Surgery Under Fire: Difference between revisions

copyedits
(added category)
(copyedits)
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1:
{{trope}}
Somebody is seriously injured, and in need of some [[After-Action Patchup]]. Unfortunately, the action isn't over, so whatever fixing up needs to happen is going to have to be done while the battle is still raging. If they're lucky, there'll be medical bay or aid station nearby where they can be treated at, otherwise they'll have to make do with [[The Medic]] sprinting out onto the battlefield with a quick cry of "Cover Me!". In the worst case scenario, there's no-one else around, and the wounded soldier is just going to have to make to with some [[Self-Stitching]].
{{trope workshop}}
{{tropestub}}
 
This'''Surgery Under Fire''' is a great way of risingraising the stakes in an already tense battle scene, as it adds just one more thing for the heroes to worry about. May well lead to, or be the result of, a [[Shoot the Medic First]] situation.
Somebody is seriously injured, and in need of some [[After-Action Patchup]]. Unfortunately, the action isn't over, so whatever fixing up needs to happen is going to have to be done while the battle is still raging. If they're lucky, there'll be medical bay nearby they can be treated at, otherwise they'll have to make do with [[The Medic]] sprinting out onto the battlefield with a quick cry of "Cover Me!". In the worst case scenario, there's no-one else around, and the wounded soldier is just going to have to make to with some [[Self-Stitching]].
 
This is a great way of rising the stakes in an already tense battle scene, as it adds just one more thing for the heroes to worry about. May well lead to, or be the result of, a [[Shoot the Medic First]] situation.
 
See also [[Combat Medic]]. Compare [[Open-Heart Dentistry]].
 
{{examples}}
<!-- Please keep all of the section headers on the page until everybody agrees that the trope is ready to launch. -->
== [[Advertising]] ==
 
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* When Roy in ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood]]'' realizes that Havoc's latest date is {{spoiler|the homunculus Lust, she proceeds to try and murder them. They both put up a good fight, but Lust manages to impale them both with her regenerative abilities. Lust takes Roy's gloves as insurance before going to taunt Hawkeye. She's shocked when Roy appears and keeps incinerating her. Turns out he cauterized his wounds ''and'' cut an alchemy pentagram into his hand.}}
 
== [[Child Ballad|Ballads]] ==
 
== [[Comic Books]] ==
 
== [[Fan Works]] ==
* Naturally ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|M*A*S*H]]'' had multiple instances of this. In numerous episodes members of the 4077th were required to perform surgery at the front or under fire, including an episode where the entire camp was being shelled by [[Friend or Foe?|friendly fire]], and another where Father Mulcahy had to perform a tracheotomy on a wounded soldier in the back of a parked jeep at the side of a road while North Korean shells were falling all around him.
 
== [[Film]] ==
* In ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]'', in a notable scene at the beginning, a medic is trying to stabilize a fallen soldier on Omaha Beach, seemingly without concern for the sheer number of bullets flying around.
* The backdrop for the big standoff at the end of ''[[Avengers: Infinity War]]'' is the Wakandan forces attempting to hold off Thanos, while Shuri performs what is essentially brain surgery on Vision. They certainly put up their best effort, but just as Shuri is almost done, Thanos's children knock her out and Vision is forced to enter the fray.
 
== [[Literature]] ==
 
== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
* Naturally ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|M*A*S*H]]'' had multiple instances of this. In numerous episodes members of the 4077th were required to perform surgery at the front or under fire, including an episode where the entire camp was being shelled by [[Friend or Foe?|friendly fire]], and another where Father Mulcahy had to perform a tracheotomy on a wounded soldier in the back of a parked jeep at the side of a road while North Korean shells were falling all around him.
 
== [[Music]] ==
* The ''[[Alestorm]]'' song ''"Wooden Leg''" tells of a pirate who has his leg blown off in navelnaval combat, gets a wooden leg fitted below deck, and hops straight back into the fray.
 
== [[New Media]] ==
<!-- Note: Both Web Original and New Media are for works that originated online. The distinction is that New Media works allow for feedback and audience participation - if a work doesn't allow for this, then it's a Web Original, not New Media. -->
 
== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==
 
== [[Oral Tradition]], [[Folklore]], Myths and Legends ==
 
== [[Pinball]] ==
 
== [[Podcast]]s ==
 
== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==
 
== [[Puppet Shows]] ==
 
== [[Radio]] ==
 
== [[Recorded and Stand Up Comedy]] ==
 
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
 
== [[Theatre]] ==
 
== [[Video Games]] ==
* This is a fairly standard affair in multiplayer games, where other players can rush to the side of downed allies in order to revive them.
* ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]]'' features a comprehensive [[Self-Stitching]] mechanic, which you may find yourself using mid-combat.
* Turn-based artillery game ''[[Hogs of War]]'' includes MASH tents on some levels, and any pigs stationed in them will find themselves healed each turn. Of course, these make excellent targets for the enemy.
** The game also includes a medic class, who can heal up close with his healing hands, at a distance with medicine darts, and even ''en masse'' by throwing a gas grenade full of healing vapours into a trench. TheIn the case of the latter, you'd better hope enemy combatants aren't positioned downwind.
 
== [[Visual Novel]]s ==
 
== [[Web Animation]] ==
 
== [[Web Comics]] ==
 
== [[Web Original]] ==
<!-- Note: Both Web Original and New Media are for works that originated online. The distinction is that New Media works allow for feedback and audience participation - if a work doesn't allow for this, then it's a Web Original, not New Media. -->
 
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* Rick Sanchez in ''[[Rick and Morty]]'' has done this quite a few times. Rick being Rick, he's [[Crazy Prepared]] enough to have portable prosthetic limbs in case a weird Froopy Land hybrid bites it off or if he gets in a shootout with an assassin. In the latter case, he was transformed into a pickle and used office condiments as well as a stapler to patch a wound.
 
== [[Other Media]] ==
 
== [[Real Life]] ==
 
 
{{reflist}}