History Main / OneHitKIll

* Another notable Japanese naval example from the Second World War was the loss of the aircraft-carrier/flagship ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi Akagi]]'' in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway Battle of Midway]]. During the Battle, the Japanese Carrier Forces were in the process of refueling & rearming their planes to launch an attack on the US Fleet; however (by sheer chance) American Carrier Planes managed to attack the Japanese fleet at this exact moment to devastating results. In the ''Akagi's'' case, she was hit only by a single aerial bomb. Ordinarily, this would not have been fatal damage; however the bomb hit & detonated within the main hangar deck when it was littered with bombs, torpedoes & aviation fuel to be used for the upcoming assault. Because of this, the ''Akagi'' was quickly engulfed in flames that proved impossible to control, made worse by the fact that after several hours burning the carrier lost ''all'' power, [[FailsafeFailure even emergency power]], which destroyed any chance of putting out the fires to save her. Realizing how hopeless the situation was for the ship, Admiral Yamamoto ordered the ''Akagi'' scuttled.

* Another notable Japanese naval example from the Second World War was the loss of the carrier flagship ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi Akagi]]'' in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway Battle of Midway]]. During the Battle, the Japanese Carrier Forces were in the process of refueling & rearming their planes to launch an attack on the US Fleet; however (by sheer chance) American Carrier Planes managed attack the Japanese fleet at this exact moment to devastating results. In the ''Akagi's'' case, she was hit only by a single aerial bomb. Ordinarily, this would not have been fatal damage; however the bomb hit & detonated within the main hangar deck when it was littered with bombs, torpedoes & aviation fuel to be used for the upcoming assault. Because of this, the ''Akagi'' was quickly engulfed in flames that proved impossible to control, made worse by the fact that after several hours burning the carrier lost ''all'' power, which destroyed any chance of putting out the fires to save her. Realizing how hopeless the situation was for the ship, Admiral Yamamoto personally ordered the ''Akagi'' scuttled.

** The Death Star plays this both ways. One shot from the superlaser at a target ''planet'' creates [[EarthShatteringKaboom the planetary equivalent]] of the ChunkySalsaRule. Whereas a single proton torpedo to the thermal exhaust port, and the Death Star -- the size of a moon with a crew numbering in the millions -- turns itself into a planet-sized firework.
** This is how the famous "who shot first" is resolved. Han shoots and kills Greedo with a single shot before Greedo can react.
** Despite how badass and unique Darth Maul is in ''[[Film/ThePhantomMenace Phantom Menace]]'' many forget he is the ''only'' major film antagonist to be taken out ([[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe sliced in half]]) in one slash by Obi-Wan. Kylo Ren (BigBadWannabe) in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' in contrast got up again after taking a slash to face from Rey's Lightsaber strike.
** General Grievous from ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' survived mutiple Lightsaber strikes and having his arms sliced off thanks to being a {{Cyborg}}. But thanks to his heart being [[AttackItsWeakPoint left vulnerable]] Obi-Wan just shoots him dead with [[CombatPragmatism common blaster]].

Usually, the One-Hit Kill comes at a price. Sometimes it's a DangerousForbiddenTechnique which to use requires [[CastFromHitPoints Casting From Hit Points]] or [[CastFromLifeSpan life span]], other times it's just [[AwesomeButImpractical really hard to pull off]], or [[DeathOrGloryAttack leaves you wide open for a counterattack]]. One-Hit Kills are a [[StockRPGSpells common spell]] in {{R|olePlayingGame}}PGs. In video [=RPG=]s, it's frequently a UselessUsefulSpell because of [[PowerfulButInaccurate low hit rates]], [[ContractualBossImmunity inability to affect bosses]], or a prohibitive cost required to cast it, if not all three combined. {{Tabletop RPG}}s, by contrast, have a history of letting [[LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards those pesky spellcasters]] make these spells ''insufficiently'' useless, turning many fights into a mere QuickDraw contest. In martial arts, it frequently takes the form of the TouchOfDeath. If it only works at the start of a fight, it's a BackStab. If it only works at the end of a fight, it's a FinishingMove. If ''every'' enemy attack is a one-hit kill, the protagonist is a OneHitPointWonder. If ''every'' attack by both you and the enemy is a one-hit kill, you get RocketTagGameplay.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In "[[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E1InThroesOfIncreasingWonder In Throes of Increasing Wonder...]]", Lestat de Lioncourt ''literally'' [[TearOffYourFace defaces]] a priest with a single SuperSpeed punch through the latter's head.

* Goldberg's Jackhammer was this, helped by the fact that it was almost always preceded by the spear, which one could argue was the true finisher. Few people have kicked out of it: one being Wrestling/HulkHogan (who did so because Kevin Nash was supposed to interfere and break up the pin, but Nash was slow getting to the ring) another being Brock Lesnar.

[[quoteright:190:[[VideoGame/{{Fallout}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloody_mess_fo3.png]]]]

** Heavy hitters like [[Characters/IncredibleHulkBruceBanner The Incredible Hulk]] and Characters/TheThing [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcRU2rXasHUj1EWe7pYVzWDH76-evhfJyL2QEg&usqp=CAU are]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/powerlisting/images/6/6a/Megaton_Punch_by_The_Thing.jpeg/revision/latest?cb=20180622221847 fond]] of this.
** [[Characters/TheMightyThorThorOdinson Thor]] [[https://web.archive.org/web/20220107152717/https://comicvine1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/7/78977/1857806-thor_one_shots_namor.jpg knocks out]] [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]] with one punch in ''[[ComicBook/TheInvadersMarvelComics Invaders #33]]''.

** Despite being touted as "Street-level" [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]] has done this ''a lot'', likely due to Spidey having the necessary [[SuperStrength strength]] to knock [[Characters/IncredibleHulkBruceBanner The Incredible Hulk]] around. The more average or even some higher-level foes don't stand a chance when Peter Parker [[YouWouldntLikeMeWhenImAngry gets serious]].
*** Early example with [[JerkJock Flash Thompson]] who made the dear mistake of challenging Peter to a boxing match, Peter ''tried'' using just a fraction of his strength to end the bout before Flash got hurt. But even a love tap from Peter sent [[https://i.stack.imgur.com/nDuRR.jpg Flash flying]].

*** Happens in ComicBook/DarkReign where [[Characters/MarvelComicsNormanOsborn Norman Osborn]], who had [[VillainousBreakdown long since gone off the deep end]], is ranting madly and gets [[http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4irVuZamOhA/S7y4NPN-iVI/AAAAAAAAA9M/eDGTL0uIagw/s1600/Blog+Sunday+7feb10+360.jpg quickly]] [[ShutUpHannibal silenced]] by his ArchEnemy.

*** It's revealed in ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', that Peter [[AfraidOfTheirOwnStrength is holding back]] ''all the time'' as Doc-Ock discovers [[GrandTheftMe when he takes over Peter's body]] and punches Scorpion in the face, [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/46/68/9c/46689c52746718fa8055b9280435f8d0.jpg tearing his jaw off]].
*** One of the coolest examples is the MegatonPunch Spider-Man [[https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11128/111284868/6452852-0051843835-RCO04.jpg does against Red Goblin]] after rebounding with the [[TheSymbiote Venom symbiote]].

** Thanos himself is a fan of this trope using his [[SuperStrength insane strength]] to murder [[https://boundingintocomics.com/files/2018/02/Thanos-Kills-War-Machine1.jpg War Machine]], [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcS0Be39NtxiJY_Vg8EEeUBoKG_WGlUhpBPeQQ&usqp=CAU Star Lord]], [[https://boundingintocomics.com/files/2018/02/Thanos-Kills-Sam-Wilson-e1519667217156.jpg Falcon]] and [[https://boundingintocomics.com/files/2018/02/Thanos-Mentor2.jpg Mentor]] (his [[{{Patricide}} own father]]) with a single attack.

* Marv from ''ComicBook/SinCity'' never seems to have to hit a person a second time (although sometimes he does anyway). The only exception to this rule was Manute, who was just as big and powerful as he was and required a hell of a beating to take down.

** ''Series/TicTacDough'': The "red box" "Bonus Category," which immediately allowed the contestant another turn if he/she answered a three-part question correctly. The categories were moved to other boxes after the question, and the "Bonus Category" always appeared in an adjacent box or other space that allowed him/her to set up and eventually complete a TabletopGame/TicTacToe. Played correctly –- and it often was – a tic-tac-toe was completed without the opponent getting a chance to play (although he/she was always invited back to play the next game). Eventually, in the interest of fair play, the category was retired, in lieu of the modified "Double-or-Nothing."

* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', skinny wimp George [=McFly=] hits his long-time tormentor [[BarbaricBully Biff Tannen]] with a single left hook after he [[BerserkButton shoves Lorraine to the floor]]. Biff spins over on the spot, falls back against the car behind him, and slumps to the pavement completely out cold. One of the most satisfying moments in film.

* Another notable Japanese naval example from the Second World War was the loss of the carrier flagship ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi Akagi]]'' in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway Battle of Midway]]. During the Battle, the Japanese Carrier Forces were in the process of refueling & rearming their planes to launch an attack on the US Fleet; however (by sheer chance) American Carrier Planes managed attack the Japanese fleet at this exact moment to devastating results. In the ''Akagi's'' case, she was hit only by a single aerial bomb. Ordinarily, this would not have been fatal damage; however the bomb hit & detonated within the main hangar deck when it was littered with munitions & aviation fuel to be used for the upcoming assault. Because of this, the ''Akagi'' was quickly engulfed in flames that proved impossible to control, made worse by the fact that after several hours burning the carrier lost ''all'' power, which destroyed any chance of putting out the fires to save her. Realizing how hopeless the situation was for the ship, Admiral Yamamoto personally ordered the ''Akagi'' scuttled.

* Another notable Japanese naval example from the Second World War was the loss of the carrier flagship ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi Akagi]]'' in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway Battle of Midway]]. During the Battle, the Japanese Carrier Forces were in the process of refueling & rearming their planes to launch an attack on the US Fleet; however, by sheer chance, American Carrier Planes managed attack the Japanese fleet to devastating results. In the ''Akagi's'' case, she was hit only by a single aerial bomb from an American Dive Bomber. Ordinarily, this would not have been fatal damage; however the bomb hit & detonated within the main hangar deck when it was littered with munitions & aviation fuel for the upcoming assault. Because of this, the ''Akagi'' was quickly engulfed in flames that proved impossible to control, made worse by the fact that after several hours burning the ship lost ''all'' power, which destroyed any chance of putting out the fires to save the ship. Realizing how hopeless the situation was for the carrier, Admiral Yamamoto personally ordered the ''Akagi'' scuttled.

* The Tombstone Piledriver: In the two decades that Wrestling/TheUndertaker has been using it, you can count the amount of people who have even kicked out of it ''once'' on your fingers. In fact, when Wrestling/ShawnMichaels kicked out of it at ''Wrestling/{{WrestleMania}} XXV'', the look on Undertaker's face and reaction of the commentators was akin to "[[ThisCannotBe That did not just happen]]!"
* Wrestling/KentaKobashi's Burning Hammer can actually one-up on the Tombstone: ''nobody'' has ever kicked out of it. As a result, he's only used it seven times to maintain its special-ness. [[MemeticMutation Well, eight if you include the time he used it on his cancer]].

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'', the boss of the [[spoiler:75th]] floor. It's bad enough that [[spoiler:the only door out closes and disappears, and teleport crystals don't work, so the raid group is trapped until they either win or get wiped out]]. But on top of that, it also one-shots almost everyone unlucky enough to get hit by it. Most of the fighters are [[OhCrap suitably terrified]]. By the end, [[spoiler:14 out of 32 are gone]].

* Another notable Japanese naval example from the Second World War was the loss of the carrier flagship ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi Akagi]]'' in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway Battle of Midway]]. During the Battle, the Japanese Carrier Forces were in the process of refueling & rearming their planes to launch an attack on the US Fleet; however, by sheer chance, American Carrier Planes managed attack the Japanese fleet to devastating results. In the ''Akagi's'', she was hit by only a single aerial bomb from an American Dive Bomber. Ordinarily, this would not be fatal damage; however the bomb hit & detonated within the main hangar deck when it was littered with munitions & aviation fuel for the upcoming assault. Because of this, the ''Akagi'' was quickly engulfed in flames that proved impossible to control, made worse by the fact that after several hours burning the ship lost ''all'' power, which destroyed any chance of putting out the fire to save the ship. Realizing how hopeless the situation was for the carrier, Admiral Yamamoto personally ordered the ''Akagi'' scuttled.