History Main / AttackTheTail

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

* In ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'', there's hardly an episode where a tail isn't crushed, burned, severed, or hurt in any other way. Tom is the usual victim.

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'': In [[MultiMookMelee Salmon Run]] mode, this is the [[AttackItsWeakPoint key]] to defeating three types of [[MiniBoss Boss Salmonids]] that players will encounter:

** Steel Eels function as long, winding, moving barriers, and can splat a player in just two hits. While almost the entire craft is completely impervious to any damage, the only weak point on the machine is its driver at the very back, and if they are killed, the rest of the contraption will be demolished.

Compare AimForTheHorn, GroinAttack, LiteralAssKicking, PainToTheAss. See also AmusingInjuries and BackStab.

Compare AimForTheHorn, GroinAttack, LiteralAssKicking, PainToTheAss. See also AmusingInjuries.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': In order to defeat Ganon, Link must strike at its tail in order to weaken it enough to reach its head for the finishing blow. Ganon can turn quickly to hide its tail, so Link must stun it using various means, or just roll under its legs.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' presents two examples excluding the dodongos:

*** Twinmold are two giant centipedes whose only weak points are the head and the tail.

** In the N64 games, Dodongos can only be killed if Link attacks their tails or throws a bomb at them. They later return with this vulnerability in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', though you're also given the option of shooting an arrow into their mouth.

** The Moldorm in ''VideoGame/ALinkToThePast'', ''VideoGame/LinksAwakening'', and ''Videogame/ALinkBetweenWorlds'' has a weak point (often shaped like a flower) in its tail.
** ''VideoGame/OcarinaOfTime'': In order to defeat Ganon, Link must strike at its tail in order to weaken it enough to reach its head for the finishing blow. Ganon can turn quickly to hide its tail, so Link must stun it using various means, or just roll under its legs.
** ''VideoGame/MajorasMask'' presents two examples excluding the dodongos:

** ''VideoGame/OracleOfSeasons'': The miniboss Syger (a rolling tiger) has to be hit in the globe at the end of its tail to be damaged.
** ''VideoGame/TheWindWaker'': All three forms of Puppet Ganon share one weakness; a glowing blue ball on the tail that can be struck by Light Arrows.
** In the N64 games, Dodongos can only be killed if Link attacks their tails or throws a bomb at them. They later return with this vulnerability in ''VideoGame/TwilightPrincess'', though you're also given the option of shooting an arrow into their mouth.

* The 90s TVB-adaptation of ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' have Wukong born in the pilot episode, firstly as a rampaging giant monster until his tail is severed by the heaven's Marshal Heavenly Mugwort turning Wukong back to a child-like, ape-form. In the sequel series, ''Journey to the West 2'', the first story arc introduces the Six Eared Macaque, another monkey demon similar to Wukong, who starts off as a rampaging monster as well whose weakness is his tail (which reduces him to a juvenile monkey form once it's severed).

* ComicBook/GastonLagaffe is once hurt by someone stepping on the tail of a kangaroo costume he is wearing. There is no official explanation, but a character speculates that the seamstress forgot a needle in an unfortunate place when sewing the tail on.

* Joanna, [[EvilPoacher Percival McLeach's]] pet goanna from ''[[WesternAnimation/TheRescuers The Rescuers Down Under]]'', was actually also tricked into biting her own tail at one point in the film.

* Film/KingKongVsGodzilla is famous for this trope.

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': A common tactic against people with tails.
** Imp's BerserkButton is having her tail pulled, and it's been cut off a few times, which hurts ''a lot''. Likely also related to how it's a spot that also has FantasticArousal.

* Whoo boy, the ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' ''loves'' this trope. If a monster has a tail which it uses for executing a TailSlap, chances are that it will be severed after a lengthy battle against the Ultra.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI''
** This is a way to get cool weapons (normally axes and swords). If you're fighting any giant boss or miniboss with a tail (usually a dragon), you can almost always cut it off and get a special weapon out of it. It also greatly reduces the range of their TailSlap attack if they have one (which they usually do).

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''
** The Moldorm in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' and ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' has a weak point (often shaped like a flower) in its tail.
** In the N64 games, Dodongos can only be killed if Link attacks their tails or throws a bomb at them. They later return with this vulnerability in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', though you're also given the option of shooting an arrow into their mouth.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': In order to defeat Ganon, Link must strike at its tail in order to weaken it enough to reach its head for the finishing blow. Ganon can turn quickly to hide its tail, so Link must stun it using various means, or just roll under its legs.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' presents two examples excluding the dodongos:

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleOfSeasons'': The miniboss Syger (a rolling tiger) has to be hit in the globe at the end of its tail to be damaged.

** ''VideoGame/StarFox'': The tail was one of two ways to damage Monarch Dodora, the other being its two heads. Just shooting it doesn't do damage, though, you needed to make them retract into its body, then shoot the body.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2 its sequel]] 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 in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' with Peewee Piranha, where you must hit its butt.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend Holiday Star'': "Yuuya, wait! Your tail! Your tail is burnt! [[InappropriateHunger It smells delicious!]]"
[[/folder]]

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': This happens sometimes to Sylvester.

* Happens to ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' in the episode "[[Recap/JoeOrioloFelixTheCat1x13BalloonBlowerMachine Balloon Blower Machine]]"

** ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'': The boss Galdon is only vulnerable at his red-glowing tail

** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': The Earth Vellumental can only be harmed by striking its exposed extremities, but is particularly vulnerable to blows against its weak, tender tail.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' and [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2 its sequel]] 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 in ''2'' with Peewee Piranha, where you must hit its butt.

** Subverted in many instances where the ponies bite each other's tails (most notably Applejack biting Rainbow Dash's tail a total of [[RunningGag nine times]] in the series), given that this does not cause pain, nor is their intent to do so, but usually this is a method of pulling or holding each other back (in one case, Fluttershy bites Rarity's tail to save her from falling off a cliff, and Rainbow Dash does the same to Twilight the same episode, and Twilight to Pinkie in another). There is an aggressive moment, when Chrysalis bites Starlight's tail to throw her, but even then it is unlikely that Starlight's tail felt any pain.

** Subverted in many instances where the ponies bite each other's tails (most notably Applejack biting Rainbow Dash's tail a total of [[RunningGag nine times]] in the series), given that this does not cause pain, nor is their intent to do so, but usually this is a method of pulling or holding each other back (in one case, Fluttershy bites Rarity's tail to save her from falling off a cliff). There is an aggressive moment, when Chrysalis bites Starlight's tail to throw her, but even then it is unlikely that Starlight's tail felt any pain.

** In their first onscreen fight, Transfer wraps a whip around Rigodon's tail and drags him across the roof of the coach which Transfer has hijacked.

** King Crab from ''Series/UltramanAce'' has its entire tail shredded by Ace's energy drill, which ends up flying all over the place in chunks.
** Neosauraus from ''Series/UltramanDyna'', whose energy blasts can home in on targets, ends up having his tail grabbed by Dyna and used as an impromptu shield, where the monster's beam ends up severing its own tail.

** Segmeger from ''Series/UltramanTaiga'', while battling Ultraman Titas, ends up having its tail forcefully pulled off.

Compare AttackTheHorn, GroinAttack, LiteralAssKicking, PainToTheAss. See also AmusingInjuries.

Compare GroinAttack, LiteralAssKicking, PainToTheAss. See also AmusingInjuries.