Transplant (new crowner 4/22): Shapeshifter Weapon

Personally, I find the name to be somewhat unclear. At first I thought it was an article detailing a weapon that itself shapeshifts (a la Sparda from DMC). I feel that another name could be substituted, make the issue clearer, and reduce possible confusion.

My own suggestion would be Swiss Army Body, or Swiss Army Limbs, which can also cover the gamut of things not related to weapons, such as shapeshifters suddenly having a key for a finger.

Make sure to add the article link when you make a new discussion - fixed it for you. Maybe Weaponized Shapeshifter? Or Shapeshifter's Weapon, with an apostrophe in there for clarity?

It's part of a series.

• Morph Weapon (weapon changes shape)
• Shapeshifter Weapon (character can make any weapon from body)
• Retractable Weapon (character can make a specific weapon from their body)

edited 19th Oct '11 3:15:48 PM by crazysamaritan

I was the one who created this page, and I didn't intend it to be a snowclone of anything. I went with this title solely because I couldn't think of anything better.

Thanks for that, Gillespie! First post on this forum.

I just felt like some clarity was needed. Shapeshifter's Weapon also raises the issue of it being, say, a sword a shapeshifter is using.

Weaponized Shapeshifter... kind of makes me think of Beastboy, and his animal forms.

Maybe Swiss Army Shapeshifter? Or Shapeshifer Armory?

Meta Four, I wouldn't call it a snowclone... they're just three tropes that all deal with weapons that are related. Retractable Weapon and Morph Weapon aren't related, except through this trope.

edited 19th Oct '11 4:33:17 PM by crazysamaritan

Bump?

I feel this name is easily confusable for Morph Weapon.

Or "shapshifters are weapons".

I apologize for being late to this thread. There is now a single proposition rename crowner for this trope here.

edited 11th Jan '12 5:18:54 PM by LouieW

wow... That's at least two a day.

Edit: doh... New year, trouble with years again.

edited 11th Jan '12 7:43:41 PM by crazysamaritan

January 2011...

Is there really such a big difference between Rectractable Weapon and Shapeshifter Weapon? Because it sounds like the same thing to me, one by technology and the other by magic.

Cat claws are Retractable Weapon, R2-D2's numerous accessories could be Shapeshifter Weapon.

One weapon, many different weapons. Where Morph Weapon and Retractable Weapon intersect, you have Shapeshifter Weapon.

They're plenty different. Retractable Weapon has to do with concealing a weapon without Hammerspace or something similar. The weapon is the same, it's just stored somewhere hidden. Shape Shifter Weapon is about someone that doesn't carry a weapon because they can turn a body part into a weapon, many different kinds of weapon.

Now, can we please stay on topic and discuss the merits of Shapeshifter weapon's name? Personally I think it is a good name and it has some good usage. Then again it could confused for a weapon that shapeshifts instead of a character that does. Shapeshifter Armory, or something like it, could correct the confusion and remain clear because the character is a shapeshifter and the armory means they have a multitude of weapons.

EDIT

Thanks. I can't believe I missed that.

edited 13th Jan '12 6:38:21 PM by ChaoticNovelist

This. It has convinced me to change my mind about the rename. Also, it would be Shapeshifter Armory with an "r", I think.

For what it's worth, the obligatory misuse check.

Complete N thru Z range:

Reasonably correct usage

• (52 of 79 articles checked)

Probability of misuse

• Quintessence: "Since they can only shift into people or animals they've come in contact with shapeshifters can't turn their bodies into weapons, but any use of their powers shifts them into a fully healthy version of themselves or another, even if they were bleeding to death or severely maimed."
• Shapeshifter Mashup (lead paragraph)
• Suppression: "Empathic Weapon / Living Weapon: Morty seems to fit this role. So far he's been an arm cannon, a drill and a sword, also making him a Shapeshifter Weapon."
• Taking You Withme: "The Mariages of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS Sound Stage X will liquify its entire body into a combustible liquid that will turn the area they're in into a raging inferno in an attempt to incinerate their enemy together with them."
  • (Strikers Sound Stage X provides context to verify that Mariage do qualify as examples of the trope; this citation does not.)
• Characters.The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword: Fi's entry
• Naruto.Tropes Two: "Kisame's Samehada is an Empathic Weapon, along with being a Shape Shifter Weapon and a Living Weapon."
• With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: "Ysengrin from Gunnerkrigg Court received weaponized wooden arms and Green Thumb powers from Coyote"

Ambiguous

• Characters.Power Academy: "She describes herself as a living weapon."
• Characters.Power Rangers SPD: "She can absorb solid materials and use them like a Power Fist."
• Secret City: "Never ever try to rape a metamorph..."
• Shipping Goggles: "Crona doesn't really have a weapon, it's just talking blood."
• Characters.Tatsunoko Vs Capcom Capcom Characters: "Her wings."
• The Mind Is a Plaything of the Body: "Albireo Imma's Shapeshifter Weapon allows him to become the person he transforms into..."
• Characters.To Aru Majutsu No Index Gremlin: Mjolnir's description
• WMG.To Love Ru: "Rito gets tired of depending of his harem of aliens to defend him and asks Yami for training..."
• Pantheon.Weapons: "Tsukasa Kadoya, God of Using Allies as Weapons "
• TropersDoit.With Western Animation (no comment)
• Wolverine Publicity: "Kamen Rider Decade is at least consistent with this; each Rider has a Final Form related to their abilities..."

Zero Context Example

• Characters.Prototype: "In multiple flavors!"
• Prototype 2: "But of course!"
• Characters.Ratman
• Characters.Shannara
• Characters.Soul Eater
• Soul Eater: "About half the cast."
• FanFic.The Ed Edd N Eddy Project: "The Weapo-Morph"
• The Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer: "Maimakterion does this."
• Characters.To Love Ru

edited 14th Jan '12 12:18:51 PM by Stratadrake

Out of the misuse, it seems mostly focused on "shapeshifters are weapons.". Perhaps the definition should be extended to creating non-weapon items, too. Like lockpicking nails.

At the moment, there's nowhere near a consensus to rename (7 yeas, 6 nays). Any ideas on how to continue? Create a page action crowner with suggestions on what to do instead? Wait for more votes? Give up and go home?

Instead of giving up, does anyone know where the "shapeshifters are weapons" trope is?

What do you mean by "shapeshifters are weapons" misuse?

Morph Weapon

Anyway on rename I agree even for just going with something like "The Shapeshifter's weapon" or such.

edited 31st Jan '12 12:19:58 PM by Raso

You point them at the enemy, and tell them to attack. Look at the wick check. Characters like Beast Boy transform into creatures, and the natural weapons of those creatures are effective to attack with.

While this trope is "shapeshifter turns part of their body into a weapon". Most of the misuse is "turning into a creature is a weapon".

So, basically the overlap between Living Weapon and shapeshifter? I don't think that's separately trope-able.

No, weapon plus shapeshifting is Morph Weapon. Living Weapon plus shapeshifting is just Living Weapon plus Morph Weapon.