An Axe to Grind/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Basic Trope: A character uses axes as weapons.

  • Straight: Olaf Vikingson is known for using an axe as his weapon.
  • Exaggerated:
  • Justified:
    • Olaf has more experience and training with axes than other weapons.
    • Olaf works as a lumberjack, firefighter, or other profession where an axe is close at hand often, and other weapons rarely are.
    • Olaf is a Dwarf.
    • An axe delivers a more powerful blow than an equally heavy sword because the weight is focused on the head.
  • Inverted:
    • Olaf Vikingson believes axes are the most useless combat tools ever created.
    • Olaf masters a martial art that is only effective against axe-wielders.
    • Axes are Olaf's Kryptonite Factor.
  • Subverted: Before the battle, we see Olaf brandishing a massive axe... only for him to discard it for a sword when the actual battle begins.
  • Double Subverted: Later, he discards this sword and picks up the axe again, saying "Now I can do some proper fighting!".
  • Parodied: Olaf wields a giant axe, with a spare on his back and a hatchet on his hip for emergencies - he also has throwing axes and a foldable pocket-axe. His banner is crossed axes, and his armor is made of axe-heads welded together.
  • Deconstructed: Olaf charges into battle with an axe. He is quickly killed because an enemy pikeman skewers him from a distance before Olaf is in range to attack.
  • Reconstructed:
    • Olaf charges into battle with an axe, and his skills with the weapon allow him to overcome his enemies despite their weapons having a fundamental advantage.
    • Olaf charges into battle with an axe. Instead of getting skewered by an enemy pikeman, he simply lops off the pointy end, negating his foes advantage.
  • Zig Zagged: Sometimes Olaf uses axes and other times swords. Occasionally he's even seen using a spear or firing a bow. But he's always prone to waxing lyrical on how amazing axes are, although sometimes he'll be caught in injuries he clearly would have avoided if he hadn't been using an axe at the time.
  • Averted: Olaf uses a sword the entire time.
  • Enforced: "Olaf is badass. Badass characters need badass weapons. And what's more badass for a viking than an axe?"
  • Lampshaded:
    • "Wow Olaf, it almost looks like you have an axe fetish."
    • Olaf's battle cry is "TIMBER!"
  • Invoked: Olaf wants to cultivate a brutish, wild appearance, and decides he needs an axe in order to complete it.
  • Defied: Olaf hates fighting with axes, and avoids using them even when they're the only weapon readily available.
  • Discussed: "Okay the enemy are almost here. Everyone grab your weapo-NO OLAF NOT THE AXE THIS TIME"
  • Conversed: "So he's finally got his first fight scene! Why's he using an axe? Where did he even get that from?"

I'm going to axe you to come back to An Axe to Grind.