No. I am the power company."

 

* ''[[Judge Dredd (film)|Judge Dredd]]'' contains his catchphrase (see the page quote), which he uses to attempt to scare a group of criminals into turning themselves in. It nearly works, but the gang members ultimately end up firing at him, forcing him to attack.

* In ''[[Star Wars]] Episode III: [[Revenge of the Sith]]'', Palpatine says "I am the Senate!"

'''Budusky''': I am the fucking shore patrol! }}

* ''[[Jackboots on Whitehall]]''. The hero Chris bemoans the fact that he's not allowed to join the military because the government says his hands are too big to fit in a trigger guard. [[Winston Churchill]] declares "I am the government!"

* [[Kingdom of Heaven]]: I'am Jerusalem. Proceeds to bitch slap someone till they bleed.

* "[[Highlander|I know everything! I AM EVERYTHING!]]"

* [[The Lion King|"I AM THE KING!"]]

* In ''[[Airheads]]'', as Chazz and his band first take Rebel Radio hostage:

'''Chazz:''' (''pointing a {{spoiler|plastic}} Uzi'') You look like half a [[Unusual Euphemism|butt puppet]]! Do you know what it's like to be on the bill and to play for 15 minutes and the only people there to see you are the other bands and their girlfriends? Don't talk to me about Rock 'n' Roll! I'm out there in the clubs and on the streets and I'm living it! '''I ''AM'' ROCK 'N' ROLL!''' }}

* ''[[Paycheck]]'':

{{quote|'''{{spoiler|[[Big Bad|Rethrick]]}}''': Still think you can change your fate, Mike? [[Narm|I AM THE FUTURE, MIKE!]]}}

 

* From [[The Bible]]:

{{quote|'''God:''' [[Shaped Like Itself|I am that I am]].}}

{{quote|I will send you Torus's worst dream!

'''I AM Torus's worst dream!''' }}

{{quote|'''Assassin:''' Who are you?

'''Vimes:''' ''The Law'', you sons of bitches! }}

{{quote|'''Jonathan Teatime:''' So I'd rather you didn't try any last-minute stuff.

** From the short story "Theater of Cruelty":

{{quote|'''Carrot:''' You see, sir, as I understand the law, you are an Accessory After The Fact. Or possibly Before The Fact.

{{quote|'''The Archchancelor's Hat''': ''I challenge. And those who will not face me must follow me, in accordance with the Lore.''

'''Wizard''': Whereabouts in the Lore?

{{quote|'''Elli:''' Of course not. Not on our ''own'' people.

'''Terrance:''' Lady, when this thing is activated, I ''am'' the other people. }}

* [[Sherlock Holmes]] on his brother Mycroft:

{{quote|"You are right in thinking that he is under the British Government. You would also be right in a sense if you said that occasionally he ''is'' the British Government.”}}

* In ''[[Warrior Cats]]'', Tigerstar tries to declare himself the sole representative of ShadowClan. It doesn't really work out for him...

 

{{quote|'''Kira:''' You're part of the Dominion, aren't you?

'''{{spoiler|Female Changeling}}:''' ''Part'' of? Major, the {{spoiler|Changelings}} ''are'' the Dominion! }}

* In one episode of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', Dr. Forrester told TV's Frank to push the button and Frank said, "I ''am'' the button!" He was acting high at the time, though.

 

* [[Anthrax]]'s homage to ''[[Judge Dredd]]'', appropriately enough titled "[[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|I Am the Law]]".

* The recurring [[Catch Phrase]] of the [[Greek Chorus]] in [[The Protomen]]'s first album repeatedly chant "We are the dead."

* [[Stratovarius]] has a song called [[Alpha Ω]] that is almost full of lines like this. "I am the low and high/ I am the earth and sky..."

* [[The Beatles (band)|The Beatles]] example: "I am The Walrus" would be missing quite a few words if this trope didn't exist.

* The [[Dead Kennedys]]' cover of "I Fought The Law", keeping in with the lyrical subversion (instead of a robber who [[Can't Get Away with Nuthin'|went to jail]], it's a criminal who pulled a [[Karma Houdini]] on the authorities) changes the final line to "I ''am'' the law so I won".

** The DKs also use this trope in their original song "I Am the Owl".

* "I Am, I Said" by Neil Diamond.

* "I Am A Viking", by [[Yngwie Malmsteen]].

* "[[The Smiths|I am the son and the heir]] [[The Woobie|of a shyness that is criminally vulgar...]]"

* "[[Ear Worm|I am I am...I am I am...I am I am...I think I am...I think I am]]...I'm glad I am...I'm proud I am...[[Nacho Libre|a real religious man]]."

* "[[Epic Rocking|I am the root! I am the progress! I'm the aggressor! I am the tablet!]] [[Lou Reed|I AM! I AM! I AM! I AM! I AM!]]

* "Touched By The Crimson King", by Demons & Wizards:

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqjIMsLRz94 "Inside of You, In Spite of You"] by [[ThouShaltNot]] is composed ''entirely'' of "I am the noun" lines.

 

* "I am [[Samoa Joe]], and I am pro wrestling."

* [[AJ Styles]]' theme song. I am I am!

** Subsequently, [[CM Punk]] is the best in the world.

 

** The Canticle of Absolution of the Grey Knights.

{{quote|''I am the hammer!''

''I am the END!'' }}

 

* At the end of the opera ''Paul Bunyan'', [[The Unseen]] title character is asked who he is, and he says:

 

* From ''[[Vagrant Story]]'':

'''[[Badass|Ashley Riot]]''': "Reinforcements? I ''am'' the reinforcements." }}

* ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'':

* [[Street Fighter|"I AM]] [[That One Boss|YOUR]] [[Physical God|GOD."]]

** Waaait...isn't that the [[Physical God|Goa']][[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|uld's]] [[Catch Phrase]] in ''Stargate SG-1''?

* The [[Private Military Contractors|Flaming Fist Mercenaries]] in the first ''[[Baldur's Gate]]''.

{{quote|"I ''AM'' THE LAW!"}}

Need me!

I can provide you with everything!

[[Call to Adventure|Find me, and walk beside me.]] }}

{{quote|(the final battle)

I am light.

I am darkness.

Half of myself is what

{{spoiler|--Goddess of Mana, who is the final boss.}} }}

* From his themesong: "[[Sonic Adventure 2|I am the Eggman!]] That's what I am, I am the Eggman! I got the Master Plan..."

* From ''[[Stranglehold]]'':

{{quote|'''Mr. James Wong:''' You are nothing, Tequila! I ''am'' Hong Kong!}}

 

== We Are [[Web Comics]] ==

{{quote|'''Homestar:''' Strong Bad, so I see you decided to join the other side, eh?

'''Strong Bad:''' What joining? I ''am'' the other side! }}

* Mocked in ''[[Homestuck]]'' [http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003020 here].

 

* [[Weebl and Bob]] gives a nod to the Oppenheimer quote at the top of the page:

{{quote|'''Death:''' Lo. I have become death. Stealer of pie.}}

'''Critic:''' I know it's your point! It's just when you say that I'm out of order and the system's out of order it's kind of redundant! }}

 

* ''[[South Park]]'' used this in reverse, in a somewhat more...belittling manner.

{{quote|This is deeply offensive to the Jewish community!

* Batman was a triple threat in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series|Batman the Animated Series]]'': "You are NOT my father. I am NOT a disgrace. I am Vengeance. I am the Night. I AM [[Batman]]!"

** When the pilot episode of the animated series was scripted out, Batman's first scene was going to be fairly similar to how it was in the recent [[Tim Burton]] ''[[Batman (film)|Batman]]'' movie from 1989, but meddling executives made them change it because they felt it was too frightening for children, particularly as this was the first episode and they wanted to hook the audience first. Like in the movie, at the end of a fight Batman grabs a thug and holds him over the edge of rooftop. The criminal defiantly yells, "Who do you think you are?! You can't rule the night!", to which Batman coldly declares "I *am* the night!" and drops him off the building.

* Cat R. Waul from ''[[An American Tail|An American Tail: Fievel Goes West]]'' says something along these lines.

{{quote|'''Cat R. Waul''': "Simply put, mouseling, I am the law here, and you are a mere hors d'ouevre."}}

* ''[[Aeon Flux|"I am the edge"]].''

* From the ''[[G.I. Joe]]'' cartoon:

''(Proceeds to dismantle a tank with his bare hands.)'' }}

* ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes|Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes]]'' had a truly classic one with the villain MODOK:

* [[The Venture Brothers|"I am the Bat."]]

 

* ''"You think you are the State? No, I am the State."'' - Louis XIV

** Interestingly subverted by his last words: "I am dead, but the state will survive".

{{quote|'''Caller''': You don't know anything about basketball!

'''Hank''': What do you mean? I AM a basketball! }}

* While they (to my knowledge) never explicitly said "I am the State", [[Those Wacky Nazis]] spent much of their time and effort in promoting that image. For example: "Ein Volk, ein Staat, ein Reich, ein Führer. [[Rule of Three|(One people, one State, one empire, one leader)]]" - [[Adolf Hitler]].

* In an interview, Amy Lee from [[Evanescence]] declared "I AM Evanescence."

* [[Jorge Luis Borges]]' ''"A New Refutation of Time"'': "Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire."

* A rather tragic case with Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 with David Burke killing the pilot but not before proclaiming "I'm the problem".

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:I Am an Index]]

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]