# Rousing speechess of heroism (sorry, Aquaman). **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096 "2019-12-19T17:42:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/41 "2019-12-19T23:00:32Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > [Dr. Rumack from Airplane](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek6PwrcaYKw): > > Which is of course based on the speech from Knute Rockne: All American (1940). [Here’s the movie clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm1xBfLwmqI) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/42 "2019-12-20T02:17:50Z")
> [@Hawkeye to the Scarlet Witch](#): > > Doesn’t matter what you did, or what you were. If you go out there, you fight, and you fight to kill. Stay in here, you’re good. I’ll send your brother to come find you. But if you step out that door, you are an Avenger. “Now - Drop your sword” ---
**Author:** ![txtumbleweed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@txtumbleweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txtumbleweed)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/43 "2019-12-20T02:19:38Z")
Col Tim Collins gave a great speech to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish, as they prepared to enter Iraq that referenced not just their mission, but a reminder to be honorable in all their actions. Closing with a simple “Our business now is north.” [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk\_news/2866581.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2866581.stm) [Ken Branagh dramatized it for a series.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdeNcH1H8A) Between that and St Crispin, Branagh does get some good monologues. Of course, there is always Sgt Major Plumly in _We were Soldiers_. Just one line but well delivered by Sam Elliott: “Sir, Custer was a pussy. You ain’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/44 "2019-12-20T03:00:53Z")
Lord John Whorfin [addressing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd56CIFSMI4) his troops before they return to Planet 10. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/45 "2019-12-20T03:01:59Z")
Not fictional but it has been used many a time now in movies & on TV: Winston Churchill: We Shall Fight on the Beaches. The Gary Oldman version: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skrdyoabmgA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skrdyoabmgA) [In his own voice, the key snippet, only 2:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTw3_PmKtc) Really gets rousing at about 1:15 into it. > [@](#): > > Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/46 "2019-12-20T03:31:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Which means that it came out well after the OP lost his sight, and therefore a large portion of his ability to enjoy superhero movies. > > And heck, I did see the movie, and I didn’t recognize the lines, either. Give me the full speech, and sure, it’s obvious where it’s from, but “this is the fight of our lives, and we’re going to win it” could come from pretty much any inspiring speech. I understand that not everyone would recognize the lines. But I did link them to the scene from the movie I was quoting. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/47 "2019-12-20T03:36:15Z")
“Nuts!” ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/48 "2019-12-20T03:38:49Z")
Tyrion Lannister’s speech from “Blackwater”. It works much better on-screen with the additional context included in this clip, but this is the summary: “Don’t fight for your king and don’t fight for his kingdoms. Don’t fight for honor. Don’t fight for glory. Don’t fight for riches, because you won’t get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack. That’s your gate he’s ramming. If he gets in, it will be your houses he burns, your gold he steals, your women he will rape. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let’s go kill them.” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEVkm60TPKk) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/49 "2019-12-20T03:43:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I doubt will find any peer examples of this sort of speech in the works of Joss Whedon. There are bad ass boasts a plenty, but with this kind of thing, Whedon generally prefers to subvert expectations. There is [Mal’s “I aim to misbehave” speech from _Serenity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VR3Av9qfZc). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/50 "2019-12-20T04:45:51Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > There is [Mal’s “I aim to misbehave” speech from _Serenity_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VR3Av9qfZc). +1 ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/51 "2019-12-20T10:57:01Z")
No mention yet of Braveheart? “Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you’ll live – at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIvRkjOd1f8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIvRkjOd1f8) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/52 "2019-12-20T14:48:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The reason I prefer Théoden to Aragorn in ROTK is that Wenham delivers a much better performance than Mortenson. I agree that the speech at the Black Gate is one of the weaker parts of Mortenson’s performance, but the text of the speech is great: > [@Movie.Aragorn](#): > > Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day!. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West! Not asking for perfection, for all time, just get through this day. Which seems like it would inspire not-particularly-brave me (especially for a defensive battle) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/53 "2019-12-20T14:57:28Z")
Oh, and honorable mention (just the kind of mention George Patton would like) goes to (real life, not just movie) Patton’s [speech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton%27s_speech_to_the_Third_Army) that began > [@](#): > > No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/54 "2019-12-20T15:03:36Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Oh, and honorable mention (just the kind of mention George Patton would like) goes to (real life, not just movie) Patton’s [speech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Patton%27s_speech_to_the_Third_Army) that began Post 13, but worth repeating. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/55 "2019-12-20T16:25:19Z")
Consider Gen. George Washington’s message to the Continental Army preparing for a British attack on Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776: “The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human effort will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die…” Or his impromptu address to troops who were about to leave at the expiration of their enlistments just before the Battle of Trenton later that year: “My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected, but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you can probably never do under any other circumstances.” > [@mbh](#): > > Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, in _Gettysburg_… A great, low-key but inspiring address. Jeff Daniels should’ve won an Oscar for his role as Chamberlain, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/56 "2019-12-20T22:10:45Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I agree that the speech at the Black Gate is one of the weaker parts of Mortenson’s performance, but the text of the speech is great: > Not asking for perfection, for all time, just get through this day. Which seems like it would inspire not-particularly-brave me (especially for a defensive battle) The text of the speech is OK. But, as I said, what makes a speech of this type great is the actor’s performance. Théoden’s Address to his troops makes not a damn bit of sense semantically, but it is incredibly rousing. It is down to the performance, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/57 "2019-12-21T00:28:16Z")
OK, **Skald** , I’ve got to say that I really respect that accent mark in “Théoden”. Because some things are important, right? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/58 "2019-12-21T05:16:01Z")
I was saying that to the boys of Spin̈al Tap just the other day. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/59 "2019-12-21T19:40:54Z")
Speaking of Aquaman, does rousing songs count? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JiMIuvZXQu4/maxresdefault.jpg "Aquaman's Rousing Song of Heroism") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiMIuvZXQu4) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096/60 "2019-12-22T00:45:10Z")
More of a call-and-response than a speech, but the Martian Marine Core from _The Expanse_ knows how to do a dropship chant. “Who’s going to feast on Earth’s sky and drink their rivers dry?” “MMC!” “Who’s going to stomp their mountains into fine Martian dust?” “MMC!” “Till the rains fall hard on Olympus Mons, who are we?” “MMC!” “I can’t hear you!” “MMC!” “Who are we?!” “MMC!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rousing-speechess-of-heroism-sorry-aquaman/845096.md?page=2)