History Main / ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks

* Captain America does this constantly in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse once he gets the iconic round shield. If ever the film series needs to stress just how dangerous/badass his opponent is, expect it ''not'' to work. [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Loki]] managed to stop the shield mid-flight, on account of being even more superhuman than Cap, and the [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Winter Soldier]] ''caught it'' when Cap tried to throw it at him, thanks to his robotic arm and being superhuman himself. The trope's unrealistic nature is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Spider-Man]], who observes that "that thing does not obey the laws of physics at all".

* ''Film/ThreeHundred'':
** The [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Spartan captain]] pulls a ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' with his shield to take out one of the Immortals just before he's [[spoiler: ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impaled by multiple swords and spears during the last fight.]]

** In a later story, [[HeroKiller Valker]] muses on the many superheroes he killed, all of which either believed themselves bulletproof or believed he wouldn't shoot. Then he remembers the one who carried a shield... And wonders why the hell he threw it (Valker shot him, and then took the Captain America-like shield as a trophy).

* The Buckler shield in ''VideoGame/{{Tribes}}: Vengeance'' can be thrown (and guided with the mouse) at enemies. It's ''very'' useful for killing enemies in midair.
* [[StoneWall Protection-specced]] Paladins in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' can do this with their [[http://www.wowwiki.com/Avenger%27s_Shield Avenger's Shield]] talent, in a clear ShoutOut to ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, leading member of the Avengers. Warriors prefer the use of [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks the other trope]] [[http://www.wowwiki.com/Heroic_Throw instead]].

* In ''Videogame/BorderlandsThePreSequel'', Athena can toss her Kinetic Aspis when she has it out. It can eventually be upgraded to pinball between targets. Lampshaded in one of the trailers, where Handsome Jack notes that she's just like someone whose name rhymes with "Schmaptain Schmamerica"
* An ability of Nariko in ''VideoGame/HeavenlySword'' when she comes across any applicable shields, which she retains in ''VideoGame/PlayStationAllStarsBattleRoyale''. She can throw them to solve puzzles, and is able to make them [[PinballProjectile ricochet off surfaces]].
* [[BadassAdorable Poppy, the Keeper of the Hammer]] in ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' uses this occasionally as part of her reworked kit. Every few seconds, rather than attacking with her [[DropTheHammer gigantic warhammer,]] she will instead throw her buckler at her target at significantly further range, doing bonus damage. It then lands on the ground nearby for her to pick up to gain a shield. If it kills the target, it [[BizarreAndImprobableBallistics returns to her hand,]] automatically granting the shield.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' [[GameMod mod]] ''VideoGame/{{GMOTA}}'', there is the Warding Shield subweapon, and you can throw it to enemies like a boomerang.
* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'': The Oathkeeper's Aegis of Menhir skill throws their equipped shield to damage and stun an enemy, sometimes hitting additional foes before boomeranging back; it's a skill explicitly granted by the earth god Menhir, whose blessings normally veer towards making their faithful damn near unkillable. The [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Avenging Shield]] passive causes the Aegis to chain to more enemies and gives it a blast radius.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' [[GameMod mod]] ''VideoGame/{{GMOTA}}'', there is the Warding Shield subweapon, and you can throw it to enemies like a boomerang.
* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'': The Skill Gem Spectral Shield Throw allows a character to throw a ghostly copy of their shield that on impact, deals physical damage to the enemy and releases shards that deals damage to nearby enemies. Unlike most attack skills, Spectral Shield Throw uses your shield's stats to calculate damage.
* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'': This is the special attack of Aegis, with this trope functioning due to it being a divine artefact. When used, the shield will fly off to strike the closest foe and return to Zagreus no matter where he is, and can be upgraded to [[PinballProjectile strike multiple enemies in a row]]. Gameplay-wise this option is generally little more than a RangedEmergencyWeapon unless upgraded, being one of the least damaging attacks in the game in terms of DPS and, during early access, disabling its use during the throw (this was eventually patched so Aegis could be used while it was being thrown).

* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'': This is the special attack of Aegis, which can be both thrown and exist as a shield for Zagreus to use at the same time due to being a divine artefact. When used, the shield will fly off to strike the closest foe and return to Zagreus no matter where he is, and can be upgraded to [[PinballProjectile strike multiple enemies in a row]]. Gameplay-wise this option is generally little more than an EmergencyRangedWeapon unless upgraded, being one of the least damaging attacks in the game in terms of DPS.

** In ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', Aragorn is at one point pinned to a tree by an Uruk-hai shield that just barely misses decapitating him.
** In ''The Two Towers'', Legolas sends a similar shield flying through the air and impaling an Uruk-hai after [[ShieldSurf surfing down]] a flight of stairs.

** ''WebAnimaton/{{Haloid}}'': during the battle between the Covenant and MC/Samus Aran, MC throws a Covenant shield at a Covenant Elite and cuts its off.

* MegaMan:

* In all ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' games except the fourth, the Shield Boomerang. In ''Zero 3'', two of the [[PowerCopying EX Skills]] involve the use of the SB: rolling it across the ground, or a ChargedAttack where the Shield will orbit Zero.
* Sigma in ''VideoGame/MegaManX3'' throws his shield like a boomerang once his health gets low enough.

* ''VideoGame/GrimDawn'': The Oathkeeper's Aegis of Menhir skill throws their equipped shield to damage and stun an enemy. The [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Avenging Shield]] passive causes the Aegis to chain to more enemies and gives it a blast radius.

* Kanji Tatsumi's CriticalHit animation in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' starts with him tossing his weapon (usually a shield of some sort) edge-first at the enemy, kicking it while it's stunned and then decking it with a right cross.

** We might argue that throwing his shield ''to the ground'' also works for King Leonidas, who's then able to pull a surprise attack on Xerxes.

* [[BadassAdorable Poppy, the Keeper of the Hammer]] in ''VideoGames/LeagueOfLegends'' uses this occasionally as part of her reworked kit. Every few seconds, rather than attacking with her [[DropTheHammer gigantic warhammer,]] she will instead throw her buckler at her target at significantly further range, doing bonus damage. It then lands on the ground nearby for her to pick up to gain a shield. If it kills the target, it [[BizarreAndImprobableBallistics returns to her hand,]] automatically granting the shield.

* [[BadassAdorable Poppy, the Keeper of the Hammer]] in ''VideoGames/LeagueOfLegends'' uses this occasionally as part of her kit. Every few seconds, rather than attacking with her [[DropTheHammer gigantic warhammer,]] she will instead throw her buckler at her target at significantly further range, doing bonus damage. If it kills the target, it [[BizarreAndImprobableBallistics returns to her hand,]] granting her a shield.

** In ''The Two Towers'', Legolas sends a similar shield flying through the air and impaling an Uruk-hai after [[ShieldSurf surfing down]] [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome a flight of stairs]].

* WebVideo/HeroHouse features a stop-motion example in episode four, from the TropePicture himself.

* One of [[{{Valkyrie}} Brynn's]] moves in ''VideoGame/AtlasReactor'', complete with bouncing off walls and returning to her hand afterwards.

* The titular character of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' can generate a magic shield, which turned out to be throwable. It doesn't do much damage, but, being an ActualPacifist, he's perfectly fine with that.

** Some stories made clear it's more a case of the wielder's skill: it only always work ''with Steve Rogers'' or similarly skilled wielders. Steve's temporary replacement John Walker only got it to fly in straight line. After Cap's temporary death, Iron Man looked for somebody else to take up the shield. Everybody who tried to throw the thing accomplished little more than making themselves look like idiots. Hawkeye [[ImprobableAimingSkills was skilled enough]], but refused the role. Then Comicbook/BuckyBarnes, whose cyborg enhancements amplified his skills, became the new Captain America.