History Main / AfraidOfNeedles

-->'''Natalie Teeger:''' Maybe he got over it.

-->'''Kendra Frank:''' So, please! ''[She holds up a Trafalgar jacket in her left hand]''

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* ''{{Lanfeust}}'': Hebus is a nine foot tall troll. He gets pierced by arrows, sliced by swords and axes and burned by magic nearly on a daily basis. He has such a fear of needles that his reaction when faced with a deadly illness was to take a butcher knife, cut his leg and say "It has to go in the blood, right? Then pour it there, that's better!".

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', it is stated that resident ButtMonkey Johnny Sasaki has skipped out on mandatory shots due to his fear of needles. This leaves him with [[spoiler:no nanomachines in his body]], unlike every other soldier out there, and [[spoiler:makes him immune whenever anybody futzes with the nanos.]] Technically {{subverted|Trope}}, as he's never shown being afraid of needles and only mentions it right in the middle of his BigDamnHeroes moment. This also explains the character's trademark chronic diarrhea; [[spoiler:without nanomachines to filter it before it is absorbed into his body, drinking the local water gives his stomach bugs a-plenty]].

** In "Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert", a roadie named Greg Murray, nickname "Stork", is found dead in a port-a-potty, by Monk and Natalie (not their fault, as they were walking by when a repairman forced open the door). Shortly thereafter, they are approached by Stork's girlfriend Kendra Frank:

* ''Series/{{Monk}}'': While Adrian Monk is afraid of close to everything, needles are second only to germs on his list (yes he has a list; he's afraid of ''not'' having lists).
** An interesting take in season 5's "Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert", when Monk and Natalie are approached by the victim's girlfriend:
-->'''Kendra Frank:''' I was more than his friend. I was his sponsor at Narcotics Anonymous.

-->'''Kendra Frank:''' The roadie. The roadie they just found.
-->'''Natalie Teeger:''' Oh. God, I'm so sorry.

-->'''Kendra Frank:''' His real name was Greg Murray. Look, they're trying to say that he OD'd, all right, but that's not possible. He's been clean for 17 months. I know; I talked to him about it every day.

-->'''Kendra Frank:''' That's how I know something's wrong. Stork was completely phobic about needles. He was the only roadie I ever met that didn't have a tattoo. I mean he missed a whole South American tour last year because he wouldn't get vaccinated! [Natalie shrugs]

-->'''Kendra Frank:''' You don't just get over a phobia like that overnight! Do you?!
-->'''Adrian Monk:''' No. You don't.

* Invoked savagely in ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', as Dan is dragged into the pre-enrollment physical at the Succubus and Incubus Academy.

** [[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

* Invoked savagely in ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', as Dan is dragged into the pre-enrollment physical at the Succubus and Incubus Academy. [[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

* Invoked savagely in ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', as Dan is dragged into the pre-enrollment physical at the Succubus and Incubus Academy.

** [[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

'''Dan:''' (''THUD'')\\
\\
[[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

'''Dan:''' (''THUD'')
:: [[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

* Invoked savagely in ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', as Dan is dragged into the pre-enrollment physical at the Succubus and Incubus Academy. [[spoiler:The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* Invoked savagely in {{DMFA}}, as Dan is dragged into the pre-enrollment physical at the Succubus and Incubus Academy.
-->Abel: "Dan here needs to take the placement test, but can you bypass the needle part?"
-->Dan: "Needle pa--"
-->Doc: "Abel, I'm hurt. My needles are the gentlest thing since [[spoiler: jumper cables.]]
-->Dan: THUD
** [[spoiler: The "needle" is also so comically oversized that the doc has to hoist it over his shoulder, and he's stroking it lovingly like an infant.]]

->''"Oh, quit your whining. I have a three year old daughter that complains less than you!"''
-->-- ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''

* The protagonist of LarryNiven's ''A World Out Of Time'' died of cancer before the book begins ([[HumanPopsicle he got better]]). He reflects on how that experience cured him of any fear of needles.

* In ArthurCClarke's novel ''A Fall of Moondust'', the passengers of a buried moon rover are sedated to conserve oxygen until rescue can arrive. One passenger has to be physically knocked out to bypass his fear of needles [[spoiler:which was hypnotically imposed as a cure for drug addiction.]]

* As a thirteen-year old noncombatant, [[Literature/GalaxyOfFear Tash Arranda]] is not terribly badass, but she's still been through a lot of traumatic things. And she still gets anxious and shudders when she sees her brother being injected. He's fine with the things, himself.

* ''StarWars: ANewHope'': Certainly GeorgeLucas was drawing on the audiences' fear of this when he zooms in on Darth Vader's evil MindProbe, showing a needle[[hottip:*:It looks like a [[TruthSerum hypodermic needle]] on screen, but [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]] says that it's designed to [[ElectricTorture directly stimulate pain nerves]].]] waiting to be stuck into Princess Leia. Fortunately she's made of sterner stuff. (It cleary fails to make her talk.)

* In ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', the player must guide a needle into Isaac Clarke's pupil, in order to extract information from his brain. The needle begins to shake as you get closer to Isaac's soft, tender eye.

* Jigen of ''Anime/LupinIII'' isn't afraid of getting a shot, but he is deathly afraid of going to the dentist.

-->-- Goku from ''Dragonball'' after discovering a syringe in the medical supplies of Frieza's ship when Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan were taking him to get healed after a battle.

* {{Berserk}}: Guts. [[{{Badass}} A guy]] who's CoveredWithScars, MadeOfIron, and whose [[AttackAttackAttack ultimate attack]] is [[FoeTossingCharge flinging himself into a horde]] of barbaric and often [[LegionsOfHell demonic enemies]] with his {{BFS}} and [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower raw]], UnstoppableRage (and he has this [[AcheyScars pesky scar that burns]] whenever a demon approaches him) [[TheDeterminator no matter what they throw at him]] (be it stingers, arrows, horns, rock-like appendages, fire, lightning, or entire TREES why don't you) HATES getting sewn up with needles [[AfterActionPatchup after the fact.]] [[MinorInjuryOverreaction And he'll cry and whine all the way through.]]

* {{Berserk}}: Guts. [[{{Badass}} A guy]] who's CoveredInScars, MadeOfIron, and whose [[AttackAttackAttack ultimate attack]] is [[FoeTossingCharge flinging himself into a horde]] of barbaric and often [[LegionsOfHell demonic enemies]] with his {{BFS}} and [[CharlesAtlasSuperPower raw]], UnstoppableRage (and he has this [[AcheyScars pesky scar that burns]] whenever a demon approaches him) [[TheDeterminator no matter what they throw at him]] (be it stingers, arrows, horns, rock-like appendages, fire, lightning, or entire TREES why don't you) HATES getting sewn up with needles [[AfterActionPatchup after the fact.]] [[MinorInjuryOverreaction And he'll cry and whine all the way through.]]

A subset of FatalFlaw.

* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': The jolly surgeons of the 4077 needed a rare blood type to save a man's life. They found the right donor, but he was terrified of needles. "I can't stand those things! They make me feel -- ''oogy''!" This shriveling coward's usual job? Bomb disposal.

* ''DragonballZ'': Only in the anime, Goku is screaming in fear when the doctor is giving him a shot while in the hospital. The second time he goes into panic when he sees a syringe among a pile of medical equipment, much to the embarrassment of his son Gohan, his friend, Krillin, and the annoyance of Vegeta. This happens three more times in ''[[DragonBallGT GT]]''.

[[folder: Video Games ]]
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'', it is stated that resident ButtMonkey Johnny Sasaki has skipped out on mandatory shots due to his fear of needles. This leaves him with [[spoiler:no nanomachines in his body]], unlike every other soldier out there, and [[spoiler:makes him immune whenever anybody futzes with the nanos.]] Technically {{subverted|Trope}}, as he's never shown being afraid of needles and only mentions it right in the middle of his BigDamnHeroes moment. This also explains the character's trademark chronic diarrhea; [[spoiler:without nanomachines to filter it before it is absorbed into his body, drinking the local water gives his stomach bugs a-plenty]].
* Montley from ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'' suffers from this, being afraid to the point that being close to a Lancer and their [[{{BFG}} Lances]] causes him to hyperventilate and lose health.
* In ''Tamagotchi Corner Shop 2'', at the clinic, one of the phrases that Mrs. Frill says is [[spoiler:"I should tell you, I dislike needles."]]
* In ''{{Professor Layton and the Unwound Future}}'', if you go to the hospital later in the game and talk to the girl behind the counter, she teasingly offers to give everyone free flu shots. Cue the young Luke freaking out (though he does stay more composed than some of the examples on this page).
* In ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', the player must guide a needle into Isaac Clarke's pupil, in order to extract information from his brain. The needle begins to shake as you get closer to Isaac's soft, tender eye.
* Plays a big part in VideoGame/NightmareNed's Medical Nightmare stage.
* ''Videogame/MassEffect3'': [[MadDoctor Mordin]] claims this about [[TheBigGuy Wr]][[ProudWarriorRaceGuy ex]] when he's eager to leave his lab and donate tissue samples later. It may or may not be true, but either way it's hilarious. But when he finally gets around to it...
--> '''Wrex''': Let's just say no scalpel should cut [[GroinAttack where he cut.]]
[[/folder]]

For some reason, the FatalFlaw of many a {{badass}} is fear of hypodermic needles and antiseptics. [[NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight Not knives]], [[{{BFG}} not absurdly large guns]], not even ''[[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Snakes!]]'' There's just something deliciously ironic about a {{Big Damn Hero|es}} who routinely gets [[MinorInjuryOverreaction cut up]] with [[{{BFS}} huge knives]], [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat to]] [[OneHitPointWonder within an inch of his life and without giving up]], becoming squirmy and panicky when his [[LoveInterests lady friend]] comes over with a simple syringe and [[AfterActionPatchup sanitary cotton to clean his wounds]]. It seems most any non-battle pain can cripple this dude. It's certainly a "clever" way to bring a BadassLongcoat into a less MartyStu-ish territory, and is a very humanizing flaw to have. In extreme cases, expect fainting -- even if the needle isn't going into ''him!''