History Main / ChainPain

[[folder: Video Games]]

* A memorably bloody sequence in ''{{ComicBook/Dreadstar}}'': after Vanth Dreadstar finally faces and defeats the enemy who was responsible for (among many other things) the murder of Vanth's wife and their entire community, he puts away his sword--too clean and painless--and instead beats the man to death with a length of chain.
* Most modern bearers of the ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' mantle such as Johnny Blaze, Dan Ketch, Michael Badilino and Robbie Reyes have all demonstrated the power to summon [[VariableLengthChain magical]] and [[KillItWithFire flaming]] chains as their main weapons. When not in use, the chains are usually wrapped around their chests like a bandolier. Later comic iterations have also given them the ability to attach various weapons at the ends of their chains for extra cruelty potential, including [[HooksAndCrooks hooks]], [[BladeOnARope knives]], hammers, and even [[ImprovisedWeapon tire irons]].
* Befitting his entire aesthetic as a space biker, ''ComicBook/{{Lobo}}'''s signature weapon is a hook on a chain.
* Hardcore, one of ''ComicBook/LukeCage'''s enemies from TheNineties, wielded manrikisas - chains with weights on the ends.

* ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'' has chains that pop out of his cloak and are under his control; most often seen in the HBO Animated Series.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' mini-series ''ComicBook/TheKryptonChronicles'', which narrates the history of Krypton, reveals Superman's homeworld was once conquered by an alien race called the Vrangs who held sway over the planet until being kicked out by a slave revolt. The first rebel slaves lacked weapons when they revolted, so they used their own chains to flail their guards to death, and then they stole their ray guns.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': In the only successful escape attempt from Reformation Island the weapon of choice for the escapees was lengths of chain, which were [[IncendiaryExponent on fire]]. Of the eight prisoners who formed Villany Inc. and tried to escape Blue Snowman, ComicBook/{{Cheetah}}, Doctor Poison and Eviless were recaptured before they made it off the island and Giganta, Hypnota, Queen Clea, and Zara were recaptured by Franchise/WonderWoman, ComicBook/EttaCandy and ComicBook/SteveTrevor the next day.

[[folder: Fanfic]]

* Hime in ''VideoGame/{{SUGURI}}'' uses chains as one of her weapons in her boss fight. One attack in particular has her cover up the whole screen with them, and getting hit by a stray chain will cause your Heat meter to rise dramatically, potentially making your defences suffer.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VideoGame/{{Skylanders}} No chain, no gain!]]

[[quoteright:184:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chain_match_2639.jpg]]

* In Book 2 of ''VisualNovel/BladesOfLightAndShadow'', the Chain skill is one of three new combat skills introduced (alongside the alchemical set and MagicStaff). With it, Raine can, among other things, choke enemies out, tangle them up, trip them up, yank the glaive out of Valax's hand, and drag a flying shadow beat to the ground.

* Most modern bearers of the ''ComicBook/GhostRider'' mantle such as Johnny Blaze, Dan Ketch, Michael Badilino and Robbie Reyes have all demonstrated the power to summon [[VariableLengthChain magical]] and [[KillItWithFire flaming]] chains as their main weapons. When not in use, the chains are usually wrapped around their chests like a bandolier. Later comic iterations have also given them the ability to attach various weapons at the ends of their chains for extra cruelty potential, including [[HooksAndCrooks hooks]], [[BladeOnARope knives]], [[DropTheHammer hammers]], and even [[ImprovisedWeapon tire irons]].

** ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid'' introduces [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Harry/Hallie]] [[JapaneseDelinquents Tribeca]] and her Device, Red Hawk. It's active form is a chain that's normally wrapped around her fist to add more oomph to her punches, [[VariableLengthChain which she could lengthen]] to attack and/or restrain her opponents for a severe beat down. She could also channel her [[PlayingWithFire fire magic]] through it to [[ElementalPunch further enhance her attacks]].

-->-- '''Jayne''', ''Series/{{Firefly}}''

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'': the General class in the GBA games have chains attached to their [[BladeOnAStick lances]] and axes.

* In ''Manga/BlackClover'' the first villain, Revchi, uses Chain Magic which summons snake-like chains out of portals

Sometimes the chain is all you need for a weapon, without the weight at the end. It's used much the same way as a {{whip|ItGood}} or [[KnowsTheRopes rope]], and, in less realistic works, skilled users can make InstantKnots with it. [[VariableLengthChain The length may even vary as appropriate]] either with no explanation or for magical reasons.

* One can make a reasonable assumption that any game where the hero mainly fights [[WhipItGood with a whip]] (such as ''VideoGame/LaMulana'' or any ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania}}'' starring a Belmont) will inevitably have an upgraded version of the whip made of chain. And sometimes ''that'' can be upgraded even further into an EpicFlail.

** In the episode [[Recap/AgentsOfSHIELDS2E6FracturedHouse "Fractured House"]], VillainOfTheWeek Marcus Scarlotti uses a chain attached to a combat knife to fight Agent May. It's a MythologyGag, as the comic's Marcus Scarlotti is the Comicbook/IronMan villain [[WhipItGood Whiplash]].

* Hardcore, one of ''ComicBook/LukeCage'''s enemies from the nineties, wielded manrikisas - chains with weights on the ends.

A BadassBiker will often do this in a rumble, either normal large chain links or the slightly nastier bike chains. It was very common in 80s movies with street gangs and among fictional Japanese delinquents. And if one is very ballsy they can wrap the chains around their fists for an improvised knuckle duster, although it's heavily advised not to do it in real life unless you have something to protect your hands.

* ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' has minor Season 3 antagonist James AKA Hellfire, who has the ability to [[PlayingWithFire make anything he touches combustible]], take up a chain as his [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]], in a MythologyGag to ComicBook/GhostRider. Unfortunately for James, when he returns in Season 4, Ghost Rider himself has [[ExpyCoExistence joined the cast]], and he takes the chain from James, apparently impressed enough with the technique to pick it up himself.

* In the book of ''Literature/AClockworkOrange'', [[TheBrute Dim]], one of Alex's droogs has the "oozy" (from the Russian word for snake, no connection to Israeli submachine guns) as his weapon of choice. He uses it surprisingly effectively.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', Elaine uses a couple of fine chains as foci for her magic. Ordinarily it appears to be a decorative chain belt, but once she straightens it out it functions like a wizard's staff.

* Nate Mitotsudaira from ''LightNovel/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'' fights with {{Variable Length Chain}}s.

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': During ''Alicization'', Kirito and Eugeo are held in the Central Centoria prison and are bound by high priority level chains. Kirito gets the idea to use the chains toughness themselves to break each other, then the two of them proceed to brandish the chains as weapons when facing Integrity Knight Eldrie, where they actually suceed in taking him down.