Double Weapon: Difference between revisions

 

 

 

It should be noted that the vast majority of these are [[Awesome but Impractical|rather ineffectual]] from both a historical and practical standpoint (at least in the manner at which their use is portrayed), but [[Rule of Cool|few are the writers who let the facts confuse them]].

 

 

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

** Shizuru's [[Whip Sword]] in ''[[Mai-Otome]]'' has two straight blades in its default form, as does [[Black Knight|Rad's]] lance.

* From the ''[[Gundam]]'' multiverse:

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing|Gundam Wing]]'': Altron's twin beam trident; notably, in the TV series Wu Fei tends to wield it like a standard spear (only using one end) while in ''Endless Waltz'' he takes advantage of both ends. The model kit version of Sandrock has the unique gimmick of being able to combine its heat shotels, which is exceptionally ludicrous since they're [[BFS|each as tall as Sandrock itself]].

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED|Gundam SEED]]'': The Freedom and Justice (and their successors in [[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny|the sequel]] can each combine their beam sabers into a double-ended weapon resembling a beam staff (or [[Star Wars|Darth Maul]]'s double lightsaber).

** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00|Gundam 00]]'': The 00 Gundam can dock its GN Sword IIs into a single long lance; on at least one occasion, Setsuna [[Throwing Your Sword Always Works|throws it like a giant discus]].

* The "Tek-Lancer" wielded by ''[[Tekkaman Blade]]'', as well as the Lancers of Tekkamen Dagger and Evil.

** Most recently, the [[Filler Villain]] Kageroza Ibana wields a Zanpakutou named "Raikou" (Thunder Lord) and it takes the form of a large, dual-headed voulge which can control time and space.

 

* The double-bladed light saber was first seen in several EU [[Star Wars]] comics.

* Mariah uses a collapsable, double-bladed weapon in ''[[Sin City]]''.

== [[Literature]] ==

* The otters' javelins in the ''[[Redwall]]'' series are double-sided, {{spoiler|leading to Cludd's death in ''Mossflower''. The otters spike several javelins into the ground before Cludd duels with Skipper, who then flings him into the air and [[Family-Unfriendly Death|causes him to land on the upward points]].}}

* Angela the Herbalist, from the [[Inheritance Cycle]], uses a ''Hûthvír'', a double-bladed weapon sacred to the dwarf of Dûrgrimst Quan, apparently having won it from a priest via gambling and a riddle game.

 

== [[Live-Action TV]] ==

* The Scythe in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' had an axe at one end and a wooden stake at the other. All the better for vampire slaying.

* ''[[Star Trek]]'' has the Vulcan lirpa, first seen in "Amok Time".

** The Klingon bat'leth probably counts as well.

 

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

** The two bladed sword, which draws direct inspiration from Darth Maul's lightsaber. If ''[[Neverwinter Nights]]'' is any indication, its combat advantage comes from how an opponent parrying one blade is bound to get slashed by the other. (Though the lack of reach means it would be inferior to [[Dual-Wielding]], and in some ways less effective than even a sword and shield, if it weren't for [[Exotic Weapon Supremacy]].)

** The orc double axe, which has double-bitted axe-heads on both ends of the handle.

** Zhang Fei has his signature [[Blade on a Stick]], the "Viper Blade", turned into one of these in ''Dynasty Warriors 6'' and ''7''.

* Halfway through his fight in ''[[Castlevania]]: Aria of Sorrow'', Death converts his [[Sinister Scythe]] into a double-bladed version.

** And yet it cannot cut through a standard issue COG assault rifle? Sounds like some bad tank construction there.

*** The reason neither cuts through the other is because the chainsaw bayonet on the Lancer is made from the same thing as Skorge's staff "blades". Why either works after one lock, however...

* In ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]: [[Advent Children]]'', Kadaj wields a double bladed sword which has the two blades in front of the hilt, making it both useful for disarming and novelty-grade badass.

* Haken Browning's Night Fowler in ''[[Endless Frontier]]'' is not only an assault rifle with a pile bunker for a bayonet, it also contains a folding blade in the stock.

** On the other hand, his moves in ''[[Dissidia Final Fantasy]]'' can only be said to be purely a sword weapon. His entire move set has him using slashes, not stabs. However, this is a bit of a subversion as he is actually proven to be more adept at fighting with them as two separate swords than a single swordstaff.

* In [[Final Fantasy IX]], Zidane can equip these, called "thief swords", along with daggers.

* A whole class of Double Saber weapons exists in the post-Algol ''[[Phantasy Star]]'' games (''Online, Portable, Universe, Zero'').

* In ''[[Rise of the Kasai]]'', each playable character uses one as their medium range melee weapon. Rau uses a taiaha, which has a blunt end for bludgeoning and a bladed tip for slashing. Tati has a batton type weapon with retractable blades on either end that further separate into three blades each. Baumusu uses a staff with spiked mace heads on either end, and Grizz uses a polearms with two long blades on either end.

* The mercenary Zach from ''[[Mardek RPG]]'' uses a doublesword, although he only ever seems to use one of the blades.

* [[8-Bit Theater|Eight Bit Theater]]: "Sword-chucks, yo!" (Throughout the series, Fighter also has a penchant for trying to [[Instant Chucks|make chucks out of increasingly improbable weapons]].)

* [[Homestar Runner]] "I had to swing by Cool Weapons Surplus for a new nunchuck-gun."

* Lampshaded, mocked, and still used straight in ''[[Errant Story]]''. The leader of the local time-ninja-guild wields a double-ended energy-crystal blade to lethal effect, and the party's recently-recruited time-ninja does the same... however, while duelling her,[[Can't Argue with Elves|Sarine]] takes the time to point out just how impractical a weapon it is, combining the worst traits of sword and spear in one crappy package, and revealing that it was originally created as a show-weapon for fake duels and parades only. She also proves the truth in her statement, but despite all this, Sara continues to kick ass with her double-bladed energy-crystal-stick, against basically anyone who isn't an immortal [[Action Girl]].

** Mind you, Sara uses time magic to move so fast she can dodge bullets. She'd probably do just as well even if she was armed with a cardboard tube.

== [[Web Original]] ==

* A common weapon type in ''[[Chaos Fighters]]''. The most common among them are double sword lances, but double spears, double lances, double wands and double axes (on sides rather ends) appears occasionally. A double scythe was also appeared with two variants.

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* ''[[Galtar and the Golden Lance]]'': the titular hero wields the titular weapon as a pair of sabers, which can join together at the pommel into, [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|of course, a double-bladed lance]].

* The Sword of Plundarr from ''[[Thundercats]]'' and ''[[Thundercats 2011|ThunderCats (2011)]]''

== [[Real Life]] ==

* [[Truth in Television]] since most Medieval weapons were actually made so that either end could be used offensively. A poleaxe was a medieval staff weapon with a hammerhead, an axe blade (or a sharp metal beak) and a spear point on one end, and another spear point on the other end, making it a ''quadruple'' weapon (quintuple if you count the staff itself!). In a swordfight, a sword could be turned around and the pommel (the metal ball on the end of the hilt) used as a bludgeoning weapon. The word to "pummel" someone literally means to hit them with your ''pommel''. A sword's cross-guard could be used as a hook to trip your opponent up or to capture his arms or weapon. Medieval combat manuals describe numerous such creative uses of weapons, all of which were probably common practice.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Exotic Weapon Supremacy]]

[[Category:Weapons and Wielding Tropes]]