View source for Is That the Best You Can Do?

{{trope}}
Stock phrase: "Is that the best you can do?" or "Is that the best you got?" Optional responses include "Not even close" (if the first speaker's been beaten to a pulp) or "Unfortunately, yes..." (if the first speaker doesn't even have his/her hair mussed).

Often said defiantly, only rarely despairingly. Usually said by a person that abides by [[The Law of Diminishing Defensive Effort]]. If it's followed up by [[Now It's My Turn]], you better hope [[This Is Gonna Suck|you have your legal affairs in order.]]

See also [[Punch-Punch-Punch Uh-Oh]] and [[Won't Work On Me]] for situations where this is most often said.

Demonstrated in [https://web.archive.org/web/20110130225300/http://current.com/shows/the-rotten-tomatoes-show/92121441_screenplay-clich-is-that-the-best-you-can-do.htm this Rotten Tomatoes Show clip].

{{examples}}

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]''
{{quote|'''Sanosuke Sagara (Zanza)''': [after being punched in the head with a dagger and being completely unharmed] Is that the best you can do? Even with a dagger? Man, I sure picked a boring fight.}}
* Happens a lot in ''[[Dragon Ball]] Z'' when the saiyans aren't at the level of the moment's [[Big Bad]]...or vice versa, sometimes.
{{quote|'''Frieza:''' Well, now! Satisfied?
'''Goku:''' (getting back on his feet) Is that the best you can do?
'''Frieza:''' What?
'''Goku:''' I ''said'', is that the best you can do? }}
* The Nightmare King from the [[Animated Adaptation]] of ''[[Little Nemo in Slumberland]]'' says something similar as Nemo attempts to remember the incantation to activate the Royal Scepter, the only thing that can defeat him.
* Occurs frequently in ''[[Bleach]]'', both from bad guys to good guys and good guys to bad guys: "Is that all you've got?" Generally indicates that the loser is in dire shape, but somehow they will still triumph in the end.

== [[Comic Books]] ==
* Marv's [[Last Words]] in ''[[Sin City]]: The Hard Goodbye'': "Is that the best you got, you pansies?" This is after taking a seat in ''the electric chair.''

== [[Film]] ==
* ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]''
{{quote|[Mikaela discovers Wheelie and captures him]
'''Wheelie''': Is that the best you got, huh? Is that the best you can do? }}
* ''[[The Truman Show]]''
{{quote|'''Truman''': [While sailing in the artificially-roughened winds and seas, he shouts to the sky] Is that the best you can do?}}
* ''[[Fantastic Four]]''
{{quote|[Johnny engulfs Dr. Doom in a huge fire cone that burns away his clothes and outer skin]
'''Victor Von Doom''': Is that the best you can do? }}
* ''[[Madagascar]]''
{{quote|'''Gloria the Hippo:''' Smiles, everyone. Let's get it together. Is that the best you can do, Melman?
'''Melman:''' Oh, I'm not smiling. It's gas. }}
* ''[[The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain]]''
{{quote|'''Betty''': I'll try? Is that the best you can do?}}
* ''The More the Merrier'' (1943)
{{quote|[Carter and Dingle are reading a "Dick Tracy" comic strip]
'''Constance 'Connie' Milligan''': Is that the best you can do with your time? }}
* ''[[Sharpe]]'s Sword''
{{quote|'''Patrick Harper''': There must be something you can do for him, Father!
'''Father Curtis''': I'm a priest. I pray for him.
'''Patrick Harper''': Is that the best you can do for him? }}
* ''[[Mary Poppins]]''. Bert, to Michael Banks while riding merry-go-round horses.
* ''Lord of Illusions'': Harry D'Amour (Scott Bakula)
* ''[[Keeping the Faith]]'': Father Brian Finn (Edward Norton)
* ''[[Vertigo]]'': Judy Barton (Kim Novak)
* ''[[The Little Mermaid]] 2: Return to the Sea'': Morgana
* ''[[Tank Girl]]''. Kesslee, after TG drops a bucket of water on his head.
* ''[[August Rush]]''.
{{quote|'''Marshall''': [Backing away as Louis continues pushing him] That the best you got? Is that the best you got man?}}
* ''[[Wishmaster]] 2: Evil Never Dies''
{{quote|'''Tillover''': How does a week in the hole sound?
Djinn: A week, is that the best you got? I was once in a hole for 3000 years, this should be a breeze. }}
* ''Treed Murray''.
{{quote|'''Shark''': Is that the best you got, Murray?}}
* Rocky said this at least once during his climactic fight with Clubber Lang in ''[[Rocky III]]'', and much more than that.

== [[Literature]] ==
* Iofur Ragnarson to Iorek Byrnison in ''[[His Dark Materials]]'':
{{quote|'''Iofur:''' Is that all? ''Is that all?!''
* Iorek rips off Iofur's jaw*
'''Iorek:''' Yes. [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|That is all]]. }}

== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode "The High Ground"
{{quote|'''Kyril Finn''': You haven't tasted real fear yet, Doctor.
'''Doctor Beverly Crusher''': Is that the best you can do? Is fear the only weapon you have? }}
* ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]'' episode "Hand-to-Hand"
{{quote|'''Kensi Blye''': Crashing in the spare bedroom, is that the best you can do? You were lucky I didn't shoot you.}}
* ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'' episode "Scared Very Straight" [concerning a bag full of drugs]
{{quote|'''David Silver''': I was thinking we could take it down to the beach somewhere and bury it.
'''Dylan McKay''': It that the best you can do? }}
* ''[[Monk]]'' episode "Mr. Monk Fights City Hall"
{{quote|'''Adrian Monk''': Ok, fine. His name is Doctor...Door.
'''Harold Krenshaw''': Doctor Door? Is that the best you can do? [[Line-of-Sight Name|I suppose if we were standing by that alarm you would've said Doctor Bell]].  }}
*** (His name actually is Doctor Bell)
* ''[[Married... with Children]]'' episode "Buck the Stud"
{{quote|'''Peggy Bundy''': [off-screen, implying they're having sex] Come on, Al. Is that the best you can do?}}
* ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' episode "Thanks for the Memory"
{{quote|'''Lister''': What time is it?
'''Rimmer''': [drunkenly crawls over to the alarm clock] Saturday.
'''Lister''': Is that the best you can do?
'''Rimmer''': There are some numbers next to it but they could be anything. }}
* ''Johnny Ringo'' episode "The Assassins" (1960)
{{quote|'''Johnny Ringo''': Go ahead, Chet. Go ahead and draw!
'''Chet Tomstedter''': Sure. I shoot an unarmed man and you and that fancy shot kid gun me down for murder legal. Is that the best you can do, Ringo? }}
* ''[[Smallville]]'' episode "Exposed". Jonathan Kent, "Is that the best you got?" variant.

== Music ==
* ''[[The Protomen]]'' song "Vengeance" has [[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]] give the "Is this the best you've got?" version when making his way through Wily's hoards. And it is [[Crowning Music of Awesome|AWESOME!]]

== [[Video Games]] ==
* ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Turtles in Time]] Re-Shelled'' (2009): Leatherhead
* In ''[[Baten Kaitos]]'', a few characters (usually Kalas or Xelha) say something like this whenever they successfully block an attack.
* [[Star Fox (series)|Falco]], in Sector Y, if you can't hold off all the one-shots says exactly this. [[Lost Forever|Enjoy not going to Aquas]].

== [[Web Original]] ==
* Pulled off once with panache in a [[Global Guardians PBEM Universe|Global Guardians]] story. A mook, trying to take out the [[Nigh Invulnerable]] [[Flying Brick]] superhero Stone, slams into the hero with a fully loaded tractor-trailer.
{{quote|'''Stone:''' (dusts his shoulder off and looks at the driver) "That all you got?"}}

== [[Western Animation]] ==
* ''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]'' episode "A Creep from the Deep":
{{quote|'''Wheeler''': We're gonna try to tickle the clam open? Is that the best you can do?}}
* In ''[[Martin Mystery]]'', when the gang is fighting a ''really'' evil baddie, Martin dodges a really nasty fireball.
{{quote|'''Martin''': Is that the best you've got?! (Quietly) Because that was pretty good.}}
* ''[[The Penguins of Madagascar]]'', "Crown Fools":
{{quote|'''King Rat:''' That's the best you got? Bird, that is some weak sauce!}}
* ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'': "Robin, is that the best you can do?"
* Spoofed in the Halloween ''[[Simpsons]]'' episode where Groundskeeper Willie is killed off in every story. During "The Shin''n''ing", he comes running into the house after Homer goes crazy.
{{quote|"Alright, loony! Show me what you've got!" (Homer sneaks up behind him and axes him in the back) "Ach! Is that the best you can do?" (dies)}}
* ''[[Transformers Animated]]'', "Mission Accomplished"
{{quote|"Is that the best you could do, [[The Starscream|Starscream]]? And to think, you actually believed you could take over as leader of the Decepticons." ''(Powers up fusion cannon)'' "You couldn't lead a parade." ''(Va-voom)''}}
* ''[[Gargoyles]]'', Most episodes with [[Macbeth]]
{{quote|"You'll have to do better than that!"}}

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