Line #67 Main/ThrowABarrelAtIt


1	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/DonkeyKong https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f2596fa3_6095_4854_ab35_d588cfc177d3.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:VideoGame/DonkeyKong dealing with his problems using a tried and true method.]]
3	%%
4	->'''Pauline:''' Oh no! Please don't beat my random plumber boyfriend to a pulp with your insanely powerful giant monkey arms of death!\
5	'''Donkey Kong:''' Hell no! I'm gonna throw barrels at him!
6	-->-- ''[[WebAnimation/AwesomeSeries Awesome Kong]]''
7
8	The use of barrels or other large cylindrical objects as thrown weapons. Sometimes these are filled with [[ExplodingBarrels volatile liquids]]. Barrels are rather heavy to the average person and can weigh hundreds of pounds when filled. The act of picking them up and throwing them to cause damage is generally left to stronger characters, characters with special equipment or [[{{Telekinesis}} powers]], and [[KillerGorilla gorillas]].
9
10	Typically this trope is implemented in video games. {{Mook}}s or bosses might throw barrels at the player's character. Quite often, the thrown barrels can be destroyed before they reach the character by shooting at them. Players' characters themselves may be able to utilize barrels if they fall into one of the categories listed above.
11
12	The TropeCodifier is ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'', and a good number of the examples are {{homage}}s to that game.
13	----
14	!!Examples:
15	[[foldercontrol]]
16
17	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
18	* One ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' strip has Jason try to cash in on the success of the new Film/KingKong movie by making his own, starring his brother as Kong (that is to say, he's wearing a VideoGame/DonkeyKong mask). Then comes the action scene: "Velociraptors are attacking! Quick, throw a barrel!"
19	[[/folder]]
20
21	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
22	* ''WesternAnimation/ThePiratesBandOfMisfits'': Queen Victoria gets attacked by several rolling barrels of vinegar.
23	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', Megamind trains the very video-game-obsessed new super-hero-in-name-only Hal (a.k.a. Tighten) by having him run a platform course and jump over barrels that Minion (dressed [[ShoutOut in a gorilla suit]]) is tossing down at him.
24	* Being based on the image source, Donkey Kong throws a few at his enemies in ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie''.
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
28	* ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes''. During the attack of the apes on the human stronghold, a gorilla throws a flaming barrel, again in an obvious gag referencing ''Donkey Kong''.
29	* ''Film/DemolitionMan''. During the final fight between John Spartan and Simon Phoenix, Phoenix picks up an empty barrel and throws it at Spartan while Spartan is lying on the ground.
30	* The characters in ''Film/{{Feast}}'' try to fight the monsters off with beer kegs, with ''Donkey Kong'' receiving a name drop.
31	* How the nameless man takes out his torturer in ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars''.
32	* ''Film/TheGunsOfNavarone''. During the battle with the crew of the German E-boat, Andrea throws a barrel at a German sailor.
33	* ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld'': While the two garage attendants are fighting the truck driver Lennie Pike (Jonathan Winters), on two separate occasions one of the attendants throws an empty barrel at Pike.
34	* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'': A few barrels got rolled and tossed around as improvised weapons while Jack and Angelica fight it out.
35	* In ''Film/TheRunningMan'', Ben Richards picks up and throws a barrel at the stalker Fireball. It just bounces off of him.
36	* In the 2009 ''Film/{{Sherlock Holmes\|2009}}'' film, Dredger throws a barrel at Holmes while he's chasing him through a shipyard.
37	* In ''Film/TintinAndTheGoldenFleece'', while pursued on an old fortress in Istanbul, Captain Haddock sends a few cannonballs rolling down a narrow flight of stairs to trip off the bad guys.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Gamebooks]]
41	* ''Literature/LoneWolf'' book ''Shadow on the Sand'': If cornered on top of a guard tower in the Zakhan's palace, Lone Wolf can throw a big, heavy drum down the stairs at his [[EliteMooks Drakkar]] pursuers, crushing a few and gaining himself a short reprieve.
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Literature]]
45	* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. When the wildlings besiege Castle Black, the Nights Watch use an ImprovisedWeapon of rocks backed into barrels, dropped from the Wall.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
49	* The 1960s ''Series/{{Batman\|1966}}'' show
50	** In "Ice Spy," one of Mr. Freeze's henchmen throws a barrel at Batman during a fight in Freeze's lair.
51	** In "The Foggiest Notion," Batman throws a barrel at one of Lord Fogg's henchmen.
52	** "A Riddling Controversy." Batman throws a barrel at one of the Riddler's minions during the final fight scene.
53	** "The Spell of Tut." While the Dynamic Duo are fighting King Tut's goons, a goon throws a barrel at Batman but hits King Tut instead.
54	** "Pop Goes The Joker." During the fight with the Joker and his henchmen, Bruce Wayne (Batman's secret identity) throws a small barrel at a henchman.
55	** "The Thirteenth Hat." During the battle at the end of the episode, the Mad Hatter throws a barrel at Batman and knocks him into a wall.
56	** "Batman Sets the Pace." At the beginning of a battle between the Dynamic Duo and the Joker's gang, the Joker throws a barrel at Batman and Batman throws it back at two of the Joker's minions.
57	%% ** "Penguin's Disastrous End"
58	* ''Series/TheAvengers1960s''. In "Dial A Deadly Number", a strong {{mook}} throws a barrel at Steed while they're in a wine cellar.
59	* ''Series/TheBionicWoman'' episode "A Thing of the Past". While Jaime is battling a couple of thugs in a repair garage, she uses her bionic strength to throw a barrel full of oil at one of them. The barrel breaks open and spills oil on the floor, causing the thug to fall down.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Video Games]]
63	* ''VideoGame/AnnieLastHope'' have zombie enemies who will attempt flinging barrels at you, which knocks you to the ground when hit. However you can kick those barrels back at the thrower and knock ''them'' down.
64	* ''VideoGame/DarkJudgement'' have plenty of barrels in the factory, military base and streets, which you can grab and fling at enemies for points. Sometimes the muscular foreman enemies will grab and throw barrels on you as well.
65	* Goes back to the original ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong''. Mastering the art of barrel throwing is a big part of the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games, including ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong94'', where Mario gets to give the big gorilla a taste of his own medicine. In ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', barrels are used to defeat mooks (and sometimes bosses), break open secret walls, and in [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble the third installment]], get DK coins from aptly named Koins. There are wooden barrels, metal kegs, [[ExplodingBarrels TNT barrels]], wood boxes and most importantly the DK barrel, which serves as an HP refill in all games, either by containing a Kong you lost, or in the two Creator/RetroStudios games – ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns DKC Returns]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry Tropical Freeze]]'' – as full restores for any lost {{hearts\|AreHealth}}.
66	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
67	%%(ZCE)** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' did this.
68	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' does this on those occasions where barrels are not used as objects to hide under. Case in point, the Forsaken Fortress, in which barrels are all over the place but are used as throwable objects when the player is not required to sneak past guards.
69	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' lets you throw both regular and explosive barrels at enemies.
70	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI''. For some reason, it's the only way to get rid of the gold aura around WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}} when you fight him in the first game. In fact, throwing a barrel at any enemy confuses them.
71	* ''VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead''. You can shoot them in the air before they hit you too. That's gotta be one badass pistol they gave you.
72	* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'':
73	** The game has exploding barrels as weapons by Civil Protection. They roll them at you from the top of stairs and from the sides of a canal you're traversing, and even later, when you're in the airboat; the latter case has the added danger of barrels instantly exploding if you ram into them fast enough. Naturally, a key strategy is shooting the barrels before they get close enough to you to do damage.
74	** Furthermore, using barrels as simple projectile weapons is an option for the player once you obtain the Gravity Gun. Zombies that encounter a barrel between themselves and the player will toss the barrel at him for more damage than their usual melee swipes. This is an unscripted behavior, unlike the flaming barrel ambushes by the metrocops, which are all pre-planned.
75	* ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' has them on some levels, working in the same way as the ''Donkey Kong Country'' games.
76	* Every ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' game. Like every other container in the series, they also have a [[MadeOfExplodium tendency to explode on impact.]] As noted above, Donkey Kong mastered barrel throwing long ago and is the only character that isn't slowed by carrying heavy items such as barrels.
77	* The ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' "Zombie Island of Dr. Ned" DLC introduces Suicide Zombies and Badass Tankensteins, whom both carry explosive barrels on their backs. If they get close enough they will throw them at you, but [[DestructibleProjectiles you can safely shoot them down mid-air]]. Suicide Zombies carry only one, while Tankensteins have an unlimited supply.
78	* The Russian in ''VideoGame/{{The Punisher\|THQ}}'' video game throws those at you. Since he is a bullet-proof PuzzleBoss, the answer is to detonate them in his hands.
79	* ''VideoGame/RedFactionGuerrilla'' put a Mining Charge on a yellow barrel for a bigger explosion. You can also put them on tiny blue ones, then throw them.
80	* ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'': Of the various ways you can kill the BigBad, this trope is one of the more satisfying ways to do it. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj2uZNq0kx0 Proof]].
81	* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
82	** In 2006's ''VideoGame/{{Sonic the Hedgehog\|2006}}'', throwing objects (including barrels) at enemies is Silver's main fighting mode.
83	** In ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'', throwing water-filled barrels is the only way to defeat certain fiery enemies in the werehog levels.
84	* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', there's a scene where you knock barrels down from a church attic to stop the bad guys chasing after Aeris.
85	* Barrels (as well as just about every piece of breakable world geometry) can be snagged and thrown at the enemy with the Whip in ''VideoGame/DawnOfMana''.
86	* Robots in the Sargasso Space Hideout in ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' will throw metal barrels down on you as you're trying to walk up a ramp, but you can easily shoot them to pieces if you're careful.
87	* Area 6 in ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' has barrel-throwing soldiers. D1 Beetle, one of the bosses in the ''Rearmed'' remake, requires ''you'' to throw barrels at it to expose its weak point.
88	* In ''VideoGame/DoubleDragon'', the Rowpers and the Abobos (as well as the Lee Brothers) can lift and throw oil drums among other large objects. ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonNeon'' also has ExplodingBarrels, whose blast can cause severe damage to you as well as the enemies.
89	%%(ZCE)* In ''VideoGame/AladdinVirginGames'', the boss on the "Agrabah Rooftops" levels (a burly guard) does this.
90	* In UsefulNotes/GameBoy's ''VideoGame/KungFuMaster'', third boss Strongman does this to attack. In ''Spartan X 2'', his {{Expy}} Billy Beiry switches to throwing boxes, but the previous stage {{Mooks}} still resort to the good ol' barrel.
91	* ''VideoGame/GunfighterTheLegendOfJesseJames'': In the second game, [[GiantMook confederate brutes]] attacks Jesse while he's crossing a canyon on horseback by flinging barrels.
92	* ''VideoGame/LethalEnforcersIIGunFighters'' have you battling the second boss, who's at the back of a wagon full of explosives and driving uphill, at which point the boss will lob the barrels at your direction. He's actually one of the easier bosses in the entire series, due to his barrels being relatively slow and can be blown up by one shot, and he lobs only a single barrel each time.
93	* A bonus stage in the original ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' consists of the player character having to smash barrels thrown at him/her from all directions. Later reused in some of the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterEX'' games.
94	* A stack of barrels are usually found and thrown against the player during certain sections in the first stages of ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis 2''. At the beginning of the second area, you have to [[CorridorCubbyholeRun shoot and dodge through]] a cascade of rolling barrels.
95	* The only obstacle in the level Toxic Waste in the first ''VideoGame/{{Crash Bandicoot\|1996}}'' game, aside from the titular toxic waste, are oil barrels thrown by Pinstripe’s mafia goons. Later in the level, they start bouncing, adding an extra layer of complexity. One of the Aku Aku hints in the Japanese version even lampshades this trope’s prevalence in video games.
96	* Some enemies in ''VideoGame/Area51'' (the LightGunGame) throw ExplodingBarrels.
97	* ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' features throwable exploding barrels and gas canisters. On the plus side, they easily kill/knock out enemies with little to no effort on your part. On the downside, you get no EXP. This is, however, the best way to take out the first boss if you don't have a combat build.
98	* ''VideoGame/DUSK12'' sees you playing as a SuperSoldier with SuperStrength to boot. As you can't use firearms for some reason, instead your main ranged attacks have you grabbing barrels and flinging them at enemies you can't reach, including a boss battle against [[BossArenaIdiocy a helicopter in a port full of flingable barrels]].
99	* In the NES version of ''VideoGame/CaptainAmericaAndTheAvengers'', the MiniBoss Dynamite Napalm throws oil drums, which have to explode in his hands to make him vulnerable.
100	* In ''VideoGame/VirtuaCop 2'', Wolf's primary attack as the Beginner stage boss, besides firing [[PainfullySlowProjectile Painfully Slow Rockets]], is to throw a barrel at you; you must shoot it out of the air before it hits you. When you get him one shot away from death, he'll [[CarFu throw a van at you]] instead!
101	* ''VideoGame/{{Growl}}'': The player can lift and throw barrels, among other large objects, at enemies. The red barrels are actually explosive that detonate when thrown.
102	* ''VideoGame/FinalFight'': Bred and his head swaps can kick oil drums towards the player, causing them to roll into the ground.
103	* This is one of the many ways Frank can kill zombies in ''VideoGame/DeadRising''.
104	* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft:''
105	** In a pretty clear ShoutOut to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'', one of the encounters in the Stormstout Brewery dungeon in the '' Mists of Pandaria'' involves jumping onto rolling barrels to aim them at the boss -- a giant monkey.
106	** Players of Brewmaster monks often initiate fights by throwing an exploding keg at enemies.
107	* In ''VideoGame/GoofTroop'', the way to kill enemies is to throw the nearest convenient object, which will likely be a barrel, at them.
108	* ''VideoGame/SlySpy'' has some {{Giant Mook}}s who carry and throw barrels.
109	* Monkey Kong's main method of attack in ''[[VideoGame/{{Something}} Something Else]]''. Used to reference Donkey Kong.
110	* In ''VideoGame/StrongBadsCoolGameForAttractivePeople'', Marzipan becomes possessed by [[CaptainErsatz Lady Crate Ape]] and starts throwing crates at everyone who walks by.
111	* In ''VideoGame/RoboArmy'', barrels frequently obstruct the streets. Of course, they're there for players to pick up and throw at enemies.
112	* While ''VideoGame/DarkCastle'' doesn't have actual barrels, there is a henchman in two of the levels that will lob boulders at you in this manner. The sequel, ''Beyond Dark Castle'' has a level set in a brewery, so actual barrels do get thrown there. You can even whack them out of the air with your held weapon if you time it right.
113	* The {{Pirate}} [[FragileSpeedster Skirmisher]] in the multiplayer game ''VideoGame/PiratesVikingsAndKnights'' has a powderkeg strapped to his back. Using the primary fire key, he can light the fuse and wait for the perfect moment to throw the keg, [[StuffBlowingUp ideally killing multiple enemies at once.]] The keg also deals ScratchDamage if you throw it in someone's face.
114	* ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'' had some levels with barrels, including one Bentley the Yeti sequence where giant mooks were throwing barrels downhill and you had to [[SpinToDeflectStuff spin them away]] if they were ExplodingBarrels and just smash them if they weren't.
115	* ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans''. During Crypto's battle with General Armquist, Armquist will use his mecha suit to attack Crypto by throwing barrels of gasoline at him.
116	* ''VideoGame/{{Claw}}'': The titular pirate captain can pick up and throw barrels [[ExplodingBarrels filled with gunpowder]], whereupon they explode on impact with the ground (but not with walls or the ceiling).
117	* ''VideoGame/PointBlank2'' has a stage where barrels are being thrown by an unknown off-screen entity at [[SeriesMascot Dr. Dan and/or Dr. Don]], and you have to protect the mascot representing you until time runs out. If a barrel hits either of them, [[CameraAbuse the poor sap goes flying towards the camera]].
118	* In ''VideoGame/CadillacsAndDinosaurs'' you can pick up wooden barrels and oil drums and toss them a short distance, knocking down anyone in their path. Its main use is preserving the powerups within for when they're actually needed, as per the usual BeatEmUp formula, it's impossible to backtrack after the screen scrolls forward.
119	* [[VideoGame/FinalFight Haggar]] in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' gets a new special move where he throws a barrel to help round out his [[TheGrappler grappler]]-related weakness.
120	* Barrels are a RunningGag in the ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'', and some games let you use them as weapons:
121	** In ''VideoGame/AtelierRoronaTheAlchemistOfArland'', the titular character can create barrels, which can be filled with wine, gunpowder, or toxic waste to cause different effects.
122	** In ''VideoGame/AtelierShallieAlchemistsOfTheDuskSea'', barrels are one of the items associated with Shallotte. Her barrels are [[ExplodingBarrels filled with gunpowder]] and can do extra damage to the BreakMeter of the target.
123	* ''VideoGame/UniversalStudiosThemeParkAdventure'': In the ''Jaws'' minigame, throwing barrels at the titular shark is your only hope of survival. Many of them are helpfully labeled "[[RougeAnglesOfSatin Barrle.]]"
124	* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'': Batman and his foes do this to each other in fights. Bats can either deploy a Batarang or counter the barrel.
125	* In ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' the champion Gragas's abilities are flavored around his fondness for the magical beer he brews, and he carries a keg into battle so he can drink from it, beat people with it, and for his ultimate attack hurl it at enemies where it explodes.
126	* The first boss of ''VideoGame/OperationWolfReturnsFirstMission'' has him throwing explosive barrels at you as one of his attacks. It ''will'' OneHitKill you if you're not ready.
127	* An early boss in ''VideoGame/{{Prodigal}}'' is a giant frog that ''spits'' barrels at you, which you have to deflect back at it in order to stun it. The same kind of boss shows up in ''VideoGame/CurseCrackersForWhomTheBelleToils'', only with extra attacks in addition to the barrels.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:Western Animation]]
131	* The TropeNamer is Dash O'Pepper in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsBU024GEK8 "Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet"]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'' A [[WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest Race Bannon]] CaptainErsatz Who spent much of the episode throwing barrels at things, it's unclear where he gets them all [[HammerSpace from]]. "Just let me throw a barrel at it!" is his response to a giant robot. And it works!
132	* ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'':
133	** In TOS episode "The Sea Haunt," the monster does this to Race Bannon while he's in the ship's Paint Room.
134	** In ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuestTheRealAdventures'' Race distracts a rampaging bull at a rodeo by throwing a barrel at it. He even says [[ShoutOut "Just let me throw a barrel at it!"]] while he does it!
135	** Given another parody in a faux episode of the original ''Jonny Quest'' created by ''Williams Street'' back when they ran Creator/{{Toonami}} (during the Moltar era)
136	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''
137	** A scene [[SuddenVideoGameMoment parodying Donkey Kong]] in "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" has an angry Homer throwing trash cans at a Mario look-alike.
138	** A scene in an earlier episode has an arcade with a real gorilla as a ''Donkey Kong'' marketing gimmick. The gorilla ends up throwing a barrel at the arcade owner, who exclaims "He's StillGotIt!"
139	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
140	** The first episode opens with Fry playing a side-scrolling space shooter game... until he reaches the end, where a giant monkey pops out of a planet and starts throwing barrels at him.
141	** Similarly parodied with Mario and Donkey Kong themselves, doing what they do best, in "Anthology of Interest II".
142	* Heroes, supervillains, and mooks alike on ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' are all pretty fond of throwing garbage cans.
143	* In Nickelodeon's ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles\|2012}}'' the group throws barrels at Spider Bytze during their fight with him. They manage to land one in his mouth but he just crushes it.
144	* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has this in the episode "Fight Fighters". Rumble [=McSkirmish=] chases Robby to the top of a building and starts throwing barrels at him. As Robby runs down, [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong he jumps over the barrels and gets 100 points for each one.]]
145	* In the second season episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'', "Frankie and Ellie Get Lost", Franklin Sherman drives rather recklessly on his way to the airport. When Eleanor chastises him to slow down he exclaims: "Are you mad? Don't you see what danger we're in?" A quick cut to his P.O.V. shows an 8-Bit ''Donkey Kong'' throwing barrels at them. It should be pointed out that Franklin is something of a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} at the best of times.
146	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ThrowABarrelAtIt