History Main / ThrowIngYourSwordAlwaysWorks

* ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'': Played with. Goblin Slayer, who is used to hunting solo, often throws his weapons at a target and then just grabs a new one from a dead goblin. While it does work, High Elf Archer points out that he's now unarmed, and it makes more sense to just let her shoot the goblins instead.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' has this for all two-handed weapons. If the player holds down the attack button Ezio, the player character, throws the weapon. The recently thrown weapon will then decide to make friends with the skull of the person it encounters, no matter the current trajectory of the pointy bits. Granted, no matter it doesn't matter if your weapon makes a new skull buddy, the weapon is lost and has to be manually retrieved, unless the player goes to the nearest fabbro (Blacksmith) and re-equip it.

Some times the character will throw his sword [[SpectacularSpinning more like a boomerang]]: horizontally and with a spin on it. While this certainly does make it more likely to cut the opponent, it does raise other questions about the [[AwesomeYetImpractical logistics of such an act]]...

However, TruthInTelevision is not completely lacking here. Historically, certain straight-bladed swords (primarily mediaeval arming swords and longswords) could be thrown, but not in the way typically seen in the media. Throwing a sword end-over-end as is commonly shown has little practicality, and is not likely to hit a target point first[[note]]Although, depending on the mass of the sword, even getting hit by the "wrong" end could still do some serious damage - broken ribs or the like do tend to impair one's ability to fight.[[/note]] (and if it does, it has a chance of just [[https://youtu.be/wTC_1HRgbuo bouncing off]]). Instead, a sword could be gripped backwards by the guard and the end of the blade, and thrown straight similarly to a javelin. This, while still a situational technique, could allow the sword to be thrown accurately at reasonable distances, potentially hitting an enemy point first with some effectiveness. Also, this tactic makes quite a bit more sense for curved swords: for much the same reason that it works for axes. You are much more likely to hit the opponent with the blade, and the sharp surface of the sword is very large making an effective hit much more likely. Especially against a lightly armored opponent, this has some chance of actually working. It does still have the disadvantage of leaving you unarmed, unless you are [[DualWielding wielding two swords or something]].

Compare BallisticBone and DetachableBlades. Contrast (or compare as well) ThrowingYourGunAtTheEnemy, which makes ranged use out of another weapon (in this case, a weapon that already ''is'' ranged) in an unconventional way. See also ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks too (only actually TruthInTelevision for the Spartan hoplon, which had a sharpened edge and if thrown like a frisbee at short range was capable of performing a crude tracheotomy. Most shields however have dull edges, and aren't likely to do much more damage than just throwing a random object of the same weight.) This almost always results in TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn, although that can also result from accidental falls as well as deliberate throws. When the thrown sword is used as a ladder, stepping stone, or perch, it will also be SteppingStoneSword. SummonToHand can negate the negative side effects of this. Contrast GiveMeASword, where the character may throw the sword but is ''not'' intending to commit any damage, just trying to get it to someone who can use it.

** [[spoiler:Barragan Luisenbarn]] tries to fulfill his vow of killing [[spoiler:Aizen Sōsuke]], and with his last breath he throws his [[spoiler:axe]] in hopes of reaching his target. However he was too slow, as his weapon [[spoiler:decayed from his own power]] meters away from his target. Moments later, he died, leaving only his [[spoiler:crown]] behind.

* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', Suzaku manages to throw the Lancelot's sword through an enemy mech when surrounded. Something of a subversion as, despite being impressive, he failed to any notable damage and lost the sword in the process. [[spoiler:Near the end of the series, Gino Weinberg (also in a Humongous Mecha) throws one of the halves of Waldstein's Excalibur at Lelouch's Shinkirou, impaling it in the back and causing it to explode seconds later.]]

* Erza of ''Manga/FairyTail'' can throw 200 swords at once. But since she can use magic to telekinetically lift and fire them, plus she fires them point-first like bullets out a gun at high velocity, it's no real big deal.

* ''Anime/GaReiZero'' - Kagura's Michael-12 has this as a secondary function: the pneumatic pressure inside the sheath launches the sword in a boomerang motion. The sword comes with a retractable chain which attaches it to the sheath for retrieving the sword afterwards.

** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Victory Gundam]]'' this was used once as a desperation move before the opponent (gira) could strike the titular Gundam with his beam saber, and works.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'': Setsuna's fighting style in the Gundam Exia typically involves him chucking his blades at his targets. Luckily, its mostly just his short sworder and beam daggers.

*** Earlier in the anime, there's a battle where Shinn takes out a [[EnergyWeapon powerful beam cannon emplacement]] by disabling an enemy mecha with his Gundam's combat knives and then uses it as a giant grenade. The video game ''Generation of C.E.'' {{exaggerate|dTrope}}s this, changing the scene so Shinn throws the knife into the mecha's face, flies up past it, and then performs a back kick that sends it flying into the cannon.

** In the Destiny Remaster, Kira ends up tossing the Strike Rouge's anti ship sword (from its Remaster exclusive Ootori pack) through a Zaku's head after the pack is exhausted and destroyed as his final attack before retreating into the Eternal to get Strike Freedom. Both letting Strike retire with last hurrah (originally it was quickly disabled before Kira could do more than fire a few shots and this is after it spent all Destiny just floating there) and showing that Kira's skills (which many suspect dulled due to his overuse of Freedom's powerful guns) as are sharp as ever.

** Tetsuya Tsurugi from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' sometimes uses his robot's sword like a spear (the first time he used that move was in his first appearance!). However, he holds it overhead like if it was a real spear when he does that, so it may seem more plausible than usual.

* ''Literature/MushokuTenseiJoblessReincarnation'': The North God Style school of swordsmanship relies on [[CombatPragmatist using adaptability, trickery and the environment itself to gain every possible advantage against your opponent]]. Amongst its repertoire are techniques for throwing your sword at your target with pinpoint accuracy.

** Saitō throws his broken sword at Kenshin knowing it is a bad move and at best a distraction. His opponent sees this and chooses to take the small cut rather than break his stance. This is still enough for Saitō's unexpected followup to work.

** Raygust can be thrown like a high speed projectile thanks to the Option Trigger, Thruster. During the Large Scale Invasion Arc, Osamu manages to pierce a Rabbit in its neck by throwing his boosted Raygust at it like a javelin, and Reiji is able to thrust the “Knife Mode” out like a [[StockNinjaWeaponry Kunai]] as a last desperation attack in order to win some time against Viza and Hyuse, managing to stab through Viza's leg.
** Yuuma learns to throw his Scorpion like a spinning three pronged projectile resembling a ninja star and manipulate its trajectory at will using either a Grasshopper platform or a second Scorpion attached to the projectile like a string on a yo-yo.

* ComicBook/{{Diabolik}} normally uses actual throwing knives, but in a pinch he would sometimes throw things that aren't supposed to be thrown, at least that way:

** In another occasion, Eva threw his knives... From a ''crossbow''. [[JustifiedTrope She had to simulate Diabolik being in a certain place and isn't nowhere near as skilled with throwing knives as he is]].

*** In the DK AlternateUniverse, Diabolik's counterpart had a peculiar variation: having hit an enemy with a BulletproofVest and being held at gunpoint by his comrades, he pressed a button on a remote and the knives, still embedded in the vest, ignited a charge in the handle to fire themselves deeper, injuring the victim-and then he did it again to prove there was more than one charge in the knives and he could eventually kill him if they didn't let him leave. [[ShootTheHostage The others just shot their companion]].

** His son, Harry, proves that it's InTheBlood by throwing a sword into a training dummy, with one friend later noting that Harry has a remarkably good eye. Though it is subverted by how Harry looks noticeably relieved that it worked and the later reveal that he's a very powerful telekinetic. In the sequel, he reveals that he's more than capable of it, even without the telekinesis.

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3625109/1/The-Way-It-Should-Be The Way it Should Be]]'', Luke Skywalker does a lightsaber throw similar to the described in the Literature section. Only this time, he [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe cuts the guy in half.]]

%%* ''Can't remember the movie's name, so someone add it before uncommenting thank you very much''. After defeating the BigBad (who also happens to be his adopted brother) in combat, the protagonist spares him and turns to walk away. The bad guy gets up and throws his katana at him. Using his ChekhovsSkill of hyperadvanced hearing, the protagonist turns around and deflects the thrown blade with his own so that the sword flies back and impales his opponent.
* ''Film/SevenManArmy'' has the flashback of one of the seven, where he kills a Japanese colonel pointing a pistol on him via flung sword.

* ''Film/TheBanditOfSherwoodForest'': During their final battle, William of Pembroke attempts to escape the wounded Robert by running up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he turns and prepares to to hurl his sword at Robert like a javelin. However, Robert is quicker and throws his own sword first, spearing Pembroke through the chest.

* Storm Shadow kills [[spoiler:Zartan]] by throwing his sword at him during the climatic battle of ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation''.

* In ''Film/{{Ironclad}}'', on arriving at Rochester, Marshall saves a woman being held hostage by throwing his sword using the technique described in Fiore (see Real Life, below). Given that he is using a 14th/15th century Italian-styled longsword, this is somewhat appropriate. [[ArtisticLicenseHistory The film is set in 1215.]]

* In Creator/HowardHawks' epic ''Film/LandOfThePharaohs'', the pharaoh (played by Creator/JackHawkins in his best British-officer accent) wins a fight with his treacherous captain of the guard by throwing his sword.

* In the Extended Edition of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'', Aragorn non-ironically kills an Orc in Moria this way. When seeing Boromir has lost his weapon and is at the mercy of his opponent, he picks up Boromir's own sword and throws it. Improbable Impaling Skills, yes, but it's the goddamned Elessar we're talking about. Later in the film, Gimli enters the battle at Amon Hen by throwing an axe into an Uruk-hai. At the beginning of Boromir's LastStand, he throws a knife into an Uruk-hai's throat.

* ''Film/RoguesOfSherwoodForest'': During the fight in Nottingham square, robin sees one of King john's men about to stab Little John from behind. He throws his sword like a javelin from a balcony over Little John's shoulder and spears the soldier through the chest.

* The Creator/ShawBrothers ''wuxia'' film, ''Film/SixAssassins'', takes this trope to the extreme with the hero, Mu Jun-jie, mortally injuring the main villain by throwing his sword, miss by an inch, flying for a dozen meters before having it bounce off a bamboo tree and skewering the villain InTheBack instead.
* In ''Film/SoClose'': When the two protagonists reach the BigBad's room he presses a button that drops a bulletproof glass around him, but one of the protagonists throws her sword towards him. While it doesn't directly kill him, it keeps the shielded glass doors from closing so that her partner could finish him off.

* Happens thrice in ''Film/SuckerPunch''. Babydoll throws her katana as a distraction so she can get close enough to shoot the second samurai in the face. Babydoll throws a bayonet to pin the courier's shoulder to a wall. The German general throws his rapier at Babydoll, and uses the time it takes for her to dodge to close the gap and [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom punch her into a wall]].

* Hela in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' takes sword throwing to its logical extreme; her "Necroswords" are aspects of her powerset. Besides also being adept at melee combat with swords, she can throw with impeccable power and accuracy, even defeating the Warriors Three with but one sword stab. She does not even have to retrieve them; because she can spontaneously generate a never ending supply.
* DoubleSubversion in Richard Lester's ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'', where Porthos invents a move which involves throwing his sword at the enemy. Aramis, unimpressed, ask Porthos to perform this move on him and easily parries the thrown blade, pointing out that Porthos is unarmed now. Later however, Porthos uses this move anyway, and it does work as intended.

* ''[[Franchise/{{Zatoichi}} Zatoichi Challenged]]'' (1967). BlindWeaponmaster Ichi is fighting samurai Akatsuka because he refuses to hand over Shokichi for execution. A second samurai turns up during the duel and Akatsuka orders him to kill Shokichi. Ichi throws his sword into the second samurai, saving Shokichi but leaving himself defenseless. Fortunately Akatsuka decides to forfeit the duel rather than kill Ichi.

* In the ''Literature/LoneWolf'' series, the opportunity to throw your sword is very rarely given, since the hero has usually plenty better opportunities, like using a [[BowAndSwordInAccord bow and arrow]] or even [[MagicKnight offensive magic]] in the later books.
** There is however one noteworthy occurrence in Book 12, ''The Masters of Darkness''. If you draw the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Sommerswerd]] before [[MidBoss Darklord Kraagenskûl]] to fight his Crypt Spawns, Lone Wolf is forced to throw the Sun Sword at his back before he'd alert [[BigBad Darklord Gnaag]]. It never miss and Kraagenskûl is badly wounded either way, but on a low roll he's still able to warn his master, making "[[TheManyDeathsOfYou your life and your mission end here]]."

* ''Literature/AlexRider'': In ''Scorpia'', TheDragon Nile draws a sword from under his coat and Alex thinks Nile is about to kill him. Nile instead throws his sword at Dr. Liebermann. The sword enters at his neck and goes upwards into his brain.

* Creator/VivianVandeVelde's ''Book of Mordred'' has one of Mordred's half-brothers throw his sword at a man about to cleave Nimue's head in half. The projectile kills the man, but doesn't stop his sword's momentum...

* Used twice in [[Literature/{{Deryni}} the "Camber of Culdi" trilogy]]. Justifed in that the users are both powerful Deryni and use magic to make it work:

* ''Literature/FrigidFracas'' by Creator/MackReynolds. A UsefulNotes/ColdWar disarmament treaty leads to the US and Soviets fighting GladiatorGames using nineteenth century weapons. An American agent is challenged to a duel by a Hungarian duelist who is actually an assassin sent to kill him. The American chooses Bowie knives as a weapon his opponent isn't familiar with... except that he is as it's not dissimilar to an Italian short sword used for dueling. What the Hungarian doesn't know however is that--provided you get the original designed by James Black--it makes an excellent throwing knife. The American throws and catches the Hungarian in the guts. The Hungarian uses his last gasp to throw but his Bowie blade--an imitation Bowie that's not as well balanced--misses.
* Creator/JaneYolen's ''Literature/GreatAltaSaga'': In ''Sister Light, Sister Dark'' the warrior women of the Hames are trained to throw swords. It is generally regarded as a last ditch move, to allow: a) the thrower to retreat in a hurry or; b) to distract the target so a sister has a better chance to attack or; c) to allow a blanket companion to attack. [[note]]Sometimes male and female units fight together.[[/note]]

* In ''Literature/TheRescuers'' (the novel upon which the Disney film was based), it is Bernard's desperate, last ditch throwing of his dagger that causes the villain to lose his grip on the ladder, leading to his ultimate defeat.

* In the final battle of ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'', Sir Fenwick throws his sword at Sam and misses - he hasn't trained in throwing blades and longswords aren't really suited for that kind of thing in the first place. Sam takes the sword and throws it at Mizzamir, and hits. ''He'' had trained in how to throw a sword and actually hit something, and had magically enhanced throwing skills on top of that.

* ''Series/{{Arrow}}''. In the second episode John Diggle suspects there's more to Oliver Queen than he's letting on when he saves Diggle's life by throwing a kitchen knife (which is not balanced for throwing) from ten feet away with the accuracy to knock his attacker's weapon out of their hand. Oliver tries to pass this off as luck, but Diggle knows the skill needed for that feat and doesn't buy it.

** Subverted with gusto in "Anne". Dramatic music swells as Oz narrows his eyes and readies himself for a long-distance staking — but his arm is like a wet noodle, and the WoodenStake bounces harmlessly off a gravestone. ("That really never works.")

* The ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Advance Dungeons & Dragons" has Fat Neil's character Ducane throws his sword at Pierce Hawthorne as a desperate attack in their battle.

*** In the season two episode "The Song of Guitardo", Kimberly borrows Tommy's Dragon Dagger and fires it from her bow to slay the titular monster. By the way, this was after Kimberly used her multi-stringed bow as a harp, because the monster could be harmed with music. And, as this episode pointed out, the Dragon Dagger can also be used as a flute.

** 4th Edition has the swordmage, with several abilities in this style; justified in that he has magical control over his sword, including the ability to summon it back to him. One is he throws his sword at the enemy. If it misses, the sword looks for a second enemy and throws itself at him. If it misses again, it will seek a third enemy, and then a fourth at which point it gives up. Either way the sword comes back. Another power coats the sword in fire and then causes it to explode. The pieces reform in the swordmages's hand.

** The 3.5 source book ''Tome of Battle'' has the 8th level maneuver '''Lightning Throw'''. You throw your weapon to deal damage in a 30ft line (meaning that it theoretically over-penetrates), dealing normal weapon damage plus 12d6. The save is Reflex for half; the DC of which is the results of an attack roll, and the one class that can get it has full BAB progression. Your weapon even returns to your hand at the end of the round.

* In ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'' the Metisian warriors and nobility use the Kithakis Throwing Sword, a weapon similar in construction to some African throwing knifes, with the added advantages of it ''returning'' like a boomerang. It's perfectly effective in melee too, but to use it properly you really need all the tentacles of a Metisian.
* As the page quote above makes clear, the ''TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}}: Hell on Earth'' suppliment for Templars, ''The Last Crusaders'' adds a maneuver to throw your sword using the throwing mechanics of the system. It even has a rule for if the sword hits pommel first.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' has this for all two handed weapons. If the player holds down the attack button Ezio, the player character, throws the weapon. The recently thrown weapon will then decide to make friends with the skull of person it encounters, no matter the current trajectory of the pointy bits. Granted, no matter it doesn't matter if your weapon makes a new skull buddy, the weapon is lost and has to be manually retrieved, unless the player goes to the nearest fabbro (Blacksmith) and re-equip it.

* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', the Blade weapon (unless you have leveled it up to maximum, in which case you throw [[spoiler:King's spirit]] instead). Which is kinda odd, because the credits artwork show the protagonist swinging the Blade instead of throwing it. Averted in ''VideoGame/BladeStrangers'' as Quote and Curly just use the blade like a regular sword.

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack'': The second BossBattle sees you facing the Komodo Brothers, Joe and Moe. They are shown to have been training by throwing swords towards one another, before they see that Crash has arrived. Once the fight is started, Joe is [[SpectacularSpinning spun]] at Crash, while Moe tosses his magically respawning blades at him.
* In ''VideoGame/CrusaderOfCenty'', this is the main character's primary means of attack (it's a magic boomerang sword that flies back after traveling a certain distance). Not only attack, but also for triggering switches. And your thrown sword rebounds off of walls. And certain ability combinations from your animal companions will make it fly faster and farther, make it rebound indefinitely, or let you remotely control its flight path.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'': You can throw ''anything''. It might not be perfect, but there's a very good chance it will do some serious hurt if you do hit. This leads to some "interesting" fights. It is possible to gouge out eyes with thrown sand, and decapitate/dismember/destroy organs and bodies with thrown vomit. You can kill a dragon by throwing a sock ''through'' its head. Not only that, but with a high enough Throwing skill (which is much, MUCH less time and ammo consuming than training in using a ranged weapon) you can throw arrows and crossbow bolts ''by hand'', doing more damage and with a much higher speed than you would by firing them with their appropriate weapon; this was later ever so slightly nerfed so the weapon is stronger, but throwing the bolts never breaks them so you can recycle them. Of course, throwing a ''weapon'' has some realism in that on impact it randomly selects one of its possible attack types, meaning a thrown sword could land point first and stab, edge first and slash, or pommel first and strike. Polearms could well land with their shaft instead of their pointy end. Of course, this ''still'' hurts, and if you throw something like a hammer it doesn't matter.

** Edge's ability to throw swords in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' is one of the most devastatingly effective physical attacks in the game, inflicting significantly more damage then the sword would cause when used for normal attacks. The downside is that thrown swords cannot be retrieved. They are gone from the game, which often makes this method TooAwesomeToUse.

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', the characters need a command materia to allow them to throw weapons and Gil in battle. The Materia contains the knowledge of the skill to ensure that throwing your sword ''always'' works. Presumably without it the characters would be prone to missing, or the sword hitting its target hilt-first.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': Generally averted series-wide from a gameplay perspective, in that swords have never had a throwing variation like Lances and Axes do. The ranged swords are instead [[SwordBeam imbued with magic and use that to attack at a distance]]. However, some battle animations involve a unit throwing its sword then catching it before attacking.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'': Ike's [[LimitBreak mastery skill]], Aether, consists of him throwing his sword upwards, then jumping to pick it and coming down hitting the target for massive damage. Considering how [[GameBreaker broken]] both Ike and the skill are separately, never mind together, in this case throwing your sword really ''does'' always work. Additionally in Path Of Radiance, the General's animation for Luna also involves them throwing their sword or Lance (in a un-javelin like fashion) upward and catching it prior to attacking.

* ''Gondomania'', a Creator/DataEast arcade game, has your jet-bike riding space warrior able to throw swords, daggers, axes, grenades and whatnot that he picks up in addition to the weapons built in whichever jet-bike he gets.

* In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'', throwing a knife at an enemy normally has a 50/50 chance of either landing handle-first (which will temporarily knock the enemy to the ground, allowing the player to perform an execution on them) or blade-first (which kills said enemy instantly). However, the snake mask Jake [[MadeOfPlasticine turns every enemy into plasticine]] and makes it so that ''any'' thrown weapon (blunt weapons, bladed weapons, and even guns) will now mow through multiple enemies like a hot knife through butter, even if it has lost some of its momentum and is simply sliding across the floor!

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'': Most champions in the Marksman class use standard (if sometimes fantastical) projectile weapons: bows, bullets, crossbow bolts, piercing magical light (fired from guns) and so on. Draven, however, simply throws his dual axes at people - and is just as good with this as any of the gunslingers and archers. He can even throw them not just so that they cut the enemy but that they then arch into the air so he can catch them again. The reason is simply [[TheAce Draven is that good]].

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Any weapon can be thrown to do doubled damage, and they always break on impact. This is more practical than it sounds since the game uses BreakableWeapons anyway, and doing this with a damaged weapon makes it go out with a highly-damaging hit that will usually knock the target over. The Master Sword is the only weapon that cannot be thrown this way -- it cannot leave the inventory in any way once it's picked up -- and using the throw command will activate its {{Sword Beam}}s instead.

* ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' subverts this -- you can throw your sword and it'll hit the enemy, but it won't stick and the sword clatters to the floor.

** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'': Kenshi starts his x-ray special by throwing his sword at his opponent. He is a [[MindOverMatter telekinetic]] however, and the opponent can avoid it by simply holding block. Inverted in his second fatality from the same game. He plants his sword in the ground then ''throws the opponent at it''.
** In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', Kenshi is still sword tossing and his son Takeda also has some blade throwing moves in his Ronin variation. Aditionally, GuestFighter [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Vorhees]] has his Slasher variation which gives him various special moves with his [[MacheteMayhem signature machete]], including throwing it. And fellow guest fighter [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] takes it up to eleven in his Pretty Lady variation: he can throw his ''chainsaw'' at the opponents!

** [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude The Postal Dude]], in [[VideoGame/Postal2 the second game's]] expansion, throws ''sledgehammers'', smashing the head of whatever they hit. He can also throw a scythe that cuts people in half, but starts to drop off after some distance. He also picks up a machete that not only can be thrown with accuracy, but ''ricochets off walls'' and ''always comes back to him''. The sledgehammer and scythe have to be retrieved each time however, and if you happen to throw the hammer at the back end of a cow, well, lets just say it's [[{{Squick}} slightly less fun to retrieve.]]

* ''VideoGame/StarTropics'': In the original, the protagonist's primary weapon is a yo-yo (explained in game as him having a really good throwing arm). It always comes back to him, so the player can logically keep using it. His second adventure, however, starts him off with melee weapons that are thrown at enemies instead. Despite the first two of these being a primitive axe and a dagger (which would presumably get lodged in a fleshy target), he can always toss another one a moment later, with a never-ending supply of whatever his primary weapon is. Funny with the ax, downright questionable with the dagger.

** Most of the ''VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga'' games, starting from ''VideoGame/JediKnightDarkForcesII''[='=]s expansion. Occasionally, though, the return trip is interrupted: in ''[[VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast Jedi Outcast]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy Jedi Academy]]'', if you throw it at a Dark Jedi and he blocks it, the hilt just falls to the ground, and you have to either go over and grab it, or just Force pull. If you switch weapons while it's in flight, it'll also drop to the ground. It also has three levels; level one just throws it in a direction before returning, level two allows you to slightly change direction as it's flying outward, level three lets it hover on a target and slice them up repeatedly before returning.

** [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Robin]] discards his weapons by lightly throwing them behind him after they run out of uses. However, they all can be caught and thrown if you act quick enough. A discarded Levin Sword can ''only'' be thrown if caught by Robin [[HoistByHisOwnPetard or his opponent]], but doing so and landing a hit with it is as devastating as a Smash Attack.

* ''VideoGame/SwordOfKadash'' by Dynamix, has your desert adventurer able to throw knives, swords and axes at enemies.

*** High-level Warriors can learn two different weapon-throwing attacks: Heroic Throw, which simply chucks your main-hand weapon at your foe; and Shattering Throw, which has a slight cast time, but can actually break through otherwise-impenetrable defensive techniques, such as a Mage's Ice Block. ''Mists of Pandaria'' introduces the talent "Storm Bolt", in which Warriors throw their weapon at an enemy (or weapons for the DualWielding Fury Warriors), as a DPS cooldown. The glyph of Impaling Throw enables Warriors to retrieve their weapon from the enemy they used Heroic Throw on; while they were able to resume attacking with it even without this g*lyph, the glyph enables them to reset the cooldown and use the ability again immediately.

*** Roche also manages to kill an enemy soldier via thrown sword in a cutscene. In another cutscene Geralt does the same.

** Interestingly enough, each of those examples have characters throw their swords either in the end-over-end or in the boomerang fashion. [[Literature/TheWitcher In the books]], meanwhile, while both Cahir and Geralt can be seen throwing their sword to reach a distant target, [[ShownTheirWork the narration makes it clear]] both times that they throw their sword straight, like a javelin.

* In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' two last Defenders of the Court did it. Mr. Eglamore (Chapter 7) and Mr. Thorn (in Chapter 22) opted to throw some sort of a [[PowerGlows glowing sword... thing]] to save time. In the former case it's still a bit too late.

* Parodied in ''WebVideo/ScottTheWoz'' where he destroys the Polibyus arcade machine pusuing him by throwing a baseball bat like a javelin at it at point blank range.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', Batman is dueling with Ra's al Ghul, and decides that the best use for his sword would be to throw it at Ghul's DoomsdayDevice which was [[DestructionEqualsOffSwitch seconds away from blowing up half the planet]].

* Agent Six from ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' uses this trope a lot. One of the best examples is in the very first episode during his fight with Breach, who can open portals through space. She surrounds him with portals and proceeds to punch and kick him from every direction, until he finally throws his fold-out katanas through two of them. A few seconds later, Breach and both swords fall through another portal several yards away.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollhunters}}'': Jim is fond of throwing his magic sword, Daylight. Since it's magic, as long as its not struck down too hard, he can simply will it back into its hands.

** Keith, while not (initially) on the same level of the Blade of Marmora, is still capable of throwing his sword in a perfectly straight line without the blade spinning into his opponents from across a room. [[spoiler: It must be a [[HalfHumanHybrid Galra trait]].]]

* The most famous Japanese swordsman of all time, UsefulNotes/MiyamotoMusashi, was an expert at throwing his sword, making this TruthInTelevision. He also won over 60 duels in his life, and tended to win using things like [[ImprobableWeaponUser wooden sticks and metal fans]], so he may have been a special case.

* In Gladiatoria manuscript, MS Germ.Quart.16, page 7r, armour fighting with spear. ''Note the twelfth play. If you want to [[MemeticMutation end him rightly]] (?), [[https://imgur.com/gallery/UCwYi hold your spear and sword together on your arm, unscrew the pommel of your sword and throw it at him vigorously.]] Close in with the throw and use your sword or spear, whatever suits you best. When he throws his pommel at you, keep your buckler close to you and watch out for the throw. Hold your spear in your right hand and prepare to thrust, to stop him from closing in if it is his intention.''[[note]]Since this move is AwesomeButImpractical to the highest degree, modern experts are unsure whether it's supposed to be a taunt used at the end of a duel, the manuscript writer being a {{Troll}}, a reference to some sort of now-lost meme or in-joke, or an unusual method of copyright.[[/note]]

* While Azeem used this successfully in ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'', Robin himself failed. In Robin's duel with the sheriff, Robin's sword is broken and in desperation he throws the hilt shard at the sheriff. Nottingham barely even has to move to avoid it.

* Subverted in one of the ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' books. Secondary antagonist Billy Kong attempts to kill a man with a thrown knife, but hits him with the handle, knocking him out. It's interesting that he threw the knife and hit his target exactly so said man would get knocked out, when you consider Foaly's earlier joke about Kong working at a circus in the past....

** Subverted in ''Literature/GuardsGuards'', which notes that a throwing knife is carefully balanced to fly true, and it takes practice to throw one right... which is why the butcher's knife that Sam Vimes throws at a guard misses completely, and doesn't even have the good grace to get stuck in the wall.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': ''Literature/WhiteNight'' at least lampshades it, as Harry says throwing knives aren't efficient due to the easy chance of hitting pommel first. That is, unless you happen to be a vampire with heightened dexterity and ''centuries'' to practice. Or, in ''Literature/SkinGame'', if you're immortal with powerboost from a fallen angel and a ''millennia'' of practice, for throwing an actual sword.

* R.A. Salvatore's ''Literature/TheSellswords'': Double-subverted in a battle during ''Road of the Patriarch'', when Artemis Entreri throws his sword at his fleeing opponents. It just embeds itself in a door frame, but still kills the guy who tries to pick it up. Artemis' sword ''[[EmpathicWeapon likes him]]''.

** ''Series/UltramanZ'' brings Baraba back, and this time the attack is a bit more successful, as he's now able to control where the sword goes (rather than firing it in a straight line) thanks to an energy chain which connects to the sword's hilt after he shoots it. He would have been successful in executing Z with the sword, had Ace not arrived in time to save him.

* ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' again: Perhaps ironically in lights of the real life information about such techniques, the system's usual fondness for detail, and the cinematic throw-anything skill option mentioned above, there is actually ''no'' "mundane" Thrown Weapon skill for swords longer than knives (which are sorted into the general "sword" group for melee weapon skill purposes) listed in the basic rulebook.[[/folder]]

** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' features the Throw Lightsaber power. On the one hand it's Force-neutral, so it's one of the few ranged attacking Force powers a Light-Sider can use without penalty; it can hit multiple targets at once in its upgraded form; and it's one of the only ways to break [[spoiler:the captured Jedi in the final battle]]. On the other hand, it's rather weak in terms of overall damage output, while using the power with a double-bladed saber or single blade leaves you unable to deflect ranged attacks that turn. And that's just in the ''first game''. In ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords The Sith Lords]]'', the Exile's godlike Force point totals and regeneration allow you to easily toss around Force Storm and other powerful area-effect Force Powers despite possible alignment penalties, making Throw Lightsaber completely useless.
** As noted above, ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' has throwing your lightsaber as an attack. However, a Force user or a lightsaber wielding opponent will be able to block/deflect it, leaving you unable to attack until it returns to you.

* Koei's ''VideoGame/WarriorsLegendsOfTroy'' allow players to pick up some enemy weapons for their own use, including axes, spears, spiked clubs, and swords of both the xiphos (leaf-shaped) and makhaira (forward-curved) variety. All of these may be thrown, and while the axes and spears have a modicum of reasonableness behind them, as spears are naturally aerodynamic and all of the axe's weight is in its head, the xiphos is ill suited for being thrown in the end-over-end tumble depicted in the game, and the makhaira even less so due to its function as a single-edged chopping blade, much like a kukri. In spite of this, all thrown weapons, if they strike a target, will leave a victim ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice. Ironically given the name of the trope, it really ''does'' work, as the weapon being thrown is one that the player has found on the field, often plentiful due to being taken from defeated enemies, and is a OneHitKill most non-{{Elite Mook|s}} infantry.

* At one point in ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'', Jamilla is taken hostage by a ninja/assassin raven to [[HumanShield secure his escape]]. Rogue responds with a "[[CallingYourAttacks BEAM SWORD HURL ATTACK!]]" which not only misses completely, but also leaves him without his EnergyWeapon. Lothar immediately {{lampshade|Hanging}}s both tropes.

** {{Downplayed|Trope}} in ''Film/TheLastJedi'' in that the throw itself is not fatal. [[spoiler:Kylo Ren loses his lightsaber while fighting alongside Rey, and gets pinned by his opponent. So, Rey throws her lightsaber to him, letting the blade retract in the air. Kylo Ren catches the hilt, and [[BoomHeadshot activates it through the guard's head.]]]]

* Vivian Vande Velde's ''Book of Mordred'' has one of Mordred's half-brothers throw his sword at a man about to cleave Nimue's head in half. The projectile kills the man, but doesn't stop his sword's momentum...

** The Dressrosa Arc has Jean Ango, a self-proclaimed sniper who collects swords off the battlefield to throw at people as his entire fighting style. He fails to hit Luffy even once when the latter dodges his attacks with [[CombatClairvoyance Observation Haki]], which has the unfortunate consequence of having Jean Ango's weapons land on a very pissed off [[RetiredBadass Don Chinjao]].

* Played straight and subverted in ''Film/{{Jumanji}}''. When confronted with Van Pelt, Alan throws the family sword. It's played straight in that it hits Van Pelt in the shoulder and pins him to a column. It's subverted in that Van Pelt, being a spirit of the game, is unharmed. He simply walks through the blade.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': In one of Levi's fights, he chucks his blades into the eyes of a Titan before slashing out its nape. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], in that every soldier carries multiple blades because they wear out quickly. Levi probably just weaponized blades that would otherwise just be thrown away.

* ''Film/{{Legend 1985}}''. Jack throws the unicorn horn at Darkness and impales him in the chest, wounding him and helping to drive him back.

* ''Sword of Kadash'' by Dynamix, has your desert adventurer able to throw knives, swords and axes at enemies.

* ''Swordswallower'' a video game by Uti Azulay and Julia Del Matto has this as a necessary component. Your mysterious protagonist cannot swing his gigantic {{BFS}}. Instead, it's enchanted to be thrown with rocket-like force and [[PrecisionGuidedBoomerang will return to your hand]] or it will teleport you to it.

* Subverted in the second episode of ''Anime/WeissKreuz'' when Aya throws his katana at an escaping helicopter: not only does it accomplish absolutely nothing, he doesn't even hit the chopper in the first place. The whole incident just illustrates the state of completely berserk rage he's in at the time.

-->'''Doctore:''' Throw your sword in the arena and you are dead.

--> [[spoiler:'''Felix''']]: (deadpan) That works.

** In the Fishman Island arc, Van Der Decken IX has the ability to mark someone as his target by touching them. After that, any item he throws will home in on them no matter where he throws it from (unless another person or barrier blocks it). So, throwing his sword (or anything else) will always work.
** The Dressrosa Arc has Jean Ango, a self-proclaimed sniper who collects swords off the battlefield to throw at people as his entire fighting style.

* ''VideoGame/GladiatorSwordOfVengeance'' ends with your final confrontation against Counselor Arruntius, a main villain who turned Rome into a ruthless dictatorship. Having destroyed the evil gods Arruntius summoned, the villain tries pleading for his pathetic life only for you to hurl your sword into him in the final cutscene.

* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'':
** Used in a modified form in an early chapter: Kenshin, having lost the use of his right arm, launches his sword ''hilt-first'' at his opponent (a move called the Hi Ryuu Sen, or Flying Dragon Flash). It nails his opponent between the eyes for the win.
** One of Shinomori Aoshi's techniques, ''Onmyo Hasshi'', involves throwing ''both'' of his swords straight at his opponent, with one sword directly behind the other so as to obscure it from the opponent's line of sight, leaving them vulnerable when they parry the first sword. Even then, Aoshi is a skilled Kempo user in his own right (and in fact uses said hand-to-hand skills in tandem with his sword skills), so he can afford to disarm himself.
** Saitō throws his broken sword at Kenshin knowing it is a bad move and at best a distraction. His opponent sees this and chooses to take the small cut rather than break his stance. This is still enough for Saitō's unexpected followup to work.
** Creator/NobuhiroWatsuki's debut work, the one-shot "Crescent Moon in the Warring States" which he eventually decided was a prequel to ''[=RuroKen=]'', had samurai protagonist Hiko Seijūrō be faced with a BigBad armed with a matchlock rifle who told him NeverBringAKnifeToAGunFight. Hiko rendered the gun temporarily useless by throwing his wakizashi into the barrel, then killed him with his tachi.
* In ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'', Chilchuck [[spoiler: throws Senshi's mithril knife - the only weapon that so far had any success - with perfect accuracy and devastating results into the eye of the Red Dragon. This move is a key factor in the victory, but he gets taken out of commission soon thereafter]].
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'':
** Tetsuya Tsurugi from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' sometimes uses his robot's sword like a spear (the first time he used that move was in his first appearance!). However, he holds it overhead like if it was a real spear when he does that, so it may seem more plausible than usual.
** Daisuke Umon/Duke Fleed, from ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'', usually thrown as a FinishingMove the Double Harken, a pair of crescent-moon shaped scythes which pop out of Grendizer's shoulders and join together by attaching the ends.
* Allen from ''Manga/DGrayMan'' does this twice. One at Road, another with a Level 4, but that was more like summoning the sword to fly to him.
* ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'':
** Clare first does the spinning sort in the second chapter to take down a flying demon trying to escape, and that certainly isn't the last time. And considering all the other wacky sword techniques the series employs, this can get downright plausible in comparison.
** In one incident where Miata did this to save Clarice, the ramifications (the former promptly getting dogpiled by Yoma) were comparatively realistic. The fact that Miata promptly tore them apart with her bare hands...
** Lampshaded when Yuma throws her sword to take out an Awakened Being to help Galatea, and upon feeling proud of her projectile skills Cynthia states it isn't the best technique since it disarms her.
* ''Anime/SpeedRacer'' managed to throw a sword perfectly enough to [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands knock a gun out of a guy's hand]]. Yeah.

* In the ''Manga/LoneWolfAndCub'' series, Ogami Itto throws his sword a few times. In the second film as well, really surprising his opponent, because now he is unarmed against the last one. But to be fair, he always throws it like one would throw a spear, and usually it works because he is perceived as a ronin/samurai with at least some shred of honor, which he is not (he's an assassin), thus catching his opponents completely off guard. Also, because of the nature of samurai martial arts, their duels where mostly over after a single attack. Finally, it should be mentioned that Itto is left less defenseless than the trope usually implies, as he's capable of a BareHandedBladeBlock as well.
* In the very last episode, Mugen of ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' does this during a battle with his EvilCounterpart. It's more of a subversion though: Mugen wasn't actually throwing the sword at his opponent, but ''into the ground behind him'' to both distract him while he ran up close and to [[spoiler:use to make the chain of his opponent's [[SinisterScythe kusarigama]] snake around so he could [[HoistByHisOwnPetard pull on the chain and cut Umanosuke's]] [[OffWithHisHead head]] [[AbsurdlySharpBlade clean off]]]].
* Near the end of ''Anime/SwordOfTheStranger'', Nanashi saves Kotaro from afar by throwing his sword at his would-be executioner. Soon, though, he finds himself at a disadvantage because of this and has to retrieve it.
* Ryoma from ''Manga/GetterRobo'' does this with a mafia assassin's katana, and he throws it by the blade too. Not to mention that one of the attacks of Getter-1/Getter Dragon/Shin Getter-1 is the "Getter Tomahawk Boomerang", which has the mecha throwing the titular weapon and having it come back to its hand at times.
* Alexander Anderson of ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' fame loves this with bayonets. He carries around a [[BottomlessMagazines nigh-infinite]] number of them -- enough to throw ten or twenty at a time and still go DualWielding. As it turns out, he's extremely accurate; at one point hitting a target to disable from around a corner at least a dozen times in about three seconds.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Alvida throws her spiked club at some of her mooks in the first episode.
** In the Fishman Island arc, Van Der Decken IX has the ability to mark someone as his target by touching them. After that, any item he throws will home in on them no matter where he throws it from (unless another person or barrier blocks it). So, throwing his sword (or anything else) will always work.
** The Dressrosa Arc has Jean Ango, a self-proclaimed sniper who collects swords off the battlefield to throw at people as his entire fighting style.
* Star Saber manages to defeat Deathsaurus twice in ''Anime/TransformersVictory'' by throwing his sword through the villain's chest plate.
* In ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'', Tasuki hurls a sword at Nakago, who was gloating at him, but misses. [[spoiler:However, he ''does'' manage to kill Soi, which pisses Nakago off]].

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Lampshaded when Ling throws his sword at Envy to save Lan-Fan, but then frantically starts yelling for her to throw it back to him because doing so left him unarmed while getting chased down by Gluttony.
** Maes Hughes likes to throw daggers hidden up his sleeve when things get hairy. Except he uses push daggers, not actual throwing knives.

* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'':
** Piedmon's trademark move, "Trump Sword", involves throwing a quartet of blades at his enemy, usually to devastating effect.
** In another instance, Zudomon manages to crack [=MetalEtemon's=] armored shell by throwing his hammer at him.

* At one point, Jagara from ''Anime/WolfsRain'' throws her sword (like a javelin) and hits a running wolf.
* Erza of ''Manga/FairyTail'' can throw 200 swords at once. But since she can use magic to telekinetically lift and fire them, plus she fires them point-first like bullets out a gun at high velocity, it's no real big deal.
%%* Mifune from ''Manga/SoulEater'' definitely counts.
* ''Anime/GaReiZero'' - Kagura's Michael-12 has this as a secondary function: the pneumatic pressure inside the sheath launches the sword in a boomerang motion. The sword comes with a retractable chain which attaches it to the sheath for retrieving the sword afterwards.

* ''Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries'' has Dante throwing his sword around a few times. One such instance impaled a mermaid-demon through the neck against a wall in the episode "Rock Queen" (WITHOUT harming the possessed human victim at that!).
* In an early episode of ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'', he's fighting against the [[ShockAndAwe Raiju brothers]]. When Kagome is about to be killed by the younger sibling, Inuyasha throws [[{{BFS}} Tessaiga]] at him, killing him. Much more later, Sesshomaru gets rid of Suikotsu by tossing Tokijin at him. Bonus points for doing that without looking directly at him.

* Double subverted in ''Anime/YuGiOhTheMoviePyramidOfLight''. When inside Yami's head, Yugi, unable to reach the source of Anubis' power, throws a dagger at it. The handle hits it and bounces off... and then it cracks apart anyway.

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZBojackUnbound'', Future Trunks is trapped in energy-draining wires and about to be impaled by a makeshift spear. Vegeta throws Trunks' sword, which destroys the spear and cuts the wires at the same time.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', Future Trunks throws his sword at Goku Black just as he was about to fire a blast. The sword cuts his arm, making him cancel his blast. The sword then comes back to Trunks like a boomerang.
* In ''Manga/BlackClover'', Ladros, upon figuring out that Asta is equipped only with a sword, chooses to engage in BeamSpam from a long distance to ensure Asta can never hit him. Asta quickly becomes aware of what Ladros is pulling and counters by throwing his sword, which squarely hits its target due to the bright lights and smoke from Ladros's ki blasts severely impairing Ladros's line of sight to Asta. Ladros is left in shock, especially as he desperately tries to yank the sword out of his shoulder and realizes just how ''heavy'' the sword is (although technically it's lighter to Asta since he doesn't have mana to drain).
* ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'': Played with. Goblin Slayer, who is used to hunting solo, often throws his weapons at a target and then just grabs a new one from a dead goblin. While it does work, High Elf Archer points out that he's now unarmed, and it makes more sense to just let her shoot the goblins instead.
* Exaggerated in ''Manga/HellsParadiseJigokuraku'', where Shion somehow manages to ''behead'' an opponent by throwing his katana at it.
* ''Manga/WorldTrigger'':
** Raygust can be thrown like a high speed projectile thanks to the Option Trigger, Thruster. During the Large Scale Invasion Arc, Osamu manages to pierce a Rabbit in its neck by throwing his boosted Raygust at it like a javelin, and Reiji is able to thrust the “Knife Mode” out like a [[StockNinjaWeaponry Kunai]] as a last desperation attack in order to win some time against Viza and Hyuse, managing to stab through Viza's leg.
** Yuuma learns to throw his Scorpion like a spinning three pronged projectile resembling a ninja star and manipulate its trajectory at will using either a Grasshopper platform or a second Scorpion attached to the projectile like a string on a yo-yo.

* In his StandAloneEpisode of ''Midnight Sons Unlimited'', ComicBook/{{Blade}} throws his sword to kill Angela, [[OffhandBackhand who was coming at him from behind]]. [[spoiler:As if anything else could be spoiled, she was trying to avenge her brother, who was also trying to kill Blade.]]

* ComicBook/{{Psylocke}} wounds [[spoiler:Archangel]] this way in ''Uncanny ComicBook/XForce'', though even she admits that [[MillionToOneChance it's a one-in-a-million shot.]]
* ComicBook/TheMightyThor gets a pass with his hammer, since it returns to him when he throws it and he can control it.

** On one occasion, caught in the act by the victim of his current heist while unarmed, he reflexively grabbed a ''paper knife'' and threw it, hitting him right in the heart. [[spoiler:[[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Given it wasn't a throwing knife nor sharp, the strike just knocked the victim out with a bad wound that wouldn't have been fatal]] had his inheritance-hungry grandson called for help rather than push it further in]].

*** In the DK AlternateUniverse, Diabolik's counterpart had a peculiar variation: having hit an enemy with a BulletproofVest and being held at gunpoint by his comrades, he pressed a button on a remote and the knives, still embedded in the vest, ignited a charge in the handle to fire themselves deeper, injurying the victim-and then he did it again to prove there was more than one charge in the knives and he could eventually kill him if they didn't let him leave. [[ShootTheHostage The others just shot their companion]].

* ''Film/LadyWithASword'' defies, subverts, and plays this trope straight all in one scene: In the finale, the heroine hurls her sword at the main villain ([[spoiler: who just hurled her nephew off a cliff to his death]]). The villain's equally ruthless mother, who is also a kung-fu practitioner, throws her sword as well, deflecting the heroine's flung weapon causing it to be embedded into a tree, but the heroine then throws a shorter sword which un-embeds her stuck weapon, that ends up skewering the main baddie to death.

* ''Literature/{{Fablehaven}}'': [[spoiler: Seth throws Vasilis at Nagi Luna in a fairly desperate attempt to kill her before she could flee with two artifacts.]] Justified in that [[spoiler: he was badly injured and poisoned, thus not able to run to fight her, in an extremely bad position]], and wielding a magical sword that was ''on fire''. Not many things could probably survive being whacked with a flaming blade, whether or not they actually got cut.

* In the final cutscene of ''VideoGame/FlashOfTheBlade'', you eventually defeat the true form of Soulstealer - revealed to be a gigantic FacelessEye inside a red void - by throwing your own sacred weapon, the Lightbringer, into [[EyeScream into Soulstealer's pupil]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Growlanser}}: Wayfarer of Time'', the character Vallery wields a throwing sword as his ring weapon of choice.
* ''VideoGame/KessenHeianKyo'': Mannendake's animation clip has him draw his sword from his flute and throw it in a boomerang fashion, after which he sheathes it back into the flute and starts playing.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pankapu}}'': With The Bravery Aegis, [[PlayerCharacter Pankapu]] can throw his sword as an attack. It always comes back boomerang-style.
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': You can throw any weapon at opponents and do damage this way. In fact, most weapons are better thrown than swung. The beam sword has the farthest throwing range.
** The prime example of this is the [[HomeRunHitter Home Run Bat]]; the bat has an AwesomeButImpractical instant-KO "home run" smash swing... or you can just throw it to deal a heavy amount of damage and knockback.
** [[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Ike]] also carries over his signature skill Aether, as above, and takes both the skill itself and the throwing further with [[FinishingMove Great Aether]].
** [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Robin]] discards his weapons by lightly throwing them behind him after they run out of uses. However, they all can be caught and thrown if you act quick enough. A discarded Levin Sword can ''only'' be thrown if caught by Robin [[HoistByHisOwnPetard or his opponent]], but doing so and landing a hit with it is as devastating as a Smash Attack.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'':
** Dygenguard uses the Colossal Spinner Attack: Throwing the sword in a horizontal spin.
** Sanger can also pull this off ''on foot with a {{BFS}}'' in ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone''.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsEx'': In ''Dark Prison'', [[Characters/MasouKishin Shu Shirakawa]] does this with his [[{{BFS}} Granworm Sword]] to aim at Monica [[spoiler:but activates the teleporter at the last minute and hits Luozorl, killing him]].

* ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia'': In the latter two 3D games, you can throw your secondary-weapon swords at enemies. They aren't terribly good weapons for this -- the secondary-weapon daggers and some axes are generally better -- but you always connect with the right end of the weapon.
* ''VideoGame/{{Rune}}'' allows you to throw any item you hold. Most weapons don't work very well for this, but some (hand axes and lit torches, most notably) work quite well. Since you have a ton of weapons most of the time, this is an excellent first move. One of the runic powers even allows you unlimited ghost weapons to throw for a short time.
* ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'':
** One feature of the secret enchanted gladius is that it can be thrown at distant enemies and will immediately teleport back to the user's hand upon striking.
** One CoupDeGrace is to throw your sword into a downed enemy, then pull it back out. Justified in that, well, they're down and your foot's on their chest -- no worries about dodging.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
** One of Nero's most badass moments in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' occurs in the cutscene after the final showdown with [[spoiler:Sanctus]], when he hurls Yamato in the direction of the BigBad as he's about to kill Kyrie, and then [[spoiler:uses his Devil Bringer hand to grab the sword in midair and Hookshot himself over to him, slice through the membrane holding Kyrie, reverse the blade and run Sanctus through with an OffhandBackhand, and then catch Kyrie on the rebound]]. However, this could be counted as a subversion since [[spoiler:the sword isn't thrown offensively, but as a distraction and to free up his [[RedRightHand Devil Bringer]]]].
** In addition, he uses the tactic TWICE in his opening fight with Dante, first with a [[{{BFS}} GIANT stone carving of a sword]], then with Dante's own sword. Then again, [[strike:the fight]] the entire series defies physics every two seconds...
** Dante's "Round Trip" ability, which somehow works as a boomerang. Used twice against the Bloodgoyles in ''VideoGame/{{Devil May Cry 3|DantesAwakening}}'', in the beginnings of Missions 5 & 8.
** Level up your Swordmaster style in ''3'' enough and Dante will earn the move "Sword Pierce", which lets him throw his sword and stick it into an enemy for a few seconds before returning to him, doing damage while it's in contact.
** After the Beowulf fight in ''DMC 3'', Dante throws his sword, cutting the beast's eye. If you look closely, the wrong end of the sword is the part that makes contact.
** Vergil has his own version of this in ''DMC 3'' when he throws the Force Edge and it takes on the properties of a boomerang, coming right back to him. However, when Dante gains possession of the sword, he is unable to do this.
** It's subverted at the end of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'', [[spoiler:when Dante sends his sword flying through the air, shoots The Despair Embodied through the head, and the demon disperses on the spot where the sword falls a few seconds later]].
* ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'': Alastor is a ShoutOut to Dante who mimics his "Round Trip" attack, among other things....
* ''VideoGame/DragonsCrown'': The Fighter can throw his sword. With the right perks, the sword can create a powerful shockwave when it lands, the same as with the Fighter's SwordPlant attack.
* In ''VideoGame/CrusaderOfCenty'', this is the main character's primary means of attack (it's a magic boomerang sword that flies back after traveling a certain distance). Not only attack, but also for triggering switches. And your thrown sword rebounds off of walls. And certain ability combinations from your animal companions will make it fly faster and farther, make it rebound indefinitely, or let you remotely control its flight path.
* ''VideoGame/DiabloII'': In the ending, [[spoiler:Tyrael throws his sword to destroy the corrupted worldstone]]. At least his target is frigging huge. [[spoiler:Tyrael is also an angel. When a being of pure energy and magic throws something, it will probably "strike true".]]
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** One of the special abilities of the {{Ninja}} class in the ''Final Fantasy'' series is to throw items, including swords and other weapons. Needless to say, TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn.
** Edge's ability to throw swords in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' is one of the most devastatingly effective physical attacks in the game, inflicting significantly more damage then the sword would cause when used for normal attacks. The downside is that thrown swords cannot be retrieved. They are gone from the game, which often makes this method TooAwesomeToUse.
** Even worse: in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'', you can obtain the [[JokeItem Excalipoor sword]], that does absolutely puny damage; however, there are two ways to do as much damage as the real Excalibur with it. The first is throwing it, and the second can only be described as punching the enemy while holding it.
** The Throw command is reintroduced in later ''Final Fantasy'' games as a command for Thief and Monk characters.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', the characters need a command materia to allow them to throw weapons and Gil in battle. The Materia contains the knowledge of the skill to ensure that throwing your sword ''always'' works. Presumably without it the characters would be prone to missing, or the sword hitting its target hilt-first.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' does this in Patch 5.5 of ''Shadowbringers'' after hearing that the Warrior of Light, along with the Eorzean Alliance, has defeated his army at Pagl'than, making the normally unflappable prince [[NotSoStoic have a fit of rage]] throw his sword at a pillar, just missing [[SmugSnake Fandaniel's]] head by an inch.
** Noctis Lucis Caelum of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' has the ability to warp wherever he throws his weapon. With the right spacial warping, not only does throwing your sword always work, but it's a crucial part of your fighting style.
* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack'': The second BossBattle sees you facing the Komodo Brothers, Joe and Moe. They are shown to have been training by throwing swords towards one another, before they see that Crash has arrived. Once the fight is started, Joe is [[SpectacularSpinning spun]] at Crash, while Moe tosses his magically respawning blades at him.
* ''Gondomania'', a Creator/DataEast arcade game, has your jet-bike riding space warrior able to throw swords, daggers, axes, grenades and whatnot that he picks up in addition to the weapons built in whichever jet-bike he gets.
* ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'': Datasoft's ''Conan: Hall of Volta'' has the mighty Cimmerian throw his sword at enemies. Good thing they come [[PrecisionGuidedBoomerang back like boomerangs]] and if he's prevented from catching it... well, he's carrying ten swords to throw and can find more.
* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersPirates'': The 2000s version does this every time you win a duel with an enemy captain. The player character backs the enemy to the stern of the ship, throws his sword... and misses. The enemy captain starts to advance, [[ExactlyWhatIAimedAt only for the hero to smirk as the bundle of crates held by the rope he just cut knocks the captain off the ship]]. When you get to the last few Famous Pirates, they'll notice the crates and duck, only to get hit by them anyway on the return swing. The last famous pirate will jump on the crate, swing his sword over his head in triumph... and sever the rope himself.

* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'':
** In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'' Alucard can find the "Heaven Sword", which exists only for the sake of this trope. Justified perhaps by magic, since the weapon flies straight out, striking enemies, and then hits them ''again'' as it [[PrecisionGuidedBoomerang flies back to the thrower]].
** There's also the Runesword, which even larger, thrown in a vertical arc and has the word [[GratuitousGerman "verboten"]] written within its SwordLines.
** On the more mundane scale, Alucard can throw the Shotel (a real-life Ethiopian/Eritrean sword) as a special move [[PrecisionGuidedBoomerang and it will return to him]].
** And then there are the [[KukrisAreKool Gurkha soldiers]] that are usually stated in the bestiary to be siblings with the Blade monsters described far below. They have some sort of strange giant kukri that flies back to them like a boomerang when they throw it.
** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' has done us one better with the Weapon Master, who carries the Blade monster's swords, the Gurkha monster's kukri, and a hammer from their other bro. The hammer is used for close-range combat, the kukris work as described above, and the swords... are thrown in a hard-to-avoid spread pattern. [[SpectacularSpinning During a spinning jump.]]

* In ''VideoGame/DeadlyTowers'', Prince Myer throws his sword to attack. Unlike Link, however, he can't stab enemies with it, leaving him defenseless until the sword disappears.
* ''VideoGame/WarhammerOnline'': The Orc careers in ''Age of Reckoning'' have a ''Throw Choppa'' ability, lobbing a large orcish sword at an enemy and usually getting the best results if it hits them in the back. Seeing the [[http://img.war-europe.com/syndic_img/careers/choppa-concept-02.jpg slightly non-aerodynamic design]] of said implement, this possibly makes them the best shots in the entire game (rather ironic considering their [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 40K]] counterparts are famous for their ATeamFiring with actual guns).

* In ''VideoGame/HellgateLondon'', a skill for the Blademaster class called Cross Cutter allows them to throw their sword (the right-hand one if DualWielding). The effective range of this skill is the same as an assault rifle's. They also get a passive skill later on that increases their thrown sword damage.
* In ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryIII'', Paladin characters must defeat the Demon Wizard by throwing their sword at him.
* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', the Blade weapon (unless you have leveled it up to maximum, in which case you throw [[spoiler:King's spirit]] instead). Which is kinda odd, because the credits artwork show the protagonist swinging the Blade instead of throwing it. Averted in ''VideoGame/BladeStrangers'' as Quote and Curly just use the blade like a regular sword.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}'' and its [[{{Roguelike}} descendants]] such as ''VideoGame/NetHack'', any item in your inventory can be thrown. However, if it's a standard melee weapon, don't expect it to be particularly effective.
* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'': You can throw ''anything''. It might not be perfect, but there's a very good chance it will do some serious hurt if you do hit. This leads to some "interesting" fights. It is possible to gouge out eyes with thrown sand, and decapitate/dismember/destroy organs and bodies with thrown vomit. You can kill a dragon by throwing a sock ''through'' its head. Not only that, but with a high enough Throwing skill (which is much, MUCH less time and ammo consuming than training in using a ranged weapon) you can throw arrows and crossbow bolts ''by hand'', doing more damage and with a much higher speed than you would by firing them with their appropriate weapon; this was later ever so slightly nerfed so the weapon is stronger, but throwing the bolts never breaks them so you can recycle them. Of course, throwing a ''weapon'' has some realism in that on impact it randomly selects one of its possible attack types, meaning a thrown sword could land point first and stab, edge first and slash, or pommel first and strike. Polearms could well land with their shaft instead of their pointy end. Of course, this ''still'' hurts, and if you throw something like a hammer it doesn't matter.
-->"I just killed a [[MadeOfIron Bronze Colossus]], and you'll never guess how. [[spoiler:[[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Fluffy Wambler]] [[BoomHeadshot to the head!]]]]"
* ''VideoGame/LostOdyssey'' has armies that do this instead of using archers.
* ''VideoGame/{{Postal}}'':
** [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude The Postal Dude]], in [[VideoGame/Postal2 the second game's]] expansion, throws ''sledgehammers'', smashing the head of whatever they hit. He can also throw a scythe that cuts people in half, but starts to drop off after some distance. He also picks up a machete that not only can be thrown with accuracy, but ''ricochets off walls'' and ''always comes back to him''. The sledgehammer and scythe have to be retrieved each time however, and if you happen to throw the hammer at the back end of a cow, well, lets just say it's [[{{Squick}} slightly less fun to retrieve.]]
** The ''A Week in Paradise'' mod adds a katana, which can be thrown in the same manner as the sledgehammer, stabbing whoever it hits but then having to be retrieved (except in Enhanced Mode, where you [[BottomlessMagazines can toss as many of them as you want]]).
* ''Series/ChinesePaladin'':
** Throwing weapons is a very good way to do damage to enemies, and everyone can do it. Many guides will suggest spending all one's money on the last weapon shop the player can visit and throw them all at the boss fight. The GameBreaker potential of this is mitigated by shops being the only source of expendable weapons, and those being somewhat expensive.
** In ''Chinese Paladin 4'', the main character's special move is to shoot his sword at his enemy with a bow.
* In ''VideoGame/ColossalCave'', this is the only way to destroy [[spoiler:the ogre. Attack it with the axe, or by hitting it with your sword? You die]].
* ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'': Blade Man throws ''multiple'' swords at Mega Man (or Proto Man); two on Easy, three on Normal, ''five'' on Hard. He never runs out of them. To make things worse, he does this while jumping all over the damn place, making him a [[GoddamnedBoss very irritating boss]] to fight against.
* In ''VideoGame/DeadRising'', you can get a sword which (like every other weapon except the guns) you can whip at an enemy.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' backstory has an example in the Snow Prince. During the late Merethic Era, the ancient [[BarbarianTribe Atmorans]] ({{Precursors}} of the modern [[HornyVikings Nords]]) went to war with Skyrim's native [[OurElvesAreDifferent Falmer (Snow Elves)]] after the Falmer sacked and slaughtered the Atmoran colony of Saarthal in Skyrim, with the Atmorans going so far as to [[FinalSolution attempt to drive the Falmer to extinction]]. After nearly wiping them out on the mainland, the Atmorans pursued the remaining Falmer to the barren, frozen island of Solstheim. During the Falmer's LastStand at the Battle of the Moesring, an individual known only as the [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Snow Prince]] [[OneManArmy single-handedly]] turned the tide of the battle, [[HeroKiller killing many prominent Atmoran heroes]] in the process. However, the daughter of one of the slain warriors threw her mother's sword in grief and [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impaled]] the Snow Prince, killing him. Unlike the remains of his fellow Falmer, which were burned as per Atmoran tradition, the Snow Prince was considered a WorthyOpponent and was buried with full honors befitting any great warrior, with guards even stationed at his tomb, which would one day become Jolgeirr Barrow.
* ''VideoGame/GladiatorSwordOfVengeance'' ends with your final confrontation against Counselor Arruntius, a main villain who turned Rome into a ruthless dictatorship. Having destroyed the evil gods Arruntius summoned, the villain tries pleading for his pathetic life only for you to hurl your sword into him in the final cutscene.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'': At full health, Link can fire his sword off, tip-first, at anything in a straight line. Modern interpretations replace this with {{Sword Beam}}s.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': In the first phase of his fight, Ganon throws his spinning Trident at Link. This isn't much of a problem for him since he teleports to catch it.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' features ''Link'' throwing their swords ''at the Darknuts'' (or any other enemy in reach). Amusingly, throwing that sword is actually the ''most'' effective way of using it, considering how slow and awkward actually swinging the [[{{BFS}} damn thing]] is.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' has the Darknuts throwing their huge swords at you before unsheathing a much lighter one. The first time it happens during a cut-scene, so you automatically dodge it; but all other times you have to dodge out of the way yourself.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': The first boss is with Demon Lord Ghirahim. He can do a BareHandedBladeBlock on your sword, and if you don't get it out of his hands in time, he takes it for himself and starts swinging it at you. Oh, you get it back quickly, but not without him throwing it at you first. Throwing your opponent's sword always works, too.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Any weapon can be thrown to do doubled damage, and they always break on impact. This is more practical than it sounds since the game uses BreakableWeapons anyway, and doing this with a damaged weapon makes it go out with a highly-damaging hit that will usually knock the target over. The Master Sword is the only weapon that cannot be thrown this way -- it cannot leave the inventory in any way once it's picked up -- and using the throw command will activate its {{Sword Beam}}s instead.
* In ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheKasai'', none of the playable characters throw any of their melee weapons. However, while fighting unarmed, it's possible to disarm enemies and kill them with their own weapons. For enemies with swords, they're headbutted, knocked away and the sword is thrown into their throats. So throwing your ''enemy's'' sword always works.
* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'':
** In ''VideoGame/TouhouKaikidanMysticSquare'' we have [[{{Meido}} Yumeko]], who throws swords [[BulletHell everywhere]] to hit you.
** ''VideoGame/TouhouGensokyoLotusLandStory'': Elly throws her SinisterScythe like a boomerang, as if you weren't already having trouble dodging her bullet patterns.
* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'': A technique allows Stahn to throw your sword forward. It has the obvious drawback of leaving him unarmed until you pick it back up.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'':
*** [[BloodKnight Zagi]] throws his sword forward for one of his artes, which proceeds to return to him after reaching the end of its trajectory. It leaves him about as open to abuse as you might expect.
*** Alexei throws his sword to trace a glyph for his Brilliant Cataclysm mystic arte, which [[ThatOneAttack definitely works]]. It also returns to him afterward.
** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'', [[SquishyWizard Malik]] uses this as his primary means of physical offense. His swords are called bladerangs, but visually, they don't vary much (If at all) in shape from swords of the standard RPG fare. As the name implies, they return to him after being thrown, but he can also manipulate their trajectory to make them strike the enemy multiple times.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2'':
*** Early on in the game, [[AlternateSelf Fractured]] Julius kills Fractured Nova and her boss by throwing [[DualWielding one of his swords]] at them, with enough force to run through both of them at once and [[TheBladeAlwaysLandsPointyEndIn land in the wall behind them]].
*** If Ludger offers himself as bait to lure out the Seafall Phantom, Julius intercepts the monster's first attack on Ludger by throwing his sword at it, buying them enough time to hand over the first Waymarker.
* ''VideoGame/OedipusInMyInventory'': The castle sentry will throw his sword at you if you use your knife on him. It's undodgeable.
* ''[[Literature/{{Xanth}} Companions Of Xanth]]'': One of the items is a sword that you pick up fairly early. You never use it at all throughout the game until the very end, at which point [[spoiler:you throw it at the Prize you have been seeking all game to stop your rival from getting at it]].
* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'': Travis throws his sword at Harvey Volodarsky. It hits Harvey's eyes -- blinding him -- but doesn't kill him. Travis has a much more ''KarmicDeath'' in mind...
* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'': Alice Twilight is equipped with five regenerating beam swords which she throws at every opportunity. It's an effective attack. [[ThatOneAttack VERY effective.]]
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' has this for all two handed weapons. If the player holds down the attack button Ezio, the player character, throws the weapon. The recently thrown weapon will then decide to make friends with the skull of person it encounters, no matter the current trajectory of the pointy bits. Granted, no matter it doesn't matter if your weapon makes a new skull buddy, the weapon is lost and has to be manually retrieved, unless the player goes to the nearest fabbro (Blacksmith) and re-equip it.
* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'':
** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'': Kenshi starts his x-ray special by throwing his sword at his opponent. He is a [[MindOverMatter telekinetic]] however, and the opponent can avoid it by simply holding block. Inverted in his second fatality from the same game. He plants his sword in the ground then ''throws the opponent at it''.
** In ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', Kenshi is still sword tossing and his son Takeda also has some blade throwing moves in his Ronin variation. Aditionally, GuestFighter [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Vorhees]] has his Slasher variation which gives him various special moves with his [[MacheteMayhem signature machete]], including throwing it. And fellow guest fighter [[Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre Leatherface]] takes it up to eleven in his Pretty Lady variation: he can throw his ''chainsaw'' at the opponents!

* In ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'', throwing your sword, axe, knife, hammer, baseball bat, wrench, crowbar, pointed stick or whatever other weapon you have (except for guns and knuckle-dusters) always works. Logan has skills specifically to exploit this.
* ''VideoGame/SilentScope'': In ''2'', Sho and Kane throw their blades as a ranged attack.
* In ''VideoGame/DuelSaviorDestiny'' Taiga at one point summons his sword Traitor, but instead of just hacking away, he chucks the sword at the monster. It is then used as a target by someone else to injure the monster enough that it drops its hostage, Lily.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'': Jetstream Sam uses a modified form of this as a technique - his sword's sheath is built out of an AR-15 receiver which, when fired, forces his sword out at extremely high speed, at which point he grabs it for a super-fast swing.
* In ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' Arthur's moveset consists almost completely of throwing his JoustingLance, although he has a ''lot'' more than just lances in that armour. It's a reference to his home series, ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins'', where he similarly throws every weapon he picks up, with the exception of the actual sword weapon from ''Ghouls 'n Ghosts''.
* In ''VideoGame/RealmsOfTheHaunting'' [[spoiler:as part of the good ending of the game, Aelf will throw his weapon and successfully impale Florentine without breaking the last seal he wears as a necklace, provided the player has chosen the right conversation tree during the final showdown in the Chamber of the Soulstone. Sensibly, Aelf throws his sword like a spear, rather than the typical overhead hurl]].
* ''VideoGame/StarTropics'': In the original, the protagonist's primary weapon is a yo-yo (explained in game as him having a really good throwing arm). It always comes back to him, so the player can logically keep using it. His second adventure, however, starts him off with melee weapons that are thrown at enemies instead. Despite the first two of these being a primitive axe and a dagger (which would presumably get lodged in a fleshy target), he can always toss another one a moment later, with a never-ending supply of whatever his primary weapon is. Funny with the ax, downright questionable with the dagger.
* ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' subverts this -- you can throw your sword and it'll hit the enemy, but it won't stick and the sword clatters to the floor.
* ''VideoGame/IcewindDale'' has a double subversion: the enchanted weapon Haft-Over-Blade. A man had it enchanted so that he could throw it and it would always return to his hand, but he took it to a wild mage, whose enchantment made it so that it would always hit with the handle instead of the blade. However, the enchantment also caused the handle to inflict as much damage as the blade would normally do, so it's still an effective ranged weapon.
* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'':
** A few characters in some games can throw their weapons, including Yue Ying and Sun Shang Xiang in ''DW 5''.
** ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'': A number of Mobile Suits can throw their melee weapons, including two [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Qubeley]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ variants]] and one [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Gelgoog]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Superhot}}'': All weapons can be thrown (tossing firearms is much faster than waiting for the next bullet to cycle into the chamber), but the katana is the only weapon that is lethal when thrown, as well as the only one that doesn't break on impact.
* In ''VideoGame/OneFingerDeathPunch'', your opponents can throw weapons to attack you, but, depending on the color of the weapon, they can either be knocked away (gray) or caught and thrown back (white). There's even a skill that allows you to turn a captured weapon into a thrown weapon.
* ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'': 2B gets surprising range out of her swords by using the horizonal disc technique, often doing so several times in a combo, with the same sword. Considering they dissolve into light and reform in her hand when thrown, and aren't always in her grip when she's performing a "normal" attack anyway, it fits in with the rest of her style.
* ''VideoGame/SwordWithSauce'' makes extensive use of this -- ''any'' weapon except the silenced pistol (which for gameplay purposes the game treats as a gadget rather than a separate weapon) can be thrown, and, circumstances depending, it's a one-hit kill the same as shooting, slashing, or bashing them with it normally would be. The shield is the most ridiculous, as it acts like ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's, flying back into your hand and/or pinballing between multiple close-in enemies.
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'': Subverted. A random event will have some guy show up, shout his name and that your insults have gone too far, and throw his sword at you. It does 1-2 points of damage to your main character, not nearly enough to kill any level 8+ character (though it's possible for it to kill if the character is weakened). He then mutters something about how that "usually works", and runs away. Sadly, his sword is just a run-of-the-mill nonmagical scimitar (which is why it doesn't hurt very much).
* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'': Most champions in the Marksman class use standard (if sometimes fantastical) projectile weapons: bows, bullets, crossbow bolts, piercing magical light (fired from guns) and so on. Draven, however, simply throws his dual axes at people - and is just as good with this as any of the gunslingers and archers. He can even throw them not just so that they cut the enemy but that they then arch into the air so he can catch them again. The reason is simply [[TheAce Draven is that good]].

* One of Crow Armbrust's crafts in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'', "Blade Throw" is him throwing his double-bladed saber at his enemies before returning to him. [[spoiler:It's also how he starts his second S-Craft in Cold Steel IV, "Vorpal Slayer".]]
* Chicken from ''VideoGame/NuclearThrone'' can throw her katana straight into enemies, which is usually a OneHitKill. Though gameplay-wise, she can do this with any weapon, as much sense as that makes.
* In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'', throwing a knife at an enemy normally has a 50/50 chance of either landing handle-first (which will temporarily knock the enemy to the ground, allowing the player to perform an execution on them) or blade-first (which kills said enemy instantly). However, the snake mask Jake [[MadeOfPlasticine turns every enemy into plasticine]] and makes it so that ''any'' thrown weapon (blunt weapons, bladed weapons, and even guns) will now mow through multiple enemies like a hot knife through butter, even if it has lost some of its momentum and is simply sliding across the floor!
* This is a completely viable tactic in ''VideoGame/MadnessProjectNexus2'', thanks to it being based in the ''WebAnimation/MadnessCombat'' universe. The protagonists are able to throw implements ranging from concealed throwing knives up to ten-pound sledgehammers with enough force and accuracy to kill a man at twenty paces.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Vattu}}'', the first hunter of Vattu's tribe [[spoiler:is killed by such an attack]]

* ''Webcomic/DICETheCubeThatChangesEverything'': [[spoiler:When X opens the portal into his dimension, while in air a few floors above]], Dongtae throws his Time Cutter into it. It goes straight into [[spoiler:the Final Die as planned, stripping X of his invincibility. The next Time Cutter throw hits X directly.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Castlevania}}'' Alucard is perfectly fine with throwing his [[CoolSword heirloom sword]], perfectly justified since he has telekinesis and can summon it right back into his hand or sheath.
** More traditionally Trevor throws his short sword into the Cyclops’s chest, but more spectacularly pulls the sword out with his whip and kicks it into the Cyclops’s eyeball ''in mid-air''.

* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': Jack is no stranger to using this technique as a finishing move. Memorably, he once pinned an enemy ninja to a wall by throwing his sword from a concealed spot and giving him no time to dodge. Fortunately, like most things Jack kills, the ninja turned out to be a robot, so it was okay to show on TV. Also used by an Ally of Jack, the Spartan King, throwing Jack's Katana through a mechanical monstrosity's head and killing it.

* In Manga/BlackButler, Othello pulls out his uncustomised [[AbsurdlySharpBlade Death Scythe]] and throws it at [[spoiler: The Undertaker]]... [[EpicFail and it ends up embedded in the staircase seven steps down from where his target is standing]]. Said target then proceeds to laugh his backside off at the pathetic attempt.

* In ''VideoGame/EternalFighterZero'', Rumi can quickly leap into the air while smacking her enemy upward with her wooden sword & throw the sword into the ground (potentially taking the enemy with it), somehow causing a fiery explosion that momentarily burns the enemy's clothes off, stunning them while leaving the sword completely intact. It's a very fast & strong attack. However, the sword bounces high into the air afterward, doing no harm when it lands & she has to wait for it to land so she can pick it up making it easy to guess where she's gonna be. It's also easily predicted if not used carefully because it's one of her only two projectiles.

* The Genesis ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Super Mario World]]'' pirate game (which plays more like the NES ''[[VideoGame/ChipNDaleRescueRangers Rescue Rangers]]'' games than any ''Mario'' game) features enemy rats who not only throw swords, but throw them ''hilt-first'' thanks to the sword sprite being flipped.

* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'', a LargeHam will show up fairly early, spout something about his unbeatable technique, then lob a scimitar at you. When it fails to do any significant damage, he reacts with incredulity at the failure and escapes. The whole thing is just [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment completely out of left field]]. It deals no damage as your character catches it and it temporarily replaces your weapon for several rounds before dropping off. That character also appears later in a certain priest's house and throws money at you (which ''does'' do damage, if very little. But then, according to the priest he wasn't trying to throw money at ''you'', just into the temple). The priest even lampshades that the fellow is quite odd.
* In ''VideoGame/PeasantsQuest'' the only way to get 100% completion is to throw your sword at Trogdor the Burninator while he's sleeping (approaching him simply wakes him up). [[spoiler:It connects, but he's invincible and simply [[ShootTheShaggyDog kills you anyway]].]]
* The Blade monster type in various ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games throws one of its swords forward during its death animation. It doesn't actually do anything though, as even if you jump into it, you take no damage.
* In the prologue of ''VideoGame/NostalgiaRedEntertainment'' for the Nintendo DS, bad guy Carmine throws his sword at [[DecoyProtagonist Gilbert]] to stop him from rescuing Fiona. All this does is give him a sword to use for the rest of the prologue. However, when you fight him at the end, we find out that that wasn't Carmine's actual [[{{BFS}} battle]] [[HopelessBossFight weapon]].
* ''VideoGame/Postal2'' {{subvert|edTrope}}s this trope with armed enemies, who will block your thrown melee weapons if they see them coming with their own weapons.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonsLair 2: Time Warp'', Dirk the Daring throws his sword at Mordroc, impaling him in the arm, which doesn't seem to bother Mordroc after a second. For some reason, later in the battle, Mordroc throws it back at him in a manner that easily allows Dirk to just grab the handle.
* Zangurak tries this out on your party during the final battle with him in ''VideoGame/TheLastStory''. All it accomplishes for the most part is allowing Zael to [[HoistByHisOwnPetard use it to break his barrier]].
* Koei's ''VideoGame/WarriorsLegendsOfTroy'' allow players to pick up some enemy weapons for their own use, including axes, spears, spiked clubs, and swords of both the xiphos (leaf-shaped) and makhaira (forward-curved) variety. All of these may be thrown, and while the axes and spears have a modicum of reasonableness behind them, as spears are naturally aerodynamic and all of the axe's weight is in its head, the xiphos is ill suited for being thrown in the end-over-end tumble depicted in the game, and the makhaira even less so due to its function as a single-edged chopping blade, much like a kukri. In spite of this, all thrown weapons, if they strike a target, will leave a victim ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice. Ironically given the name of the trope, it really ''does'' work, as the weapon being thrown is one that the player has found on the field, often plentiful due to being taken from defeated enemies, and is a OneHitKill most non-{{Elite Mook|s}} infantry.

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' features the Throw Lightsaber power. On the one hand it's Force-neutral, so it's one of the few ranged attacking Force powers a Light-Sider can use without penalty; it can hit multiple targets at once in its upgraded form; and it's one of the only ways to break [[spoiler:the captured Jedi in the final battle]]. On the other hand, it's rather weak in terms of overall damage output, while using the power with a double-bladed saber or single blade leaves you unable to deflect ranged attacks that turn. And that's just in the ''first game''. In ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords The Sith Lords]]'', the Exile's godlike Force point totals and regeneration allow you to easily toss around Force Storm and other powerful area-effect Force Powers despite possible alignment penalties, making Throw Lightsaber completely useless.
* In ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfLomax'', the {{Pirate}} [[DemBones Skeleton]] enemies attack Lomax by throwing their scimitar at him. Unfortunately for them, they only can do this once, and a simple SpinAttack from Lomax will knock the sword away harmlessly, rendering them weaponless unless they go offscreen.
* As noted above, ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' has throwing your lightsaber as an attack. However, a Force user or a lightsaber wielding opponent will be able to block/deflect it, leaving you unable to attack until it returns to you.

However, TruthInTelevision is not completely lacking here. Historically, certain straight-bladed swords (primarily mediaeval arming swords and longswords) could be thrown, but not in the way typically seen in the media. Throwing a sword end-over-end as is commonly shown has little practicality, and is not likely to hit a target point first[[note]]Although, depending on the mass of the sword, even getting hit by the "wrong" end could still do some serious damage - broken ribs or the like do tend to impair one's ability to fight.[[/note]] (and if it does, it has a chance of just [[https://youtu.be/wTC_1HRgbuo bouncing off]]). Instead, a sword could be gripped backwards by the guard and the end of the blade, and thrown straight similarly to a javelin. This, while still a situational technique, could allow the sword to be thrown accurately at reasonable distances, potentially hitting an enemy point first with some effectiveness. Also, this tactic makes quite a bit more sense for curved swords: for much the same reason that it works for axes. You are much more likely to hit the opponent with the blade, and the sharp surface of the sword is very large making an effective hit much more likely. Especially against a lightly armored opponent, this has some chance of actually working. It does still have the disadvantage of leaving you unarmed, unless you are wielding two swords or something.

** ''VideoGame/TouhouKoumakyouTheEmbodimentOfScarletDevil'': Sakuya does like Yumeko above, though with knives instead.

* Hela in ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' takes sword throwing to it's logical extreme; her "Necroswords" are aspects of her powerset. Besides also being adept at melee combat with swords, she can throw with impeccable power and accuracy, even defeating the Warriors Three with but one sword stab. She does not even have to retrieve them; because she can spontaneously generate a never ending supply.

** In both ''Series/BattleFeverJ'' and ''Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive'', the HumongousMecha uses this technique to finish off the BigBad. The Jason vs Tommy example from Power Rangers was also present in it's Sentai counterpart ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger''. Notably, that same show also averted the trope later on; when Dai Satan first appears and beings to transform Zombie Franke into Satan Franke, the Zyurangers try to stop him by having Daizyuzin throw his sword at Dai Satan. However, Dai Satan simply destroys the sword before it can reach him and continues Zombie Franke’s transformation.

** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'': Yozora can throw his sword at Sora, and when it reaches him, it will slash at Sora's back of it's own volition for a few minutes.

* The Blade monster type in various ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games throws one of it's swords forward during it's death animation. It doesn't actually do anything though, as even if you jump into it, you take no damage.

** During the '''Black Pearl's'' attack on Port Royal, Will takes down their resident MadBomber Jacoby (though not out thanks to the curse) by throwing an axe into his back.

* ''Series/UltramanAce'' averts and subverts this in the case of Baraba, a Terrible-Monster who has (among the numerous other [[AnatomyArsenal weapons on his body) a sword mounted to the back of his neck that he can fire off like a missile. When he first fought Ace, Ace managed to catch the sword and fought back with it, but stopped short of killing the monster as [[BigBad Yapool]] revealed that he would have Ace Killer kill the Ultra Brothers on Planet Golgotha if Ace killed Baraba. During the rematch, Ace ''does it again''... and promptly throws it back, skewering Baraba through the chest.

* ''Series/UltramanAce'' averts and subverts this in the case of Baraba, a Terrible-Monster who has (among the numerous other [[AnatomyArsenal weapons on his body) a sword mounted to the back of his neck that he can fire off like a missile. When he first fought Ace, Ace managed to catch the sword and fought back with it, but stopped short of killing the monster as [[BigBad Yapool]] revealed that he would have Ace Killer kill the Ultra Brothers on Planet Golgotha if Ace killed Baraba. During the rematch, Ace ''does it again''... and promptly throws it back, skewering Baraba through the chest.
** ''Series/UltramanZ'' brings Baraba back, and this time the attack is a bit more successful, as he's now able to control where the sword goes (rather than firing it in a straight line) thanks to an energy chain which connects to the sword's hilt after he shoots it. He would have been successful in executing Z with the sword, had Ace not arrived in time to save him.

* In an early episode of ''Manga/InuYasha'', he's fighting against the [[ShockAndAwe Raiju brothers]]. When Kagome is about to be killed by the younger sibling, Inu Yasha throws [[{{BFS}} Tessaiga]] at him, killing him. Much more later, Sesshomaru gets rid of Suikotsu by tossing Tokijin at him. Bonus points for doing that without looking directly at him.

* The guardians of the WorldTree do this in the Fairy Dance arc of ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'', leading to a dramatic scene in which [[spoiler:Kirito]] is impaled on multiple swords. Possibly justified in that they are magic-using video-game enemies.

* ''LightNovel/VampireHunterD'': In the 1985 film, while D is fighting Count Magnus Lee, he throws his sword at Lee and pins him to a wall, killing him.

* ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'': Played with. Goblin Slayer, who is used to hunting solo, often throws his weapons at a target and then just grabs a new one from a dead goblin. While it does work, High Elf Archer points out that he's now unarmed, and it makes more sense to just let her shoot the goblins instead.

** ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'': Ciel, [[ChurchMilitant an Executor]], fights using the standard-equipment Black Keys, literal throwing swords; she only carries the small hilts (reputedly hundreds of them), and materialise the blades as needed. Kotomine Kirei also uses them briefly in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and more prominently in ''LightNovel/FateZero''.

*** This is also Gilgamesh's main tactic. With his Gate of Babylon, he has access to an unlimited amount of magic swords and weapons, [[RequiredSecondaryPowers but can't use most of them properly]], and his default strategy is to just fire them from the Gate like a cannon (Hence his class in the [[LightNovel/FateZero Fourth War]], Archer).
*** [[LightNovel/FateApocrypha Saber of Red]] does this while fighting some Golems. It's described as a mark of how skilled a warrior she is since A. it shouldn't have worked and B. she gets around the 'not having a sword anymore' issue by beating the rest of the golems to death with her bare hands.