History Main / ExplosiveLeash

* In ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'', the nine participants in the Nonary Game have swallowed bombs that will activate when they break the rules of the game. [[spoiler:As it turns out, only the 9th Man actually had a bomb inside him, alongside non-participant "Guy X" aka Nijisaki.]]

* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'': The Riddler fashions a bunch of these in his final, most diabolical challenge. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Batman makes sure to repay him in kind.]]

* Like in the comics example above, in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', all members of the eponymous squad (save Rick Flag and Katana, [[TokenGoodTeammate who are there to keep Task Force X in check]]) have bombs implanted in their necks. If any of them get any ideas about escaping, then YourHeadASplode. ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'' carries this forward.

** In "Bounty", the crew of the Liberator are captured by SpacePirates who force them to wear explosive collars until they can be handed over to the Federation. [[MasterOfUnlocking Vila]] is able to remove Blake's, who used it moments later to blow up a guard. Then there's a MexicanStandoff between a character pointing a gun at the pirate leader, who's holding the activator to a leash warn by his own daughter. Fortunately Blake intervenes and the pirate tries to activate Blake's collar instead, only he's removed it.

* ''Anime/CyberCityOedo808'' had its main characters fitted with explosive collars to ensure they would carry out their missions. When a fellow convict goes rogue and tries to take the collar off in front of one of the three main characters, the audience gets to see the collar explode. [[YourHeadASplode It's not pretty]].

** SCP-076 from wears one of these. It's been activated several times: since 076 has ResurrectiveImmortality, killing him is merely a means to temporarily stop him if he goes on a rampage.

* In ''[[VideoGame/MegaManAndBass Rockman & Forte]]'', Burner Man was told that he had this and the only way he could stop from destroying his body was to destroy the forests. Ultimately subverted, as King lied about it to Burner Man when recruiting him.

* In ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'', a bunch of people are trapped somewhere with no escape, equipped with bracelets loaded with both a sleeping drug that is administered at regular intervals and a poison to execute them should they pull a specific Forbidden Action, and forced to play a DeadlyGame. [[spoiler:The person who manages to free the remaining survivors (Juzo Sakakura) must ''[[AnArmAndALeg cut off the arm where his bracelet is]]'' before shutting down the whole system, [[HeroicSacrifice and dies of blood loss for it]]. Plus someone else (Kyoko Kirigiri) manages to cheat out the system by secretly retrieving a poison that one of the victims had been working on and ''then'' breaking the rules to protect the person most important to her (Makoto Naegi); she ''almost'' dies for it.]]

** Originally "The Stick", as it was affectionately known, was an explosive bracelet slapped to the wrist of each squad member. However, they eventually figured out ways to disable the bracelets so ComicBook/AmandaWaller switched to implanting microbombs in their skulls. Later animated adaptations and the [[Film/SuicideSquad2016 live-action film]] use the latter.

* Like in the comics example above, in ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', all members of the eponymous squad (save Rick Flag and Katana, [[TokenGoodTeammate who are there to keep Task Force X in check]]) have bombs implanted in their necks. If any of them get any ideas about escaping, then YourHeadASplode.

See also WhyAmITicking, StrappedToABomb, BoxedCrook, and YourHeadASplode. For non-exploding examples, consider a RestrainingBolt, SlaveCollar, or ShockCollar.

* ''Manga/{{Cyborg 009}}'' uses this with a spin. [[spoiler: Shinichi Ibaraki, Mary Onodera and Masaru Oyamada]] were not only forcibly turned into Cyborgs, but they got bombs implanted ''within their bodies'' as a way to keep them under control in their mission. [[spoiler: Said mission was to kill their former [[TrueCompanions True Companion]] Joe Shimamura aka 009; when they cannot bring themselves to do it, the bombs are activated, and the three kids die.]]
* In ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'', a bunch of people are trapped somewhere with no escape, equipped with bracelets loaded with both a sleeping drug that is administered at regular intervals and a poison to execute them should they pull a specific Forbidden Action, and forced to play a DeadlyGame. [[spoiler:The person who manages to free the remaining survivors (Juzo Sakakura) must ''[[AnArmAndALeg cut off the arm where his bracelet is]]'' before shutting down the whole system, [[HeroicSacrifice and dies of blood loss for it]]. Plus someone else (Kyoko Kirigiri) manages to cheat out the system by secretly retrieving a poison that one of the victims had been working on and ''then'' breaking the rules to protect the person most important to her (Makoto Naegi); she ''almost'' dies for it.]]

* In ''Anime/DigimonSavers,'' Kurata puts one of these on [[spoiler: ''Thomas's little sister, Relena''. An 8-year-old or so IllGirl confined to a wheelchair! It turns out Thomas's apparent FaceHeelTurn was due to his having to obey Kurata long enough to find a way to save her.]] There's a ''reason'' this guy is considered the worst in the whole ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' franchise.

* In ''{{Manga/Gantz}}'', the 'players' have bombs implanted in their brains, which will explode if they leave the area. Most of them are unaware of this fact.

* The {{slave collar}}s in the Magical World of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''. The collars can't be removed by any kind of magic while the slave contract is legal. If someone tries to remove the collar by force, the collar will go boom. The "masters" of the slaves can also use the collars to ''[[ElectricTorture shock]]'' them.
** Curiously enough, they also serve as a surveillance device to protect slaves from ''excessive'' abuse, as slaves are guaranteed ''some'' abridged rights.

* The ''modus operandi'' of the "Task Force X" a.k.a. the ''Comicbook/SuicideSquad'', starting with ''[[ComicBook/LegendsDC Legends]]''. In one issue, Captain Boomerang convinces Slipknot that they aren't real bombs, and encourages him to make a run for it... because he wanted to see for himself whether or not they were real. Seeing Slipknot's arm get blown off confirmed that they were.

* ''VideoGame/Fallout3''

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon 2}}'s [[ExpansionPack Octo Expansion]]'' has [[PlayerCharacter Agent 8]] fitted with an explosive bag of cyan ink at the start of every test chamber. Some of the test chambers have particular rules, and if Agent 8 violates those rules (like [[EscortMission losing an 8-ball]], [[TimedMission running out of time]], or [[NoDamageRun taking damage at any point]]), train conductor/test proctor C.Q. Cumber remotely detonates it with an unceremonious "Test Failed", and not even MercyInvincibility can save you. Thankfully, DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist even in-universe; it's just a way to get Agent 8 to the nearest respawn point, with Kamabo Co. happily gathering data from your failure (which your MissionControl can steal and alter [[MercyMode to trick them into thinking you've succeeded if you so wish]]). But the [[NintendoHard frequency to which players will find themselves exploding]] still makes it creepy enough to earn C.Q. Cumber MemeticPsychopath status among the fanbase.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* The Seedings in ''[[{{Webcomic/Morphe}} morphE]]'' wear these after the first chapter. If they attempt to leave the mansion then the collars will activate. It's implied that they are also used for tracking.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation''

* In ''[[Creator/SimonRGreen Blood And Honor]]'', Prince Dominic has a secret traitor among Prince Victor's supporters, to feed him information and take covert action in the brothers' rivalry for the throne of Redhart. Dominic "recruited" this traitor by inflicting a mortal wound to the man's chest, then using a spell to prevent the traitor from bleeding out: a spell that only Dominic knows, and that requires daily renewal.

* ''Mac Spudd'': In the old [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Macintosh]] game (based on the VideoGame/WorldBuilder engine), the protagonist has an intracranial detonator in his head. If you drive off the road, YourHeadASplode.
* This is mocked in ''VideoGame/EscapeFromMonkeyIsland'' with the "Voodoo Anklet of Extreme Discomfort" which prevents the player character from leaving Lucre Island.
* ''Shadowrun'' for the SNES has the player's character discover [[spoiler:that a cortex bomb (small, remote-controlled explosive inside one's head) has been planted in his head. Queue a frantic dash to the nearest surgeon across the city while the bomb is ticking...]]
* ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' features this with [[spoiler:Tychus Findlay]], he's a paroled convict who's been welded inside his suit of PoweredArmor, and any attempt to remove it [[spoiler: or let Kerrigan live]] will kill him.
* An emotionally-jarring example occurs in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'', after the player [[spoiler:defeats Bloodwing, Mordecai's pet that had been captured and mutated by Handsome Jack. Dropping a sarcastic one-liner, Jack activates her collar and messily blows her head off.]]
* In ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'', the nine participants in the Nonary Game have swallowed bombs that will activate when they break the rules of the game. [[spoiler:As it turns out, only the 9th Man actually had a bomb inside him, alongside non-participant "Guy X" aka Nijisaki.]]
* Although not explosive, a still very deadly kind using choking can be found in ''VideoGame/DungeonSiegeII''. It appears at the beginning of the game after the tutorial portion.
* ''Killer Queen'' has every player with one around their neck, clearly inspired by ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' (which is lampshaded in-game).
* In the ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' video game, ''Republic Heroes'', Cad Bane puts explosive handcuffs to force Captain Rex and ARF Trooper Sgt. Boomer to work for him to get a crate weapon onto his ship. When the CIS battle droids come, Cad Bane releases the link on the cuffs, but threatens them if they try anything funny (such as trying to shoot him), or if the droids get near his crate, he'll blow them to pieces.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia'' has prisoners of Fort Gandala fitted with anklets. There are also magic seals throughout the fortress where even if a prisoner escapes a cell, they can't cross them to escape outside or the anklets will blow up and kill them. A villain [[KickTheDog is quick to demonstrate this.]] [[spoiler:The anklet is put on Milla, Elize and Driselle when they're captured and thrown into the prison. Later, Milla chases the villain down and actually jumps through the seal, which shows the anklet itself doesn't blow up, but the seal shoots an explosion at the anklet remotely. Milla was traveling fast enough to evade it and attack... only for it to be revealed that the seal will do it again if the anklet isn't destroyed, which knocks Milla unconscious for a while and permanently disables her legs.]]
* Utilized in ''VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls'' in the form of the bracelets worn by the Captives, which explode if they try to leave the city. During the course of the game we see one explode and one legitimately-removed.
* In ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', this is how [[spoiler: Anna and Gunther's]] killswitches work; [[WordsCanBreakMyBones say the right passphrase,]] and they'll stutter for a moment as their augs shut down before [[LudicrousGibs blowing up spectacularly]]. [[spoiler: Nano-augmented agents like Paul and JC have a much more subtle killswitch, causing their nanites to replicate uncontrollably and pretty much turn into the [[SyntheticPlague Grey Death]]. More or less the same effect, if not as flashy.]]
* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'': The Riddler fashions a bunch of these in his final, most diabolical challenge. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Batman makes sure to repay him in kind.]]
* ''VideoGame/BatmanVengeance'': Poison Ivy's plant-parasites, like the one inside Mayor Hill's digestive tract, are a biological variation. They have to be fed with a certain plant food, or else [[BodyHorror they'll get hungry for anything else available]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon 2}}'s [[ExpansionPack Octo Expansion]]'' has [[PlayerCharacter Agent 8]] fitted with an explosive bag of cyan ink at the start of every test chamber. Some of the test chambers have particular rules, and if Agent 8 violates those rules (like [[EscortMission losing an 8-ball]], [[TimedMission running out of time]], or [[NoDamageRun taking damage at any point]]), train conductor/test proctor C.Q. Cumber remotely detonates it with an unceremonious "Test Failed", and not even MercyInvincibility can save you. Thankfully, DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist even in-universe; it's just a way to get Agent 8 to the nearest respawn point, with Kamabo Co. happily gathering data from your failure (which your MissionControl can steal and alter [[MercyMode to trick them into thinking you've succeeded if you so wish]]). But the [[NintendoHard frequency to which players will find themselves exploding]] still makes it creepy enough to earn C.Q. Cumber MemeticPsychopath status among the fanbase.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}} 5'' Shaper Rawal implants a number of his servants (including the player character) with a control tool, a living tentacle burrowed into their chest. Mouth off to him and he uses it inflict pain, while attacking Rawal causes the tool to rip apart your heart. One of your mid-game objectives if you side with another faction is getting the damned thing out of you.
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'', the Tyrant R from File #2 is a modified T-103 model Tyrant (introduced in the earlier ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'') outfitted with an implanted explosive device to force obedience from the creature. Unfortunately, it's smart enough to not only understand this kind of RestrainingBolt, but also to [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters successfully figure out a way to neutralize it and kill its would-be masters]].
* ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRogue'': All slaves[[note]][[CrapsackWorld Yes, slavery is legal in the city]], [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil but sufficiently ''many'' people hate it]][[/note]] have bomb collars by default. If they die before you kill their master, the slave explodes with a 30 HP explosion about two seconds later[[note]]During late-game, some collars will explode ''because'' you killed their master[[/note]]. There's a special item that can disable the bomb collar, but you can also assassinate the master to automatically disable all collars, or you can just purchase the slave and free them yourself. The Slavemaster player class has the power to enslave anyone they taser into submission, turning them into walking bombs with fists, but some slaves will mutiny despite the suicidal risk to themselves.

* In ''Webcomic/TwoEvilScientists'', Eggman installs a bomb in the head of Metal Sonic to keep the robot from rebelling against him. When Metal inevitably decides to rebel, [[spoiler:Eggman sets it off, only to find out that it was a pointless effort, since Metal's nanites can just rebuild his head.]]
* [[spoiler:Antimony]] in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' got to wear a lite version. After being [[LooseLips too talkative on a dangerous topic in the wrong time]] she had her wrist wrapped in the bracelet supposed to snip her hand off if she divulged [[spoiler:Coyote]]'s secret to anyone during the vacation on his territory. It's obviously a part of object lesson, though he may or may not truly care about a disclosure as well. But at least it looks stylish. [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=829 It turned out]] that she's not the first to wear such an accessory.
* In trying to keep his fellow zany and/or willful cast members from messing up his attempt to save the Multiverse, [[Webcomic/{{Goats}} Jon]] "wishes" that [[LiteralGenie locked]] explosive collars [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope appear on everyone]] else, [[KickTheDog including Fish]].

* In ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'', Kin wears a cursed leash that she has been told has a 50-50 chance of exploding if she tries to remove it. She does not know if this is true, but is unwilling to test it.
* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', [[TokenEvilTeammate Belkar]] gets a Greater Mark of Justice (see D&D example) cast on him as a punishment, which will inflict a crippling and eventually fatal illness if he ever kills a creature inside a city, gets further than a mile from Roy, or ticks Roy off enough to make him activate it. When the mark is first introduced, Belkar laments the fact that they placed it on his head instead of on a body part he could just cut off.
* The Seedings in ''[[{{Webcomic/Morphe}} morphE]]'' wear these after the first chapter. If they attempt to leave the mansion then the collars will activate. It's implied that they are also used for tracking.

* [[http://www.villainsource.com/ Villain Source]] (Your Online Source For Everything Evil) has explosive collars for sale in various colors. You don't need to change the batteries either, as they blow up when the power runs out.

* ''WesternAnimation/FriskyDingo'': The Xtacles' helmets.
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', Stan fits Steve with a collar that is rigged to explode if he doesn't ask [[PerkyGoth Debbie]] out on a date within 24 hours. Unfortunately for Steve, Stan messed up while programing it and he only has ''24 minutes.''
* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/WhereOnEarthIsCarmenSandiego'', Carmen is captured and put under a KangarooCourt for the theft of the Magna Carta, despite her claims that it's NotMeThisTime. When Zack and Ivy convince the judge to let her accompany them while they hunt for evidence, Carmen is given a pair of handcuffs that will explode if she tries to remove them or fails to return within 24 hours. [[spoiler: Ultimately subverted; the moment Zack and Ivy learn that the Magna Carta hadn't actually been stolen, Carmen effortlessly removes the cuffs, reveals the "judge" as one of her henchmen, and thanks the kids for [[UnwittingPawn leading her right to the Magna Carta's hiding place.]]]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'', the Lizard army uses explosives collars to control its slaves.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAssaultOnArkham'', members of the ComicBook/SuicideSquad have explosive implants put in their heads to keep them from rebelling. Amanda Waller dares them to call her bluff; [=KGBeast=] tries and, [[YourHeadAsplode well...]] In fact, the Squad is sent into Arkham to get their hands on ComicBook/TheRiddler, who knows how to fry said chips, which is why Waller wants him dead. Riddler offers to rescue them from Waller if they'll spare his life; [[spoiler:Waller catches on partway through and trips the bombs; King Shark dies because his tough skin kept him from receiving the full electric shock required to short out the chip. Black Spider is unaffected despite the fact that he hadn't undergone the procedure yet; that tips the villains off to the fact that he's actually [[IdentityImpersonator Batman, having stolen Spider's costume]]. Spider (in Batman's costume) blows up in front of a stunned Joker.]]
* The ''WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1981'' episode "Under the Wizard's Spell" had the Wizard use an explosive collar on Medusa of the Inhumans to force her to be his accomplice in crime.

* The Japanese remake of ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' has this as the opening mystery. A junkie has swallowed a remote-detonated explosive pellet in the guise of a drug, and is then blackmailed into killing someone the VillainOfTheWeek has a grudge against, or else Your Stomach Asplode.

* In the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' RPG ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy'' any character can be outfitted with an explosive collar, and Guardsmen can take one as part of their starting equipment to imply ex-membership in a Penal Legion.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' cortex bombs are an occasional hazard of getting cyberware from an untrustworthy surgeon. They come in three yields, one that just destroys an implant they’re attached to, one that blows up your head, and one that’s basically an internal grenade.
* In ''[[TabletopGame/{{Deadlands}} Deadlands: Hell on Earth]]'' the latter the majority of Combine troops are fitted with explosive implants.

* ''TabletopGame/FengShui'' [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Abominations]], ancient demons captured by {{super soldier}}s from the future of 2056 and fitted with {{Magitek}} cyberimplants to be shock troopers for [[TheEmpire the Buro]], are fitted by default with a "cerebral grepper", a bomb that will blow their head off if they go out of control. PlayerCharacter Abominations are assumed to have had this little bit of nastiness shorted out.

* In the Kalamar D&D setting, the plague-worshiping cult of the Rotlord ensures the loyalty of its acolytes by infecting them with lethal diseases that only their superiors in the sect can cure. When an acolyte is on the verge of succumbing, they must provide their superior with evidence that they've done their job (mostly by infecting others). If they've done their work well enough, they're cured of ''that'' disease and afflicted with a new one.
* In Fanhunter the role-playing game, Fanhunter troops sometimes use captured mutants as "hounds" ("psicario", a portmanteau of psy- preffix and "sicario", Spanish for minion). To prevent those mutants from running away and from turning against the troops, the Fanhunters use one of these.
* Since it's ''Literature/BattleRoyale'': The Roleplaying Game in all but name, it's only natural that the kids of Highschool Deathmatch would have those. In their case, before the game begins they are each injected with {{nanomachines}} that both help the Supervisors locate them and track their health condition, and would extract materials from their bloodstream to construct a tiny bomb (just big enough to cause a fatal stroke) and blow it up in case they try to leave the battlefield, venture into a forbidden area, or if they're remotely triggered. One of the vital steps of any plan to "cheat the system" and escape involves finding some way of shutting the nanomachines, usually by finding a radio and the correct codes.

* In ''VideoGame/RatchetDeadlocked'', all contestants of the [=DreadZone=] show, including Ratchet, Clank and Al, are fitted with one of these called a Deadlock Collar. Straying into a restricted area will cause the wearer to be electrocuted, whilst behaving unco-operatively or worse, boring, will cause the collar to blow their heads off (both actions can also be done on command). This factors into gameplay as well; if during the co-op mode the two players stray too far from each other, a timer will start for 15 seconds for them to get closer together. If they don't, they lose a bit of weight in the upper body area.
* Brad has one in ''VideoGame/WildARMs2'' to force his joining the team. Ironically, an enemy that creates an exact duplicate of Brad is killed when the bomb is duplicated as well and explodes.
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'': Everyone who in the Prisoner's D Block. Interestingly, it is possible by random chance to remove the bomb; but the [[GameplayAndStorySegregation plot forces you to go through the required fighting anyways.]]
* In episode 2 of ''VideoGame/StrongBadsCoolGameForAttractivePeople'', Strong Bad is outfitted with one of these for not paying the King of Town's email tax: it's set to go off if Strong Bad tries to leave his house. Fortunately, the blast produced is [[NonFatalExplosions only enough to blacken Strong Bad's face and knock him back into the house]] if the player tries leaving.

* British 1980's science fiction comic ''Starblazer'', issue 174 "The Terminator". On the planet Glasis V, those who disagree with Judge Drax have explosive collars fastened around their necks before being exiled.

* ''ComicBook/StarWarsDoctorAphra'': During the ''Catastrophe Con'' arc, Aphra is held aboard an Imperial PrisonShip, where all the inmates are implanted with bombs that go off if they stray too far from their assigned guard droid. [[spoiler: At the end of the arc, Aphra escapes with the aid of a fellow prisoner, who turns out to be a disguised [[MadScientist Dr. Evazan]]; he decides [[ItAmusedMe it'd be amusing]] to implant his bomb in [[KillerRobot Triple-Zero]] and link it to Aphra's, [[ChainedHeat trapping them with each other]].]]
* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': The mutants in Weapon X receive bug-sized neural implants, to kill anyone who tries to escape instead of proceeding with the tasked mission.

* Cult film ''Hell Comes to Frogtown'' has a particularly painful example, in that the bomb is strapped to the male protagonist's ''[[GroinAttack groin]]''.
* ''Film/{{Swordfish}}'' ups the ante by also equipping the collars with over two kilograms of stainless steel ball bearings, turning each hostage into "the world's largest claymore mines."
* The movie adaption of ''Film/TheRunningMan'' has explosive collars fitted to the prisoners at the labor camp where Schwarzenegger's character is detained. Of course, one guy makes a run for it before the system is fully disabled, and LudicrousGibs ensue. Notably, however, they're only able to disable the remote trigger system itself and need to find other means of removing the still-very-explosive collars themselves (which can still be inadvertedly activated if fiddled with).
* ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'':
** ''Film/SawIII'' features an explosive collar made with shotgun shells placed around Dr. Lynn Denlon's neck, set to explode if Jigsaw (who is bedridden with terminal cancer) dies, thereby forcing her to keep him alive. [[spoiler:It goes off when her husband, not knowing about this trigger, slashes Jigsaw's throat as revenge for all he put them through.]] It's also possible [[spoiler:she was screwed either way, since the collar was made by Amanda, whose traps were all inescapable and the key Amanda carried didn't fit the lock of the collar.]]
** Art Blank from ''Film/SawIV'', another apparent villain in the series, turns out to have one, in the form of a [[RestrainingBolt device attached to his back]] that would sever his spinal cord at the neck if he doesn't follow Jigsaw's instructions for Rigg's test.
* In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', Anakin tells us that explosive implants helped keep the slaves from running away.
* In ''Film/{{Wedlock}}'' (a.k.a. ''Deadlock''), pairs of prisoners are fitted with explosive collars. They can be detonated on command, and explode automatically if the two prisoners get too far away from each other.
** The kicker being you didn't know who your collar was paired with, so all the prisoners would spend more time keeping eyes on each other instead of planning escapes... it didn't work.
* A explosive vest was placed upon Jackie Chan in the second ''{{Supercop}}'' movie to force him to commit crimes for them. Timed detonation, also triggered by remote control.
* In ''Film/TheHurtLocker'' an Iraqi man has a bomb strapped to his chest and forced to approach the EOD specialists in order to blow them up with him. Sadly, the protagonists can't get it off in time and are forced to abandon the man to save their own necks.
* In ''Film/Transporter3'', the CorruptCorporateExecutive of the film fits several characters (including the lead) with explosive bracelets that prevent them from getting more than 50 feet from their car.

* In ''Film/MissionImpossibleIII'', two characters have this done to them. One dies in the first five minutes of the movie, Ethan survives by shocking himself, which somehow doesn't set it off.

* The cyborg slavers in ''Film/FutureWar'' use dinosaur bloodhounds fixed with explosive collars, which activate upon death. "[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 No wonder fossils are so rare]]."
* Used famously in ''Film/BattleRoyale'' to prevent the children from refusing to kill one another. Or as punishment speaking out of turn, as demonstrated on one boy.

* ''Film/TheShepherdBorderPatrol'': Near the end of the film, the villain, Benjamin Meyers takes Van Damme's character as a captive by strapping an exploding collar on him, intending to deal with him in a slowly and painfully for getting in his drug dealing business. Van Damme managed to deactivate the collar however, and in the penultimate showdown, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard he simply use that collar to blow up Meyers instead]].
* ''Film/ThirtyMinutesOrLess'' is a take on the Brain Wells case below... as a comedy, with a pizza delivery boy strapped with a bomb so he can rob a bank so that two heirs can hire a hit man to kill their father and claim his inheritance.
* The Fabricants in ''Film/CloudAtlas'' are fitted with collars containing a small explosive, not big enough to cause anyone else harm but enough to burst the jugular of the Fabricant.
* In ''Film/{{Quick}}'', the villain places a bomb in the courier's helmet to ensure he complies with his instructions. To make matters worse, the courier's ex-girlfriend ends up being the one to put the helmet on.

* The freerunners in ''Film/{{Freerunner}}'' are kept in line with explosive collars.
* Like in the comics example above, in Film/SuicideSquad2016, all members of the eponymous squad (save Rick Flag and Katana, [[TokenGoodTeammate who are there to keep Task Force X in check]]) have bombs implanted in their necks. If any of them get any ideas about escaping, then YourHeadASplode.
* In ''Film/Triple9'', Michael attaches bombs to two of the guards in the Homeland Security building to ensure the cooperation of them and the rest of the guards. He blows the ankle of one them to show he is not bluffing.

* ''Literature/WeAreLegionWeAreBob'': [[{{TheTheocracy}} FAITH]] puts a killswitch in Bob's code, in addition to a physical bomb. Bob chucks the bomb first chance he gets, then spends a few years getting rid of all the killswitches and loyalty triggers hidden in his code.

* [[AcademyOfEvil Radham Academy]] from ''Literature/{{Twig}}'' uses something that Academy scientists call the "chemical leash:" all of its experimental creatures are dependent on a chemical that the Academy has placed in Radham's water. Experiments that try to leave the town will rapidly sicken and die.
* ''Literature/TheLongEarth'' series:
** Humanity learns how to "step" from [[TheEarthPrimeTheory Datum Earth]] to neighboring parallel Earths. This poses problems of social control for more authoritarian governments. UsefulNotes/NorthKorea hits on the idea of forcing its citizens to wear control boxes, primed to fire a modified crossbow bolt into their hearts the moment they Step out of their state's control.
** A prisoner in ''[[Literature/TheLongEarth The Long War]]'' gets a more primitive crossbow secured by an iron pin attached to him pointing at his heart. If he tries to escape by dimension hopping, the pin will stay behind.
* ''Literature/WarGirls'': During a hostage situation, the War Girls strap C-4 to the hostages and threaten to detonate them if the Nigerians attack.
* In ''Literature/Rule34'' the Toymaker thinks he has one of these in his head. [[spoiler: He's almost right; its actually a remote controlled stent in his carotoid artery.]]

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[[quoteright:300:[[Manga/OnePiece https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Explosive_collar_2808.jpg]]]]
[-[[caption-width-right:300:The most effective way of keeping slaves in line.]]-]

->'''Ms. Bitters:''' No leaving class without a hall pass, Zim.\\
'''Zim:''' Of course.\\
''[Ms. Bitters places a collar around Zim's neck]''\\
'''Ms. Bitters:''' If you leave school grounds, it will ''explode''.
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''

%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes tab.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** The slave traders of Sabaody Archipelago keep their stock in collars that explode if anyone tries to remove them without the proper key. Unless, of course, the victim is Silvers Rayleigh and can pull it off quickly enough. Amazingly, they ''[[NonFatalExplosion were not killed]]'' by the explosion (or being shot afterward), though they are immediately taken back into custody.
** There also exist versions to be put on the person's hands; this isn't necessarily lethal either, but it is enough [[AnArmAndALeg to blow up the offender's hands to kingdom come]]. [[spoiler:Vinsmoke Judge had some put around his son Sanji's hands to force him into going through his ArrangedMarriage to Big Mom's daughter Pudding, since Sanji treasures his hands as being his tools for cooking. Worse, only Big Mom has the keys. Luckily, Sanji's sister [[TokenGoodTeammate Reiju]] was clever enough to put ''non-working'' cuffs on him.]]
** Queen of the Beasts Pirates developed a variant of the collar that uses blades instead of explosives. He uses them for a sumo wrestling DeadlyGame used to execute defiant prisoners in their labor camp, with the collars being set to activate and decapitate their wearers should they get knocked out of the ring. As a demonstration of their lethality, he puts a collar around a stone pillar which gets broken in half by the blades springing forth.

* In ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'', [[spoiler: Izutsumi was subjected to a curse, written around her neck, that would summon a Yamanba to kill her without regular contact being made with Maizuru. Marcille attempted to dispel the curse, but due to Izutsumi's movements the summoning was triggered instead with Laios and Senshi killing it in the middle of a lesson on the proper way to hold a spoon.]]
* In ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'', Keima gets a collar after inadvertently making a contract with Elsee, a minor demon, to capture wayward spirits. Elsee doesn't go into detail on what would happen if Keima disobeys, apart from an ominous "you'll lose your head". Elsee has a collar as well, and if Keima's goes off, so does ''hers'', so she's got a vested interest in making sure he follows through. This applies to the other demon-human buddy pairs as well.

* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' does it with the Gurren Lagann itself -- Simon [[spoiler:was scheduled to be executed]], but he still ''had to'' kick some alien butt before it reached the city, so he asked [[spoiler:Rossiu]] to have his HumongousMecha packed with explosives. To insure he didn't make a HeroicSacrifice, they also had Kittan's sister Kinon ride along in the mech, herself carrying several explosive ''strapped to her chest'' (note that she volunteered to do this), because Simon definitely wouldn't sacrifice ''someone else's'' life.
* In ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'', the space pirate Argo Gulskii was persuaded to become Neo Russia's Gundam Fighter after his crew were captured, so to gain their freedom if he wins the Gundam Fight. He however is a prisoner for life, which means he must wear handcuffs all the time (which have an on-off switch), and has a bomb strapped to his chest. However [[spoiler: Just before the final battle against the Devil Gundam, his 'prison warden' Nastasha Zabicov removes the handcuffs and the bomb against orders so he can fight freely. She also frees his friends while she's at it.]]
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'''s sidestory manga use explosive collars on criminals "drafted" into Celestial Being's sister organization, Fereshte. While the collared individuals are given more freedom than most examples of this trope, the collar is never intended to be removed, though rare exceptions are made, such as when one got married to a member of the groups [[spoiler: Said ex-collared member was a woman named Marlene Vlady, the mother of BridgeBunny Feldt Grace.]]).
** Also, anyone who doesn't believe in Celestial Being's Ideology has a leash put on.
** Fon Spaak, the protagonist of ''00F'', has his bomb activated during a fight with the Trinities. He survives mostly through sheer [[{{Determinator}} determination]].
* In ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty'', when Nymph fails to capture Ikaros and awakens her instead, she's given a "second chance" with a time bomb on her collar, more for the Master's entertainment than motivation.
* In ''Manga/{{Spiral}}'', Ayumu gets one of these put on him as part of a hostage exchange/battle of wits.

* In ''Anime/DigimonSavers,'' Kurata puts one of these on [[spoiler: ''Thomas's little sister, Relena''. An 8-year-old or so IllGirl confined to a wheelchair! It turns out Thomas's apparent FaceHeelTurn was due to his having to obey Kurata long enough to find a way to save her.]] There's a ''reason'' this guy is considered the worst in the whole ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' franchise.
* In ''Anime/SonicX'', GUN did this to Rouge.
-->'''Topaz:''' Just think of it as a bracelet.
-->'''Rouge:''' Yeah, a bracelet that explodes.
* The {{slave collar}}s in the Magical World of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''. The collars can't be removed by any kind of magic while the slave contract is legal. If someone tries to remove the collar by force, the collar will go boom. The "masters" of the slaves can also use the collars to ''[[ElectricTorture shock]]'' them.
** Curiously enough, they also serve as a surveillance device to protect slaves from ''excessive'' abuse, as slaves are guaranteed ''some'' abridged rights.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'': Millenium actually implants one of these in all of their agents. Granted they don't actually explode, instead they are incinerated. It should be noted that all of the {{Mooks}} who are killed this way are vampires they are created artificially so they are vulnerable to this form of termination, while Alucard and Seras are not.

* When she's made to help Spartoi access the Book of Eibon, Eruka gets one of these in ''Manga/SoulEater''. Harvar is unnervingly matter-of-fact when pointing out she will be killed if she tries anything.
** Wouldn't be her first experience with such a leash. Early on, Medusa put snakes inside her and Mizune and would kill her in a heartbeat if she disobeyed (having actually killed Mizune to demonstrate). Of interesting note is that for a time, she had both this leash and the one above at the same time.
* ''Manga/ZeroSevenGhost'' has Teito with an collar that will explode if he doesn't hear Frau's voice for 24 hours.
* ''Manga/{{Cyborg 009}}'' uses this with a spin. [[spoiler: Shinichi Ibaraki, Mary Onodera and Masaru Oyamada]] were not only forcibly turned into Cyborgs, but they got bombs implanted ''within their bodies'' as a way to keep them under control in their mission. [[spoiler: Said mission was to kill their former [[TrueCompanions True Companion]] Joe Shimamura aka 009; when they cannot bring themselves to do it, the bombs are activated, and the three kids die.]]
* A (comparatively) light version appears in ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'', where all the prisoners are fitted with ''poisonous'' collars. The poison takes three days to kill the prisoners, in which time they have to be able to purchase the antidote [[ItMakesSenseInContext candies]]. So, if they don't get the candies, they die. If they ''escape'', they will have no way to get the candies, and die.

* In ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'', [[spoiler: Shinji gets one of these after his attempt to save Rei brings TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Kaworu puts it on himself later and makes a HeroicSacrifice.]]

* One arc of ''Manga/BattleAngelAlita'' has an important train whose escorts are given guns. Since having a gun of your own is a capital offense, they come with bombs that explode if they wander too far from the train.
* In ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'', users of the [[RazorFloss Kumoito]] weapon like Kumo and Alice are able to attach strings to a person's neck without being noticed. This allows them to listen to what the person is doing if they're in a certain range and [[NeckSnap crush their neck]] if the need comes.
* In ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'', a bunch of people are trapped somewhere with no escape, equipped with bracelets loaded with both a sleeping drug that is administered at regular intervals and a poison to execute them should they pull a specific Forbidden Action, and forced to play a DeadlyGame. [[spoiler:The person who manages to free the remaining survivors (Juzo Sakakura) must ''[[AnArmAndALeg cut off the arm where his bracelet is]]'' before shutting down the whole system, [[HeroicSacrifice and dies of blood loss for it]]. Plus someone else (Kyoko Kirigiri) manages to cheat out the system by secretly retrieving a poison that one of the victims had been working on and ''then'' breaking the rules to protect the person most important to her (Makoto Naegi); she ''almost'' dies for it.]]
* A favored tactic by various villians across ''Anime/LupinIII''.
** In ''[[Anime/LupinIIIStolenLupin Stolen Lupin]]'', one is put on a kidnapped Fujiko to force Lupin to do the whims of her captor. A similar one is later used on GirlOfTheWeek Becky to force her to shoot Lupin or else she dies. [[spoiler: Subverted in the former in that Fujiko was actually allied with the villain, so her necklace was a fake.]]
** In ''[[Anime/LupinIIIGoodbyePartner Goodbye Partner]]'', the villian fits one to Alisa, a teenage piano prodigy, partially to keep her from escaping, but mostly so no one will dare kill him. If his pulse stops, the choker triggers and blows her head off.
* ''Manga/{{Gleipnir}}'': Sayaka Koyanagi makes chokers out of her own enchanted hair and forces anyone who teams up with her to wear them. If they attempt to betray her or give away her secrets, the choker will automatically constrict until it slices their head off.

* ''Alien Legion'': In the Marvel/Epic series, the members of Force Nomad free themselves from a black hole and are horrified to find that 15 years have passed, they have been declared dead, and all Legionnaires wear control collars. The collars shock any unruly soldier and explode if anyone attempts to remove or tamper with them. They test out solutions on a member who's a blob and therefore pretty unkillable.
* Franchise/TheDCU:
** The ''modus operandi'' of the "Task Force X" a.k.a. the ''Comicbook/SuicideSquad'', starting with ''[[ComicBook/LegendsDC Legends]]''. In one issue, Captain Boomerang convinces Slipknot that they aren't real bombs, and encourages him to make a run for it... because he wanted to see for himself whether or not they were real. Seeing Slipknot's arm get blown off confirmed that they were.
** Originally "The Stick", as it was affectionately known, was an explosive bracelet slapped to the wrist of each squad member. However, they eventually figured out ways to disable the bracelets so ComicBook/AmandaWaller switched to implanting microbombs in their skulls. Later animated adaptations and the [[Film/SuicideSquad2016 live-action film]] use the latter.
** In one story, Waller states that ''everyone'' in Belle Reve has these. Not just the Squad, not even just the inmates. ''Everyone''. Rick Flag has the trigger for hers.

* Skywatch puts one of these on [[spoiler:Shockwave]] to force him to clean up their mess in IDW's ''[[Franchise/TransformersGeneration1 Maximum Dinobots]]'' miniseries. He does not sound particularly fazed by the threat of a 24-hour time limit before it will fry his CPU.

* In ''ComicBook/TheManOfSteel'' #7, where Batman and Franchise/{{Superman}} are meeting for the first time, Batman keeps Superman from arresting him by claiming that special sensors in his suit will trigger a bomb that will kill an innocent somewhere in Gotham if Superman tries anything. Superman verifies that he's telling the truth by [[LivingLieDetector checking his heart rate and other vitals]] and is forced to work the case with him. Seem out of character for Batman? [[spoiler:Not when the 'innocent' in question is ''him''; [[BatmanGambit he's wearing the bomb, knowing Superman would be able to sense a lie]].]]
* Gold Key published several issues of a comic book based on the TV series ''Series/TheManFromUncle''. In one issue, "The Pixilated Puzzle Affair", Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin were held captive on an island prison colony where all the prisoners had explosive pedometer-like devices attached to their ankles. Each prisoner was permitted a specific number of strides per day; if any prisoner tried to walk or run beyond the permitted distance, his device exploded.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAtom'': Plastique puts one on Cameron Scott to prevent him from transforming into Captain Atom. [[PropertyOfLove There may have been some subtext to that]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'': In one issue, the Planetary field team raid one of the BigBad's facilities, where a group of child prodigies in explosive collars are being forced to subvert the internet.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Megalex}}'', The control tabs implanted in every citizen is explosive and automatically detonates when they reach the end of their prescribed lifespan. The Undergrounders remove them from new recruits.
* British 1980's science fiction comic ''Starblazer'', issue 174 "The Terminator". On the planet Glasis V, those who disagree with Judge Drax have explosive collars fastened around their necks before being exiled.
* In ''ComicBook/DangerGirl: Trinity'', Prince Amahz fits explosive slave collars to harem slaves that prevent them from getting more than a specified distance away from him. He fits one to Abbey when he captures her to ensure her cooperation.
* ''ComicBook/Superboy1994'': Tana Moon is fitted with a choker while being held by Agenda which is later used to kill her by triggering the explosive it contains.

* In ''[[Fanfic/SovereignGFCOrigins Origins]]'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, Jakobs fits its [[ExpendableClone clone]] [[CloneArmy army]] with [[MindControlDevice mind-control devices]] that also are capable of fulfilling this trope should the operator wish it to.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': In his first apparition, Potemkin's collar is an explosive collar that will detonate and kill him if it's removed, as he's a slave of the nation of Zepp. The tyannical government is overthrown by the end of the game, at which point the bomb is defused. Potemkin, now the NumberTwo of President Gabriel of Zepp, continues to wear it anyway, both as a PowerLimiter and as a reminder of what he's fighting for.

* One arc of ''Manga/{{Gunnm}}'' has an important train whose escorts are given guns. Since having a gun of your own is a capital offense, they come with bombs that explode if they wander too far from the train.

* In 2003 near Erie, Pennsylvania, pizza deliveryman [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Brian_Douglas_Wells Brian Wells]] had a bomb locked around his neck and was ordered to rob a bank. Wells was detained but before the bomb squad could arrive, the device exploded and killed him. [[PlayedWith Played With]] in that he was in on the plan but wasn’t aware that the bomb was real until it was too late.

* In 2003 near Erie, Pennsylvania, pizza deliveryman [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Brian_Douglas_Wells Brian Wells]] had a bomb locked around his neck and was ordered to rob a bank. Wells was detained but before the bomb squad could arrive, the device exploded and killed him.