History Main / BaitAndSwitchGunshot

* Played with in ''VideoGame/MadWorld''. [[spoiler:Noa orders several mooks to shoot down Jack, who just won the Varrigan City [=DeathWatch=]. While blood appears on Jack's forehead, it's not his but rather Noa's--he was shot from behind by Leo. However, Leo turns out to be [[ManBehindTheMan not quite the good guy he claimed to be]].]]

** In Book 3 of the ''Literature/HanSoloTrilogy'' (''Rebel Dawn''), Han and [[spoiler:Bria]] were held at gunpoint by [[spoiler:Teroenza]], who's been waiting for this moment for a while. A gunshot is heard, and at first Han thinks [[spoiler:Bria]] has been shot, only for [[spoiler:Boba Fett]] to reveal himself, having shot [[spoiler:Teroenza]] for a bounty he took on earlier in the book. Played With for a second here, as Han and the reader likely expect that [[spoiler:Fett]] will simply take [[spoiler:Bria]] and Han away as well, But [[spoiler:Fett]] simply explains that they are fortunate that he doesn't mix business and pleasure.

** Ruthlessly mocked by ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'': "'Bad guy acts like he's gonna kill one person, then ends up killing a completely different person as a surprise' cliche. Either that, or his aim is really that bad.

* In the climax of ''Film/Stormbreaker'', Alex is hanging on a electrical cable over the edge of a skyscraper, with his friend Sabina clinging to his legs. Sayle is on the roof above with his gun trained on Alex when Yassen appears hanging upside down from a helicopter by a harness. Seemingly readying himself to shoot Alex (just like when he murdered Alex's uncle) he pulls out two pistols, and two shots ring out before the scene cuts to the shocked onlookers below. Cut back to Alex, then Sabina, both still alive, before we see Sayle's body fall over the side of the building.

* The film adaptaion of the ''Film/AlexRider'' book Stormbreaker, ''Operation Stormbreaker'', added a final scene where [[spoiler: Alex is hanging on a electrical cable over the edge of a skyscraper, with his friend Sabina also hanging on to his legs. Sayle is on the roof above with his gun trained on him about to shoot when suddenly Yassen appears hanging from a helicopter upside down using a harness. Seemingly lining himself up with Alex (much in the same way that he was when murdering Alex's uncle) he pulls out two pistols, and the scene cuts to the shocked onlookers down below as two shots ring out making it seem like he killed Alex. Cut to Alex, alive and bewildered about what happened then to Sabina in the same state before we see Sayle's body fall fall over the side of the building.]]

** Happens during the climax of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl''. It sounds like Barbossa's shot Elizabeth, but it's actually Jack finally using that one shot he's been saving for Barbossa for ten years. It doesn't work at first, until Will undoes the curse, rendering Barbossa mortal, killing him.
** And again near the beginning of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'', a British soldier corners Jack after he escapes custody, only to be shot dead by Jack's father.

* Happens ''three times'' in the Brazilian movie ''Lisbela e o Prisioneiro'' (Lisbela and the Prisoner). Actually, it happened only once, but they flashed back to it twice. Frederico was about to kill the title prisoner, a gunshot was heard, and the Frederico died. Then, there is a flashback, in which it appears Lisbela was the one who fired the shot. Later, it is revealed Lisbela's gun was empty, and the one who shot Frederico was actually his wife.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', "To Kill a Ladybird" Ladybird may be rabid. Bobby raises his gun and Hank [[spoiler:tells Bobby not to shoot Ladybird. Bobby fires and it looks like he missed Ladybird. He tells his dad that he didn't miss, and it turns out that he shot the raccoon which was sneaking up behind Hank]].

* ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob''--[[http://bobadventures.comicgenesis.com/d/20080726.html Jerry shoots at Molly and her clone,]] the implication being that [[ExpendableClone one (probably the clone) will die.]] Instead, he was aiming at a ''different'' target (the hitting of which [[CreatingLife creates]] a completely different [[{{Kaiju}} large problem).]]

* In an early episode of PostApocalyptic series ''Series/{{Jericho}}'' [[spoiler: during a showdown with escaped convicts.]]

** Also done in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E2TheMindOfEvil The Mind of Evil]]".

* A variation occurs in Disney's'' WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''. Tarzan has an uncanny ability to imitate any sound he hears. He uses it to fake out Clayton by not actually shooting him, but instead making the sound of a gunshot.

One of four things happens then:

** Occurs in the episode ''And Then There Were Fewer'' when [[spoiler: Diane Simmons, the murder of James Woods and several others, is about to shoot Lois at the edge of a cliff. A gunshot is heard, but instead Diane was shot by Stewie from a distance.]]