The Paralyzer: Difference between revisions

A non-lethal version of the [[Touch of Death]], this move allows the character performing it to paralyze parts of a person's body, paralyze the entire person, or simply render them unconscious with a single judicious strike to the proper area of the body. This is distinct from the [[Tap on the Head]] in that the effect is achieved through some sort of nerve manipulation, rather than simple blunt force trauma.

 

 

 

* Although Kenshiro in ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'' mostly uses his Hokuto Shinken to make his enemies [[Touch of Death|explode messily when he touches them]], he can also use it to create less messy effects, including paralysis and even healing of blindness.

* [[The Obi-Wan|Muten/Master Roshi]] of ''[[Dragon Ball]]'', as [[Paper-Thin Disguise|Jackie Chun]], can apparently paralyze someone by tapping a pressure point on their forehead.

 

 

* Tag, from the [[Nineties Anti-Hero]] team ''[[Bloodstrike]]'' had this as her superpower. Not very impressive on the battlefield, but comes in handy when you're a rotting cyborg/zombie [[Rape Is Ok When It Is Female On Male|trying to get laid]].

* The comic version of Kevin from ''[[Sin City]]'' apparently has the ability to make limbs go numb from certain strikes.

 

 

* In ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'', both Master Oogway and main villain Tai Lung are able to paralyze their enemies with a series of pinpoint nerve strikes.

* This trope is named for the signature [[Calling Your Attacks|Called Attack]] of the main villain <s>Master Pain</s> [[Names to Run Away From Really Fast|Betty]] in ''[[Kung Pow|Kung Pow: Enter the Fist]]'', a parody of 70's Kung Fu films.

* In ''[[Serenity]]'', the Operative paralyzes people by pinching selective nerve clusters, rendering them unable to escape or resist while he executes them. {{spoiler|He's defeated by Mal after his attack fails to work; Mal's nerve cluster was moved in surgery due to a war injury.}}

 

 

* The Vulcan Nerve Pinch is spoofed in the ''[[Beavis and Butthead]]'' book "The Butt Files". In a ''Star Trek'' parody, Butt-head uses the pinch on Beavis just for fun. When a female crew members asks if he's okay, Butt-head hits on her and grabs her butt, knocking her out. Then he decides to spank his monkey... and knocks ''himself'' out.

* ''[[Artemis Fowl]]'' has Butler and Juliet do this alot.

* The titular Deprivers from the book by Steven Elliot-Altman.

* The protagonist from ''[[The Rook]]'' has this as a sub-set of her powers.

 

 

* In ''[[Star Trek]]'', the Vulcan Nerve Pinch serves as the "render fully unconscious" version of this move, and was invented on the spot by Leonard Nimoy, who felt that the blunt trauma [[Tap on the Head]] did not fit with Spock's character.

* ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]]'' was familiar with pressure point techniques due to time spent studying and conquering in the Far East, but mostly preferred to simply hack her enemies up with good ol' fashioned bladed weapons.

 

 

** Several creatures can do this, like ghouls or ghasts or carrion crawlers or... well, too many to list.

** This is also what the ''Hold'' spells do, though they don't require a touch.

** Assassins (and most other classes with the ability) can use their Death Attack to paralyze rather than kill. Most don't.

* In ''[[Exalted]]'', this is one of the things that the Ebon Shadow Style of Celestial Martial Arts can do.

* Parlaying a person limb by limb is one use of Pressure Secrets in ''[[GURPS]]''.

** There's also the Partial Petrification spell.

 

 

* ''[[Pokémon]]'' has the fighting move "Force Palm" which has a chance of paralyzing the opponent.

* In ''Super [[Punch-Out!!]]'', the Bruiser brothers can render one of your arms useless for ten seconds, making it impossible to punch with it or to block. The arm thus "broken" turns red until it heals.

 

 

* Ki mistress Chaka learned this trick in her first week at [[Super-Hero School]] Whateley Academy in the [[Whateley Universe]], when a ninja mutant thought she would hold still while he did this to her. In a school full of mutants, there are people it does not work on.

 

 

* [[Dark Chick]] Ty Lee of ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' uses chi-blocking pressure-point strikes as her signature attacks, which allow her to paralyze people, and/or take away their bending. However, she has the ability to separate the two, and take away bending or movement without affecting each other.

** The shirshu (AKA June's giant mole thing) can paralyze you by hitting you ''with its tongue''. Ouch.

* ''[[Transformers]]'': Starscream's null-rays halt all electrical pulses, which is bad news for a species of robots.

* ''[[Samurai Jack]]'' has been seen using the shoulder-pinch style paralyser on a civilian to avoid being discovered.

{{quote|"Hmm. It's half hour until lunch. *Proceeds to use shoulder pinch on HIMSELF*''}}

* ''[[Danny Phantom]]'''s [[Action Mom]] is able to do this.

 

 

* The well-known Sleeper Hold of [[Professional Wrestling]] fame could be considered this, though it works by restricting ''blood'' flow to the brain, rather than affecting nerve signals.

** Similarly, many use a "nerve strike/pinch" type of signature maneuver, obviously playing up to this trope, especially those with a martial arts gimmick.

[[Category:Toxic Tropes]]

[[Category:Combat Tropes]]