History Main / EmpathicWeapon

* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' the Gunmen and Lagann are powered by the pilot's fighting spirit; if the pilot is lackluster or doubting, it won't move. Thankfully, they have Kamina. One robot wouldn't start up because the pilot was ''hungry''. Thankfully, they had [[EmergencyFoodSupplyAnimal Boota...]]

* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' the Gunmen and Lagann are powered by the pilot's fighting spirit; if the pilot is lackluster or doubting, it won't move. Thankfully, they have Kamina. One robot wouldn't start up because the pilot was ''hungry''. Thankfully, they had [[EatTheDog Boota...]]

** ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'' reveals that even Imperial starships have personalities of some sort. Not AIs persay, but ships seem to have definite preferences (ex. some are constantly itching for battle, others will do anything to get away from a fight.)

* A lot of advanced personal weapons in ''Website/OrionsArm'' have integrated AIs to make up for their users' [[PunyEarthlings pathetic reaction times]]. Some, known as [[EvilWeapon "Demon Weapons"]] have their own agendas that might conflict with that of their wielders.

* Destiny's Wave, the talking sentient sword given to Bladedancer by the Eight Immortals of the Tao, in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse. It has the spirit of a great Taoist warrior embedded in it, and is capable of cutting ''anything'' that its wielder ''wants'' to be cut.

** In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', Jaden has a similar bond with Winged Kuriboh, which in the manga has a spirit within it. Manjoume has the Ojama trio in the anime and Light and Darkness Dragon (which is also a spirit card) in the manga. In the anime, Jaden also used to have this with [[spoiler: [[StalkerwithaCrush Yubel]], when he was younger. Then he sent her off into space, and she was ''not'' happy when she came back.]]

* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'': Katniss's Mockingjay bow.

* In the Franchise/StarWars serial ''Series/TheMandalorian'', Din Djarin, the titular character, comes across a legendary Mandalorian artifact: the Darksaber. It was the lightsaber of the only known Mandalorian Jedi in ages past. He learns the hard way that it is an empathic weapon as all lightsabers are, as it is cumbersome and ungainly when wielded by him, and stated as such by the [[HighPriest Armorer]]. In the hands of someone more deft and trained in its use, like Bo-Katan, it is a much more quick and lethal blade.

* The Masamune in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' and ''Chrono Cross''. Also the Einlanzer, to a less extent, in the second game.

* In the ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]'' expansion to ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the sword Vigilance is implied to be this in the epilogue.

* The above weapon is seemingly the same one used by the modern-times Yoshimitsu from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', whose katana is described as turning its wielder crazy if it's not used to kill (bad) guys.

* ''Webcomic/{{Darken}}'': The sword wielded by [[spoiler:Komi]] comes complete with an eye and [[spoiler:shape-changing abilities]]. However, it tends to speak its mind a lot, and thinks its owner is better suited to the Regalia, despite his protestations. Normally, only its owner can hear its voice, although it has also spoken to [[spoiler:Casper]]. The sword also has the unsettling ability to [[spoiler: possess its wielder]]. That, along with the fact that it was found held by its previous wielder's ''corpse'', and the warning that Mephistopheles' servant gave to [[spoiler: Komi]] concerning the sword, brings the sword closer to Stormbringer levels of [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Doominess]].

* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'':

* In the ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' episode "The Forest of Magi-Oar", the Wood Forgers tell the Cats that [[GiantFlyer Viragor]] has been terrorizing them and the forest. But when Viragor attacks later in the episode, the Sword of Omens won't work against him. Lion-O later figures out that [[spoiler:it's because Viragor is the forest's true protector, and the Wood Forgers are really the ones terrorizing him and the forest.]]

Beware of the EvilWeapon, its EvilCounterpart and {{Counterpart Artifact|s}}. Compare PsychoactivePowers. It may also serve as an AmplifierArtifact. Empathic Weapons tend to usually be some form of SituationalSword or EvolvingWeapon. It may also be a LivingWeapon. If the weapon "helps out" by taking physical control of its bearer it becomes a case of WeaponWieldsYou.

*** Dante's weapons (aside from the keepsake Rebellion sword) are all actually the remnant of a defeated boss. Even Rebellion is implied to be this, too, since he can [[WeaponAcrossTheShoulder hoist it over his shoulder without cutting himself]], and [[spoiler:when it ''does'' get a taste of its master's blood, it unlocks his [[SuperMode Devil Trigger form]].]]

** Yugi and his friends talk about the "Heart of the Cards" which is a philosophy that turns out to be correct more than once.

* Creator/{{CLAMP}}: Empathic weapons have a cameo in the super-crossover series ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle''; in the world of Hanshin, every person has a guardian spirit or ''kudan''. Stronger-willed and more aggressive people use their kudan to fight each other. Unsurprisingly, both the protagonist [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Syaoran]] and [[TheBigGuy tough guy Kurogane]] get kudan that take the form of weapons, although they don't get to take the weapons with them when they leave.

--> DST Compendium: The other Survivors are not quite sure whether Woodie is simply mad, or if there might be something else to the seemingly inanimate object. Sometimes they swear they can hear a jovial female voice speaking to Woodie when no one else is around...

* In the ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]'' expansion to ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', the sword Vigilance is implied to be this in the epilogue.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** The [[LegendaryWeapon artifacts]] of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]] play with it. The artifacts have a tendency to disappear and separate from their wielders if said wielder becomes too dependent on them or otherwise uses them in a way not intended by the patron Daedric Prince. How "empathic" the artifacts actually seem to be varies, and it may be more the will of the Princes simply taking the items back. They are most often handed out by the Princes themselves to faithful servants and tend to show up where important events are unfolding, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration justifying the appearance of the items in high concentrations in certain regions]].
** The sword Umbra crosses over with EvilWeapon. It was forged long ago to [[YourSoulIsMine steal the souls]] of its victims. However, the wielder of the blade becomes a victim as well. Over time, it takes over the mind of the wielder, until they begin to refer to themselves as "Umbra", and turns them into a vicious BloodKnight. Either they slay their opponents and steal more souls for the sword, or they are slain, and the sword finds a new and more powerful wielder.
** From the series' lore, the [=HoonDing=], the [[ScaryBlackMan Yokudan/Redguard]] spirit of perseverance over infidels and "[[OddJobGods Make Way God]]", will [[GodInHumanForm manifest in mortal form]] whenever the Redguards need to "make way" for their people. In some tellings, the [=HoonDing=] does not manifest as a person, but as a weapon. Specifically, a sword.

* The Chaos Emeralds in ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog''. As ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' put it, "The servers are the 7 Chaos. Chaos is power... ''Power enriched by the heart.'' The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos." Downplayed since they're typically used as a PlotCoupon and this aspect doesn't come up that often, but this was key to resolving the conflict in ''Sonic Adventure'' since the water {{kaiju}} Perfect Chaos was empowered by anger at the violence inflicted upon its Chao brethren ages ago, but the Chaos Emeralds still retained enough [[ThePowerOfFriendship positive energy]] for Sonic's friends to empower Super Sonic and calm it down by beating it up. This [[ForgotFlandersCouldDoThat indirectly comes up again]] in the climax of ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2'', as it's implied the Master Emerald is manifesting Robotnik's thoughts into power and Sonic similarly uses his own bonds with his friends and family to become Super Sonic.

* The Tactigon and Gauntlet's gauntlet from ''ComicBook/AvengersTheInitiative''. The Tactigon has an unsettling tendency to choose...''disturbed''... individuals as the wielders of its immense destructive power -- when we first see it, its host is Armory, a suicidal psychopath. The gauntlet on the other hand [[spoiler: once took over Gauntlet's body when he was in a coma to protect him when an AxCrazy clone wielding the Tactigon was hunting him down]].
* Phil Foglio's ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'' includes a SpacePirate character called The Pistol Packin' Polaris Packrat who wields two sentient laser pistols. One is called "Smith", and the other is called "Wesson". They are capable of speech and firing themselves, and they are demonstrably smarter than the Packrat (although that's not saying much). They profess to believe that Buck's zap-gun, "Junior", is likewise sentient, but if this is true Junior is keeping quiet about it.
* While the connection between a lightsabers kyber crystal and the lightsaber's wielder in the force had been touched on before, ''ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith'' goes into more detail. Darth Vader is sent to hunt down and kill a Jedi and then "bleed" the kyber crystal from the Jedi's saber to make a dark side user's distinctive red lightsaber for himself. The crystal fights back with visions trying to bring him back to the light, but it ultimately fails.
* ComicBook/DoctorStrange's Eye of Agamotto serves powerful wielders of light magic. On at least two occasions Strange ventured too far into dark magic and the Eye refused to work for him.
* The title character's [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman hypermembrane]] in ''ComicBook/{{Empowered}}''.
* The being who offers herself up for this purpose to Fauntleroy in ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'' come to mind.
* The ComicBook/GreenLantern rings seem to qualify for this [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]].

Even Franchise/{{Superman}} isn't worthy of it -- the one time he wielded it, Odin lifted the enchantment because of the crisis at hand. Franchise/WonderWoman, however, apparently is. Which actually makes sense when you consider that "worthiness" is judged by Odin's standards, and thus a true warrior spirit (including a willingness to kill but only when it's absolutely necessary, something Wonder Woman has demonstrated but [[ThouShaltNotKill Superman has not]]) would likely be part of the equation.
** Beta Ray Bill's hammer Stormbreaker has a similar enchantment. It was forged for him after he had proven worthy of Mjölnir, and really needed its power to defend his people, so that neither Thor nor Bill would have to be de-powered. Bill only realized he was taking his vendetta against Galactus too far when he couldn't lift Stormbreaker after he did something especially awful in a bid to kill Galactus.
* ComicBook/NikolaiDante has his weapons crest, as do the other Romanovs -- in Nikolai's case, this causes swords to burst forth from his hands at the moment of battle.
* Thurim's hammer in ''ComicBook/RequiemVampireKnight'' will zaAAARRRRCHZZZCHZPTp those who are not worthy.
* Gunnar in ''ComicBook/RogueTrooper'', a gun fitted with a chip containing the mind of Rogue's dead buddy. There's also Bagman, am empathic backpack, and Helm, an empathic ''helmet''.

* Symbiotes of ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' lore (ComicBook/{{Venom}}, Carnage, you know the guys) may fit the bill, and are about as empathic as a weapon could get. Their level of personality has crept up over the years though to the point they're more like characters.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' story ''ComicBook/TheDayTheCheeringStopped'' has the Sword of Superman, a weapon forged at the dawn of the universe which avoids every attempt to grab it during billions of years until it is needed by Superman; whereupon it heads towards Earth and leaps into his right hand.

* ''Film/{{Alice in Wonderland|2010}}'': The Vorpal Sword is implied to have a mind of its own. Before the FinalBattle, Alice is advised that all she needs to do is hold the sword and let it do the work. The Jabberwocky seems to have a history with the weapon, addressing the sword as its "ancient enemy" and dismissing Alice as its "insignificant bearer".

* A lot of advanced personal weapons in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'' have integrated AIs to make up for their users' [[PunyEarthlings pathetic reaction times]]. Some, known as [[EvilWeapon "Demon Weapons"]] have their own agendas that might conflict with that of their wielders.

* Kira in ''Manga/AngelSanctuary'' is able to summon Shiranui, a sword that choose him as its wielder itself. Furthermore, Kira himself is [[spoiler:Lucifer]], the soul powering Setsuna's sword Nanatsusaya.

* The Hayagami in ''Manga/ArataTheLegend'' are living gods in the form of weapons.
* Mini 4WDs in ''Manga/BakusouKyoudaiLetsAndGo'' anime evolve into this as the series goes on. These battery-powered minicars without a steering unit can actively move around the track and change paces according to their owners' will. [[HotBlooded Go]] claims that Cyclone Magnum -- [[MidSeasonUpgrade his second upgrade]] -- has the souls of his preceding cars within it.

* In ''Manga/BlackClover'', every grimoire is unique, with its design, shape, size, and thickness dependent on the personality of its user. As a mage becomes stronger and undergoes personal development, the grimoire's blank pages are filled with spells. Because the grimoire chooses its mage, a mage's grimoire is unusable for anyone else, and can't be destroyed.

* In ''Anime/BrainPowerd'', the Brains are organic and intelligent, and their pilots tend to do more guiding, training and ordering than piloting in the traditional sense. At least for newborn Brains; most of them are outfitted with a cockpit at the first opportunity. Still, it's possible for a Brain to get angry or rattled in battle and do something stupid, at which point the pilot's job is supposedly to ''scold'' it.
* The half-titular weapons of ''Anime/BubukiBuranki'' react to their wielders' will and commands, with many Bubuki being capable of moving on their own through flight or physical movement. This carries over to their [[HumongousMecha Buranki]] [[CombiningMecha forms]] as well -- where you now have a team of five trying to work in synchrony...

* Exorcists in ''Manga/DGrayMan'' can activate their Innocence with thought alone, though most utilize [[CallingYourAttacks verbal commands]] to invoke their abilities. Equipment-types are slow to respond while Parasite-types [[spoiler: and Crystal-types]] react much faster. Sentient Innocence are rare, with only [[RedRightHand Allen's Crowned Clown]], Klaud Nine's Lau Jimin [[spoiler: and [[HumanoidAbomination Cardinal/Apocryphos]]]] being known to have sentience.
* The Buster Machines from ''Anime/DieBuster'' are an extreme version of this, as not only do they "talk" to their pilots, but they actually ''outlast'' them; to a Buster Machine, the pilot is little more than a battery, and the oldest Buster Machine, Dix-Neuf, has had ''dozens'' of pilots in its lifetime.
* Dai's orhicalcum sword in ''Manga/DragonQuestTheAdventureOfDai'' can gauge the enemy ability: if he's too weak it stays locked in the scabbard to avoid excessive damage. It's also shown reacting to Dai's determination and protecting him with an energy shield.

* Derflinger from ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'' is in a sword that is at first thought to be worthless due to the low price it was purchased for, but it's in fact a TalkingWeapon that is stronger than any sword wielded by Saito. His personality's what you would expect an under-valued sword to be, but he in general considers Saito an equal partner in combat.
* The Kaleidosticks from the ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' universe, appearing in the ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia'' and ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'' spin-offs. They offer their wielders tremendous power and knowledge, but also have the unfortunate tendency to intentionally manipulate those same wielders into humiliating situations for their own amusement. Ruby is much worse about it than Sapphire, but both of them force the MagicalGirl costume...
* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', Sōsuke's ''HumongousMecha'' comes equipped with Al, an Artificial Intelligence that ends up developing considerably more of a sense of humor than Sōsuke himself has. More importantly, the mech's Lambda Driver superweapon runs off of Sōsuke's own emotions and aggressive impulses. Not the best thing to give to TheStoic, really.

* The [[InfinityPlusOneSword Michael Revolution]] in ''Manga/GaRei''. If the user doubts themselves or their cause, the sword won't allow itself to be drawn from its sheath, yet if the user believes hard enough in the PowerOfLove, it can [[spoiler:''[[RealityWarper cross dimensions]]'']].
* The Data Weapon upgrades ''Anime/GearFighterDendoh'' are [[{{Mons}} sentient data entities]] who won't even let people acquire them in the first place unless that person feels very strongly the emotion associated with the particular weapon (hope for Unicorn Drill, confidence for Viper Whip, etc.) If a person who "saves" a Data Weapon ever loses that driving emotion, the Weapon will leave.

** The Gundams of ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'' all tend to have an empathic component, which is required to use their full strength.
** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'', most of the characters talk to their mecha, though it could be for other reasons. You also have the case of when Quatre activates the Sandrock's self-destruct with the intent of sacrificing himself with it. Sandrock then opens its chest with the implication being that it wants him to survive, before walking towards the enemy on its own so Quatre can get away. Then there is Duo's Deathscythe when it is heavily damaged in space; Duo attempts to hit the self-destruct button, but as he is not wearing a spacesuit to get out, it just plain refuses to work.

* The Music/BlueOysterCult song "Black Blade" is about Stormbringer, the sword of [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric of Melnibone]] (see Literature below), told from Elric's perspective. The words spoken by the blade at the end of the song are spoken by Creator/MichaelMoorcock [[CastingGag himself.]]

Quite often, it is [[ClingyMacGuffin designed to be impossible to lose]], no matter how much you wish it gone. If the villain ever gets hold of it, [[LoyalPhlebotinum it simply won't work because it doesn't want to.]] It ''will'' occasionally stop working [[PsychosomaticSuperpowerOutage if the hero is in doubt]], the [[PathethicDroopingWeapon weapon drooping in shame]] is optional. If it ''[[WreckedWeapon breaks]]'', it [[KnightOfCerebus tends to be a big deal]].

Quite often, it is [[ClingyMacGuffin designed to be impossible to lose]], no matter how much you wish it gone. If the villain ever gets hold of it, [[LoyalPhlebotinum it simply won't work because it doesn't want to.]] It ''will'' occasionally stop working [[PsychosomaticSuperpowerOutage if the hero is in doubt]]. If it ''[[WreckedWeapon breaks]]'', it [[KnightOfCerebus tends to be a big deal]].

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': The Nox Nyctores choose their owners and will protect the owner if the need arises. As seen in Jin's story in ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift Continuum Shift]]'', a Nox Nyctores can cease to activate if it doesn't approve the owner anymore and will even attempt to take over the owner's mind to fulfill its mission. There are only 10 of such weapons in existence, all in different forms and shapes. More info on them [[http://blazblue.wikia.com/wiki/Nox_Nyctores here.]]

* In the ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' franchise, there's the Devil Sword Sparda. The sword originally belonged to Dante's father, the Dark Knight Sparda, and is a living weapon. It can only be wielded by beings of great strength, but it will only release its ''true'' power when wielded by beings who know not only great strength, but also love and compassion. Dante, due to his own love for his family, was able to release the sword's full power to defeat Mundus. Trish, an artifically created demon, after undergoing a HeelFaceTurn, is able to do the same. In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', the villain Sanctus got ahold of the sword, but, as Nero spells out for him, because Sanctus has no heart or love inside of him, he can't call on the sword's true power.

---->'''Agni and Ruudra''': ''You shall take us with you! We can be of great help to you!''\\
'''Dante''': ''...Okay, but on one condition.''\\
'''Angi and Ruudra''': ''What is it? Name it!''\\
'''Dante''': ''No. Talking.''

** The Devil Sword Sparda is the strongest case for this trope, as while the weapon [[AmbiguousSituation may or may not carry the soul of the Legendary Dark Knight,]] it certainly shares his will. While multiple villains have been able to use it’s power, [[HeroicLineage it’s full potential can only be accessed by Sparda’s decendents, like Dante,]] or wielded by those it deems worthy, like Trish. Even when it is used by the villains, [[LaserGuidedKarma the weapon seems to have a wicked sense of humour,]] twisting Arkham, a man who gleefully sacrificed his family to transform into a demon, into a bloated mass of tumours and tentacles, and all that Sanctus, a man who worshiped Sparda and abandoned his humanity to become more like him, can do with the weapon is swing it around, and the power it does provide is fragile and easily overcome. [[OneManArmy And when Dante did use it’s full power, he can take on]] PhysicalGod Mundus [[OneManArmy and win.]]

* ''VideoGame/DustAnElysianTail'': The Blade of Arrah is quite alive, having flown out of its own temple in order to find [[TheHero Dust]].

* ''Video Game/DustAn Elysian Tail'': The Blade of Arrah is quite alive, having flown out of its own temple in order to find [[TheHero Dust]].