Pressure Point: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

The practice of pressing a certain point on a person's body to achieve a certain effect (can also be multiple points in quick succession, or multiple points simultaneously). The most common effect is to paralyze the target or knock him unconscious. For knocking someone unconscious by the less subtle method of a strong blow to the head see [[Tap on the Head]]. For the more lethal version see [[You Are Already Dead]].

 

{{examples}}

* The core of Kenshiro's Hokuto Shinken style in ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'', used for a large variety of effects up to and very often including making [[Your Head Asplode]].

** Also there is apparently ''708'' of them.

* Ethan Stanley in ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]'', practices Kalarippayattu, an Indian martial art, through which he has learned out incapacitate or even outright kill his opponents by striking specific points called Marmam, which he states served as the origin for pressure points used in other martial arts (since Kalarippayattu served as an originator for most other Eastern martial arts styles). Also of note is Chikage Kushinada, who shows that she can use pressure points to control Ukita (one of the weaker members of the Shinpaku alliance) like a puppet ''without him even noticing''.

* ''[[The Ultimate Teacher]]'' Ganpachi incapacitates a whole classroom of people by using his speed to press two points in their leg that causes a painful cramp.

 

== Comic Books ==

* The comic version of Kevin from ''[[Sin City]]'' has the ability to make people go numb with pressure point attacks. It's also implied that this was his method of killing.

* The villainess Faora likes to use these techniques. Since she has [[Super Strength]], they can even work on [[Superman]].

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Our Man Flint]]''. Flint does a Vulcan neck pinch on the Galaxy agent supervising Gila's hypnotic indoctrination and several others as well.

* ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'': Both Jade Fox and Li Mu Bai use pressure points in their first skirmish—Jade Fox to completely paralyze the [[Butt Monkey]] guard in place, and Li Mu Bai to reverse the effect.

 

== Literature ==

* In ''[[Horatio Hornblower|Lieutenant Hornblower]]'' a doctor patches up Bush after he was [[Covered in Scars|stabbed several times]] by revolting Spanish prisoners. He notes that all Bush's opponents had stabbed overhand and the ribs overlap like the gables of a roof and then says it is more reliable if one is going for the chest to use an upward blow that can sneak through the bones into the vitals.

* Some parts of the ''[[Belisarius Series]]'' deal with Indian unarmed combat techniques. In one part it is claimed (probably fictionally) that Indian assassins had a secret move to paralyze an opponent but leave him alive as a sort of torture technique for targets they have a particular grudge against. While this is probably medically possible it is unlikely that the author would have known much of anything about the traditions of Indian assassins in the sixth century much less whether they actually had a move to bring about this result.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' episode "The Living Dead". Emma Peel applies pressure to two points on the neck of a female guard's neck to render her unconscious.

* Used in ''[[Diagnosis: Murder]]''. Jesse's father needed him to calm down, so he put a comfroting hand on his shoulder. When that didn't work, he increased the pressure. Jesse protested and folded up. The unconsciousness lasted long enough for them to drive out of LA and for his father to have a long discussion, and there are no obvious side effects.

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

* Dr. Sam Sheppard, the man whose life inspired ''[[The Fugitive (TV series)|The Fugitive]]'', went into wrestling in his later years. As he was a trained surgeon, he had in-depth knowledge of the human body, including where all the pressure points are, knowledge he used to his advantage in the ring. His [[Finishing Move]], the Mandible Claw (later used by [[Mick Foley|Mankind]]), was said to activate a pressure point under the tongue that paralyzes the opponent and induces intense pain.

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* Many other games will have some sort of pressure point-related abilities if Eastern martial arts are featured. Modern game like ''Spycraft''? Spirit and Vital Points Basics, Moves, and Mastery—even lets you heal a comrade. ''[[Street Fighter]]'' RPG? Of course; it even mentions the 'Dim mak' below. Escape into [[Dungeons and Dragons]]? Enter the monk, who can kill you (or at least make you save versus dying of getting smacked with a special ability) with a touch since 1st Edition.

 

 

== Western Animation ==

* The ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' episode "Day of the Samurai" revolves around a martial art called Kiba no Hoko (The Way of the Fang), which uses precise strikes against pressure points. Batman's foe, [[The Rival|Kyodai Ken]] managed to learn its most fatal technique, the [[Touch of Death|Oonemuri Touch]].

* In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', Big Macintosh knows just the right one to treat Granny Smith's muscle spasm.

 

== Real Life ==

[[Category:Combat Tropes]]

[[Category:For Massive Damage]]