History Main / BulletHolesAndRevelations

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' did a variant of this in the season 6 finale. We see Shane Casey holding Lucy with a gun in the other hand, and Lindsay going MamaBear with her own weapon. Cut away to an exterior shot and we hear the gunshot. We don't find out until the season 7 premiere that it was Casey who got shot.

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

* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', [[spoiler: Elizabeth was running to the action, Barbossa pulled his gun on her, we hear a gunshot, Elizabeth starts... cue the camera cutting to Jack holding the smoking gun, aimed at Barbossa. The same gun he's been carrying around for ten years with no additional shot or powder specifically for that purpose.]]

* ''Film/TheThirdMan'' has Holly Martins and Henry Lime having a stand off on the stairs up to a manhole tunnel at each other, then cuts to the British intelligence officer hearing the gun go off [[spoiler: Holly comes walking down the sewer tunnel]].

* ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse''
** Happens in ''Literature/{{Allegiance}}''. [=LaRone=] is snidely accused of disobeying orders by an ISB officer who then pulls a blaster on him. [=LaRone=] instinctively wrests it away, the officer pulls out a holdout blaster, there is a "soft flash, a muted blast" -- and the officer falls dead. DamnYouMuscleMemory. Stormtrooper combat training doesn't cover ISB officers playing threat games.
** Also happens in the ''Literature/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 HeelFaceTurn that culminated here.

* {{Egregious}}ly used in ''Manga/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.

This trope is standard for basically any fighting {{anime}}, but especially those involving swords (see especially ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' and ''Manga/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.

* In one episode of Series/{{Get Smart}}, Max and a Kaos agent are fighting over the agent's gun. When the gun goes off, Max says, "Hold it! I think one of us has been shot." After a moment, the KAOS agent collapses to the floor, saying, "I think it's me."

* ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' did a variant of this in the season 6 finale. We see Shane Casey holding Lucy with a gun in the other hand, and Lindsay going MamaBear with her own weapon. Cut away to an exterior shot and we hear the gunshot. We don't find out until the season 7 premiere that it was Casey who got shot.

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'', [[spoiler: Raiden]] and [[spoiler: The President of the United States of America]] are struggling over [[spoiler: Raiden]]'s pistol, what with [[spoiler: Mr. President wanting Raiden to kill him and Raiden refusing]]. A shot rings out; the camera pans to reveal that [[spoiler: Revolver Ocelot, who before was not even in the scene, has shot the President himself]].
** Used again in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' at the end of the game when [[spoiler: Solid Snake [[AteHisGun puts a gun in his mouth]]]], and the camera cuts away on the sound of the gunshot, presumably to spare the player from the gore. It then cuts to another scene entirely for several minutes, leaving you with the feeling that [[spoiler: Solid Snake is dead]]. As it turns out, [[spoiler: Solid Snake [[InterruptedSuicide did not kill himself]], and Big Boss, his [[LukeIAmYourFather father]], appears to meet his son for the last time]].

** Used again in ''MetalGearSolid4'' at the end of the game when [[spoiler: Solid Snake [[AteHisGun puts a gun in his mouth]]]], and the camera cuts away on the sound of the gunshot, presumably to spare the player from the gore. It then cuts to another scene entirely for several minutes, leaving you with the feeling that [[spoiler: Solid Snake is dead]]. As it turns out, [[spoiler: Solid Snake [[InterruptedSuicide did not kill himself]], and Big Boss, his [[LukeIAmYourFather father]], appears to meet his son for the last time]].

[[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.

* In the Soul Society Arc of ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', {{Badass}} [[BloodKnight Kenpachi Zaraki]] dares Ichigo to hit him with his [[{{BFS}} Zanpaktou]]. Ichigo raises to strike, the sword comes down, cut to blood falling to the ground, cut back to [[spoiler: [[MadeOfIron Ichigo's hands bleeding while Kenpachi hasn't got a scratch]]]].

* In the first ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' movie, [[spoiler: Elizabeth was running to the action, Barbossa pulled his gun on her, we hear a gunshot, Elizabeth starts... cue the camera cutting to Jack holding the smoking gun, aimed at Barbossa. The same gun he's been carrying around for ten years with no additional shot or powder specifically for that purpose.]]

* When the guardians of the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas review [[DragonLance Raistlin's]] memories of his duel with Fistandantilus, they are unable to determine who won and stole the "life-force" of the other, but conclude that either way, the winner was before them and qualified for entrance.

* {{Egregious}}ly 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.

* In {{Trigun}} during a gun duel between Vash and Wolfwood, the scene cuts to the audience right as both of the gunmen shoot simultaneously. When the camera pans back both are lying on the ground with blood seeping through their clothes. [[spoiler: [[BrickJoke The 'blood' was actually from smashed ketchup bottles.]]]]

* In {{Trigun}} during a gun duel between Vash and Wolfwood, the scene cuts to the audience right as both of the gunmen shoot simultaneously. When the camera pans back both are lying on the ground with blood seeping through their clothes. [[spoiler: [[BrickJoke the 'blood' was actually from smashed ketchup bottles]]]]

* ''Film/PeterPan'' In a moment of anger, Captain Hook shoots his gun in the general direction of Smee and another pirate. Smee gasps loudly, his hand flies to his chest, he turns to make eye contact with the other pirate. And then the other pirate silently topples over.

* ''Film/TheOppositeOfSex'': Struggle for the gun version was used, including the subsequent fakeout, which is {{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!"]]

* ''Film/MinorityReport'', ending with [[spoiler:Anderton confronting Burgess with the assumption that Anderton's predicted murder by Burgess will come to pass. A gunshot later, it's revealed Burgess took his own life.]]

* ''Film/TheThirdMan'' has Holly Martins and Henry Lime having a stand off on the stairs up to a manhole tunnel at each other, then cuts to the British intelligence officer hearing the gun go off [[spoiler: Holly comes walking down the sewer tunnel.]]
* ''Film/PulpFiction'' features a variant where right after Jules and Vincent [[spoiler:gun down Brett,]] someone bursts out of the bathroom firing a Magnum. The camera stays on the shooter for quite a while before a jump cut shows that [[spoiler:neither of them were shot and there are six bullet holes in the wall behind them.]]

* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' had something similar to this. Agent Dunham and an assailant are fighting, both armed with a gun, but they're at close range, and so are resorting to brawling. eventually Olivia puts some distance between them and they both fire at each other. [[spoiler: The attacker falls over dead with a [[PrettyLittleHeadshots Pretty Little Headshot]], and Olivia glances over and sees a bullet hole mere inches from her.]]

* ''{{CSI NY}}'' did a variant of this in the season 6 finale. We see Shane Casey holding Lucy with a gun in the other hand, and Lindsay going MamaBear with her own weapon. Cut away to an exterior shot and we hear the gunshot. We don't find out until the season 7 premiere that it was Casey who got shot.

* In David Williamson's ''Dead White Males'', postmodern Dr. Swain and Shakespeare are wrestling over a gun when it goes off. When Shakespeare recommends letting the audience know who was hit, Swain protests that nobody expects narrative closure anymore. [[spoiler: Then Swain limps off, having shot himself in the foot]].

* In ''Literature/ShadowOfTheTemplar'', Simon is wrestling with Farraday, who ends up with the gun. Simon hears a gunshot and thinks he was hit. It takes him a few seconds to realize [[spoiler:that Jeremy found the gun that Simon lost and has shot Farraday.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Corny Concerto", WesternAnimation/BugsBunny is being hunted by Porky Pig and his hunting dog. Bugs throws away their rifle, which hits a chipmunk, and then the chipmunk fires the rifle. After it goes off, all three characters put their hands over their chests with expressions of horror. Porky looks under his hands - he's OK! The dog looks under his hands - he's OK! Bugs looks under his hands - and faints in horror while the dog and Porky cry. Porky opens Bugs' clasping hands to check the wound, and finds... a bra! Bugs slaps Porky for being so fresh, puts the bra over their heads, and dances away, unharmed.
* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': Wendy and Bebe struggle over a gun, which goes off... and doesn't hit either of them, but instead manages to hit [[TheyKilledKenny Kenny]], who was at home eating dinner with his family at the time.

* In Creator/CharlesDickens's ''ATaleOfTwoCities'', this happens during the showdown between [[spoiler: Miss Pross and Madame Defarge]] near the end.

* ''SoraNoWoto'''s first [=OVA=] features this at the climax of a [[MundaneMadeAwesome water-gun war between two factions in the Clocktower Fortress]]. Because everyone is dead drunk by this point, the reveal is accompanied by much unnecessary overacting on Rio's part.

** 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 HeelFaceTurn that culminated here.

* Episode 20 of ''Series/TheFlash'', "Good Night Central City," involved an inventor (Bill Mumy) being pressured by his cousin into using his sleep-inducing invention to commit robberies. When the cousin proved willing to kill with the device, Mumy rebelled and tried to stop him, they wrestled over a gun, and the gun went off between them. There was a suspenseful pause... and at this exact moment in the original April 4, 1991 broadcast of the episode (at least on the East Coast), CBS cut away to a special report in which Dan Rather spent the rest of the hour reporting on a minor and ultimately harmless heart flutter that had been suffered by then-President George H. W. Bush. As a result, the suspenseful moment was never resolved, at least until the show went into reruns. In fairness, though, it was easy to guess which character must have died.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Corny Concerto", Characters/BugsBunny is being hunted by Porky Pig and his hunting dog. Bugs throws away their rifle, which hits a chipmunk, and then the chipmunk fires the rifle. After it goes off, all three characters put their hands over their chests with expressions of horror. Porky looks under his hands - he's OK! The dog looks under his hands - he's OK! Bugs looks under his hands - and faints in horror while the dog and Porky cry. Porky opens Bugs' clasping hands to check the wound, and finds... a bra! Bugs slaps Porky for being so fresh, puts the bra over their heads, and dances away, unharmed.

* In the season 2 finale of ''[[NipTuck Nip/Tuck]]'', [[spoiler:Adrian and Ava]] are close together and we hear a stabbing noise, [[spoiler:Ava]]'s shocked look and bloody hands, but the reveal shows that [[spoiler:Adrian stabbed himself so that Ava would never leave him again]].
* Episode 20 of ''TheFlash'', "Good Night Central City," involved an inventor (Bill Mumy) being pressured by his cousin into using his sleep-inducing invention to commit robberies. When the cousin proved willing to kill with the device, Mumy rebelled and tried to stop him, they wrestled over a gun, and the gun went off between them. There was a suspenseful pause... and at this exact moment in the original April 4, 1991 broadcast of the episode (at least on the East Coast), CBS cut away to a special report in which Dan Rather spent the rest of the hour reporting on a minor and ultimately harmless heart flutter that had been suffered by then-President George H. W. Bush. As a result, the suspenseful moment was never resolved, at least until the show went into reruns. In fairness, though, it was easy to guess which character must have died.

* At one point in ''GundamSEED'', both Kira and Athrun go into SEED mode and blow each other's mecha up, leaving the audience wondering who survived that at all. [[spoiler:It turns out, they both survive but Kira TookALevelInBadass and Athrun starts towards a HeelFaceTurn.]]

* In the ''Series/{{Nashville}} episode "I Can't Keep Away From You", Sadie's abusive ex-husband breaks a restraining order and confronts her in a parking garage. Sadie threatens him with a handgun she purchased illegally after the last time he beat her. He scoffs and lunges at her, there's a struggle, a gunshot and Luke Wheeler drives up in his truck just in time to see [[spoiler:Sadie standing over her husband's body, holding the gun and covered in blood]].

* In ''MetalGearSolid2'', [[spoiler: Raiden]] and [[spoiler: The President of the United States of America]] are struggling over [[spoiler: Raiden]]'s pistol, what with [[spoiler: Mr. President wanting Raiden to kill him and Raiden refusing]]. A shot rings out; the camera pans to reveal that [[spoiler: Revolver Ocelot, who before was not even in the scene, has shot the President himself]].