History Main / CoolSword

Recording the sheer number of characters who use swords in media would make for a VERY long trope. Basically, name any [[TheHero hero]] from a HeroicFantasy series or an {{RPG}} ([[HeroesPreferSwords of any genre]]), and chances are he'll be using a sword. Thus, this trope should be reserved for ''cool'' swords; those with some exceptional quality, name, or power. Not just any old sword will do.

** And then Lloyd can combine the two into a [[{{BFS}} bigass purple sword as big as himself]] which he then [[LimitBreak slams the ground with, killing pretty much anything that isn't a boss.]]

*** The Gunblades behave nothing like pistol swords. They don't fire projectiles, have a barrel, or make any kind of [[RuleOfCool mechanical sense]]. Pulling the trigger makes the blade emit an explosion that[[NoKillLikeOverkill blows up the target from the inside while the blade is passing through them]]. Which is [[StuffBlowingUp fine]]... It was one of the few absurdities in [[FinalFantasyVIII FF8]] that was fun to use, gameplay-wise.

* Rapier: Ho haha guard turn parry dodge spin ha thrust. The favorite weapon of TheCavalierYears, where swashbuckling heroes and {{Pirates}} roamed. Expect ImplausibleFencingPowers and lots of {{Flynning}}.

* In ''BookOfTheNewSun'', Severian's executioner's sword "Terminus Est" has a hollow blade half filled with mercury, with the intent of causing its balance to shift when making a decapitating strike from above, thus making the strike more effective.

* [[LadyOfWar Signum's]] Laevatein from ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' is a mechnical sword that can [[FlamingSword burst into flame]], split into sections as a WhipSword, and [[BifurcatedWeapon combine with its sheath]] [[TheArcher to form a bow]].

* ''{{Berserk}}'': The Dragon Slayer.

* Fittingly enough the first-ever RealLife entry for this trope goes to TerryPratchett, who in commemoration of his own knighting acquired the material to forge [[http://www.paulkidby.com/news/apr2010.html his very own sword,]] out of genuine ThunderboltIron.

* Fittingly enough the first-ever RealLife entry for this trope goes to TerryPratchett, who in commemoration of his own knighting acquired the material to forge [[http://www.paulkidby.com/news/apr2010.html his very own sword.]] Out of ''meteorite.''

[[folder:Video Games]]

This trope is OlderThanDirt, because the sword is a very, very old weapon and there are tons of [[PublicDomainArtifact examples from mythology]]. Possibly the most iconic CoolSword of all, however, is {{Excalibur}}, the sword the Lady in the Lake gave to King Arthur (which [[{{Excaliburn}} wasn't]] the SwordInTheStone).

* [[{{King Arthur}} Excaliber]], anyone?
** The original SwordInTheStone was also a CoolSword. It was named Caliburnus. Excalibur was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake after Caliburnus broke. Many people, when retelling the legend of Arthur, combine the two into one sword and call it Excalibur. But, to be frank, it wasn't his sword that let him do what he did, it was his magic belt of invincibility.

* The Makulan Sword used by the first Swordsman. Made by the Mandarin, it had a numrous weapons built in, including disintegrator rays, and a flamethrower.

* In the ''Song of Roland'', we have [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durandal Durandal]], [[{{Marathon}} No, not that one.]], the sowrd of Charlemagne's paladin, Roland. Said to be indestructable, in addition to containing various holy relics in its hilt, including a tooth of St. Peter, blood of St. Basil, and a hair of St. Denis.

**** ... which exists because [[SamuelLJackson Samuel L Jackson]] requested it;

** Garland's sword in ''[=~Dissidia: Final Fantasy~=]'' is not only so large that he has to drag it around since he can't hold it high, but it can [[BifurcatedWeapon split into two swords]] as well as turn into a hammer, a lance and [[WhipSword a whip]].

* Balian of Ibelin inherits his father's sword in KingdomOfHeaven. The DVD features include a piece on how they went about making the sword to look as cool as possible without compromising its functionality.

* In the newest Film/StarTrek film, when asked what his specialty was in combat, Sulu answers "fencing." Kirk has the proper reaction of groan. And then it comes down to using it, and Sulu brings out a [[KatanasAreJustBetter collapsible-blade katana]] from his waist. You only stop to think of the logic of it for two seconds before you go "Holy SHIT I want one."

* The sword Will makes for James Norrington in the first {{Pirates of the Caribbean}} shows up in all the sequels and is regularly noted as a "nice sword."

*** Mace Windu, Jaina, and Anakin Solo have the relatively rare purple;

* The sword of the titular hero in ''LegendOfTheSeeker''.

* The sword of the titular hero in 'Legend of the Seeker'.

* ''{{Bleach}}''. [[SoYeah That is all]].