History Main / BlindedByTheLight

* ''Series/{{Highlander}}: The Series'' had a rogue Watcher who killed other immortals in complete darkness with night vision glasses. Duncan got the edge on him by blinding him with light from a match or lighter or something similar.

* ''ComicBook/Robin1993'': Tim carries a few little bright flashing type weapons he can toss in a fight to force an opponent to protect their eyes. He uses one to escape a fight with Brutus once, as the giant of a man is cannot be harmed by being punched or kicked.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} Annual'' #6, Robin and his allies are forced into a showdown with a gang of bikers, with them facing the rising sun so it is in their eyes. They manage to turn the tables on their attackers by hiding mirrors under their ponchos. At the crucial moment, they throw back their ponchos and reflect the sunlight back in the eyes of their attackers, allowing them to regain the initiative.

* ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'': Sonea pulls this off when being harassed by other apprentices at night. She doesn't want to fight back, because she's [[ComesGreatResponsibility much more powerful and could hurt or kill them]]. Instead, she turns off her magical light for a few moments, so their eyes adjust to the darkness, then turns the light UpToEleven. Her assailants end up temporarily blinded.
* Heleth in ''Literature/TheColSecTrilogy'' has [[InnateNightVision superhuman night vision]], but is [[DayHurtsDarkAdjustedEyes photophobic]] as a [[BlessedWithSuck trade-off]]. In the third book, a particularly bright light not only temporarily blinds her, but [[UpToEleven actually causes her to faint from pain]].

* ''VideoGame/AdventureQuest'' uses a variety of different uses of this trope for inflicting [[StatusEffects Blind]]. The late-game Ultraviolent Light spell takes this UpToEleven, however. It's not ONLY a large, magical ball of light that works like a flashbomb-- it absorbs ALL the light in the area (blacking out the rest of the screen), and THEN explodes violently (covering the entire screen in light). It's little wonder that it's both rather lethal and has the tendency to blind most foes for a very long period of time (unlike most Blind effects in the game, which operate on a turn-based timer, UL's status works until the victim pulls off a successful save roll) It's also an [[InvertedTrope inversion]], too, as the darkness-based hit can inflict Blind even if the explosion itself misses (the save roll is weaker than a normal save roll if only one attack hits, but [[DayHurtsDarkAdjustedEyes if both connect the save roll is tougher than usual]]).

* The flashlight in ''VideoGame/DeadByDaylight'' is used exclusively to blind the killer when pointed at his face. The hunter gets a pure white screen with only the {{HUD}} visible.

* Subverted in James Follett's ''The Tiptoe Boys'' (later filmed as ''Who Dares Wins''). The SAS soldiers rescuing their comrade's family ''can't'' use flashbangs because it will cause permanent neurological damage to the hero's infant daughter. They settle for [[spoiler:making a "fucking great hole" in the wall so that each terrorist can be engaged by one commando. In the book, they take bricks out and leave only the wallpaper; in the film, they use detcord to cut their way through. It works.]]

* The protagonist of Barbara Kingsolver's ''Animal Dreams'' is haunted by a recurring vague nightmare about a blinding flash of light, accompanied by a "[[HellIsThatNoise shattering pop]]." [[spoiler:It turns out to be her [[NoInfantileAmnesia neonatal memory]] of a camera flashbulb.]]

* ''Film/AlienCovenant''. David's first appearance is when [[BigDamnHeroes he drives off the attacking Neomorphs]] with a flare that emits blinding light and sound, despite them having [[EyelessFace no apparent organs of sight]] or hearing. Of course David has had years to study the aliens and determine any weaknesses, and it's known the [[JawsFirstPersonPerspective aliens do have vision and hearing]].

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'': The first boss fight uses this against ''you''. The arena has a spotlight that she'll shoot to shine in your face, which completely blinds First Person View mode, making her almost impossible to hit until you shoot the light out.

* This trope saves Nobita in the last minute in ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasTheLegendOfTheSunKing''. Being the subject of a HumanSacrifice of the EvilSOrceress Ledina to save his new friend, Prince Tio, in the middle of an [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot eclipse]], Tio suddenly reveals himself to be the one Ledina wants. Ledina decides to stab Nobita anyways, but then the last glint of light bounces off the Mayan medallion Nobita is wearing and blinds Ledina long enough for Nobita to suddenly grab Ledina's dagger-wielding arm and bite her with enough force to make her drop her weapon.

* This trope saves Nobita in the last minute in ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasTheLegendOfTheSunKing''. Being the subject of a HumanSacrifice of the EvilSOrceress Ledina to save his new friend, Prince Tio, in the middle of an [[TotalEclipseOfThePlot eclipse]], Tio suddenly reveals himself to be the one Ledina wants. Ledina decides to stab Nobita anyways, but then the last glint of light bounces off the Mayan medallion Nobita is wearing and blinds Ledina long enough for Nobita to suddenly grab Ledina's dagger-wielding arm and bite her with enough force to make her drop her weapon.

** ''Film/NoTimeToDie''. Nomi is being held at gunpoint by the Cuban police, so she opens fire on some power lines causing them to fuse out in a blaze of sparks. By the time the police have finished ducking and covering, she's vanished.

* ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''. During the golf game, James Bond tosses a gold bar onto the grass just as Goldfinger is about to make his shot. The light reflecting off the bar (and the distracting sight of all that gold) causes Goldfinger to miss.

Compare: AHandfulForAnEye, StepIntoTheBlindingFight, TapOnTheHead, DeerInTheHeadlights, InescapableNet, StunGuns, WeakenedByTheLight, InstantSedation, and SubTrope BlindingCameraFlash. Has nothing to do with the battle theme for ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII''. Contrast KillTheLights. May happen when someone is exploiting a SniperScopeGlint.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Buffy [[ContrivedCoincidence just happens to be armed with]] a FlarePistol when up against Initiative commandos wearing NightVisionGoggles in a dark corridor.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin'': Tintin [[ImprobableAimingSkills shoots a lever on a searchlight]], knocking it around so it shines in the eyes of the thugs that are chasing him.

** In ''Manga/DragonBall'', Krillin does this by accident when fighting Goku in a tournament and his [[BaldOfAwesome bald head]] reflects light into Goku's eyes.

** In "Live Fast and Prosper", the ''Voyager'' crew comes up against a group of con artists who have been impersonating Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok. Tuvok eventually comes face-to-face to with the man who is impersonating him and the con remains in-character, commenting that "Logic would indictate that neither of us has the advantage." Tuvok responds "Your logic is flawed," and shines a flashlight in his eyes, then stuns him with a phaser.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} Annual'' #6, Robin and his allies are forced into a showdown with a gang of bikers, with them facing the rising sun so it is in their eyes. They manage to turn the tables on their attackers by hiding mirrors under their ponchos. At the crucial moment, they throw back their ponchos and reflect the sunlight back in the eyes of their attackers, allowing them to regain the initative.

** In "Mixed Doubles", a terrorist is waiting for a hired killer in a dark room. Being ProperlyParanoid, the man enters via the rear and shines a torch in his face. The terrorist retorts that he just has to aim a foot above the torch beam. Turns out he's not actually holding it.

* [[JackOfAllStats Excalibur]] in ''Videogame/{{Warframe}}'' has a skill in which he unleashes a blast of light from his [[LaserBlade Exalted Blade]] that blinds enemies around them, stunning them and making them vulnerable to Finishers.

** By forgoing wing buffet attacks, mercury dragons can use their wings as mirrors, focusing light to replicate a ''daylight'' spell in a cone or in a concentrated beam that can blind a single foe for several rounds.