History Main / BoomInTheHand

* Most modern grenades are designed to avert this trope (when properly used, that is). Contrary to how grenades are depicted in media, it is ''not'' the pin that actually primes the grenade when removed; rather it's the lever holding down a striker that sets off the fuse, with the pin simply holding down the lever.[[note]] A grenade works like this: the pin that holds down the lever is pulled out, thus allowing the lever to fly off the grenade. Once the grenade-lever is removed, it releases the striker that hits the primer to activate a fuse, and once the fuse burns out after several seconds it sets off the detonator.[[/note]] As such, soldiers are taught to hold the grenade in their hand with their thumb or palm holding down the lever, and once they throw the explosive the lever flings right off, indicating the striker and fuse are activated. Because of this, as long as the soldier is holding the grenade properly by holding down the lever, it will not be primed. In fact, its not uncommon for soldiers, when holding a ready-to-throw grenade, to simply ''put the pin back into the lever'' if they change their mind and decide not to use it (again, as long as the lever is still in place).

* Most modern grenades are designed to avert this trope (when properly used, that is). Contrary to how grenades are depicted in media, it is ''not'' the pin that actually primes the grenade when removed; rather it's the lever holding down a striker that sets off the fuse, with the pin simply holding down the lever.[[note]] A grenade works like this: the pin that holds down the lever is pulled out, thus allowing the lever to fly off the grenade. Once the grenade-lever is removed, it releases the striker that hits the primer, which ignites a fuse, and once the fuse burns out after several seconds it sets of the detonator.[[/note]] As such, soldiers are taught to hold the grenade in their hand with their thumb or palm holding down the lever, and once they throw the explosive the lever flings right off, indicating the striker and fuse are activated. Because of this, as long as the soldier is holding the grenade properly by holding down the lever, it will not be primed. In fact, its not uncommon for soldiers, when holding a ready-to-throw grenade, to simply ''put the pin back into the lever'' if they change their mind and decide not to use it (again, as long as the lever is still in place).

* Most modern grenades are designed to avert this trope (when properly used, that is). Contrary to how grenades are depicted in media, it's ''not'' the pin that actually primes the grenade when removed; rather it's the lever and the striker that set off the fuse, with the pin simply holding down the lever.[[note]] A grenade works like this: the pin that holds down the lever is pulled out, thus allowing the lever to fly off the grenade. Once the grenade-lever is removed, it releases the striker that hits the primer, which then ignites a fuse, and once the fuse burns out after several seconds it sets of the detonator.[[/note]] As such, soldiers are taught to hold the grenade with their thumb or palm holding down the lever, and once they throw the explosive the lever flings right off, indicating the striker and fuse are activated. Because of this, as long as the soldier is holding the grenade properly by holding down the lever, the explosive will not be primed. In fact, its not uncommon for soldiers, when holding a ready-to-throw grenade, to simply ''put the pin back into the lever'' if they change their mind and decide not to use it (again, as long as the lever is still in place).

* Katsuki Bakugo from ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' is an interesting example because of his Quirk, which is the ability to sweat nitroglycerin and set it off at will on his hands. He is quite adept at using it for explosive blasts and {{Grenade Jump}}ing.

* Most modern grenades are designed to avert this trope (when properly used that is). Contrary to how grenades are depicted in media, it's ''not'' the pin that actually primes the grenade when removed; rather it's the lever and the striker that set off the fuse, with the pin simply holding down the lever.[[note]] A grenade works like this: when a soldier is ready to use it, they'll pull out the pin that holds down the grenade's lever. Once the grenade lever is removed, it releases the striker that hits the primer, which then ignites a fuse, and once the fuse burns out after several seconds it sets of the detonator.[[/note]] As such, soldiers are taught to hold the grenade with their thumb or palm holding down the lever, and once they throw it the lever flings right off, indicating the striker and fuse are activated. Because of this, as long as the soldier is holding the grenade properly by holding down the lever, the explosive will not be primed. In fact, its not uncommon for soldiers when holding a ready-to-throw grenade to simply ''put the pin back into the lever'' if they change their mind.

* ''WesternAnimation/DennisTheMenace1986'': "[[Recap/DennisTheMenace1986S1E2 Train That Boy]]": After Dennis foils the spy's plan to blow up the power plant, he leaves his briefcase with the bomb in it behind, only for Dennis to return it to him. The bomb explodes when the spy catches it, which gets the attention of all the policemen who are onboard the brake coach.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' episode, "Pseudo Sonic", Scratch mistakes the titular robot for the real Sonic and tries to stop him with a bubble gum bomb. However, like the real Sonic, Pseudo Sonic won't hold still, and Scratch tells him, "Hey, hey! Hold still! This thing's gonna ex... [[OhCrap plo-ho-hode!]]" while still holding onto the bomb. Cue the bomb exploding and Scratch getting covered in bubble gum.
* In one ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode, Steve blows his thumb off with a firework trying to impress a girl. She lets him touch her breast, with the injured hand after the thumb's been reattached and the painkillers prevent him feeling anything.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' episode [[PunBasedTitle Gorilla]] [[DoubleMeaningTitle Warfare]], Optimus Primal has [[StrappedToABomb an explosive mind-altering bee attached to his chest]], which he returns to the Predacons during the episode's climax. After removing the bee from his enraged leader, Scorponok stands around looking at the device until it explodes in both of their faces.

** It actually happens ''twice'' in "WesternAnimation/OperationRabbit". First, WesternAnimation/BugsBunny hands Wile E. Coyote a lit stick of dynamite; Wile. E is smart enough to douse the fuse, but is too busy bragging to notice the lit fuse on the ''other end''. Later, Wile E. has to dispose of an exploding robot meant for Bugs by throwing it out the window, but it detonates right in his hands.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' Mrs Glick tells Bart the story of her brother Asa, who died in UsefulNotes/WorldWar1. A flashback sequence shows him pulling the pin on a grenade and giving an extended AndThisIsFor speech to the Germans, causing the grenade to explode before he can actually throw it.
-->'''Asa:''' This one's for you, Kaiser Bill. Special delivery from Uncle Sam and all the boys in D company. Yeah... Johnny, Harris, Brooklyn Bob. And Reggie. Yeah, even Reggie. He ain't so stuck up once you get to know hi--\\

** One episode of ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'' has the Mario Bros toss a bomb to a koopa troopa causing it to panic the moment it catches the bomb. Upon catching the bomb, the koopa troopa jumps off of it's vehicle while it is still holding the bomb.
** In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Super Mario World|1991}}'' episode, "The Night Before Cave Christmas", King Koopa steals Mario's bag of presents that Oogtar stowed away in. Oogtar discovers that one of the presents is a Bob-omb that Koopa planned to give to Bully, one of his children. Oogtar sets the Bob-omb off and hands it to Koopa, who says, "Stop! You're not supposed to go off till' Christmas...", and it explodes in his face before he can say "Morning".

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'', cooking a grenade too long will result in it exploding in your hand unless you took the [[StickyBomb Sticky Grenade]] upgrade.

* ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' has Grenades being among the vast arsenal Fox can pick up during an on-foot mission. Grenades can be held for a while before exploding, and will begin to give off a noticeable glow beforehand, visually reminding the player to toss it quickly before this trope can apply.
* The original ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' allows you to cook frag grenades, which will explode in your hand if held for too long. This carries over to ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'', where you'll be rewarded with the {{achievement|Mockery}} "Well-Done" for your troubles.

** Any character who has explosives as part of their moveset also falls under this. The Links pull out active bombs for their down special (except for Link in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' who uses remote bombs), and Snake's neutral has him pulling the pin out of a grenade. These specials can inflict self-damage.

* ''VideoGame/Dota2'': If the Alchemist charges his Unstable Concoction ability for too long, it will blow up in his hand and stun him.

* Katsuki Bakugo from ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' is an interesting example since everything can explode in his hands thanks to his quirk, which allows him to blow anything up in his hands as the explosions often form from there.

* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': In his review of ''Film/{{Steel}}'', the critic points out how unrealistically long it takes for a grenade to detonate. He explains that if the scene were any realistic, the grenade would have exploded while the kid Steel was with explained how to toss it, which meant it would have been in Steel's hand when it exploded.

->'''Peter:''' Quagmire, check it out! I took ten m80s and stuck them all together. I call it Peter Griffin's Bunker Busting Mega Ultra Super--\\

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': While the Griffin family are playing with fireworks, Peter takes ten m80s, ties them together, and lights their fuses. As he explains what he has created, the m80s explode in his hand, blowing off his fingers.

* Several of Ajax's goons die in this fashion in ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}''. Not so much because they held on to a grenade for too long, but because Deadpool shot the grenade itself before the guy holding it could throw it.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': In the episode ''Pokémon Paparazzi'', Ash and Todd are struggling to not fall down a waterfall after one of Team Rocket's traps. James throws bombs at them, making them slowly slip. Just as he is about to throw one more, Ash uses Todd's camera to pretend to be taking the bad guys' photo, distracting them long enough for the bomb to go off in James' hand. They don't really get hurt, however, just [[AshFace covered in soot]].

** In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperMarioWorld'' episode, "The Night Before Cave Christmas", King Koopa steals Mario's bag of presents that Oogtar stowed away in. Oogtar discovers that one of the presents is a Bob-omb that Koopa planned to give to Bully, one of his children. Oogtar sets the Bob-omb off and hands it to Koopa, who says, "Stop! You're not supposed to go off till' Christmas...", and it explodes in his face before he can say "Morning".

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': In all games[[note]]bar ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' in which Link doesn't use bombs, and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' in which he uses remote bombs[[/note]], bombs become active the moment they are taken out of the bomb bag. From ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' onwards, Link is capable of picking them up and throwing them. However, holding onto them for too long will result in them exploding on Link, hurting him.
** Interestingly, in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'', bombs that are picked up have their fuses ''reset'' and freeze while Link is holding them. Link also can't be harmed by his own bomb explosions.

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fireworks_steve.png]]]]

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/boominthehand.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Somebody stop him before he blows off his other arm.]]

* Katsuki Bakugo from ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' is an interesting example since everything can explode in his hands thanks to his quirk, which allows him to to blow anything up in his hands as the explosions often form from there.

* In the movie ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueTheFlashpointParadox'' the Justice League must disable bombs attached to Flash's Rogues Gallery. Superman just puts both hands around it and lets it explode.

* ''VideoGame/MastermindWorldConqueror'': If your minions fail to blow up a facility, you are shown how. It turns out one of them [[WhatAnIdiot took the bomb with them when they bailed]].