Verbal Business Card

A character establishes their cachet by making a laconic self-statement, often in the form of a Badass Creed. This follows the formula:

"I am [Full Name]! I [Verb] [Nouns]!"

A variation inserts the character's role or vocation:

"I am [Full Name]. I'm a [Job Tag]. I [Verb Nouns]."

This trope echoes the old military tradition of revealing nothing to your captors but "name, rank and serial number," as well as the poetry of saga.

See Badass Creed.

Examples of Verbal Business Card include:

Comic Books

• X Factor - "I'm Layla Miller. I know stuff."
• X-Men - I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!
• All Star Batman - "Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the goddamn Batman."

Film

• Pulp Fiction - "I'm Winston Wolf. I solve problems."
• The Doors: - "I'm the Lizard King. I can do anything."
• Public Enemies: - "I'm John Dillinger. I rob banks."
• Bonnie and Clyde: - "This here's Miss Bonnie Parker. I'm Clyde Barrow. We rob banks."
• Parodied a few times in Mystery Men.

I... am the Waffler. With my griddle of justice, I bash the enemy in the head, or I burn them like so! I also have some truth syrup, which is low in fat.

• The Prophecy - Christopher Walken, as Gabriel, has a great one.

I'm an angel. I kill firstborns while their mamas watch. I turn cities into salt. I even, when I feel like it, rip the souls from little girls. And from now till kingdom come, the only thing you can count on, in your existence, is never understanding why.

• Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome:

Max: Me Max.

• Apocalypto: - "My name is Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter."
• American Beauty : - "My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood. This is my street. This is my life."
• Shutter Island : - "My name is EDWARD DANIELS !" (twice). Later : - "My name is Andrew Laeddis. And I murdered my wife in the spring of fifty two".
• Gladiator - "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of ..."
• In A Fish Called Wanda, - "I'm Harvey Manfren-gen-sen-ten. I'm uh.. with the CIA".
  • And then, in Fierce Creatures - "My name is Rollo Lee, and as of yesterday, I have assumed command of this zoo."
• The Rock :

Stanley Goodspeed: I'm an agent with the federal, FBI, well... I'm Stanley Goodspeed.
John Mason: But of course you are.

• Lawrence of Arabia :

Auda: I am Auda Abu Tayi, does Auda serve?!
Lawrence: Lawrence. I've been seconded to the Arab Bureau.

Literature

• The Lorax: "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees."

Live Action TV

• Danger Man varies the order a bit: "A messy job? That's when they usually call on me or someone like me. Oh, yes - my name is Drake. John Drake."
• Doctor Who:
  • - "I'm The Doctor. I make things better."
  • And "Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North," later "Prime Minister" and even later former Prime Minister.
• Dragnet: "My name's Friday. I carry a badge."
• Saturday Night Live: "I am Lothar, of the Hill People. Much have I seen, and much have I done.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - [threateningly] "Maybe you didn't read the crew roster, but my name is Dax, and I'm the new science officer on this garbage scow, and you were in my seat."
• Lost : - "My name is Benjamin Linus. I believe you're looking for me."

Video Games

• MadWorld: I'm Jack. I don't help people. I kill them.
• Monkey Island: "I'm Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate!"
• Team Fortress 2: "I am Heavy Weapons Guy. And this is my weapon."
  • "I'm an Engineer, that means I solve problems."
• Sam and Max: I'm Sam. This is Max. We bust punks.

Web Comics

• 8-Bit Theater: I am the Black Mage! I cast the spells that make the people fall down!
• Questionable Content - "My name is Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham. I end messes."
• Girl Genius: "OTHAR TRYGGVASSEN, GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER!"

Western Animation

• Megas XLR - "I am Ender. I end things."
• Transformers Animated - "I am Wreck-Gar. I dare to be stupid."
• DuckTales (1987): "I. AM. ARMSTRONG. I. AM. YOUR FRIEND!!!"

Other

• That Guy With The Glasses: "Hello, I'm the nostalgia critic. I remember it so you don't have to."