History Main / ZorroMark

** The trope is parodied with the Zorro-like character in the ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRolePlayingGame'' spaghetti western setting [[http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=2177 "A Fistful of Tunes You Can Whistle"]], who has the name Don Gaveroz de Varozag de la Lala, "El Aguilo del Cubo". He keeps attempting to carve ''all'' his intitals on his opponents, but since his code of honor prevents him from continuing to attack someone who is clearly about to collapse from blood loss, he seldom gets very far with it.

* One Eye in ''Literature/WarriorCats'' leaves an eye-shaped wound on his subjects' paw pads as his mark.

* ComicBook/WonderWoman did this with her bracelets during the JMS retool, as a way of letting her enemies know [[ParanoiaFuel she's getting closer.]]

* In the ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' comic book album ''Asterix and Caesar's Gift'', Asterix duels with a Roman and makes the iconic Z mark on his tunic, all the while exchanging [[YouFightLikeACow half-assed quips]], in the best Zorro tradition.

[[quoteright:312:[[Franchise/{{Zorro}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jack-falanga-z-2007_1459.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:312:All right, who's the smart guy that ruined my wall!?]]

!!Examples

* In his early tales, Alan Scott, the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Comicbook/GreenLantern, would often lay out a villain with a left haymaker that'd leave, at least temporarily, the imprint of his ring on their cheek.

* Puss in Boots homages this in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek 2}} 2'' by slashing a "P" in a tree. ActorAllusion too, considering his voice actor is Antonio Banderas, who also played Zorro.

* In ''Anime/HowlsMovingCastle'' the Witch of the Waste sends Howl a 'scorching love note' via Sophie, which falls on the breakfast table when Howl touches it and burns a scorch mark on the table. However, the permanent marking is averted when Howl proceeds to declare the mark 'not good for the table' and wiped it away with his bare hand.

* Of course, parodied in ''Film/ZorroTheGayBlade''; the main character does this with a ''whip''. And not just a "Z" either, [[OverlyLongGag the whole name]]. Also, the first time Zorro makes this mark with a blade, a witness mistakes it for the number 2.
* ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro'', naturally.
** Alejandro Murrieta, [[LegacyCharacter the new boy]], puts his own spin on it, cutting an "M" into the cheek of the man who [[YouKilledMyFather murdered his brother]].
* ''Film/TheMarkOfZorro'', the 1920 silent film in which Douglas Fairbanks slices the Z into his enemy's forehead.

* Franchise/{{Zorro}}, of course, is the TropeNamer. It should be noted that in the original works, it doubled as a MarkOfShame - Zorro cut his mark into the flesh of the evildoers he defeated. The common people would recognize the Z scar as a sign that Zorro had judged them and then refuse to do business with them. Such people would then have to leave the area if they wanted to find people who were willing to sell them food.

* ThePenetrator, Mark Hardin, left behind blue arrowheads.

* TheGraySeal left behind stickers.

* In Maria V. Snyder's ''StudyTrilogy'', the Ixian master assassin Valek leaves a carved statue of an animal for his next victim to find when he's about to kill them.

-->''Theme song'': ''This bold renegade carves a "Z" with display....A Z that stands for ZORRO!''

* "R.I.P. [[Series/MacGyver1985 [=MacGyver=]]]" blowtorched onto the main character's house's wall is an excellent clue to the villain's identity. You could forget the guy's ''voice'' and never see his face and you'd still always recognize Murdoc.

* In the ''Series/{{Castle}}'' episode "Heroes & Villains", the vigilante Lone Justice carves an 'L' into the butt cheek of a mobster with a sword.

* ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}''

-->The mark that stands for Xero is his claim to fame,
-->Because he can't even spell his own name.

* Franchise/SlyCooper leaves his calling card behind in the scenes of crime.

* The titular ''Series/KamenRiderKiva'' has his sigil forming out of his Rider Kick (Darkness Moon Break) in any solid surface the hapless MonsterOfTheWeek happens to be in (be it a wall, floor or the street). TheMovie even has him plastering the BigBad (of the movie at least) and forming his sigil as a giant crater on the moon [[spoiler: which, fortunately dissipated immediately]].

* WonderWoman did this with her bracelets during the JMS retool, as a way of letting her enemies know [[ParanoiaFuel she's getting closer.]]

** In ''[[ChristmasSpecial Shrek the Halls]]'', Puss tells a story in which he portrays Satna Claus. In it, he slashes an "S" on a wall with his claws.

** In ''[[ChristmasSpeciasl Shrek the Halls]]'', Puss tells a story in which he portrays Satna Claus. In it, he slashes an "S" on a wall with his claws.

* Puss-N-Boots homages this in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}} 2'' by slashing a "P" in a tree. ActorAllusion too, considering his voice actor is Antonio Banderas, who also played Zorro.

* Franchise/TheGreenHornet carried seals which he used to mark his presence when it suited his purposes, such as on documents at crime scenes, on the bodies of criminals he captured and left for the police to find, etc. Occasionally facsimiles of the Hornet's seal were used by criminals in attempts to pin the blame for their malfeasance on the Green Hornet. It never worked. Carried over into movie serial, television, and comic book adaptations of the property.

* ''Film/ThePunisher'' Makes a Zorro mark out of the skull on the shirt he wears. It was the shirt his son gave him before his family was brutally murdered by Howard Saint. When Saint is finally defeated, The explosions are arranged to make the Punisher's skull out of flame.

* In TakashiMiike's ''Film/{{Zebraman}}'', the eponymous hero carves a ''Z'' into a giant, gelatinous alien's forehead.

A Subtrope of the CallingCard. If this is done with an open flame, it's a FlamingEmblem. Compare MarkOfShame.

A Subtrope of the CallingCard. If this is done with an open flame, it's a FlamingEmblem.

* "R.I.P. Series/MacGyver" blowtorched onto the main character's house's wall is an excellent clue to the villain's identity. You could forget the guy's ''voice'' and never see his face and you'd still always recognize Murdoc.

* ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar'': Your Ring-enhanced domination abilities allow you to ''brand your enemies all the way to the brain with wraithfire''. This is as horrifying and mentally damaging as it sounds.