History Main / Gundamjack

** To an extent, this is also how the Arc-Gurren and Chouginga-Gurren are attained. There aren't any troops, but they are super prototype ships that didn't belong to the heroes.

* ''{{Persona 2}}'' has Tatsuya steal and command an enemy warmech from the Tenchu Army.

* SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration: Grungust Type 2, Gespenst S, and Weissreiter. [[spoiler: All the pilots were taken too and used by the Aerogaters]]
* In ''SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration 2'' the Neo DC steals the mass production Huckebein, the Wildfalken, and the [[spoiler:Shirogane]] from the EFA.

** ''SRW 3'' has the player re-enact the trope-naming episode of ''Gundam 0083'', among other appearances of this trope.

* DataEast's ''Breakthru'' involves the player tracking down a stolen jet fighter prototype.
* In ''MassEffect3'', Shepard can hijack a Cerberus Atlas if s/he either finds it unattended or s/he kills the pilot while leaving the mech itself intact.

*** Although it does get hijacked in episode 5. By a ''seven year old.''

* This is how Kamina from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' gets his Gurren. They later pull the same feat by hijacking the Dai-Gurren.
** To an extent, this is also how the Arc-Gurren and Chouginga-Gurren are attained. There aren't any troops, but they are super prototype ships that didn't belong to the Dai-Gurren Brigade.
** This is how Team Dai-Gurren got ''all'' their Gunmen except for Simon's Lagann.

[[caption-width-right:330:[[MST3KMantra Just ignore the]] [[GangstaStyle upside-down gun]] [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome and enjoy the ride]].]]

See also PhlebotinumRebel, where the heroes Gundamjack ''themselves''. Not to be confused with the lumberjack-themed Canadian Gundam from ''GGundam''. Or JustForFun/CandleJack.

* In a kind of inversion, the Soviets try on several occasions to steal {{Airwolf}}. This is not quite the same as the first story, where Stringfellow Hawke has to Gundam Jack-back the previously stolen chopper from Libya.

* ''[[CommandAndConquer C&C Generals]]'' has a hero unit that can snipe the pilots of enemy vehicles, leaving them inactive. It is then sufficient to walk a basic infantry unit inside and the unit is yours to command. The expansion pack has the [[{{BFG}} Chinese Nuke Cannon]] being capable of firing neutron shells that kill enemy vehicle crews, making the vehicle available to capture.

* With ''PowerRangers''' abundance of HumongousMecha, you can bet this shows up from time to time:
** ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' featured Gundamjacks of each of Tommy's Zords. Dragonzord in the first season after a briefly mind-controlled Billy was made to steal the Dragon Dagger and give it to Goldar, the Tigerzord in season 2 in an episode where Goldar stole Saba from Tommy and gave him to Rita, and in season 3 the Falconzord was stolen by Lord Zedd. The theft of the Falconzord lasted the longest, but the villains didn't use it, just kept it as a trophy.

** In ''PowerRangersZeo'', the two megazords were hijacked by different groups of villains and fought each other.

** In ''PowerRangersInSpace'', Delta Megazord, using a virus. Then Mega Voyager, thanks to Psycho Yellow.
** In ''PowerRangersLostGalaxy'', ''all'' Zords were first claimed by villains, then freed or convinced to do an HeelFaceTurn by the Rangers. Middle example of this trope because the Zords are sentient.
** In ''PowerRangersTimeForce,'' the Quantasaurus Rex is the focus of a multi-parter, as the heroes and villains (and [[SixthRanger Eric]], who is a side unto himself at this point) track it to where a faulty time portal dropped it and vie for control of it. It is controlled by the villains for a time until Eric winds up with it. Is it any better off in Eric's hands? [[IncrediblyLamePun Only time would tell]].
** In ''PowerRangersWildForce,'' when Zen-Aku came along, three Wild Zords were part of the package. However, he stole several of the ones belonging to the Rangers and could have them attack individually or use their [[MechaExpansionPack attachment modes]] with his own Megazord, the Predazord.

** Gundamjacking was the ''point'' of at least the first half of ''PowerRangersDinoThunder'', as the lost Dinozord eggs were being sought after by both sides. Some were used by the villains and jacked by the Rangers, and some were used by the Rangers until the evil White Ranger, who is ''very'' good at Gundamjacking, claimed them. Was even ''one'' Dinozord used exclusively by one side?
** In ''PowerRangersSPD'', there were a couple attempts to take over SPD Command (which is both [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs their base]] ''and'' a zord). Wootox only got as far as the TransformationSequence, but Broodwing had more success in the finale.
** In ''PowerRangersRPM,'' Venjix's new mecha is stolen by the Rangers and turned into the Whale Zord. Later, Shifter, now rogue, decides to take one of the Rangers' megazords - the effort to break his control leads the Rangers' MissionControl to figure out how to combine all the megazords together. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Oops.]]

* ''{{Metal Gear Solid 2|SonsOfLiberty}}'' starts with Ocelot stealing Metal Gear RAY from The Patriots for The Patriots. It's as [[MindScrew complicated as it sounds]], yet this is [[MagnificentBastard Ocelot]] after all.

** In ''MobileSuitGundamAGE'', the Gundam itself doesn't get hijacked, but Grudech gundamjacks the battleship ''Diva''.

** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''ShinMazinger'' - Baron Asura [[spoiler: steals several [[Robeast Mechanical Beasts]] from [[BigBad Dr Hell]] and]] attempts to do this, but ends up being [[spoiler: ambushed by Count Blocken, who Dr. Hell sent.]] In a surprising moment of GenreSavvy, [[spoiler: Dr Hell]] realised the ramifications of this if it failed, so aborted the operation.

* The TropeNamer in this case would be ''{{Gundam 0083}}'', specifically the ''title'' of the first episode, where Anavel Gato does just that, setting off the plot of the series. Of course, how said Gundamjacking is pulled off should go down in [[Awesome/{{Gundam}} the annals of badassery]]...

* Totally averted in ''Warhammer40K''. Orks salvage gear so they can use it in battle, and can start with other armies' gear at a higher point cost (i.e. more expensive), but the two true Mechs of the series are immune: The Tau booby trap theirs (With a ''Flamethrower!'') and the Space Marines'... [[BrainInAJar don't have to worry so much either]].

[[folder:VideoGames]]

See also PhlebotinumRebel, where the heroes Gundamjack ''themselves''. Not to be confused with the lumberjack-themed Canadian Gundam from ''GGundam''. Or JustForFun/CandleJack, for that ma

The simplest answer seems to be to destroy it, but this more often than not ends up with some OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent FallingIntoTheCockpit, and then you're ''really'' boned. You can [[LensmanArmsRace come up with prototypes of your own]] to counter it, but this could just end up creating a SortingAlgorithmOfEvil that'll lead right to your doorstep.

Better yet, why not just take it for yourself? This has a double benefit: Not only does it deny the enemy a powerful weapon, but you gain said weapon in the process. You might wanna [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup kidnap, steal or wipe out the project data and/or the inventor(s) while you're at it]].

If this is done by the hero, the story usually focuses on their attempts to get back into friendly territory with their prize. If the story is told from the view of the inevitable pursuers, then they will be attempting to recover or destroy the new unit before it can get away.

See also PhlebotinumRebel, where the heroes Gundamjack ''themselves''. Not to be confused with the lumberjack-themed Canadian Gundam from ''GGundam''. Or CandleJack, for that ma

** [[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam In Victory Gundam]] the '''13''' year old protagonist also steals an enemy mecha... except he stole it while it was ''flying'' by landing on it in a parachute, fighting hand to hand with the ace pilot (who is wearing an helmet and is far older), and managing to take control of the machine after a brutal fight that ends underwater. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRiG9csYk2o&feature=related It really needs to be seen to be believed.]]

** Even though they were the intended pilots (for the most part), the ''GundamWing'' team stole their Gundams once they learned that the original plan for Operation Meteor [[spoiler:was to ColonyDrop the Earth, then crush all remaining opposition and [[TakeOverTheWorld take over the world]],]] opting instead to fight the enemy that was oppressing the colonies and leaving the civilians out of it.

*** [[CurbStompBattle Cause THAT goes down so well]].

* The Galactic Alliance Remnant does this in an issue of ''{{Star Wars Legacy}}'' during the Battle of Mon Calamari by stealing the just-completed Star Destroyer Model before it was even fielded and removing Mon Calamari's shipbuilding capabilities in the process.

* The movie ''{{Firefox}}'' is about {{Clint Eastwood}}'s character making off with a Soviet prototype jet.

* The ''{{Temeraire}}'' series begins with an accidental one. A French ship delivering the [[EggMacGuffin egg]] of a [[LateArrivalSpoiler Chinese Celestial]] to become the personal companion of the [[NapoleonBonaparte French Emperor]] is delayed due to a run of bad luck at sea, and is captured by a British vessel a week before the egg hatched and the dragonet [[FallingIntoTheCockpit imprinted on it's captain]].

* In a kind of inversion, the Soviets try on several occasions to steal {{Airwolf}}. This is not quite the same as the first story, where Stringfellow Hawke has to Gundam Jack-back the previously stolen chopper from Libya.

* Totally averted in ''[[Warhammer40K Warhammer 40k]]''. Orks salvage gear so they can use it in battle, and can start with other armies' gear at a higher point cost (i.e. more expensive), but the two true Mechs of the series are immune: The Tau booby trap theirs (With a ''Flamethrower!'') and the Space Marines'... [[BrainInAJar don't have to worry so much either]].

** The anime prequel ''Zone of the Enders: Idolo'' climaxes with a failed attempt at this.
* ''MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries'' did this trope once, with a faction hiring you to help steal a superheavy Clan-technology mech for their side. Possibly a double-dip of this idea, because you had the option to grab it away from them, too!

**** This is basically expected enough in-universe that practically every [=BattleMech=] comes with standard anti-theft countermeasures already built in. The most common example, showcased in various novels, is the computer running a voice recognition check in conjunction with an individual code phrase during startup. At the same time, several novels reveal that each mech's Neurohelmet must be re-calibrated for each new user, which can pretty much only be done in the hangar. Skipping this process leads to a punch-drunk machine and a pilot with a massive, incurable hangover.
** The ''VideoGame/MechAssault'' series simplified things even further in its shift to an arcade action playstyle. With the default Battlesuit, the player could simply hack into a Mech to disable it and immediately switch over with no indication of what happened to the original warm body inside.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' plot is kicked off by one of these operations. The game starts with the stealing team making a stand against the pursuit team. Neither side gets it, since Fei "fell into" the cockpit.

* ''MegasXLR'' begins with the Earth forces having already stolen the enemy Super Prototype; the beginning of the first episode has the Glorff trying to take it back again.

** The ''MechAssault'' series simplified things even further in its shift to an arcade action playstyle. With the default Battlesuit, the player could simply hack into a Mech to disable it and immediately switch over with no indication of what happened to the original warm body inside.

* Subverted in [[TheLordOfTheRings The Lord of the Rings]]: [[TheBigGuy Boromir]] [[AntiHero tries to pull one of these]] with the [[ArtifactOfDoom One Ring]] at the Council of Elrond but has his idea shot down pretty quickly.

* In both the original ''GetSmart'' TV series & the 2008 movie, Hymie the robot was stolen from [=KAOS=] & reprogrammed by [=CONTROL=].

* After subverting FallingIntoTheCockpit just previously, episode nine of ''Fang of the Sun Dougram'' has [[TheHero Crinn]] doing this to recover the titular unit from the Federation, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome quite awesomely]].

* In ''[=~Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood~=]'', all of the missions to destroy Leonardo's war machines will eventually involve Ezio taking the things and briefly using them against the Borgia.

* In ''AtopTheFourthWall'''s review of ''PowerRangersZeo'' #1, [[spoiler: Linkara reveals he stole Neutro from Dr. Insano]].

[[caption-width-right:330:[[MST3KMantra Just ignore the]] [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace upside-down gun]] and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome enjoy the ride]].]]

** ''GundamX'''s protagonist hijacks a normal mobile suit in the first episode, but comes by the titular Gundam more honestly, only to hijack his second Gundam, [[spoiler:the Double X]]. Jacking Mobile Suits to sell them was actually his personal trick of the trade before he joined Vulture and he had quite a reputation for it, with experience to match.

** In ''CrossboneGundam'', Tobia [[spoiler:is captured by the Jupiter Empire and forced to face off in an arena against Rosemarie in the captured X2]]. He manages to steal the suit in a manner similar to Garrod's first-episode Jenicejack in ''GundamX'', although [[spoiler:using the X2's own decoy instead of a flashbang]].