Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty: Difference between revisions

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Not every character fights like the [[Knight in Shining Armor]]. Dirty fighting is a staple of many genres. Its regular appearance can mark a work as [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|more serious, 'gritty' and realistic]] (not to mention [[Darker and Edgier]]). Could also be known as "Villain Pulls A Dick Move."
Not every character fights like the [[Knight in Shining Armor]]. Dirty fighting is a staple of many genres. Its regular appearance can mark a work as [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|more serious, 'gritty' and realistic]] (not to mention [[Darker and Edgier]]). Could also be known as "Villain Pulls A Dick Move."


There are lots of ways to work more 'resourceful' combatants into scenes and stories, but the key to good dirty fighting is twofold: [[Combat Pragmatist|a willingness on the part of the fighters to use whatever is available to them]] in combat, and a willingness to use [[Manipulative Bastard|psychological]] [[Trash Talk|tricks]] in order to gain the upper hand. Inventive tactics and an ability to improvise are naturally assets. The best examples of series taking this approach to heart will see characters [[Faking the Dead|play possum]], [[Mind Screw|play head games]], and [[No Holds Barred Beatdown|play hardball as soon as things get close]]. Anything goes in a real fight, after all.
There are lots of ways to work more 'resourceful' combatants into scenes and stories, but the key to good dirty fighting is twofold: [[Combat Pragmatist|a willingness on the part of the fighters to use whatever is available to them]] in combat, and a willingness to use [[Manipulative Bastard|psychological]] [[Trash Talk|tricks]] in order to gain the upper hand. Inventive tactics and an ability to improvise are naturally assets. The best examples of series taking this approach to heart will see characters [[Faking the Dead|play possum]], [[Mind Screw|play head games]], and [[No-Holds-Barred Beatdown|play hardball as soon as things get close]]. Anything goes in a real fight, after all.


That the contents within are [[Truth in Television]] goes without saying.
That the contents within are [[Truth in Television]] goes without saying.
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* [[Hammerspace Hair]] - When used to hide sharp objects, especially common in [[Real Life]].
* [[Hammerspace Hair]] - When used to hide sharp objects, especially common in [[Real Life]].
* [[A Handful for An Eye]] - the time-honored trick of giving your foe an amateur optometry checkup with some nearby dirt or sand.
* [[A Handful for An Eye]] - the time-honored trick of giving your foe an amateur optometry checkup with some nearby dirt or sand.
* [[Hey Catch]]
* [[Hey, Catch!]]
* [[I Am Not Left Handed]]
* [[I Am Not Left-Handed]]
* [[Improvised Weapon]]
* [[Improvised Weapon]]
* [[In the Back]]
* [[In the Back]]
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* [[Kick Them While They Are Down]]
* [[Kick Them While They Are Down]]
* [[Kneecapping]]
* [[Kneecapping]]
* [[Look Behind You]]
* [[Look Behind You!]]
* [[Man Bites Man]]
* [[Man Bites Man]]
* [[Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught]]
* [[Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught]]
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* [[Standard Female Grab Area]]
* [[Standard Female Grab Area]]
* [[Talk to The Fist]] - smacking (or shooting) somebody mid-speech.
* [[Talk to The Fist]] - smacking (or shooting) somebody mid-speech.
* Many of [[The Thirty Six Stratagems]] qualify.
* Many of [[The Thirty-Six Stratagems]] qualify.
* [[Throwing the Distraction]]
* [[Throwing the Distraction]]
* [[Trap Master]]
* [[Trap Master]]
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[[Category:index]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Trying To Catch Me Fighting Dirty]]
[[Category:Trying To Catch Me Fighting Dirty]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Revision as of 02:47, 26 January 2014

Raven: Aren't ninja supposed to "fight with honor" and all that?

Ninja: Nah, you're thinking of samurai. Ninja kill silently from the darkness.
—The Last Days of Foxhound

Not every character fights like the Knight in Shining Armor. Dirty fighting is a staple of many genres. Its regular appearance can mark a work as more serious, 'gritty' and realistic (not to mention Darker and Edgier). Could also be known as "Villain Pulls A Dick Move."

There are lots of ways to work more 'resourceful' combatants into scenes and stories, but the key to good dirty fighting is twofold: a willingness on the part of the fighters to use whatever is available to them in combat, and a willingness to use psychological tricks in order to gain the upper hand. Inventive tactics and an ability to improvise are naturally assets. The best examples of series taking this approach to heart will see characters play possum, play head games, and play hardball as soon as things get close. Anything goes in a real fight, after all.

That the contents within are Truth in Television goes without saying.

The trope's name comes from Ridin' by Chamillionaire (and not, as you might suppose, White and Nerdy by Weird Al Yankovic).

For dirty fighting without the actual fighting, see Dirty Social Tricks.

Tropes:

See also:


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