History Main / BratsWithSlingshots

[[caption-width-right:226:[[TheSimpsons A ten-year-old boy]] [[CaptainObvious with a slingshot]] [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou is about to shoot you]].]]

* ''OnePiece''

* ''DennisTheMenace'': Dennis ([[DennisTheMenaceUS both]] of [[DennisTheMenaceUK him]]) is probably the TropeCodifier. The better-known [[TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]] owes a lot to him.

** Most characters in ''TheBeano'' used them at one time or another. Minnie the Minx certainly did, and so did the Bash Street Kids. (I ''want'' to say Little Plum used one when the rest of his tribe had their bows, but I'm not certain).

* ''TheBible'': David actually used a ''sling'' to defeat Goliath (and was quite adept with it, boasting about killing animals), people commonly confuse the two weapons and believe David wielded a slingshot. Thus, despite the story itself not being example, many of its adaptations are (''TheSimpsons'' Bible Stories episode couldn't resist, for obvious reasons).

* Alex from ''{{Lost}}''.

* Jimmy from ''{{Bully}}'' has a slingshot.

* ''{{Earthbound}}'': Along with yo-yos, a slingshot is a very weak weapon available in the game.

* ''TheSimpsons'': Bart Simpson is probably the most well-known example, although he hasn't used his slingshot much of late. Inspired by Dennis the Menace, WordOfGod is that Matt Groening wanted to ensure Bart Simpson ''used'' his slingshot, because his recollection was that Dennis just ''carried'' one.

* The Second Intifada. Children throwing stones at soldiers with M-16 and tanks. By hand, with slings, with slingshots. I met one of the survivors. ImprobableAimingSkills doesn't begin to describe him: he was a teacher at school, and whenever a kid made trouble, he'd throw him a piece of chalk to the middle forehead. And he ''never'' missed. No matter how hard you try to dodge. Frightening...

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

[[folder: Comics ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Cyprien from ''[[{{ptitlei7tjm65k}} Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles]]'' is armed with a slingshot. Initialy he can only fire stones with it, but he later gets some quite AbnormalAmmo.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

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* In ''LegendOfZelda: {{Ocarina of Time}}'', the weapon you start out with as Young Link is a slingshot. Oddly, ''grown-up'' Link in ''TwilightPrincess'' also gets a slingshot to play with the village kids... and it's obviated within about one dungeon. Granted, it can still be useful if you're out of/stingy and want to conserve arrows.

* ''AngelBeats'': While not a brat, Tenshi used a slingshot when [[spoiler:she and Otonashi are helping Yui fulfill some of her desires so she can move on.]]

* In ''Labyrinths of Echo'', the personal projectile weapon of choice in the Heart of the World is called "Baboom slingshot". Pellets made of sensitive explosives make many injuries lethal and the rest requiring a lot of efforts to fix even with high-magical healing. It's metal and the tips are sharpened to use in melee; local martial artists even manage to make this look graceful.

* In ''Game/TheGoonies II'', one of Mikey's weapons is a slingshot with limited ammo.

* ''ApeEscape'': Spike's only ranged weapon is a slingshot.

* Spike's only ranged weapon in ApeEscape.
* Along with yo-yos, a very weak weapon found in ''{{Earthbound}}''.
* The abysmal unlicensed NES game ''Little Red Hood'' gives the little Red a slingshot as her only means of attack. Bafflingly, instead of using the slingshot to launch pebbles or something, Red actually has to throw the slingshot to kill enemies. [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Throwing Your Slingshot Always Works]]?
* This is the closest thing ''FreddiFish'' has to a WeaponOfChoice, though as an ActualPacifist she never directly shoots anyone with it. At least one version turns out to be an ''incredibly'' sophisticated device, complete with a targeting HUD.

* It's one of the weapons Fred can use in the ''{{Flintstones}}: The Rescue of Dino and Hoppy''. In ''Surprise at the Dinosaur Peak'', it's Barney who uses this weapon.

* Most characters in ''TheBeano'' used them at one time or another. Minnie the Minx certainly did, and so did the Bash Street Kids. (I ''want'' to say Little Plum used one when the rest of his tribe had their bows, but I'm not certain).
** Also from DC Thomson, the extremely Scottish Oor Wullie in his eponymous comic strip.

* WoodyWoodpecker, in ''Slingshot 6 7/8''.
* [[RhymesOnADime Wheelie]] of ''{{Transformers}}'' is a [[BrattyHalfPint child-like robot]], and his WeaponOfChoice is his little slingshot.

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* Usopp's WeaponOfChoice in ''OnePiece'' is his trusty slingshot.
** [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that he's an ImprobableWeaponUser and customizer; it's much each to make custom slingshot bullets than pistol or musket bullets.

* While not a brat, Tenshi from ''AngelBeats'' used a slingshot when [[spoiler:she and Otonashi are helping Yui fulfill some of her desires so she can move on.]]
* [[{{SKET Dance}} Bossun's]] [[{{Weapon Of Choice}} weapon of choice]] is a slingshot.

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]
* DennisTheMenace ([[DennisTheMenaceUS both]] of [[DennisTheMenaceUK them]]) is probably the TropeCodifier. The better-known [[TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]] owes a lot to him.
* [[ArchieComics Veronica Lodge's]] bratty cousin Leeroy was often wielding one.
* ''{{ElfQuest}}'' plays with this. Ember thinks she has outgrown slingshots, but during a time of really bad hunting, the tribe start using them to hunt mice.
** Also in ''ElfQuest'' there's a non-canon story where it's suggested that Skywise's distinctive metal faceguard is actually part of a troll-made slingshot, dubious as it sounds.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* Although, as mentioned above, [[TheBible David]] actually used a ''sling'' to defeat Goliath (and was quite adept with it, boasting about killing animals), people commonly confuse the two weapons and believe David wielded a slingshot. Thus, despite the story itself not being example, many of its adaptations are (''TheSimpsons'' Bible Stories episode couldn't resist, for obvious reasons).

* Obscure fiction example, the main characters in Clarence Budington Kelland's ''Mark Tidd'' books seem to always have a slingshot when the story calls for it, along with improbably good aim.

* Used by the eponymous characters in ''TheMonkeyWrenchGang'' to shoot out the windows of construction equipment.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* There's an episode of ''TheAndyGriffithShow'' where Opie accidentally kills a bird with a slingshot and then must adopt the bird's babies to atone for his crime.

[[AC:TabletopGames]]
* The childlike (and [[FearlessFool sometimes bratty]]) kender in ''{{Dragonlance}}'' have some as their [[CrazyAwesome crazy, but versatile]] cultural weapons. The hoopak is a staff with a sling at the top which due to the whippy haft is useable as a slingshot too (a spike on the bottom end makes it ''also'' a short spear/alpenstock). The chapak is an axe with the blade's back extending as two prongs used as slingshot arms (and prying bar beak; the haft is hollowed to use as a blowgun/snorkel pipe or flute).
** The Hoopak is a slingshot? I thought it was a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fustibalus#Variants staff sling]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''LegendOfZelda: {{Ocarina of Time}}'', the weapon you start out with as Young Link is a slingshot.
** Oddly, ''grown-up'' Link in ''TwilightPrincess'' also gets a slingshot to play with the village kids... and it's obviated within about one dungeon. Granted, it can still be useful if you're out of/stingy and want to conserve arrows.

* The ten year old main character of ''MonsterBash'' uses a slingshot.

* The abysmal unlicensed NES game ''Little Red Hood'' gives the little Red a slingshot as her only means of attack. Bafflingly, instead of using the slingshot to launch pebbles or something, Red actually has to THROW the slingshot to kill enemies. [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks Throwing Your Slingshot Always Works]]?

* Cyprien from ''[[{{ptitlei7tjm65k}} Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles]]'' is armed with a slingshot. Initialy he can only fire stones with it, but he later gets some quite AbnormalAmmo.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* [[TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]] is probably the most well-known example, although he hasn't used his slingshot much of late. Inspired by Dennis the Menace, WordOfGod is that Matt Groening wanted to ensure Bart Simpson ''used'' his slingshot, because his recollection was that Dennis just ''carried'' one.

* During a ''{{Histeria}}!'' sketch about Apollo 13, Loud Kiddington is shown using one to knock his pals' coffee mugs out of their hands.

[[AC:RealLife]]

* According to ''DeadliestWarrior'', the IRA carry around slingshots that are far more effective in a fight than the children's variety.
** That would probably be something like the [[http://www.sausa.com/category.php?category=16 Wrist Rocket]]®. Introduced in 1954, it's a serious weapon (the suggested ammo is .50 cal (that's 1/2 an inch in diameter!) steel shot), and it can even be fitted with a fiber-optic sight.

<<|WeaponsAndWieldingTropes|>>
<<|{{Youngsters}}|>>

* In ''LegendOfZelda: {{Ocarina of Time}}'', the weapon you start out with as Young Link is a slingshot. ** Oddly, ''grown-up'' Link in ''TwilightPrincess'' also gets a slingshot to play with the village kids... and it's obviated within about one dungeon. Granted, it can still be useful if you're out of/stingy and want to conserve arrows.

* In ''LegendOfZelda: {{Ocarina of Time}}'', the weapon you start out with as Young Link is a slingshot. This qualifies, because it's a weak weapon that you eventually ditch as you grow as a character/warrior.
** Oddly, ''grown-up'' Link in ''TwilightPrincess'' also gets a slingshot to play with the village kids... and it's obviated within about one dungeon. Granted, it can still be useful if you're out of/stingy and want to conserve arrows.

** Also from DC Thompson, the extremely Scottish Oor Wullie in his eponymous comic strip.

[[TheSimpsons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BartSimpsonSlingshot.png]]
[[caption-width:226:[[TheSimpsons A ten-year-old boy]] [[CaptainObvious with a slingshot]] [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou is about to shoot you]].]]

* In ''Labyrinths of Echo'', the personal projectile weapon of choice in the Heart of the World is called "Baboom slingshot". Pellets made of sensitive explosives make many injuries lethal, and the rest requires a lot of efforts to fix even with high-magical healing. Also, its ends are sharpened to use in melee, and masters of this art even manage to look cool in process.

* The childlike (and [[FearlessFool sometimes bratty]]) kender in ''{{Dragonlance}}'' have the hoopak as one of their [[CrazyAwesome crazy, but versatile]] cultural weapons -- a whippy staff with a sling at the top (a spike on the bottom makes it ''also'' a short spear).

* Although, as mentioned above, [[TheBible David]] actually used a ''sling'' to defeat Goliath (and was quite adept with it, boasting about killing animals), people commonly confuse the two weapons and believe David wielded a slingshot. Thus, despite the story itself not being example, many of its adaptations are (''TheSimpsons'' [[UniversalAdpatorCast Bible Stories episode]] couldn't resist, for obvious reasons).

* The childlike (and sometimes bratty) [[{{Hobbits}} kender]] in ''{{Dragonlance}}'' have the hoopak as a cultural weapon; a SimpleStaff with a slingshot at the top.

* Although, as mentioned above, [[TheBible David]] actually used a ''sling'' to defeat Goliath (and was quite adept with it, boasting about killing animals), people commonly confuse the two weapons and believe David wielded a slingshot. Thus, despite the story itself not being example, many of its adaptations are (''TheSimpsons'' [[UniversalAdpatorCast Bible Stories episode]] couldn't resist, for obvious reasons). This would make what many consider to be the MostTriumphantExample of a slingshot in literature really an example of DidNotDoTheResearch.

In Britain, a slingshot is known as a ''catty'' or "catapult".

In Australia, it's known (or, at least, was known; I couldn't speak for the current nomenclature) as a 'shanghai'.

* In PGWodehouse's novel ''Cocktail Time'', a young man in the Drones Club is a famous crack-shot with a slingshot. In a subversion of this trope, however, the elderly Lord Ickenham hears of the man's reputation and decides to demonstrate how easy the weapon is to use. With a slingshot, he knocks of the hat of a respectable legal professional, 'Beefy' Bastable. Bastable, assuming he was 'assaulted' by a young man, then writes a scathing satire on the degeneracy of the youthful generation.

* Although, as mentioned above, [[TheBible David]] actually used a ''sling'' to defeat Goliath (and was quite adept with it, boasting about killing animals), people commonly confuse the two weapons and believe David wielded a slingshot. Thus, despite the story itself not being example, many of its adaptations are. This would make what many consider to be the MostTriumphantExample of a slingshot in literature really an example of DidNotDoTheResearch.

* [[TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]] is probably the most well-known example, although he hasn't used his slingshot much of recent. Inspired by Dennis the Menace, WordOfGod is that Matt Groening wanted to ensure Bart Simpson ''used'' his slingshot, because his recollection was that Dennis just ''carried'' one.

When you need to weaponize a child in fiction, you give him a slingshot. It is always in the classic Y-shape and preferably made out of a single piece of wood. Kids use them either to cause mischief or as actual weapons.