Great Fictional Speeches

[TheScottishMexican42]

Simply put, what are your favorite speeches from fiction. It can be from a game, a movie, tv show, whatever.

I personally choose The Eleventh Doctor's speech in The Rings of Akhaten. Just an absolute joy to listen to.

 

[ItouKaiji]

I like the bitter and dark speeches from Kaiji that speak to the darker more cynical side of humanity.


I think there's a lot of truth in what Tonegawa says but it's just said in the nastiest, meanest way possible.

 

[Spacewolf]

I've always liked Chaplins speech from the great dictator.

 

[BeoW0lfe]

Is this even a contest? Captain Kirrahe from Mass Effect. He taught us all how to hold the line.

 

[Lionsfan]

I always really dug this speech and ensuing charge:

Spoiler: LOTR

Really one of the coolest moments in cinema

 

[IllumInaTIma]

"Canceling the Apocalypse" speech by Idris Elba's character in Pacific Rim. Despite how cheesy that line sounds, the way he delivers it is just so god damn epic. Just freaking listen!
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I always really dug this speech and ensuing charge:

Spoiler: LOTR

Really one of the coolest moments in cinema

OH YEAH! That one! That speech was incredible.

 

[Mitsozuka]

Bill Pullman.

ID4.

Made me smile even back then.

Nuff said.

 

[evilneko]

G'Kar's speech to the Babylon 5 Council after the Centauri conquered his world for the second time.

Starting here at about 2 minutes in.

Short and powerful.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

My brother likes the speech given by V in the studio broadcast in V for Vendetta. Now we watch it every November 5th.

On a similar note the whole Dark Knight Trilogy had lots of good speeches by both hero and villain, something that some people didn't like- too much talk. Given the inclusion of other media however, I'd have to give the award to Vito Corleone's last speech in The Godfather, the succinct summary of the entire purpose of his business and ethics, truly from the heart. The movie abbreviates it severely for time constraints, but it's still excellent.

 

[Lynx]

Bill's speech from Kill Bill, Part 2.

As you know, I?m quite keen on comic books. Especially the ones about superheroes. I find the whole mythology surrounding superheroes fascinating.
Take my favorite superhero, Superman. Not a great comic book. Not particularly well-drawn. But the mythology? The mythology is not only great, it?s unique.
Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there?s the superhero and there?s the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he?s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone.
Superman didn?t become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he?s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red ?S? ? that?s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears ? the glasses, the business suit ? that?s the costume. That?s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us.
Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He?s weak? He?s unsure of himself? He?s a coward.
Clark Kent is Superman?s critique on the whole human race.

 

[PBMcNair]

Definitely my favorite. I remember when I first played Killzone. I saw this intro come up and my first thought was "Sweet, our leader gives a mean speech." Then towards the middle I was getting worried and by the final 40 seconds or so, I was all "Not our leader, not our leader. TO THE TRENCHES !"

 

[Aetera]

I have a lot, but the only one coming to mind right now is Buffy's speech from the episode "Bring on the Night" in season seven. I can't find a clip of it, but here it is:

"I'm beyond tired. I'm beyond scared. I'm standing on the mouth of Hell and it is going to swallow me whole.

And it'll choke on me.

We're not ready? They're not ready. They think we're gonna wait for the end to come, like we always do. I'm done waiting. They want an apocalypse? Well, we'll give 'em one. Anyone else who wants to run, do it now, 'cause we just became an army. We just declared war. From now on, we won't just face our worst fears, we will seek them out. We will find them, and cut out their hearts, one by one, until the First shows itself for what it really is. And I'll kill it myself. There is only one thing on this earth more powerful than evil. And that's us. Any questions?"

 

[Kged]

Still makes most of my hairs stand up.

 

[kyuzo3567]

How has this not been mentioned yet? This series is full of great speeches and such, but this one has to be my favourite among them.

 

[Miyenne]

It's not very creative on my part, but I do love Tyrion's speech. He doesn't talk them up, he tells the truth.

?Don?t fight for your king, don?t fight for his kingdoms, don?t fight for honor, don?t fight for glory, don?t fight for riches because you won?t get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack, your gate he?s ramming. If he gets in, it will be your houses he burns, your gold he steals, your women he will rape. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let?s go kill them!?



I don't feel like digging through the books to see if it matches word for word from the show.

 

[shootthebandit]

A thread about fictional speeches and noone mentions this badboy:

Internet you have dissapointed me

Edit: or this one

 

[mrjoe94]

Because I just started watching Game of Thrones' first season, this one is still in my mind:

"And to my son, the stallion who will mount the world, I will also pledge a gift. I will give him the iron chair that his mothers father sat upon. I will give The Lands of the Andals. I, Drogo, will do this. I will take my khalasar west to where the world ends and ride wooden horses across the black salt sea as no khal has done before. I will kill the men in iron suits and tear down their stone houses. I will rape their women, take their children as slaves and bring their broken gods back to Vaes Dothrak. This i vow Drogo son of Bharbo. I swear before the mother of mountains as the stars look down in witness. As the stars look down in witness!"

Apart from the raping of the women that is......that was a bit of a WTF? moment.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

Really, I have to go with one of the classics here:

 

[ManaAdvent]

My word this was an amazing soul-crushing speech in anime villainy.

Here's also a strangely beautiful speech from a crazy Tart Toter. Only in Adventure Time that this can work well:

 

[Brian Tams]

I have three, one from a movie, and two from anime.

Movie: How come nobody has talked about President Whitmore's speech from Independence day?

"Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world, and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences any more. We will be united in our common interest. Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist, and should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on, we're going to survive.' Today we celebrate our independence day!"

Epic.
Anime:
1.) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

My favorite anime ever, as well as one of my favorite things ever, FMA:B is amazing. It also holds a lot of really good speeches. Particularly this one by Greed.

"I disagree. You want to bring back someone that you've lost. You might want money. Maybe you want women. Or, you might want to protect the world. These are all common things people want. Things that their hearts desire. Greed may not be good, but it's not so bad, either. You humans think greed is just for money and power! But everyone wants something they don't have."

And of course, Bleach. Ridiculously long monologues are a trope of the series. Some are idiotic, but some I actually like. Like this one by Urahara.

After all, there's nothing but fear reflected in your sword.
When you dodge, "I'm afraid of getting cut".
When you attack, "I'm afraid of cutting someone".
Even when you try to protect someone; "I'm afraid of letting them die".
Yes, your sword only speaks to me of absurd fear.
That's not it.
What's neccesary in a fight isn't fear.
Nothing can be born from that.
If you dodge, "I won't let them cut me".
If you protect someone, "I won't let them die".
If you attack, "I'll cut them".
Well can't you see...
... the resolve to cut you reflected in my sword?

And I'm done.