History Main / SelfDefenseless

* [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]] likes pepper spray on his eggs, for that "South-of-the-Border" flavor.

* Bean Bandit from GunsmithCats collasped onto a table when he was hit with a taser ... and then got straight back up again. However, Bean is described as a 'gorilla in a flak jacket' - a taser had realistic effects on other characters.
** This isn't new to Bean. ''Riding Bean'' had Rally attempting to ''wake him up'' with a taser. It doesn't work.

* In VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8wLU6E8Zsg the fight between Shion and Rika]] demonstrates both pepper spray and tasers being used to cause...momentary irritation, and not much else.

* In RockNRolla One Two gets maced, point-blank, in the face [[StopHelpingMe by one of his mates]]. It's certainly shown to hurt, and he needs nursing along for a minute or so, but he seems fine shortly afterwards and it never seems to affect his breathing. Also worth noting that the guy he was grappling with at the time, quite possibly within splashing range under the circumstances, suffered no apparent ill effects.

* Like [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Quagmire]], ChristopherWalken's {{SNL}} character The Continental has been sprayed so often he [[AcquiredPoisonImmunity is no longer affected by pepper spray]].

* ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}} has the misfortune of being on the receiving end of an aversion of this trope when Dogbert shows how he plans to use pepper spray as an "external antidepressant". It's especially noticeable in the animated version, where Dilbert can be heard screaming in pain throughout the whole clip.

* D20Modern, however, has pepper spray that incapacitates for ''less than a minute'', and stun guns that a healthy, average adult has a 25% chance of resisting. Probably CompetitiveBalance, as the game's AlmostLethalWeapons are pretty cheap.

[[folder:ProfessionalWrestling]]
* A taser is a fairly common weapon in wrestling, which usually results in the victim spazzing out for a couple minutes before pushing himself back up like nothing happened. Case in point, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G9UCCvAbgc Kevin Nash VS Goldberg]].
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Compare MyCarHatesMe and CanYouHearMeNow, for other times when technology fails for the sake of drama.

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* PlayedForLaughs in the movie ''TheHangover''. In demonstrating taser use at a school, it takes two shots in order to down the second participant. After the first went right into the forehead.

* StevenSeagal likes this trope. ''ExitWounds'' has a bunch of corrupt cops use their tasers on each other for the sake of showing off, bets, and entertainment. In ''UnderSiege 2'', one of the bad guys takes a can of pepper spray and squirts it into his own mouth to prove that he has become accustomed to the taste, pointing out to his attacker that she only had civilian issue pepper spray rather than full strength mace.

* ''IntolerableCruelty'' has two lawyers break into a house armed with pepper spray, trying to find a thug they'd previously hired to kill the owner. They split up and unknowingly back into each other in the dark. When they collide, each spins around and peppers the other straight in the face, but they're both fine a few minutes later.

* {{Dilbert}} has the misfortune of being on the receiving end of an aversion of this trope when Dogbert shows how he plans to use pepper spray as an "external antidepressant". It's especially noticeable in the animated version, where Dilbert can be heard screaming in pain throughout the whole clip.

* StevenSeagal likes this trope. ''Exit Wounds'' has a bunch of corrupt cops use their tasers on each other for the sake of showing off, bets, and entertainment. In ''UnderSiege 2'', one of the bad guys takes a can of pepper spray and squirts it into his own mouth to prove that he has become accustomed to the taste, pointing out to his attacker that she only had civilian issue pepper spray rather than full strength mace.

* ''Intolerable Cruelty'' has two lawyers break into a house armed with pepper spray, trying to find a thug they'd previously hired to kill the owner. They split up and unknowingly back into each other in the dark. When they collide, each spins around and peppers the other straight in the face, but they're both fine a few minutes later.

* Like [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Quagmire]], ChristopherWalken's SNL character The Continental has been sprayed so often he [[AcquiredPoisonImmunity is no longer affected by pepper spray]].

* On ''Shameless'' (US) hears a ScaryBlackMan claim that he can stay on his feet after being tasered. Frankly does not believe him (most likely because he has been tasered a fair bit himself) and bets him $10,000 that he will go down if Frank taseres him. The man is able to withstand the taser and Frank is forced to make a run for it since he has no money.

* ''SWAT 4'' is a mixed bag. Tasers will result in 100% compliance, but all of your other potent less-than-lethal weapons (beanbag shotguns, pepper spray/paintballs, flashbangs, tear gas, sting grenades, and a mean left hook in the expansion) sometimes take multiple shots in order to get suspects to comply. How inappropriate/necessary/realistic this is is variant on your personal cynicism/optimism level.

* In BatmanBegins, Rachael's taser is completely useless against Batman (fair enough, given that it hits him squarely on his bulletproof, insulating breastplate). It is, however, rather more realistically effective against [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl Scarecrow]]...

* In HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8wLU6E8Zsg the fight between Shion and Rika]] demonstrates both pepper spray and tasers being used to cause...momentary irritation, and not much else.

* In [[BatmanBegins Batman Begins]], Rachael's taser is completely useless against Batman (fair enough, given that it hits him squarely on his bulletproof, insulating breastplate). It is, however, rather more realistically effective against [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl Scarecrow]]...
* In [[RockNRolla RockNRolla]] One Two gets maced, point-blank, in the face [[StopHelpingMe by one of his mates]]. It's certainly shown to hurt, and he needs nursing along for a minute or so, but he seems fine shortly afterwards and it never seems to affect his breathing. Also worth noting that the guy he was grappling with at the time, quite possibly within splashing range under the circumstances, suffered no apparent ill effects.

* Subverted hilariously in ''Film/{{Thor}}''. The title character, recently banished to the mortal realm and stripped of his powers, is found by the good guys and goes on a rant that makes PluckyComicRelief Darcy nervous enough to aim her taser at him.

* In an episode of ''{{CSI}}'', a man was hit with some potent mace, yet kept running. Of course, the show does a 180 when he catches on fire after being tased, and of course dies.

* Used in ''StargateSG1'', where the zat gun supposedly operates on principles similar to a taser but you can acquire some resistance to its effects if you get shot too many times.
** Wraith stunners on StargateAtlantis work similarly. Humans who are taking the Wraith enzyme have increased resistance to them.
* Like [[FamilyGuy Quagmire]], ChristopherWalken's SNL character The Continental has been sprayed so often he [[AcquiredPoisonImmunity is no longer affected by pepper spray]].

* On ''Shameless'' (US) hears a ScaryBlackMan claim that he can stay on his feet after being tasered. Frankly does not believe him (most likely because he has been tasered a fair bit himself) and bets him $10,000 that he will go down if Frank taseres him. The man is able to withstand the taser and Frank is forced to make a run for it since he has no money.

* Pepper spray and tazers provide brief incapacitation in ''SaintsRow 2'', although the latter weapon is still lethal when applied directly to the face in a human shield execution.

* Glenn Quagmire in ''FamilyGuy'' gets sprayed in the face, but comments that it has happened so many times that he's [[AcquiredPoisonImmunity developed an immunity]].
* In an old episode of ''SpongebobSquarepants'', Spongebob accidentally sprays himself with mace, rendering him useless for only the next 10 seconds.
* Averted for laughs in ''{{Chowder}}''. "Pepper spray? That sounds delicious! [gets sprayed in the eyes] AAAAH, I WAS WRONG, I WAS HORRIBLY WRONG!!"

* There's a YouTube video of a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jycsQe1F-sE drunk guy getting zapped]] a whopping ''five'' times before staying down and letting the officer arrest him.

* In ''[[{{Crank}} Crank 2: High Voltage]]'', protagonist Chev Chelios is tasered by police officers, which does absolutely nothing in preventing him from turning around, stealing their guns, and beating them all down. [[VoodooShark Questionably]] [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that [[YouFailBiologyForever Chev's heart was removed and replaced with a high-powered electronic battery]], and the [[FeedItWithFire taser blast only powered him up]].
* Averted in ''IronMan 2''. After the [[ActionGirl Black Widow]] mopped the floor with most of Justin Hammer's goons, she effectively dispatched the last one with a spray of mace. PlayedForLaughs.

* Toyed with in ''{{GoldenEye}}'', as the "Tazer Boy" acts as a close range rifle, capable of doing major damage and killing minor [=NPCs=] in a single (ranged) shot. This is not at all how a taser works, but it prevents it from being useless in a run-and-gun FPS.

* Averted in ''StarOcean2'' with Chisato's weapons: All of her equippable weapons are stun guns, but her application of said weapons comes in the form of KamehameHadoken.

* Subverted rather hilariously in ''Film/{{Thor}}''. The main character, recently banished to the mortal realm and stripped of his powers, is found by the good guys and goes on a rant. One of the girls gets scared and aims her taser at him. He scoffs and goes "you dare threaten me with such a puny weap-" *TZZZZZ* *WHUMP*

* PlayedForLaughs in the movie ''Hangover''. In demonstrating taser use at a school, it takes two shots in order to down the second participant. After the first went right into the forehead.

* In ''Crank: High Voltage'', protagonist Chev Chelios is tasered by police officers, which does absolutely nothing in preventing him from turning around, stealing their guns, and beating them all down. [[VoodooShark Questionably]] [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that [[YouFailBiologyForever Chev's heart was removed and replaced with a high-powered electronic battery]], and the [[FeedItWithFire taser blast only powered him up]].

* Subverted rather hilariously in ''{{Thor}}''. The main character, recently banished to the mortal realm and stripped of his powers, is found by the good guys and goes on a rant. One of the girls gets scared and aims her taser at him. He scoffs and goes "you dare threaten me with such a puny weap-" *TZZZZZ* *WHUMP*

* In an episode of ''{{CSI}}: Crime Scene Investigation'', a man was hit with some potent mace, yet kept running. Of course, the show does a 180 when he catches on fire after being tased, and of course dies.

* Used in StargateSG1, where the zat gun supposedly operates on principles similar to a taser but you can acquire some resistance to its effects if you get shot too many times.

* In an episode of {{Highlander}}, Duncan Macleod is hit with a taser. He is stopped for a few seconds before managing to cut the wires with his sword (that he had already drawn). Once it's stopped, he's able to resume going after the bad guy, although slowed down a bit.

* In an old episode of ''[=~SpongeBob SquarePants~=]'', [=SpongeBob=] accidentally sprays himself with mace, rendering him useless for only the next 10 seconds.

* A self defense instructor/ex-marine on Discovery channel's Fight Science demonstrated how it is possible for an extremely well-trained individual to ''unplug a taser's pins from oneself while falling to the ground from the shock'' and get back up afterwards.

** Because they are ''sometimes'' ineffective? Couldn't you say the same about guns?
*** Depends; heavier calibers have a "knock-down" effect that can incapacitate attackers who would otherwise shrug off the pain. Smaller calibers, however, will have more variance in how well they'd stop a determined (or drug-crazed) assailant.
*** The "knock-down" of a pistol is at the most equal to the recoil experienced by the shooter, due to basic physics. Criminals are regularly hosed down with gunfire without being greatly incapacitated in the immediate sense; sure, [[GradualGrinder the bullet wounds may be fatal]], but often, [[MutualKill they're not fatal until some time after it has ceased to be relevant to the person with the gun]]. Criminals are generally the sort who cheated at 'cops and robbers' games as a kid, so when they're shot, they tend to blow it off to the best of their ability and continue with what they were doing until the blood loss and such catches up with them. Under a stressful and chaotic combat situation, someone firing a gun generally will only hit a more rapidly lethal target by chance. Pistols in particular are romanticized and overestimated in modern culture, and so people tend to ignore the actual effectiveness, or relative lack thereof, of an imposing looking handgun. They're not a BAD weapon, they're just nowhere near as instantly effective as people imagine.
*** Although stopping power ''is'' related to ammunition type. Law enforcement officers tend to use ammunition that will dissipate it's energy in the target (e.g. hollowpoints expand on impact) in order to avoid a through-and-through that will injur bystanders. This means all the momentum is transferred to the target, which can be enough to effectively 'slap' them to a halt. If a major muscle is hit it will no longer function regardless of the target's willpower, to say nothing of the possibility of hydrostatic shock incapacitating them (though in fairness this effect is itself hotly disputed).

Tasers also have to penetrate the skin to be effective, and any sort of body armour will render them useless; some cheaper models will even have trouble with a leather jacket.

* WIthin ''DeusEx'', one shot with the stun gun will only temporarily stun an opponent. A second (sometimes a third) is required to actually knock them unconscious. The pepper spray is even worse with the effect fading seconds later. The tranquilizer darts, on the other hand, can deliver InstantSedation if aimed at the head.