History Main / DoubleKnockout

Sometimes the result of FearfulSymmetry. See also the CrossCounter. Compare TakingYouWithMe and LyingInTheDirtTogether.

* The final battle between Kallen's Guren SEITEN and Suzaku's Lancelot Albion in ''Anime/CodeGeass'' ends with Kallen ramming the Guren's left arm through the Lancelot's chest just as the Lancelot's slash hearkens tear off the Guren's head and right arm. Afterwards, the Guren falls off the platform they were fighting on, just before the Lancelot detonates. [[spoiler:Both pilots survived, although Suzaku [[FakingTheDead pretended that he didn't]],]] and [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental materials]] show the Guren being rebuilt.

Sometimes the result of FearfulSymmetry. See also the CrossCounter. Compare TakingYouWithMe.

* The first meeting between Masaru and Agumon in in ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'' involves a variant of this, in that instead of the two just knocking eachother out their fight lasted until both collapsed from exhaustion.

** Son Goku and Baby in ''Anime/DragonballGT'', and they stay unconscious for a whole episode.

* The final battle between Kallen's Guren SEITEN and Suzaku's Lancelot Albion in ''Anime/CodeGeass'' ends with Kallen ramming the Guren's left arm through the Lancelot's chest just as the Lancelot's slash harkens tear off the Guren's head and right arm. Afterwards, the Guren falls off the platform they were fighting on, just before the Lancelot detonates. [[spoiler:Both pilots survived, although Suzaku [[FakingTheDead pretended that he didn't]],]] and [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental materials]] show the Guren being rebuilt.

* Invoked in ''Fanfic/IAmNotGoingThroughPubertyAgain'' during the Chunin exam finals. Sakura and Hinata deliberatley make it look like they knocked each other out at the same time so that their husbands could face each other at more or less full power.

* [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Gawain and Ywain]] do this in one medieval romance; Gawain actually does things like it in lots of places because he was the [[Franchise/{{Superman}} baseline of awesome]], and putting your guy up against Gawain without running into OP syndrome was a generally effective move. ([[GameBreaker Lancelot]] wins, by the time he gets his.) In ''this'' case, they fight until they fall off their horses, and then fight until their armor and weapons (though not helmets) are wrecked, and then fight until they can't get up anymore. Then one bloody mess asks the other bloody mess his name, and it turns out he's nearly killed his best friend. Crying and kissing ensues. Seriously.
** Note that apart from the kissing, this could have happened in a modern fighting anime and you wouldn't know the difference, but for the French poetry.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* This is not uncommon in competitive fighting; for example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFBQICLvhks this eight-minute collection]] of examples from UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts.
[[/folder]]

* Some enemies in ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', such as the Territorial Oak and the Smilin' Sphere, will explode on defeat. This almost always does "mortal damage" to the player--but due to the way the game's HP works (it drains out at a steady rate, rather than all at once), the player can usually escape the battle with only an extra chunk of HP lost. However, an ally at low health may very well die to them... and if the entire party is knocked out all at once by one of these attacks, it actually triggers a glitch.

* This is not uncommon in competitive fighting; for example, [[hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFBQICLvhks this eight-minute collection]] of examples from UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts.

* A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Wzcd4-VTI real life example]] in UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts.

** Notably, one boss (MagiMaster) in '' VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' would use Ultima just before dying. It was powerful enough to deal damage near the cap, and it hit everyone in your party. The ''only'' way to reliably win the fight is to case Reraise (Life3) on at least one of your party members, which revives a character automatically on death. And considering Reraise is only gained from one Esper, it required some grinding to get it.
*** If you don't have Reraise or the Esper that grants it, the only other likely option is to use Rasp/Osmose to drain MagiMaster's MP, making him unable to cast Ultima (also, like a few other magic-based enemies, he dies when he hits 0 MP). The fight takes an extremely long time, but seeing "Ultima...Not Enough MP" flash on the screen, followed by the boss's death, is entirely worth it.

* In ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' (both in the [[TabletopGame/YuGiOh real card game]] and [[Anime/YuGiOh the anime]]), when monsters of equal attack points battle, they both die.

*** Averted example in the following season in a match between Syrus and Tyranno Hassleberry. After the former turns the tables with a damage loop that drags the latter's LP below his, Hassleberry prepares to trigger Jurassic Impact, a trap that requires said LP disadvantage as a triggering condition, in order to cause 1000 LP damage to both players, enough to force a draw. Seeing how exhausted Syrus was over his search for Jaden, which was who they were dueling over, Hassleberry decides not to trigger the trap and let Syrus win.

* Double [=KOs=] aren't too uncommon in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' either -- it's what attacks like Explosion are made for. In multiplayer matches, if both trainers' last Pokémon faint due to the same action, the winner and loser are decided based on the moves used and the effects triggered to allow it to happen, and it varies depending on the circumstance. If it's done by moves that knock out the user, like Explosion and Final Gambit, the trainer who used this move loses. If it's done by moves that cause the user to lose HP, but not enough to go from full health to zero, the trainer who used this move wins. If it happens via passive effect on both sides, such as damage from Sandstorm, a winner is either randomly decided or the match is considered a draw depending on the game. In the single-player game, [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard the player always loses]] (regardless of who initiated the DesperationAttack[[note]]''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' revise this so that players can still continue in the Battle Subway facility, provided that the player's Pokémon did not initiate the DesperationAttack[[/note]]) because there would be no more Pokémon to fight with in another battle.

* Double [=KOs=] aren't too uncommon in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' either -- it's what attacks like Explosion are made for. In multiplayer matches, whoever initiated the attack loses. In the single-player game, [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard the player always loses]] (regardless of who initiated the DesperationAttack[[note]]''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' revise this so that players can still continue in the Battle Subway facility, provided that the player's Pokémon did not initiate the DesperationAttack[[/note]]) because there would be no more Pokémon to fight with in another battle.

* The first true double knockout in ''Series/BattleBots'' occurred in 2018 with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5uc3-13uJk Overhaul vs. Valkyrie]]. As both bots were declared knocked out at the same time, the match invoked a ruling, never used before, in which a panel of judges would decide who won. [[spoiler:The judges declared Valkyrie the winner.]]

* The same is ''nearly'' true in the Blur short film ''WesternAnimation/AGentlemansDuel''. A Frenchman and a Brit face off in steam-powered death mechs, and each new feat (grapple, toss into building, fist-on-a-chain, ''electric fish coil'', ''poodle cannon'') is countered by another attack until finally both mechs are pushed to the limits of their overdrive, shred each others' limbs, crash together to knock the other over, and explode. Both gentlemen crawl from the wreckage and inch across the ground until they bump heads and vaguely try to start fighting again.

* In a variation, Comicbook/SolomonGrundy and [[ComicBook/SuicideSquad Blockbuster]] once one had a long, evenly matched, dragged out fight ending in a pair of mutual, each-shattering punches, and basically ''exhausted'' each other, to the point where they ended up smiling and came as close to friendship as a couple of ultraviolent dummies like them are probably capable of. One onlooking Justice League member says in amazement, "They knocked the evil out of each other!"

* [[Myth/ArthurianLegend Gawain and Ywain]] do this in one medieval romance; Gawain actually does things like it in lots of places because he was the [[Franchise/{{Superman}} baseline of awesome]], and putting your guy up against Gawain without running into MarySue syndrome was a generally effective move. ([[GameBreaker Lancelot]] wins, by the time he gets his.) In ''this'' case, they fight until they fall off their horses, and then fight until their armor and weapons (though not helmets) are wrecked, and then fight until they can't get up anymore. Then one bloody mess asks the other bloody mess his name, and it turns out he's nearly killed his best friend. Crying and kissing ensues. Seriously.

* In a variation, Comicbook/SolomonGrundy and [[Characters/SuicideSquadComics Blockbuster]] once one had a long, evenly matched, dragged out fight ending in a pair of mutual, each-shattering punches, and basically ''exhausted'' each other, to the point where they ended up smiling and came as close to friendship as a couple of ultraviolent dummies like them are probably capable of. One onlooking Justice League member says in amazement, "They knocked the evil out of each other!"

* The first TournamentArc in ''Manga/DragonBall'' ends this way: Son Goku and opponent [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Jackie Chun]] (really Muten Roshi in disguise) are both on their last legs and put their remaining strength into a final kick that knocks them both out. Because both get counted out, the announcer proclaims that the first to stand up and declare himself the winner will be so. Goku almost makes it but loses consciousness again, leaving Jackie the winner because, having longer legs, his kick hit just a bit harder.
* Son Goku and Baby in ''Anime/DragonballGT'', and they stay unconscious for a whole episode.

* In a variation, Comicbook/SolomonGrundy and [[Characters/SuicideSquadComics Blockbuster]] once one had a long, evenly matched, dragged out fight ending in a pair of mutual, each-shattering punches, and basically ''exhausted'' each other, to the point where they came as close to friendship as a couple of ultraviolent dummies like them are probably capable of. One onlooking Justice League member says in amazement, "They knocked the evil out of each other!"

* In a variation, Comicbook/SolomonGrundy and [[Characters/SuicideSquadComics Blockbuster]] once one had a long, evenly matched, dragged out fight and basically exhausted each other, to the point where they came as close to friendship as a couple of ultraviolent dummies like them are probably capable of. One onlooking Justice League member says in amazement, "They knocked the evil out of each other!"

* The first meeting between Masaru and Agumon in in ''Anime/DigimonSavers'' involves a variant of this, in that instead of the two just knocking eachother out their fight lasted until both collapsed from exhaustion.

* A major battle in the Magic World arc of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' ended in this manner, as [[spoiler:Negi's opponent]] managed to take everything he threw and still managed to stand up for [[spoiler:one last round of fisticuffs]] that ended with both sides unconscious.

* ''Manga/FairyTail''

* The fight between Cleverdix and Majestix in ''Comicbook/{{Asterix}} and the Great Divide'' lasts so long that all the spectators leave. The next dawn finds both of them lying on the ground, and the fight is called with no winner and no loser.

* In a prepared boxing match between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Alva Edison in ''FanFic/FragmentsOfChaldea'', both participants rush in with the same punishing jab, neither bothering to dodge or put up any defense, instantly knocking each other. An irritated Helena Blavatsky wakes them up and sets them for another roung, [[SitcomArchNemesis tired of their inane bickering]], but after a few good rounds they fall to their animosity and wind up in the same exact position to finish the fight.

* [[KingArthur Gawain and Ywain]] do this in one medieval romance; Gawain actually does things like it in lots of places because he was the [[Franchise/{{Superman}} baseline of awesome]], and putting your guy up against Gawain without running into MarySue syndrome was a generally effective move. ([[GameBreaker Lancelot]] wins, by the time he gets his.) In ''this'' case, they fight until they fall off their horses, and then fight until their armor and weapons (though not helmets) are wrecked, and then fight until they can't get up anymore. Then one bloody mess asks the other bloody mess his name, and it turns out he's nearly killed his best friend. Crying and kissing ensues. Seriously.

* This is actually part of the backstory of ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}.'' The two titans, Bionis and Mechonis, were evenly matched, and they fought for eons until, finally, they defeated each other simultaneously and both came to a standstill.
* ''Videogame/ShadowFight2'': Partly due to the fact that the game has no multiplayer mode, double-[=KOs=] with the AI are counted as a loss for the human player.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaViVid'', the battle between [[HollywoodCyborg Nove]] and [[WarriorPrince Einhard]] turned out to be like this. After the latter walked away in an apparently easy victory and transformed back to her normal self, the full extent of her injuries came crashing down on her, causing her to black out instantly. Nove had the last laugh too. She was able to plant a TrackingDevice on Einhard during their duel, and while Nove was too hurt to move much, she was still conscious. One call to Subaru to pick up her now helpless opponent later, and Einhard found herself becoming [[DefeatMeansFriendship fastest befriended enemy]] in the franchise so far.

* Revy and Roberta in ''Manga/BlackLagoon'''s fight after an entire night of going at it with each other ends with one of these.

* The same is ''nearly'' true in the Blur short film ''WesternAnimation/AGentlemansDuel''. A Frenchman and a Britannian face off in steam-powered death mechs, each new feat (grapple, toss into building, fist-onna-chain, ''electric fish coil'', ''poodle cannon'') is countered by another attack until finally both mechs are pushed to the limits of their overdrive, shred each others limbs, crash together to knock the other over, and explode. Both gentlemen crawl from the wreckage and inch across the ground until they bump heads and vaguely try to start fighting again.

* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', after Gildarts beats Bluenote, he falls to the ground in exhaustion, wondering if he's getting old.

* In the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, it's not uncommon for multiple players to hit each other at the same time, which may potentially result in two or more players [=KOing=] each other. Due to the significant variability in launching speeds and blastline positioning however, it is very rare for two players who hit each other at the same time to be actually KO'd at the exact same time. Thus in a situation where both players are on their last stock and deal a [=KOing=] blow to each other, one would usually outlive the other by a split second and be declared the winner by the game. If two or more players are actually KO'd at the same time on their last stock, the game will proceed to SuddenDeath. And if two or more players are again KO'd at the same exact time in Sudden Death, instead of going to another round of Sudden Death, the game declares the player with the lower port the winner in Melee, while deciding the winner randomly in the other Smash games In a tournament setting, the Sudden Death match is instead ignored and a draw game is decided by who was at the lowest percentage of damage/highest amount of stocks before the match ended. If both fighters were at an even percentage and stock total when the match concluded, then a quick one-stock bout with the same characters and stage is used as a more controlled version of Sudden Death.

* In the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, it's not uncommon for multiple players to hit each other at the same time, which may potentially result in two or more players [=KOing=] each other. Due to the significant variability in launching speeds and blastline positioning however, it is very rare for two players who hit each other at the same time to be actually KO'd at the exact same time. Thus in a situation where both players are on their last stock and deal a [=KOing=] blow to each other, one would usually outlive the other by a split second and be declared the winner by the game. If two or more players are actually KO'd at the same time on their last stock, the game will proceed to SuddenDeath. And if two or more players are again KO'd at the same exact time in Sudden Death, instead of going to another round of Sudden Death, the game declares the player with the lower port the winner in Melee, while deciding the winner randomly in the other Smash games.