History Main / BulletHolesAndRevelations

->''And then the punches flew\\
And chairs were smashed in two\\
There was blood and a single gunshot\\

* ''DieHard'', only they're fighting over the gun, and the issue is to see whose neck gets snapped when they roll down the stairs.

** Also happens in the XWingSeries. Corran is rescued from Imperials by an old enemy's lover and then taken to that old enemy, who has her remove his blaster. The enemy levels a blaster at Corran, "the whine of a single blaster shot filled the hangar and the bolt tinted everything with the color of blood", and then the enemy crumples because his lover shot him. She'd gone through a slow HelpFaceTurn that culminated here.

* Parodied in the soap opera dream sequence of ''MrMom''.

[[GunStruggle Two characters are struggling for a gun.]] There's brawling, rolling, clenching... Suddenly they both stop with identical looks of shock on their faces after the gun goes off, and the viewer is left to ponder for several seconds which one of the characters was shot, usually with a headfake in the direction of it not being the character who was actually injured. It can be fatal, or not. It can also be a knife or other small weapon. Extra points if it occurs right before a commercial break which leaves you hanging.

* ''{{Farscape}}'': Chiana and Krackic struggle for a pistol in the season 2 episode "Liars, Guns, and Money 3: Plan B".

* ''{{The Opposite of Sex}}'': Struggle for the gun version was used, including the subsequent fakeout, which is [[{{Lampshaded}} lampshaded]] after the reveal, with the line [[spoiler: "What you thought I'd be the dead one? I'm the fucking ''narrator'' guys. Keep up!"]]
* ''PitchBlack'': At the end of the movie there are threatening sounds in the darkness, and then a squelch, and as Riddick and Carolyn Fry stand looking shocked, it is revealed that [[spoiler:Carolyn was skewered by one of the nocturnal beasties, which then hoists her off into the air.]]

* In the [[TombRaider]]: The Cradle of Life there is a variation of this [[spoiler: in the aftermath of the battle. After taking down the BigBad, who was after Pandora's Box, Terry wished to use the box's powers while Lara wanted to return it to where it was. There was a short falling out and when Lara was knocked to the ground, there was a gun near her. As she got up, Terry tried to convince Lara of the box's potential, but she stuck with her decision. Terry then pulls out his gun and a shot is heard. Terry dies.]]

* An episode of ''{{Dollhouse}}'' starts out InMediasRes with someone struggling to not get Wiped. Cut to outside the room where the action is taking place, where we hear a gunshot and see blood splatter on the frosted glass window. Turns out [[spoiler: Dominic tried to blow his brains out rather than be wiped, but hit [=DeWitt=] in the side instead. And she doesn't really feel it, or something.]]

Compare FalseGunshot. See also TheManWhoShotLibertyValance. The SingleStrokeBattle is the Eastern version of this. This is a specific kind of MortalWoundReveal.

* Subverted in ''SouthPark'': Wendy and Bebe struggle over a gun, which goes off... and doesn't hit either of them, but instead manages to hit Kenny, who was at home eating dinner with his family at the time.

* [[TVTropesDrinkingGame Egregiously]] used in SaintSeiya, the jarring part is that enemies, or the heroes themselves can go on like nothing happens for a while and then humongous holes or cracks will appear on the downed Saint/General/Spectre's cloth/scales/surplice.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': Sylar accidentally kills [[spoiler:his mother]] while struggling with a pair of scissors.

** And in the fourth volume, it's revealed that she wasn't [[spoiler:his mother... and it wasn't an accident.]]

* Not quite this trope, as there was no struggle for a gun, but the ending for ''CodeGeass'' season 1 was kinda like that: Lelouch and Suzaku in a MexicanStandoff, fading screen and sound of gunshot. Viewers are left to guess who shot whom.

** Incorrect: [[spoiler: Will Turner stood ready to drop the medallion into the stone chest and release the curse. Barbossa took aim at HIM, we hear the gun fire, Elizabeth recoils a bit in horror, we are to assume Barbossa shot Will, and it is revealed that Sparrow has shot Barbossa.]]

* An episode of ''{{Dollhouse}}'' starts out InMediasRes with someone struggling to not get Wiped. Cut to outside the room where the action is taking place, where we hear a gunshot and see blood splatter on the frosted glass window. Turns out [[spoiler: Dominic tried to blow his brains out rather than be wiped, but hit DeWitt in the side instead. And she doesn't really feel it, or something.]]

** Which, of course, explains the [[spoiler: lack of Precrime agents storming the scene. Suicides don't set off the precogs, only murder.]]

Compare FalseGunshot. See also TheManWhoShotLibertyValance. The SingleStrokeBattle is the Eastern version of this.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

* This is standard for basically any fighting anime, but especially those involving swords (see especially {{Bleach}} and RurouniKenshin.) Both characters [[CallingYourAttacks call their attacks]] and rush forward with dynamic lines behind them. We see them meet in a clash of swords...and then they are on opposite sides of the battlefield, while the camera freezes for a moment until one (or both) topple over.
** [[TVTropesDrinkingGame Egregiously]] used in SaintSeiya, the jarring part is that enemies, or the heroes themselves can go on like nothing happens for a while and then humongous holes or cracks will appear on the downed Saint/General/Spectre's cloth/scales/surplice.