New Era Speech
"Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live... For me it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne. Yet, out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era... in which lion and hyena come together, in a great and glorious future!"
The Villain with Good Publicity has his plan nearing completion, and is ready to take the helm and put his evil scheme in motion. Soon the world will be his! One thing left to do: Meet the press, and give them a speech.
Apparently your PR team want a bit of honesty in your affairs, or maybe it would just be more fun to not lie to your soon-to-be underlings. Either way, the trick is the New Era Speech: empty platitudes evoking "incredible changes", "putting things in motion", "a historic moment", "a future you could never imagine". The right words, the right environment and an upbeat inspiring tone, and you can make The End of the World as We Know It sound like the Dawn of an Era the populace will love you for. Remember that you want to win the people over to your side, so it's best not to spend too many words on transparent threats of violence against anybody with the insolence to oppose your glorious new regime.
As an added bonus, you can sneer at opposition as "old-fashioned" while you pander to the Black Shirts who have eagerly awaited your rise to power and completion of your "vision".
Someone who knows your plan may be able to read between the lines of this, but in context, it can still sound inspiring. It's possible for someone to give one of these speeches accidentally before things Go Horribly Wrong.
If the villain believes in the ideals he propounds, then he probably also believes that Utopia Justifies the Means. Other villains are far too selfishly cynical to qualify for that trope, however, and still other villains are "idealistic" after a fashion, but their vision has little in common with the positive values implicit in this kind of speech.
Compare Sarcastic Confession, Just Between You and Me, Engineered Public Confession, Story-Boarding the Apocalypse, and of course False Reassurance. Contrast Bastardly Speech.
Anime and Manga
- Mobile Suit Gundam gives us Gihren Zabi's infamous "Sieg Zeon!" speech.
- One in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Immediately prior to The Reveal of Pride's identity, he recites a speech technically an essay he wrote for his tutor that is filled with irony in light of the revelation.
- Done in Dragon Ball when King Piccolo takes over the position as King of the World and declares that all laws are abolished and all jails will be shut down.
- In One Piece, Doquixote Doflamingo shouts out during the Marineford War:
Doflamingo: The time is almost here. Go and lay the groundwork. A world where only true pirates can survive will soon be upon us. Those without power, flee while you can. The tide will bring those of unmatched power and the New Era will begin!
- Pain of Naruto pulled this on many of his recruits into Akatsuki. He promised them wealth, power, and control of the world while he was actually planning a massive Depopulation Bomb.
- This was how Madara gained Kisame's loyalty. Kisame hated the lies and betrayals of the shinobi world, wanting only to see a day when everything, even death, was honest. Madara promised him this.
- When he later gave a similar speech to the Kages in an attempt to make the final steps of his plan go smoother, they rejected him flat-out; and Naruto called him on bullshitting the entire thing. Madara chuckled and agreed.
- This was how Madara gained Kisame's loyalty. Kisame hated the lies and betrayals of the shinobi world, wanting only to see a day when everything, even death, was honest. Madara promised him this.
Comic Books
- Lucifer Morningstar from Neil Gaiman's The Sandman delivers one of these when he gets the news that Dream will attempt to free Nada, the woman he left in Hell.
Lucifer: Some say one day in hell is much like all the rest. That in this place of flux eternal, nothing changes. But this day in hell, this day you shall all remember forever. And so shall he.
- What does Lucifer do that's so shocking? He quits.
- In the same spirit, though not a speech per se, in the Watchmen comic, Ozymandias' comic book body-building ads read "I will give you bodies beyond your wildest imaginings!" One such comic is fluttering down over the pile of corpses as Doctor Manhattan arrives
Films -- Animated
- In Disney's The Lion King, after Mufasa's (ahem) unfortunate death, Scar stands before Pride Rock, proclaiming: "A new era, in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future!"
- His entire Villain Song, "Be Prepared", is about the new era he wants to bring about. In a deleted scene, there's a reprise of the song instead of his normal speech at Pride Rock, which was also a New Era Speech.
- In Help! I'm a Fish, Joe gives the newly-intelligent fishy masses one of these... with a chorus and a backbeat. He kills two villainous tropes with one stone!
Films -- Live-Action
- Palpatine's "New Order" speech from Revenge of the Sith.
So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause. - Padme Amidala
- Palpatine's speech is juicy enough to warrant its own Wookiepedia page. Happy Empire day, everyone!
- Lord Blackwood gives one of these in the 2009 movie version of Sherlock Holmes.
- Stone Alexander in the Omega Code movies can belt out a New Era Speech at the drop of a hat. He's got pipes.
- In The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the Emperor gives what has to be the least effective New Era Speech of all time. It basically boils down to "Freedom sucks. Go forth and KILL!!".
- Batman (1989). During his parade the Joker gives a speech to the assembled citizens of Gotham:
Joker: And now, folks, it's time for, "Who Do You Trust?" Hubba, hubba, hubba! Money, money, money! Who do you trust? Me? I'm giving away free money. And where is the Batman? He's at home, washing his tights! <snip> And now comes the part where I relieve you, the little people, of the burden of your failed and useless lives. But, as my plastic surgeon always said, "If you've got to go, go with a smile."
- He then releases the deadly Smilex gas on the crowd.
- The Mortal Kombat movie has one of these from Shang Tsung, addressing the fighters of the tenth tournament:
Shang Tsung: You are all witness to one of the greatest turning points in the history of your planet. Treasure these moments...as if they were your last.
- Zac Hobson gives a resounding New Era Speech from the balcony of his mansion in The Quiet Earth. The twist is that his audience is comprised entirely of cardboard cutouts, as most of the human race has been obliterated. At this stage of the film, Hobson is in the later stage of Sanity Slippage, and it shows:
I have dedicated all my scientific knowledge and skill to projects which I knew could be put to evil purposes... for the common good, they said. How easy to believe in the common good, when that belief is rewarded with status, wealth, AND POWER!!! (Long pause) How hard to believe in the common good, when every fibre of my being tells me that the awesome forces I have helped to create have been put into the hands of MADMEN!!! AND WHAT BECAME- BY THE ACTION OF MY OWN CORRUPTION! Is it not fitting then that I be President... of this... quiet... Earth...? (Even longer pause) I've been condemned to live.
- Clu's speech to his troops in Tron: Legacy certainly qualifies. For Bonus Points, he ends it with an echo of a speech his creator Kevin Flynn made at the beginning of the film about the potential of the Grid.
Clu: Greetings, programs! Together, we have achieved a great many things. We created a vast Complex System... We've maintained it, we've improved it. We have rid it of its imperfections. Not to mention, rid it of the false deity that sought to enslave us. KEVIN FLYNN! WHERE ARE YOU NOW?! (evil chuckle) My fellow programs there can be no doubt... that our world is a cage no more. For at this moment, the key to the next frontier is finally in our possession! And unlike our selfish creator, who reserved the privilege of our world only for himself, I will make their world open and available to all of us. Yes! TO ALL OF US!!!!! And whatever we find there, there, our system will grow! There, our system WILL BLOSSOM! Do this! Prove yourselves for me, be loyal to me, and I WILL NEVER BETRAY YOU!!! Maximize efficiency. RID the new system of its imperfection! My vision is clear, fellow programs. Out there is a new world! OUT THERE IS OUR VICTORY!!! Out there... is our destiny!
- Several James Bond villains have done it.
- Gustav Graves in Die Another Day: "You have no idea how much Icarus is going to change your world!" The composer does, though—cue Ominous Chanting...
- Hugo Drax in Moonraker.
"First there was a dream. Now there is reality. Here in the untainted cradle of the heavens will be created a new super-race, a race of perfect physical specimens. You have been selected as its progenitors - like gods. Your offspring will return to Earth and shape it in their image. You have all served in humble capacities in my terrestrial empire. Your seed, like yourselves, will pay deference to the ultimate dynasty which I alone have created. From their first day on Earth they will be able to look up and know that there is law and order in the heavens."
- Karl Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me.
I intend to change the face of history. By creating a world. A new and beautiful world beneath the sea. Today civilisation as we know it is corrupt and decadent. Inevitably, it will destroy itself. I'm merely accelerating the process. I will accept the judgment of posterity.
- Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies. Bonus points for including the phrase "new world order".
Welcome to the new world order, Mr. Bond.Caesar had his legions, Napoleon had his armies; ; I have my divisions: News, sports, business, entertainment. And these are my foot soldiers: 2000 people working on 14 floors to feed 300 newspapers, 4 cable news networks, 87 magazines, and 29 different cable TV channels - in 35 languages.
- Judge Doom gives one to Eddie Valiant and Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?.
Several months ago, I had the good providence to stumble upon this plan of the City Council's, a construction plan of epic proportions. They're calling it a freeway. Eight lanes of shimmering cement running from here to Pasadena. Smooth, safe, fast. Traffic jams will be a thing of the past...I see a place where people get on and off the freeway. On and off, off and on, all day, all night! Soon, where Toontown once stood, will be a string of gas stations, inexpensive motels, restaurants that serve rapidly prepared food, tire salons, automobile dealerships, and wonderful, wonderful billboards, reaching as far as the eye can see! My God, it'll be beautiful.
- Saruman in The Two Towers gives his Uruk-Hai a speech like this.
"A new power is rrrising! It's victory! Is at hand!"
Literature
- Hugo Drax, in the 1955 James Bond novel Moonraker. A Nazi pretending to be British, he's about to launch the titular ballistic missile (which he's developed for the British government) with a nuclear warhead at London and is making a live speech to the media. Bond, however, puts the missile settings back to what was meant to be the target. The missile launches, lands at its intended target in the North Sea and explodes in a nuclear fireball. It takes out the Soviet sub on which Drax is escaping—and a few hundred other people as well. This one's worth quoting in full (page 177 of the 1989 Coronet paperback, by the way)
"Your majesty, men and women of England", the voice was a velvet snarl. "I am about to change the course of England's history." A pause. "In a few minutes' time the lives of all of you will be altered, in some cases, ahem, drastically, by the, er, impact of the Moonraker. I am very proud and pleased that fate has singled me out, from amongst all my fellow countrymen, to fire this great arrow of vengeance into the skies and thus to proclaim for all time, and for all the world to witness, the might of my fatherland. I hope this occasion will be forever a warning that the fate of my country's enemies will be written in dust, in ashes, in tears and", a pause, "in blood. And now thank you all for listening and I sincerely hope that those of you who are able will repeat my words to your children, if you have any, tonight".
- Another such speech appears in the Alex Rider novel Stormbreaker.
- Professor Umbridge gives such a speech when she takes over in the fifth Harry Potter book; Hermione deconstructs it right off the bat.
- In Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now, Corrupt Corporate Executive and con artist Melmotte does this all the time, because, well, he's a con artist. Finally, and gloriously shot down by Mr. Alf, who up to then had been a fairly minor character.
- In Ben Counter's Warhammer 40,000 Horus Heresy novel Battle For the Abyss, Zadkiel's opening speech starts with "We stand on the brink of a new era!"
- In G. K. Chesterton's Magic, the Duke is prone to such comments as "We can't be Ancient Britons, you know." and "And we can't go back to the Spanish Inquisition." in contexts where even those who agree with the side he's arguing think that it doesn't make any sense.
- In the Father Brown story "The Paradise of Thieves", Ezza's defense of dressing like an Englishman.
"That is your old mistake, Muscari," said the man in tweeds, shaking his head; "and the mistake of Italy. In the sixteenth century we Tuscans made the morning: we had the newest steel, the newest carving, the newest chemistry. Why should we not now have the newest factories, the newest motors, the newest finance--the newest clothes?"
- In The Ball and the Cross, Professor Lucifer gives three different New Era Speeches, one to MacIan about a glorious new age of law and monarchy, one to Turnbull about a glorious new age of freedom and revolution, and one to everyone about a glorious new age of tyranny and repression.
- Grand Admiral Thrawn doesn't give a speech, but in The Last Command he does say
"History is on the move, Captain. Those who cannot keep up will be left behind, to watch from a distance. And those who stand in our way will not watch at all."
- Feykan Butler gives one of these in Legends of Dune after the Battle of Corrin, when he reforms the League of Nobles into The Empire, renamed himself Feykan Corrino, and declares himself the first Emperor of humanity after the fall of the Old Empire. His royal line would last for 10,000 years, while his brother's family is forced into indefinite exile and forced to forever bear the shameful Harkonnen name. Your Mileage May Vary on whether his brother Abulard deserved such punishment.
- Kurtz's treatise on the colonial spirit in Heart of Darkness ends up being one of these. It's a whole dissertation on colonialism as a noble ideal, the White Man's Burden, etc., and it concludes with a line written much later (by the now insane Kurtz) that Marlow sarcastically describes as the strategy for implementing this soaring language. It is "Exterminate the Brutes!"
- Saruman gives such a speech directly and personally to Gandalf in the book urging him to surrender to Sauron, "deploring maybe evils done by the way, but approving the high and ultimate purpose: Knowledge, Rule, Order...." Gandalf's response indicates that Sauron's emmissaries are also known for them.
- Sauron's entreaty to the Elves of Eregion to create the Rings of Power also qualifies.
- The Sharing from Animorphs was extremely cultish, but still never had a millennial aspect like so many other such groups. (Naturally, the concealed truth was apocalyptically world-changing, but the Yeerks wanted the Sharing's message to calm people down rather than stir them up.) The Sharing's speeches and the rest of their propaganda still had all the trappings of the New Era Speech: feel-good rhetoric that exists to smuggle in some subtext about how submitting to the control of a Puppeteer Parasite will actually be a good thing.
- Tigerstar, the Big Bad of Warrior Cats gives one at the gathering in book six, The Darkest Hour when announcing his plan to reform the ancient and Badass TigerClan.
- Lampshaded in Omen of the Stars. When Brokenstar gives a speech to the cats training in the Dark Forest will soon wage war on the clans, Ivypool notes that he's just offering vague promises of greatness and that he's actually going to make them fight their own kin.
- Believe it or not, Sunstar also gives one of these in "Bluestar's Prophecy", despite being a good guy.
Live-Action TV
- The Mayor's graduation speech in Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a good example - with the added comedy that the protagonists, already aware of his villainous plans, must sit impatiently through it and wait for the real action to begin.
Buffy: Oh my God. He's going to do the entire speech.
Willow: Man, just ascend already.
Buffy: Evil!
- Even more amusingly, he actually doesn't get to do the whole speech:
Mayor Wilkins: It has begun. My destiny. It's a little sooner than I expected. I had this whole section on civic pride. But I guess we'll just skip to the big finish.
- Wolfram and Hart get a few in Angel: "Can we really change the world? We're counting on it."
- And how could Jasmine, i.e "Miss Utopia Justifies the Means Personified," have been complete without examples of this, like "I come to you not as a leader or divinity, but as your partner in a venture to make this the best of all possible worlds, without borders, without hunger, war, or misery. A world built on love, respect, understanding, and, well, just enjoying one another. Doesn't that sound nice?"
- The Cyber Leader's worldwide televised speech in the Doctor Who episode Doomsday.
- Mr. Saxon's victory speech in the Doctor Who episode, "The Sound of Drums". Bonus points for the punch-line: "What this country really needs...right now...is a Doctor."
- In Torchwood: Miracle Day (A spin-off from Doctor Who) Oswald Danes gives so many New Era Speeches he becomes thought of as the One True Voice of the New Era in question. Interestingly, however, he himself is not responsible for Miracle Day, he's just getting paid by whoever is and making the most of it. As an aside, Danes also gives the odd Bastardly Speech as well. He's just one big evil PR man.
Oswald: I promise you... that this little girl... will get to live forever! And ever! And ever! AND EVER!
- Nathan does this twice in Heroes - and the second time, he really should have skipped it and just gone with "Hey y'all, watch this!"...
- Sylar gets two of these, too Although both times he's masquerading as Nathan. The first time takes place in the future where he's managed to con his way into becoming President of the United States and is preparing to initiate a mass genocide against all other supers to eliminate the competition, the second time he's about to make a play for the Presidency (and through that, Total World Domination) and gives a big speech on national TV promising "you have no idea how much your world is about to change".
- Steve Fleming, a particularly creepy and obnoxious Smug Snake from The Thick of It, goes around delivering one to all the government departments after he gets Malcolm Tucker fired. It's particularly bad because the core analogy is comparing everyone present to the Fritzl children emerging from the cellar.
- When Colonel Zod is revealed as the chairman of solar energy company R.A.O. in Smallville, he gives a speech about how once his people have harnessed the power of the sun, they can change the world. Since his people are powerless Kryptonians...
Theatre
- In the musical Knickerbocker Holiday, Stuyvesant, taking on a Historical Villain Upgrade, seizes power in New Amsterdam and makes a magnificently hypocritical New Era Speech, promising freedom of coercion to everyone so long as they do just as they are told and guaranteeing enough for every person to live on "unless it be my personal opinion that he is not worthy to live." The speech culminates in a Villain Song inaugurating "an age of strength through joy." (Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson wrote the show in 1938, and took liberties with 17th-century history so they could issue thinly-veiled warnings about a contemporary threat to democracy.)
- The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht (who collaborated with Kurt Weill) is Brecht's Roman à Clef for Hitler's rise to power, set in this case in Gangsterland Chicago. Ui actually takes rhetoric classes from a washed-up Shakespearean actor, which he puts to use at the end of the play, in a speech following his gaining a chokehold on Chicago and betraying many of his allies. The speech is about how he is working to fix Chicago, but cities across America need his help too, and he will "protect them". This speech, especially the ending references a quote attributed to Hitler regarding his intentions, "Today Poland/Europe; tomorrow the world!"
- Brecht's play above has an inspiration from Richard III and Julius Caesar, both of which have proto examples of the New Era Speech. In the former, Richard starts out with a line about the (former) winter of our discontent being allayed by the "glorious son of York" (his brother), and thus hides his true intentions as a usurper behind a facade of family loyalty. In the latter, Mark Antony's funeral speech isn't necessarily misleading to the Roman mob, but it initially covers its true intent (to enrage the Roman mob and get them to slaughter Brutus and the other conspirators) and pretends to be conciliatory.
- The first act of Let 'Em Eat Cake ends with Wintergreen overthrowing President Tweedledee and ushering in a dictatorship of the proletariat by way of the title song.
Videogames
- Kane got at least one of these in most of the Command & Conquer games, and he is really good at doing so.
- Probably the best example—Kane's speech to his followers at the end of the Nod campaign in Tiberian Sun:
This morning was the most glorious morning in the history of the earth! Peace is upon us—a gift to every man, woman, and child from the Brotherhood of Nod. Victory—not just for our people, but for our species! The time for questioning is over. Rising from our trenches, our bunkers, our factories, we must all now partake in the Technology of Peace. One Purpose. One Vision. Tiberium is the way and the light. Today the sun rises on a new world, and a new people. The end... is the beginning.
- Rufus' speech after he becomes the new president of Shinra Inc.:
Rufus: ...Old man tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working. The population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, get your pay. If a terrorist attacks, the Shinra army will help you. It looks perfect on the outside. But, I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear. It takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them.
- Final Fantasy VIII Sorceress Edea, with the atypical twist that Edea is completely up-front about her villainous intentions and, rather than couching the speech in vague platitudes, lays into the crowd, calling them "lowlifes" and "shameless filthy wretches" for cheering her, and murdering the President of Galbadia right there at the podium. In this case, however, it is strongly implied - though not outright stated - that she's using some sort of large-scale mind control on the crowd.
- Prince Arthas gives one of these in Warcraft III, after "succeeding" his father.
"This kingdom shall fall. And from the ashes shall rise a new order, that will shake the very foundations...Of the world."
- Emperor Mengsk's coronation speech in the conclusion of the Terran Campaign from the first StarCraft game. Though the player knows it's propaganda BS having played through the campaign, it's still pretty awesome.
Emperor Mengsk: The time has come my fellow Terrans, to rally to a new banner. In unity lies strength; already many of the dissident factions have joined us. Out of the many, we shall forge an indivisible whole, capitulating only to a single throne. And from that throne, I shall watch over you! From this day forward, let no human make war on any other human. Let no Terran agency conspire against this new beginning. And let no man consort with alien powers. And to all the enemies of humanity, seek not to bar our way, for we shall win through, no matter the cost!
Bob Page: "We've had to endure much, you and I, but soon there will be order again. A new age. Aquinas spoke of the mythical city on the hill, soon that city will be a reality and we will be crowned its kings. Or, better than kings... gods!"
- Andrew Ryan's opening speech in BioShock (series). You can view it here.
- The Big Bad of Time Crisis is introduced bragging about how the high-end satellite network he's about to launch will "unite the world". It turns out it's really a Kill Sat.
- Dragon Quest VIII has Marcello give one near the end of the game, amply seasoned with the reasons why nobility sucks, so do commoners and how it's high time they destroy the system that has caused so much grief and unfairly raised idiots born in the right family over hard workers.
- Cloche delivers a literal one in the beginning of Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica, declaring the people's independence from the tyrannical reign of the Goddess. It's pretty darn awesome, and then you get to fight for her cause during the first quarter of the game. She's more or less a mere puppet, a public figure for her organization.
- President Eden's otherwise quite quaint speeches take this context when you realize that while he's promising to bring hope back to each and every American and restore America, he's planning to do so by pretty much killing everyone left alive in America with the FEV virus.
- Zero Wing:
Year 2101 AD
War broke out.
Captain: What on earth is happening?
Mechanic: It seems someone planted a bomb on our ship!
Operator: Captain, a signal is coming!
Captain: What?!
Operator: It's coming on the main screen!
Captain: Wh-, Who are you?!
CATS: You seem busy, gentlemen...
CATS: In cooperation with your federal government, CATS has taken your entire base.
CATS: Your ship is about to meet its doom as well!!
Captain: I-, impossible!!
CATS: Thank you for your cooperation, gentlemen... Treasure the last moments of your life!!!
CATS: Ha ha ha ha ...!!!
Operator: Captain!!
Captain: Zero Wings, prepare to launch!
Captain: We can't but trust in you!
Captain: The fate of mankind
Captain: lies in your hands, ZIG!!!
- Saints Row 2, Dane's powerpointed New Era Speech is the indicator he's the next enemy. In context it's not deceitful since his corporate audience is already familiar with his flavor of Double-Speak, and are in approval of his real goals.
- In Ace Combat Zero, A World With No Boundaries speech in Mission 17 (which the soundtrack making the level awesome)
Wizard 1: We will carry out the new creation of destruction through the power of righteousness. Territories, peoples, authorities... all will be liberated. This is the new state, "A World With No Boundaries" we will create!
- In Batman: Arkham City, the entrance to the abandoned Wonder City features a recorded message declaring the city a safe haven from the pollution and corruption of Gotham City, where Lazarus technology provides safe and clean energy for its' citizens. Unfortunately, the energy from the Lazarus pit used to power everything slowly drove them all insane, and the city was eventually condemned and abandoned.
- Bruno Giovanni delivers one of these to his extended family of vampires, ghouls and mortals in Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines. It's difficult to hear, given that it takes place behind a locked door that you're not allowed past unless you're prepared to kill the bodyguards, but if you're willing to listen carefully, it does explain why the Giovanni wanted the Ankaran Sarcophagus in the first place.
I appreciate everyone's attendence here this night. It has been several years since I last saw some of you; in that brief period of time, several events have seen this family fall from the good graces of the Head of the Family back in Italy. The American Giovanni have been through hard times, this is true: the fall of the stock market, poor investments in once tried and true industries, the loss of many old and dear friends in Washington who served our best interests... But I promise you that after tonight, these unfortunate mishaps will all be forgiven. The Ankaran Sarcophagus- you may have heard about it's theft on the news; the truth is that it was taken on my orders. Why? It bears a great resemblance to an artifact said to contain the spirits of an entire kingdom wiped out during the time of the Pharaohs. As I speak, the most accomplished of our family are preparing to harvest this bounty of souls, bringing the Giovanni family one step closer to the Endless Night we have toiled to bring about all these centuries! Once again, the American Giovanni are poised to make a grand return to a position of esteem, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, I have decided to Embrace two of you, and to allow you to choose one person at this party to bestow the Proxy Kiss upon. When the others return, we shall inform Italy of our accomplishments and commence with the Embrace. Let this night be the beginning of a prosperous new century, and let us not forget to thank God for the opportunity he has provided to regain face with our honoured elders! Amen.
Webcomics
- Lord Horribus tries (and fails) to pull one of these off in Sluggy Freelance.
- Psyk succeeds
- In Erfworld Parson tries to sow dissension among the enemy by telling Anson that royalty is obsolete. When Anson is uncroaked, he agrees -- and Parson didn't really believe it himself.
- In The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob, Galatea gives one of these here. She's quite sincere about it. Bob kills it with a couple of armor piercing questions, though.
- In American Barbarian, Rick uses this on Two Tank Omen to reinforce his Fake Defector ploy.
- Girl Genius had this in one side story. We don't know how the New Era of Mechanicsburg was supposed to look like, since after the obligatory warm-up rhetoric part the Seneschal walks into the room with unamused face and a Jäger in tow and comments «Oh, good. Then I've come to the right place.» The guy expected him to be already assassinated, thus reacts accordingly.
Web Originals
- In a parody of the Sorceress Edea speech mentioned in Video Games above, Spoony brought out the mad scientist Dr. Insano, who had just been elected president of the United States. He mentions how "we are so going to jack this country up beyond repair!"
Western Animation
- John Cleese gives a great one in An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. "A place where mice can raise their mouselings without fear!"
- General Mandible in Antz gives a speech about "a new colony, a stronger colony, a colony reborn"... just before he leaves all the worker ants to drown.
- Spider-Carnage gets to do a few of these in the last couple episodes of Spider-Man: The Animated Series, both to a crowd of people and even to his fellow villains.
- Beast Wars Megatron loved to give new era speeches, yes. Wheter the occasion was finding an alien artifact, raising the most powerful ship in transfromer history or altering time itself he was never without a grand speech to go along with it, oh no.
- Admiral Zhao gives one just after the Yu Yan Archers captured Aang. It loses a lot of its punch when Zuko busts Aang out of prison.
- There tends to be one of these on The Simpsons, usually delivered by Leopold, whenever Principal Skinner is fired and replaced by someone else.
Real Life
- Hitler's Nuremburg rallies.
- In particular his boast at the beginning of his rule "Give me four years and you will no longer recognize Germany" (the Enabling Act of 1933 was originally limited to four years). After the War that was changed to "Give me twelve years and you will no longer recognize Germany!" in retrospect.
- Any fascist speech, for that matter; the ideology is innately revolutionary, so it comes naturally. The frequency of speeches like this in official party propaganda is a good rule of thumb in distinguishing a fascist regime from one which is more properly termed "para-fascist", which is to say a reactionary regime which clothes itself in an appropriated fascist imagery, such as Franco's Spain.
- Mussolini's Italy did it first, though, like many of the Nazis' policies and tactics. His rhetoric about a "New Roman Empire" and national reawakening was a major influence on Hitler. Not the killing Jews part though - he invented that on his own.
- Communist speeches, especially after the Red October.
- Let's face it- the leaders of any major regime change will spout this.
- Every time a new era starts, someone will give a New Era Speech. Really. Any big change - good or bad - will be accompanied by one of these.