History Main / SuaveSabre

* In the ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films, Elves are armed with a variety of curve-bladed weapons, from Legolas's twin knives to the longer single-edged Orcrist, a long-handled fighting sabre, and the huge double-bladed polearms used by the Wood-elves.

->''You see those warriors from Hammerfell? They've got curved swords. Curved. Swords.''
-->-- '''Idle Guard Chatter''', ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''

* In ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'', Antoine wields a sabre as part of his royal 19th century "OfficerAndAGentleman" design and fancies himself a heroic, intelligent, and dashing Freedom Fighter much like the typical image of sabre-wielding heroes in uniform. Most of the time, however, he's a pompous and [[FrenchJerk rude]] CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkey who often prefers to [[MilesGloriosus stand back rather than face danger]].

* At first Antoine D'Coolette from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' isn't too different from his ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' self, but after a whole heaping dosage of CharacterDevelopment and TookALevelInBadass. He's become a very capable swordsman and now puts his saber to much better use, fully cementing his growth as a character.

For much of Western European history, curved swords such as the ''saif'', ''shamshir'', and ''tulwar'' have been associated with a barbarous "other", while in the east they were often seen as no different than any other blade. The mingling between East and West in the 17th century gave it a more positive image in the rest of Europe and beyond. In period pieces depicting the 18th or 19th century, a man in uniform was deemed attractive and characters of this stripe are often TheCasanova or CasanovaWannabe. There might be some overlap with MilesGloriosus, as they are often big braggarts who exaggerate their already impressive exploits. They also have a tendency to get into duels because any slight made to their honor is deemed unforgivable without retaliation. Another possibility is that he is AnOfficerAndAGentleman in the mold of [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Stonewall Jackson or George Armstrong Custer]]. Soldiers can come from either a gentlemanly or common background, but what they have in common is that the sabre gives them some extra swagger through its association with military service and glory, whether earned or not.

* After 1872, when Japan created its [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun first conscription military]], all officers had to be equipped with swords. The first generation of ''Gunto'' (military swords) used from 1875 to 1934, now called ''Kyu gunto'' (old military sword), were in the style of the Western military saber with a single-handed grip and knuckle guard. This had to do with the fact that they were trying to modernize along Western lines, putting behind them the time when the samurai class dominated the military. Rising nationalism in the 1930s caused a return to the belief that KatanasAreJustBetter, leading to the replacement of ''Kyu gunto'' with the ''Shin gunto'' (new military sword), a mass-produced version of the old-fashioned samurai katana.

* In ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'', most officers wear a slender sabre as a sign of rank. The titular hero is an officer and entitled to a sword, but he also came up through the ranks, and is not a gentleman, therefore his rough and ready nature favours a heavier blade. His WeaponOfChoice is the straight-bladed sabre of the heavy cavalry, which most men would struggle to use dismounted.

* In ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'', most officers wear a slender saber as a sign of rank. The titular hero is an officer and entitled to a sword, but he also came up through the ranks, and is not a gentleman, therefore his rough and ready nature favours a heavier blade. His WeaponOfChoice is the straight-bladed sabre of the heavy cavalry, which most men would struggle to use dismounted.

* In the finale of ''Series/Hawkeye2022'', Jacques Dusquesne (also known as ''the Swordsman'' in the comics) fully cements himself as [[SheepInSheepsClothing a good albeit misunderstood guy]] by pulling out [[HeroesPreferSwords a saber]] and engaging in combat to defend himself and his former fiance's daughter against members of the Tracksuit Mafia. Even acting like a swashbuckler by tauntinh his enemies and applying a little bit of SwordAndFist.

[[folder:Film]]

* In Literature/MonstrousRegiment the main characters are mostly armed with sabres. They were supposed to be pikemen, but there was a bit of a supply issue and they managed to catch an enemy cavalry unit off guard early on.

* Edouard Detaille vividly depicted the charge of the 4th Hussars at the battle of Friedland, 14 June 1807 in his 1891 painting ''Vive L'Empereur''. Waving their sabres in the air as the war cry goes up and bugles sound, this is the moment just before they make contact with the enemy.

[[folder:VideoGames]]
* In [[https://hthgaming.com/mlbb Mobile Legends: Bang Bang]], one of the characters you can choose is Khaleed who is a heroic fighter that wields a curved blade, appropriately called "Desert Scimitar" as he uses the powers of the desert in combat.
* Rowen from VideoGame/TalesOfXillia and its sequel is a MagicKnight who uses almost exclusively [[RoyalRapier Rapiers]] and Sabres in battle. This fits heavily with his Battle Butler theme, accentuating his intelligence and his elegance in battle.

[-[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charging_Chasseur "The Charging Chasseur"]] by Creator/TheodoreGericault.-]]]

This trope has variations. The similar cutlass does not enjoy quite the same status because of its association with rough sailors and pirates. Short-curved swords such as the grosse messer and falchion can apply in some circumstances but are often separate. The user of a Suave Sabre does not necessarily have to be of Western origin, but usually at least belongs to a country that has adopted Western-style uniforms, weapons, and tactics as a result of or in reaction to European colonialism. Related to the backsword (a straight single-edged sword), and to KatanasAreJustBetter.

* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}''

* In the finale of ''Series/{{Hawkeye}}'', Jacques Dusquesne (also known as ''the Swordsman'' in the comics) fully cements himself as a good albeit misunderstood guy by pulling out a saber and engaging in combat to defend himself and his former fiance's daughter against members of the Tracksuit Mafia. Even acting like a swashbuckler by taunting his enemies and applying a little bit of SwordAndFist.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': The DashingHispanic SkyPirate Julio Scoundrel fights with an enchanted sabre and a GenreSavvy flair for the dramatic. At the end of [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html Book 6]], he [[spoiler:[[PassingTheTorch gives the sabre]] to his protege Elan.]]

* The kung fu film, ''Fury of the King Boxer'' starring Creator/JimmyWangYu, in which Jimmy's character uses a sabre instead of the classic Chinese ''jian'' in his other (mostly {{Wuxia}}) films, because the film is set in the 1930s instead of some Ancient Dynasty. He gets to kill scores and scores of corrupt soldiers in one massive fight scene before losing it from throwing the sabre into an enemy rifleman.

[-Gericault's 1812 painting [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charging_Chasseur "Chasseur de la Garde"]].-]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:An Imperial Officer, ready for battle.]]

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' with the villain Ghirahim. He's a stylish, classy-acting demon who wields a saber in battle, but turns out to be very AxCrazy and as the game goes on, stays just a hair away from completely losing it. In the final battle, he ditches his saber for a two-handed claymore to hack with.
* While only shown in game art, Tetra from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' also counts as this trope as she is shown having a cutlass, a rare variation. In ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'' she is a DLC character and is actively wielding this cutlass in battle with many upgrades to enhance her fighting style.

Not every curved sword is a SinisterScimitar. In fact, the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabre sabre or saber]] in the hands of a Western-style cavalryman or CavalryOfficer is the ultimate sign of daring and ''panache''. This trope probably reached its cultural peak during UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars, in which sabre-wielding light cavalry called Hussars captured the imagination of the people with their braided hair and moustaches, [[BlingOfWar flamboyant uniforms]], and death-or-glory attitude in battle--something that modern works love to depict. Compared to the RoyalRapier and its cousin the smallsword, which are most famous as civilian weapons, a sabre more emphatically marks its wielder as a professional soldier.

This trope has variations. The similar cutlass does not enjoy quite the same status because of its association with rough sailors and pirates. Short-curved swords such as the grosse messer and falchion can apply in some circumstances but are often seperate. The user of a Suave Sabre does not necessarily have to be of Western origin, but usually at least belongs to a country which has adopted Western-style uniforms, weapons, and tactics as a result of or in reaction to European colonialism. Related to the backsword (a straight single-edged sword), and to KatanasAreJustBetter.

* Sharrkan from ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'' wields a curved blade that he uses as his weapon of choice. He serves as Alibaba's sword trainer and is one of the strongest swordsmasters in the series. The Crawling Sword is the name of his kingdom's fighting style and is regarded as snake-like and hard to predict.
* ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'': The titular Saber Rider, as AnOfficerAndAGentleman who rides a robotic horse named Steed into battle, is primarily armed with a sabre. He does switch to using his sidearm when necessary, and also has a rifle he uses for long range sniping.

* ''Film/TheDuellists'', based on the Joseph Conrad story ''The Duel'' depicts the story of two Hussars in Napoleon's army who develop a feud over some trifle and fight a series of duels with each other over a long period of years. The first, third, and fourth duels are fought with their cavalry sabres, while the last is fought with pistols. The major themes throughout are the pride and bravado of the Hussars, the macho military culture that created the expectation of dueling, and the personal obsession between the participants. The third duel, fought on foot with heavy sabres, actually subverts the trope by getting really ugly: it goes on for so long the duelists are gasping for breath, propping themselves up on their swords, and occasionally mustering the strength to make wild roundhouse swings at each other. The fight is ended by their seconds when they discard their swords and just start having at each other.
* The titular weapon from the martial arts film, ''Film/FullMoonScimitar'', an elegant ancient weapon powered by the moon, which the hero Ding Peng seeks on his quest to avenge his own defeat. It can only be wielded by one worthy hero which is pure of heart, however.

* ''Literature/HeavenSwordAndDragonSabre'': One of the two titular weapons, the Dragon Slaying Saber, is an ancient legendary weapon coveted by martial arts clans everywhere, due it's wielder being granted ultimate power and the weapon itself holding the secrets to domination of the world. Certain versions of the novel even claims that any wielder of the Dragon Saber will be invincible and only vulnerable to it's rival weapon, the Heaven Sword.

* Rowen from VideoGame/TalesOfXillia and it's sequel is a MagicKnight who uses almost exclusively [[RoyalRapier Rapiers]] and Sabres in battle. This fits heavily with his Battle Butler theme, accentuating his intelligence and his elegance in battle.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': The DashingHispanic SkyPirate Julio Scoundrel fights with an enchanted sabre and a GenreSavvy flair for the dramatic. At the end of [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html Book 6,]] he [[spoiler:[[PassingTheTorch gives the sabre]] to his protege Elan.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'', Antoine wields a sabre as part of his royal 19th century "OfficerAndAGentleman" design, and fancies himself a heroic, intelligent, and dashing Freedom Fighter much like the typical image of sabre-wielding heroes in uniform. Most of the time, however, he's a pompous and [[FrenchJerk rude]] CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkey who often prefers to [[MilesGloriosus stand back rather than face danger]].

[[/folder]]

Indexes for the future: AlliterativeName/TropesSToZ, SwordTropes, WeaponsAndWieldingTropes, RoyaltyAndNobilityTropes, UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}.

[[caption-width-right:350:Suave and ready for battle.]]

Page Image: Gericault's 1812 painting [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charging_Chasseur "Chasseur de la Garde"]].