History Main / SuicideAttack

ActionBomb is when this is treated as a HeroicSacrifice rather than a case of WeHaveReserves. Unlike WhyAmITicking (where the person rigged with explosives has been so rigged against his or her will, and is perhaps unaware of it until the kaboom) it's voluntary either way. When the trope is considered to be SuicideAttack, though, the bomber has usually been indoctrinated to ''believe'' it to be noble and just[[hottip:*:[[UsefulNotes/Islam insert seventy-two virgins joke here]]]]; needless to say, this means that the Suicide Attacker is more often than not a terrorist suicide bomber, or a mook for an EvilEmpire that [[WeHaveReserves has reserves]], and either way they're a CardCarryingVillain. (The RedshirtArmy sometimes uses {{SuicideAttack}}s too, though if the good guys are resorting to this, the work is probably using GreyAndGreyMorality at best.)

->-[[HornyVikings Before]]

ActionBomb is when this is treated as a HeroicSacrifice rather than a case of WeHaveReserves. Unlike WhyAmITicking (where the person rigged with explosives has been so rigged against his or her will, and is perhaps unaware of it until the kaboom) it's voluntary either way. When the trope is considered to be SuicideAttack, though, the bomber has usually been indoctrinated to ''believe'' it to be noble and just[[hottip:* :insert seventy-two virgins joke here]]; needless to say, this means that the Suicide Attacker is more often than not a terrorist suicide bomber, or a mook for an EvilEmpire that [[WeHaveReserves has reserves]], and either way they're a CardCarryingVillain (though the RedshirtArmy sometimes uses {{SuicideAttack}}s too, though if the good guys are resorting to this, the work is probably using GreyAndGreyMorality at best.

* ''MadokaMagica'': [[spoiler:Kyouko]] does this against Oktavia by [[spoiler:''destroying her own [[SoulJar Soul Gem]]. Given that [[spoiler:Oktavia is Sayaka's witch form]], the undertones here are... [[TogetherInDeath odd]].

** Yari Minisubs too, these are manned though, while not a pure suicide units, it can be used as such with devastating effects. FOR THE EMPEROR!

** Also a kamikaze submarine from Red Alert 3

[[quoteright:200:[[CommandAndConquer http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Generals_Terrorist.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:200:"I will die for our cause!"]]

[[CommandAndConquer http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Generals_Terrorist.jpg]]
[[caption-width:202:"I will die for our cause!"]]

-->-[[HornyVikings Before]]

-->-[[WorldWarTwo Then]].

-->-[[TheWarOnTerror Now]].

* In ''CommandAndConquer'', the Global Liberation Army's Terrorist, Toxin Terrorist and Bomb Truck units.

* The petard unit in AgeOfEmpires II is a medieval suicide bomber. There is also the demolition ship, although it might be unmanned.

ActionBomb is when this is treated as a HeroicSacrifice rather than a case of WeHaveReserves. Unlike WhyAmITicking (where the person rigged with explosives has been so rigged against his or her will, and is perhaps unaware of it until the kaboom) it's voluntary either way. When the trope is considered to be SuicideAttack, though, the bomber has usually been indoctrinated to ''believe'' it to be noble and just[[hottip:* :insert seventy-two virgins joke here]]; needless to say, this means that the Suicide Attacker is more often than not a terrorist suicide bomber, or a mook for an EvilEmpire that [[WeHaveReserves has reserves]], and either way they're a CardCarryingVillain (though the RedshirtArmy sometimes uses {{SuicideAttack}}s too, though if the good guys are resorting to this, the work is probably using GreyAndGreyMorality at best. An ActionBomb is the straight-up heroic version, who blows himself up to make absolutely ''certain'' that his explosive is killing the BigBad or [[TheDragon one of his most dangerous subordinates]], or outright destroying the BigBad's lair/superweapon/plans/army/evil stuff. Furthermore, the ActionBomb resorts to this after considering all other options and deciding that they just won't do enough damage to the enemy in a timely enough fashion, or more commonly, when circumstances such as being under attack or captured by the bad guys prevent the formulation or execution of a less risky plan. Finally, the ActionBomb sometimes ''survives'' his attack, while the SuicideAttack is in virtually ''all'' cases ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin.

* ''ArmitageIII: The villain D'anclaude has a habit of turning second-generation robots into walking bombs.

** To be fair, the Kamikazes were aiming at warships(not civilians, as the modern variety so often do unfortunately), and their [[HonourBeforeReason motivation]] is not totally unfamiliar to Western military tradition(which always glorified HeroicSacrifice if not suicide per se) and in fact some of the behavior and remarks(like WinstonChurchill s famous "You can always take one with you") of Westerners at the same time sound suspiciously like advocating it.
*** Some of the suicide bombers had rather understandable motives. Some for instance were fliers who had given up on surviving the war and wanted to at least go out with style. Others were students who were ashamed of the fact that they had been given exemptions from {{Conscription}}. It was a strange custom but it was a human custom not an alien one.

** To be fair, the Kamikazes were aiming at warships(not civilians, as the modern variety so often do unfortunately), and their motivation is not totally unfamiliar to Western military tradition(which always glorified HeroicSacrifice if not suicide per se) and in fact some of the behavior and remarks(like WinstonChurchill s famous "You can always take one with you") of Westerners at the same time sound suspiciously like advocating it.

** To be fair, the Kamikazes were aiming at warships, and their motivation is not totally unfamiliar to Western military tradition(which always glorified HeroicSacrifice if not suicide per se) and in fact some of the behavior and remarks(like WinstonChurchill s famous "You can always take one with you") of Westerners at the same time sound suspiciously like advocating it.