History Main / KnifeOutline

Either by accident or design, a [[FlechetteStorm swarm of sharp objects]] (such as knives, [[RainOfArrows arrows]] or axes) are hurtling toward the character. They somehow pin the character to the wall [[NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight without actually cutting the character]] (one by each side, arm, leg, etc.), with one final object disturbingly close to the head (or [[GroinAttack crotch]], depending on the character's gender and/or show's maturity level). Sometimes, especially in animated versions, the character has to go through increasingly complex contortions to make sure they didn't get hit.

* Subverted in ''Qi'', a German play/elaborate talent show. A member of the audience, probably a plant, is pulled up and attached to a plank. The performers tie ballons nearby and blindfold him. [[spoiler: They then pretend to throw knives at him by having the assistant standing next to him pop the ballons. They then tie another between his legs and put a bucket beneath him, just to safe. And then just pop the ballon anyway.]]

** Somewhat off-kilter, in a way-they didn't throw the spears, merely pinned him while still holding them and forced him to demonstrate calmness under pressure. If he didn't kiss well enough, they moved the spears a bit.

** And in a non-humorous Takahashi example, Kikyou does this to Manga/InuYasha on one occasion when he tries to steal the Shikon Jewel from her soon after they first meet. Rather than being humorously frightened, he would like to know why she doesn't just kill him when she's clearly capable of it. She has no real answer.

* Terrifying live action example in MartinScorsese's ''GangsOfNewYork''. "Whoopsy-daisy!"

* RidleyScott's ''Film/RobinHood2010'' used a version of this to interrogate a French officer. The first arrow hit next to his head. The second arrow hit him somewhere lower. The third arrow didn't need to be fired.

* One CharlesAddams comic (the man whose work inspired ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'') involved a nice couple in a hotel room, noticing (with understandable concern) the tips of knives protruding through their wall in a human shape. The suggestion was that this trope had occurred in the next room.

* In the ''LuckyLuke'' episode "The Rivals of Painful Gulch", there is a FamilyFeud between two clans. The fact that all of them are very lousy marksmen is hilariously underlined by a bullet outline which has a form of a typical member of one of these clans.

* In JamesBarrie's SherlockHolmes parody "The Adventure of the Two Collaborators," Watson describes how he and Holmes were relaxing one evening in Baker Street, and Holmes was amusing himself with a little revolver practice:

* [[http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/590/draft_lens9069491module79982991photo_1263869317Ratatouille_Movie_Food_Po This poster]] for ''{{Ratatouille}}''.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}: TheLongHalloween'' had this with bullets leaving an outline around the Riddler. Approximately five times as many bullets as the weapon in question could actually hold. And no explanation of why the Riddler wouldn't run away while the shooter was reloading. (Except the RuleOfCool).

[[caption-width-right:333:A fork is fine too.]]

* In ''TheRescuersDownUnder'', one of [=McLeach=]'s attempts to break Cody is to deliberately make one of these around him.

* Appears in Disney's ''Hercules'', when the hero tries throwing knives and nearly hits Phil:

Contrast WilliamTelling.

* Sort of half-humorous example in HayaoMiyazaki's ''TheCatReturns''. The darts cut the cat's "bra" straps (even though most other cats wear no clothing at all) and the guy throwing them gets defenestrated.

* Invoked in one episode of ''Series/ILoveLucy'', where Lucy ends up auditioning as the assistant to a professional knife-thrower.

* ''{{Batman}}: TheLongHalloween'' had this with bullets leaving an outline around the Riddler. Approximately five times as many bullets as the weapon in question could actually hold. And no explanation of why the Riddler wouldn't run away while the shooter was reloading. (Except the RuleOfCool).

* Mio of ''[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/LightNovel/MM?from=Main.MM MM!]]'' managed to pull this off on the very first episode with baseballs, leaving behind an outline in the ''concrete wall behind Taro''.

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Riza Hawkeye does this to the new dog Black Hayate with bullets as her way of toilet-training.

* Mio of ''[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/LightNovel/MM?from=Main.MM MM!]]'' managed to pull this off on the very first episode with baseballs, leaving behind ''an outline in the concrete wall behind Taro''.

* Mio of MM! managed to pull this off on the very first episode with baseballs, leaving behind ''an outline in the concrete wall behind Taro''.

* In the animated version of ''TheKingAndI'', Master Little, the "BigBad"'s comical henchman/assistant, attempts to let Anna's son have an 'accident' in the royal armory, and (naturally) fails spectacularly. At one point, six flying knives pin him, one by one, to the armory wall. Little hilariously exclaims 'A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y!' as they hit.

* In the ''BelisariusSeries'', Ousanas [[http://www.baen.com/library/0671878654/0671878654__15.htm puts three javelins]] into a wall against which Prince Eon is standing, from a range of about twenty yards. One is two inches from his left ear, one two inches from his right ear, and the third two inches below his crotch.

* Subverted in ''Film/{{Hero}}'' -- [[spoiler:Nameless]]'s outline is left in negative on a wall by thousands of arrows from the King of Qin's army, [[spoiler: not because he was intentionally outlined, but because his body intercepted all of those arrows.]].