This is a Stock Phrase, typically said by an older, tougher character, about a younger, supposedly weaker character. The older character could be an Aloof Older Brother or Mentor figure, or it could be a villain taunting his young foe.
May also come in the form "It took guts to do what you did out there", where the older, tougher character relents on their initial contempt and admits their respect for the younger, weaker character. "Guts" may also be substituted with "balls" in some works. Hold Your Hippogriffs can even apply to this sometimes. May result in Audacity Earns Approval, though it might also result in a fist to the face.
Third-person variants are also possible, especially when the older guy doesn't want to admit his respect for the youngster to his face. Another third-person variant is often used for Black Comedy following a particularly gory scene.
Examples
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Anime & Manga
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure:
- Diamond is Unbreakable: During the final fight against Yoshikage Kira, upon realizing that Okuyasu had been turned into a trap-bomb, Hayato willingly allows him to be nearly blown up to ensure Josuke can heal them both, with the latter expressing his amazement at Hayato's guts.
- The JoJoLands: Charming Man admits that Usagi's willingness to perform tracheotomy on himself without assistance was impressive and full of guts.
- My Hero Academia: Out on his first assignment while working for Fatgum, Eijiro "Red Riot" Kirishima takes on a drug-enhanced blade Quirk user. Since his own Quirk (Hardening) doesn't lend itself to subtlety, he faces the villain head-on, tanks everything dished out at him, and just punches him out. One of the bystanders compliments Kirishima's bravery with this trope.
- In the climax of Spirited Away, Yubaba says this exact phrase to Chihiro when Chihiro insists on taking the test. (Boh was trying to convince Yubaba into letting Chihiro go without having to take it, and she was considering it, but Chihiro insisted on living up to her end of the deal, even though she wasn't the one who made it.)
- Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online: Milana says this to M after he challenges her to a Sniper Duel after Eva gets killed.
- In Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Kamina says this while having a moment of admiration for his love interest, Yoko.
Kamina: A woman has no place meddling in a fight between men!
Yoko: I'm the one who's doing all the fighting!
Kamina: I like your style, lady. You got a lotta spunk. - In Zombie Land Saga, Saki accuses Sakura of being a blind follower and tool of Kotaro. And then Sakura gives her a verbal smackdown in the form of a rap battle, pointing out she's not nearly as blind as Saki things she is. This earns her Saki's respect, and she agrees to go along with the crazy plan, blurting this phrase in the process.
Comic Books
- The Walking Dead has an example riddled with Black Comedy. Negan is insulting Dirty Coward Spencer doesn't have any guts if he wants to be The Starscream to Rick, and promptly guts him. His reaction sells it.
Negan: Oh how embarrassing! There they are! They were inside you the whole time. You did have guts. I've never been so wrong before in my life!
Film - Animation
- In The Jungle Book (1967), Shere Khan says to Mowgli, "You have spirit for one so small."
- The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie:
Dennis: You've got guts, kid. Too bad I'm gonna rip'em out of you.
- In Tarzan II, Zugor tells Tarzan "You've got pluck, kid." But when Tarzan smiles, the old gorilla then says grumpily "I HATE pluck."
Film - Live-Action
- Captain America: Civil War: During the airport fight, Captain America comes up against Spider-Man and is a bit surprised by how well Spidey does against him. After he stops Spidey for a moment, this dialogue ensues:
Captain America: You got heart, kid. Where you from?
Spider-Man: Queens.
Captain America: (points to himself) Brooklyn. - For Your Eyes Only: James Bond and Milos Columbo's first encounter starts icy but eventually Columbo reveals that Bond's MI6 contact Kristatos is the real enemy and a Double Agent for the Soviets. After some verbal fencing, during which Bond points out that Columbo would be in danger if Bond doesn't report in, Columbo points Bond's gun at him. Bond doesn't flinch, so Columbo gives the gun back instead:
Columbo: I'm a good judge of men. Mr. Bond, you have what the Greeks call "thrasos" - (thumps his belly) - guts.
Bond: So have you, Mr. Columbo. - From Here to Eternity:
Alma: Yes, proper! In another year I'll have enough money saved. Then I'm going to go back to my home town in Oregon, and I'm going to build a house for my mother and myself, and join the country club and take up golf. Then I'll meet the proper man with the proper position, to make a proper wife, and can run a proper home and raise proper children. And I'll be HAPPY because when you're PROPER you're SAFE!Robert E. Lee "Prew' Prewitt: You've got guts, honey. I hope you can pull that off.
Alma: I do mean it when I say I need you. 'Cause I'm lonely. You think I'm lying, don't you?
Robert E. Lee "Prew' Prewitt: Nobody ever lies about being lonely. - Full Metal Jacket:
Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Private Joker is silly and he's ignorant, but he's got guts, and guts is enough in my beloved Corps! Now, you ladies carry on.
- Subverted in The Long Walk (2025) where the Major gives a Rousing Speech at the start line of the grueling Death March, praising the guts of the fifty teenagers who've volunteered to walk themselves to death for a prize that only one of them will claim. We find that some of them really do have guts until they get shot in the stomach.
The Major: Boys, it takes heavy, heavy sac to sign up for this contest, and you’ve all got it. You’re men now."
- In Racing Stripes, Tucker says this to Stripes as the latter is about to race Trenton's Pride at the Blue Moon Races.
- The infamous "You got a lotta guts, Oscar!" from Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky. Infamous because it was in response to Oscar using his own intestines to strangle Ricky.
- Stuart Little 2:
Snowbell: You've got guts, kid! And you've got spunk! Not to mention moxy! You've got guts, spunk, and moxy!
Literature
- The Berenstain Bears Big Chapter Books: In The Berenstain Bears and the Big Date, as described by Ronald Grizzington III, this was said by Too-Tall when Ronald went to his clubhouse to have words with him about the paint bomb Too-Tall and his gang had rigged, partially because he came to them without any bodyguards and partly because he had the nerve to blackmail them, trading his silence about the source of said paint bomb in return for them helping him with a prank on Brother.
- In the Deptford Mice trilogy, the Starwife expresses her admiration for Audrey's intelligence and perceptiveness.
"What a clever creature you are girl."
- In the first Warrior Cats book, after Yellowfang taunts Firepaw for his kittypet blood, Firepaw gives a short speech to the cranky old she-cat about how she'd find it humiliating to be looked after by anyone, and calls her a spiteful old bone bag. For a moment after this he thinks she's choking, but she's actually laughing and tells him "You've got spirit."
Live-Action TV
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
Ken: That... was not... permitted!
Buffy: Yeah, but it was fun.
Ken: You've got guts. I think I'd like to slice you open, and play with them! - The Muppet Show: When Milton Berle did a burlesque comedy routine with Fozzie, one of the jokes Fozzie wanted Milton to do prompted him to tell Fozzie this.
- Was always said at the end of episodes of Nickelodeon GUTS, mostly as a Title Drop. "No ifs, ands or buts...these kids got guts!"
- Star Trek:
- Star Trek: The Next Generation: In "The Survivors", Kevin Uxbridge tries to drive away the away team by brandishing a phaser. They call his bluff when a scan reveals that it's incapable of firing:
Worf: Sir, may I say your attempt to hold the away team at bay with a non-functioning weapon was an act of unmitigated gall.
Kevin: Didn't fool you, huh?
Worf: I admire gall. - Twice in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the shiftless and greedy Ferengi earn the respect of their polar opposite, the Klingons.
- First is Quark in "The House of Quark". When he successfully proves a Klingon named D'Ghor is using money to try and bring down a rival great house. He proves D'Ghor is without honor by tossing his weapon aside and goading him into striking him down. When D'Ghor obliges, he's stopped by Gowron and stripped of his status for being such an honorless prick. Quark gets praise from Gowron for his ballsy plan.
Gowron: A brave Ferengi. Who'd have though it possible?
- Right behind Quark is his nephew, Nog. When he bucks up to a group of Klingon's who consider him a joke (including the very dangerous General Martok), Martok is actually mildly impressed by his bravery and lets him have the win.
- First is Quark in "The House of Quark". When he successfully proves a Klingon named D'Ghor is using money to try and bring down a rival great house. He proves D'Ghor is without honor by tossing his weapon aside and goading him into striking him down. When D'Ghor obliges, he's stopped by Gowron and stripped of his status for being such an honorless prick. Quark gets praise from Gowron for his ballsy plan.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation: In "The Survivors", Kevin Uxbridge tries to drive away the away team by brandishing a phaser. They call his bluff when a scan reveals that it's incapable of firing:
- The Twilight Zone (1959): A variant in the episode "Caesar and Me". The ventriloquist's evil dummy (now minus ventriloquist) tells the little girl that she has a "hip attitude", and encourages her to become his new accomplice.
Radio
- The Goon Show:
Neddie: Egad, Bloodnock, I admire your guts!
Bloodnock: Why, are they showing?
Toys
- BIONICLE:
Carapar: Despite your bad nerves, you always did have guts. Don't make me spill them out into the sea, okay?
Video Games
- Dawn of War II: Retribution; Kaptin Bluddflagg says a suitably orky version to Autarch Kayleth in the first mission of the ork campaign.
Bluddflagg: Ya got guts, skinny, I'll give ya dat... and they're gettin' all over da place, yeugh!
- Elona: If, after being ambushed by bandits, you chose to fight rather than hand over your goods and money, the bandit leader will complement you on having guts. Of course, if you're feeling sufficiently cheap, but don't have the levels to actually fight off the bandits, you can refuse to hand over money, then turn tail and run instead of facing the bandits.
- In Fallout 4, after he and the Sole Survivor defeat an enemy, Nick Valentine has this to say.
Nick Valentine: You've got guts...well, had guts.
- Final Fantasy X: Cid likes Tidus's style when it comes to his resolve in protecting Yuna.
Tidus: Gramps, let's move!
Cid: Easy, kiddo. Bevelle's defenses are top-notch.
Tidus: What's the matter, gramps? You scared? Yuna's there, so we go and get her! And that's all!
Cid: Heh! You got guts. Set course to Bevelle! Full speed ahead! - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Upon a young Link drawing his sword and making an attack, Ganondorf tells him, "You've got guts, kid."
- In Mario Party 4, Bowser will praise anyone who approaches his giant-self in anything smaller than Mega form, right before incinerating them for their childish impudence.
- In the Mass Effect series, a common compliment from Krogan is to tell someone that they have a "quad", a slang term for a full set of four krogan testicles. Which is to say, they have balls.
- Persona 5: Iwai approves for being bluntly honest in general, but doubly so when it comes to saying things that could really get the crap beat out of, such as calling him pathetic or a former thug.
Visual Novels
- Mach in SC2VN moves to South Korea to try to become a professional gamer. One person tells him that he has serious guts - another tells him he's just wasting his time.
Web Animation
- RWBY: During Roman's final confrontation with Ruby, her resolve to keep fighting leads him to admit she's got spirit; he then adds that this attitude won't get her far in life.
Western Animation
- Batman: The Animated Series: In "The Man Who Killed Batman", the criminals on the street below watch Sid and Batman on the roof above. From what little they can see, Sid's fumbling attempts to escape look like he's actually putting up a fight:
Eddie: Sid's taking on the Batman! The little weasel's got guts! No brains, but guts.
- Code Lyoko had an episode where Jeremie had Jim put the heroes in a boot camp to better fight XANA on Earth, until it got derailed when XANA possessed a wild boar. While most of the kids went to the factory, Jeremie stayed behind to help Jim, who had been injured protecting them, and even goes after the boar himself to throw it off Jim's trail. Jim is clearly impressed by Jeremie's guts, in spite of his subpar athletic abilities.
Jim: Let me tell you something, kid, you've got guts!
- Darkwing Duck says something like this about Gosalyn in the pilot. "If they knew how much spirit you had, I bet they'd be running the other way!", referring to would-be kidnappers.
- After The Real Ghostbusters help the ghost of a private eye stop the ghost of a burglar cursed by an ancient Egyptian artifact he tried to steal.
Blackie: Who were those guys?
Sam: The Ghostbusters. They got moxie. - Another variation: In an episode of Recess, substitute teacher Mr. E tells Mikey that he's "got chops."
- Super Duper Sumos has everyone's Phrase Catcher in regards to the sumos: "They've got guts!"
