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[[quoteright:350:[[Theatre/GlengarryGlenRoss https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8392e9004b296f1fd4ebf6bf1c1e5485.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[VisualPun You know what it takes to sell real estate?]]]]

When someone does something that's very brave, or at least very risky, it is said that they have Brass Balls, even if they are female. No reason has ever been given for why brass balls are either braver or more foolish than meatballs or billiard balls or... any kind of ball at all, really.[[note]]It's probably some sort of odd metaphor involving the term "brazen."[[/note]] The balls part we get, though. Evidently there is a direct correlation between them and boldness. Apparently it originated from pawnshops (with their distinctive brass balls hanging outside) where sellers would drive a hard bargain.

ElementalCrafting may come into play; superior to brass balls are balls of ''iron'', beaten out only by balls of steel.

See TestosteronePoisoning for more information.

Not to be confused with BallsOfSteel, where one has balls tough enough to withstand a GroinAttack.

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
A commercial for a heavy pickup truck takes place in a forge and shows some of the (metaphorical) ingredients that go into the vehicle, including a battleaxe, raw steak, a black leather jacket, and two spheres stamped "100% Brass".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'', a bandit says to Lina: "You have some balls, kiddie! Oh wait, you don't, you're a girl."
* In the ''[[Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers Hetalia Bloodbath 2010]]'', China utters this immortal line to Hong Kong:
--> '''China:''' Choosing to go naked rather than wear a maid outfit? ...YOU'VE GOT BALLS-ARU!!
* The English Dub of ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' plays this nearly word for word when Kou accidentally looks up Inner Moka's and Kokoa's skirts.
-->'''Inner Moka:''' Well, you've got some big, brass ones, I'll give ya that much.
* Many characters from ''Manga/OnePiece'' are noted for their guts and determination, but few can hold a candle to Jinbei who went to Big Mom, [[TheDreaded an Emperor of the Sea]] whose power allow her to steal years from the lifespan of people who are afraid of her (supposedely everyone given how monstrously powerful and insane she is) and told to her face that he was quitting her crew to join Luffy's, declaring him in the same breath as the future Pirate King. The fact that she wasn't able to steal a single second of his life means that he meant every single word and even Big Mom herself was shaken.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Micronauts|MarvelComics}}'': The Micronaut once stated that it has literal brass balls.
* There is a character that literally has this as a last name in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', although this is rather [[IronicName ironic]] given his AmbulanceChaser and DirtyCoward tendencies as elaborated in his interviews concerning the riots in Gotham City.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Fanfic/TheBalladOfTwilightSparkle'', two cops are described this way for requesting an audience with the local resident GodEmperor: 'the sheer atomic weight of [their] ''solid plutonium reproductive organs'' would make escape velocity all but impossible.'
* ''Fanfic/InFlight'': Due to the multiple stunts Shirou pulled, Uzume had described him this way. Start with "Bowling balls" and it's currently at "Giant brass beach balls".
* In ''[[http://jeconais.fanficauthors.net/White_Knight_Grey_Queen/8__Finishing/ White Knight, Grey Queen]]'' Harry reveals the deception and ambush he has planned for the Death Eaters to the Order of the Phoenix.
-->'''George:''' Brass, I think, and very heavy.\\
'''Fred:''' And that’s why he always has Pansy and Ginny with him; he needs other people to carry them around for him.\\
'''Mrs. Weasley:''' What on earth are you two talking about?\\
'''Fred:''' Harry's balls. Because they must be as big as a house and made of brass.
* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'': Lampshaded when Cross asks why Nami is always attacking his head or his groin, she yells back that they're both such large targets.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11951179/6/Harry-Potter-and-the-Final-Straw Harry Potter and the Final Straw]]'' Neville disarms Snape when he tries to curse Harry in the back.
-->'''Harry:''' You pick your moments to show you're a Gryff, but when you do... wow. Careful you don't bruise your legs with those big brass ones that just dropped back in the hallway.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2379367/2/Harry-Potter-and-the-Spiritus-Crystalus Harry Potter and the Spiritus Crystalus]]'' Harry shows a Pensieve memory of his fight with the basilisk.
-->'''Jack:''' You've got brass ones the size of bowling balls, Harry! I know veterans that would've had the [[BringMyBrownPants Hershey squirts]] seeing that snake!
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7392700/2/Banking-on-Her Banking on Her]]'' Fred and George say this about Harry after they find out from Mrs. Weasley's Howler that Harry sent a Howler to her first.
-->'''Fred:''' You sent our mum a howler?\\
'''George:''' Brass ones Fred, big brass ones. Harry, that impressed me more than what you did to that dragon.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5721324/9/Rocking-the-Boat Rocking the Boat]]'' Fred and George visit Grimmauld Place after Harry has an argument with Dumbledore.
-->'''Harry:''' What are you clowns talking about? At this hour, nonetheless.\\
'''Weasley twin one:''' Your balls, of course.\\
'''Weasley twin two:''' We were expecting you to carry those enormous, probably metallic examples of manliness in a wheelbarrow, at least.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/{{Speed}}'', when Jack Traven survives one of the many death-defying moments he encounters over the course of the film, a passenger cheerfully informs him:
-->'''Ortiz:''' You're not too bright, man, but you got some big, round, hairy cojones.\\
'''Jack:''' That... is really, really gross, Ortiz.
* The centerpiece of Alec Baldwin's epic speech in ''Film/GlengarryGlenRoss'' is his use of a ''visual aid'' (pictured above) to demonstrate what a real estate salesman needs.
* There's a great scene in ''Film/LAStory'' where Harris (Creator/SteveMartin) is walking on the beach with arrogant bastard Roland (Creator/RichardEGrant) and there's this metallic clanging noise. Harris asks what it is and Roland says, "It's a nuisance. It's my damn testicles."
* ''[[Film/WaynesWorld Wayne's World 2]]'': When Wayne kicks Cassandra's father [[GroinAttack in the nuts]] in a kung-fu duel, a pair of Chinese medicine balls (made of metal, of course) fall out.
* Heard in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' when Eddie confronts R.K. Maroon.
-->'''R.K. Maroon:''' You got a lot of brass coming in here by yourself.
* In ''Film/PoliceAcademy4CitizensOnPatrol'', Callahan (a female instructor) informs a nervous female recruit that, "Soon, you'll have abs of steel, ice in your veins and a set of brass balls like this!", indicating the size of two basketballs.
* The Creator/JackieChan movie ''Film/MrNiceGuy'' has a scene where Jackie's FriendOnTheForce confronts the BigBad for harming his father, but to no avail, leading to this immortal line:
--> '''BigBad:''' That boy's got some big brass ones... He'd better be careful or he'll find them hanging on his Christmas tree!
* Said of the biker in ''Film/TheMist'' who volunteers to leave the supermarket and brave unknown peril to attempt to retrieve a rifle from a pickup in the parking lot.
* In ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'', when Robin demands his [[TragicKeepsake father's medallion]] back after [[StopDrowningAndStandUp defeating]] John Little in a [[MartialArtsStaff quarterstaff duel]] at the river, John remarks that Robin has these and [[DefeatMeansFriendship welcomes him to the forest camp]].
--> '''John:''' Well, Robin of Locksley...you've got balls of solid rock!
* ''Film/AnInnocentMan''. The two corrupt detectives who framed the protagonist have this reaction when, after he's released on parole, he tries to rob them while they're doing a drug deal.
* ''Film/ManOnALedge'': Mercer defies orders and goes on the ledge to talk to Cassidy (also preventing tactical from coming down and taking him out) to find out what's going on. When she comes back into the hotel room, Daughterty compliments her on her balls, and adds, "They're gonna hang you by them, but still."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/ErnestHemingway's 1932 book on bullfighting, ''Death in the Afternoon''.
-->"It takes more cojones," he wrote, "to be a sportsman where death is a closer party to the game."
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
** "You can say what you like about Gentleman Johnny Marcone, but he has a set of brass balls that drag the ground when he walks."
** Harry is also accused of such in ''Literature/DeadBeat'' when Thomas [[spoiler:blackmails the head of the White Court]] in his name.
--->'''Dresden:''' So you're saying that I [[spoiler:blackmailed the White Court]]. By proxy.\\
'''Thomas:''' Yeah. You've gotta have some great big brass balls to do something like that, Harry.
* Special Agent D'Agustino on the USSS's Protection Detail is described this way in Creator/TomClancy's ''Literature/JackRyan'' novels: if she did have them, 'they'd be heavy, brass ones'.
* In Creator/DanielKeysMoran's ''Tales of the Continuing Time'' books ''The Long Run'', ''The Last Dancer'' and ''The Big Boost'', the Elite are a group of special soldiers who have been surgically altered to become cyborgs with subdural armor, laser weapons in their fingers, accelerated reaction time and great strength. Their enemies ironically call them Brass Balls.
* After the protagonist of Creator/RASalvatore's ''The Spearwielder's Tale'' pulls off an impressive bluff, his leprechaun buddy claims he has "a set to make a highland bull green with envy!"
* When the protagonist of ''Poor Man's War'' by Elliott Kay applies to become a Master-At-Arms (basically a shipboard security guard/cop), he has to list three character references of senior NCO or commissioned officer status. He lists his former Commanding Officer, his current CO, [[spoiler:and the head of the *entire Navy*.]] To be fair, the latter did know exactly who he was and had recently taken time to meet with him personally and kick his ass about deliberately taking an assignment that limited his career progression (by delaying specialty school).
** He also shows up to a giant government function slash party without a date. He gets out of the vehicle at the red carpet, gives a mental "screw it", and walks up to a beautiful reporter covering the events and asks her out on camera. She says yes, but also turns out to have a fiancee.
* In ''[[Literature/CallahansCrosstimeSaloon Callahan's Lady]]'', the Professor is described as having such. Though it's quite clear that neither he, Maureen, nor Lady Sally would like to see them become ''[[GroinAttack hammered brass]]'', as would happen should Tony Donuts discover that he's being conned.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* During the Wrestling/{{WWE}} Wrestling/AttitudeEra [[Wrestling/MickFoley Mankind]] practically made a company-wide catchphrase out of "Testicular Fortitude" (a play on "intestinal fortitude" - i.e., [[YouGotGuts guts]]). Wrestling/VinceMcMahon is the one who ran with it the most, such as,
-->I've got the brass [balls], to fire your ass!
* ''Series/MythBusters'': After Jamie traverses their (increasingly wobbly) duct tape bridge, Adam says to the camera: "Ladies and gentlemen, they are made of brass, James Hyneman!" Note that the bridge spans a very deep dry dock and [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Mr. Hyneman is very afraid of heights]].
* [[Series/TheColbertReport Stephen Colbert]] talks about his brass balls quite often. They're the only thing that give him the guts to speak [[StrawmanPolitical the truth]].
* While executing a [[GroinAttack painful squeeze]] on a rival, Elisabeth Rohm's character on ''Bull'' informs him that "9 times out 10, brass balls will get you anything you want ... I've got them; you don't. Too bad for you."
* [[Series/{{Bones}} Dr. Brennan]] is credited with these, at which point she immediately replies that she has ''[[ComicallyMissingThePoint ovaries]]''.
* ''Series/TheBoys2019''. After Starlight makes a failed attempt to arrest Hughie Campbell, he turns up in the next episode to ask her help in freeing his friends from a BlackSite. Starlight [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe comments sarcastically that he has plenty of balls]]. Hughie quips, [[BadassNormal "No, just two of them."]]
* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'', Lindsay says that everybody puts too much emphasis on Angel being a vampire with a soul, and overlooks the fact that he's "a vampire with big brass testes" after he reveals his plan to go after [[spoiler:The Circle of the Black Thorn]].
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Buffy's mother Joyce is being held prisoner by evil Slayer Faith.
-->'''Faith:''' You're thinking "[[StockPhrases You'll never get away with this!]]"\\
'''Joyce:''' Actually I was thinking "My daughter is going to kill you soon."\\
'''Faith:''' That a fact?\\
'''Joyce:''' More like a bet.\\
'''Faith:''' [[VillainRespect Whoa. You got a pair on you, Joyce]].
* The entire point behind the Creator/Channel4 series BallsOfSteel in which contestants (male or female) demonstrate their Balls of Steel by going out in public and pulling horrible schemes on the unknowing public.
* In ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', "The Exodus, Part 1." Quinn said to Maggie that he could hear her "brass balls" clink.
* ''Series/LawAndOrderUK''. CP James Steel is badgering the cops about evidence that went missing from a case he prosecuted several years ago that resulted in an innocent man going to prison. After hemming and hawing for a few minutes, he finally asks point blank if Ronnie mishandled the evidence. Incensed at the accusation, Ronnie's partner Matt snaps, "I can't believe you just asked that. Well, you've got balls, I'll give you that much."
** A nicer version in another episode where Matt is commending a young witness for testifying against a LondonGangster--"What you did in there took balls."
* ''Series/ThePeopleVOJSimpson'': F. Lee Bailey remarks to his colleague Robert Shapiro that the latter has metal clanking down his pants because of Shapiro's ingenious strategy to turn the O.J. Simpson trial into a racist witch hunt.
* In an episode of ''Series/WithoutATrace'', the agents are watching a vigil for two missing girls to see if anyone looks suspicious. One of them does in fact notice an oddball and comments, "If that's him (the kidnapper), he's got nuts of steel."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''
** One common saying (in fanon) about the [[Characters/Warhammer40000ImperialGuard Imperial Guard]] (the RedShirtArmy of the Imperium) is that on the first day, each recruit will be facing hordes of alien killing machines and {{Eldritch Abomination}}s and is handed little more than a T-shirt (flak jacket), flashlight (a [[SlowLaser lasgun]], one of the weakest possible weapons[[note]]in 40k, that means it can "only" dismember an unarmored target in one hit[[/note]]), and a wheelbarrow for their pair of Mars forged [[BadassNormal titanium plated balls]]. Even the women. ''Especially'' the women.
** Ollianus Pius, the guy who faced [[TransHuman Hor]][[PhysicalGod us]] (read: [[SatanicArchetype Satan]]) with nothing but the aforementioned T-shirt and flashlight, is generally referred to as having [[MadeOfIndestructium Mars-grade adamantium]] balls. He died, yes, but what a death it was. [[ExecutiveMeddling Except then he got ret-conned out of existence]]. And now he's back, but DependingOnTheWriter he was a SpaceMarine, a Custodes (what a SpaceMarine is to a standard human, a Custodes is to a SpaceMarine), or a subtype of human who returns from all injuries including death.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Poker}}''.
** Sometimes poker players will make bold plays others would not make, such as pushing in all their chips to make it look like they are confident enough in their hand so nobody else would call them. And there are others who ''would'' call them, either because they feel the "all-in" player was betting with no good hand at all, or they feel they've got an even better hand than the good hand of the all-in player.
** The BrassBalls comparisons can come here, especially when an all-in poker player makes a hand on the last card that beats the hand of the calling player (mainly because they would have lost if that last card hadn't saved them). Even you having the best hand (known as "the nuts") might not stop you from losing that way (in which they say your hand has "been cracked"). In poker, even BrassBalls can be broken in dramatic ways.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* The Toys/LivingDeadDolls "The Lost In Oz" collection includes the Wizard, who has the gifts for all of the characters. For Purdy (whose brain is exposed) as the Scarecrow, he has a brain, for Bride of Valentine (who carries a heart) as the Tin Man, he has said heart, and for Teddy as the Cowardly Lion, he has courage, which turns out to be a bag containing two brass spheres.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The first two ''VideoGame/BioShock'' games use this as a name for an achievement in some way. The [[VideoGame/BioShock1 first game]] has 'Brass Balls' which requires you to finish the game on Hard difficulty without using any Vita-Chambers. The [[VideoGame/BioShock2 second game]] has 'Big Brass Balls' which only requires you to complete the game without using any Vita-Chambers.
* The krogan race in the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' universe have four testicles, so whenever they feel the need to display recognition of a particularly badass individual, they say "he has got a quad". Commander Shepard earns it [[spoiler:after you defeat the Thresher Maw on Tuchanka]]. Yes, even if you play as Female!Shepard. Just goes to show the sheer manliness of that deed. Then there's Wrex's reaction to Grunt, a SuperSoldier even by krogan standards:
--> "Next you'll tell me he's a quint and craps dark matter."
* The boiler boss in ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' has a pair of literal brass balls. [[spoiler:They're his [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak]] [[GroinAttack point]].]]
* One of VideoGame/DukeNukem's catchphrase: "I've got balls of steel!" The company that made ''VideoGame/DukeNukem'', 3D Realms, later released a {{pinball}} game named ''Balls of Steel''.
* In ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', when [[spoiler:[[AntiVillain Jowy]] tells Luca Blight that he intends to marry Jillia]], Luca responds with an EvilLaugh and shouts, "You've got balls, I'll give you that!"
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty: VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' can have the player character be regarded as this: during a mission to eliminate the BigBad of the game, the player character has the opportunity to slip into an area guarded by three {{Mooks}} to retrieve a collectible. If the player succeeds, [=MacMillan=] notes that they have "the minerals".
* When you challenge Lt. Surge in ''VideoGame/PokemonYellow'' he notes you must have "big and brassy ''nerves''" to take him on.
* In a ''VideoGame/ShadowOfRome'' your character fights as a gladiator. When entering the fight, he's presented with a choice of a weapon - sword, mace, or such. Picking none allows you to enter the arena bare-handed and earn the in-game "Big Roman Balls" achievement.
* A variation on the ElementalCrafting example is a commercial for the video game "World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions." The best hand in poker is called "the nuts." In 2007 the commercial for the video game where 2005 WSOP champ Joe Hachem looks at his cards, then puts down two walnuts in front of him, showing his confidence in his hand. 2000 WSOP champ Chris "Jesus" Ferguson looks at his cards, then slams down ''two lugnuts'' that shows how strong Chris thinks HIS hand is. Ladies' WSOP Champ Jennifer Tilly looks at her cards, reaches under the table...and '''slams down a cannonball in each hand.'''
* In ''VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves'', during the Venice episode, Dimitri says that Sly has serious "fuzzy dice" since Sly broke into a police station.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Xykon, an epic lich sorcerer to an injured and unarmed O-Chul, charging him: "Wow. You've got some +5 Holy Cojones on you, paladin." And he seems to somehow have missed V who was equally injured and low on spells, isn't a paladin whose job definition includes "being fearless", but was charging too. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0659.html Here.]]
* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': In [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2005-12-23 this strip]] Petey praises an ore freighter captain who used "rocks, [[RammingAlwaysWorks ramming]], and balls of steel" to defeat a massive PlasmaCannon that had just been used on the planetary government's legislature, with nothing more than an unarmed mining ship at his disposal. Unfortunately for the reference, [[GroinAttack the captain had lost the last part of that "inventory" in a long-ago war]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' has a picture of a doll holding [[http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/photoshop/8/2/2/201822_slide.jpg?v=1 brass balls]], at [[http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_643_if-background-characters-got-their-own-action-figures_p31/ this article]].
* In ''WebVideo/DanganRonpaAbridgedThing'', during Ishimaru's argument with Oowada, the following exchange occurs.
-->'''Oowada''': Man, you must have some big balls to try telling me what to do, bitch!\\
'''Ishimaru''': Precisely! I have brass balls, forged in the line of duty as hall monitor!
* ''Website/{{BlessedTime}}'': When Micah told Eidrak he is challenging Khan Krosst for a duel, one of Khans people said: “You may not yet have hair on your balls.” Eidrak chortled, turning around and waving their party on. “But there is no doubt you are carrying boulders rather than stones in your pants. If you’re foolish enough to challenge the Khan, I’ll take you to him myself. By Ankros’ blood, there’s no way I’d miss this.” [[https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/33020/blessed-time/chapter/665741/chapter-105-challenge Chapter 105]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* BaitAndSwitch'd in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', when Zapp Brannigan is talking about the Brain Balls, the rulers of Spheron I:
-->'''Brannigan:''' They've got a lot of brains, and a lot of [pauses briefly, as if searching for the word; makes cupping gesture] chutzpah.
* The pilot episode of ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' features Dinobot challenging Optimus Primal for the leadership of the Maximals. Rhinox's response?
-->'''Rhinox:''' This guy's got [[UnusualEuphemism bearings]] of chrome steel.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Due to repeated death-defying actions in World War II, a standard line was that U.S. destroyer captains (and less often British ones too), had a pair of brass balls issued with their captaincy.
** USS ''Laffey'' crippled a battleship at closer than point blank range (less than 20 feet!) then dueled a cruiser and two more destroyers in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, in November 1942
** Not to be outdone, ''Laffey'''s namesake later in the war survived 5 hours of Kamikaze attacks.
** At the Battle Off Samar, USS ''Johnston'' single handedly charged an entire battleship flotilla (5 battleships, including IJN ''Yamato''), forcing it to turn aside, sinking a cruiser. When It took a ton of fire, the Japanese reported they'd sunk a '''heavy cruiser''', however ''Johnston'' actually survived, and used its one remaining gun to support the other, equally brave destroyers and destroyer escorts that charged in after it, and was finally sunk an hour later.
** In the same battle, USS ''Samuel B. Roberts'', an even smaller Destroyer Escort, engaged two cruisers and three battleships, crippling both cruisers, before succumbing to battleship fire.
** When the Japanese finally started to retreat, one destroyer captain is reported to have said "Dammit! They're getting away!"
** The Nazi invasion of Norway. G-class destroyer ''HMS Glowworm'' (roughly 1350 tons) encountered a flotilla of destroyers transporting troops to Norway. The German destroyers attempt to disengage, while calling for help, which arrives in the form of the heavy cruiser ''Admiral Hipper'' (around 10,000 tons). ''Glowworm'' was heavily damaged by ''Hipper'' while closing the range (so that her smaller guns would have more effect, and would have a better chance of hitting with her torpedos), and eventually ended the battle by ramming the larger ship after her torpedos missed. The CO of ''Glowworm'' was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross [[WorthyOpponent on the recommendation of the Captain of the]] ''[[WorthyOpponent Hipper]]''.
[[/folder]]
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