Forged by the Gods: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

The hero has [[Cool Sword|a kick-ass sword]], [[Ancestral Weapon|perhaps one he inherited]]. It's probably unbreakable and can cut through anything. It also has a [[I Call It Vera|cool name]] which is likely [[Meaningful Name|meaningful]]. And it seems like everyone in the whole world wants to get their hands on it.

 

 

 

Yes, the gods made this sword. How it came into the hands of mere mortals varies. Maybe the gods [[It Was a Gift|gave it]] to [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness|someone pure in heart]] to vanquish evil. Maybe an amazing thief managed to steal it from them. Or maybe the gods are sadistic bastards and just wanted to see what would happen if they put such a powerful weapon in the hands of mortals.

For whatever reason, the mortals have it and all that goes with it.

 

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

 

* This was the main plot in the album ''Doodsbrenger'' (deathbringer) of ''De Rode Ridder'' (the red knight), a Belgian Flemish comic book series. A villain gets his hands on the titular ''Deathbringer'', a sword forged by the old Norse gods. It makes him unbeatable in combat, and the Red Knight is tasked with finding a solution. The solution? {{spoiler|Find a legendary smith, have him forge an equally awesome sword, and use this to defeat the villain. Of course that means there are now two of these swords in the world... This was solved by [[Heroic Sacrifice]].}}

 

== Film ==

 

== Literature ==

* While not technically ''forged'' by God, the swords held by the Knights of the Cross in Jim Butcher's ''[[Dresden Files]]'' series all have one of the nails used to crucify Christ in the hilt.

** And their names are, Excalibur/Amoracchius (probably a hand and a half sword, western mediaeval sword, implied to be the most powerful, having not been reforged since it was made, unlike the other two), Durendal/Esperacchius (sabre) and Kusanagi/Fidelacchius. They are terrifying in the hands of the knights.

* The Great Weapons of ''[[Dragaera]]'' fit the cool powers aspect of this, although in a twist, they were created specifically to ''kill the gods''.

* In Brandon Sanderson's ''[[Warbreaker]]'' the sentient sword Nightblood was forged by people who may or may not be gods, but are worshiped as gods either way.

* In C.S. Goto's ''[[Blood Ravens]]'' trilogy, Rhamah's [[Named Weapons|Vairocanum]]. Made from part of a [[Wrecked Weapon]] that had been forged by a god.

 

== Mythology ==

** Greek Myth is full of [[Subverted Trope|awesome weapons that are nonetheless completely mundane]]. Perseus uses a regular shield that's polished to a literal mirror shine to kill the Medusa, Theseus uses a pretty standard sword to kill the Minotaur, and Odysseus kills the Cyclops with a sharpened log. Even legendary Achiles used a normal shield and spear; it was his skin that was hardened to make him invincible.

* The imperial sword ''Kusanagi'' ("Grass cutter") in [[Japanese Mythology]] supposedly fell from heaven and ended up embedded in the back of the 8-headed serpent ''[[Orochi]]''.

 

== Tabletop RPG ==

* The relics in ''[[Scion]]'' are not only of exemplary quality, but they're often the only means through which starting characters can channel the Boons of their divine parents.

**** Still, it is a pretty awesome weapon. Anaris "The Sword of Dawn Light" (in 40k) was sufficiently cool that it allowed the crippled forge god Vaul to challenge the god of war Khaine (before he got the title Kaela Mensha) and provide a serious fight. Later used by a Eldar named Eldanesh (brought to him by falcon) to challenge Khaine to personal combat. A battle that the god of war barely won, and his brutal killing of Eldanesh earned him the title Kaela Mensha Khaine (Bloody Handed Khaine) and got him cursed to drip the blood of Eldanesh from his hands for all time.

** [[Gotrek and Felix|Gotrex's]] Rune Axe is strongly implied to be one that was forged by the Dwarven Ancestor Gods. It's been known to ''shatter'' the Daemon Weapons like those mentioned above.

== Video Games ==

* One of the first weapons you can get in ''[[Jade Empire]]'' was supposedly forged by one of the gods as a present for his son. No one is sure how it came to the hands of mortals. [[Up to Eleven|Naturally, there's an even better version of the weapon (style) later in the game.]]

* The weapon of Aeon from ''[[Castlevania Judgment]]'' is a giant stopwatch that turns into a clocksword, where the minute hand extends out from the center into the blade. The hour hand also reaches out a bit from the opposite side, and is sharp as well. Aeon created the watch, and is the overseer of time, effectively granting him a "godlike" status. He can even stop time to effectively eviscerate his opponent.

* There's a pretty interesting variation in ''[[Patapon]]'' with the Divine Weapons; YOU are the god forging them,and you decide which one of your soldiers is worthy enough to yield them.

* Anything after ''[[Seiken Densetsu 3]]'' usually has the [[World of Mana|Mana Sword]] created directly by the Goddess of Mana.

** Prior to that, the Sword of Mana's origins are less certain, but implied to be created by the same tribe that looks after (and ''is'') the Mana Tree.

* [[Rise of the Kasai|Rau]]'s tiaiha (a New Zealand weapon that combines characteristics of a spear, a club, and a sword) was given to him by the Oracle, a tree that acts as a messenger for the gods. The Oracle itself was grown from the tiaiha of one of the gods when it got stuck in the earth, and Rau's tiaiha was carved from the wood of the Oracle. Forged FROM the Gods.

* Variation in ''[[Touhou]]'': Youmu's Hakurouken and Roukanken are forged by [[Youkai]], which is a catch-all term for supernaturals yet ''does not'' include gods.

** There's also the Great Fairy's Sword, so named 'cause it's given to you by a Great Fairy.

 

== Visual Novel ==

== Webcomics ==

* In ''[[Erfworld]]'', the Arkentools were created by the Titans of Ark. They seem not to be originally designed as weapons, but at least two (the Arkenhammer and Arkenpliers) are very powerful in combat.

 

== Web Original ==

* In the ''[[Whateley Universe]]'', Destiny's Wave, a ''jian'' forged by some of the Eight Immortals of the Tao and imbued with the soul of a great sage: the weapon that the Handmaid of the Tao always bears.

 

== Western Animation ==

[[Category:Weapons and Wielding Tropes]]

[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]