History Main / AttackTheTail

* At the end of ''Disney/TheJungleBook'', Mowgli actually defeats [[BigBad Shere Khan]] by literally burning off his tail using a tree branch that apparantly caught fire as a result of it being hit by lightning. Unfortunately, it's revealed in the sequel that such was actually a bad idea, and [[KnightofCerebus Mowgli learned it the hard way.]]

* At the end of ''Disney/TheJungleBook'', Mowgli actually defeats [[BigBad Shere Khan]] by literally burning off his tail using a tree branch that apparantly caught fire as a result of it being hit by lightning.

* This is a way to get cool weapons (normally axes) in ''DarkSouls'', as seen with the Belfry Gargoyles, the Gaping Dragon, and Seathe The Scaleless.

Compare GroinAttack. See also AmusingInjuries.

** In ''TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', in order to defeat Ganon, you must hit his tail.

* The Serapede in ''GearsOfWar'' is an EliteMook that mostly invincible with the exception of its weak point: the tail.

* One of the penultimate tactics in the ''MonsterHunter'' games against any big monster with a tail is to attack the tail enough that it gets cut off/cracked/broken, among other parts of their body. Doing so rewards you with more rare items and creates more openings in the monster's defenses (like their tail attack's range get shorter, or they flinch more when an attack hits their tail stump.)

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and [[SuperMarioGalaxy2 its sequel]] both have Dino Piranha bosses that Mario can defeat only by attacking the bulb at the end of their tail, knocking it up to strike their head.
** A variation occurs with Peewee Piranha in ''SuperMarioGalaxy2'', where you must hit its butt.

** Also, [[BigBad Bowser]] from ''SuperMario64'', who is actually defeated by being grabbed by the tail and being thrown across the arena.

* One of the penultimate tactics in the MonsterHunter games against any big monster with a tail is to attack the tail enough that it gets cut off/cracked/broken, among other parts of their body. Doing so rewards you with more rare items and creates more openings in the monster's defenses (like their tail attack's range get shorter, or they flinch more when an attack hits their tail stump.)

** In ''[[{{ptitle6ibfdbcv}} Majora's Mask]]'', Dodongos can be killed only if Link attacks the tail or throws a bomb at them.

* ''TomAndJerry''

* In ''KungFuPanda'', Tai Lung is tricked into biting his own tail in the final battle, causing the giant anthropomorphic snow leopard voiced by Ian [=McShane=] to make a comedic kittenish "mew!" which would be familiar to any cat owner who has trodden on his pet's tail.

* In [[MegaManZero Mega Man Zero 3]], it's possible to chop off the tail of one of the earlier bosses. However, this doesn't seem to have a significant effect on the battle.

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

* During the WizardDuel from ''Disney/TheSwordintheStone'', Merlin at one point actually tricks Mad Madam Mim (who is turned into a rattlesnake) into biting her own tail (Merlin, as a mouse, actually attempts to try it himself while Mim is still a tiger).
** Joanna, [[EvilPoacher Percival McLeach's]] pet goanna from [[Disney/TheRescuers ''The Rescuers Down Under'']], was actually also tricked into biting her own tail at one point in the film.

* During the WizardsDuel from ''Disney/TheSwordintheStone'', Merlin at one point actually tricks Mad Madam Mim (who is turned into a rattlesnake) into biting her own tail (Merlin, as a mouse, actually attempts to try it himself while Mim is still a tiger).

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and [[''SuperMarioGalaxy2'' its sequel]] both have Dino Piranha bosses that Mario can defeat only by attacking the bulb at the end of their tail, knocking it up to strike their head.

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and ''SuperMarioGalaxy2 its sequel'' both have Dino Piranha bosses that Mario can defeat only by attacking the bulb at the end of their tail, knocking it up to strike their head.

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and its sequel both have Dino Piranha bosses that Mario can defeat only by attacking the bulb at the end of their tail, knocking it up to strike their head.

* In ''DragonBall Z'', the Saiyans' tails are their weak point. If you hold onto their tails, they are in so much pain it immobilizes them (e.g., Goku, Gohan and Raditz). Subverted later, when it turns out that Vegeta and Nappa don't have this shortcoming (because of their training), and when the Z fighters make a break for their tails, it ends up backfiring because it didn't immobilizing the Saiyans like they expected, leaving them open targets. Played straight later, though, when Yajirobi cuts off Vegeta's tail to return him to human form after he'd transformed into his Oozoro form.

* There is the tale of salting a bird's tail so that it doesn't fly away. It has been played with in many cartoons, such as the first WoodyWoodpecker cartoon.

* In ''TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'', in order to defeat Ganon, you must hit his tail.
* In ''[[{{ptitle6ibfdbcv}} Majora's Mask]]'', Dodongos can be killed only if Link attacks the tail or throws a bomb at them.
* In ''TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', the Goron Mines dungeons had fire-breathing salamanders with armor that only left their tail exposed as a weak point.

* In ''DragonBall Z'', the Saiyans' tails are their weak point, if you hold onto their tails they are in so much pain it immobilizes them (ex: Goku, Gohan and Raditz). Subverted later, when it turns out that Vegeta and Nappa don't have this short coming (because of their training), and when the Z fighters make a break for their tails, it ends up backfiring because it didn't immobilizing the Saiyans like they expected, leaving them open targets. Played straight later though, when Yajirobi cuts off Vegeta's tail to return him to human form after he'd transformed into his Oozoro form.

* In ''KungFuPanda'', Tai Lung is tricked into biting his own tail in the final battle, causing the giant anthropomorphic snow leopard voiced by Ian [=McShane=] to make a comedic kittenish "mew!" which would be familiar to any cat-owner who has trodden on one's pet's tail.

[[AC:Old Wives' Tale]]
* There is the tale of salting a bird's tail so that it doesn't fly away. It has been played with in many cartoons; the first WoodyWoodpecker cartoon, for instance.

* In ''[[{{ptitle6ibfdbcv}} Majora's Mask]]'', Dodongos can only be killed by attacking the tail or by throwing a bomb at them.

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and its sequel both have Dino Piranha bosses that could only be defeated by attacking the bulb at the end of their tail, knocking it up to strike their head.

* ''LooneyTunes'': happens sometimes for Sylvester.