# scenes where the hero stands up to the bad guy and says "NO" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248 "2002-10-07T19:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/1 "2002-10-07T19:17:09Z")
I’m trying to think of scenes in movies where the hero stands up to the villian, who’s been a bully throughout the movie (I’m not necessarily talking high school bully, but even worldwide villian bully) and says, “NO! We’re not going to take this any more!”. Maybe even spits in his face. Usually that standing up is enough of a dramatic event in the movie to turn the tide. Any takers? (I’m assuming this is common, but I can’t think of a good example off the top of my head). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/2 "2002-10-07T19:31:33Z")
**A Clear and Present Danger** –"How dare _you_, sir! **The Wizard of Oz** –the scene where they confront the wizard **The Princess Bride** –“Drop. Your. Sword.” and “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/3 "2002-10-07T20:08:29Z")
Keanu Reeves’ epiphany in _The Matrix_ comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/4 "2002-10-07T20:18:17Z")
Bully The bully’s best friend literally stabs him in the back. Little Giants Rick Moranis finally stands up to his brother Ed O’ Neal by challenging him to a football game. He then has a nice halftime speech to his team about standing up to people like his brother. Network The news anchor who’s just been fired announces on the air that he’s going to kill himself on air during his last broadcast. When the producers let him go on anyway, he encourages everyone to protest by going to the window and shouting “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore” ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/5 "2002-10-07T20:22:32Z")
Gary Cooper, _High Noon_. The movie centers around this entire concept. And, of course, I can’t get the image of Kurt Russell wading through a creek shouting “Noooooooooooooo” in slow motion in _Tombstone_. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/6 "2002-10-07T20:47:33Z")
Number Two (tearfully) stood up to Dr. Evil at the end of _Austin Powers_. I know he wasn’t a hero, but it was the first example that popped into my (warped) head. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/7 "2002-10-07T21:42:26Z")
In “From Here to Eternity” the scene in the bar where Ernest Borgnine pulls switch blade. Burt Lancaster jumps up, breaks a long neck beer bottle over the edge of a table, then looks Borgnine in the eye, bottle in hand, and says c’mon (or words to that effect). Borgnine backed down. Way hot! ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/8 "2002-10-07T22:36:24Z")
_Spartacus._ Lot’s of great scenes there. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/9 "2002-10-07T22:40:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NutWrench \* > \*\*_Spartacus._ Lot’s of great scenes there. \*\* Proof again of the importance of casting. Imagine Sylvester the Cat standing up to the Roman Centurion saying “I AM THPARTACUTH!” Oh yeah, Air Force One. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/10 "2002-10-07T22:42:21Z")
Working 9 to 5! ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/11 "2002-10-07T22:45:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > \*\ ***A Clear and Present Danger** –"How dare _you_, sir! > \*\* Ooooh, _shiver_ I love that one. The scene in _Fellowship of the Ring_ in which Frodo stands up in the midst of the argument at the Council in Rivendell and says “ **I will take the Ring!** ” always puts a little lump in my throat. It’s a loose interpretation of the OP, but if the “villain” is the Ring and the strife it causes, then I think it can be made. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/12 "2002-10-07T23:39:03Z")
“No Biff… you get your damn hands off her” ( **Back To The Future** ) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/13 "2002-10-08T00:31:25Z")
In Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood, when the central character (Elaine ?) stands up to Cordelia and the other bullies and dismisses their power over her by simply walking away andd ignoring them. It made me want to pump my fist in the air and scream “Yes!” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/14 "2002-10-08T00:45:03Z")
From _ **Stand By Me:** _ Ace: What are you gonna do shoot all of us? Gordie: No Ace, just you. Followed by the classic: “Suck my fat one you cheap dime store hood.” ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/15 "2002-10-08T00:52:12Z")
C’mon, people…_Return of the Jedi_ “I’ll never turn to the Dark Side. You’ve failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” …Luke got his tukus zapped after that, but hey, it was still a great moment. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/16 "2002-10-08T01:38:39Z")
“You take your hands off her, you bitch!” – Ripley (Sigourney Weaver, Aliens) ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/17 "2002-10-08T04:32:42Z")
Damn, **MaxTheVool** beat me to it. Gotta think of another one… Got it! **The Last Dragon** , when Bruce Leroy finally gets the glow and stands up to Sho’ Nuff. ---
**Author:** ![Entwife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@Entwife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Entwife)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/18 "2002-10-08T04:51:22Z")
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Well, Rhett _was_ the hero. And Scarlett _was_ a bully. Try again? Ok, how about: John Bender (to Mr. Vernon): Eat. My. Shorts.—_The Breakfast Club_ ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/19 "2002-10-08T13:24:10Z")
The only film ever to make me cry - brings a tear to my eye every time i think about it: The end of Dead Poet’s Society when they all stand up in support of Robin Williams and say: “Oh Captain my Captain” oh great. now i’ve gone all red eyed in the middle of the frickin office. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248/20 "2002-10-08T13:51:14Z")
YOU…CANNOT…PASS!!! All the Tolkien geeks on this board, and no one posted that one yet? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-where-the-hero-stands-up-to-the-bad-guy-and-says-no/131248.md?page=2)