History Main / ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks

** Captain America does this constantly once he gets the iconic round shield. [[TheWorfEffect 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 {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Spider-Man]], who observes that "that thing does not obey the laws of physics at all".

A SubTrope of ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks and ImprobableUseOfAWeapon, a [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] is thrown at a target. Varies from just hitting to slicing.

* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': a Spartan throws his shield to slice a robot.

* ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'': [[TemptingFate Ha ha, looks like your useless, crappy shield isn't good for anything!]] [[http://www.goblinscomic.com/11272005/ Konk]].

* Some of the Finis enemies in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 2'' fight with razor-lined shields that they throw at you.

* The ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' ability Shield Boomerang.

* In ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', the "weighing pans" of the Gold Cloth of Libra become huge dual shields when assembled as armor. The chains from which they hang in its "balanced scales" form [[VariableLengthChain spool into the shields themselves]]. When using one as a weapon, the wielder [[EpicFlail holds onto the chain and flings the shield at its target]], edge-first, and then he reels it back with the chain (taking care not to be plowed over by it on its return trip.) Aside from their unsurpassed defensive power, the Shields (like all Libra weapons) are impossibly destructive regardless of the user's personal strength, capable of shattering the legendary Pillars that hold up the Seven Seas... but not the Main Breadwinner, the principal support at the center of Poseidon's Shrine.

** 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 a straight line (even with ComicBook/{{Taskmaster}}'s training, though he eventually got a little better with his own shield as US Agent). 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.

* Captain America's take on this is parodied twice in ''ComicBook/{{Rat-Man}}'':

* ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'': Among many others nice features, Paperinik's Extransformer shield can be launched and trasform into a boomerang to return to the sender.
* Captain America's take on this is parodied twice in ''[[ComicBook/RatMan1989 Rat-Man]]'':

* Captain America's take on this is parodied twice in ''ComicBook/{{Rat-Man}}'':

See also DeadlyDisc.

'''Captain America:''' The kind that '''[[ExactlyWhatIAimedAt works.]]''' Now... no more '''back talk''' from you.

* As a ShoutOut to the character that inspired him, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica {{Expy}} ComicBook/{{Steel}} does this in the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited''.

** In ''Film/BlackWidow2021'', Taskmaster copied Captain America's skills and is able to throw a shield just as well. Later, Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, a SuperSoldier himself, steals the shield and hurls it to take out a mook.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' episode "Cry Freedom Fighters!", Batman does this with a round Qwardian shield. While posessing the powers (and therefore the [[WearingAFlagOnYourHead colour scheme]]) of the Comicbook/FreedomFighters' Uncle Sam.

-->'''Captain America:''' Don't force me to have to '''hurt''' you, Bane!\\

* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin2'' has the skill "Bouncing Shield" under the Warfare skill. It's a little unusual in that it just deals damage without the ability to inflict a status effect. However, the damage it deals is based on the defensive properties of the character's shield instead of their weapon, meaning there are many stages of the game where it deals more than double the damage of other attacks.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan'':
** Many of the classic Mega Man Games have one of the weapons being some kind of shield that can protect the player, and some of them can be thrown like a projectile at enemies. And like all weapons, [[RockPaperScissors one of the Robot Masters will be weak to it]].

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' includes an archetype for the Brawler class called the Shield Champion that lets you use your shield as a {{Pinball Projectile}}. It's very clearly inspired by Captain America.

* ''Manga/InuYasha'': While its not a shield per-say but rather a giant magical BattleBoomerang by technicality, the Hirokaitsu used by Sango is so large she also uses it as a literal shield when the need arises. It even has a strap that can be used to carry it on one's back and a handle which is needed to throw it because of its sheer size and weight thus literally simulating a kite or tower shield when Sango uses it in a defensive manner. Primarily used as an offensive weapon, she can even use other functions associated with shields using the Hirokaitsu such as ShieldBash.

** Subverted and PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'', where Happy Hogan tries to throw a medieval shield he picked up in a museum. It doesn't work anywhere near as well for an ordinary middle-aged man as it does for a trained SuperSoldier.

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