History Main / LightningGun

* The schtick of "The Lightning", the BigBad of the 1938 FilmSerial ''The Fighting Devil Dogs''. Needless to say the Lightning Bug in the GagDub parody ''Film/JMenForever'' uses some of his scenes.

* In ''Literature/LoneHuntress'', this is one of the weapons in Lisa's ArmCannon. Since she doesn't have the power capacity to match an actual lightning storm, it's less of a lethal weapon and more of a ranged taser.

* One of the Prawn weapons in ''Film/District9'' is a LightningGun that appears to home in on targets and completely ''splatters them all over the surrounding scenery''.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': Gilgamesh Wulfenbach has one, and it's been a ChekhovsGun. And he has used it (in conjunction with other devices) to call down lightning. The later use of his hand-held scepter is closer to the "classic" LightningGun. [[MadScientist Agatha, Tarvek, and Othar]] have [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121123 improved]] Gil's gun. [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121126 Immensely.]] [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20121219 Impressively.]]

* Master firebenders in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', such as Iroh, Azula, and Firelord Ozai don't use actual guns, but fire off lightning bolts in a very similar fashion. Zuko, Aang, and Iroh can also catch lightning and redirect it. The "physics" behind it - separating negative and positive ki - is very reminiscent of polarizing the air or targets as several above weapons do.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Fire from Olympus", having becomed delusional to think he's the king of the gods, shipping magnate Maximillion Zeus steals a military prototype Electron Discharge Cannon which is powerful enough to obliterate an entire building. He then mounts it in his Olympus-styled penthouse, which is high enough that he can blast anything in Gotham at a whim.

* {{Creator/Filmation}} 1960's cartoons
** ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfBatman'' series episodes
*** "Partners in Peril". The Penguin's umbrella shoots out a lightning bolt to fry a police communications console.
*** "My Crime Is Your Crime". The Penguin uses a trick rack of pool cues that fire a bolt of electricity, knocking out the Dynamic Duo.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Superboy}}'' series episodes
*** "Superboy's Strangest Foe". Two aliens use lightning pistols to destroy a railroad trestle.

** ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' has the somewhat unstable Skaven Warp Lightning Cannon, which fires magical lightning bolts of massively variable potency. Additionally there is the warp-lightning spell that Skaven warlocks can use, and a number of lightning-based attack spells in the Lore of the Heavens, which can be used to call down bolts of lightning from on high.

When this is an actual gun, it can be regarded as a [[RuleOfCool cooler]] version of the basic RayGun or flamethrower. No matter how outlandish the idea is, adding UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla as (the inspiration for) the creator will [[TeslaTechTimeline immediately suspend any disbelief a reader may have]].

Science shows like ''Mythbusters'' and others have explored the possibility. The general consensus is that it's possible in a couple of ways, but requires so many conditions/complications that the chance of creating a practical one is virtually zero.

Recently there have been a few examples of lightning gun technology deployed in real life, [[RealityIsUnrealistic though it obviously doesn't function the same as in fiction.]]

* The Clanker Tesla Cannons from ''[[Literature/{{Leviathan}} Behemoth]]'', a cluster of Tesla coils tipped with long spines, which makes it look like a radio array (the illustration, however, looks like a square-barreled cannon). It's designed to shoot down airships by simulating a lightning strike and set their hydrogen alight.
** The sequel's eponymous Goliath is a supercharged version, designed to sync up with Earth's electromagnetic field, and is powerful enough to set the air on fire. [[spoiler:At least, that's what Tesla was ''convinced'' it would do.]]

* In the novel ''Literature/TheEarTheEyeAndTheArm'', Lightning Guns make an appearance under the incredibly cool name of "Soul Stealers."

* The [[http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=208 Wunderland Treatymaker]] from ''Literature/ManKzinWars'' is a KillSat-scale, double-barreled version of a DisintegratorRay. It wouldn't fit this trope, except that Known Space Disintegrator Rays work by making all the atoms in the target temporarily positive ions. There is also a variant that makes all the atoms in the target ''negative'' ions. The Treatymaker had one barrel of each type. Correspondingly, when it was fired, a ''thirty mile long'' bar of lightning flowed between the two points where the beams touched the planetary surface.

* The Great Race of Yith from Creator/HPLovecraft's ''Literature/TheShadowOutOfTime'' are described using lightning guns. How exactly they work is not described, but apparently they look kind of like old-fashioned cameras.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'''s [[IncrediblyLamePun Lightning Strike]] (from the MSV line) is not actually an example; despite the name, its main weapon is actually a high-powered railcannon. However, in ''[[Manga/MobileSuitGundamSEEDAstray Gundam SEED Delta Astray]]'', [[TheEmpire the Earth Alliance]] obtains and modifies a Lightning Striker so its railgun can also [[HealingShiv recharge MS' batteries at a distance]].

Science shows like Mythbusters and others have explored the possibility. The general consensus is that it's possible in a couple of ways, but requires so many conditions/complications that the chance of creating a practical one is virtually zero.

** Another show set out to recreate sci-fi themes tried to create a lightning gun. While they were able to create a rudimentary one using ionized gas, it was large, clunky, short ranged, and could only be used in a specially conditioned room.

* In the 2005 film version of ''Film/WarOfTheWorlds'', the Tripods use electron particle beam weaponry.

** ''Magazine/WhiteDwarf'' magazine #28 adventure "Counterstrike": The Ralkans are based on the Martians in Creator/HGWells' ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. They have 80 foot high tripod fighting machines with lightning guns that can fire a lightning bolt up to 1/2 mile away.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Arduin}} Trilogy Volume III The Runes of Doom''. Lightning Guns (hand and rifle) fire a bolt of lightning that does electrical shock damage to their target.

* In ''Literature/TheZombieKnight'', one of the weapons that Morgunov's "Robert" combat robots can use is the aptly named "Big Scary Lightning Gun,"[[note]]Originally called the Anti-Air Scatterburst Particle Exciter, but Morgunov had to agree that Jercash's name for it was better[[/note]] which creates a spray of ionized channels in the air and then energizes them with a massive current. It's powerful enough to seriously wound multiple [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority Vanguard Generals]] with a single shot.

* ''[[TabletopGame/BattlelordsOfTheTwentyThirdCentury Battlelords of the 23rd Century]]'' supplement ''Lock N' Load: Weapons and Tactics''

* The ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' supplement ''Gadgets!'' has an Electric Gun that fires lightning bolts.
* A standard weapon produced by [[MadScientist Nockers]] in ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheDreaming''. Inserting a metal rod into a ball of pure technology, then poking the ball of technology with a stick causes lightning to shoot out of the rod. A small stick can thus be attached to a trigger of something that looks like a gun, with the metal rod in the barrel.
* The ''TabletopGame/DarkConspiracy'' supplement ''Darktek'' has the "E.T. Stun Gun". It fires a laser to ionize the air, then discharges an electric current that followed the ionization path, much like the real-world electrolaser.
* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', blue dragons have electric breath weapons and shocker lizards shock their prey.
** Also weapon enhancements that deal electricity or lightning damage can be applied to ranged weapons that then deal the damage via the ammunition.
** Likewise Wands of Lightning, which can cast Lightning Bolt spells.
** Javelin of Lightning, a classic item that on hit creates a lightning bolt blasting everything behind it.
** In the ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'' adventure ''Doors to the Unknown'', the units of the world of Logicus behind the Third Door have lightning guns.
** [[SteamPunk Cygnar]] in the TabletopGame/IronKingdoms has them too.
** ''Magazine/WhiteDwarf'' magazine #28 adventure "Counterstrike". The Ralkans are based on the Martians in Creator/HGWells' ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. They have 80 foot high tripod fighting machines with lightning guns that can fire a lightning bolt up to 1/2 mile away.

* Members of Task Force VALKYRIE in ''TabletopGame/HunterTheVigil'' can get their hands on the MJOLNIR Cannon, a man-portable electrolaser; a more powerful vehicle-mounted version also exists. It's mentioned that these weapons have a tendency to attract ''real'' lightning bolts during thunderstorms.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}'', the Level 6 Sky Boon Levin Fury lets a character fire lightning bolts as projectiles. In the canon fiction, there is even a scene with a signature character doing just that.

* Steve Jackson Games' ''TabletopGame/{{Toon}}''. The "Mektoon" section of the ''Tooniversal Tour Guide'' has a Lightning Cannon as a possible mecha weapon. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin It's a cannon that fires a Lightning Bolt]]. It doesn't just damage an enemy Mek but can fry its computer and controls as well.
* The undead aren't so fearsome when you have access to Galvanic weapons like the Van Haller Lightning Gun and its big brother, the Van Haller Death Ray (which lives up to its name) in ''TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis''. In the supplement, ''Unhallowed Necropolis'' there's even a Lightning Gun that is powered by souls.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'': [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2954 SCP-2954 ("Looping Kaiju Killing")]]. SCP-2954-1 look like radio telescopes on pedestals. They can fire an electrical arc similar to a lightning bolt.