History Main / BlackSpot

[[quoteright:200:[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/we_know.png]]]]

!!'''As a DeathTrope, all Spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.'''

* During an early installment of ''WebVideo/{{Oxventure}}'''s ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' campaign, Andy's character, "[[LovableCoward dashing pirate]]" Corazon de Leon, receives this as his indication that his cursed ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''-ish pirate crew are in town and wish to have Words with him. Of course, this being [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass the Oxventurers]], 1) they found him because [[TooDumbToLive even though he was trying to remain incognito he gave his full name to the town crier]], and 2) the GM rules that the rest of the party have picked up that ''something'' is amiss on the grounds that upon receiving it he immediately exclaimed "Oh, God, it's the Black Spot."

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* The character ''X'' from Creator/DarkHorseComics would send his victims a photograph of themselves with one stroke through it as a warning. If they did not heed the warning, they would receive a photo with a second stroke (forming an 'x') telling them he had marked them for death.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', when certain persons are marked for murder by Adam with their photo marked with the "Godsend" symbol.

* In ''Series/WouldILieToYou'', Greg Davies revealed he used to plant an ominous drawing of an owl, called the Hoot Owl Death Sign in the pockets of his "deadly enemies."

** "The Five Orange Pips" - [[Administrivia/NotSelfExplanatory The five orange pips]] are sent by TheKlan, and the recipients have the choice between fleeing or being killed. Played with a bit, in that while the first person who receives the message knows what it means, the others -- who are only tangentially connected to the matter -- do not, and so don't take the precautions that it turns out are necessary. [[spoiler:Holmes finds out who was responsible, then proceeds to send ''them'' five orange pips to make them think they're marked for death, or at least that someone is now on to them. The ship they flee on, however, is lost with all hands in a gale before they could ever receive the message.]]

->''"Give me the Black Spot, will he?! If I want to serve a death summons on Billy Bones, they'll have to send a far better man than Black Dog, the fools!"''

** In "[[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=265 Pirates]]", the third comic has an old pirate grumbling that it was only made up in Treasure Island when a young pirate tries to give him one. So the younger pirate just shoots him there, and sheepishly laughs "Haha, he must have been like, what a loser."

Someone with a DarkAndTroubledPast is happily living out his life -- frequently a CoolOldGuy or OlderSidekick -- until, out of the blue, he receives a cryptic message. It might not even be composed of words; it may be a piece of paper with a symbol, a scratched casino chip, a daub of paint on his door, or a melody whistled done by a passing stranger. Few people, or no one, but the recipient knows what it means.

He, however, now knows that the seemingly nice people who have befriended have marked him for death or something equally nasty, or that someone from his past is seeking him out for retribution, and they are likely be coming in person to enforce it. This was his fair warning, part of an honor code, because EvenEvilHasStandards.

Someone with a DarkAndTroubledPast is happily living out his life -- frequently a CoolOldGuy or OlderSidekick -- until, out of the blue, he receives a cryptic message. It might not even be composed of words; it may be a piece of paper with a symbol, a scratched casino chip or a melody whistled done by a passing stranger. Few people, or no one, but the recipient knows what it means.

He, however, now knows that the seemingly nice people who havr befriended have marked him for death or something equally nasty, and they might be coming in person to enforce it. This was his fair warning, part of an honor code, because EvenEvilHasStandards.

Someone is happily living out his life -- frequently a CoolOldGuy or OlderSidekick -- until, out of the blue, he receives a cryptic message. It might not even be composed of words; it may be a piece of paper with a symbol, a scratched casino chip or a whistle done by a passing stranger. Few but the recipient knows what it means.

He, however, now knows that the nice people he used to befriend have marked him for death or something equally nasty, and they might be coming in person to enforce it. This was his fair warning.

** Subsequently, Long John Silver himself is black-spotted twice: once "off-screen" when the ship arrives at the island and the pirates are eager for action at once, and later when they decide they want a new captain. The actual Spot ends up in Jim Hawkins's possession as a keepsake.

* BountyHunter Piastol from the ''Legends'' UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' sends these to her marks through the nearest Sailor's Guild. In-game, getting one of these announces that she's available to fight as a BonusBoss.

[[folder:Anime]]

[[folder:Film]]

* During an early installment of ''WebVideo/OutsideXbox'''s ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' campaign, Andy's character, "[[LovableCoward dashing pirate]]" Corazon de Leon, receives this as his indication that his cursed ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''-ish pirate crew are in town and wish to have Words with him. Of course, this being [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass the Oxventurers]], 1) they found him because [[TooDumbToLive even though he was trying to remain incognito he gave his full name to the town crier]], and 2) the GM rules that the rest of the party have picked up that ''something'' is amiss on the grounds that upon receiving it he immediately exclaimed "Oh, God, it's the Black Spot."