open/close all folders
Anime and Manga
"SHUT UP! DON'T ORDER ME AROUND! Why do you always have to try to save me? I could handle it on my own... Yeah, I admit, I've gotten been beaten before, but I won't always be on the receiving end! YOU HEAR THAT?! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
— Tetsuo Shima, AKIRA
"It’s bad enough that he lost the duel. If you pity him in a time like this you’ll end up hurting him more than any of those injuries."
— Sanji, One Piece
"Go away!! I don't need pity from the enemy...!!"
— Private Tamama, Encounter 117: The True Prophecy Of The Apocalypse
"Don't you look at me like that, Battousai. Your eyes were much better before, when you said you were going to kill me."
— Udo Jin-E, Rurouni Kenshin
Rock: I wish I hadn’t heard that. I’m sorry.
Revy: Fuck you.
Rock: Huh?
Revy: If I was looking for pity, I’d have told you something a lot more colorful.
—Rock and Revy after the latter describes her past, Black Lagoon
"If you're trying to erase the past don't bother! I've already forgotten about them, and now I think I'll erase you from my memories as well!"
—Aki Izayoi/Akiza Izinski to Yusei Fudo, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds ("Clash of the Dragons", Part 1)
Queen Nehellenia: Yeah, now how do you feel Miss Sad Eyes? You've lost what you love most, and you've lost your happy future. Now maybe you can understand how I feel. Huh?!
Sailor Moon: I still pity you.
— Sailor Moon, right after Nehellenia tossed Sailor Mini Moon to her death
Saeko: I didn't think the inheritor of my genes would be so foolish, Natsuki. Can a guy that gave you the cold shoulder really be so important? Tate, whom you like so much, he has probably already kissed Miss Tokiha, right? Are you happy to be rescued by that kind of man who does so out of pity...?
Yuuichi: It is nothing like .... pity. There's no doubt that I did kiss Tokiha. However-
Natsuki: (thinks) Don...don't tell me it's going to be... (thinks of Yuuichi saying "The one I truly love is Kuga!")
Yuuichi: Do you have any objections about me helping out Kuga!!!
Natsuki: (punches Yuuichi)I do!!! That IS called "pity"! Can't you come up with something more refined than that!!
— My-HiME manga
"This body only hinders me. It doesn't curse me. I don't need pity."
— Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist
"You're sympathizing? Well, stop that; you're nothing but a dishonest cheater."
—Nao Tomori, Charlotte
Unico: (after stabbing Kuruku) I should have know, I've never had a chance against him.
Lord Kuruku: What are you talking about? This is more than a scratch.
Unico: But I had no idea I hardly touched you. I'm sorry.
Lord Kuruku: (yells) Why are you saying that you're sorry!? Why!?
Unico: Because I feel sorry for you.
Lord Kuruku: What are you talking about? This is more than a scratch.
Unico: But I had no idea I hardly touched you. I'm sorry.
Lord Kuruku: (yells) Why are you saying that you're sorry!? Why!?
Unico: Because I feel sorry for you.
Flay Allster: Because no one's come to see me? So, you're feeling sorry for me? Is that it?
Kira Yamato: Flay, that's not what I-
Flay: Get real! Just stop it! Why should I have you pitying me?!
Kira Yamato: Flay, that's not what I-
Flay: Get real! Just stop it! Why should I have you pitying me?!
— Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ("Kira")
"My only disability is dealing with people like you. Keep your sympathy for yourself."
— Shinomiya Ayase, Guilty Crown
Comic Books
Supergirl: I'm... I'm sorry, Rebel. I could... try to fight back. If it'd make you feel better.
Rebel: Oh, please. I don't want your pity.
Rebel: Oh, please. I don't want your pity.
Fan Works
Shatterstorm: I don't need your sympathy. I don't need your pity. I don’t need your advice. I'm thankful you put aside your pride to help me, but—but I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.
Rainbow Dash: I'm not...
Shatterstorm: Don't lie. It's written all over your face. 'Oh, the poor soldier boy, he's had a rough life, how dare that awful mare hurt him like that.' I'm not having any of that bullshit, especially not from you!
Rainbow Dash: I'm not...
Shatterstorm: Don't lie. It's written all over your face. 'Oh, the poor soldier boy, he's had a rough life, how dare that awful mare hurt him like that.' I'm not having any of that bullshit, especially not from you!
''I don't need pity, and more importantly, I don't want it. I've dealt with having Asperger's for 10 years, so having [attention deficit disorder] garnered the following reaction (word-for-word):
"Huh. Well, that explains a lot."
I blinked, trying to say something as the clone throws me a somewhat sympathetic look before apologizing and going back to her music. She just pitied me... no one fucking pities ME!
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU OLD MAN! YOU AND THAT PET BITCH OF YOURS!"
— Daken, Family Bonding
an X-Men fanfic
an X-Men fanfic"I don't want your pity,"
— Asuka, Superwomen of Eva 2: Lone Heir of Krypton, chapter 19
"Don't give me that look! The last thing I want is your pity, Third Children!"
— Asuka, The One I Love Is..., chapter 9
Figures stood behind him, reaching up as if to help him but he shoved them away. My fight. His voice resonated in the room. My struggle. My war.
— "Soulgazing Harry", a Dresden Files fic
", a Dresden Files fic"Let's get one thing straight, Third Child. The last thing I want—the absolutely last thing I want—is pity from the likes of you. Nothing she said, and nothing you said got me here. I'm here for myself."
Film
"You have exactly ten seconds to replace that look of disgusting pity with one of enormous respect!"
—Max Bialystock, The Producers
"You pity me...hmm...you pity me [...] I hope you die...I HOPE YOU FUCKIN' DIE!"
Literature
"And by the way, just for future reference, don't you ever not care for someone just because you're afraid they might get hurt in the process. Especially not me. You got that?"
— Mara Jade Skywalker, Star Wars: Vision of the Future
"I think it's rather an impertinence to pity people," said the Dean.
"Hear, hear!" said Harriet. "Nobody likes being pitied. Most of us enjoy self-pity, but that's another thing."
"Hear, hear!" said Harriet. "Nobody likes being pitied. Most of us enjoy self-pity, but that's another thing."
"All my life I've seen my father disgracing himself in the sight of the whole kingdom, and all my life I've had to listen to the people around me trying not to speak of it where they think I can hear. Even the Tories have been kind to me. They... pity me." She spoke this last through clenched teeth, then turned to look at Brougham squarely.
"I have had my fill and more of pity, Henry," she said. "Do your worst. Spare nothing and no one, myself least of all. I insist."
"I have had my fill and more of pity, Henry," she said. "Do your worst. Spare nothing and no one, myself least of all. I insist."
— Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, The Dead Skunk
"Pity, Jane, from some people is a noxious and insulting sort of tribute, which one is justified in hurtling back in the teeth of those who offer it; but that is a sort of pity native to callous, selfish hearts; it is a hybrid, egotistical pain at hearing of woes, crossed with ignorant contempt for those who have endured them."
— Rochester, Jane Eyre
He killed himself not because he feared legal action, but only because his gigantic, superhuman pride would not allow him to live with the knowledge that someone pitied him.
— Judge Dee, Poets and Murder
'I wished to be loved by another,' she answered. 'But I desire no man's pity.'
'That I know,' he said. 'You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable. For so he is, a lord among men, the greatest that now is. But when he gave you only understanding and pity, then you desired to have nothing, unless a brave death in battle. Look at me, Eowyn!'
And Eowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: 'Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell.
'That I know,' he said. 'You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable. For so he is, a lord among men, the greatest that now is. But when he gave you only understanding and pity, then you desired to have nothing, unless a brave death in battle. Look at me, Eowyn!'
And Eowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: 'Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell.
By the way, I've been homeless for the past two years.
Some of you may think, Aww, how sad. Others may think, Ha ha, loser! But if you saw me on the street, ninety-nine percent of you would walk right past me like I'm invisible. You'd pray Don't let him ask me for money. You'd wonder if I'm older than I look, because surely a teenager wouldn't be wrapped in a stinky old sleeping bag, stuck outside in the middle of a Boston winter. Somebody should help that poor boy!
Then you'd keep walking.
Whatever. I don't need your sympathy. I'm used to being laughed at. I'm definitely used to being ignored.
— Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword Of Summer
Marco: How is it going to help the others if I tell them maybe I have my own problems going on here?
Jake: Marco, I wasn't thinking about it helping the others. I thought it might help you.
Marco: No. It doesn't help me to have people pitying me. You know? I went through like a year of pity after my mom died. After she supposedly died. I don't like pity. Pity makes you feel small and weak. I'd rather have someone hate me than pity me.
—Animorphs #15: The Escape
Live-Action TV
Walt: Skyler, it's charity.
Skyler: Why do you say that like it's some sort of... dirty word?
Skyler: Why do you say that like it's some sort of... dirty word?
—Breaking Bad, "Phoenix"
[Spike has just given Willow and Xander a "The Reason You Suck" Speech]
Willow: I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to get us to dust you.
Spike: Am not. I just don’t want pity from geeks more useless than I am.
Willow: I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to get us to dust you.
Spike: Am not. I just don’t want pity from geeks more useless than I am.
"The next person that offers me charity or pity will be mentioned — by name — in my suicide note."
— Jeff Winger, Community
Naria: (after Genis strikes her with a deadly blow when she decides to protect him from the Zyuohgers) L-Lord Genis... Why...?
Genis: The greatest insult you could have directed to me... Is compassion.
Genis: The greatest insult you could have directed to me... Is compassion.
— Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger, Final Episode: "Earth Is Our Home"
Music
"Why won't she say she needs me?"
"I know she's not as strong as she seems..."
— Rick Astley, Cry for Help
I go to my favorite hot dog stand
The dude says, 'You come here all the time! Here's one for free!'
I said, 'Man, what do I look like, a charity case?'
I took it, and THREW IT ON THE GROUND!
I don't need your handouts! I'm an ADULT!
Please, you can't buy me, hot dog man!
The dude says, 'You come here all the time! Here's one for free!'
I said, 'Man, what do I look like, a charity case?'
I took it, and THREW IT ON THE GROUND!
I don't need your handouts! I'm an ADULT!
Please, you can't buy me, hot dog man!
—The Lonely Island, Threw It on the Ground
"Some kind of heartache, honey, give it a try.
I don't want pity, I just want what is mine."
I don't want pity, I just want what is mine."
—Faith Hill, "Cry"
Something's wrong
But don't pity me for long
If you get sad, then I'll feel bad
That I told you at all
But don't pity me for long
If you get sad, then I'll feel bad
That I told you at all
—AJR, Humpty Dumpty
Theatre
"I'll spit his mercy right back in his face!"
— Inspector Javert, Les Misérables, "Javert's Suicide"
Video Games
Ratchet: The Lombaxes raised you! How could you do this to them!?
Tachyon: Those... filthy creatures had the gall to pity me!
Lu Ting-huan: The sect has been destroyed by the Void Legion. I don't want to live, do it!
Ye-Jin: I will not kill you. Leave now.
Lu Ting-huan: Traitor! Even if you spared me, I will not be grateful to you!
Ye-Jin: I will not kill you. Leave now.
Lu Ting-huan: Traitor! Even if you spared me, I will not be grateful to you!
"Do I need a reason to help someone? Or is my help...not good enough for you?"
Shepard: (romance path) We've come far enough to get a little deeper, to talk about your problems. That's how it works.
Jacob: How little do you get me if that's what you think will make everything better? Even if you were right, how small would my problems be if you could "fix" them with high-school psych and a crying jag?
"The pity—ah, that was the hardest part. For a race of ambitious folk whose lives were validated by a masterful command of the scientific laws of the universe, to be pitied was unbearable. To be pitied was to be insulted. Gelbin chafed under the sympathy, and he knew that his people did too: as a leader, he had learned that it was wise to spare some thought for his own emotions since they often reflected what the rest of the gnomes felt, to some degree.
— World of Warcraft, Gelbin Mekkatorque's short story, "Cut Short"
""I WILL NEVER TAKE MERCY FROM THE LIKES OF YOU! YOU! WILL! NOT! SPARE! ME!"
— Undyne, Undertale
"I do not want your pity, Shepard. I do not accept it."
— Samara, Mass Effect 2
Hanako: I know I need help! I know I'm broken! I don't need you to tell me that!
Hisao: I never said you were broken, or anything like that!
Hanako: It's written on your face, it's written on Lilly's face, it's written on everybody's faces! I see a therapist every week, Lilly dotes on me as if I were her child, and now... even you! Nothing's changed, nothing at all! I hate Lilly and I... I hate you, more than anyone...!
Hisao: I never said you were broken, or anything like that!
Hanako: It's written on your face, it's written on Lilly's face, it's written on everybody's faces! I see a therapist every week, Lilly dotes on me as if I were her child, and now... even you! Nothing's changed, nothing at all! I hate Lilly and I... I hate you, more than anyone...!
— Hanako's bad ending, Katawa Shoujo
"Grr... How dare the enemy... those ch-children... show me compassion!! I will never... forget this humiliation!"
— Flam Kish, Fuga: Melodies of Steel
"Hmph! I lost, so don't play games with me! I don't want your pity, nor do I need it!" (angrily thrusts the MacGuffin back)
— Jet the Hawk after Sonic hands him back his Memento MacGuffin after beating him in a race and taking down Dr. Eggman to get it back, Sonic Riders
Rokurou: Hey…
Eleanor: What?
Rokurou: Are you afraid of daemons?
Eleanor: No! I-I am not! It’s more like I… despise them. Ten years ago, a group of them attacked my village. They destroyed everything and everyone.
Rokurou: Including your family?
Eleanor: Yes. The only family I had at that point was my mother, and in all the chaos, she… All I have left of her is this hand mirror she gave me. I didn’t want anyone else to have to feel the way I did. And so I became an exorcist in order to destroy daemons. So you can keep your pity.
Eleanor: What?
Rokurou: Are you afraid of daemons?
Eleanor: No! I-I am not! It’s more like I… despise them. Ten years ago, a group of them attacked my village. They destroyed everything and everyone.
Rokurou: Including your family?
Eleanor: Yes. The only family I had at that point was my mother, and in all the chaos, she… All I have left of her is this hand mirror she gave me. I didn’t want anyone else to have to feel the way I did. And so I became an exorcist in order to destroy daemons. So you can keep your pity.
Heimdall: Wait... What is going on in that empty head? Oh no no no no no. You are going to spare me out of PITY?!
Kratos: Let it go and you may live.
Heimdall: Is this about the little runt? Oh, now I am DEFINITELY going to gut him-(Kratos detonates the spear tip pinning him to a wall, blowing his arm clean off) AAAAUUGH!
Kratos: This is your final warning.
Mimir: Don't think a warning's gonna cut it.
Heimdall: You think you get to just walk away?! No, this is NOT how this works. (regrows arm with Bifrost magic) You... do not get to DECIDE MY FATE!
Kratos: Let it go and you may live.
Heimdall: Is this about the little runt? Oh, now I am DEFINITELY going to gut him-(Kratos detonates the spear tip pinning him to a wall, blowing his arm clean off) AAAAUUGH!
Kratos: This is your final warning.
Mimir: Don't think a warning's gonna cut it.
Heimdall: You think you get to just walk away?! No, this is NOT how this works. (regrows arm with Bifrost magic) You... do not get to DECIDE MY FATE!
Web Original
I'll tell you, why I spit on your forgiveness. I'll tell you why I loathe your redemption. To reach a hand down to somebody, they need to be BENEATH YOU! I'm beneath nobody!
"By the way, Ryan, I just want you to know, [...] for future reference, I would much rather you look me dead in the eye and say, 'Penny, that joke was awful. It wasn't funny. Never say anything like that ever again,' rather than respond to any of my jokes with 'I get that reference.'"
—Penny Parker, SnapCube Plays The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
Western Animation
"You know, it's evil to help people who don't need help, Claire." [coughs up blood]
—The Grandfather, Opal
Real Life
"'I pity you!' is usually offensive. People don't like to be pitied. Where sympathy is alongside you, pity stands above and looks down. Sympathy is for equals, pity for underlings."
— G. Little, 1999, The Public Emotions, p.107
"I thought: "Are you making fun of me!?" (laughs) When we had the hint block appearing from the beginning, I just felt like: "I don't need this!"
— Shigeru Miyamoto on developing the Super Guide system to be used in first- and second-party Nintendo games.
to be used in first- and second-party Nintendo games.