History Main / SwordSparks

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'', whenever a Power-forged weapon strikes a similarly-forged weapon, blue-white sparks fly. In a similar case, when Perrin makes a Power-wrought weapon in one of his distinctive {{Forging Scene}}s, every hammerstroke produces a huge sheaf of sparks which ultimately result in the area around the forge being noticeably singed. This is probably impurities in the metal being magically excised.
* In ''TheSongOfRoland'' when Thierry duels Pinabel to determine Ganelon's guilt, sparks fly from their swords and set the grass on fire (Laisse 284-285). This story dates back to the 11th century (and is possibly older) making this trope [[OlderThanPrint older than print]].

* In ''{{Exalted}}'', the Dragon-Blooded can weaponize their Sword Sparks with a melee ([[ElementalPowers fire aspected]]) charm called Blinding Spark Distraction. As the name implies, it sends a stream of sparks at an opponent's eyes and can be used when either combatant successfully parries an attack.

* The ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' video games produce streams of them, with both lightsabers and metal swords.

* In one episode of ''SamuraiJack'', Jack fights an EvilKnockoff created from his own anger and hatred. The sword sparks from their fight go so far as to ''start a forest fire''. On the other hand, considering the fire vanishes when Jack realizes [[WhatHaveIBecome how deeply he was giving in to that anger and hatred]], it may have just been symbolic.

* Used copiously in ''{{Inuyasha}}'', both in swordfights & when the title character sheaths his ludicrous {{BFS}}. The act of cramming the gigantic magical sword into a normal sized scabbard kicks up so many sparks that he has to wear fireproof pajamas to avoid immolating himself.

* In ''{{Blade}}'', Frost and Blade have a high-speed swordfight. Both Blade and Frost having vampiric strength, Blade having fed recently and Frost [[spoiler:[[PhysicalGod the corporal form of the Blood God]]]], the sparks are not unexpected.

* They do this in ''BladesOfGlory'', kicking the air and meeting each other's skates to produce sparks. This was intentional on their part, due to RuleOfCool.

* The final fight in ''NinjaCheerleaders'' features this prominently, although the sparks in question are electric, not pyrotechnic. [[spoiler:It's how Kinji is incapacitated]]

* Happens constantly throughout a lot of the fight scenes in ''An Empress and the Warriors''.

* In ''{{Berserk}}'', [[TheBlacksmith Godo]] states he enjoyed the sparks he made whenever he was working on something, which makes Guts notice [[BloodKnight how they're likewise something he sees a lot of while doing the only thing he knows to do in life.]]\\

* In the first fight between Dante and Vergil in ''DevilMayCry 3'', the two of them lock swords so hard that not only do sparks fly, their weapons start glowing red-hot from the sheer energy being produced.

* Many sword fights (or with any edged weapons) in ''[[FateStayNight Fate/stay night]]''. Granted, they are all {{Mana}}-charged armaments, so PowerGlows are inevitable.

* In ''{{Mai-HiME}}'', Mikoto's sword Miroku generates ''enormous'' quantities of SwordSparks when she [[SwordDrag drags its tip on the ground]]... which is almost all the time, since it's practically bigger than she is. She has to build up speed to swing it.

* The ''Film/{{Highlander}}'' films take this to near-obscene levels, with explosions of sparks unrivaled below the point of foundry work at every metal-to-metal contact. To acheive this swords were attached by cables to car batteries. The cables can be spotted in some scenes.

In reality, it ''is'' pretty common to strike a few sparks with a sword. Generating a spark by hitting another sword is all a matter of angle and friction, not of strength or sharpness. The spark is actually a little bit of the sword breaking off so its a sign you are slowly damaging the sword, and an inevitable result of use for any sharp object. Even fencing swords will spark occasionally and need replacement on occasion. Needless to say this is less visually impressive because the sparks come more one at a time and only for a moment. Stage performers will use flints on the part of the blade closest to the hilt to achieve this effect consistently.

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'', whenever a Power-forged weapon strikes a similarly-forged weapon, blue-white sparks fly.

In reality, it ''is'' pretty common to strike a few sparks with a sword. Generating a spark by hitting another sword is all a matter of angle and friction, not of strength or sharpness. The spark is actually a little bit of the sword breaking off so its a sign you are slowly damaging the sword, and a inevitable result of use for any sharp object. Even fencing swords will spark occasionally and need replacement on occasion. Needless to say this is less visually impressive because the sparks come more one at a time and only for a moment. Stage performers will use flints on the part of the blade closest to the hilt to achieve this effect consistently.

* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''. Logan's claws have always done it ''some'' of the time, but in this movie, it's taken to unprecedented heights.
* Numerous sparks fly in {{Wolverine}}'s battle with Lady Deathstrike in ''Film/X2XMenUnited.'' Notably, since sparks are made by little bits of metal flying off the blade, this should be impossible in an adamantium-on-adamantium duel, since adamantium is invulnerable.

* Almost every single cutscene fight in ''SengokuBasara'', which will inevitably involve a BladeLock, causes the weapons to spew forth sparks like grinding irons. It's a wonder the characters don't get their face burnt off.

* The lightsaber duels in ''StarWars'' sometimes strike sparks, though these being energy blades it's somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justifiable]]. It might also be from minor bits of scenery being heated white hot in an instant.

* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''RobinHoodMenInTights'', when Robin looks at the camera and exclaims "Shocking!", just after the Sheriff's sword makes sparks from striking a stone column.

** It should be noted that the sparks produced from two swords striking each other tend to be so small and dim that you could only detect them in total darkness. It still isn't recommended having a swordfight near natural gas deposits, though.

In reality, it ''is'' possible to strike sparks with a sword, but it's quite uncommon. Generating a spark by hitting another sword is all a matter of angle and friction, not of strength or sharpness -- in fact, a rough piece of steel is much better at generating sparks than a trued and polished sword. Stage performers will use flints on the part of the blade closest to the hilt to achieve this effect consistently.

* The Raincoat Killer in DeadlyPremonition produces constant sparks from [[SwordDrag dragging his ax]] along the ground - even when it's on grass or another non-spark-producing surface.

* Happens a few times during Shu Lien and Jen's fight in ''CrouchingTigerHiddenDragon''.

** Meanwhile, in the real world, there's a more prosaic explanation: the lightsaber props have a "blade" that's actually a spinning rod painted with reflective metallic paint; the "sparks" are bits of the paint flaking off and catching the light just right as they do so. Which looks cool, so they left it in.

* The ''Film/{{Highlander}}'' films take this to near-obscene levels, with explosions of sparks unrivaled below the point of foundry work at every metal-to-metal contact.
** To acheive this swords were attached by cables to car batteries. The cables can be spotted in some scenes.
** And metal-to-concrete, metal-to-stone, metal-to-''wood''... There were even a couple of occasions where the blades sparked when the {{Flynning}} fighters missed each other's sword

** Numerous sparks fly in {{Wolverine}}'s battle with Lady Deathstrike in ''Film/X2XMenUnited.'' Notably, since sparks are made by little bits of metal flying off the blade, this should be impossible in an adamantium-on-adamantium duel, since adamantium is invulnerable.
** {{Fridge Brilliance}} in that adamantium is invulnerable to anything ''except'' other adamantium; it's possible that shreds of adamantium ''are'' coming off of their blades.

* ''Film/CurseOfTheGoldenFlower'' had an entire[[strike:ly gratuitous]] fight sequence devoted to this.

** However, the swirls of light are presumably caused by pent-up energy of a Limit Break that Cloud is holding back. This is a reasonable assumption since shortly after this fight scene, he does indeed use a Limit Break, and the blue swirls are no longer seen after that until the end.

* Parodied in a classic ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' cartoon, where Felix battles a Pirate captain, and their swords not only spark, the blades start glowing, eventually fuse together and burn a hole through a wooden floor when dropped.

* Parodied in a classic ''WesternAnimationFelixTheCat'' cartoon, where Felix battles a Pirate captain, and their swords not only spark, the blades start glowing, eventually fuse together and burn a hole through a wooden floor when dropped.

* Parodied in a classic ''Felix the Cat'' cartoon, where Felix battles a Pirate captain, and their swords not only spark, the blades start glowing, eventually fuse together and burn a hole through a wooden floor when dropped.

* {{Tokusatsu}} generally has this trope all over the place, with sparks indicating a direct hit on the opponent. This includes ''KamenRider'', ''SuperSentai'' and ''PowerRangers''. The Power Rangers are often said to "bleed sparks" because of excessive use of this.

** A particularly silly example comes in ''KamenRiderKiva'' when, during the [[DropTheHammer Dogga Hammer's]] debut battle, Wataru/Kiva drags the hammer along the ground, kicking up sparks every couple of seconds.
** Wrath from ''KamenRiderDragonKnight'' likes to scrape his swords together before a fight, creating sparks. Apparently, it indicates [[AbsurdlySharpBlade absurd sharpness]].

** If one isn't careful with the speed and angle, not only are sparks likely, but sometimes may result is blades "welding" themselves together. Hilarious the first time it happens, not so much when you have to spend ages fixing the blades once you've yanked them apart.

* In one episode of ''SamuraiJack'', Jack fights an EvilClone created from his own anger and hatred. The sword sparks from their fight go so far as to ''start a forest fire''. On the other hand, considering the fire vanishes when Jack realizes [[WhatHaveIBecome how deeply he was giving in to that anger and hatred]], it may have just been symbolic.