History Main / AncestralWeapon

* ''Fanfic/BlazBlueAlternativeRemnant'': Jin Kisaragi and Tsubaki Yayoi's main weapons are Yukianesa and the Izayoi respectively. Both are the ancestral weapons of their respective noble houses, and in Tsubaki's case, the Izayoi will only work for a member of the Yayoi bloodline.

* ''Fanfic/HarryAndTheShipgirls:

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm has several weapons associated with the Asgardian royal family.

** Quint Nakajima's [[PowerFist Revolver Knuckles]] where split between her daughters Ginga and Subaru after her death, [[spoiler:although Subaru does briefly use both of them in the final episode of ''[=StrikerS=]''.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves'', Al reveals that he owns a blade that belonged to his father, Casseem. He later uses it to [[LukeYouAreMyFather prove who he is to Casseem]] and then to win a DuelToTheDeath against Saluk.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': The Darksaber was originally simply the weapon of the first Mandalorian Jedi, a member of House Vizsla. When he died, the Jedi kept it in their temple as was tradition, but House Vizsla attacked the temple to steal it. Ever since, it has been passed down through House Vizsla, who claim it is a symbol of their strength and authority to lead. In ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', [[spoiler:Sabine wins it, but then gives it to Bo-Katan so that she can unite Mandalore against the Empire]]. As of ''Series/TheMandalorian'', [[spoiler:Moff Gideon has it]].

* The sword originally wielded by an ancestor of Kyon's ([[spoiler:Usui Sadamitsu[=/=]Taira no Tadamichi]] to be precise) in ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero''. While the sword itself isn't usable anymore, he still uses the hilt for his {{Laserblade}}.
* One of the main characters of ''Fanfic/InTheService'' received his Intelligent Device from his grandfather. Being an EmpathicWeapon with something of a mind of its own, and coming from more than seventy years ago, Steelheart is [[BloodKnight very different in behavior]] from more modern Devices.

* ''Fanfic/WearingRobertsCrown'': Viserys notes that his sword belonged to his brother Rhaegar before him. He also dreams of Blackfyre, sword of his ancestor Aegon the Conquerer and later carries [[spoiler: Dawn, family weapon of his distant cousins House Dayne]]. Gerion and Tyrion Lannisters go on an (off-screen) quest to recover their family's ancestral sword. [[spoiler: They don't find it.]]

* ''Fanfic/TheBridge'': The Hurricane Lance was first used by Commander Hurricane, then it was passed to his daughter Ardent Sentry. It is not strictly an ancestral weapon because it is always passed to the current Captain of the Royal Guard; it's just that most of the time, it is a member of the Sentry Family. Flash Sentry's father Stalwart Sentry passed it to his successor Blueberry Frost, since Flash was too young for the position.

* Like in the [[Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire source]] [[Series/GameOfThrones material]], several houses in ''Fanfic/ForumOfThrones'' own these. House Corbray's ancestral sword forged from Valyrian steel is the most prominent example, as it is wielded by the antagonist Rodrik Stone.

* ''Fanfic/AManOfIron'' continues Westeros' use of this trope. In addition to the canonical [[CoolSword Ice]]:
** As a wedding present for Jon, Tony crafts the Valyrian steel sword Shadowfang, in the hopes that it will become the ancestral sword of the Starks of Iron Pointe.
** House Bracken has Hate Eternal, so named because of a previous head of the House wielding it while declaring "eternal hate" for [[FeudingFamilies House Blackwood]].
** [[spoiler: Gerion Lannister, [[CompositeCharacter now known]] as Nikolos Fury, is shown to have successfully retrieved Brightroar and now wields it.]]
* ''Fanfic/ThePiecesLieWhereTheyFell'': For much of the first story, Night Blade wields ''Determined Point'', passed down from parent to child or brother to brother for years. [[spoiler:Then it breaks in battle.]]

* ''Fanfic/HarryAndTheShipgirls:
** The Potters [[StickyFingers have picked up a whole armory of weapons]], but one blade that is recognized and feared as the Potter Honor Blade is [[PublicDomainArtifact Juuchi]] [[AbsurdlySharpBlade Yosamu]], due to the Potters being some of the only people who can resist the HatePlague that said weapons forces on its wielders.
** The Longbottoms, meanwhile, have a counterpart to Juuchi in the battle-axe Blood Embers, which basically turns its wielders into a controlled version of TheBerserker.
* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' has the Pantielle family sword. [[{{Macguffin}} It only has relevance]] during the Liberation of Ansur Arc, where Kyril is tasked to find [[RoyalBrat Michelle]]. [[IHaveNoSon Disowned by his family]], he stole the sword which was supposed to be given to his brother Mikhail. Later on, Kyril retrieves the ancestral sword in the mercenary compound, after Michelle, who was [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty having his way with Maia]], tries to take him down with the sword to no avail. When he returns it to Mikhail, Kyril [[LampshadeHanging internally notes]] that [[CoolButInefficient the gilded weapon would probably break over his knee in one go]].

* Played straight with well made swords in many cultures, Japan being the most famous for the practice. Except for the Japanese Shin-Gunto type blade, which is a subversion in Japan, being mass-produced, cheaply made blades issued by the military, and double-subverted in the United States, where they were brought back as war trophies and became family heirlooms. Due to them not being considered works of art, Shin-Guntos are not protected by Japanese law, and are considered illegal weapons there, meaning if one is brought to Japan, it will be ceased and destroyed.

* ''FanFic/KingdomHearts3FinalStand'' has Dawn's Might, a katana that is a family heirloom from [[spoiler: Kairi's birth mother Rimi's side of the family]]. It is traditionally handed down to the oldest son when he finds the woman he loves or to the man who loves the eldest daughter when he meets the father's approval. In chapter 30, [[spoiler:the ghost of Kairi's birth father Kaname]] gives the blade to [[spoiler:Sora]].

* In ''FanFic/QueenOfShadows'', Yasashi wields her family's ancestral naginata, Houko.
* ''FanFic/ThisBites'':

* The sword of Grand Master Mandulis in the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' novel ''Literature/GreyKnights''. Unsurprisingly, it's a plot element.

* The Spear of Telesto from the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/BloodAngels'' novels, wielded by the Space Marine Chapter's primogenitor Sanguinius and said to be forged by the God-Emperor of Mankind himself. It's a definite plot element.

* Jason Grace of Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus wields a gladius that previously belonged to Juno, although in this case the "ancestor" in question is actually his step-mother.

* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'': In one episode, Garibaldi shows Zack his grandmother's old .38 Police Special (aka a slug thrower). It's an antiquated weapon and probably a really bad idea to use in a space station, but he finds a use for it in that very same episode.

* A large amount of fabled wargear passed down through the ranks of the Space Marines in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' is stated as belonging either to a particularly strong commander or, in a lot of cases, to the marines' genetic father himself. Various helms (Alpharius, Lorgar, the Lion), blades (Talon of Horus) or artifacts (Vulkan's Sigil) were created by the Primarchs and handed down to be revered over the millennia.

* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' spinoff RPG ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'', an option to have one of these can be taken at character creation. Your choices include a LostTechnology laser pistol, a [[ChainsawGood chainsword]] that was used in the Crusade that conquered the region of space where the game is set, a set of body armor that once belonged to one of the honor guard of an Imperial saint, a ceremonial seal, and a relic from an Imperial Saint.

* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}''

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem'':

* The [[VideoGame/LegacyOfKain Soul Reaver]]. It was forged by Vorador (the first human vampire) and is later used by Kain (the last vampire), who passes its spectral form onto his offspring Raziel. It's not only insanely powerful as a regular weapon, having both a physical and a wraith form, it's also [[spoiler:the lynchpin of keeping the demonic Hylden locked up in another dimension]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'':

* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', the first weapons Ezio gains are his father's sword and his Hidden Blade. He loses the sword very quickly, but he holds onto the Blade for the rest of his life. When Monteriggioni is taken by the Borgia at the start of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'', it's the one item from his old life he manages to hold on to, and it's with him again in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations.''

* The Vampire Killer whip is the age-old weapon of the Belmont clan (and allies), seen in every ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' game where they star. When Simon meets his ancestor Trevor in ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment Judgment]]'', he believes that only by besting him will he feel worthy of the whip.

** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin'' explains more about the weapon and its relationship to the Belmonts and Morrises - the Belmonts, after hearing a prophecy that Dracula would be defeated for good in 1999, vowed to not use the whip again until that day, passing it off to the Morris family for safe keeping. Descendants of the Morrises can use the whip, but in their hands it is just a regular old whip until they undertake a trial to unlock its full potential - but that power comes at [[CastFromLifespan the cost of lifespan]], as revealed when Eric notes that Jonathan's father, John, took much longer to recover from his wounds at the end of ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines Bloodlines]]'' because of the use of the unlocked Vampire Killer.

* The Sword of Leah in the ''Shannarra'' series has been passed down by kings and princes of Leah for generations. Due to the enchantment put on it by Allanon in ''Wishsong'', it avoids the Ship of Theseus question because while the scabbard and hilt occasionally need replacing, the blade itself remains the same (Save for the time it was broken and had to be magically remade). The titular Sword of Shannarra does not count, as while it is used by various members of the same bloodline as generations go by, it tends to be left in storage for centuries at a stretch between uses.

* Arguably {{Reconstruction}} in the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' book ''Literature/TheFifthElephant.'' After [[spoiler:saving the dwarven kingdom from a crazy plot,]] the Low King grants Sam Vimes with a dwarven axe. In keeping with the "tradition versus modern-thinking" spirit of the rest of the book, he goes on to indicate his own axe and explain how, despite having been given new handles to keep with the fashions, and new blades when the old one wore out, and in fact having been remade completely several times as time went by, it was still his ancestral axe in every detail-that there was more to the "ancestral" component than simply "his father handed him a really old axe at some point."[[note]]This is based on a philosophical paradox called the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus Ship of Theseus]].[[/note]]

** Averted in with Glamdring: you'd think Elrond would be slightly interested in his great-grandfather's (Turgon's) sword, but he lets Gandalf have it without even mentioning the connection. [[spoiler:Seeing as Galdalf is a Maia]] he may have given it to him out of respect.

** Averted in ''Literature/TheHobbit'' with Glamdring: you'd think Elrond would be slightly interested in his great-grandfather's (Turgon's) sword, but he lets Gandalf have it without even mentioning the connection. [[spoiler:Seeing as Galdalf is a Maia]] he may have given it to him out of respect.

* In ''Film/TheHobbit'', Glóin wields the axes that his son Gimli will use in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''. It's later revealed that Glóin's father had these in his possession as well.

* ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'', the title character and his brother use swords forged for their father and left to them as heirlooms. Kagome later qualifies and she inherits Kikyo's bow.
** Not only are they inherited from their Father...they are MADE from their father. He ripped two of his own fangs out (Inu-No-Taisho is GIGANTIC in his true form) and forged them into the twin swords.

* Played straight with well made swords in many cultures, Japan being the most famous for the practice. Except for the Japanese Shin-Gunto type blade, which is a subversion in Japan, being issued by the military, and double-subverted in the United States, where they were brought back as war trophies and became family heirlooms.

** The B-52 Stratofortress originally entered service with the US Air Force in the 1950s, and around a hundred are still in service in 2014 (the youngest B-52 entered service in 1962). There are currently pilots of this plane who can claim to have grandfathers who flew the same model. Much of this is due to the BoringButPractical nature of the B-52's design: It is already a jet that can fly all the way around the world to drop upwards of 70,000 pounds of bombs with a high degree of precision. Any would-be replacements (the B-58 Hustler, XB-70 Valkrie, B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, etc.) tend to verge into AwesomeButImpractical for various reasons in comparison. Mainly cost. Other aircraft used around the world find themselves in similar situations, to include the KC-135 Stratotanker and the Russians' Tu-95 Bear.

* The Revolver Knuckles of the Nakajima sisters in ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''. This is a rare case where the ancestor was their [[ActionMom mother]]. Also, Lutecia's Asclepius was owned by her mother. Both said mothers used to be partners and were assaulted in their mission, where one of them was killed.

** In the movie version of ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs A's]]'', Chrono's Durandal was changed to being the personal weapon of his father due to the entire subplot involving it's creation being cut.

* Prevalent amount Orcs in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''.

* The Master Sword from Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda has been used by many different descendants and reincarnations of the Hero throughout the series' timeline. [[SwordOfPlotAdvancement Getting the Master Sword and taking up the mantle of Hero is a turning point in many Zelda games.]]