History Main / SteppingStoneSword

* [[BladeOnAStick Spears]] are used in ''VideoGame/LEGOIndianaJones'' as ladder rungs to reach higher and farther areas.

* Nazuna in ''LightNovel/LogHorizon'' creates defense barriers horizontally and uses them like tiny footholds, allowing her and others to travel through the air.

* In the opening cutscene of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'', Lightning throws her sword into a floating rock, then swings from it onto another floating rock to confront her enemy Caius.
* An early ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' trailer (then called ''Versus XIII'') has Noctis throw his sword into a building, teleports towards it, and uses it as a leverage to face off the mooks lurking nearby.

** As does ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}} 2'' -- and of course, it's almost always necessary to beat the level.

* Duster from ''VideoGame/Mother3'' uses [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Wall Staples]] to create ladders and uses them in battle.

* Creator/MontyOum liked this trope. The Meta uses his (bladed) gun as a climbing tool (after performing a BladeBrake maneuver with it) during the penultimate Oum-animated fight sequence in ''[[WebAnimation/RedVsBlue Red vs. Blue]]: Revelation''. Note that this maneuver normally requires two such sharp objects...

* ''LightNovel/AscendanceOfABookworm'': Cornelius is seen climbing a relatively small tree by planting a knife in the trunk and using it as a stepping stone alongside boosting his jump with enhacement magic.

* A sword is used to cross a canyon in ''Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart'' (circa 1170).

* Creator/MontyOum liked this trope. The Meta uses his (bladed) gun as a climbing tool (after performing a BladeBrake maneuver with it) during the penultimate Oum-animated fight sequence in ''[[Machinima/RedVsBlue Red vs. Blue]]: Revelation''. Note that this maneuver normally requires two such sharp objects...

* Dante does this several times with Rebellion in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', including during one of the cutscenes of the Savior fight.

* ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood'' has a moment where Robin Hood, escaping from some guards, is barely clinging onto a protruding block on a wall. The guards hurl spears at him and miss, one embedding itself next to Robin Hood, who then using it to hoist himself up and climb to the top.

* [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]] and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} climb the exterior of Francine Langstrom's last place of employment by stabbing batarangs in the walls when they break in to see if any of the serum to return Man-bats to humans is in her lab. They're probably not too worried about the damage since it's a Wayne Enterprises building and they're only breaking in because Dick thinks it's fun, although an exasperated Tim declares there was an easier way for them to get access to the lab.

* In the NES ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' game, DW can shoot arrows from his gas gun to use as platforms along walls. This carried over to ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' via its Super Arrow (it used the same game engine).

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout4}}'' the Harpoon Gun's harpoons can be stood on if lodged in a wall, allowing one to make an impromptu foothold, as seen here [[https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/comments/m40m3s/why_am_i_just_finding_out_the_harpoon_gun_is_also/]]

* In ''VideoGame/LaraCroftAndTheGuardianOfLight'' spears from your never-ending supply of throwing spears can be thrown at walls and jumped on to reach higher areas. You'll be doing this often.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Broforce}}'', the [[Franchise/{{Predator}} Brodator's]] default attack is chucking his spears at enemies. If those spears hit any walls or terrain, it will get stuck there and can be used as a platform. Considering that the environment runs on EverythingBreaks, and some levels can become [[UnwinnableByInsanity very difficult to defeat or outright impassable]] if too much of your surroundings have been destroyed, occasionally this becomes a very useful feature.

* In ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]] #14 Diana breaks off the tips of some spears and climbs up a tower to rescue the princess trapped inside by wedging them into the space between the stones on her way up.

* Stefano the sea lion pulls this off in the climax of ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}: Europe's Most Wanted''.

* Teppic in ''Literature/{{Pyramids}}'' mentions that using knives for this tends to be impractical. You have to find a place ''just'' tight enough for the knife to get properly stuck, and you usually end up losing knives when you do it. [[ChekhovsSkill Of course]], he has to do it at the end of the book in order to [[spoiler:[[ItMakesSenseInContext assassinate a pyramid]].]]

* Occurs in ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' when [[spoiler: the killer in Chapter 2, Peko the [[MasterSwordsman Ultimate Swordswoman]], used her bamboo sword as a stepstool to reach a high up window after tying it to its carrying case for retrieval in order to avoid leaving evidence behind.]] The tactic's alleged use by ninjas in ancient Japan is noted by the characters as well.

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': During the Eclipse, Guts uses his knife as a BladeBrake to stop his fall from the side of God Hand's living tower made from human faces, and then uses the knife to claw his way to the top by repeatedly stabbing the pillar and dragging himself upward.

* During the Eclipse in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', Guts climbs a tower apparently made out of human heads with his knife in a bid to reach Griffith.

* Asuna does a BladeBrake in one issue of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' thanks to her SuperStrength and {{BFS}}. The sword is wide enough that she can stands with both feet on the blade without trouble.

* Dante does this several times with Rebellion in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 4'', including during one of the cutscenes of the Savior fight.

* Duster from ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'' uses [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Wall Staples]] to create ladders and uses them in battle.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* [[DevonAoki Kasumi]] in ''Film/DOADeadOrAlive'' throws a katana to stick in a wall, runs on the backs of her clansmen, then jump to the sword, and uses it as a springboard to jump over the high walls of the palace.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheDayMyButtWentPsycho'': In "Basic In Stink", Zack fires a series of plungers on to the Butt-squatch before running up them to kick the Butt-squatch in the face.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Broforce}}'', the [[Franchise/{{Predator}} Brodator's]] default attack is chucking his spears at enemies. If those spears hit any walls or terrain, it will get stuck there and can be used as a platform. Considering that the environment runs on EverythingBreaks, and some levels can become [[UnwinnableByInsanity very difficult to defeat or outright impassable]] if too much of your surroundings have been destroyed, occasionally this becomes a very useful feature.
* ''VideoGame/VolgarrTheViking'' allows you to throw your spear into some walls to use as a temporary platform.
* In the NES ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' game, DW can shoot arrows from his gas gun to use as platforms along walls. This carried over to ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' via its Super Arrow (it used the same game engine).
* Occurs in ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' when [[spoiler: the killer in Chapter 2, Peko the [[MasterSwordsman Ultimate Swordswoman]], used her bamboo sword as a stepstool to reach a high up window after tying it to its carrying case for retrieval in order to avoid leaving evidence behind.]] The tactic's alleged use by ninjas in ancient Japan is noted by the characters as well.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "Simpsons Bible Stories", Bart (as David) uses a pair of corn on the cob holder's from Goliath's (Nelson) giant cob to climb up the side of a castle, by stabbing them into the wall and pulling himself up.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "The Eyes", Finn's sword gets stuck in the wall. Jake uses it as a springboard to jump off and attack the Ice King.