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{{trope}}
[[File:DoubleWeapon.jpg|link=Persona 3
[[Dual-Wielding]] characters use a weapon in each hand, which is [[Rule of Cool|cool]]. Do you know what's even cooler? Using a single weapon with two ends. It could be a stick with sword-blades on both ends, or maybe a double-bladed sword (in the former case, the weapon is usually wielded like a bladed [[Simple Staff]].) If a Double Weapon is light enough (or the wielder is [[Super Strength|strong enough]]), then it can be [[Dual-Wielding|dual wielded]] for a total of ''four'' blades. Fighting using a
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]].
Not to be confused with [[Dual-Wielding]]. See also [[Blade
{{examples}}▼
▲{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* [[Ninja|Akira's]] one-handed sword in ''[[
** Shizuru's [[Whip Sword]] in ''[[
* From the ''[[Gundam]]'' multiverse:
** ''[[
** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
** ''[[Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
*** Sword Impulse Gundam from ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam 00
* The "Tek-Lancer" wielded by ''[[
** In ''Tekkaman Blade II'', Tekkaman Aki's Lancer as well.
** And of course, the original Tekkaman's '''[[Memetic Mutation|SPACE LANCE]]!'''
* ''[[Code Geass]]'': Suzaku's [[Humongous Mecha|Knightmare Frame]], the [[Super Prototype|Lancelot]] [[Dual-Wielding|double-wields]] two swords. The mass-production version, the Vincent, not only dual-wields, but the swords combine into a two-way lance.
** Not to be outdone, the [[Super Prototype|Ace Custom]] KMF [[Transforming Mecha|Tristan]] piloted by Gino Weinberg uses a foldable end-to-end weapons that look like either a two-way scythe...or [[Improbable Weapon User|anchors]]...
*** [[Shout
** The Lancelot Club, an original mecha from [[Visual Novel]] ''Lost Colors'' that acts as the missing link between the Lancelot and Vincent, has the same lance-type swords.
* Might be related: in [[Neon Genesis Evangelion]] movie ''End of Evangelion'', the Lance of Longinus originally looks like a huge bident. But when Unit 01 extracts it from itself, it bends the lance to be straight... then both ends of the lance curl up into a bident. On the other hand, a minute or so later, the Lance is shown spinning slowly, revealing that it's actually two weapons curling around each other like a DNA helix.
** Speaking of the Lance of Longinus, the Eva Series' reproduction Lances certainly count before they transform into proper Lance-of-Longinus form at the end of Asuka's butt-kicking sequence.
* Fate of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'' has [[Swiss Army Weapon|Bardiche's]] Riot Zanber form, which is a pair of energy sabers connected by an energy thread. That's right, Fate endorses [[Instant Chucks|sword-chucks]]. They can also be combined to form an ''even larger'' version of the weapon's [[BFS|Zanber form]].
** Don't forget that the Zanber forms have ''energy'' blades, so Riot Zanber is basically a pair of '''''[[Rule of Cool|lightsaber-chucks]]'''''
** ''Force'' introduces [http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/4961/fateriotzamber.jpg Riot Blade II], where Fate combines the two energy sabers to form a [[Star Wars|Darth Maul-like]] double-ended energy saber.
* In [[Bleach]] the filler Zanpakutou "Reppou" is a sort of gigantic double sword with huge blades. There's also a third, curved blade that covers the hilt and connects the two bigger blades.
** 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.
== [[Comic
* The double-bladed light saber was first seen in several EU [[Star Wars]] comics.
* Mariah uses a collapsable, double-bladed weapon in ''[[Sin City]]''.
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* The quintessential example is Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber from ''[[Star Wars]]: The Phantom Menace.''
** In fact the double-bladed lightsaber was originally pioneered by another Sith Lord named [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Exar_Kun Exar Kun] over three thousand years earlier. Though he only seems to have used it once (to murder his former Jedi Master).
** The [[Expanded Universe]] actually makes a point of how dangerously impractical the double-ended lightsaber is, and how it tends to require exceptional skill to wield without injuring oneself. It is generally used by the Jedi for lightsaber training exercises (basically training to swordfigght multiple opponents) using scaled-down training sabers (the beam only delivers a severe shock rather than cutting).
* In [[The Movie]] of ''[[Kick
== [[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]].}}
* ''Scythe-arms'' in [[Chronicles of the Kencyrath]] by PC Hodgell are
* 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.
* [[Scrubs]]: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x22yNaLdiGA Knifewrench!]
* ''[[
** The Klingon bat'leth probably counts as well.
* ''[[Kamen Rider Kuuga]]'''s [[Super Mode|Rising forms]] upgrade his weapons; Rising Dragon form upgrades that form's [[Simple Staff]] to a double bladed spear.
* ''[[Kamen Rider Agito]]'''s Burning Form has the Double Calibur.
* The lance used by [[Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger|Tricera Ranger]] / the [[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers|first Blue Power Ranger]], which, like many of these, could be split into two shorter weapons.
* ''[[Mirai Sentai Timeranger]]'' / ''[[Power Rangers Time Force]]'': Each of the core five has a double-ended lance that can be split into two short swords (this season didn't give everyone their own [[Weapon of Choice]]).
* ''[[
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* ''[[Dungeons
** 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.
** The dire flail, which has flails on both ends and would look very silly if not for the company it keeps, and should be nearly impossible to use without hurting yourself.
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** In 4e, their stupidity is justified by saving money on enhancements.
*** There's also the fact that most double weapons have a different type of damage: most single weapons will give, say, 1d8, while a double weapon would give 2d4. While it doesn't increase the maximum, it DOES increase the minimum; add the "brutal X" enchantment which means you reroll any damage die that lands lower than X, on a class that gives multiple-weapon-damage-roll attacks, and you suddenly have a very high minimum damage range.
* The Champions of Nurgle in ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]'' often a staff with a sword on one end and a flail on the other.
** The Eternal Guards, the standard melee infantry of the Wood Elves wield double-ended spears.
*** Hellglaives, the [[Weapon of Choice]] of the Hellions (sky-surfing gladiators/berserkers) of Warhammer40000's Dark Eldars, are these.
* ''[[GURPS]]'': Martial Arts managed to dredge up an obscure example that I've never seen elsewhere. The Qian Kun Ri Yue Dao has a sickle blade at each end and hand guards that have ''another'' blade attached to each. A double, double weapon that's almost comically dangerous to the wielder.
** What, a tiger hook sword? It's actually a fairly common weapon in southern styles of kung fu. Not nearly as impractical as it looks (and it does look pretty clownish at first glance), but certainly not a weapon you want to use without proper training.
*** This one is apparently a staff version.
** As a 'nod' to reality, using this thing is at -1 to your skill (Staff skill, for those keeping score). For one possible way to think of this thing, look at the description, and compare it with the bat'leth mentioned above ...
== [[Video Games]] ==
* [[Kirby]] wields a yellow double lightsaber with the Electric + Blade powers in ''[[
* So does Bastila Shan of [[Knights of the Old Republic (
* As does The Female Protagonist of ''[[
** Tomoe and Suzuka Gongen did it first in ''[[
* Kimmy Howell of ''[[No More Heroes]] 2'': Desperate Struggle has the double lightsaber, partly to differentiate herself from her idol Travis Touchdown.
* Illidan Stormrage from ''[[
** Pit Lords also favour double ended weapons. They usually wield two-handed warglaives that resemble shortened spears with a huge blade on each end.
** In both of the cases, the double bladed weapon could be considered to be symbolic. Demon hunter's power is very much a double-ended sword: they use demonic magic to become very effective at fighting demons, but must risk being consumed by the powers they sought to use. Pit Lords on the other hand don't care whose blood flows, as long as there is battle and [[Blood Knight|somebody dies, be it them or their enemy]].
** Troll Shadow Hunters also tend to use double swords because, uhm, [[Hollywood Voodoo|Voodoo]]?
* Serge's dual-bladed "swallow" weapon from ''[[
** Similarly, Zidane can go from single daggers to double-ended swords in ''[[
* ''[[Neopets]]'' has an item that takes this to an extreme - a four-headed axe.
* Ansem's double-bladed halberd-ish thing in the first ''[[Kingdom Hearts]].''
* Incidentally, Luther uses a nearly identical one in ''[[Star Ocean
* Wei Yan from the ''[[Dynasty Warriors]]'' games has the "Double Voulge", which is really a double-ended sword.
** Looks like it really is a doubled headed Voulge to me. Maybe Double Glaive.
** More phenomenally, in ''[[Dynasty Warriors]] 6'', Ultimate Badass of Ancient China, Lu Bu, dual-wields double-ended [[Blade
** In ''[[Dynasty Warriors]] 5'' (And as a result, the ''[[Warriors Orochi]]'' series), Cao Pi also wields a double-ended sword, which literally looks like two conventional, western broadswords attached end-to-end. During some attacks, he'll also split them up [[Dual-Wielding]] combos. Sadly, he got downgraded to a boring ol' sword in 6, while his wife switched from an [[Musical Assassin|elegant flute]] to [[Whip It Good|a whip]]. Poor kid...
** Zhang Fei has his signature [[Blade
* Halfway through his fight in ''[[Castlevania]]: Aria of Sorrow'', Death converts his [[Sinister Scythe]] into a double-bladed version.
* Skorge of ''[[Gears of War]] 2'' carries a double-ended chainsaw staff. Yes, a double-ended chainsaw staff. It can cut a tank in half in
** 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...
* ''[[Rohan Online]]'' has the Zhen, a dual-bladed sword wielded by the dragonlike Dekan warriors. One of the Dekan's skills is to split the Zhen in two for [[Dual-Wielding]].
* ''[[Super Smash Bros Brawl]]'' lets Pit turn his bow into a double-bladed stick that he can rapidly spin and slice targets with.
* In ''[[
* Yuan from ''[[
* In ''[[
* 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.
* In ''[[
** On the other hand, his moves in ''[[
* 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 ''[[Azurik
* 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.
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== [[Web Comics]] ==
* [[8-Bit Theater
* [[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
** 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.
* Rosemary in ''[[
== [[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.
* On an episode of [[
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* ''[[Teen Titans (
* ''[[Galtar and
* The Sword of Plundarr from ''[[Thundercats
== [[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.
* Going even farther back, the Greek Hoplite's spears had a big, foot long bronze spearhead on one end, and a pointy bottom for dispatching wounded enemies as you walked over them.
* Jump ahead a few years and the hand guards on Renaissance rapiers and cutlasses could be used for effective grapple counters and when you didn't feel like stabbing someone.
* And in the modern day, if you're out of ammo, you can always fix bayonets to turn your rifle into a double-ended weapon. One of the standard uses is to hit your opponent in the face with the butt of the rifle to momentarily daze him, so he can't stop you from using the sharp pointy end to open him up.
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* The lajatang is a pole weapon with concave, crescent shaped blades at both ends. A number of other Chinese weapons such as the "cicada wing sword" or "heaven and earth, wind and fire sword" are all permutations on a short haft with blades on both ends, and bladed handguards evenly spaced on the haft. The tiger hook sword traditionally has a blade the size of a long knife at the pommel - likewise, many variations like the "nine teeth hook sword" exist. "Sun and moon spear swords," "snake rings" and many others are all variations on a one-handed weapon gripped in the center, with a bladed handguard and slashing or thrusting knives both above and below the hand. These weapons can all be confirmed to have actually existed, but the actual practicality of some may be questionable.
* The Indian madu is a slightly more practical example, consisting of a metal plate to shield the hand in the center with sharp thrusting points extending above and below the grip. It is intended principally as a defensive weapon for the off hand.
** On the less practical side, there is another Indian weapon (18th century Gujurat, India, specifically) called the "cumberjung." It is a double-ended flail with spinning quoits or chakrams on the weighted ends. Picture wielding the Chinese three-section staff, but with flying buzzsaws in place of the sticks.
* Japan also provides us with the Kusarigama. A long chain with a sharp sickle on one end and a heavy weight on the other. True masters can get both sides spinning at once, making a nasty whirlwind of death.
* In a rather unusual example, Rifle stocks are basically flat triangular clubs when the weapon is used in hand-to-hand combat in Modern martial arts implements.
* The Maori of Aotearoa (aka New Zealand) have the [
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Exotic Weapon Supremacy]]
[[Category:Weapons and Wielding Tropes]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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