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12[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Brave}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arrow_split_2.jpg]]]]
13
14->''"I step into the room, split an arrow with an arrow!"''
15-->--'''Music/AesopRock''', "Jazz Hands"
16
17Archery is all about precision. The standard archery contest (in both fiction and real life) involves a marked target and points based on how close to the center (or bull's eye) the archer can place his arrow.
18
19A common dramatic situation is one where TheRival shoots first and hits the target right in the center. It looks like TheHero has lost the competition until he shoots ''his'' arrow at the opponent's and splits it in half lengthwise.
20
21A downplayed version of this is TruthInTelevision. It's not unusual for hollow-shafted aluminum arrows to "telescope" -- one stuck in the end of another. Most archery ranges that have been open any length of time will have some examples mounted on the wall, though it's considered more of a funny fluke than a feat of skill: It doesn't earn you any additional points, and after the first time it's mostly just annoying that your arrows get damaged. However, in order to really count as this trope, the second arrow has to split the first from nock to tip. This normally requires everyone (or at least the first archer) to be using wooden arrow shafts. Traditional arrows often have a horn nock that would deflect the second arrow unless it was removed, and in practice, most hardwood arrows don't have such a straight grain that they would reliably split all the way down instead of breaking somewhere in the middle. The second arrow has to be made of something like hollow bamboo and specially prepared in order for the trick to work.
22
23In the field, this is known as a shaft shot, sometimes called [[PersonAsVerb Robin Hooding]], since of course the feat was [[TropeMaker made famous]] by [[Myth/RobinHood you-know-who]].
24
25This is a subtrope of ImprobableAimingSkills, and a SisterTrope to ShootTheBullet and WeaponsBreakingWeapons. It is often used to characterize someone as a MasterArcher. Compare to WilliamTelling and ShootingAtYourOwnProjectiles.
26
27----
28!!Examples:
29
30[[foldercontrol]]
31
32[[folder: Advertising]]
33* One of Dos Equis' beer commercials shows their new Most Interesting Man In The World doing this with ''thrown knives''.
34[[/folder]]
35
36[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
37* ''Manga/{{Drifters}}'': Nasu Suketaka Yoichi is capable of splitting arrows in the bullseye multiple times without fail while showing off to the elves.
38* ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'': Kaguya did this in the anime when Karen and Erika interviewed her.
39[[/folder]]
40
41[[folder:Comic Books]]
42* ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'': Combined with AccidentalAimingSkills in ''Life With Archie'' #144 where Robbing Hood (Archie) is in an archery contest against the Sheriff of Nuttingham (Reggie). Archie's awkward disguise causes him to face the opposite direction to the target. His arrow bounces off a tree, a shield, and a spear before hitting the centre of the target: splitting Reggie's arrow.
43* In ''ComicBook/GreenArrow'' #18, bad guy archer Komodo is shown effortlessly doing this during practice to illustrate what a superlative archer he is.
44** In the ''Longbow Hunters'' mini-series, Ollie meets the stunt archer for ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'' who says it wasn't as impressive as it seems since he made the shot directly off camera.
45* Robyn does this in ''ComicBook/GrimmFairyTales Presents: ComicBook/RobynHood'' #7 while she is practicing so she does not become overly reliant on her magical bow Scarlet.
46* ''{{ComicBook/Thorgal}}'' has been known to do this, as he's an expert archer. A variation happens during an archery duel, when a rival archer fires at Thorgal and he fires ''two arrows simultaneously'' back - one arrow deflects the rival's arrow, the other hits him in the chest.
47* In ''ComicBook/{{Tomahawk}}'' #40, Tomahawk wins a marksmanship contest against a giant Indian warrior by splitting the brave's arrow with a musket ball.
48* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':
49** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': In "ComicBook/TheContest'' ComicBook/{{Artemis}} (the Amazon) casually splits an arrow Diana just shot into a target with her own arrow during their first meeting.
50** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'': Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, has been seen shooting an arrow at a target, and then splitting it with the subsequent shot while plotting with her brother Apollo.
51[[/folder]]
52
53[[folder:Comic Strips]]
54* ''ComicStrip/PrinceValiant'' (Jan. 6-13, 2013) takes it over the top, with the challenger splitting ''everyone'' of her opponent's arrows, no matter where on the target they are. Making an impression is apparently more important than winning the tournament, or else she would consider aiming for the center of the bulls-eye.
55* ''ComicStrip/TheWizardOfId'': In one strip, Sir Rodney puts an arrow in the bulls-eye during a tournament. The King asks him if he can do it again. Rodney responds by splitting the arrow. When the King congratulates him, Rodney mutters that he had been [[AccidentalAimingSkills aiming at the apple in the King's hand]].
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:Fan Works]]
59* ''FanFic/CafeOfTheRound'': Courtesy of Jay, the reincarnation of the TropeMaker; and much the ire of Shirou and Tristan, since he did so in the middle of their archery contest.
60* ''FanFic/ThePiratePegasus'': Korsan fires his prototype crossbow that shoots metal bolts at Thieves' Hold. The first bolt hits the bullseyes and the second ''splits'' the first bolt.
61[[/folder]]
62
63[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
64* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'', this is how Merida wins the archery contest to avoid an ArrangedMarriage. Not only does her arrow split the other arrow, but it also goes straight through the target and hits the stand behind it!
65* In ''WesternAnimation/KuboAndTheTwoStrings'', Beetle shows off his skills by splitting an arrow, then splitting the splitting arrow, then splitting the splitter splitting arrow, then splitting the splitter-splitting splitting arrow in rapid succession. [[spoiler:This is foreshadowing that he is Hanzo, who Kubo's mother noted was an incredible archer.]]
66* ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood1973'' has the title character shoot one of his own arrows mid-flight to change its course, resulting in it hitting dead center and splitting the sheriff's arrow.
67[[/folder]]
68
69[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
70* The TropeCodifier is the 1938 version of ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'', where Robin defeats Sir Guy's captain of archers in the archery tournament by splitting the captain's shaft which is lodged in the dead centre of the target. the stunt was done in one take by professional archer Howard Hill, who also played the captain of archers, so Hill was actually splitting his own arrow.
71* Pepi does this while showing off to the ladies at the archery range in ''Film/{{Hellzapoppin}}''.
72* Robin's daughter Gwyn in ''Film/PrincessOfThieves''; splits an opponent's arrow at 100 yards to win the tournament.
73* Playfully {{subverted}} in ''Film/RobinHood1991''. In the archery contest, the first archer's arrow hits just to the side of the target (a slim wooden wand), a very respectable shot. Then Robin shoots his arrow and hits the wooden wand dead on-- splitting the ''target'' in two.
74* ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'':
75** Played with in the [[NotJustATournament archery contest scene]], where Lucky Luca does this to ''Robin's'' arrow.
76--->'''Villager:''' He split Robin Hood's arrow in twain! (''whereupon one of his teeth flies off'')
77** Robin's Patriot Arrow flies wildly around, before slamming into the target utterly destroying the other arrows.
78* "Film/RobinHoodPrinceofThieves": at the end of the village's training montage, Robin fires at a target and splits another arrow with the audience seeing the flight from the arrowhead's perspective.
79* In the 1952 ''Film/TheStoryOfRobinHoodAndHisMerrieMen,'' Robin and his father, Hugh Fitzooth, compete against one of the Sheriff's men. First, the Sheriff's man tries and is short of the mark. Then Robin beats him with a perfect bulls-eye, and then Hugh Fitzooth splits his arrow. {{Subverted}} in that, though he is offered the prize, Hugh gives it to his son, whose aim "was no less true than mine."
80[[/folder]]
81
82[[folder:Literature]]
83* Tobias does this during his archery demonstration in ''Literature/GrimmTales''.
84* In ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'', Locksley splits the arrow of Hubert, whose grandfather shot at Hastings. However, this only ties the contest. Locksley wins the tiebreaker when his shot splits the willow reed that is being used as a target.
85* In the second book of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series, Kahlan mentions her Home Guard gives ribbons for such shots (called shaft shots). A few had half a dozen ribbons, one had ten. She herself manages such a shot after some training by Richard... who, due to his magical powers awakening, ruined a hundred arrows in a single session.
86* The ''Literature/TimeWars'' novel ''The Ivanhoe Gambit'' has a scene where one of the time-traveling heroes, standing in for Robin Hood, pulls off this feat using a high-tech arrow with a built-in guidance computer.
87[[/folder]]
88
89[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
90* Both Alfred and the villain known as The Archer in ''Series/Batman1966'' were both so good that they agreed that the first one to ''fail'' to split the other's arrow would lose.
91* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E3RobotOfSherwood Robots of Sherwood]]", Robin Hood and the Doctor keep splitting one another's arrows in the famous archery contest until the Doctor gets annoyed with it and blows up the target. [[spoiler:Though the Doctor later confesses to cheating with homing arrows.]]
92* Clint Barton and Kate Bishop discuss this in ''Series/Hawkeye2021'', with Clint confirming it can be done as long as the first arrow is made of wood. [[spoiler:The trick is accomplished in the season finale, with Clint intentionally splitting an arrow to drive the main arrow and the split halves into three different targets.]]
93* Discussed in an episode of in the Danish series, ''Series/{{Hjerteafdelingen}}'' (The Cardiology Ward). The doctors have arranged for a wise Indian guru to visit the patients in order to give them life advice and answer their innermost questions. One of the patients asks the guru about the classic Robin Hood example (he had recently read the story), questioning exactly why doing this stunt allowed Robin to win the shooting contest. The guru ruminates over the question for a long time but is unable to come up with an answer, something that frustrates him so much that he eventually suffers a heart attack from the stress of it.
94* Done with darts in the ''Series/LoisAndClark'' episode "When Irish Eyes Are Killing". As Clark catches wind of a robbery and tries to come up with an excuse to leave a game of darts against the villain of the week, who had just gotten a bull's-eye, the latter goads Clark, who responds by doing this with his last dart.
95* ''Series/TheManFromUNCLE'':
96** "The Virtue Affair" contains a contest of escalating trick archery, including splitting an arrow.
97** In "The Gazebo in the Maze Affair," Napoleon does this with ''darts'' in a British pub.
98* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': In "The Golden Serpent (Part 1)", the [[BodyguardBabes Bodyguard Babe]] of one of the villains is shown doing this while practicing with her pistol crossbow; to show how deadly she is.
99* The ''Series/MythBusters'' took on the [[Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood Errol Flynn]] scene twice, and busted it both times. They suspect the arrow Flynn (or archery adviser Howard Hill) shot at had been tampered with -- their guest archer pulled the split off on the first try when shooting at a hollow bamboo arrow.
100%%* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'' "The Bear and the Bow," Merida does this several times in succession.
101%%* Rong Le does this blindfolded during the archery contest in ''Series/PrincessSilver''.
102* ''Series/QueenForSevenDays'': During their archery practice Lee Yung splits one of Lee Yeok's arrows. Played with, since in this case, the villain fires the second arrow.
103* When ''Series/RobinOfSherwood'' did this scene, everyone assumes Robin has won until the Sheriff snarkily observes that ''both'' arrows hit the bullseye, so there needs to be a tie-breaker.
104* ''Series/WhenThingsWereRotten'': In "The Capture of Robin Hood", it is the Sheriff of Nottingham who splits the arrow during the archery competition. Robin Hood bests by [[ImprobableAimingSkills shooting an arrow that curves around the target and knocks out the Sheriff's arrow by coming through the back of the target]].
105[[/folder]]
106
107[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
108* The TropeMaker is Myth/RobinHood. While participating in the finals of an archery contest, Robin Hood's opponent (typically the Sheriff of Nottingham, but there have been others) shoots an arrow into the dead center of the bullseye. Not to be outdone, Robin Hood fires his own arrow and splits his opponent's arrow in half down the middle. Most people will be most familiar with the scene from Errol Flynn's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'', but the story has been traced back to the 17th-century ballad "Robin Hood and Queen Catherin". It became a popular part of the legend when Creator/WalterScott used it in ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}''.
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
112* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Complete Warrior'' has rules for an archery contest that naturally include rules for splitting an opponent's arrow.
113* The ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' supplement ''Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog'' references this trope, suggesting that bowmen purchase the mail-order dealership's line of archery targets so that even dead shots can learn to do this.
114* ''Tabletopgame/{{GURPS}}: Robin Hood'' includes Robin Hood style characters for different settings. The WildWest version is a White Man GoingNative whose native name 'Splits Arrow' comes from performing this feat.
115[[/folder]]
116
117[[folder:Video Games]]
118* In ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'', Hanzo's Summer Games event highlight opening shows him not only doing this but splitting the entire target as well.
119** In the Dragons Cinematic, Genji slices an arrow heading for him shot by Hanzo using his sword and the split arrow sticks on a wall.
120[[/folder]]
121
122[[folder:Web Comics]]
123* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' had [[SecretRelationship Janet and Willy]] doing [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=615 this]] "fancy shooting", resulting in a draw on the last shot of a competition. It looks like they cooperated and rehearsed this "accident", of course.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:Web Original]]
127* PlayedForLaughs in ''[[http://shirtoid.com/22888/fluke/ Fluke]]'' by Glennz.
128* In the Volume 3 finale of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Pyrrha [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks throws her shield Akoúo at Cinder's arrow to stop it]], since Cinder had destroyed her regular weapon, Miló. The arrow splits, but then [[SubvertedTrope reforms and keeps going once the shield has passed]]. [[spoiler:This proves to be the end of the line for poor Pyrrha]].
129[[/folder]]
130
131[[folder:Western Animation]]
132* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': A similar outcome in "The Return of the King" when Mr. Ratburn's class go on a field trip to a medieval fair competing against his former teacher's class in medieval-themed competitions. Francine lands a bullseye in suction cup arrow archery. Her competitor licks the suction cup, aims above Francine's arrow causing it to slide down taking the bullseye.
133* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Near the beginning of "[[Recap/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheBlueSpirit The Blue Spirit]]" episode, the [[EliteMooks Yu-Yan Archers]] are shown at a firing range. One of them splits an arrow, then splits that arrow, and finally the third arrow in succession, so each is embedded in the other.
134* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/DaveTheBarbarian'' has Dave's girlfriend for the episode doing this during their FallingInLoveMontage, at which point they're doing ''[[ArtisticLicensePhysics underwater]]'' [[ArtisticLicensePhysics archery]].
135* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': The opening credits of ''WesternAnimation/RobinHoodDaffy'' have an arrow flying into the center of a target, followed by a series of arrows each flying into the end of the one before it. The camera then pulls back to reveal that Daffy is shooting each arrow from less than an inch away.
136* Parodied in a ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' sketch where Robin Hood does this to the Sheriff of Nottingham's arrow and the Sheriff argues that this shouldn't mean [[GoldenSnitch an automatic win]]. (In its use in ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'' it actually just means a tie; hitting a tiny target from a range is the real tiebreaker which Robin Hood wins.)
137* In ''В яранге горит огонь'', the boy fires an arrow across a precipice, then another arrow that embeds in the first one, then another... until he's built a (flimsy) ''bridge'' out of arrows and proceeds to balance across.
138[[/folder]]

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