History Main / SonicStunner

Not to be confused with Series/DoctorWho's [[MagicTool sonic screwdriver]], which is a tool rather than a weapon.

* In ''VideoGame/MarioKart 8'', a new item is introduced called the Super Horn. It can be used to attack drivers in close proximity, but its main purpose is blocking items from hitting you, particularly the dreaded Spiny Blue Shell.

A nonlethal technological counterpart of MakeMeWannaShout, this is one of the stock weapons of genre SF literature. A subtrope of StunGuns, it has very consistent traits:

** ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'': The military uses giant sound wave cannons to incapacitate the Hulk.
** ''Film/IronMan'' has Obadiah Stane using a small device twice. It emits a high-pitched sound that paralyzes anyone for 15 minutes who is not wearing special ear protection.

A nonlethal technological counterpart of MakeMeWannaShout, this is one of the stock weapons of genre SF literature. A subtrope of StunGun, it has very consistent traits:

* In Creator/RandallGarret's 1954 story "The Hunting Lodge", the weapon has a "supersonic whistle" in its barrel and the protagonist describes stun shock. This is probably the TropeCodifier,

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schlock20001224b.jpg]]

%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!

%%
%%
%%
[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_dark_knith_returns_sonic_gun.jpg]]]]

* Franchise/{{Batman}} uses a sonic gun to soften up Superman in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightReturns''.

* In real life, the term "stun gun" is used for Taser-like electric-shock weapons. SF use of the term predates these by decades, and almost certainly influenced the marketing of these devices.

* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Range_Acoustic_Device LRAD]], originally developed for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin long-distance communication]], also has applications in less-than-lethal crowd control.

Not to be confused with the Series/DoctorWho's [[MagicTool sonic screwdriver]], which is a tool rather than a weapon.

Not to be confused with the [[MagicTool sonic screwdriver]], which is a tool rather than a weapon.

** In ''Film/{{Black Panther|2018}}'', Wakanda uses a special sonic frequency to suppress the properties of Vibranium, as otherwise its energy-absorbing-and-redirecting nature makes it incredibly dangerous to transport. [[spoiler:The climactic battle between Black Panther and Killmonger takes place on a Vibranium supply railroad that emits this frequency, with both their Vibranium nanobot suits partially dissolving when exposed to it, which gives Black Panther the opening to stab Killmonger. Shuri also wields a pair of [[ArmCannon Arm Cannons]] armed with this frequency during an earlier battle with Killmonger.]]

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBiik/TheDarkKnightReturns https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_dark_knith_returns_sonic_gun.jpg]]]]

* In Webcomic/AfterlifeBlues, Liraz uses a Sonic Stunner to [[http://www.project-apollo.net/ab/ab006.html keep Brody from running.]]

* "Null ABC", H. Beam Piper and John Joseph [=McGuire=], 1953: describes a "sono-gun"; the victims will wake up with headaches.
* In Randall Garret's 1954 story "The Hunting Lodge", the weapon has a "supersonic whistle" in its barrel and the protagonist describes stun shock. This is probably the TropeCodifier,
* Sonic stunners feature in Larry Niven's ''Literature/KnownSpace'' universe, from 1964 onwards. The stories include several references to "dueling stunners", and in one the stun sound is amplified through speakers to knock out everyone on a space station.
* And in Frank Herbert's Franchise/{{Dune}} and sequels, from 1965 onwards

* In ''Literature/TheLeagueOfPeoplesVerse'', sonic stunners are the standard weapon carried by Explorers, as lethal weapons are prohibited by the League. They are supposed to cause six hours of unconsciousness, but in practice their effects vary wildly from species to species.
* The ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'' features sonic weapons capable of both stunning (by deafening and disrupting equilibrium) and killing (by making things shatter). Also, ''Literature/ChoicesOfOne'' has Mara Jade use a "sonic", a disk that she presses against the throat of a stormtrooper to knock him out.
* In the SteamPunk world of ''Literature/{{Boneshaker}}'', Dr. Minnericht’s Doozy Dazer can stun [[OurZombiesAreDifferent rotters]] for about three minutes.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a downplayed, inadvertently produced example: the "Wailing Tower", one of [[WhiteElephant Harrenhal's]] more classically GothicHorror aspects. Twisted, warped, rent and slowly cracking apart after being partially melted and reset after getting blasted with dragonfire 300 years ago, the once-normal stone tower now acts as a form of hollow wind instrument whenever a breeze cuts through it at just the right angle. And it gets ''very'' loud if a storm blows "right", hence the name. There're plenty of reasons why pretty much only bats live in or close to it on a permanent basis, even though it can often be heard throughout the massive castle-complex. It certainly adds its share of background creep to the rumours/ warnings about "[[{{Curse}} the curse of Harrenhal]]".

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk'': The military uses giant sound wave cannons to incapacitate the Hulk.
** ''Film/IronMan'' has Obadiah Stane using a small device twice. It emits a high-pitched sound that paralyzes anyone for 15 minutes who is not wearing special ear protection.
--->'''Stane:''' It's a shame the government didn't approve. [[JustThinkOfThePotential There are so many applications]] regarding short-term paralysis.
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'':
*** Tony Stark's collapsible gauntlet includes a sonic weapon that he uses against Bucky, momentarily stunning him and allowing Tony to get close enough to disarm him.
*** War Machine has a more powerful, wrist-mounted version which he uses to knock out Scarlet Witch. It's far less effective against Giant-Man, though.
** In ''Film/{{Black Panther|2018}}'', Wakanda uses a special sonic frequency to suppress the properties of Vibranium, as otherwise its energy-absorbing-and-redirecting nature makes it incredibly dangerous to transport. [[spoiler:The climactic battle between Black Panther and Killmonger takes place on a Vibranium supply railroad that emits this frequency, with both their Vibranium nanobot suits partially dissolving when exposed to it, which gives Black Panther the opening to stab Killmonger. Shuri also wields a pair of [[ArmCannon Arm Cannons]] armed with this frequency during an earlier battle with Killmonger.]]
* ''Madame Sin'' (1972). A secret agent is knocked unconscious by one so he can be kidnapped, and he's informed that extended exposure would "collapse the brain" of the target. Sure enough the weapon is used on him again once [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he's served his purpose]], though the hero escapes albeit at the cost of losing his hearing for some time.
[[/folder]]

* The Tekwar {{Made For TV Movie}}s and short-lived TV series had non-lethal "pulse guns" - these were the only weapons the ex-con protagonist was legally permitted to carry. They used the same cheap special effect as Series/BabylonFive - the "pulses" fired heat shimmer-like distortions.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40K'': Subverted with Noise Marines, who very much want their victims to hear their hideously-distorted music and overload their senses with noise (dubstep is a popular representation of this effect).

* The ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'' features sonic weapons capable of both stunning (by deafening and disrupting equilibrium) and killing (by making things shatter).
** ''Literature/ChoicesOfOne'' has Mara Jade use a "sonic", a disk that she presses against the throat of a stormtrooper to knock him out.

-->'''Stane:''' It's a shame the government didn't approve. [[JustThinkOfThePotential There are so many applications]] regarding short-term paralysis.

* Project SANDMAN, the heroic but distinctly MenInBlack-like protagonists of ''TabletopGame/TheMadnessDossier'', have a weird variant, the ''ikoter'', which fires “linguistic white noise“ at an ultrasonic frequency. This works through the linguistic centres of the target’s brain to stun them, render them more susceptible to hypnosis, and cause short-term memory loss.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': A less used secondary power, Sailor Moon can cry to the point where it becomes ultrasonic waves, [[GlassShatteringSound shattering glass]], stunning enemies and rendering weaker ones unconscious. Since her {{odango}} barrettes glow when she does this, its ambiguous whether the power is a function of her HairDecorations, or [[MakeMeWannaShout inherently hers]].

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a downplayed, inadvertently produced example: the "Wailing Tower", one of [[WhiteEkephant Harrenhal's]] more classically GothicHorror aspects. Twisted, warped, rent and slowly cracking apart after being partially melted and reset after getting blasted with dragonfire 300 years ago, the once normal tower now acts as a form of hollow wind instrument whenever a breeze cuts through it at the right angles. And it gets ''very'' loud if a storm blows "right", hence the name. There're plenty of reasons why pretty much only bats live in or close to it on a permanent basis. It certainly adds its share of creep to the rumours/ warnings about "[[{{Curse}} the curse of Harrenhal]]".