History Main / HappyFunBall

** Come to think of it, almost everything in the Warehouse is a happy fun ball. Some... not so much, like the Aztec idol from the first episode.

* Lawn darts. These foot-long mini-javelins with fins were supposed to be lobbed into the air in an attempt to hit target circles on laid on the ground. This was much like playing horseshoes with throwing knives, since the metal-tipped toys were essentially identical to Irish war darts. After forty or more years on the market, they were finally discontinued in the 1990s because of the obvious safety issues (and a string of ''hundreds'' of injuries per year).

* A lot of poisons, sadly. Poisonous plants and mushrooms often don't look as dangerous as they are, or they are fancy coloured and especially children can think they look pretty. The poison itself often hasn't any a taste, so people don't realise when they're eating something poisonous.

*** Human nature also plays a part. One Cracked.com article also points out that lawn darts are almost completely safe-if you play by the rules. It goes on to point out (needlessly if you know anything about children) that few were the children who were actually liable to do so for long, and it was only a matter of time before some bright spark decided to try catching it with their teeth.

* ComicBook/TheJoker resorts to these all the time, when he's not directly using a clown- or comedy motif. Even then, it's pretty common he'll resort to something that actually ''is'' harmless as a fakeout, knowing people will assume the worst anyway.
* In the comic version of ''ComicBook/TheTick,'' one villain incapacitates The Tick with a device called "the Happy Apple".
* The ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' villain Toyman is basically a professional HappyFunBall manufacturer.

* The Ultimate Nullifier of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse is about the size and shape of a cell phone, curved on three sides and flat on the fourth, with a couple widdly little protrusions. It could destroy the universe if used right, and will likely destroy the user whether used wrong ''or'' right. Contrast, say, the Infinity Gauntlet, which looks ''exactly'' like the kind of glove you would want for punching gods in the face.
* In the 1974 ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' story "Top to Bottom," a children's toy that looks vaguely like a high-tech 3D labyrinth game proves to be a potential world-wrecking device when used unwisely. Borderline terrifying.
* [[MadScientist Brainstorm]] in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers'' has an otherwise inconspicuous briefcase that he says contains a "Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen." If anyone but him opens the briefcase, the thing that they least expect will suddenly appear and kill them. [[spoiler:It turns out that this is all a lie- the briefcase is actually linked a bunch of different briefcases that each contain a single piece of a time machine that's specially constructed so as to be immune to the GrandfatherParadox]].

** Weaponized by Zim in ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' by Zim when he mutates the class pet (a hamster named Peepi) into a {{Kaiju}}. Despite being a city-destroying monstrosity it's still so cute that the military has problems fighting it.

* A company that customizes guns created the Block19, which is a Glock pistol covered in colorful Lego-style bricks. [[https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/7/14/22577155/how-provo-utah-company-caused-uproar-gun-covered-legos-look-like-toy]]. The uproar focused on how children would mistake one for a toy; another issue is if one is used by, say, a bank robber, and security guards would ''also'' assume it's a toy -- until it's too late.

* Richard Corben wrote a short comic called "Top to Bottom" where a children's toy that looks vaguely like a high-tech 3D labyrinth game proves to be a potential world-wrecking device when used unwisely. Borderline terrifying.
** Actually Corben only drew the comic; it was written by Jack Butterworth and is a short story in Vampirella #33 (1974).

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': [[spoiler: The Hougyoku]] is a simple, tarnished orb when it's first introduced. Aizen even remarks that it's strange that such a simple object could be so powerful.

* [[MadScientist Brainstorm]] in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers'' has an otherwise inconspicuous briefcase that he says contains a "Malevolent Counterintuitive Pathogen." If anyone but him opens the briefcase, the thing that they least expect will suddenly appear and kill them. [[spoiler: It turns out that this is all a lie- the briefcase is actually linked a bunch of different briefcases that each contain a single piece of a time machine that's specially constructed so as to be immune to the GrandfatherParadox]].

* In the ''Film/TankGirl'' movie, there is a murder-ball - a harmless little metal ball but if you hold press the hidden button, spikes will come out and impale your hand, pretty much putting you out of the rest of the fight. Also can be activated by the sound of "clapping twice".

--> '''Anthony''': Such an innocent looking little ball of endless despair. Who could possibly imagine that this tennis ball sized black orb would contain so much terror?

* In ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'', the villain Dollface is said to have specialized in innocuous-looking dolls full of powerful miniaturized super technology. Dollface herself is only mentioned, but her work - a gravity manipulating doll to be more precise - is used in [[EvilGenius Doctor]] [[VillainProtagonist Impossible's]] doomsday device to [[spoiler: move the moon at will, controlling the Earth's orbit and thus the temperature of the Earth]].

** ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' has an entire town of this trope called Odiare, where [[spoiler: Evil Pinocchio regularly murders all the adults too old to play with him.]]
** There's also the Bag of Devouring - seems to be an ordinary sack, or possibly a BagOfHolding. It's actually the mouth of an extradimensional ExtremeOmnivore. Store your magic items in it? You'll be very disappointed when you try to retrieve them. Stick your hand in it? You'd better have a damn good Grapple modifier.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' is FILLED with these. The throwing mechanics are so broken, throwing laundry around will kill all involved, while passing Necromancers will often create an army of walking Fluffy Wambler corpses just to piss you off. And then there are the Giant Sponges - with no nervous system, the only thing they can feel is ANGER.

-->'''Cave Johnson''': Oh, in case you got covered in that repulsion gel, here's some advice that the lab boys gave me: do ''not'' get covered in the repulsion gel. We haven't entirely nailed down what element it is yet, but I'll tell you this: it's a lively one, and it does ''not'' like the [[BodyHorror human skeleton]].

** And the Euclid Finder in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', seemingly a harmless toy gun... which is in fact a target finder for a ''KillSat''. If you decide to arm said satellite ''before'' retrieving the Finder from its current owner - a small child using it, predictably, as a toy - one of your companions may remark how ''incredibly'' lucky you were that the safety was still on.

* In ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' the Little Birdie is a cute little white bird-looking creature, first seen unsuccessfully and humorously attempting to get on top of a large fruit, but turns out to be [[spoiler: the juvenile form of a clone of Ridley, the Space Pirate general who decimated her home planet of K-2L, and had been kept as a pet by oblivious researchers until it dismembered one and escaped.]] Wow. Although the more perceptive players (and Samus herself) will suspect that it's not as it seems, especially with regard to how it appears to apparate behind Samus before she goes through the door into the Navigation Room, staring at her with its beady little eyes.
* In the [[VideoGame/DadSeries Dadgame]], defeating [[OptionalBoss Mecha Death]] earns you... a ''[[LethalJokeWeapon cat launcher]]''. Which deals damage. And is the longest range weapon of the game, especially if you charge it up - the cat gets sent ''flying across the screen''.

* ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxTheDevilsPlayhouse'': The "Toys of Power" are seemingly ordinary toys that grant those with "The Gift" psychic powers. For example, a deck of cards gives users the ability to read minds, while a powerful anti-EldritchAbomination weapon called the "Cthonic Destroyer" takes the form of [[spoiler: a little tin robot]].

** The Castle also has a [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090724 "Happy Fun Ball of Death"]] (yes, that ''is'' it's official name) on a [[BigLabyrinthineBuilding week-long rotation]] - these sorts of names seem to be a running theme for the old Heterodynes.

*** Don't forget his lethal ElectricJoyBuzzer. This one was turned against him in the ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' {{crossover}} when Static easily absorbed the electricity - [[ShockAndAwe then gave it back]].

** Older sets are still out there, of course, and other countries might not ban them (of course, many other countries might have had the sense not to make the damn things in the first place). Also, you can buy the parts legally in the U.S. and still assemble them yourself. There are also all-plastic models which can be sold in both countries - still hurt if you throw them at people, but no more likely to cause bleeding than any other weighted plastic toy you can buy legally.

*** Prior to automation - and in places or companies where there is minimal automation - the processing of sugar cane juice into granulated sugar is insanely dangerous for this exact reason. During later reduction boils, when the juice has become more of a molasses-viscosity syrup, steam pops and splatters fling what is essentially sugar napalm. Getting this on the skin is a guaranteed terrible scar. Even immediately dunking the limb (or whatever) into water won't prevent the injury; between the thermal damage and the strength with which the cooled syrup bonds to the skin ensures that there will be a bad and permanent scar left behind.

* Bridget from ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' has weapons included a yo-yo and a teddy bear, both capable of sprouting sawblades or shooting out jets of flames.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' features the infamous [[UnsettlingGenderreveal Bridget]]. Less famous is the fact that Bridget's weapons included a yo-yo and a teddy bear, both capable of sprouting sawblades or shooting out jets of flames.

* How about the [[http://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/info/Metropolitan_underground_locomotive,_110V_%28Hornby%29 original Hornby "high voltage" Electric Train Set]]? 110V of alternating current running through the model track is a bit more than "ouchy" if you put your finger on the rail. The first version even had a rheostatic controller with a switch sweeping across completely unprotected metal contacts. Threats of legal action led Hornby to first redesign the controller to cover up the contacts, and then reduce the voltage to a much safer level.

* The unimpressive little [[http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20070929 box]] from ''ComicBook/{{Buck Godot|Zap Gun for Hire}}''. Also, possibly [[SpeechImpairedAnimal the Winslow]]. "[[CatchPhrase Hi!]]"

* ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' movie: An innocuous-looking radio proved to be the Decepticon Frenzy. And the movieverse version of Frenzy is even more terrifying. When he's eventually knocked in half, what's left of him is enough to, with a bit of shifting as parts, function as a killer robot and hide as [[spoiler:an equally innocent-looking cell phone]]. MoreThanMeetsTheEye, indeed.

* OlderThanFeudalism: PandorasBox (or Jar) from Myth/GreekMythology was designed to look fun, exciting, and interesting. The gods ''wanted'' Epimetheus to open it.

* Hannelore in ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' has a roomba. At first the most heinous thing it does is threaten the standing of [[RobotBuddy Winslow]]. Then Marten comforts Hanners. The thing somehow ''pulls a knife'', believing Marten was making a move on "its woman".

** Later, its PowerLevel climbs to '''[[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1057 over nine thousand!!]]'' Then it [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1557 evolves]], goes searching for [[CoitusEnsues true love]]. [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1594 And apparently finds it.]] Once they outnumber us, we're ''[[http://questionablecontent.net./view.php?comic=1643 doomed]]''.

* Booby-trap bombs are intentionally made to look harmless, or attract positive attention. The Nazis had exploding chocolate bars ("flyer's chocolate", quality German chocolate laced with quality German meth, had quite a reputation), and often abandoned stylish helmets with stylish live grenades inside; the Japanese booby-trapped bottles of sake, but mostly preferred covered pits with pungi sticks; the Vietcong left their flags flying defiantly in positions they abandoned, with explosives on the flagpoles. Other perennial booby-trap designs include ration packs (especially the enemy's) and envelopes, and reportedly the VC had bombs that looked like bathroom scales.

* In the [[VideoGame/DadSeries Dadgame]], defeating [[BonusBoss Mecha]] [[ThatOneBoss Death]] earns you... a ''[[LethalJokeWeapon cat launcher]]''. Which deals damage. And is the longest range weapon of the game, especially if you charge it up - the cat gets sent ''flying across the screen''.

* The TropeNamer comes from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmqeZl8OI2M the "Happy Fun Ball" sketch]] on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. It's a [[MyLittlePanzer kid's toy]] with [[LongList an increasingly long number]] [[NoProductSafetyStandards of bizarre disclaimers]], containing warnings such as "[[HyperDestructiveBouncingBall May suddenly accelerate to unsafe speeds]]", "If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, seek shelter and cover head", "Happy Fun Ball is being shipped to Saudi Arabia and is being dropped by our troops on Iraq," and the immortal "[[DoNotTauntCthulhu Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.]]"

*** No, they're not making any of these up. Though thankfully in the custard explosion, no one was killed. The same can't be said for the previous two.

* As expected, a lot of the stuff contained by the Wiki/SCPFoundation, such as [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-018 SCP-018]].

* Gordon Freeman tries to pull this off with a hand grenade in ''Machinima/FreemansMind''. It doesn't work very well.

* ''Manga/InuYasha'': If it's a simple-looking orb you're looking for, look no further than the [[DismantledMacGuffin Shikon no Tama (Jewel of the Four Souls)]], which is the size of a large marble. Sealed within it are the souls of a demonic horde and priestess trapped in an eternal battle. Even a tiny shard of it can make give a demon or human a powerful upgrade, and the first time we see it it's represented as a tacky key-chain. [[spoiler:It's eventually revealed to be the true [[UltimateEvil villain]] of the series, manipulating even [[BigBad Naraku]]]].