History Main / SwordPointing

** Taunting at S rank or above while wielding Mirage Blade prompts Vergil to point it at opponents.

* Dante, Vergil, and Nero frequently done this in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''. [[https://youtu.be/R_53jO8Ht7Y Vergil's scene]].

** Sundowner points his [[ShearMenace scissor swords]] at Raiden to command an attack helicopter to fire missiles at him.
** Raiden dramatically points the SwordOfPlotAdvancement at the FinalBoss before they fight each other.

-->'''Robb:''' I am the Lord of Winterfell while my father is away.
-->'''Tyrion:''' Then you might want to remember a lord's courtesy.
* ''Literature/TheWayOfKings'' (first book of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''): Dalinar Kholin does this as a gesture of respect to Bridge Four.

* During the [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Subspace Emissary]]; Ike, Marth, and Meta Knight do this at the same time before part 3 of the Battlefield Fortress.
** And before facing off with [[BestBossEver Galleom]].
* [[VideoGame/RecordOfAgarestWar Leonhardt]] does this all the time in cutscenes. His great-grandson Rex does this too in the True End Route [[SpectacularSpinning with style]].

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt'': As the Hebrews are crossing between the waters of the Red Sea, which Moses parted with his staff, the wall of fire which God sent to hold back the Egyptian army suddenly disappears. Pharaoh Rameses draws his sword, dramatically points it at the gap in the Red Sea, and emits a terrible war cry as the order for his chariots to follow him in and massacre the Hebrews. He leads the charge through the parted sea while sustaining his war cry and continuing to hold his sword pointed forward.
* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower''has a few examples of this trope.

* ''Theatre/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'': BarbaricBully Henri is fond of escalating arguments by pulling out his dagger and doing this (carrying daggers in school was acceptable in 1491). The climax of the story also has a bit more of this than actual stabbing, but a few daggers do get used.

* ''Manga/MoriartyThePatriot'': When Sherlock finally arrives to his standoff with William in ''The Final Problem'' on the Tower Bridge, William points his sword directly at him while yelling before rushing toward him as flashback commence.

* Chrona from ''Manga/SoulEater'' tended to assume a stance like this (when [[EquippableAlly Ragnorak]] took the form of a broadsword) with their sword pointed ahead and off-hand arm folded across their chest.

* Hiei of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' enjoys this trope.

* Chrona from ''Manga/SoulEater'' tended to assume a stance like this (when [[EquippableAlly Ragnorak]] took the form of a broadsword) with their sword pointed ahead and off hand arm folded across their chest.

* Chrona from ''Manga/SoulEater'' tended to assume a stance like this (when [[EquippableAlly Ragnorak]] took the form of a broadsword) with hir sword pointed ahead and off hand arm folded across hir chest.

* Chrona from ''Manga/SoulEater'' tended to assume a stance like this (when [[EquippableAlly Ragnorak]] took the form of a broadsword) with hir sword pointed ahead and off hand arm folded across hir chest.
* Signum of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' does this on several occasions, such as to Fate near the start of their battle in Episode 9 of ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs A's]]''.
* ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam La Verite''. Chief Security Maid Konoe Tsurugi's "sister" points her sword at Konoe in Episode 8 while training her in swordplay, and points it at Konoe's lieutenant Yashima Sanae during a confrontation in episode 10.

* Hiei of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' enjoys this trope.
* Bound to happen at least once an episode in ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara''. Masamune and Yukimura particularly like to employ it.

* ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle''. Syaoran and [[spoiler:his clone]] point their swords at each other at close range just before getting into a sword fight.
* At the end of the first episode of ''{{Anime/K}}'', Kuroh does this to Shiro right after saving him from the guys that were trying to set him on fire.
* In ''Manga/Brave10'', Saizo strikes this pose often for dramatic effect.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDiUG52ZyHQ&t=39s This trailer]] for ''Film/ThreeHundred'', done by Leonidas.
* In ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', Lone Starr and Dark Helmet duel with their lightsaber-like Schwartz sabers. At one point, they circle each other menacingly, sabers pointed at length, so [[RuleOfCool the very tips crackle and spark when they come in contact with each other]].
* The ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' movies include too many examples to list. Creator/IanMcShane, playing Blackbeard in [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnSTrangerTides the fourth film]], is particularly good at it.

* In ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', Wesley uses this pose to threaten Prince Humperdink into surrendering, despite the fact that we know he's barely strong enough to stand. "Drop. Your. Sword."

* ''Film/KillBill Vol. 2''. Just before The Bride has her brief sword fight with Elle Driver, they point their katanas at each other.
* In ''Film/BlackPanther2018'', Killmonger menacingly does this with a broken spear to mark out Nakia and Shuri as his next targets.
* Done in ''Film/TheMummyReturns'' by Ardeth Bey when the Medjai are about to fight the Army of Anubis. Bonus points for sword ''spinning''.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' actually establishes standard signal for "charge" as "the commander lifts his sword/spear/whatever upwards, then swings it down to point at the enemy".

* Dante, Vergil, and Nero frequently done this in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_53jO8Ht7Y Vergil's scene]].
* In ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g5rZRZGzrg&t=32s Harpuia's]] DesperationAttack involves this, albeit aimed lower at an angle, as he's floating high on the air.
* [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV Bartz]] does this when confronting his ArchEnemy Ex-Death during a pre-battle cutscene in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''. For the {{Squee}} of the audience, he does this while holding [[DittoFighter his partners' weapons]]: the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Buster Sword]] [[SticksToTheBack to his back]] and the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Revolver Gunblade]] pointed at the opponent. In the same game, this is also the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyI Warrior of Light's]] pre-battle AssKickingPose.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', this is Seifer's standard combat pose with his Gunblade. Amusingly, it's also Laguna's pose when play-acting as a sword-wielding knight for a movie, setting off theories that Seifer saw this movie and was thus inspired.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', during the ARR storyline climax, Gaius draws his gunblade, points it threateningly at the heroes, and then sheaths it. Then climbs into a giant biomechanical machine.
* In the ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'' of video games, in a couple of each of their victory poses, Siegfried and Nightmare point with their {{BFS}}.
* In ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'', one of Death's winposes is pointing his scythe downward at the opponent/camera.

* From the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' games, the aforementioned Meta Knight also does this before the fight with Kirby.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1xqwFArReA&t=16s Colonel does this to X]].
* [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Trish]] does this with her [[SinisterScythe Sparda]] in one of her hypers in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meTmG4m_Q7k&t=27s see here]]).
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'': The Lich King does this often, most famously during the intro to ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCr7y4SLhck Wrath of the Lich King]]''.
* Caim's IdleAnimation in ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'' is pointing his weapon with one hand. He can do this even with [[{{BFS}} Hymir's Finger]], which is otherwise the heaviest weapon in the game.

* Aden does this in the beginning of ''[[VideoGame/RuneFactoryOceans Rune Factory Tides of Destiny]]''.
** Also the Masked Man does this before the final battle ensues.
* In the cross over game ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', Sanger, Kaguya, Zero, Yuri, Soma, and Gemini [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt5Qd7Mh8DU&t=1m25s do this in the opening]].
** In the sequel, [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Chrom and Lucina]] do this while pulling off [[BadassFamily father-daughter]] BackToBackBadasses.
* Zacharias Barnham from ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsPhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' does this in lieu of the usual (for the ''Ace Attorney'' series) GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger.
* The Legion Etiquette gesture in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' basically consists of this, and is used to salute an enemy. The Abyss Watchers boss actually performs it towards the player in their pre-battle cutscene, as it is a symbol of the Undead Legion the Watchers belong to.
* Generals and captains do this in ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'' when units are ordered around the battlefield. There are also some variations, from a simple point forward with the sword to the commander spinning the sword above his head to the commander's horse (when he's mounted) rearing as the commander sweeps the sword forward in a grand gesture.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' has [[TheHero Rean]] pointing his sword at his enemies before a boss fight starts. In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie'', he also does this pose if he activates a "Valiant Rage" attack.

* ''Webcomic/ErrantStory'': [[http://www.errantstory.com/2007-04-27/651 Sarine]] does this at the beginning of her DesignatedGirlFight (which turns out to be more of a sparring bout) with Sara.

* [[VideoGame/RecordOfAgarestWar Leonhardt]] does this all the time in cutscenes. His great-grandson Rex does this too in the True End Route [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning with style]].

* ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam La Verite''. Konoe Tsuragi's "sister" does this twice: once to Konoe in Episode 8 while training her in swordplay, and once in episode 10 to Yashima Sanae.

* ''Anime/HanaukyoMaidTai La Verite''. Konoe Tsuragi's "sister" does this twice: once to Konoe in Episode 8 while training her in swordplay, and once in episode 10 to Yashima Sanae.

** Episode 176: Rukia does it to Doko Jinnai, the assassin she's fighting. In the same episode Kuzuryu does it to Uryu Ishida.

** Episodes 196, 199-202: During their duel Kenpachi Zaraki does it at least four times to the Espada Nnoitra and Nnoitra does it at least once to Kenpachi.

** Episode 255: During their confrontation Ichigo and Muramasa do this to each other.

* ''Anime/HanaukyoMaidTai La Verite''. Konoe Tsuragi's "sister" does this twice: once to Konoe in Episode 8 while training her in sword play, and once in episode 10 to Yashima Sanae.

* In the end of the first episode of ''{{Anime/K}}'', Kuroh does this to Shiro right after saving him from the guys that were trying to set him on fire.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Space 1889}}'' historically in 1889 most officers had swords as part of their uniform. They mostly used them for pointing while commanding troops, though. In some illustrations and some miniatures you can see precisely that.

* [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV Bartz]] does this when confronting his ArchEnemy Ex-Death during a pre-battle cutscene in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''. For the {{Squee}} of the audience, he does this while holding [[DittoFighter his partners's weapons]]: the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Buster Sword]] [[SticksToTheBack to his back]] and the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII Revolver Gunblade]] pointed at the opponent. In the same game, this is also the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyI Warrior of Light's]] pre-battle AssKickingPose.

** In The Sea Gate, She-Ra aims her sword at the Salineas Sea Gate in an attempt to heal it. Why this seems to be a good idea is never really mentioned in the show, other then the excuse of 'It's She-Ra!'.
** Catra does this with the Sword of Power later on in the show, but subverts expectations by [[spoiler:Handing the weapon over to Adora, and telling her to leave]]. However, this doesn't redeem Catra, but it did supply plenty of fuel for the Catra/Adora ship.

* The one-handed-plus-buckler version of long poinis refered to in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Armouries_Ms._I.33 Medieval treatises]] as "the center of swordplay", not because of it being effective as a guard (see above), but because most movements would involve passing through or ending in this position (so a fencer must knew what to do from and against it).

* At the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'', Raiden dramatically points the SwordOfPlotAdvancement at the FinalBoss before they fight each other.

** The one-handed-plus-buckler version is refered to in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Armouries_Ms._I.33 Medieval treatises]] as "the center of swordplay", not because of it being effective as a guard (see above), but because most movements would involve passing through or ending in this position (so a fencer must knew what to do from and against it).

* Pretty much the default for any fencer. The same style (although the shape of the wrist means that the blade is naturally held at 45 degrees to it rather than pointed straight ahead) can be used in knife fighting where it's called the "sabre grip" amoungst other things.
* A practical application exists in foil and sabre fencing, in the technique known as 'point-in-line'. By fully extending the sword arm and pointing the sword's tip directly at the opponent's target area[[note]]before the opponent begins an attack and while he/she is outside the user's lunging distance[[/note]], the user establishes attacking priority. If the user successfully lands a hit without breaking the stance and without the two blades making contact, the point is his outright, regardless of whether or not the opponent also landed a hit.

A character points their sword forward with arm extended, either to challenge an enemy or to command their own troops to attack. Depending on how heavy the weapon is, this might be ''hard as hell'' to do in real life for any extended time period.