History Main / OffhandBackhand

* This Octopus [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i30b8PGsVA0 punched a fish]] that came too close.

* Episode 3 of ''[[https://my.w.tt/v4IffEriLU Final Stand of Death]]'' has Redd ([[spoiler: Music/MelanieC]]) kicking Frankenstein's monster, who was seeking up behind her. The matter catches Monica’s attention, as it was the kind she had associated [[Music/MelanieC Melanie]] with. Bonus Points while singing “[[Creator/MontyPython Always Look On The Bight Side of Life]]”, during the lyric “Life’s a [[CurseCutShort piece of…]]”. The in-show viewers, such as LetsPlay/PewDiePie, LetsPlay/JackSepticEye and LetsPlay/{{Markiplier}}, [[ActuallyPrettyFunny all found themselves laughing]] at the timing.

** On the [[http://superdickery.com/images/stories/other/237_4_065.jpg cover of Captain America #65]] he did it to his own sidekick Bucky when Bucky tried to warn Cap about his new girlfriend being evil.

* The title character in Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' does this to [[BigBad Hades]] near the end of the film.

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' movies:

** During ''Asterix Versus Caesar'', Obelix asks if he can be nice to the other gladiators, while taking them out with offhanded attacks.
** In ''Asterix and the Vikings'' after exiting the Viking's club Obelix casually does this to a bouncer Asterix had earlier knocked out to get in. He takes no notice because he's sad that Justforkix has insulted him.

* Elastigirl is arguing/flirting with Mr. Incredible over who should get credit for catching a robber in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''. Said robber tries to interrupt and concede defeat to her for punching him out. She punches him out again without taking her eyes off Incredible and goes right back to flirting with him.

* In ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'', this is how Touma finishes off Stiyl's fire giant Innocentius after using the fire sprinklers to wash the ink off of the rune cards that were sustaining it.

* ''Manga/OnePunchMan'': Saitama does this accidentally to Garo, sending him spinning through the air, because he wants to avoid being seen with him after they both left a restaurant without paying. Garo, on the other hand, was trying to kill him. It's the third time Saitama knocks Garo out in passing, but neither can remember the earlier times because Garo has been losing his memory of the events due to the trauma, and Saitama can't remember everyone he punches.

* In the ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' OVA, Jeffrey attempts a pointlessly overdramatic charge at an enemy general and is casually clotheslined by the general and knocked out cold.

* In the 2008 3D film of ''Film/JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth'', Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) does this to punch out a giant ''Venus flytrap'' that is creeping up behind him.
* ''Film/JudgeDredd''. While Dredd and Herman Ferguson are trying to sneak through the Judge headquarters, Dredd does this to another Judge who is trying to arrest him.
* In ''[[Film/TheKarateKid The Karate Kid II]]'', Mr. Miyagi is trying to rescue Daniel from ArrogantKungFuGuy Chozen. He has just finished defeating all of his {{Mooks}}. Then one of them makes the mistake of trying it again from behind...and promptly takes another fall.

Compare FoeTossingCharge, only even more humiliating for the poor sap on the receiving end. Also compare DangerousBackswing, which happens in a combat situation and may or may not be accidental. Very commonly featured in a work that is RatedMForManly. Users of this move tend to have a BadassBack. There is a certain amount of TruthInTelevision to this: The reverse kick is a fairly viable move.

* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': The setup of the strip doesn't make it obvious at first, but you can deduce from her final position that Maxima is knocking out a hulking brute without even watching at the beginning of the superhero free-for-all (and the strip's title, [[https://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-203-backhands-and-commands/ Backhands and Commands]]", spells it out). She's also doing that while giving orders, making it a case of ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask.

* The eponymous character of ''Anime/AfroSamurai'' does this to a guy at least 4 times his size. so hard that he flies through the wall.

* ''Fanfic/SillyHatProductions'' lampoons ''[[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry Umineko]]'''s love of GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger this way. In one case, Battler knocks down Eva-Beatrice like this several times in rapid succession, all by accident.
* Episode 3 of ''[[https://my.w.tt/v4IffEriLU Final Stand of Death]]'' has Redd kicking Frankenstein's monster, who was seeking up behind her. The matter catches Monica’s attention, as it was the kind she had associated [[Music/MelanieC Melanie]] with. Bonus Points while singing “[[Creator/MontyPython Always Look On The Bight Side of Life]]”, during the lyric “Life’s a [[CurseCutShort piece of…]]”. The in-show viewers, such as LetsPlay/PewDiePie, LetsPlay/JackSepticEye and LetsPlay/{{Markiplier}}, [[ActuallyPrettyFunny all found themselves laughing]] at the timing.

* In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'', Po and the Furious Five are trying to free two of [[BigBad Lord Shen's]] prisoners from prison. After most of the guards are beaten up, the last one sneaks up behind Po, only to get hit with a rather impressive offhand backhand. Tigress compliments him on it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Gru does this to ''a shark'' while [[spoiler:going to rescue his adopted daughters from Vector]].

-->'''Vector:''' [[OhCrap He punched my shark!]]

** Ben Solo, Han's son, does this in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' on Exegol. He takes down a Sovereign Protector with a blaster shortly after arriving. He sprints after Rey only for another Protector to come up behind him and shoot at him. Ben keeps running as he shoots behind him and hits the guard with a HeadShot without even turning to aim.

* In ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'', Loona does this to an unwanted pervy incubus who grabbed her while both are in the their human disguises in the episode "Spring Broken".

* ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' has River pull this on the captain, just to show how awesome she is. Likewise bounty hunter Jubal Early on Simon Tam. On both occasions no one is shot; it's just a less-than-subtle way of saying "Back off".
** For bonus awesome points, River's gun remains completely motionless even when she cocks it. How many people can perform that trick?

* ''Machinima/TeamServiceAnnouncement'':

** Part of Spike's EstablishingCharacterMoment in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E3SchoolHard School Hard]]". Step one: swagger into the current villain's lair and make fun of a mook's overly dramatic speech. Step two: reminiscence about ContemplatingYourHands at Woodstock, then knock out the mook without even looking at him. Step three: stop to fawn over [[IllGirl Ill Vampire Girlfriend]].

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** In ''Film/IronMan2'', Black Widow does an offhand pepper spray right after beating up a hallway full of thugs, not even bothering to look at the guy as she does it.
** In ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', Hawkeye doesn't even turn his head or blink as he fires exploding arrows at a Chitauri squadron.
** ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'': Thor, while [[CurbStompBattle being brutally beaten]] by [[TheDragon Kurse]], tries to summon Mjolnir, but the Dark Elf backhands it away without even turning his back from Thor.
** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'':
*** Hawkeye pulls it off beautifully when [[spoiler:Scarlet Witch tries to MindControl him]]. Been there, done that -- not a fan.
*** Captain America does this on the broken bridge as he is staring at the ground receding below him and one of Ultron's drones comes up behind him.
** ''Film/ThorRagnarok'': BigBad Hela finishes off [[spoiler:Volstagg and Fandral]] with her deadly blades without even looking at them.
** ''Film/BlackPanther2018'': When rescuing the women from human traffickers one goon shoots at T'Challa from behind. The bullets bounce off his Vibranium armor and he strolls over to a humvee, rips its door off and throws it behind him taking the thug out.
** In the FinalBattle of ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'', [[spoiler:Spidey, seeing through Mysterio's last illusion, grabs an invisible Mysterio, who was trying to sneak up on him, all while starring at the seemingly beaten Mysterio on the floor]].

* The backfoot variation is parodied as a RunningGag in ''Film/AustinPowersInGoldmember'': every time Foxxy Cleopatra tries to attack Goldmember from behind, he manages to kick her in the face, at one point ''[[RuleOfFunny raising both legs at the same time.]]''

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[[folder:Web Original]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} the Gladiator'' has an entire page of Asterix and Obelix walking through the streets of Rome while being constantly assaulted, and disposing of their assailants this way. At the end, Obelix asks Asterix about all the strange people attacking them, and Asterix answers in confusion: "What people?"

** Sometimes even Batman [[https://i.redd.it/80xjiuvyggi01.png can be bested.]]

* WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd once pulled one of these on ''Bugs Bunny'' without looking up from his game.

* Daffy did this to Foghorn Leghorn at one point during their fight in ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'' episode "The Foghorn Leghorn".

See also ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask. Has nothing to do with BackhandedApology.