Royal We: Difference between revisions

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* Rurichiyo speaks like this in the Amagai filler arc of ''[[Bleach]]''. Keigo once wonders why she's talking this way. Despite being lower in rank than Byakuya, she speaks as though she's higher in rank than him. This is lampshaded by Ichigo and Rukia when Ichigo complains about the way she speaks and Rukia observes not even her brother speaks like that.
* Shi Ryuuki's [[Japanese Pronouns|"yo"]] is sometimes translated this way in ''[[Saiunkoku Monogatari]]''.
* Jack Atlas, being the (former) king of the riding duel, speaks this way in the original Japanese version of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5 Ds5D's]]''.
* The Anti-Spiral in ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'' never refers to himself in the singular, because he's speaking on behalf of his species. In fact, it's thought that he ''is'' his entire species in a merged consciousness, if so, it makes even more sense.
* Luna talks like this all the time in [[My Bride Is a Mermaid]], and it's easy to see why. She's a famous and hugely popular [[Idol Singer]] and the daughter of one of the most economically (and physically) powerful (mer)men in all of Japan (and Japan's seas). The only time she ever refers to herself in first person is when Nagasumi teaches her a lesson in humility.
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* ''[[The Last Emperor]]''
* In the Cinderella film musical ''The Slipper and the Rose'', as part of his song "Why can't I be two people?", the Prince argues that since it is natural for royals to use the plural, he should have the right to be more than one person.
* Used in ''[[Casanova (Filmfilm)|Casanova]]'' by the non-royal (but equally well-known) Casanova when he's with his manservant Lupo. Amusingly, Lupo uses it, as well.
{{quote| '''Lupo:''' Where have you been? We were worried about us.}}
* In ''[[The Ten Commandments]]'', Seti I uses both forms in one line, when addressing the King of Ethiopia and his sister: "Our son has dealt wisely with you, Ethiopia."
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** [[X Wing Series|Runt]] calls himself "we", and in ''Wraith Squadron'' he's specifically asked if it's a royal "we". It's [[Split Personality|plural]].
* A more literal use of the plural pronoun is seen in ''[[A Madness of Angels]]''. The narrator switches between singular and plural pronouns frequently, sometimes in the middle of a sentence and even during dialogue. This is because he's {{spoiler|sharing his body with the blue electric angels. The choice of pronouns indicates which part of their collective personality is talking.}}
* King John uses it sporadically in the ''[[Lord Darcy (Literature)|Lord Darcy]]'' stories. Typically if he's giving a briefing, he doesn't use it; in one case, transitioning between its use and its non-use is noted as a change from briefing to a more normal sovereign-to-subject talk. In other words when King John calls himself 'I' instead of 'We' one is free to interrupt with questions and otherwise treat him - temporarily - like a regular person rather than one's dread sovereign.
* Used by the Dark Queen in ''Saga'' by Conor Kostick.
* [[The Bible]] has God mention something interesting about Adam and Eve after they had sinned. "They have become as one of '''us.''' Knowing the difference between good and evil." Many Biblical scholars have debated what this means, one interpretation is that God being a Trinity is referring collectively to His God-hood of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Another interpretation is that God is referring to the angels of heaven. Either way some sort of heavenly hierarchy is being talked to.
* In Niven and Pournelle's version of Dante's Inferno, Henry VIII refers to himself as "England".
* Used fairly often in [[Safehold (Literature)|Safehold]], unsurprisingly as a [[Ruling Couple]] are main characters, and one or or the other of them makes a speech in this mode once or twice a book on average, and other royalty show up as well and are sometimes seen making such speeches.
 
 
== Live-Action TV ==
* The wife of the late Centari Emperor in ''[[Babylon Five5]]'' speaks in plural, but because she is traditionally assumed to be speaking for her dead husband.
* Silas from ''[[Kings]]''; in this case it is intended in the religious sense, not the "avatar of the nation" sense, as Silas was literally chosen by God.
* A clever use in ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'': To make the point that the Robin Hood legend wasn't just about him, Robin had the gang reciting "We are Robin Hood!" When they go to the Holy Land and meet [[Richard the Lion Heart|King Richard]], he asks them to represent him when they get back to England. "You are Richard. And ''we'' are Robin Hood."
* In ''[[Yes Minister]]'', Humphrey invokes this to rub in that the Minister has made a bad decision because he wanted to sound important. The Minister has been assigned an awful role, one which Humphrey would have advised him against taking, but he jumped at it because the holder would be described as a "supremo". When he decides that he doesn't want it anymore:
{{quote| '''Minister:''' Clearly, the title Transport Supremo is one that is not worth having. We must endeavor to change the Prime Minister's mind.<br />
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* ''[[Katamari Damacy]]'': The King of All Cosmos speaks like this.
** Which is weird, because the King has no cabinet or anything to speak of. Just the queen and the tons of cousins. The cousins really don't count.
* The Pharaoh Sammun-Mak [[Memetic Mutation|("Sammun-Mak is handsome, Sammun-Mak is cute!")]] from Season Three of [[Telltale Games]]' [[The Adventures of Sam and& Max: Freelance Police (Video Game)|Sam And Max]] abuses this trope.
** Sybil also does in the last episode of the first season as the Queen of Canada.
* The Baronet in ''[[Quest for Glory]] I'' talks like this when he thanks you for breaking the enchantment that {{spoiler|turned him into a bear}} and returning him to normal. He's portrayed as being rather pompous.
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** It might be entirely possible, however, that he could be referring to the {{spoiler|magnus contained within him}}.
* Fou-Lu uses the Royal We in the English localization of ''[[Breath of Fire IV]]''.
* The queen bee in ''[[Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Galaxy]]''.
** Also, Princess Lipid from ''Bowser's Inside Story''.
* The Cloud of Darkness in ''[[Final Fantasy III (Video Game)|Final Fantasy III]]'' DS.
** She's like this in ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy (Video Game)|Dissidia Final Fantasy]]'', too. Her character profile claims this is because her two tentacles have minds of their own, so she is quite literally speaking for multiple entities.
* Zeromus (but not Zemus) in the Game Boy Advance version of ''[[Final Fantasy IV (Video Game)|Final Fantasy IV]]''.
* Maximillian of ''[[Valkyria Chronicles]]'' speaks like this - most of the time, anyway. Occasionally, he speaks without it.
* The mysterious swordswoman Athena uses this in ''[[Fire Emblem]]: Shadow Dragon''. I smell a [[WMG]] coming on...
* Dormin from ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]'' uses this a lot, although, to be fair, {{spoiler|Dormin is compromised of a male and female entity, so this trope is used quite appropriately. However, as the game goes on, the masculine side of Dormin eventually eclipses the feminine side. It is speculated that this may be because the feminine portion of Dormin is harboring Mono's body, per [[Deal Withwith the Devil|the deal]] Dormin upheld with Wander. Further speculation even goes into ''[[ICO (Video Game)|ICOIco]]'', but you probably [[Wild Mass Guessing|don't care]].}}
* Vivaldi (the Queen of Hearts) from ''[[Heart no Kuni no Alice]]'' uses this the whole time.
* The King of Canalot talks this way in the DS version of ''[[Dragon Quest IV (Video Game)|Dragon Quest IV]]'', using capitalization of the first person plural, of course.
* [[Marvel vs. Capcom 2|We are Venom!]]
 
 
== Web Comics ==
* [http://www.arthurkingoftimeandspace.com/0015.htm Completely misunderstood] by Arthur in ''[[Arthur, King of Time and Space]]''.
* Suzette did this for a few strips in ''[[Precocious (Webcomic)|Precocious]]''.
* [[Hive Mind|Gavotte]] from ''[[Skin Horse]]''.
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== Web Original ==
* The Administrator from ''[[Echo Chamber (Web Video)|Echo Chamber]]'' never refers to himself in the first person, though he does appear to speak for an entire wiki... so...[[Voice of the Legion|possibly justified]]?
** He also expects other tropers to refer to themselves in the [[This Troper|third person]].
{{quote| '''Mr. Administrator''': SILENCE! A troper just referred to himself in the first person...''we'' must make an example of him.}}
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== Western Animation ==
* Elizabeth II speaks like this on ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]],'' which leads Yakko, Wakko and Dot to believe she has Multiple Personality Disorder.
* Oberon on ''[[Gargoyles (Animation)|Gargoyles]]'' uses this or [[Third Person Person|his own name]].
* An episode of ''[[Timon and Pumbaa]]'' uses this when the title duo meet a rich pig who is being carried by several servants and introduces himself by saying "''We'' are Mr. Pig," to which Pumbaa replies, "All of you?" Timon quickly points out that he was using the royal "we".
* Princess Luna speaks like this in ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' - a holdover from 1000-year old royal etiquette.
 
 
== Real Life ==
* One of the most well-known phrases using this is Queen Victoria's alleged line, ''"We are not amused."'' It's been speculated that either she [[Beam Me Up, Scotty|didn't say it]], or she was speaking on behalf of herself and all the other ladies at court, as [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/889/victoria-said-we-are-not-amused-not-amused-by-what this Straight Dope article] suggests. This was referenced in her appearance on ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]''; the Doctor and Rose made a bet over whether or not she would say it. {{spoiler|She didn't; she said "I am not amused!" The Doctor and Rose seemed to count it as the same thing, though.}}
** A phrase which frequently pops up in Victoria's diaries is: ''"I was very much amused."'' Go figure...
* It was also common for Russian Tsars and Emperors to use "we" when referring to themselves.