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* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' causes necrosis in those infected with TheVirus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room]]."

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* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' causes necrosis in those infected with TheVirus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human.humans. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room]]."
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* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''

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* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':



* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', Gorilla Grodd constructs a DevolutionDevice as part of the master plan he's been working on for the first half of the final season, but the effect is only temporary. Even worse for Grodd, finding out that ''this'' was his master plan finally gets Lex Luthor annoyed enough to shoot him and take over the Injustice League.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', the ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]'' episode "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueUnlimitedS3E6DeadReckoning Dead Reckoning]]", Gorilla Grodd constructs a DevolutionDevice as part of the master plan he's been working on for the first half of the final season, but the effect is only temporary. Even worse for Grodd, finding out that ''this'' was his master plan finally gets Lex Luthor annoyed enough to shoot him and take over the Injustice League.

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* ''Literature/BooksOfTheRaksura'': A plot point in the final book. [[spoiler:The villains obtain a {{Magitek}} artifact that can be activated to kill everything nearby that's descended from the Forerunner {{Precursors}}; the main characters have to prevent them from reaching its other component, an amplifier that can spread its effect across the continent.]]



* ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture in their area of effect -- from doorways to eye sockets -- to boil over with spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.

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* ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture in their area of effect -- from doorways to eye sockets -- to boil over with spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which "corpselight" that fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.
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* Doom-Shroom in ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'' is one of these, and he is ''very'' aware of it. In the almanac, he [[LampShade directly tells the player]] that he "could destroy everything you hold dear" and doesn't do so only because he's "on your side".
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* ''Literature/BallLightning'' culminates with the discovery that macro-fusion can be used to destroy all the computer chips for hundreds of miles around. Ball lightning itself qualifies, as each instance has specific preferences as to what substances it'll cremate.
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* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': In "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS2E9Countdown Countdown]]", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the remote detonator before it's activated but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]

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* ''Series/BlakesSeven'': In "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS2E9Countdown Countdown]]", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the remote detonator before it's activated but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]zero]].
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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the remote detonator before it's activated but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]

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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. ''Series/BlakesSeven'': In "Countdown", "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS2E9Countdown Countdown]]", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the remote detonator before it's activated but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]
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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the control room before its activated, but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]

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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a planet as a SwordOfDamocles. If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the control room remote detonator before its activated, it's activated but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]
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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a rebellious planet as a SwordOfDamocles. The device will kill the population while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the control room before its activated, but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]

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* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a rebellious planet as a SwordOfDamocles. The device will kill If the population rebels, the device will [[DoomsdayDevice kill everyone on the planet]] while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the control room before its activated, but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]
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Added DiffLines:

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. In "Countdown", the Terran Federation have hidden a solium device on a rebellious planet as a SwordOfDamocles. The device will kill the population while leaving the infrastructure intact to be resettled. The rebels try to seize the control room before its activated, but are too late and [[RaceAgainstTheClock must find and disarm the device before it counts down to zero.]]
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* One ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' episode features a former Nazi whose gas weapon can be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.

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* One The ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' episode "[[Recap/FringeS02E14TheBishopRevival The Bishop Revival]]" features a former Nazi whose gas weapon can be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.
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* ''Literature/TheBible'': One of the seven plagues kills every first-born son in Egypt.

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* ''Literature/TheBible'': One of the seven ten plagues kills every first-born son in Egypt.

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Removed: 1937

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A SubTrope of TrickBomb and often a {{superweapon}} as its targets have no meaningful way of defense. May also be a WaveMotionGun. Not to be confused with a FantasticNuke, which is a full-on WeaponOfMassDestruction, but often runs on phlebotinum. A form of DamageDiscrimination, giving this attribute to weapons is a possible way to justify FriendlyFireproof.

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A SubTrope of TrickBomb and often a {{superweapon}} as its targets have no meaningful way of defense. May also be a WaveMotionGun. Not to be confused with a FantasticNuke, which is a full-on WeaponOfMassDestruction, but often runs on phlebotinum. A form of DamageDiscrimination, giving this attribute to weapons is a possible way to justify FriendlyFireproof.
FriendlyFireproof. In general, many examples of SmartBomb will overlap with this.



* The Death Mask from ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' was a gigantic {{Mayincatec}}-looking KillSat that could generate a worldwide EMP that would kill all the robots on Earth, created as a contingency plan in case a RobotWar broke out. Unfortunately its powersource, [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omotanium]], could also emit radiation that was harmful to humans, making it possible for the device to eradicate humanity instead, leading to extremists on both sides trying to gain control of the weapon.
* Not a bomb, really, but a terrorist organization in ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' developed a virus known as "Monkey Business" which targets only the two percent of human DNA that makes us different from other apes. As for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what it does...]] [[AndIMustScream I hope you like bananas.]]
* Markarov's Fairy Law in ''Manga/FairyTail'' only hits those the user sees as enemies. It also has about a city sized radius.
** [[spoiler:Laxus]] can use it too.
* In the ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' anime, [[spoiler:Vash's Angel Arm can vaporize an entire city and yet not kill a single inhabitant caught in the blast. Of course, a bunch of people in the desert with no shelter didn't exactly fare well after that fact.]]

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* The Death Mask from ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' was a gigantic {{Mayincatec}}-looking KillSat that could generate a worldwide EMP that would kill all In the robots on Earth, created as a contingency plan in case a RobotWar broke out. Unfortunately its powersource, [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omotanium]], could also emit radiation that was harmful to humans, making it possible for the device to eradicate humanity instead, leading to extremists on both sides trying to gain control of the weapon.
* Not a bomb, really, but a terrorist organization in
''Anime/CowboyBebop'' developed episode "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession4GatewayShuffle Gateway Shuffle]]", a virus terrorist organization develops a [[DevolutionDevice de-evolutionary virus]] known as "Monkey Business" which targets only the two percent of human DNA that makes us different from other apes. As for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what it does...]] [[AndIMustScream I hope you like bananas.]]
apes.
* Markarov's Fairy Law in ''Manga/FairyTail'' only hits those the user sees as enemies. It also has about a city sized radius.
**
city-sized radius. [[spoiler:Laxus]] can use it too.
as well.
* In the ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' anime, [[spoiler:Vash's Angel Arm can vaporize an entire city and yet not kill a single inhabitant caught in the blast. Of course, a bunch of people in the desert with no shelter didn't don't exactly fare well after that fact.]]the fact]].



[[folder:Comics]]
* In the ''ComicBook/{{Eclipso}}'' comic book series from Franchise/TheDCU, there was the sun bomb, as 'Eclipso zombies' were vulnerable to the sun. Handwaved by a previous crossover having the DC super geniuses working long hours on sun weapons, the device simply covered every inch of the local area with the sun's rays. Someone needs to send this stuff to Superman.
* The short lived ''[[ComicBook/GreenLantern Guy Gardner]]'' comic book series. One of his many, many changes involved a bizarre alien heritage (Discontinuity) allowing him to generate, from his own body, any weapon he could think of. His body was his [[GreenLanternRing power ring]]. He creates a sticky nuke which only fries that which it is touching (Major Force).
* ''Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk'': In the ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures'' version, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb -- destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product -- he doesn't specifically go after civilians, and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.
* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
** They even created all of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds (Yes, the Master Emerald included)!]]

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[[folder:Comics]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In the ''ComicBook/{{Eclipso}}'' The ''Eclipso'' comic book series from Franchise/TheDCU, there was the sun bomb, Franchise/TheDCU features a 'sun bomb', as 'Eclipso zombies' were are [[WeakenedByTheLight vulnerable to the sun. Handwaved sun]]. {{Hand Wave}}d by a previous crossover {{crossover}} having the DC super geniuses super-geniuses working long hours on sun weapons, weapons -- the device simply covered covers every inch of the local area with the sun's rays. Someone needs to send this stuff to Superman.
ComicBook/{{Superman}}.
* The short lived ''[[ComicBook/GreenLantern Guy Gardner]]'' ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': In the short-lived ''Guy Gardner'' comic book series. One series, one of his many, many changes involved involves a bizarre alien heritage (Discontinuity) (now CanonDiscontinuity) allowing him to generate, from his own body, [[LovecraftianSuperpower generate any weapon he could can think of. His of from his own body]]. In short, his body was ''is'' his [[GreenLanternRing power [[ImaginationBasedSuperpower Green Lantern ring]]. He creates a sticky nuke which only fries that which it is touching (Major Force).
([[ComicBook/CaptainAtom Major Force]]).
* ''Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk'': In the ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures'' version, version of ComicBook/{{the Incredible Hulk}}'s origin, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb -- destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product -- he doesn't specifically go after civilians, civilians and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.
them.
* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: (e.g., Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
**
planet. They even created all of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds (Yes, Emeralds]] (yes, the Master Emerald included)!]]included)!



[[folder:FanWorks]]
* ''Fanfic/TheSecretReturnOfAlexMack'': [[spoiler: The Collective base]] is covered in GC-161 bombs, which will empower regular humans -- usually with unstable powers, thus temporarily incapacitating them while they get used to the changes -- and dissolve Orphans.

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[[folder:FanWorks]]
[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/TheSecretReturnOfAlexMack'': [[spoiler: The [[spoiler:The Collective base]] is covered in GC-161 bombs, which will empower regular humans -- usually with unstable powers, thus temporarily incapacitating them while they get used to the changes -- and dissolve Orphans.



* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'', the rather height-challenged antagonist is devising a weapon that will make all women beautiful and kill all men who are taller than he is.
* The first movie of ''Series/GetSmart'', titled ''The Nude Bomb'', features a bomb that only destroys clothes.
* The "pinch" in ''Film/OceansEleven'' which releases an EMF pulse that causes a momentary blackout in Las Vegas.
* The film version of ''Film/VForVendetta'' had biological weapons that wiped out humans in a region while keeping the resources and atmosphere intact. [[spoiler:The corrupt UK government used it on one of their own regions to control their subjects with fear]]. In a chilling case of TruthInTelevision, such weapons really are likely being developed and may be perfected in the future.
** But in real life only the most insane people ever would be willing to use them in practice; they are notoriously unreliable, and can easily mutate or demonstrate unexpected effects that will quickly turn against the original user, as well. They are mostly being developed for the sake of finding countermeasures against them, just in case an insane enough person ever got their hands on them.

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* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'', the rather height-challenged antagonist is devising devises a weapon that will make all women beautiful and kill all men who are taller than he is.
* The first movie of ''Series/GetSmart'', titled ''The Nude Bomb'', features a bomb that [[TheNudifier only destroys clothes.
clothes]].
* The "pinch" in ''Film/OceansEleven'' which releases an EMF {{EMP}} pulse that causes a [[BigBlackout momentary blackout blackout]] in Las Vegas.
* The film version of ''Film/VForVendetta'' had has biological weapons that wiped wipe out humans in a region while keeping the resources and atmosphere intact. [[spoiler:The corrupt UK government used it on one of their own regions to control their subjects with fear]]. In a chilling case of TruthInTelevision, such weapons really are likely being developed and may be perfected in the future.
** But in real life only the most insane people ever would be willing to use them in practice; they are notoriously unreliable, and can easily mutate or demonstrate unexpected effects that will quickly turn against the original user, as well. They are mostly being developed for the sake of finding countermeasures against them, just in case an insane enough person ever got their hands on them.
fear.]]



** At the end of ''Film/XMen1'', [[spoiler:Magneto tries to use a weapon that is supposed to turn normal humans into Mutants, but will actually kill them.]]

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** At the end of ''Film/XMen1'', [[spoiler:Magneto tries to use a weapon that is supposed to turn normal humans into Mutants, mutants but will actually kill them.]]them]].



** Arclight's shockwaves in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' allow her to target specific materials, the plastic weapons of the soldiers in this case. (In the comic books, she doesn't appear to be able to fine-tune it like that... and [[AxCrazy wouldn't have bothered]] sparing the soldiers, anyway.)

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** Arclight's shockwaves in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' allow her to target specific materials, the plastic weapons of the soldiers in this case. (In the comic books, she doesn't appear to be able to fine-tune it like that... and [[AxCrazy wouldn't have bothered]] sparing the soldiers, soldiers anyway.)



* The "blue-rinse" bio-bomb in the ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series kills all organic life, but leaves everything else untouched.
* One of the [[Literature/TheBible Biblical]] plagues killed every first-born son in Egypt.

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* The "blue-rinse" bio-bomb in the ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series kills all organic life, but leaves everything else untouched.
* One of the [[Literature/TheBible Biblical]] plagues killed every first-born son in Egypt.
untouched.



* In ''Literature/{{Shatnerquake}}'' a bomb is planted at [=ShatnerCon=] with the purpose of retroactively eliminating all Creator/WilliamShatner-related media ever created.
* In the Creator/RobertHeinlein novel ''Literature/SixthColumn'', the heroes have perfected a ray-weapon that can be tuned to only kill Asians while leaving everyone else unharmed.
* In ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'', society was nearly destroyed many years in the past by a bacteria that caused petroleum and it's assorted byproducts to become unstable and burst into flame on contact with air.

to:

* In ''Literature/{{Shatnerquake}}'' ''Literature/{{Shatnerquake}}'', a bomb is planted at [=ShatnerCon=] with the purpose of retroactively eliminating all Creator/WilliamShatner-related media ever created.
* In the Creator/RobertHeinlein novel ''Literature/SixthColumn'', the heroes have perfected perfect a ray-weapon that can be tuned to only kill Asians while leaving everyone else unharmed.
* In ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'', society was nearly destroyed many years in the past by a bacteria bacterium that [[PostPeakOil caused petroleum and it's its assorted byproducts to become unstable and burst into flame on contact with air.air]].



[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/DarkAngel'' had a massive EMP destroy the world's computer systems, creating enough record loss and confusion that Max and her fellow {{Half Human Hybrid}}s could escape into normal society without immediately being tracked down.
* One ''{{Series/Fringe}}'' episode featured a former Nazi whose gas weapon could be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.
* In the last episode of ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', [[spoiler:Zordon tells Andros to break open his tube, killing him, eliminating the Power Rangers' source of power, and most importantly wiping out all evil in the galaxy. It works, destroying nearly every villain that ever appeared on the show except Divatox, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, who are inexplicably turned into yuppies.]] Considering how many seasons there have been since then, this obviously didn't take.
* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', the Goa'uld planet of Dakara turned out to be home to [[spoiler:a device that could create or destroy anything, including specific lifeforms or objects. Ironically, the device was originally used to recreate life in the Milly Way Galaxy after a plague swept through it.]] While its range normally only extended to the planet it was on and the surrounding space, SG-1 managed to [[spoiler:use it in conjunction with the gate system to destroy all the Replicator nano-bots in the galaxy.]]
** Later, the [[spoiler: Ori are destroyed by the Sangraal (Holy Grail), a weapon designed to specifically destroy all Ascended beings in a galaxy while leaving all other lifeforms unharmed. Understandably, their followers remain a threat next season.]]

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[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/DarkAngel'' had has a massive EMP {{EMP}} destroy the world's computer systems, creating enough record loss and confusion that Max and her fellow {{Half Human Hybrid}}s {{Super Soldier}}s could escape into normal society without immediately being tracked down.
* One ''{{Series/Fringe}}'' ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' episode featured features a former Nazi whose gas weapon could can be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.
* In the last episode of ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', [[spoiler:Zordon tells Andros to break open his tube, killing him, eliminating the Power Rangers' source of power, and most importantly wiping out all evil in the galaxy. It works, destroying nearly every villain that ever appeared on the show except Divatox, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, who are inexplicably turned into yuppies.]] yuppies]]. Considering how many seasons there have been since then, this obviously didn't take.
* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', the ''Series/StargateSG1'':
** The
Goa'uld planet of Dakara turned turns out to be home to [[spoiler:a device that could can create or destroy anything, including specific lifeforms or objects. Ironically, the device was originally used to recreate life in the Milly Way Galaxy after a plague swept through it.]] it]]. While its range normally only extended extends to the planet it was it's on and the surrounding space, SG-1 managed manages to [[spoiler:use it in conjunction with the gate system to destroy all the Replicator nano-bots in the galaxy.]]
galaxy]].
** Later, the [[spoiler: [[spoiler:the Ori are destroyed by the Sangraal (Holy Grail), a weapon designed to specifically destroy all Ascended beings in a galaxy while leaving all other lifeforms unharmed. Understandably, their followers remain a threat next season.]]season]].



[[folder:VideoGames]]
* In general, many examples of SmartBomb -- a trope describing a game mechanic for clearing the screen of enemies -- will overlap with this. Its TropeNamer refers to the name of an item from multiple {{Shmup}}s which kills all enemies in its large blast radius, but not its user or their allies, though it doesn't have to be a bomb.

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[[folder:VideoGames]]
[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
* In general, many examples ''Literature/TheBible'': One of SmartBomb -- a trope describing a game mechanic for clearing the screen of enemies -- will overlap with this. Its TropeNamer refers to the name of an item from multiple {{Shmup}}s which seven plagues kills every first-born son in Egypt.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The Death Mask from ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' is a gigantic {{Mayincatec}}[=-looking=] KillSat that can generate a worldwide EMP that would kill
all enemies the robots on Earth, created as a contingency plan in case a RobotWar breaks out. Unfortunately, its large blast radius, but not its user or their allies, though power source [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omotanium]] can also emit radiation harmful to humans, making it doesn't have possible for the device to be a bomb.eradicate humanity instead, leading to extremists on both sides trying to gain control of the weapon.



* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', overloading a Patterson generator, like the ones powering FTL drives or large facilities, creates a pulse of minkowski radiation that kills every monster it hits. Unfortunately, that same radiation is intensely painful to the monsters even at low levels, higher levels can mutate them into newer and more dangerous forms, the overload process increases the output until it finishes building up, and they can detect Patterson tech. In short, any attempt to detonate a Patterson generator will be met with hordes of angry supermonsters dedicated to tearing it and you apart before it can go off.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', when the Hyper Gate is finally activated, all the [[spoiler:Nomads]] get sucked through to [[PutOnABus some faraway sector]], but the good-guy ships stay right where they are.
** Only because the Hypergate messed with the power supplies that the [[spoiler:Nomads]] were using, since they all draw from the same quantum foam-based power technology. Power to the ships gets screwed with, thus get left helpless while the Hypergate sucks them up, unless my memory fails that badly.
* The Halos in the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series, which are designed to starve out the Flood by killing all sentient life in the galaxy (including any Flood form more advanced than an infection form). Low-level lifeforms will survive the effect, but the Flood can't really feed on them. The Forerunners resorted to firing the Halos 100,000 years ago because there was no way to directly kill off ''all'' Flood forms without also killing off ''all'' life, period.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': [[spoiler: If you pick that option, the Citadel can become one, destroying all synthetic life in the galaxy...the Reapers, the Geth, and EDI. And you did it.]]
* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', which causes necrosis in those infected with the virus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room.]]"
* The Xel'Naga artifact you assemble over the course of the Terran campaign in ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' kills all Zerg and only Zerg within its blast radius. As a side effect, at full power it also [[spoiler: cures infested humans and restores them to normal]].
* The ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter'' virus is genetically engineered to kill people of certain ethnicities, sort of like Fox Die in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''.
* The Necrotic Mutox (or Rust Gas) of ''VideoGame/ThiefIITheMetalAge'' can function this way. The reaction it causes will spread until it runs out of organic matter to fuel it, with no inherent size or range limit other than constantly needing fresh material to spread to. It could (and was likely intended to) consume all organic life on the planet of the games, and was explicitly expected to destroy all human life.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', overloading a Patterson generator, like generator (like the ones powering [[FasterThanLightTravel FTL drives drives]] or large facilities, facilities) creates a pulse of minkowski radiation that kills every monster it hits. Unfortunately, that same radiation is intensely painful to the monsters even at low levels, higher levels can mutate them into newer and more dangerous forms, the overload process increases the output until it finishes building up, and they can detect Patterson tech. In short, any attempt to detonate a Patterson generator will be met with hordes of angry supermonsters dedicated to tearing it and you apart before it can go off.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', when the Hyper Gate is finally activated, all the [[spoiler:Nomads]] get sucked through to [[PutOnABus some faraway sector]], but the good-guy ships stay right where they are.
** Only
are because the Hypergate messed messes with the power supplies that used by the [[spoiler:Nomads]] were using, [[spoiler:Nomads]], since they all draw from the same quantum foam-based power technology. Power to the ships gets screwed with, thus get left helpless while the Hypergate sucks them up, unless my memory fails that badly.
technology.
* The Halos in the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series, which series are designed to starve out the Flood by killing all sentient life in the galaxy (including any Flood form more advanced than an infection form). Low-level lifeforms will survive the effect, but the Flood can't really feed on them. The Forerunners resorted to firing the Halos 100,000 years ago because there was no way to directly kill off ''all'' Flood forms without also killing off ''all'' life, period.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': [[spoiler: If [[spoiler:If you pick that option, the Destroy ending, the Citadel can become one, destroying all synthetic life in the galaxy...galaxy -- the Reapers, the Geth, and EDI. And you did it.EDI.]]
* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', which ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' causes necrosis in those infected with the virus TheVirus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room.]]"
room]]."
* The Xel'Naga artifact you assemble over the course of the Terran campaign in ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'' kills all Zerg and only Zerg within its blast radius. As a side effect, at full power it also [[spoiler: cures [[spoiler:cures infested humans and restores them to normal]].
* The ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter'' virus is [[SyntheticPlague genetically engineered engineered]] to kill people of certain ethnicities, sort of like Fox Die in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''.
ethnicities.
* The Necrotic Mutox (or Rust Gas) of ''VideoGame/ThiefIITheMetalAge'' can function this way. The reaction it causes will spread until it runs out of organic matter to fuel it, with no inherent size or range limit other than constantly needing fresh material to spread to. It could can (and was likely intended to) consume all organic life on the planet of the games, and was is explicitly expected to destroy all human life.



[[folder:WebComics]]
* In ''Webcomic/JetDream'', the mysterious [[AppliedPhlebotinum Virus-X]] is tested on the Thunderbird Squadron, changing them [[GenderBender from T-Birds to T-Girls]]. Later, the sinister forces of Z.E.R.O. detonate a weaponized Virus-X bomb over Miami Beach, Florida, turning the entire male population into women. Jet Dream finds an antidote in time to reverse the effects on the city, but [[FirstLawOfGenderBending it's too late for the T-Girls themselves]].

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[[folder:WebComics]]
[[folder:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/JetDream'', the mysterious [[AppliedPhlebotinum Virus-X]] Virus-X is tested on the Thunderbird Squadron, changing them [[GenderBender from T-Birds to T-Girls]]. Later, the sinister forces of Z.E.R.O. detonate a weaponized Virus-X bomb over Miami Beach, Florida, turning the entire male population into women. Jet Dream finds an antidote in time to reverse the effects on the city, but [[FirstLawOfGenderBending it's too late for the T-Girls themselves]].



* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Gorilla Grodd builds a device that could turn all the humans within a 500-mile radius into apes. His downfall was probably adding a switch that made it do the opposite.
** He tried that in the Franchise/{{DCAU}} ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon as well, but the effect was only temporary. What was worse for Grodd was that finding out THAT was his master plan finally got Lex Luthor annoyed enough to shoot him and take over the Injustice League.
* The Omnitrix on ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' has the ability to repair genetic damage, such as removing [=DNAlien=] parasites from their hosts. It reaches phlebotinum bomb proportions in the season finale, when [[spoiler: it repairs the genetic damage of the entire Highbreed race that had rendered them sterile due to inbreeding.]]
* In the second-to-last episode of the first season of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', Slade [[spoiler:presents the threat of a Cronoton Detonator (which will freeze everyone in time if detonated)]]
** Subverted when [[spoiler:the actual goal was to separate Robin from the other Titans.]] Not to mention [[spoiler:that what it really did was ''break into pieces''. In the confusion this caused, the other Titans got zapped by a nanobot-inducing laser from behind.]]

to:

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', Gorilla Grodd builds a device that could can [[TransformationRay turn all the humans within a 500-mile radius into apes. apes]]. His downfall was probably comes from his adding a switch that made makes it do the opposite.
** He tried that in the Franchise/{{DCAU}} ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' cartoon as well, but the effect was only temporary. What was worse for Grodd was that finding out THAT was his master plan finally got Lex Luthor annoyed enough to shoot him and take over the Injustice League.
* The Omnitrix on from ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' has the ability to repair genetic damage, such as removing [=DNAlien=] parasites from their hosts. It reaches phlebotinum bomb Phlebotinum Bomb proportions in the season finale, when [[spoiler: it [[spoiler:it repairs the genetic damage of the entire Highbreed race that had rendered them sterile due to inbreeding.]]
inbreeding]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', Gorilla Grodd constructs a DevolutionDevice as part of the second-to-last episode of master plan he's been working on for the first season half of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', the final season, but the effect is only temporary. Even worse for Grodd, finding out that ''this'' was his master plan finally gets Lex Luthor annoyed enough to shoot him and take over the Injustice League.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' episode "[[Recap/TeenTitansS1E12ApprenticePartOne Apprentice (Part 1)]]",
Slade [[spoiler:presents the threat of a Cronoton Detonator (which will freeze everyone in time if detonated)]]
** Subverted
detonated)]]. {{Subverted|Trope}} when it turns out that [[spoiler:the actual goal was is to separate Robin from the other Titans.]] Not Titans]], not to mention [[spoiler:that what that [[spoiler:what it really did was does is ''break into pieces''. In the confusion this caused, causes, the other Titans got get zapped by a nanobot-inducing laser from behind.]]behind]].



* An EMP (electro magnetic pulse) will disable electronics without affecting humans (at least directly). However, seeing that large scale tests were never conducted (mostly due to a potential side effect of knocking out all the electronics in too large a radius to make a test feasibly safe), its true effects in any realistic scenario are not precisely determined, and may range from doing near nothing at all to total destruction of all electronic circuits on the continent. Also, seeing that the only feasible way to produce an EMP powerful enough to be of use in warfare with current technology is a high altitude nuclear explosion, we likely won't be seeing it used in anything short of a nuclear exchange.
* The likely inspiration for many fictional versions is the NeutronBomb, a special kind of nuclear warhead developed during the height of the Cold War. Although it's not entirely blastless, its purpose was to wipe out armored divisions with neutron radiation, which would leave the vehicles intact while lethally poisoning the soldiers within. The idea was always extremely controversial, and the last American neutron bomb was dismantled in 2003.
** The justification for this was that tanks are actually very good at withstanding a nuclear blast as long as they're not right at ground zero -- and the Soviet Union had a bajillion tanks they could use in a European ground war. Leaving the enemy vehicles intact wasn't the goal (or even desirable, as it presented the possibility that they could be decontaminated and put back into service), just a necessary side effect of increasing the radioactive output of a nuclear bomb by sacrificing explosive yield.
* Biological warfare. Biological weapons usually contain some of the nastiest, most dangerous viruses, bacteria or other organisms as well as biologically produced and particularly biologically active organics ever known. These weapons are capable of causing mass destruction with very high lethality rate while leaving the infrastructure and most of the living environment intact.

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* An EMP (electro magnetic {{EMP}} (electro-magnetic pulse) will disable electronics without affecting humans (at least directly). However, seeing that large scale tests were never conducted (mostly due to a potential side effect of knocking out all the electronics in too large a radius to make a test feasibly safe), its true effects in any realistic scenario are not precisely determined, and may range from doing near nothing at all to total destruction of all electronic circuits on the continent. Also, seeing that the only feasible way to produce an EMP powerful enough to be of use in warfare with current technology is a high altitude high-altitude nuclear explosion, we likely won't be seeing it used in anything short of a nuclear exchange.
* The likely inspiration for many fictional versions is the NeutronBomb, a special kind of nuclear warhead developed during the height of the Cold War. Although it's not entirely blastless, its purpose was to wipe out armored divisions with neutron radiation, which would leave the vehicles intact while lethally poisoning the soldiers within. The idea was always extremely controversial, and the last American neutron bomb was dismantled in 2003.
**
2003. The justification for this was that tanks are actually very good at withstanding a nuclear blast as long as they're not right at ground zero -- and the Soviet Union had a bajillion tanks they could use in a European ground war. Leaving the enemy vehicles intact wasn't the goal (or even desirable, as it presented the possibility that they could be decontaminated and put back into service), just a necessary side effect of increasing the radioactive output of a nuclear bomb by sacrificing explosive yield.
* [[BiologicalWeaponsSolveEverything Biological warfare. Biological weapons weapons]] usually contain some of the nastiest, most dangerous viruses, bacteria or other organisms as well as biologically produced and particularly biologically active organics ever known. These weapons are capable of causing mass destruction with very high lethality rate while leaving the infrastructure and most of the living environment intact. However, only the most insane people ever would be willing to use them in practice; they are notoriously unreliable and can easily mutate or demonstrate unexpected effects that will quickly turn against the original user as well. They are mostly being developed for the sake of finding countermeasures against them, just in case an insane enough person ever got their hands on them.
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Updating Link


* In the ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'' comics, at least the ComicBook/MarvelAdventures version, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb -- destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product -- he doesn't specifically go after civilians, and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.

to:

* ''Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk'': In the ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'' comics, at least the ComicBook/MarvelAdventures ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures'' version, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb -- destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product -- he doesn't specifically go after civilians, and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.
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-->'''Kujen:''' They're bombs that kill living things within the gate radius without damaging unliving structures. The part that scares all the civilians is all the eyes and mouths that chew up the victims. That's just cosmetic. Dead is dead.

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-->'''Kujen:''' They're bombs that kill living things within the gate radius without damaging unliving nonliving structures. The part that scares all the civilians is all the eyes and mouths that chew up the victims. That's just cosmetic. Dead is dead.
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-->'''Kujen:''' They're bombs that kill living things within the gate radius without damaging unliving structures. The part that scares all the civilians is all the eyes and mouths that chew up the victims. That's just cosmetic. Dead is dead.

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* The Death Mask from ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' was a gigantic {{Mayincatec}}-looking KillSat that could generate a worldwide EMP that would kill all the robots on Earth, created as a contingency plan incase a RobotWar broke out. Unfortunately its powersource, [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omotanium]], could also emit radiation that was harmful to humans, making it possible for the device to eradicate humanity instead, leading to extremists on both sides trying to gain control of the weapon.

to:

* The Death Mask from ''VideoGame/AstroBoyOmegaFactor'' was a gigantic {{Mayincatec}}-looking KillSat that could generate a worldwide EMP that would kill all the robots on Earth, created as a contingency plan incase in case a RobotWar broke out. Unfortunately its powersource, [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omotanium]], could also emit radiation that was harmful to humans, making it possible for the device to eradicate humanity instead, leading to extremists on both sides trying to gain control of the weapon.weapon.
* Not a bomb, really, but a terrorist organization in ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' developed a virus known as "Monkey Business" which targets only the two percent of human DNA that makes us different from other apes. As for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what it does...]] [[AndIMustScream I hope you like bananas.]]



* Not a bomb, really, but a terrorist organization in ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' developed a virus known as "Monkey Business" which targets only the two percent of human DNA that makes us different from other apes. As for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin what it does...]] [[AndIMustScream I hope you like bananas.]]



* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
** They even created all of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds (Yes, the Master Emerald included)!]]



* In the ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'' comics, at least the ComicBook/MarvelAdventures version, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb - destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product - he doesn't specifically go after civilians, and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.

to:

* In the ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'' comics, at least the ComicBook/MarvelAdventures version, the gamma bomb is apparently supposed to be the anti-NeutronBomb - -- destroy inanimate material, leave living things aside. [[ForegoneConclusion That's not quite what happens]], but you ''can'' say this about the end product - -- he doesn't specifically go after civilians, and can be persuaded to try and save them. Indeed, a recent story claimed that the Hulk's rampages have ''never'' killed an innocent person. Yes, even when he knocks over entire buildings.buildings.
* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
** They even created all of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds (Yes, the Master Emerald included)!]]



* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'', the rather height-challenged antagonist is devising a weapon that will make all women beautiful and kill all men who are taller than he is.
* The first movie of ''Series/GetSmart'', titled ''The Nude Bomb'', features a bomb that only destroys clothes.



* The film version of ''Film/VForVendetta'' had biological weapons that wiped out humans in a region while keeping the resources and atmosphere intact. [[spoiler:The corrupt UK government used it on one of their own regions to control their subjects with fear]]. In a chilling case of TruthInTelevision, such weapons really are likely being developed and may be perfected in the future.
** But in real life only the most insane people ever would be willing to use them in practice; they are notoriously unreliable, and can easily mutate or demonstrate unexpected effects that will quickly turn against the original user, as well. They are mostly being developed for the sake of finding countermeasures against them, just in case an insane enough person ever got their hands on them.



* The first movie of ''Series/GetSmart'', titled ''The Nude Bomb'', features a bomb that only destroys clothes.
* The film version of ''Film/VForVendetta'' had biological weapons that wiped out humans in a region while keeping the resources and atmosphere intact. [[spoiler:The corrupt UK government used it on one of their own regions to control their subjects with fear]]. In a chilling case of TruthInTelevision, such weapons really are likely being developed and may be perfected in the future.
** But in real life only the most insane people ever would be willing to use them in practice; they are notoriously unreliable, and can easily mutate or demonstrate unexpected effects that will quickly turn against the original user, as well. They are mostly being developed for the sake of finding countermeasures against them, just in case an insane enough person ever got their hands on them.
* In ''Film/CasinoRoyale1967'', the rather height-challenged antagonist is devising a weapon that will make all women beautiful and kill all men who are taller than he is.



* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'': Toward the end of ''Fall of Hyperion'', the [=TechnoCore=] convinces the Hegemony's leaders that the best way to deal with the invading Ousters is by unleashing the deathbomb, a weapon which kills all humans within several lightyears but has no effect on the environment or any other form of life.



* In ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'', society was nearly destroyed many years in the past by a bacteria that caused petroleum and it's assorted byproducts to become unstable and burst into flame on contact with air.

to:

* In ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'', society was nearly destroyed many years ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture in the past by a bacteria that caused petroleum and it's assorted byproducts their area of effect -- from doorways to become unstable and burst into flame on contact eye sockets -- to boil over with air.spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.



* ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture in their area of effect -- from doorways to eye sockets -- to boil over with spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.
* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'': Toward the end of ''Fall of Hyperion'', the [=TechnoCore=] convinces the Hegemony's leaders that the best way to deal with the invading Ousters is by unleashing the deathbomb, a weapon which kills all humans within several lightyears but has no effect on the environment or any other form of life.

to:

* ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture In ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'', society was nearly destroyed many years in their area of effect -- from doorways the past by a bacteria that caused petroleum and it's assorted byproducts to eye sockets -- to boil over become unstable and burst into flame on contact with spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.
* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'': Toward the end of ''Fall of Hyperion'', the [=TechnoCore=] convinces the Hegemony's leaders that the best way to deal with the invading Ousters is by unleashing the deathbomb, a weapon which kills all humans within several lightyears but has no effect on the environment or any other form of life.
air.



* ''Series/DarkAngel'' had a massive EMP destroy the world's computer systems, creating enough record loss and confusion that Max and her fellow {{Half Human Hybrid}}s could escape into normal society without immediately being tracked down.
* One ''{{Series/Fringe}}'' episode featured a former Nazi whose gas weapon could be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.
* In the last episode of ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', [[spoiler:Zordon tells Andros to break open his tube, killing him, eliminating the Power Rangers' source of power, and most importantly wiping out all evil in the galaxy. It works, destroying nearly every villain that ever appeared on the show except Divatox, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, who are inexplicably turned into yuppies.]] Considering how many seasons there have been since then, this obviously didn't take.



* In the last episode of ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', [[spoiler:Zordon tells Andros to break open his tube, killing him, eliminating the Power Rangers' source of power, and most importantly wiping out all evil in the galaxy. It works, destroying nearly every villain that ever appeared on the show except Divatox, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, who are inexplicably turned into yuppies.]] Considering how many seasons there have been since then, this obviously didn't take.
* ''Series/DarkAngel'' had a massive EMP destroy the world's computer systems, creating enough record loss and confusion that Max and her fellow {{Half Human Hybrid}}s could escape into normal society without immediately being tracked down.
* One ''{{Series/Fringe}}'' episode featured a former Nazi whose gas weapon could be altered to only target particular races, family lines or individuals, based on genetics.



* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': The Elven homelands were depopulated by a FantasticNuke that deployed [[DeadlyGas Deathfog]], which kills every living creature it touches. [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Justinia]]]] has a similar device shipped to [[spoiler:the Arx]], which the player characters can choose to deploy, inflicting the same fate on its citizens.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', overloading a Patterson generator, like the ones powering FTL drives or large facilities, creates a pulse of minkowski radiation that kills every monster it hits. Unfortunately, that same radiation is intensely painful to the monsters even at low levels, higher levels can mutate them into newer and more dangerous forms, the overload process increases the output until it finishes building up, and they can detect Patterson tech. In short, any attempt to detonate a Patterson generator will be met with hordes of angry supermonsters dedicated to tearing it and you apart before it can go off.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', when the Hyper Gate is finally activated, all the [[spoiler:Nomads]] get sucked through to [[PutOnABus some faraway sector]], but the good-guy ships stay right where they are.
** Only because the Hypergate messed with the power supplies that the [[spoiler:Nomads]] were using, since they all draw from the same quantum foam-based power technology. Power to the ships gets screwed with, thus get left helpless while the Hypergate sucks them up, unless my memory fails that badly.



* One of the many powerups in ''VideoGame/{{Warblade}}'' turns everything on the screen into diamonds, which only give 1000 points (a good score is about 2 billion so that's not a lot) but when you catch 100 of them you get a special bonus round where giant gems drop that are worth 100000+ each. You can normally get 10000000 from such a bonus round. Diamonds that increment the counter by 5 or 2 appear in other forms of bonus levels. There are 5 different forms of bonus levels by the way. Another powerup turns everything into money, which is much, much more beneficial in the long run.

to:

* One ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': [[spoiler: If you pick that option, the Citadel can become one, destroying all synthetic life in the galaxy...the Reapers, the Geth, and EDI. And you did it.]]
* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', which causes necrosis in those infected with the virus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room.]]"
* The Xel'Naga artifact you assemble over the course
of the many powerups Terran campaign in ''VideoGame/{{Warblade}}'' turns everything on the screen into diamonds, which ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' kills all Zerg and only give 1000 points (a good score is about 2 billion so that's not Zerg within its blast radius. As a lot) but when you catch 100 of side effect, at full power it also [[spoiler: cures infested humans and restores them you get a special bonus round where giant gems drop that are worth 100000+ each. You can normally get 10000000 from such a bonus round. Diamonds that increment the counter by 5 or 2 appear in other forms of bonus levels. There are 5 different forms of bonus levels by the way. Another powerup turns everything into money, which is much, much more beneficial in the long run.to normal]].



* The Xel'Naga artifact you assemble over the course of the Terran campaign in ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' kills all Zerg and only Zerg within its blast radius. As a side effect, at full power it also [[spoiler: cures infested humans and restores them to normal]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', when the Hyper Gate is finally activated, all the [[spoiler:Nomads]] get sucked through to [[PutOnABus some faraway sector]], but the good-guy ships stay right where they are.
** Only because the Hypergate messed with the power supplies that the [[spoiler:Nomads]] were using, since they all draw from the same quantum foam-based power technology. Power to the ships gets screwed with, thus get left helpless while the Hypergate sucks them up, unless my memory fails that badly.
* Bloodtox gas in ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', which causes necrosis in those infected with the virus (including the protagonist) but is completely harmless to normal human. "In fact, it's so harmless that [[OhCrap you've been breathing it since you entered this room.]]"



* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': [[spoiler: If you pick that option, the Citadel can become one, destroying all synthetic life in the galaxy...the Reapers, the Geth, and EDI. And you did it.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', overloading a Patterson generator, like the ones powering FTL drives or large facilities, creates a pulse of minkowski radiation that kills every monster it hits. Unfortunately, that same radiation is intensely painful to the monsters even at low levels, higher levels can mutate them into newer and more dangerous forms, the overload process increases the output until it finishes building up, and they can detect Patterson tech. In short, any attempt to detonate a Patterson generator will be met with hordes of angry supermonsters dedicated to tearing it and you apart before it can go off.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': The Elven homelands were depopulated by a FantasticNuke that deployed [[DeadlyGas Deathfog]], which kills every living creature it touches. [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Justinia]]]] has a similar device shipped to [[spoiler:the Arx]], which the player characters can choose to deploy, inflicting the same fate on its citizens.

to:

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': [[spoiler: If One of the many powerups in ''VideoGame/{{Warblade}}'' turns everything on the screen into diamonds, which only give 1000 points (a good score is about 2 billion so that's not a lot) but when you pick catch 100 of them you get a special bonus round where giant gems drop that option, are worth 100000+ each. You can normally get 10000000 from such a bonus round. Diamonds that increment the Citadel can become one, destroying all synthetic life counter by 5 or 2 appear in other forms of bonus levels. There are 5 different forms of bonus levels by the way. Another powerup turns everything into money, which is much, much more beneficial in the galaxy...the Reapers, the Geth, and EDI. And you did it.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', overloading a Patterson generator, like the ones powering FTL drives or large facilities, creates a pulse of minkowski radiation that kills every monster it hits. Unfortunately, that same radiation is intensely painful to the monsters even at low levels, higher levels can mutate them into newer and more dangerous forms, the overload process increases the output until it finishes building up, and they can detect Patterson tech. In short, any attempt to detonate a Patterson generator will be met with hordes of angry supermonsters dedicated to tearing it and you apart before it can go off.
* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': The Elven homelands were depopulated by a FantasticNuke that deployed [[DeadlyGas Deathfog]], which kills every living creature it touches. [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Justinia]]]] has a similar device shipped to [[spoiler:the Arx]], which the player characters can choose to deploy, inflicting the same fate on its citizens.
long run.



** The justification for this was that tanks are actually very good at withstanding a nuclear blast as long as they're not right at ground zero - and the Soviet Union had a bajillion tanks they could use in a European ground war. Leaving the enemy vehicles intact wasn't the goal (or even desirable, as it presented the possibility that they could be decontaminated and put back into service), just a necessary side effect of increasing the radioactive output of a nuclear bomb by sacrificing explosive yield.

to:

** The justification for this was that tanks are actually very good at withstanding a nuclear blast as long as they're not right at ground zero - -- and the Soviet Union had a bajillion tanks they could use in a European ground war. Leaving the enemy vehicles intact wasn't the goal (or even desirable, as it presented the possibility that they could be decontaminated and put back into service), just a necessary side effect of increasing the radioactive output of a nuclear bomb by sacrificing explosive yield.


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* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'': Toward the end of ''Fall of Hyperion'', the [=TechnoCore=] convinces the Hegemony's leaders that the best way to deal with the invading Ousters is by unleashing the deathbomb, a weapon which kills all humans within several lightyears but has no effect on the environment or any other form of life.
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Add the Secret Return of Alex Mack

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[[folder:FanWorks]]
* ''Fanfic/TheSecretReturnOfAlexMack'': [[spoiler: The Collective base]] is covered in GC-161 bombs, which will empower regular humans -- usually with unstable powers, thus temporarily incapacitating them while they get used to the changes -- and dissolve Orphans.
[[/folder]]
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* In [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics' version]] of Sonic the Hedgehog, in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.

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* In [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics' version]] of Sonic the Hedgehog, ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'', in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
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* ''Literature/TheMachineriesOfEmpire'': Threshold winnowers cause every aperture in their area of effect -- from doorways to eye sockets -- to boil over with spectral eyes and deadly "corpselight", which fatally mutates, exsanguinates, and/or outright cooks every living thing it touches. Even the [[GalacticSuperpower Hexarchate]], which ritually tortures dissidents to death on holidays, considers them a weapon of last resort.
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* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': The Elven homelands were depopulated by a FantasticNuke that deployed [[DeadlyGas Deathfog]], which kills every living creature it touches. [[spoiler:[[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Justinia]]]] has a similar device shipped to [[spoiler:the Arx]], which the player characters can choose to deploy, inflicting the same fate on its citizens.
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* The short lived ''[[GreenLantern Guy Gardner]]'' comic book series. One of his many, many changes involved a bizarre alien heritage (Discontinuity) allowing him to generate, from his own body, any weapon he could think of. His body was his [[GreenLanternRing power ring]]. He creates a sticky nuke which only fries that which it is touching (Major Force).

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* The short lived ''[[GreenLantern ''[[ComicBook/GreenLantern Guy Gardner]]'' comic book series. One of his many, many changes involved a bizarre alien heritage (Discontinuity) allowing him to generate, from his own body, any weapon he could think of. His body was his [[GreenLanternRing power ring]]. He creates a sticky nuke which only fries that which it is touching (Major Force).
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* In [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics' version]] of SonicTheHedgehog, in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.

to:

* In [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie Comics' version]] of SonicTheHedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog, in the 21st century (which was ten thousand years before Sonic's plot started), an alien race known as the Xordas didn't take kindly to human scientists murdering and dissecting their peace-bringing emissary. They responded by detonating "gene-bombs" across the Earth, which specifically targets all of its organisms' DNA; if they're human, they were to die (a tiny fraction survived and devolved over 10,000 years into the Overlanders, like Robotnik and such), but as for non-human animals, they ''evolved'' into the Mobians during said period (ex: Sonic and pals), and were meant to be the new dominant species of the planet.
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A SubTrope of TrickBomb. May also be a WaveMotionGun. Not to be confused with a FantasticNuke, which is a full-on WeaponOfMassDestruction, but often runs on phlebotinum. A form of DamageDiscrimination, giving this attribute to weapons is a possible way to justify FriendlyFireproof.

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A SubTrope of TrickBomb.TrickBomb and often a {{superweapon}} as its targets have no meaningful way of defense. May also be a WaveMotionGun. Not to be confused with a FantasticNuke, which is a full-on WeaponOfMassDestruction, but often runs on phlebotinum. A form of DamageDiscrimination, giving this attribute to weapons is a possible way to justify FriendlyFireproof.
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[[/folder]]

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