There is a Real Life un-aversion to this in the Metropolitan Police in London, in that advice given to CO 19 has changed to that in the page image. The reasoning for this is two-fold:
1. A target may be carrying concealed explosives, therefore it may not be safe to shoot anything you can't see. 2. If a bomber is stopped in their tracks and falls to the ground, they could still activate the trigger for a bomb, and death threats may be ineffective against a fanatic.
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I would add that, except not call it an "un-aversion". It's either averted or "played straight", ...except when it's played with, anyway (which isn't the case here)
Christian, gamer, programmer, brony, and quadriplegic (paralyzed mid-thorax down). I am filled with determination...
"Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war."
I think we may need to re-evaluate what the Trope Namer and Trope Codifier truly are for this trope. While FPS_Doug commonly used the term, exactly when did he start using it? Because the game Quake III Arena actually used the term "Headshot" after a boom when someone was shot in the head (someone claims the game is an aversion—having played Arena personally, I must disagree wholeheartedly). Arena and Counter Strike were released at just about the same time (1999), and the oldest material I see on the internet from Doug is possibly 2005, definitively 2006.
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I was also going to argue that it seems more likely Meet the Sniper, which came out a year before the cited mockumentary, popularized the line (it's what I thought of when I saw the trope name). In any case, I think someone needs to do some research to figure out who it really was that "named" it. Either that or we just need to figure out a better name for the trope, considering "stock phrases" are discouraged on the grounds that (among other reasons) you're naming the trope itself, not the article. Maybe "head shots are always lethal"? It's more descriptive, at least...
Christian, gamer, programmer, brony, and quadriplegic (paralyzed mid-thorax down). I am filled with determination...
I'm wondering if more description could/should be added discussing the dramatic context of headshots in TV and movies. In cop shows, the tone of a scene where an officer makes a headshot is often (appropriately) played with deadly seriousness, which often stands out against the normal tone of the show, where an emphasis is made on minimizing violence and humanizing the police. It can be used to show lesser-known sides of a character - sometimes one known for being easygoing, jovial, inept, or insecure - by showing their seriousness, confidence, steel nerves, and skill with a gun. When criminals make the shots, it's often to emphasize their brutality and cold bloodedness.
The description as is seems to mostly stick to video games and physical effects of the shots (and a grounding in how these play out in real life). The dramatic aspects I mentioned don't seem deserving of a new trope, but they are worth mentioning. I just hesitate since it's already a pretty long description.
The Urban Dead part mentions Monroeville as a reference to Diary of the Dead (the Romero movie). It may well be, but the earlier (1974) Dawn of the Dead movie is mostly placed in the Monroeville Mall. Maybe mentioning Dawn of the Dead would be in order?
'''[[red:Dreams of Revenge]]'''
I don't think the Suzuyama Haruhi example counts because it doesn't involve a projectile weapon. Can I remove it?
Locking you up on radar since '09
Previous Trope Repair Shop thread: Unclear Description
, started by Leaper on Oct 22nd 2014 at 3:02:57 AM
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman