History Main / MetalDetectorCheckpoint

** ''Film/XMen1'': The X-Men pass through one of these while entering a museum. Wolverine, naturally, sets it off, and then ''destroys it''.

* In ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest II'', just make sure to show your police ID when going through the airport metal detector.
** In ''VideoGame/PrisonArchitect'', you can make use of these to spot and confiscate metallic contraband (many weapons are metallic), though they often give false positives... And inmates that are victims of an unnecessary search tend to be upset about the experience. They are also useless against any contraband that is not made of metal.

--->'''Rev-9:''' Expect a big ping, brother. [[ExactWords My whole body's a weapon.]]\\

* In ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience'', the main characters find themselves needing to stealthily make their way to [[spoiler:Venus]], where Martian technology (and thus, Martians) are banned. An elaborate hi-tech detector plays out this trope. The drama is short lived-- it turns out [[spoiler:only Martian technology can reliably detect Martian technology. Specifically artificially intelligent Martian technology, so the detector is ''itself a Martian''. They ask it nicely not to alarm on them.]] Somebody didn't think THAT one through.

* Played with in ''Film/BlackPanther'', the heroes are able to walk through without setting off the detector as vibranium is not detectable by it. However when Klaue and his goons arrive the first sign that the building security is actually on their payroll is when they march right through the detector without slowing down with it beeping away and the guards not even reacting to it.

* In one episode of ''Manga/{{Golgo 13}}'', Golgo has to go through a metal detector with his gun. He gets a toy pistol made entirely out of plastic for the job, (It was mentioned that even with a special - and probably fictitious - type of plastic, the firing pin would only be good for one shot, but then again Golgo only ''needs'' one shot) and walked through with the bullet hidden in his mouth, where any investigator would assume the detector is sensing some dental work.

* One ''Anime/LupinIII'' tv movie answered the question of how Goemon gets his beloved sword Zantetsuken through the security's metal detector. He doesn't... he checks it with the rest of the luggage. The samurai is visibly nervous about its safety until he picks it up from the baggage conveyor belt.

* In an issue of ''ComicBook/TheDefenders'', when Dr. Strange passes through a metal detector in his secret ID the Eye of Agamotto sets it off. He habitually kept it invisible but forgot that his spell didn't work on machines. He used a quick illusion spell to make it look like a St. Christopher medal.
* In issue 22 v.1 of his first series, Comicbook/{{Cable}} goes through metal detectors at the airport and gets stopped by security, only for him to explain it's his keys. This coming from a man known to pack heat and has a metal arm. Domino points this out and Cable replies that he'd never "bring a gun through airport security. At least not a metal one..."
** Later in the same issue, Shatterstar tries to take his swords through airport security, but the security guard confiscates them until he leaves. The TSA was strict even back then.
* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} has run into this a few times. He usually carries forged documentation indicating that he is a war veteran with metal implants in his bones[[note]]both of which are true in the strictest sense[[/note]]. In issue #50 of his first self-titled series, he was made to strip down to his boxers, and finally put his arm inside the X-ray to show his bones and claws...and the latter ended up grounding him because they were over the permissible length.
* Invoked for tragedy in the ''ComicBook/{{X 23}}: Innocence Lost'' miniseries, when the wife of a political figure holding a rally tells the security people to wave a [[TykeBomb pre-teen girl]] with [[ObfuscatingDisability crutches and metal leg braces]] through the checkpoint. She, her husband, her kids, and about 40 others pay for that act of kindness with their lives.

[[folder:FanWorks]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}''
** In ''VideoGame/Hitman2SilentAssassin'' you have to dress up as a fireman and launch a fire alarm to enter through one of these; those fireman's axes have a lot of secondary uses...
** In ''VideoGame/HitmanBloodMoney'', your final mission requires you to infiltrate the White House as part of a tour-group. The main challenge is the metal-detector/X-ray checkpoint. There's a number of ways to smuggle weapons inside - your SniperRifle can be upgraded with a special foil-covered [[BriefcaseBlaster Attache Case]] which can glide through the X-Ray, but you can also smuggle in your trusty Silverballers - by slipping them into the luggage of a middle-aged woman. When she gets nabbed at the checkpoint, the guns are confiscated, and you can then retrieve them from the lock-up later (after you've 'borrowed' a Marine Uniform, preferably.)
** Hotel in ''VideoGame/HitmanContracts'' has a few, including the door. So much for being given a cool sniper rifle. Though it's possible to smuggle it in, and it's possible to smuggle the bomb out (it's a mission objective). A security uniform helps (they are ''supposed to'' be armed, of course).
*** Thanks to ArtificialStupidity, the easiest way to get things through this metal detector is to put them down, walk through without setting it off... and then pick them up again from across the rope barrier.

* ''Film/DieHard2'': The villains are carrying "Glock 7" pistols, supposedly an expensive German firearm made of porcelain that can't be picked up on the airport's metal detectors. This is an UrbanLegend of the time -- the Glock is a relatively inexpensive ''Austrian'' firearm with a polymer frame but enough metal components to set off a detector.

* ''Film/WrongIsRight''. Journalist Patrick Hale is interviewing someone at CIA headquarters, who has him step through a device that he says will erase any concealed tape recorder he's carrying. The CIA director had earlier been shown to be carrying such a recorder to record a politically embarrassing conversation with the President, so it's not like they're not being ProperlyParanoid.

* ''Series/TheStarlost''. In the pilot, the protagonists have to pass through an archway detector that scans them for a security check before they can enter TheBridge. One of them is carrying a crossbow yet doesn't trigger a response, perhaps because it's too primitive a weapon.

* In ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles'' when John & Cameron go to their new school after traveling from 1997 to 2007, they encounter in-school metal detectors for the first time. Cameron (being a Terminator) naturally sets off the detector. John says that she's his sister and she has a metal plate in her head from a childhood injury, a story helped by Cameron's UncannyValley nature. They lucked out when the security officer only scanned her head with his hand scanner, instead of scanning elsewhere. Afterward John tells Sara they're going to need to forge a doctor's note to allow Cameron to bypass the detectors.

If two people walk through the detector in quick succession, making it unclear which individual triggered the alarm, the obviously wrong one is who will be hassled by security. Say, a cartoonish shady character in sunglasses with lots of suspicious weapon-shaped lumps visible under their long-coat and a [[IncrediblyObviousBomb ticking suit-case]] walks through with a kind-looking old lady with grey hair on their tail. The latter will be detained, while the former will sneak through unimpeded.

* A DeletedScene in ''Film/Daredevil2003'' has Bullseye going through a metal detector and being made to hand over a pen, toothpick and paperclip. [[DramaticIrony Of course the audience knows]] that [[ImprobableWeaponUser all these things are lethal weapons in his hands]]. Plus his metal belt buckle is later revealed to carry his shurikans.

* A DeletedScene in ''Film/Daredevil2003'' has Bullseye going through a metal detector and removing pens, toothpicks and paperclips. [[DramaticIrony Of course the audience knows]] that [[ImprobableWeaponUser all these things are lethal weapons in his hands]]. Plus his metal belt buckle is later revealed to carry his shurikans.