History Main / LeftYourLifesaverBehind

* While on the way to fire off the flares needed to destroy the titular giant spider in ''Giant Spider Invasion,'' Dr. Vance forgets the flares and needs to run back to the car and get them. [[MST3K Mike and the Bots]] immediately call out how dumb this was, since it doesn't add any real tension and only pads out an extra 10 seconds or so of running time.

* In the French-German mini-series ''Carlos'', several French detectives go to question the girlfriend of a "Peruvian playboy", photographed with a terrorist courier they've picked up for questioning. One detective goes to get his gun, but his commander tells him not to worry as it's just a routine checkup. Unfortunately the so-called playboy turns out to be the terrorist Carlos the Jackal.

A character rushes out of the room and a closeup shot reveals they've left their firearm behind, or some other crucial item like a [[CanYouHearMeNow mobile phone]] or the AmuletOfDependency. Naturally they're going to need that item for the very situation they're about to head into. Bonus points for an OhCrap.

* In ''CrocodileDundee'', the titular character left his [[WeaponOfChoice knife]] behind in the limousine just before he encountered a pimp he'd earlier decked. As things turned ugly, he reached for it to find it no longer there, and only escaped being killed due to timely intervention by the limo driver.

* Played with in ''MostlyHarmless''. Tricia Macmillian laments her boring life because a few years back she had the opportunity to go with a guy who was from another planet, but right after she went back for her bag, Zaphod left in his spaceship. She then used the mantra "Never go back for your bag." At the present time, she's running late for an interview as a prestigious anchor for a news program, and when she realizes she left her bag upstairs, doesn't bother to get it, citing her mantra. Later, she returns to her hotel room feeling horrible, having completely blown the interview, and goes straight for her bag, which has her contact lenses inside (without which made it impossible for her to read the teleprompter.)

A character rushes out of the room and a closeup shot reveals they've left their firearm behind, or some other crucial item like a [[CanYouHearMeNow mobile phone]] or the AmuletOfDependency. Naturally they're going to need that very weapon for the very situation they're about to head into. Bonus points for an OhCrap.

A character rushes out of the room and a closeup shot reveals they've left their firearm behind, or some other crucial item like a [[CanYouHearMeNow mobile phone]] or the AmuletOfDependency. Naturally they're heading right into a situation where they'll need it.

* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' has Aya go to confront the final boss right before another character would have given her the one weapon that could kill it. Since this character had a habit of giving Aya useless items there was no way for her to know that this one time, it was important.

* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' has Aya go to confront the final boss right before another character would have given her the one weapon that could kill it. Though to be fair, this character had a habit of giving Aya useless items, and there was no way for her to know that this one time, it was important.

* The non-fiction book by DavidSimon, ''Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets'' mentions that detectives have to remind themselves to take their guns with them, as real life officer-involved shootings are a rare event.

* Slightly different example in ASongOfIceAndFire. While a group of people are escaping from [[spoiler: [[CompleteMonster Ramsay Bolton]]]], with a plan that requires them to climb down the castle wall with a rope, they get discovered, and one of them decides to pull a HeroicSacrifice YouShallNotPass on the guards chasing them to let the others escape. They go ahead and reach the top of the wall...[[OhCrap only to realise that the person who stayed behind had the rope.]] Despite one of them bursting into hysterical laughter at the absurdity of it, this is ''very'' much PlayedForDrama.

* ''ParasiteEve'' has Aya go to confront the final boss right before another character would have given her the one weapon that could kill it. Though to be fair, this character had a habit of giving Aya useless items, and there was no way for her to know that this one time, it was important.

* One of the Treehouse of Horror specials of ''TheSimpsons'' had a ''NightmareOnElmStreet'' spoof with Groundskeeper Willie as Freddy Kruger. After the Simpsons kids kill the evil Willie in their dreams, they go outside and an alive and well Willie gets off a passing bus and approaches them menacingly -- only to start chasing after the bus because he says he left his gun on it.

[[quoteright:328:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Left_Gun_Behind_2935.jpg]]

* Subverted in ''TheSilenceOfTheLambs''. When Clarice Starling goes to see Dr. Lecter in Tennessee she has to turn over her spare reloader for her revolver. When she's discovered and rushed out she leaves her reloader behind. If you noticed this and were GenreSavvy, during her final confrontation with Buffalo Bill you were expecting her to run low (or out) of bullets, look for her reloader and not find it, and have to defeat Buffalo Bill with just One Bullet Left or an empty gun. In fact she finishes off Buffalo Bill with several shots and then reloads.

* ''PulpFiction''. Vincent is waiting for Butch to show up at his (Butch's) house to kill him. While waiting Vincent needs to go to the bathroom, so he leaves his Ingram MAC-10 on the kitchen counter. While he's in the bathroom Butch shows up, and uses the Ingram to kill the unarmed Vincent as he leaves the bathroom.

A character rushes out of the room and a closeup shot reveals they've left their firearm behind, or some other crucial item like a mobile phone or the AmuletOfDependency. Naturally they're heading right into a situation where they'll need it.

* Subverted in ''{{Film/Sherlock Holmes}}''. Watson is furious when Sherlock leaves without his revolver, knowing [[BatmanGambit he did it deliberately]] so his friend will feel obliged to chase after him.
* ''{{Series/Ultraviolet}}''. The protagonist rushes out to meet his [[AllLoveIsUnrequited Unrequited]] LoveInterest, taking his pistol but forgetting the video camera attachment used to identify vampires. This causes problems when he starts suspecting she's a vampire, but has no means of verifying it.
* The non-fiction book by DavidSimon, ''Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets'' mentions that detectives have to remind themselves to take their guns with them, as real life officer-involved shootings are a rare event.
* Subverted in ''TheSilenceOfTheLambs''. When Clarice Starling goes to see Dr. Lecter in Tennessee she has to turn over her spare reloader for her revolver. When she's discovered and rushed out she leaves her reloader behind. If you noticed this and were GenreSavvy, during her final confrontation with Buffalo Bill you were expecting her to run low (or out) of bullets, look for her reloader and not find it, and have to defeat Buffalo Bill with just One Bullet Left or an empty gun. In fact she finishes off Buffalo Bill with several shots and then reloads.

* One of the Treehouse of Horror specials of ''TheSimpsons'' had a ''NightmareOnElmStreet'' spoof with Groundskeeper Willie as Freddy Kruger. After the Simpsons kids kill the evil Willie in their dreams, they go outside and an alive and well Willie gets off a passing bus and approaches them menacingly -- only to start chasing after the bus because he says he left his gun on it.

* ''PulpFiction''. Vincent is waiting for Butch to show up at his (Butch's) house to kill him. While waiting Vincent needs to go to the bathroom, so he leaves his Ingram MAC-10 on the kitchen counter. While he's in the bathroom Butch shows up, and uses the Ingram to kill the unarmed Vincent as he leaves the bathroom.

* The non-fiction book ''[[HomicideLifeOnTheStreet Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets]]'' mentions that detectives have to remind themselves to take their guns with them, as real life officer-involved shootings are a rare event.

Not related to LeaveBehindAPistol. Subtrope of WeaponsandWieldingTropes, ContrivedStupidityTropes.