This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Cassius335: Am I the only one who thought this was about something completely different? Though on reflection, that'd be a MALE grab area...
Phartman: I've already got the male version covered.
Adam850: One of the discussed side effects of the trope name is that those with dirty minds would have their eyes caught by the title, making more traffic and helping the Wiki Magic on it. It's a silly point, that that's that.
Morgan Wick: Why is it the upper arm, of all places?
Nevrmore: My dear, the absurdity of which part of the body is grabbed is the point of the trope. If the Standard Female Grab Area happened to be a space that is easily grabbed by putting her in a full nelson, then wrestling her to the ground and hog-tying her, then this trope would be called "How To Be A Sexual Offender"...What was I talking about, again?
Kilyle: I was anticipating guys who grab boobs, but I think that's another trope already anyway. Yeah, the upper arm seems prevalent. Oh, and it's sometimes used not to calm but to move a female character, e.g. marching her off somewhere, pulling her along, or the like. Kinda like "Sheena, get in the glowing green square." There's a head variant used in Fruits Basket when Yuki and Kyo come to bring Tohru home.
Oh, and I've been on the receiving end of one of the arm grabs, as a half-joke of the "let's get a move on" variant. Coming at the end of a discussion of this trope. Was amusing.
Khym Chanur: I thought that Data's on/off switch was in his back, no in his upper arm.
Peterson: Yeah, it's in his lower back, so I've removed the entry.
KJMackley: I included in the description a variation of the hammerlock, which many people were confusing with this trope anyway. I think it still gives the same general effect, but it needs to be noted in the individual examples that this is a painful maneuver. I cut down a lot of natter on the Mortal Kombat example, and the Justice League Unlimited example was simply not accurate. Black Canary never squirmed to try and get out, she only let them hold her because of the honor code presented in the story. The trope was actually subverted because the instant Green Arrow was down for the count, she then decided to fight back and took them out with ease.
GirlWithoutHat's first thought was of the fact that in at least one martial art (she doesn't know any others) the best way to incapacitate someone is by grabbing their wrists (and the rest of them off balance, but anyway). However, that's probably more related to how fragile the hands and wrists are (and the fact that a lot of the moves are based on how to get an armed opponent's weapon away from them)... *shrug?* So there is some basis for at least the wrist thing — marginally — if done right — well, maybe?
Haven: Took out this example because it wasn't just a grab by the arm—it was a much stronger opponent who actually pinned both her arms to her waist—and because the only reason it worked was that she was holding back; as soon as she decides to, she's easily able to free herself
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- Charging Grapple Attack!
- In all fairness, the person who was grabbed was a law student, not an Action Girl, and she was grabbed around the waist and lifted anyway.
