...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Sharpened to a Single Atom
- 339 statements
- 64 feature instances
- 44 referencing feature instances
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Weapons that have been sharpened to a single atom are a particular type of Absurdly Sharp Blade that are so sharp, their cutting edge can be measured in terms of atoms or molecules, often being just a single molecule wide. This usually gives the weapons Absurd Cutting Power, but generally requires the blade to be made out of some sort of Unobtanium to maintain that sharpness without dulling instantly (or just shattering into a million pieces) the first time it's used. For these reasons, the trope is most frequently encountered in Science Fiction settings. A common term used for this is "monomolecular". Most often seen with knives or swords, but occurs from time to time with Razor Floss, too. This can be particularly troublesome, as monomolecular wire is usually functionally invisible, and walking into one can slice through vital bits without being immediately noticed. A weapon is only an example of this trope when a specific (very small) width is given for the blade's edge; if no specific measurement is given, then it's just an Absurdly Sharp Blade. Examples |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_11d0af1 | type |
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In the His Dark Materials trilogy the Subtle Knife has one edge sharpened so finely that it can cut through any material, the other edge is sharp enough to cut a hole in the universe leading to another one. | |
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His Dark Materials | hasFeature |
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In the Sten novels, Sten has a small knife in his forearm (within a surgical compartment) that can cut through virtually anything. It's five molecules wide at its tip. | |
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Sten | hasFeature |
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In The Last Son, Superman finds a sword that belonged to one of his ancestors named Von-El. This sword is not only sharp enough to wound Kryptonians powered by a yellow sun, but also has a monomolecular lash concealed in the hilt, which can be used as a long-ranged weapon (he needs a special gauntled to grab it without cutting himself). | |
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The Last Son / Fan Fic | hasFeature |
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The Ship Who...: In The City Who Fought, Joat lays a trap using monomolecular wire. The effects are messy. | |
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The Ship Who... | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_2b132158 | type |
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In the Buck Rogers games, mono(molecular) knives and swords are described in this way. In true RPG fashion, they are superior to most of the 25th-century guns available. | |
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Wearing the Cape: Repercussions, we see Nike, EU's resident Atlas-Type heroine – homologous to Astra – weilding a glowing leaf-bladed sword and a large Greek hoplite shield, described as having nearly monomolecular edges as grasping vines simply sheared away on contact. | |
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Wearing the Cape | hasFeature |
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In Kiddy Grade, Sinistra and Dextera's ship can split into two, creating a 'monodimensional' blade between the halves. | |
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Nemesis, a member (and former enemy) of Alpha Flight, uses a saber whose blade is only a single molecule wide. | |
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Alpha Flight (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_3bd96c18 | type |
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Alita: Battle Angel: Zapan carries the Damascus blade, an ancient weapon that is honed to a mono-molecular edge. Zapan experiences it first-hand when Alita takes it from him and slices his face off. It continues to hold up to the hype throughout the movie when she just cuts through everything and everyone. She can make it even sharper by infusing it with plasma from her cyborg body. | |
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Alita: Battle Angel | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_42ffb88e | type |
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SCP Foundation SCP-183 ("Weaver") is a biological entity that creates monofilament wires that can cut through anything up to and including body armor. It uses the wires to kill animals so it can consume them. SCP-314 ("Motion-Seeking Blade"). The blade is described as "sharpened to a molecular level". SCP-585 ("Sharpeners") can do this to pencils. After 100 rotations, the point is so thin that it splits the atoms of the air around it, making the wooden pencil burst into flames and the point impossible to store safely. SCP-608 ("Fractal Tinsel") is a fractal with infinitely and progressively smaller branches radiating from it. Branches of monofilament size and smaller can slice through other substances at a molecular or even atomic level. SCP-1320 ("Refractive Explorers") have extremities that are sharpened to a thickness of a few dozen nanometers. They can use them to cut through solid objects at a molecular level. |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_468bebb0 | type |
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In the Discworld series, both Death's scythe and sword have edges one molecule thick. Thinner, in fact — they glow blue because of the energy released when they cut the air apart (Genius Bonus: atoms do in fact glow blue when sliced apart. It's called Cherenkov radiation). At one point, he sharpened it so finely that it was able to cut several inches ahead of its physical edge, and could cut a person's sentence in half by swinging it. | |
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Discworld | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_49a0a477 | type |
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In Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson, Dmitri "Raven" Ravinoff uses knives made of knapped glass with monomolecular edges. They slash through Kevlar body armor, thick bamboo and people quite effortlessly, though they're still prone to shattering, which is unfortunate as his final opponent just happens to be carrying a sonic weapon. | |
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Snow Crash | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_49a0a477 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_4a21a39 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_4a21a39 | comment |
Flann O'Brien's The Third Policeman features a spear so sharp that if you were to prick yourself with it, your finger would begin to bleed about 2 inches before the point appeared to reach your finger. In fact, when your finger starts to bleed, the spear point had penetrated your skin 2 inches ago, but was so thin it slipped between the atoms of your finger without causing any damage. | |
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The Third Policeman | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_5f4d2a69 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_5f4d2a69 | comment |
The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke has something very similar to this, but, Clarke being Clarke, it is depicted in a manner closer to scientific reality than most examples on this page. Construction of a Space Elevator becomes a realistic possibility after the development of a process to manufacture a "pseudo-one-dimensional diamond crystal" a few microns thick in continuous lengths, forming invisible fibres of enormous tensile strength. Its main application is as a tension member (of course), not as a weapon, though much attention is given to the handling difficulties and dangers of such a material. Its sharpness is also reasonably realistic—it is extremely sharp, but not absurdly so—it can easily cause severe wounds through mere inattention to handling, but to deliberately cut down a tree with it takes a couple of minutes, and the length of time it takes to cut through a metal fastening with it is an important element at one point in the story. | |
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The Fountains of Paradise | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_609e37f5 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_609e37f5 | comment |
In a couple of the Ringworld novels, one of the 'strings' that held the shadow squares that provided a day/night cycle to the Ringworld had been broken and eventually fell to the surface, where it was described as a foggy cloud that minced anything that touched it. One of the main characters is semi-decapitated (lost one of his two heads, but he had spares in storage) when the natives found the end spool and strung some of the wire up as a trap. | |
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Ringworld | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_61028f2 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_61028f2 | comment |
The assassin in Johnny Mnemonic has a monomolecular wire concealed in a prosthetic thumb tip. The movie makes it glow because an invisible wire whip wouldn't be interesting to look at. | |
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Johnny Mnemonic | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_611c72dc | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_611c72dc | comment |
In the Star Trek Novel 'Verse, the Tholians have blades with monomolecular edges. The swords become important to the plot in the novels ''The Sundered'' and ''Reap the Whirlwind''. | |
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Star Trek Novel Verse | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_61a39969 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_61a39969 | comment |
It's presumably the same reason why he can cut through Vision's vibranium body in the film inspired by that comics, Avengers: Infinity War, although it's never stated onscreen. | |
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Avengers: Infinity War | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_61a39969 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_63b679e5 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_63b679e5 | comment |
The Dragon Tooth Blade from Deus Ex is said to be made of self-organizing nanites which keep the blade always molecularily sharp. | |
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Deus Ex (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_63b679e5 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_694ab80 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_694ab80 | comment |
In Batman Beyond, Assassin Curare uses a monomolecular sword that effortlessly cuts through anything standing in the way of her swings. During the analysis, Bruce mentions the sword is sharpened by lasers to have an edge as wide as a single molecule. | |
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Batman Beyond | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6ac55ec7 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6ac55ec7 | comment |
Dungeons & Dragons had psionic powers such as "duo-dimensional blade", which could cut through anything (ignored armor). In the 3rd Edition the power came back as "Deep Impact" (and "Unavoidable Strike" for the unarmed version). A few powers in 4e allowed you to strike against Reflex rather than AC (effectively ignoring armor) and would logically be devastating against anyone relying on heavy armor for protection. | |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6df8f042 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6df8f042 | comment |
The Nanotech Blade in Echoes: Operation Stranglehold is only a few atoms thick at its edge. | |
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Echoes: Operation Stranglehold (Video Game) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6e9ce52d | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_6e9ce52d | comment |
The Man in the White Suit is a film about the invention of a completely dirt-proof fabric. It's not emphasised, but it's mentioned in passing in the dialogue about the development of the new material that the threads are, in effect, molecular monofilaments — causing problems in handling and cutting them. It evidently doesn't occur to any of the characters that this could have other applications. This may be one of the earliest occurrences of the concept in fiction. | |
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The Man in the White Suit | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_71feafa0 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_71feafa0 | comment |
Dungeons of Dredmor: The Monofilament Sword is a more typical application of this trope, being a single atom (or thaumaturgon as the game calls 'em) thick, and doing vicious damage. A slightly stranger application is the Moravician Bushdagger, made by the titular (drunk) wizard Moravic on a bet at a pub. The blade starts out normal, then starts branching and branching near-infinitely until every single tip is a single thaumaturgon thick. It stabs a million wounds in one thrust, and is probably the best dagger in the game thanks to it (despite looking like a metallic bush). Unfortunately it also got Moravic banned from the aforementioned pub. | |
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Dungeons of Dredmor (Video Game) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_7668653b | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_7668653b | comment |
Cerberus Phantoms (ninja mooks) in Mass Effect 3 carry monomolecular swords that allow them to do a One-Hit Kill. The player-useable "omni-blades" are equally sharp. These blades increase their practically in two ways: one, the blades are "flash-forged" by high-precision portable fabricators, so they can be renewed as needed; two, they're supported by Mass Effect fields which can also make them Hot Blades. | |
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Mass Effect 3 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_77a899a | type |
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Things Mr. Welch Is No Longer Allowed to Do in an RPG: "Even if the rules allow it, I cannot have a monofilament sledgehammer." | |
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Things Mr. Welch Is No Longer Allowed to Do in an RPG (Blog) | hasFeature |
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Traveller: In Megatraveller Journal #3, "Worldguide: Vincennes", the Tech Level 16 world Vincennes creates swords of extruded monofilament construction which have astounding penetration. | |
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Traveller (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8349fc53 | comment |
In Kingdom Come Wonder Woman has a magic sword that is sharp enough to "carve the electrons off an atom". Leaving aside the ways that doesn't actually make sense, it suggests a blade with an edge thinner than an atom. Superman accidentally cuts himself on the blade (since it's Wonder Woman, it's likely the sharpness is due to magic, which Superman has always been vulnerable to). | |
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Kingdom Come (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8349fc53 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_867776d1 | type |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_867776d1 | comment |
The Avalon WarMech in Implosion wields a sword with a mono molecular edge. | |
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Implosion (Video Game) | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_86814e56 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_86814e56 | comment |
In Final Fantasy VI, Odin's signature One-Hit Kill movenote Referred to in most other games in the series by the untranslated Japanese name, Zantetsuken was localized as "Atom Edge," implying this trope. | |
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Final Fantasy VI (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_86814e56 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8702217e | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8702217e | comment |
The sword that Kaoru makes for Francette in I Shall Survive Using Potions!, 'Ex-Gram', is a potion bottle shaped like a blade that has been sharpened on a molecular level. | |
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I Shall Survive Using Potions! | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_885e1bec | type |
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In Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, Harry's early experimentation with transfiguration includes the creation of monomolecular wire, made up of braided carbon nanotubes. He uses it in the climactic confrontation to remove the Death Eaters' heads and Lord Voldemort's hands (which are holding his wand and a gun), as actually killing Voldemort is contraindicated by his large number of inaccessible horcruxes. | |
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Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality / Fan Fic | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_885e1bec | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8fda7950 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_8fda7950 | comment |
The variable sword used in the Known Space stories is a length of monomolecular wire held straight by a projected stasis field. There's a little red ball at the end of the wire so the wielder can tell where the otherwise invisible "blade" ends. There's also Sinclair molecule chain, used as ramship tow cable, that's essentially the same thing with no stasis field. | |
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Known Space | hasFeature |
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Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_903a9871 | type |
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Despite fluff books often making it clear how good these are at punching through armour, it's frequently not actually a mechanic in game. One exception is the Dark Heresy (and other Fantasy Flight Games' 40k RPGs), where melee weapons can be upgraded to have monomolecular edges, increasing their armour penetration. In most of the games this can only be done on bladed and chain weapons, but early editions of Dark Heresy didn't have this limitation, allowing any melee weapon to be monomolecular, including hammers and staves. However, the rules stated that an alternative explanation had to be given for the increased penetrative power; there were no monomolecular hammers or staves, they just functioned the same with a different name given to the technology behind it. | |
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Dark Heresy (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_903a9871 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_95226eb6 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_95226eb6 | comment |
R. Talsorian Games' Cyberpunk 2020 had the Monoknife and MonoKatana, both extremely sharp. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_95226eb6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_95226eb6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Cyberpunk (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_95226eb6 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_98e2fba4 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_98e2fba4 | comment |
Many Aztec weapons had obsidian blades or points. The macuahuitl is a wooden sword with the blade made out of obsidian shards. According to Spanish accounts, a single blow from a macuahuitl can decapitate a horse. When they tested it out on Deadliest Warrior, it decapitated the model-horse in three hits and left a pretty big mess. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_98e2fba4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_98e2fba4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Deadliest Warrior | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_98e2fba4 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_9e10fbb4 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_9e10fbb4 | comment |
From the second book onwards in the H.I.V.E. Series series by Mark Walden, Raven fights with a pair of katanas with a variable geometry monomolecular force-field. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_9e10fbb4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_9e10fbb4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
H.I.V.E. Series | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_9e10fbb4 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_a1970a85 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_a1970a85 | comment |
Fading Suns has wireblades — monomolecular swords that will cut through anything with ease. In game mechanics, this means they ignore any armor the opponent is wearing. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_a1970a85 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_a1970a85 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Fading Suns (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_a1970a85 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_acc21225 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_acc21225 | comment |
The Deathstalker handwaves the existence of such blades by explaining that the edge is actually created and maintained by a special force field. Since they can be deactivated, it makes the blades much safer to handle, store, and hide as an assassin's tool. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_acc21225 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_acc21225 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Deathstalker | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_acc21225 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0aced43 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0aced43 | comment |
The Dark Side of the Sun features a monomolecular blade (which shatters when swung against a villain gifted with luck manipulation). | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0aced43 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0aced43 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Dark Side of the Sun | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0aced43 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0e508bf | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0e508bf | comment |
In Stargate: Continuum, the blade held by Ba'al (later stolen by Qetesh) has an edge "only one atom thick", making it thin enough to cut Lord Ba'al clean in half. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0e508bf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0e508bf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Stargate: Continuum | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b0e508bf | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b57835b6 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b57835b6 | comment |
Binder of Shame: | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b57835b6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b57835b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Binder of Shame | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_b57835b6 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bb55a676 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bb55a676 | comment |
Legion of Super-Heroes: The Persuader, a member of the Fatal Five, has an axe that he claims is so sharp it can shatter electrons. In some stories, it is sharp enough to cut through the force of gravity (Try not to think about that too hard). | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bb55a676 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bb55a676 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Legion of Super-Heroes (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bb55a676 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcadd7cb | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcadd7cb | comment |
Warhammer 40,000: Monomolecular blades are a fairly common throughout the setting. This includes combat knives, swords, chainsword, some types of ammunition, etc. Counterintuitively it's also stated that one of the reasons for favoring such blades is that they never dull, which makes sense if you don't think about it. These blades are so treasured by the Imperium that a pair of PDF scouts who found a Standard Template Construct printout detailing how to manufacture cheaper and stronger mono-molecular blades were rewarded with a planet, each. Despite fluff books often making it clear how good these are at punching through armour, it's frequently not actually a mechanic in game. One exception is the Dark Heresy (and other Fantasy Flight Games' 40k RPGs), where melee weapons can be upgraded to have monomolecular edges, increasing their armour penetration. In most of the games this can only be done on bladed and chain weapons, but early editions of Dark Heresy didn't have this limitation, allowing any melee weapon to be monomolecular, including hammers and staves. However, the rules stated that an alternative explanation had to be given for the increased penetrative power; there were no monomolecular hammers or staves, they just functioned the same with a different name given to the technology behind it. The various kinds of Eldar are probably the most common users of monomolecular weapons, given that they are generally the most technologically advanced: The most common are "shuriken" weapons. The weapon's magazine is actually a large mostly-cylindrical chuck of matter, and the upper receiver shaves off monomolecular discs. Thousands of them. Per second. Harlequin units have a weapon called The Harlequin's Kiss, which is a hundred-metre-long monomolecular wire, delivered in a neat bundled package with a punch, at which point it unfurls, liquifies the target's internal organs, and then snaps back into the delivery device. Heavier Eldar "spinner" weaponry makes use of "webs" of monofilament cord. They have artillery that sends clouds of this stuff slowly drifting down over the battlefield, invisible until the moment your entire squad falls apart into little chunks. |
|
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcadd7cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcadd7cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Warhammer 40,000 (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcadd7cb | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcb32dc6 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcb32dc6 | comment |
Shadowrun: The game has monomolecular axes that possess a monofilament edge capable of cutting through virtually anything. It tends to lose its edge quickly though. In later editions, other bladed weapons could be outfitted with a monofilament edge. There's also a monofilament whip, noted by 'in character' reviews to be as big a threat to the user as to a potential enemy. At least one supplement had 'consumer annotations' that lampshaded the difference between mere monofilament and a monomolecular filament. |
|
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcb32dc6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcb32dc6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Shadowrun (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bcb32dc6 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bd41836e | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bd41836e | comment |
A manual for StarCraft states that Ultralisk blades are monomolecular, but this seems to be a case of a writer simply getting carried away with Rule of Cool, as there is no indication elsewhere that this is the case. In game cinematics make you wonder why sharpness would even matter, as their "real" size is shown as far larger than their already large in game models, to the point that their blades are individually larger than things like Terran tanks. They're often shown using their arms more like bludgeons, crushing most targets easily, making actually slicing most things totally unnecessary. It does at least make some sense in game where units are all much closer in size and their attack animations do involve slicing with the blades, though. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bd41836e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bd41836e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
StarCraft (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bd41836e | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bdf7310a | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bdf7310a | comment |
Atomic and Subatomic blades in Phaeton | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bdf7310a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bdf7310a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Phaeton | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_bdf7310a | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_be03a5ee | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_be03a5ee | comment |
In Left Behind, Chaim Rozenweig creates a blade like this, so sharp that a falling date splits in two by grazing the blade. He then buries the blade in the head of the leader of the world. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_be03a5ee | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_be03a5ee | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Left Behind | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_be03a5ee | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c399cd39 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c399cd39 | comment |
Eclipse Phase Monofilament Swords are a common bladed weapon made with self-sharpening smart materials. They easily have some of the highest penetration and damage of any melee weapon in the game. They're still no match for all but the lightest of firearms when it comes to stopping power, though. The 'exotic' Monowire Garrote has the most armour penetration of any melee weapon and inflicts decent damage, although the description notes the wire has fairly low tensile strength and can often break easily. |
|
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c399cd39 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c399cd39 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Eclipse Phase (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c399cd39 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c3bbb7f7 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c3bbb7f7 | comment |
A non Sci-Fi example shows up in Saint Seiya Omega. Hyperion's sword, the Cataclysm Slash, can cut a proton in two. In this case, the sword was forged and given to him by a god. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c3bbb7f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c3bbb7f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
SciFi | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c3bbb7f7 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c4b3cf3f | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c4b3cf3f | comment |
The main character, as well as just about everyone, in Sergey Lukyanenko's A Lord from Planet Earth series wields a monoatomic sword called a planar sword. The main character, in fact, dual-wields them and carries them on his back. As expected, the swords can cut through any known material. In one-on-one combat with planar swords, one of the swords will invariably slice through the other. The trick is making sure you hit the opponent's sword at just the right angle with a thinner blade. The blade dulls with each strike and swing, requiring it to be periodically sharpened by a button on the hilt (a blade can only handle about 1500 sharpenings). Being a battle-hardened Earthling, the main character comes up with some nonstandard (and questionable) applications for the technology. He creates a throwing disc with monoatomic edges, which can literally take a person's head off. Later, he uses smaller hollow-point monoatomic discs that fire from a blowgun. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c4b3cf3f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c4b3cf3f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
A Lord from Planet Earth | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c4b3cf3f | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c5bf9810 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c5bf9810 | comment |
The Posleen in John Ringo's Legacy of the Aldenata have monomolecular blades that can carve up an Armored Combat Suit as easy as a Ginzu knife cuts through a tin can. And then they can slice a tomato so thin you can read a newspaper through it! | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c5bf9810 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c5bf9810 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Legacy of the Aldenata | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c5bf9810 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c61eedbe | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c61eedbe | comment |
Mamoru's katana from Until Death Do Us Part is a high tech monomolecular blade, able to break the bonds between molecules and cut anything (if the katana's angled properly). At one point he cuts a gun in half; when the pieces are pushed back together, it appears as if the gun was undamaged, because the cut is that sharp. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c61eedbe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c61eedbe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Until Death Do Us Part (Manga) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c61eedbe | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c829f544 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c829f544 | comment |
In the Firebird Trilogy, the edges of crystaces' blades are precisely one atom thick. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c829f544 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c829f544 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Firebird Trilogy | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_c829f544 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cc64cc64 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cc64cc64 | comment |
In Marvel's Infinity, Corvus Glaive wields a glaive so sharp that it is capable of splitting atoms, cutting through virtually anything. It's presumably the same reason why he can cut through Vision's vibranium body in the film inspired by that comics, Avengers: Infinity War, although it's never stated onscreen. |
|
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cc64cc64 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cc64cc64 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Infinity / Comicbook | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cc64cc64 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cd713f4 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cd713f4 | comment |
In the first novel The Stainless Steel Rat sees an assassin sneaking into Angelina's room after reeling himself down to her balcony on a monofilament wire. The Rat can't climb down the wire after him as it would slice his fingers off thanks to this trope, and as there's no time for anything else he has to leap off the building and hope he lands on the balcony (it's a long drop if he misses). | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cd713f4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cd713f4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Stainless Steel Rat | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_cd713f4 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_d109f322 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_d109f322 | comment |
Andromeda once depicted a "monomolecular lash", basically a whip that can cut through anything and has to emit a glow in order for anyone to see it. Since it cuts through its wielder as easily as anything else, it's exceedingly difficult to master without killing yourself with it and expert users of it are very rare, mostly making it Awesome, but Impractical. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_d109f322 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_d109f322 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Andromeda | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_d109f322 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_dac7c837 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_dac7c837 | comment |
Matthew Mantrell wields one in at least the first book of A Wizard in Rhyme. It's also made of a single black diamond. And magic. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_dac7c837 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_dac7c837 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
A Wizard in Rhyme | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_dac7c837 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_e82c9823 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_e82c9823 | comment |
Eve from Black Cat managed to manipulate her Prehensile Hair to do this later in the manga. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_e82c9823 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_e82c9823 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Black Cat (Manga) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_e82c9823 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f412ce55 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f412ce55 | comment |
The retractable blades on the Scorpions in Unreal Tournament 2004 are mentioned to have an edge that is exactly one atom thick. However, while they will instantly cut any on-foot opponent they touch in half, they break off if they touch anything else. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f412ce55 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f412ce55 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Unreal Tournament 2004 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f412ce55 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f6c08260 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f6c08260 | comment |
GURPS Ultra-Tech has a number of (increasingly super-science) ways of working this into the game mechanics. Superfine blades divide damage resistance by two. Monowire blades divide damage resistance by ten. Nanothorn blades divide damage resistance by ten and shreds the bonds that hold the atoms in molecules together. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f6c08260 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f6c08260 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
GURPS Ultra-Tech (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f6c08260 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f73bd613 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f73bd613 | comment |
In One Must Fall 2097, the manual describes Thorn's spikes and Katana's blades as using "monofilament technology". | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f73bd613 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f73bd613 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
OneMustFall2097 | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f73bd613 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f953dbb1 | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f953dbb1 | comment |
Quinn Garland of Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha Force slashes at Tohma, Erio, and Caro with an unknown attack from her sword at long-range that isn't magic or some sort of Divider or Virus based power that could slice through things that normal swords can't slice. It's eventually revealed to be her extending her sword by projecting a particle-like blade from its tip. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f953dbb1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f953dbb1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha Force (Manga) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_f953dbb1 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_fb6d726d | type |
Sharpened to a Single Atom | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_fb6d726d | comment |
Infinity has monofilament as an ammunition type that is issued almost exclusively to the elite troops of every army. They're not exactly common, but have a nasty effect: anything they hit, if it fails an armor roll, is instantly destroyed and removed from the table, regardless of its remaining wounds or structure. This includes TAGs, named characters, any One-Man Army that might be around. It's hand waved in the background as being stabilized through an EM field. | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_fb6d726d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_fb6d726d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Infinity (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Sharpened to a Single Atom / int_fb6d726d |
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