History Main / PressurePoint

* In an episode of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' , Ziva uses her Mossad interrogation techniques to obtain information about a kidnap victim. Although what actually happens is mostly left to the viewers' imaginations, the woman being interrogated is at one point convinced to answer a question because the threat of death later is not as scary as Ziva tweaking her shoulder now.

* The Operative in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' does this to paralyze people preparatory to executing them with his sword. [[spoiler: It doesn't work on Mal because that nerve cluster had to be moved by the surgeons because of a war injury. Mal realizes what the Operative was trying to do though and plays along until he can catch the Operative by surprise and deliver a paralyzing blow of his own.]]

[[caption-width-right:320:[[Music/LLCoolJ Momma said]] [[{{Pun}} Spock you out!]]]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', our BadassBookworm hero Hiccup accidentally discovers through playing with his Dragon friend Toothless that you can render ''any'' dragon unconscious with a '''single''' finger by pressing an acupuncture point on their necks between the aorta and the larynx.

** Franchise/{{Batman}}

** ComicBook/KittyPryde

** ComicBook/LadyShiva
** ComicBook/{{Batgirl}}-- specifically, Cassandra Cain. [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 After a mook she was fighting]] shot and killed one of his own men by accident, she temporarily ''stopped his heart'' to give him an idea of what he'd done.

** ComicBook/{{Gamora}} [[https://imgur.com/a/QHjbI is capable of this.]] According to Thanos, he's the only one who could survive such a move.
** ComicBook/BlackCat displays the ability to use pressure points in her 90s miniseries.

--->'''ComicBook/LoisLane:''' "Notices the two extended fingers! I think this Faora overcame Superman with a secret fighting technique... One of the Kryptonian equivalents of Karate or Aikido! Not Klurkor-- I know that art myself-- but some other kind!"\\
'''ComicBook/JimmyOlsen:''' Of course! She knew the pressure points where she could inflict the most damage!"\\
'''Steve Lombard:''' "Come off it, guys-- If you expect me to believe one measly little pressure point could-- Hey! Owwwwww!"\\
'''Lois Lane:''' "I picked up this measly little trick from a policewoman pal of mine! If I used Klurkor or Karate-- It would hurt even more!"\\
'''Steve Lombard:''' "Okay, okay, I give! Just let go!"

'''Linda:''' (annoyed) There's no such thing as an ancient Kryptonian memory erasure pressure point.\\
'''Belinda:''' (shrugging) True enough.

* Tai Lung in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' uses pressure points to paralyze his victims. (The same technique was also used on him by Master Oogway in the {{Flashback}}.) Used in a more comical fashion when a misplaced acupuncture needle causes Po to make a funny face... and maybe stop his heart, because Mantis can't get to the correct pressure points due to Po's fat. [[spoiler:This ends up as a ChekhovsSkill since all the fat insulating him [[{{Kevlard}} renders him immune to Tai Lung's attack]].]]

* The liver is a popular target in boxing, kickboxing and UsefulNotes/MuayThai, as enough strikes to it can leave an opponent believing he is going to die for some minutes before he recovers normally. UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts champion Creator/BasRutten was especially skilled with those, to the point he used to incapacitate opponents with just a well-placed knee or punch to the liver.

If a pressure point pops up in fictional media, expect it to involve a character's [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak poinjt

* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' comics:
** The villainess Faora Hu-Ul likes to use these techniques. Since she has SuperStrength, they can even work on Superman, to the point that in ''ComicBook/TheGreatPhantomPeril'', Faora's techniques force Superman to ''run away''.

* Technically speaking, you can knock someone out by pinching them. If you're able to obstruct their carotid arteries, they can go out within seconds.

** Though LostInTranslation, CriticalHits in the original Japanese language are refered to as having hit a target's pressure point.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' games, Acupressure is a move that raises a [[OneStatToRuleThemAll random stat]] of the user or ally.

*** In the episode "Journey to Babel", it's revealed that in ancient times Vulcans used a different (though possibly related) neck grip as their standard method of execution. While modern Vulcans are opposed to violence and no longer execute anyone under any circumstance, the old martial arts have not been forgotten and can kill with a single touch.

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeason1'': [[WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures Uncle]] uses this to knock a Lurden unconscious in "The Key". [[WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}} Yan Lin]] does the same to Hak Foo in "Divide and Conquer - Chaos and Hilarity"; she says that she learned it from ''Franchise/StarTrek''.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS10E9MayoredToTheMob Mayored to the Mob]]", where Homer acquires the skill off disabling people for half an hour using the Spock touch. Promptly he applies this technique on his family members just for fun and even on himself in order to skip the 30 minutes waiting time until supper. Though in Homer's case, he whacks his head on the kitchen table as he falls down.

** Happosai also used it as a full-on therapy to turn a [[IllGirl sickly, bedridden child]] into a LifeEnergy-draining accomplice, who was stuck as a child because of it, but [[DualAgeModes regains her true adult body]] upon [[EnergyAbsorption absorbing]] {{Battle Aura}}s or {{Ki Manipulation}}s. A similar therapy can seal away this power, but [[ThanksForTheMammary the location of the pressure points]] make it [[AccidentalPervert a dicey proposition]].

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series has the recurring [[Literature/TheElderScrollsInUniverseBooks in-game book]], ''Night Falls on Sentinel'', in which an assassin named Jomic describes various pressure points to a potential client, and boasts about how he can exploit them to kill someone with a light tap on the head, or knock someone out without leaving so much as a bruise. The 'client' in question turns out to be a knight with a warrant for Jomic's arrest, who quickly subdues him and [[ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine decides to use Jomic's own pressure points to torture him]].

** Parodied in one episode when Gabrielle tries it, but it has no effect even though she poked the guy in the same spot that Xena usually goes for.

Although rarely portrayed in a realistic fashion, the existence of pressure points is decidedly TruthInTelevision. There are many points on the body that are particularly vulnerable such as nerve clusters, joints, blood vessels, the windpipe, [[EyeScream the eyes]] and the [[GroinAttack groin]]. Striking with enough force or applying sufficient pressure to these areas can cause anything from pain and discomfort to [[YouAreAlreadyDead severe structural damage and death]], though said pressure typically excedes greatly the classic finger-pinching shown in media and is much less reliable that it might sound.

* Tai Lung in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' uses pressure points to paralyze his victims. (The same technique was also used on him by Master Oogway in the {{Flashback}}.) Used in a more comical fashion when a misplaced acupuncture needle causes Po to make a funny face... and maybe stop his heart, because Mantis can't get to the correct pressure points due to Po's fat. [[spoiler:This ends up as a ChekhovsSkill since all the fat insulating him [[DisabilityImmunity renders him immune to Tai Lung's attack]].]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' episode "The French Connection Caper", just when Coach Brunt was about to crush Carmen to [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence death by bear hugging her]], [[DeusExMachina Shadow-san]] suddenly stuns Brunt unconscious with the Vulcan nerve pinch, saving Carmen's life.

** Tohru does this once at least, as does Jade [[GrandTheftMe (when possessed by Shendu).]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': At the start of the race to the cast trailers in "[[Recap/TotalDramaMonsterCash Monster Cash]]", Harold chops Trent between the shoulder and the neck to incapacitate him so Harold can get ahead.