History Main / StabTheSky

* In modern fencing, the salute has three steps, the first one is Stab The Sky, the second one is StaringThroughTheSword. The third is SwipeYourBladeOff, but without the blood.

* Series/{{Zorro}} combines this with RearingHorse for extra awesome.

[[quoteright:343:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/skyward_sword_poster_link_fi_ghirahim_2_472.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:343:And make sure to stab it [[StealthPun skyward]].]]

** Eliwood's critical hit animation in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword]]'' begins with one of these dramatic flourishes.
** Marth's critical animation in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAkaneia''.

** In another ''Dragon Quest'' spinoff game, ''VideoGame/DragonQuestHeroesTheWorldTreesWoeAndTheBlightBelow'', the main characters do this before unleashing their {{Limit Break}}s.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Mega Man X5}}'', Maverick Zero will use this before executing his [[OneHitKill infamous]] [[SwordBeam Genmurei]] attack.

** A poster for ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'' is an InternalHomage to the one for ''A New Hope'', with a male PC stabbing the sky as Luke did.

** Serves a purpose in the novel ''Discworld/{{Pyramids}}'', where Teppic stands on a pyramid and stabs the sky with his knife to provide a conduction point for the time flaring out of it.
** Spoofed on the cover of ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', with Moist von Lipwig apparently trying to stab the sky with a ''letter'', in what artist Paul Kidby said was a ShoutOut to the ''New Hope'' poster above.

[[caption-width-right:343:[[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 I have the power!!]]]]

[[caption-width-right:343:And make sure to stab it [[StealthPun skyward]].]]

* One of the early poster for ''Franchise/StarWars Film/ANewHope'' shows Luke holding his [[LaserBlade lightsaber]] upward with both hands, and there's even a sort of "lens flare" effect that makes it look like the blade is shooting multiple directions.

* In ''VideoGame/LEGOHarryPotter Years 5-7'', when [[TookALevelInBadass Neville]] draws the Sword of Gryffindor from the [[BagOfHolding Sorting Hat]], he holds it up high like in Star Wars, complete with Hermione in Princess Lea's spot, Ron taking over as C-3PO, and Pigwidgeon portraying R2-D2. Voldemort promptly ends it, blowing the other characters away.

* The poster for''Film/NationalLampoonsEuropeanVacation'' features the Statue of Liberty stabbing the sky with a hammer as the weapon.

** The trope appears in the poster for ''European Vacation'' as well.

* ''Film/{{Tron}}'' and ''Film/TronLegacy'' both use have characters hold up their identity discs into the sky, opening a portal to outside the computer. Interestingly, the realm outside the computer is treated like a realm of gods, tying these exampes in with Heaven Above [[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=70894 See both here.]]

* The current art of the ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' card [[http://magiccards.info/autocard.php?card=holy%20Strength Holy Strength]] takes this pose (though the arms aren't overhead. The card's direct opposite, [[http://magiccards.info/autocard.php?card=unholy%20Strength Unholy Strength]], inverts this trope.

* Marth in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'', in his introductory sequence, one of his taunts, and CriticalHit Final Smash.
** Also, Marth's Up Smash attack in both ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''.
** Much like Marth's Final Smash, Eliwood's critical hit animation in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword]]'' begins with one of these dramatic flourishes.
** Marth's own critical animation in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAkaneia''.

* A few of your [[LimitBreak "Master Stroke" special attacks]] in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestSwords'' require you to do this with your Wii remote.
* In another ''Dragon Quest'' spinoff game, ''VideoGame/DragonQuestHeroesTheWorldTreesWoeAndTheBlightBelow'', the main characters do this before unleashing their {{Limit Break}}s.

* ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'''s retro-style "box art" has Mega Man pointing his Mega Buster at the sky and shooting a beam, looking similar to the poster for ''Film/ANewHope''. There are also floating images of the main characters and space-ships battling in the sky, also in a similar fashion to the ''Film/ANewHope'' poster.

* In the [[RealTrailerFakeMovie trailer]] for ''VideoGame/PeasantsQuest'', Rather Dashing, who finally looks, smells, and is on fire like a peasant, holds his sword high to an AudibleGleam... for a second or two before his arm is tired. Then he walks away,

* This is spoofed by the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft". Randy gets a flash drive containing a patch for a manna-draining Runeblade for the MMO ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarCraft''. When he's given it, and just before inserting the flash drive into a USB port, he stabs the sky with it.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' has this in a parody of the ''StarWars'' scene in the above image in the box art of one of the films parodying it.

* Oscar does this a few times in ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles''.

* Music/{{Manowar}} likes to do this in their covers.
** So much in fact that you could probably get away with renaming this trope "Swords in the Wind".

[[caption-width-right:343:And make sure to stab it [[StealthPun skyward]].[softreturn][-[[https://www.deviantart.com/davking29/art/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-285968808 Image]] by [[https://davking29.deviantart.com DavKing29]]-] ]]

* In OnePiece , Zoro was trapped in Mr. 3's [[DeathTrap Candle Set]] and was being coated in wax. Unable to cut himself free, he adopted a pose like this, so that when he suffocates and dies, he'll still be in a cool pose.

* Done by Gadwin of ''VideoGame/{{Grandia}}'' when he performs his legendary Dragon Cut attack. [[TheHero Justin]] does it as well when he uses the move himself, as well as with his ultimate move, Heaven and Earth Cut (which is basically an evolved version of Dragon Cut anyway).

[[caption-width-right:343:And make sure to stab it skyward.[softreturn][-[[https://www.deviantart.com/davking29/art/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-285968808 Image]] by [[https://davking29.deviantart.com DavKing29]]-] ]]

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' (where it is practically a TitleDrop to do so), this position is used to charge up the [[SwordBeam Skyward Strike]] and trigger certain puzzles. [[spoiler:Ghirahim in his third fight and his master/wielder Demise can do the same]].

* The poster for ''Franchise/StarWars Film/ANewHope'' shows Luke holding his [[LaserBlade lightsaber]] this way, and the poster art even makes a sort of "lens flare" effect that makes it look like the blade is shooting multiple directions.

[[caption-width-right:343:And make sure to stab it skyward.[softreturn][-[[http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/050/2/5/the_legend_of_zelda_skyward_sword_by_davking29-d4q9ay0.jpg Image]] by [[http://davking29.deviantart.com DavKing29]]-] ]]

** [[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam Take this! My love, my anger, and all of my sorrow!]] '''''[[FinishingMove SHINING FINGER SWOOOOORD!!!]]'''''

* In one of [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Nightmare's]] victory poses, he thrusts his [[{{BFS}} sword]] skyward.

* Usually, in the ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' games, Link just [[ItemGet holds new items over his head]]. But with a sword, he often does this pose instead.

* The poster for [[WesternAnimation/SeaLab2021 Tinfins]] is a direct parody of the ''Film/ANewHope'' poster with Captain Murphy holding a [[http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/liat/default/tin-fins--large-msg-119291295056.jpg pipe wrench above his head]].

* ''[[Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar Raoh's]]'' [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome life was one lived without a single regret!!]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]

Compare MilkingTheGiantCow, SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou, RearingHorse.

See also LegCling.

Contrast SwordPlant.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Folklore]]
* KingArthur is depicted this way many times after he pulls that one sword from the stone.

* {{Series/Zorro}} combines this with RearingHorse for extra awesome.

[[folder:Pinball]]

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Gallagher does this in his 1984 special ''Over Your Head'', during his signature Sledge-O-Matic routine. He smashes open a reticent newspaper box which has taken his money, retrieves his paper, and poses like this afterward.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]

* The poster for the third season of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' shows Subaru doing this with her PowerFist (See the series' article for a picture).

* {{Manowar}} likes to do this in their covers.

This is also common in film posters, because it helps create a cool image.

A SubTrope of RuleOfCool (since this is just because it looks cool) and GarnishingTheStory (since this pose is better than not having this pose). Often used as a way to thank whatever god lives in HeavenAbove.

A SubTrope of RuleOfCool (since this is just because it looks cool), GarnishingTheStory (since this pose is better than not having this pose).

* ''Film/{{Tron}}'' and ''Film/TronLegacy'' both use the trope. [[http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=70894 See both here.]]

** One of [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link's and Young Link's]] victory poses has this also, and the trope is also exhibited with their respective Up Smash attacks. Link, Young Link, and Toon Link's Up Aerial attacks (Up Thrust) also feature the swordsmen holding their swords in an upwards fashion, with the blade actually glowing in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.

* In ''[[LegoAdaptationGame Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7]]'', when [[TookALevelInBadass Neville]] draws the Sword of Gryffindor from the [[BagOfHolding Sorting Hat]], he holds it up high like in Star Wars, complete with Hermione in Princess Lea's spot, Ron taking over as C-3PO, and Pigwidgeon portraying R2-D2. Voldemort promptly ends it, blowing the other characters away.