History Main / OneHandedZweihander

* Guts from ''{{Berserk}}'' is quite capable of wielding his freakishly large {{BFS}}, the Dragon Slayer, using just one hand.

--> ''He's swinging that two-handed sword around with only one arm. I don't even want to get'' near ''him.''
-->-- '''Solid Snake''', ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl'', about [[MightyGlacier Ike]] from ''FireEmblem''

** When the three Lords (Eliwood, Hector, Lyndis) in ''[[FireEmblemElibe Blazing Sword]]'' [[PrestigeClass promote]], they are all granted [[InfinityPlusOneSword new weapons]]. Eliwood gets Durandal (a broadsword larger than ''[[CoolHorse his horse]]''), Hector gets Armads (a giant [[AnAxeToGrind axe]]), and Lyn gets the Sol Katti (a mammoth, [[RoyalRapier rapier-esque]] {{katana|sAreJustBetter}}). Of the three, Eliwood and Hector play the trope straight. Lyn subverts it; she holds the sword up with one hand in her standing animation, but has to swing the blade with both hands when she lunges at her foe with a jumping slash.

* Bui from ''YuYuHakusho'' wields an axe so large and heavy that it ''causes his footsteps to crack solid stone floors'', and with a single hand he can swing it faster than most humans can percieve. [[BeyondTheImpossible He uses the axe for]] CherryTapping.

-->-- '''Solid Snake''', ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl''

* Zabuza Momochi and Kisame Hoshigaki both wield their massive swords (Kubikiribōchō and Samehada, respectively) one-handed; both are very heavily built. In a recent development, Kakashi, a {{biseinen}} if ever there was one, has taken Zabuza's sword and is apparently using it with one hand, despite the damn thing being ''bigger than he is''. (The same applies to Suigetsu, who also wields the Kubikiribōchō and is even more of a bishie than Kakashi.)
** Probably due to being stronger than they look, similar to Tsunade and Sakura, though on a MUCH smaller scale strength-wise.

-->-- Solid Snake, ''SuperSmashBrosBrawl''

Say a character has a large sword. It may be anything from a regular two-handed sword, or it may be [[{{BFS}} something utterly ludicrous in size.]] Clearly this thing requires both hands for any normal person to swing it. So anyone who swings around something so huge using only one hand is obviously not normal, and not someone to be trifled with. Often they'll be able to wield this huge weapon as effectively as a 'regular' single handed weapon. In fact, it will often seem as if the enormous slab of metal weighs next to nothing, allowing the character to pull off [[ImplausibleFencingPowers ridiculous(ly awesome) feats]] that make even expert swordsmen look like amateurs. And if a guy is swinging a sword the size of a Buick around one-handed, ''what would happen if he used both hands?''

It is worth noting that real swords are in fact much lighter than one would think, and it may be quite possible to swing even a large sword using one hand, albeit with greatly reduced balance and with too low a speed to make it useful in a fight. In fictionland, however, swords tend to be ''much'' larger and heavier than would be feasible in reality, so the audience reaction is "There is no way he could use that thing one handed." '''It is not this trope if the sword or other weapon could be reasonably used one handed by a normal person.'''

* Zabuza Momochi and Kisame Hoshigaki both wield their massive swords one-handed; both are very heavily built. In a recent development Kakashi, a {{biseinen}} if ever there was one, has taken Zabuza's sword and is apparently using it with one hand, despite the damn thing being ''bigger than he is''. (The same applies to Suigetsu, who also wields the Butcher Blade and is even more of a bishie than Kakashi.)

* Pictured above is War with his {{BFS}}, Chaoseater from ''{{Darksiders}}''. That thing is at least eight feet long and two feet wide. War swings it around in his right hand like it weighs next to nothing. His other hand is a PowerFist. Even a depowered [[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse Horseman of the Apocalypse]] gives [[FinalFantasyVII Cloud]] a run for his money.

* In Ultima7, there is a character, Dupre, that comes with a Two Handed Sword (which is one of the best weapon in the game, magical or not) in just ONE hand, and a shield in the other. It's a bug, since moving the sword to his backpack and then back to his hand makes him to use in both hands, but is awesome nevertheless.

Using a melee weapon in one hand which is obviously meant to be swung in both hands.

** The BlackKnight also does this with his Alondite, which ''dwarfs'' its sister sword Ragnell (but shares a "weight" of 20). Ashnard, the BigBad of ''Path of Radiance'', also wields his lance-esque sword Gurgant with one hand.

Say a character has a large sword. It may be anything from a regular two handed sword, or it may be [[{{BFS}} something utterly ludicrous in size.]] Clearly this thing requires both hands for any normal person to swing it. So anyone who swings around something so huge using only one hand is obviously not normal, and not someone to be trifled with. Often they'll be able to wield this huge weapon as effectively as a 'regular' single handed weapon. In fact, it will often seem as if the enormous slab of metal weighs next to nothing, allowing the character to pull off [[ImplausibleFencingPowers ridiculous(ly awesome) feats]] that make even expert swordsmen look like amateurs. This all serves to make the wielder seem more powerful in the audiences mind, as doing this signifies that the character possesses great physical strength. Also, If a guy is swinging a sword the size of a Buick around one handed, ''imagine what would happen if he used both his hands?''

Obviously, trying to wield a large sword using one hand in reality is a good way to give yourself a hernia. The [[TropeNamer trope naming]] German Zweihänder for example, is sometimes cited as being over seven feet long. And ''named'' for the requirement that it be wielded with "two hands". Trying to swing something that large around with just one hand would be impossible to do with any degree of skill.

It is worth noting that real swords are in fact much lighter than one would think, and it may be quite possible to swing even a large sword using one hand, albeit with greatly reduced balance and with too low a speed to make it useful in a fight. However, in fictionland, swords tend to be ''much'' larger and heavier than would be feasible in reality, hence the audiences reaction is "There is no way he could use that thing one handed." '''It is not this trope if the sword or other weapon could be reasonably used one handed by a normal person.'''

* In [[RanmaOneHalf]], Ryoga's umbrella turns out to be so incredibly heavy that Akane can barely lift it. Yet, as she observes, Ryoga wields it in one hand like a normal person with a normal umbrella, tipping her off to his monstrous natural strength.

* In ''DarkSouls'', it's possible to use many very large weapons one-handed, including an actual zweihander (you won't want to, though, because unless you're ''very'' strong, your attacks will be slow and easy to dodge/counter). You can also invert it by holding a small dagger with both hands.

* In ''DarkSouls'', it's possible to use many very large weapons one-handed, including an actual zweihander. You can also invert it by holding a small dagger with both hands.

Obviously, trying to wield a large sword using one hand in reality is a good way to give yourself a hernia. The German Zweihänder for example, is sometimes cited as being over seven feet long. Trying to swing something that large around with just one hand would be impossible to do with any degree of skill.