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Fan Works
"In my thousands of years in ruling I have witnessed much bloodshed. I orchestrated most of it."
— Princess Celestia, Stardust
"Democracy had never really been considered as a political practice in Equestria. Celestia was basically a benevolent ruler, and she was certainly willing to be guided by other ponies, but at the end of the day, any elected official would have to be able to demonstrate the power to raise the sun and moon every day, and keep life on the planet from ending forever. This is a fairly effective barrier to any candidate, as nopony, regardless of political belief, is going to consider the 'Let Everything on the Planet Die' Party."
— So Long and Thanks For All the Ponies, a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fanfic
Films - Live Action
"I AM YOUR REDEEMER! IT IS BY MY HAND THAT YOU WILL RISE FROM THE ASHES OF THIS WORLD!"
— Immortan Joe, Mad Max: Fury Road
"Put a bullet in her skull. Stop the rig. Return my treasures to me and I myself will carry you to the gates of Valhalla!"
—Immortan Joe, Mad Max: Fury Road
"His people do not call him general or king. They call him K'uk'ulkan, the feather serpent god."
—M'Baku on Namor, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Literature
Leto sat on the Lion Throne to accept the homage of the tribes. Ghanima stood beside him, one set down. The ceremony in the Great Hall went on for hours. Tribe after Fremen Tribe passed before him through their delegates and their Naibs. Each group bore gifts fitting for a god of terrifying powers, a god of vengeance who promised them peace.
He'd cowed them into submission the previous week, performing for the assembled arifa of all the tribes. The Judges had seen him walk through a pit of fire, emerging unscathed to demonstrate that his skin bore no marks by asking them to study him closely. He'd ordered them to strike at him with knifes, and the impenetrable skin had sealed his face while they struck at him to no avail. Acids ran off him with only the lightest mist of smoke. He'd eaten their poisons and laughed at them.
At the end, he'd summoned a worm and stood facing them at its mouth. He'd moved from that to the landing field at Arrakeen, where he'd brazenly toppled a Guild frigate by lifting one of its landing fins.
The arifa had reported all of this with a fearful awe, and now the tribal delegates had come to seal their submission.
"Let the King Undying, ransomer of death, scourge of death, vindicator of death, look upon the Nine Houses and hear their thanks. Let the whole of everywhere entrust themselves to him. Let those across the river pledge beyond the tomb to the adept divine, first among necromancers. Thanks be to the Ninefold Resurrection. Thanks be to the Lyctor divinely ordained. He is Emperor and he became God: he is God, and he became Emperor."
— Priest of the Necromancer Divine, The Locked Tomb: Gideon the Ninth
"If a man gathers ten thousand suns in his hands... If a man seeds a hundred thousand worlds with his sons and daughters, granting them custody of the galaxy itself... If a man guides a million vessels between the infinite stars with a mere thought... Then I pray you tell me, if you are able, how such a man is anything less than a god."
— Lorgar Aurelian on the Emperor of Mankind, Horus Heresy: The First Heretic
Live Action TV
Dalek Emperor: I reached into the dirt and made new life. I am the GOD of all Daleks!
Daleks: WORSHIP HIM! WORSHIP HIM!
Daleks: WORSHIP HIM! WORSHIP HIM!
— Doctor Who, "The Parting of the Ways"
(To Drusilla, after Caligula announces that he's Zeus) "He wants to see you....he's become a god. You're a god too." (To Herod Agrippa) "We're not."
— Claudius, I, Claudius
Odo: Has it ever occurred to you that the reason you believe the Founders are gods is because that's what they want you to believe? That they built it into your genetic code?
Weyoun 6: Of course they did. That's what gods do. After all, why be a god if there's no one to worship you?
Weyoun 6: Of course they did. That's what gods do. After all, why be a god if there's no one to worship you?
— Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River"
Tabletop Games
"I tread the path of Righteousness. Though it be paved with broken glass, I shall walk it barefoot; though it crosses rivers of fire, I will pass over them; though it wanders wide, the light of the Emperor guides my step."
— Confessor Dolan of Chiros - "Sermon on the road to Gathalamor", Warhammer 40,000
Our thoughts light the Darkness that others may cross space.
We are one with the Emperor, ours souls are joined in his will.
Praise the Emperor whose sacrifice is life as ours is death.
Hail his name the Master of Mankind.
We are one with the Emperor, ours souls are joined in his will.
Praise the Emperor whose sacrifice is life as ours is death.
Hail his name the Master of Mankind.
— Credo Astronomicon, Warhammer 40,000
There is only the Emperor,
and he is our Shield and Protector.
and he is our Shield and Protector.
"No world shall be beyond my rule, no enemy shall be beyond my wrath."
— The Immortal God-Emperor of All Mankind, Warhammer 40,000
Video Games
"Kain is deified. The clans tell tales of him. Few know the truth. He was mortal once. As were we all."
— Raziel, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Webcomics
Thief: So you morons met the god of dragons.
Red Mage: He's also their king. He was very clear on that.
Thief: He's the king of dragons too? How does that work, exactly? Does he worship himself?
Red Mage: I think it means he rules by his own divine right. It's a pretty sweet racket, really.
Red Mage: He's also their king. He was very clear on that.
Thief: He's the king of dragons too? How does that work, exactly? Does he worship himself?
Red Mage: I think it means he rules by his own divine right. It's a pretty sweet racket, really.
Lucrezia: Mister Wooster... Albia does still rule, correct?
Wooster: [stumbles in surprise] Why, heavens yes. Why ever would you think otherwise?
Lucrezia: Well, I've been away for a while. Anything can happen.
Wooster: [smiles] Not in England, miss. Her Majesty wouldn't allow it.
Wooster: [stumbles in surprise] Why, heavens yes. Why ever would you think otherwise?
Lucrezia: Well, I've been away for a while. Anything can happen.
Wooster: [smiles] Not in England, miss. Her Majesty wouldn't allow it.
"Here is your offering, witch! The bones of my people. Dead of famine. My men are even now offloading two hundred more chests, for your pleasure. Some may call you a goddess, but I know you, world eater. Your glorious court is fat with the flesh of the downtrodden."
Western Animation
"Fire Lord Ozai is no more. Just as the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world. From this moment on, I will be known as the Phoenix King!"
—Ozai, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Moses: Rameses, your stubbornness is bringing this misery upon Egypt. It would cease if only you would let the Hebrews go.
Rameses: I will not be dictated to. I will not be threatened. I am the morning and the evening star! I. Am. Pharaoh!
Rameses: I will not be dictated to. I will not be threatened. I am the morning and the evening star! I. Am. Pharaoh!
Real Life
"The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself are called gods."
— The Trew Law of Free Monarchies (1598), James the First
