History Main / ProudWarriorRaceGuy

'''Miles:''' [[SubvertedTrope Let me tell you about the Barrayaran Vor]]. The loonies who sought a glorious death in battle found it early on. This rapidly cleared the chain of command of the accumulated fools. [[CombatPragmatist the survivors who learned to fight dirty]], and live, and fight another day, and win, and win, and win, [[TheUnfettered and for whom nothing, not comfort, or security, not family or friends or their immortal souls, was more important than winning...]]"\\

*** The scientific name for the Sangheili (Macto Cognatus)means "I glorify my kin." The name Sangheili comes from two words. The first is sanguine, which can either mean a feeling of cheerfulness, optimism and confidence, or an attitude of bloodthirstiness, or even both. The second word is the Latin word helios, meaning sun. So Sangheili actually means "Blood Sun."

** In the expanded universe, the zebrak (Darth Maul's race) are shown to be this. The zebrak have some of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the galaxy, with zebrak children learning martial arts at a young age. They are also seen by other citizens of the Galaxy as being proud, fierce, and independent.

** The [[OurElvesAreBetter Eldar]]. The different Craftworlds specialize in a form of warfare: The Eldar of Alaitoc are mostly survivalists and loners, unparalleled as snipers and scouts. The Eldar of Iyanden take the souls of their dead and place the majority of them in huge, lumbering {{Golem}}-like constructs armed with guns that shoot small black holes or axes and swords that can cleave Terminator-armoured Space Marines. The Eldar of Saim-Hann are proud, boisterous barbarians who live in tribal clans, ride jetbikes and settle their differences with duels. The Eldar of Biel-tan are mostly disciplined and merciless Aspect Warriors, and their craftworld is run not by seers but autarchs and exarchs. Even Eldar in civilian occupations often take to battle as Guardians, and unlike most citizen militia who are fielded out of desperation, the vast majority of Guardians have experience from a warrior path and can hold their own against the trained armies of other races. Anyone who believes that Eldar are all clairvoyant pussies who manipulate other races into doing all the hard work for them should tell that to the Swordwind.

** The Affront are like this as well, best illustrated by the fact they're proud to be called the Affront. The Affront Diplomatic Service consists entirely of the most xenophobic and violent Affronters, lest other races think they're going soft by even ''having'' a Diplomatic Service. Unlike the Idirans they're basically friendly to the Culture as long as there's no particular reason not to be, a friendship the Culture finds exhausting and frustrating. [[spoiler: Which is why a group of Minds form a conspiracy to encourage the Affront to declare war, so the Culture has an excuse to slap them back down.]]

** The Affront are like this as well, best illustrated by the fact they're proud to be called the Affront. The Affront Diplomatic Service consists entirely of the most xenophobic and violent Affronters, lest other races think they're going soft by even ''having'' a Diplomatic Service. Unlike the Idirans they're basically friendly to the Culture, a friendship the Culture finds exhausting and frustrating.

A specific subtrope of BloodKnight, the Proud Warrior Race Guy seeks battle and bloodshed because his culture teaches that [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority doing so is the greatest source of personal honor]] and {{glory|Seeker}}. This [[PlanetOfHats Proud Warrior Race]] will often be based on [[FantasyCounterpartCulture one of several real world cultures]] who are perceived to have acted this way, such as the {{Samurai}}, [[Film/ThreeHundred Spartans]], [[HornyVikings Vikings]], and [[BarbarianTribe Mongols]]. They are often a MartyrdomCulture. The Proud Warrior Race Guy is almost always a hero. If evil, he will probably be the WorthyOpponent.

** Ironically, the ''Ferengi'' started out as this: before {{Flanderization}} set in, the Ferengi were portraied as extremely greedy ''warriors'', who would have no qualms into attacking and boarding the ''Enterprise'' if they think they can make money from it. Even after {{Flanderization}}, those few Ferengi who are or have been military (Nog and Quark, respectively) are something to be feared (Quark tend to avoid battles and run whenever he can, but if he can't run... Well, he's still a crack shot, and can break gold bricks ''bare handed''), and the novels tend to remind us that the cowardly comical Ferengi are a ''minority'', with the majority being able to kick ass whenever required.

->''"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, to hear the lamentation of their women."''

** Both quotes are actually taken from history

** Interestingly enough, the Klingons' more notable rivals, the Romulans, show themselves to be this in the Literature/StarTrekNovelVerse. It's a bit of an AlternateCharacterInterpretation; while the TV series (''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' onward, at least) focused on their sneaky, politically manipulative {{Chessmaster}} tendencies, the novels portray the hot-blooded warrior aspect of Romulan culture far more prominantly. They certainly don't lose their {{Chessmaster}} traits, though.

* Very common in heroic fantasies, especially those derived from Tolkien and/or ''DungeonsAndDragons'', where non-human races tend to experience extreme {{Flanderization}}.

* Creator/LarryNiven's ''KnownSpace'':

** Foster used this much earlier in his novelization of ''TheLastStarfighter'': one of the reasons that the Star League has to go to such lengths as hiring an interstellar ConMan to recruit from planets so primitive they aren't even on the map is that the "civilized" races have put war behind them ages ago. Those few with a talent for violence - the Starfighters - are considered dangerously psychotic by most of their own people.
* The Dothraki from ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' are based on the "violent raider" image of Mongols while the Ironborn are a Viking-ish culture, but resemble more a pirate race than the historical Vikings. The wildlings have aspects of the trope, but are more anarchic in nature. The Northmen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, meanwhile, reflect the gruff, straightforward "code of honor" aspect, and the southern half of Westeros embodies genteel chivalry.

** The Yuuzhan Vong, main villains of the NewJediOrder, are ''psychotic'' warrior race guys (especially the actual warrior caste). In fact, to die gloriously in battle is the fondest hope of most Vong warriors, because they believe that death is more important than life, and that is how their gods will judge them. Somewhat unusually, they are willing to lie and cheat to get what they want, though that is more to do with their code of honor not applying to 'infidels' (and members of the non-warrior castes are bound by much more lenient codes to begin with).

** The Echani from ''Franchise/StarWars: KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' are similar to the Mandalorians except that they don't go around conquering bits of the Galaxy (naturally, both hold the other in contempt). They aren't bloodthirsty or imperial, but as [[spoiler:Brianna]]/Handmaiden will tell you, how fighting and honor permeate every aspect of their culture down to courtship rituals. In fact, they think that it's impossible to truly know a person until you've fought them, and that a life without conflict is a life of weakness--many become mercenaries or professional duelists to seek out such conflict. Politics is seen as a battlefield of words. Their methods of fighting eventually end up being used by the Emperor's elite guard.

* The Idirans in IainBanks' ''TheCulture'' novels. They were an aggressive warrior species which considered it their holy duty to bring order to the universe and its lesser races. They're best known for their [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiran-Culture_War 48 year war against The Culture]], which they lost.

* Several characters in ''WarAndPeace'', mostly because joining the army and fighting for the fatherland is seen as one of the best ways to achieve fame and glory.
* In the novel ''AgentOfTheTerranEmpire'' the protagonist Imperial secret agent Dominic Flandry is kidnapped by a race of Proud Warrior Race Guy. They sneer at him for being part of the "decadent" Empire. It takes him quite a bit of work but he winds up [[spoiler:corrupting them all into fighting a civil war over power. He points out that their whole system of honor wasn't really too embedded into the culture, otherwise he could have never convinced so many to abandon their principles when power was offered to them]].
* The ''[[TheLegendOfDrizzt Drizzt]]'' novels were originally supposed to be about a Proud Warrior Race Guy, Wulfgar son of Beornegar of the Tribe of Elk (one of the barely-Viking-ish warrior tribes of the northern region of Faerun), captured in battle and made an indentured servant by a dwarf king. He eventually went out the way all Proud Warrior Race Guys want to -- defending friends and family from a great menace, and succeeding. Of course, [[BackFromTheDead he didn't stay dead for more than three books]] -- but that was over six years of world time.

* Okonkwo, from ''Literature/ThingsFallApart'', is a proud warrior race guy. Anything that doesn't involve beating someone up is womanly. This also makes this trope one of the oldest ones in the book.

* The Haruchai in ''The ChroniclesOfThomasCovenant'' fit this trope to a T, what with the practice of sending their 500 best warriors to aid the Lords of the Land, replacing any who fall in battle as soon as his body is returned to his family. They also dislike the use of any weapons or magic--in the later books, [[spoiler:they decide to prevent anyone else from using Earthpower, [[KnightTemplar as such power in the hands of mortals leads only to destruction]] in their eyes.]]

* The Scylvendi from the ''SecondApocalypse'' take this trope to a scary extreme. They call themselves "the People of War" or sometimes just "the People." To them, war is both the method and object of worship. Cnaiur, the main Scylvendi character, scoffs at the concept of a Holy War. To him, ''all'' war is holy.

* Minotaurs in the {{Dragonlance}} books.

* The Tsurani and Valheru of TheRiftwarCycle count.

* Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs has several. The Green Martians of JohnCarterOfMars are perhaps particularly notable.

* The Kaitrikas, from ''[[HellsChildren Hell’s Children]]''.

* ''{{Dragaera}}'' features two varieties in Dragaeran culture: the Dragons are militaristic and lust for conquest. The Dzur are self-styled heroes who lust for glory.

* Adrian Tchaikovsky's ''ShadowsOfTheApt'' series has four variations on this theme. There are the Mantids and Dragonflies who are pure examples of this, the Weaponmasters of the Mantids doubling as {{Martial Monk}}s, The Ant and Wasp-kinden are more Proud Soldier Guys.

-->'''Miles:''' "The odds were worse for Barrayar, in its day, and they ran the Cetagandands right off. It took, and more blood than either of you have seen in your lives combined, but they did it."\\

* The first two books of the StarTrekKlingonEmpire series show what happens when the Klingons meet another Proud Warrior Race, the Children of San-Tarah. The two get on swimmingly, with many bloody battles between them.
** Interestingly enough, the Klingons' more notable rivals, the Romulans, show themselves to be this in the StarTrekNovelVerse. It's a bit of an AlternateCharacterInterpretation; while the TV series (''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' onward, at least) focused on their sneaky, politically manipulative {{Chessmaster}} tendencies, the novels portray the hot-blooded warrior aspect of Romulan culture far more prominantly. They certainly don't lose their {{Chessmaster}} traits, though.

* The Zoku from ''TheQuantumThief'' are a peculiar example. They are a {{Transhuman}} upload collective completely focused on bettering themselves in all their abilities, often acting as mercenaries to this end. They utterly denounce all ideologies or codes beyond victory and increase of skill for their own sake, and call those who are guided by ideals "meme-zombies", and treat them like plague-bearers. The reason for all this is the fact that they descend directly from 21st century MMORPG raid guilds!
* In S.L. Viehl's ''{{Stardoc}}'' series, the Jorenians are a Proud CulturedWarrior Race.

* Mercedes Lackey's [[HeraldsOfValdemar Shin'a'in]], and the Northern Barbarians. The Haileigh, also, although they have a more of a veneer of civilization.

* The Career district tributes in TheHungerGames, who are trained from childhood to fight and to treat the Games like a game and an honorable tournament. They usually proudly volunteer at the reapings for the opportunity to win and bring pride, honor, and of course, extra food to their district.

->"''-We won ! This is good ! But what in best in life ?''""
->"''-The open steppe. Fleet horse. Falcons at your wrist. And wind in your hair''"
->"''-Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?''"
->"''-To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, to hear the lamentation of their women''"

->"''-Conan ! What is best in life ?''"

** And despite their [[AntiMagicalFaction dislike of]] [[DoesNotLikeMagic magic in general]], even ''Saarebas'' have their place in the Qun. Granted, their place comes with heavy [[RestrainingBolt restraints and shackles]], their [[WipeThatSmileOffYourFace mouths sewn shut]] and being permanently under the gaze of their ''[[MageKiller Arvaraad]]'' handlers, but why quibble with semantics?

** And despite their [[AntiMagicalFaction dislike of]] [[DoesNotLikeMagic Magic in general]], even ''Saarebas'' have their place in the Qun. Granted, their place comes with heavy [[RestrainingBolt restraints and shackles]], their [[WipeThatSmileOffYourFace mouths sewn shut]] and being permanently under the gaze of their [[MageKiller Arvaraad]] handlers, but why quibble with semantics?

** Except for the mages. Kill those damn Saarebas!

-->-- ''ConanTheBarbarian1982''

->"''Conan ! What is best in life ?''"
->"''To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, to hear the lamentation of their women''"
-->-- ''ConanTheBarbarian1983''

->"''You ask a krogan if he'd rather find a cure for the genophage, or fight for credits, and he'll choose fighting — every time. It's just who we are, Shepard. I can't change that. No one can.''"
-->-- '''Urdnot Wrex''', ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''

A variation on this that has come into existence very recently is the Proud ''Soldier'' Race-a more low-key version more like the modern military rather than a warrior culture, with more focus on drilling and discipline than just strength at arms. These guys have a tendency to be more technologically advanced and more focused on expansion than conquest-they don't see the harm in [[CombatPragmatist dishonorable tactics]] but they're pragmatic, not ruthless; The Proud Soldier Race Guy isn't likely to cause any more harm than absolutely necessary to get what he wants.

Compare ''and'' contrast with HumansAreWarriors. Also compare ProudScholarRaceGuy and ProudMerchantRace for different [[PlanetOfHats kinds of hats]] a species can wear.