History Main / ThePenIsMightIEr

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Ankh-Morpork Patrician Olaf Quimby II had his reign ended when he was killed by a disgruntled poet during an experiment to test the truth of the saying "The pen is mightier than the sword". In his memory, it was amended to read: "The pen is mightier than the sword only if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp."

** In ''Literature/{{Cell}}'', [[spoiler:the Headmaster]] dies when the nearby flock of phoners forces him to ram a pen through his eye into his brain.

** In addition, there is a LethalJokeWeapon called a Quill, in which, as a Dagger-type weapon, is strong against swords and katanas.

* Mitama from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' proclaims it is "the mightiest of all!" during one of her [[PreMortemOneLiner critical hit quotes]]. Fitting, as she's an avid haiku poet.

* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': In "Cat's in the Cradle'', it is discovered that the VictimOfTheWeek was stabbed to death with a glitter pen.

* ''Film/StarredUp'': During the standoff when the warders are trying to take him to solitary, Eric grabs the prison psychologist Ashley's pen and holds it to the eye of a warder. Ashley is able to talk him down and get his pen back.

* In ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'', Reiko Ota telekinetically throws fountain pens that explode when they hit their targets.

* In the finale of the Anime adaptation of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoKajitsu'', Yuuji, mortally wounded, uses a [[ConspicuousConsumption golden pen]] on a desk to kill his Arch-Enemy, Heath Oslo - a [[DeathByIrony technique Oslo taught him]].

* ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaSeries'': Somewhat of a favored murder method of [[spoiler:protagonist Yuuji, back when he was still a brainwashed child soldier/assassin of series villain Heath Oslo, in ''VisualNovel/TheLabyrinthOfGrisaia''. As bit of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic revenge]], it was Oslo himself that thaught Yuuji this, and this is exactly how Yuuji puts an end to him at the climax of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoRakuen''.]]

* ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaSeries'': Somewhat of a favored murder method of [[spoiler:protagonist Yuuji, back when he was still a brainwashed child soldier/assassin of series villain Heath Oslo, in ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoMeikyuu''. As bit of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic revenge]], it was Oslo himself that thaught Yuuji this, and this is exactly how Yuuji puts an end to him at the climax of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoRakuen''.]]

* ''Film/TheHunt2020'': On the plane, Ted stabs Randy in the throat with a pen he borrows from the stewardess. After the carnage is over, he hands the pen back to her.

* In ''Film/{{Stoker}}'', India stabs a bully with her pencil when he tries to grab her. When she pulls away, the tip is covered in blood.

* A character gets a crayon in the eye in ''Film/TheChildren''.
* The final conflict in ''Film/ASongIsBorn'' is resolved not by guns, but by music.
* In ''Film/ThirtyMinutesOrLess'', The Major has a pen gun. After he uses up its only bullet, he tries to stab a man with it.

* When Viggo is impressing on Iosef just how deadly John is in ''Film/JohnWick'', he mentions he [[OnceKilledAManWithANoodleImplement once saw John kill three men in a bar with a pencil]]. The improbability of this is lampshaded by Abram in ''Film/JohnWickChapter2'' ("A ''pencil''. How the fuck do you do that?!"), and later in the film, John kills two assassins with a pencil when they attack him for the seven million dollar bounty on him posted by [[spoiler:Santino]].
** Notably, the pencil killing is one of the most gruesome ones shown on-screen, with John pinning one assassin's head against a bartop and then driving the pencil through his ear canal like a railway spike. With the second one, he plats and holds the pencil against a wall and slams the back of the assassin's head against it.

* In ''Film/TheInvisibleMan2020'', Cecilia manages to repeatedly stab the eponymous villain with a fountain pen, which has the added affect of [[spoiler: making his invisibility suit short-circuit from the waist up]].
* ''Film/TheHunt2020'': On the plane, Ted stabs Randy in the throat with a pen he borrows from the stewardess. After the carnage is over, he hands the pen back to her.

* ''Maximum Security'', the third book in the ''Literature/CHERUBSeries'', has Lauren fighting off and seriously injuring an attacker with the first thing she could grab--a hotel biro.
* The ghost in the Creator/StephenKing short story ''[[Literature/NightmaresAndDreamscapes Sneakers]]'' died from being [[EyeScream stabbed in the eye]] with a pencil.
** In ''Literature/{{Cell}}'', [[spoiler:the Headmaster]] dies when the nearby flock of phoners forces him to ram a pen through his eye into his brain.
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' [[AwesomenessByAnalysis the Number Man]] threatens to inflict a ShatterpointTap on someone's skull with a pen.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': The "R. Tam Sessions", a series of videos from [[TheWoobie River's]] time at the [[SchoolForScheming Academy]], showing her in a series of "interviews" with a "counselor" that [[SanitySlippage chronicles her gradual descent into madness]]. The first video (which is the second half of the last session) shows her counselor collapsing after having been stabbed in the throat with a pen. The ''last'' video is of her seeming to be remarkably lucid and clear, and her last words before the video cuts out is her asking for a pen to write something down. [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Whether this is due to her madness, being ordered to do this by her "handlers," or simply River striking out at her tormentors in the only way she can manage]] is up in the air.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'':
** Sylar [[CrucifiedHeroShot crucifies]] Isaac against his own painting of the future, using his own paintbrushes, before he kills him.
** He also has Claire telekinetically pinned to a sofa as he taunts her and then kisses her, she retaliates by grabbing a pen and stabs him right [[EyeScream in the eye.]]

* Also in the ''Series/{{Angel}}'' episode "[[Recap/AngelS05E03Unleashed Unleashed]]":
--> '''Spike''': I had a wee spat with a werewolf myself once. Fought for over an hour! Brutal. Vicious. I almost lost my--
--> '''Fred''': Angel killed him with a [[OnceKilledAManWithANoodleImplement pen]].
** That being said, it only really worked since it was a ''[[SilverBullet silver]]'' pen.
** Angel later gets [[ImpaledPalm stabbed in the hand]] with a pen, ironically because the stabber CouldntFindAPen (he had to sign a document in blood).
** In "[[Recap/AngelS04E13Salvage Salvage]]", Angelus does the same to a [[VillainCred demon who asks him for his autograph]].

* In ''Series/TheLostRoom'', one of the Objects is a pen which can microwave people, which a small-time crime boss uses to enforce order.

* A season 5 episode of ''Series/TheAvengers1960s'' has John Steed shrunk to the point he can use a penholder as a spear, striking at baddies' ankles to distract them before Ms Peel attacks.
-->'''Steed:''' The pen is mightier than the sword.\\
'''Peel:''' Well, between us we've written them off.

* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': In "Cat's in the Cradle'', it is discovered that the VictimOfTheWeek was stabbed to death with a glitter pen.
* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': In "Death by Persuasion", the first VictimOfTheWeek is stabbed in the neck with a poisoned quill pen.
* ''Series/Daredevil2015'': Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter uses a pencil to wound Mitchell Ellison during his attack on the ''New York Bulletin''.

* Beryl Benito, ''VideoGame/TalesOfHearts'', has to get extra credit. Her EmpathicWeapon is a massive paintbrush, taller than she is, which is waved at the enemy, applied to their faces, drawn magic circles with, or simply used as a heavy bludgeoning instrument. In a skit, she even declares that "They say 'the brush is mightier than the sword'!"
** Shirley from ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'' uses feather pens as her weapons of choice, but lacks any artes that actually make direct use of them.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Relm kills people with both her brush and ''[[ArtAttacker her drawings]]''.
* In the second ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'' game, Danny and Leo can both equip ballpoint pens, and make good use of them. Stealth kills with them involve [[EyeScream gouging out eyes]] and [[ImpromptuTracheotomy giving people new breathing holes]].
* [[BlindWeaponmaster Hangan]] in ''[[VideoGame/{{Onmyoji}} Onmyōji]]'', who fights with a giant calligraphy brush.

* Nogiku from ''VideoGame/SengokuRance'' uses a pen in battle. Granted, that pen is about the same size of a spear...

* In ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'' you can buy a newspaper report detailing a murder in which the victim was stabbed to death with a quill. Justified by the fact that the chief suspect is a doctor with an expert knowledge of anatomy [[spoiler:as well as Arcanum's master trainer in the BackStab skill]].

* Parodied in ''VideoGame/{{Amorphous}}''. As an achievement says, there is no pen, and the sword is ''[[{{BFS}} really big]]''.

* In refernece to the John Wick example above, ''VideoGame/Payday2'' has a pencil (though called The Pen) available as of the Search for Kento event via a code. Incredibly, and especially in a game renowned for awful melee weapons, The Pen is actually somewhat usable; while its power and range is obviously pitiful, it can attack incredibly quickly, enough to activate the Overdog skill for setups which have it and boost its damage on successive strikes to an impressive degree.

* ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaSeries'': Somewhat of a favored murder method of [[spoiler:protagonist Yuuji, back when he was still a brainwashed child soldier/assassin of series villain Heath Oslo, in ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoMeikyuu''. As bit of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic revenge]], it was Oslo himself that thaught Yuuji this, and this is exactly how Yuuji puts an end to him at the climax of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoRakuen''.]]

* During the Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny First Year Anniversary Team Brawl]], WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd uses one of his pens as a throwing weapon against the Nostalgia Critic, knocking his gun out of his hand.

* In ''Manga/HotGimmick'' Ryoki saves Hatsumi from [[spoiler:being raped by Azusa's gang]] by throwing one of them to the ground, sitting on top of them and threatening to drive a pen through his cheek (since the guys are models, this would ruin his career as well as being ''fucking agonizing''). When [[spoiler:Azusa]] thinks he's bluffing, Ryoki scratches the guy's face to show he's serious. [[spoiler:He doesn't end up having to do it though.]]
* Killer Bee of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' can imbue objects with [[ShockAndAwe lightning chakra]] to make it [[VibroWeapon vibrate at high speeds]] (though it isn't unique to him) to turn any pointed object into a deadly weapon. He first shows this off by using the pencil he uses to write down his rap lyrics which he managed to throw ''through a tree trunk''.
** [[SnapToTheSide The look of shock on Kisame's face]] was priceless.
* Pretty much any solid object within two meters of Lucy in ''Manga/ElfenLied'' becomes a deadly implement because of her telekinetic vector abilities. This is first demonstrated with pens during the [[FullFrontalAssault infamous]] [[{{Gorn}} escape]] [[EstablishingCharacterMoment scene]].
* During her stint as a schoolteacher, Yoko from ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' manages to throw a piece of chalk so hard, ''it imbeds itself in the opposite wall''. Nobody gets hurt, but [[BadassTeacher damn if it doesn't make the kids focus on their work]].
* In ''Anime/{{Monster}}'', when the conversation veers towards Johan, a serial killer ends an interview with his psychologist with a pen. The psychologist gets away with a scare, but not for lack of success on the other man's part...
** Tenma also uses a ballpoint pen to save himself from a group of Neo-Nazis.
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' features a considerable amount of murder via pen, but not by stabbing, but rather RewritingReality. At least, [[spoiler:until near the end when Teru Mikami uses his pen to commit suicide, with [[HighPressureBlood a truly ludicrous amount of blood]]]].

* In episode 20 of ''Manga/LovelyComplex'' [[{{Yandere}} Mimi]] nearly stabs Risa through the hand with a mechanical pencil.
* In ''Manga/LoveHina'', Motoko manages to block a full-on katana slash with Keitaro's studyin' pencil. Maybe because it's full of his hopes and dreams, as she claims - or maybe some of his [[MadeOfIron peculiar invincibility]] just soaked in over the years.

* In ''Manga/ShugoChara'', Amu's "Amulet Spade" character transformation fights with a paintbrush.
* Alone (Hades), the BigBad from ''Manga/SaintSeiyaTheLostCanvas'', occasionally uses his painting brush for close combat fighting, which is not all that necessary considering his PhysicalGod status.

* In the ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' movie ''Miracle of Endymion'', Mallybath Blackball wields a magic quill pen that gives her DishingOutDirt powers.
* In ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'', Reiko Ota telekinetically throws fountain pens that explode when they hit their targets.

* At some point in ''Manga/FutabaKunChange'' a member of [[MartialArtsAndCrafts martial arts calligraphy]] club demonstrates blocking a sword with his calligraphy brush. An explanation follows that the brush is made of steel and this particular martial art was developed back when such random attacks on calligraphists were common.
* ''Anime/BloodPlus'': David uses this trope to hold Van Argiano hostage.
* In the finale of the Anime adaptation of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoKajitsu'', Yuuji, mortally wounded, uses a [[ConspicuousConsumption golden pen]] on a desk to kill his Arch-Enemy, Heath Oslo - a [[DeathByIrony technique Oslo taught him]].
* Ichibe from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' uses Ichimonji, a massive calligraphy brush that can alter the fabric of reality by changing the names of people and objects.

* In the Franchise/{{Batman}} story "Video Nasties", a heavily injured, bedridden teenager manages to grab a pen and stab a villain who was holding a woman hostage. It distracts the villain long enough for Batman to take him out.
* In ''ComicBook/DeathVigil'', Starlock is Clara's veilripper, and it takes the form of a quill pen. Clara finds out that she can draw wherever she wants with it, but she later finds out its true potential to [[ThinkingUpPortals Think Up Portals]] and tap into and fix other people's memories (although the latter ability is hinted to be ''her'' ability, not the veilripper's). In addition, like all veilrippers, it can be used to seal necromancers' powers.

* In the {{Wuxia}} film ''Film/BrothersFive'', one of the five titular brothers is a WarriorPoet scholar whose preferred weapon is a [[ImprobableWeaponUser long Chinese brush with razor-sharp bristles]], which he used to kill more than 20 mooks throughout the movie.

* During the opening flashback detailing Danny Greene's life in ''Kill the Irishman'', Danny's shown being ''[[{{Squick}} stabbed in the hand]]'' by bullies, and keep in mind that he and said bullies are [[TeensAreMonsters high school age at best.]]
* In ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIIIJasonTakesManhattan'', FinalGirl Rennie manages to fend Jason off at one point by stabbing him in the eye with an ink pen (that is claimed in-universe to be Creator/StephenKing's).
* In ''Film/GrossePointeBlank'' Martin uses a fountain pen a high school friend gave him to finish off an assassin.
* ''Film/TheBourneIdentity'': Jason Bourne surprises a knife-wielding assassin with a pen to the hand, causing him to drop the knife.

* In ''Film/DeathRace'', Lists stabs a thug in the back with his pen during a fight, providing the vital distraction that allows the hero to turn the tide of the fight.
* Creator/JoePesci kills a man this way in ''Film/{{Casino}}''. Rather disgusting to watch.
* The eponymous character in ''Film/PsychoCopReturns'' kills one of his victims with a pencil to the eye, and tells him to "keep an eye out" afterwards.
* The protagonist of ''The Lost Empire'' (also known as ''The Monkey King'') acquires a magical pen that can expand into a sword. The trope title is in fact referenced, though in practice the sword-form is mightier.
* ''Film/JamesBond''
** In ''Film/{{Moonraker}}'', Bond is equipped with a pen that has a poisoned needle in it.
** Played with in ''Film/GoldenEye''. Q whips up a bomb [[ShoePhone shaped like an ordinary ballpoint pen]]. Three clicks of the button arms it, three more disarms it.
-->'''Bond''': They always said the pen was mightier than the sword.\\
'''Q''': Thanks to me, they were right!
** In ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain,'' Bond is equipped with an exploding dart pen.

* In ''Holla If You Hear Me'', a man is stabbed in the head with a pencil, while one of the killers gets a pen in the neck.

* ''Fim/TheHunt2020'': On the plane, Ted stabs Randy in the throat with a pen he borrows from the stewardess. After the carnage is over, he hands the pen back to her.

* In ''Film/TheInvisibleMan2020'', Cecilia manages to repeatedly stab the titular villain with a fountain pen, which has the added affect of [[spoiler: making his invisibility suit short-circuit from the waist up]].

* ''Franchise/GrisaiaSeries'': Somewhat of a favored murder method of [[spoiler:protagonist Yuuji, back when he was still a brainwashed child soldier/assassin of series villain Heath Oslo, in ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoMeikyuu''. As bit of [[LaserGuidedKarma poetic revenge]], it was Oslo himself that thaught Yuuji this, and this is exactly how Yuuji puts an end to him at the climax of ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoRakuen''.]]

** In "Turn of the Golden Witch]]", Rosa uses a sawed off rifle, a purse [[spoiler:with a bar of gold inside]] and a ''fountain pen'' to [[spoiler: fight off the goat butlers summoned by Beatrice.]]

* A season 5 episode of ''Series/TheAvengers'' has John Steed shrunk to the point he can use a penholder as a spear, striking at baddies' ankles to distract them before Ms Peel attacks.
-->'''Steed:''' The pen is mightier than the sword.
-->'''Peel:''' Well, between us we've written them off.

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* During the Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny First Year Anniversary Team Brawl]], WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd uses one of his pens as a throwing weapon against the Nostalgia Critic, knocking his gun out of his hand.
* ''WebVideo/AskANinja'' mentions a samurai who killed himself with a pen while signing up to become a samurai.

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* One ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' strip had Jason apply this trope in his D&D games by arming his warrior with a pen. Marcus' character immediately cuts him down.

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* Creator/SegaPinball's ''Pinball/GoldenEye'' has the "Q's Pen" mode, where you must hit the target three times to detonate Bond's exploding pen from the film.

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* A ''TabletopGame/HeroSystem'' supplement magazine once gave instructions/stats for running "Hack Writing" as a (none-too-serious) Martial Art. It originated when an ancient messenger, facing execution for being the bearer of bad news, decided to take someone with him and used his stylus as a weapon. Organizations such as The Brotherhood of the Pen use specially-crafted writing implements designed for maximum damage. Special maneuvers include "Cut & Paste" ("The writer cuts his victim's legs out from under him and then pastes him one."); "Narrative Hook" ("The writer simply reaches out and grabs his target."); and "Writer's Block", a defensive measure. ("The first maneuver taught to hack writers. Some are so skilled with it that it's all they do.")

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

* Wrestling/BoboBrazil and [[Wrestling/EdFarhat the Sheik]] would often attempt to cut each other open with pencils.
* Wrestling/TheUndertaker stabbed Wrestling/BrockLesnar's hand with his pen after they did the contract signing for their Wrestling/WrestleMania XXX match.

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* Creator/EddieIzzard talks about an alleged AwesomeButImpractical self-defence manoeuvre that involves pushing a pen between an assailant's middle and ring fingers and squeezing their fingers together.

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* After ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}: [[AfterTheEnd Hell on Earth]]'' was released, there was a push to make the Librarians from [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guys]] with no real role in combat into {{badass bookworm}}s, including the development of entirely new [[MagicAIsMagicA arcana]]. One such supernatural ability, aptly named ''the Pen is Mightier than the Sword'', turns writing implements into deadly weapons. At its [[UpToEleven highest level]], a magical pen does almost as much damage as a LaserBlade, and is better at defense!
* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' features not a pen but an iron brush. It is a weaponized scholar's brush in an Asian-themed setting, where any person of refinement or education is expected to know some calligraphy. It's really not a great weapon mechanically aside from being easily concealed, but it can kill and be enchanted, plus a clever player can certainly find uses for a weapon which allows them to appear to be an unarmed scholar or aristocrat.
* In ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' and ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', the Blue Scribe P’tarix is unable to use the magic that he catalogues so in battle he stabs his enemies with sharpened quills made from the feathers of a [[FeatheredFiend Lord of Change]].

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* Spoofed by ''Creator/{{Tobuscus}}'' in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vpUj3a48IQ this video]], in which he patents a gun with a pen bayonet.

* In ''WebVideo/HitlerRants'', Hitler's "Pencil of Doom and Mass Destruction" is capable of, by banging it on his table with a map, doing anything from making people fall comically down to ''blowing up planets''.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Also in the spinoff ''Series/{{Angel}}'':

** In "Choices" a vampire corners Willow in a supply room. She uses her telekinetic powers to raise a pencil and stake him.
** In "Band Candy" Giles is making Buffy rehearse for her SAT tests during graveyard patrol when a vampire attacks them. She stakes it with her pencil, then cheerfully points out that it's broken, so she can't do the questionnaire. Giles calmly produces another pencil.
* Also in the spinoff ''Series/{{Angel}}''.

** Angelus does the same to a [[VillainCred demon who asks him for his autograph]].