History Main / NeverBringAKnifeToAGunfight

** Subverted quite nicely in [[http://girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php this page]], when Tiktoffen chides Agatha for "bringing a spanner(wrench) to a knife fight";

* Subverted in ''InfiniteStratos'', as the protagonist's [[TheBrigadier older sister]] explains how he lacks the experience necessary to use projectile weapons, and must make the best of his {{kendo}} training and his IS's [[{{BFS}} Yukihira-2]].

** One of many reasons the Bayonet was invented. Shoot is he's far, fight if he's near.

Examples:

** In ''RaidersOfTheLostArk'', the famous scene where Indy shoots the swordsman.

* Subverted in ''V for Vendetta''. V constantly faces enemies armed with guns, but consistently beats them with his superior use of knives.

* KillBill Vol. 2 seems to employ this rule. When the Bride charges in with her sword, Budd is able to briefly subdue her with a shotgun. In a flashback scene, she is shown in a MexicanStandoff with a shotgun-toting assassin. She didn't seem concerned with grabbing any bladed weapons.

** Earlier in ''The Untouchables'', Jimmy Malone tells Eliot Ness: "If he pulls a knife, you pull a gun."

Both a StockPhrase and a staple of the [[ActionAdventureTropes Action genre]]. A character comes into the scene armed with what he thinks is sufficient, only to find out he is severely outclassed weapon-wise, because he brought the entirely wrong ''type'' of weapon (usually the superior weapon is revealed after the first person has committed to a fight). Could lead to a CurbStompBattle (which would make it a PreMortemOneLiner, or maybe a BondOneLiner if uttered after), or the character running for his life.

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]

* [[FanFic/ForgedInFire Forged In Fire]] has Brutus Bones say this exactly, after shooting a knife-wielding antagonist.

* ''TheUntouchables'', as noted in the page quote. Partly a subversion, since [[spoiler: the knife guy had backup, with bigger guns]].
** Earlier in ''TheUntouchables'', Jimmy Malone tells Eliot Ness: "If he pulls a knife, you pull a gun."
* Happens in ''BarbWire'' when a thug tries to attack Barb with a knife only to be shot by her pistol.

* In ''Hoffa'' Danny [=DeVito=] pulls out a knife he uses for defense. Hoffa's goons pull out guns. After he joins with Hoffa's crew, one of Hoffa's cronies tells him, "Give me the knife. You wanna go around, go like a white man. Get a gun."

** The KnifeNut earlier explained the various advantages knives have over guns, justifying his weapons preference. Mostly it came down to them being easier to aquire, requiring little maintenance, and never running out of bullets.

* Subverted in {{Nation}}: (paraphrased) "His gun will run out of bullets before my knife runs out of sharp."

* In an episode of {{Chuck}}, Chuck and Sarah are attacked by 3 henchmen. One of them pulls out a knife, but [[spoiler: they are saved by Chuck's mom who shoots them dead]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

-->'''Zola''': "Bringing a knife to a gun fight doesn't seem very smart, now does it?""
-->'''Agatha''': "Well, I suppose it isn't that much worse than bringing a gun to a clank fight."

[[AC:VideoGames]]

* In one possible ending of ''{{Yo-Jin-Bo}}'', the main characters - who are mostly samurai and armed with swords - are attacked by ninja with guns. The heroes die very quickly.
* In TeamFortress2, you get an achievement for the Spy by knifing to death another Spy who has his gun out.

-->"Isn't that just like a wop? Brings a knife to a gun fight." -Malone (Sean Connery), ''TheUntouchables''