# How about Science Fiction Personal Weapons **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2001, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699 "2001-03-20T11:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/41 "2001-03-22T16:03:16Z")
I have to say that I enjoyed the gun from _The Fifth Element_. Also from fifth element the bomb that blew up the cruise ship. That’s a lot of power for a bomb that size to do that much destruction. It’s not really a personal weapon, but small enough to be carried. Also, the PPG’s from _Babylon 5_ are pretty cool. It’s almost a guarenteed kill if you’re hit anywhere but an arm or leg. ---
**Author:** ![BobSchroeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@BobSchroeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobSchroeck)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/42 "2001-03-22T18:37:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sealemon88 \* > **Anyone read Sten, by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch? Sten had a cutom made knife that he could fit in a sheath in his arm. By curling his fingers a certain way, the knife would drop into his hand.** Reminds me of the handguns from Harry Harrison’s _Deathworld_ books. They sat in holsters on your arm, and when you flexed your hand and forearm the right way, a little mechanical cable thingy whipped them out of the holster and slammed them into your hand. They had no trigger guards, either, on the assumption that you were going to want to start shooting the moment the grip hit your palm. – Bob ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/43 "2001-03-23T11:22:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sealemon88 \* > \*\* > > There was an old movie, from the late eighties, where the bad guy had a “flashlight” gun: It would strobe light in such a way that if you saw it, you’d freeze in place for an hour or so, paralized and unconsious. When you came too, it was like no time had passed for you at all. > > \*\* [Looker](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0082677), starring Albert Finney. The earliest reference I know to the _idea_, though, is the Rhodopsin Ionizer from Alfred Bester’s _The Demolished Man_. Came in a sort of capsule, you cracked one open, there was a big blue flash and anyone loking in your direction lost their vision and all sense of time for an hour or so. ISTR a rumour that someone is working on a real-life version… Oh, and since no Culture fans seem to have looked in yet: two words. _Knife Missile_. (“The way to a man’s heart is through his chest!”) Of course, at 0.8 on the logarithmic sentience scale, is it a personal weapon, or a person in its own right? ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/44 "2001-03-23T11:29:10Z")
I forgot the smart gun from aliens, also that expanding Minbari staff thing Marcus carried on Babylon 5 I have forgotten it’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/45 "2001-03-23T11:56:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Icerigger \* > \*\*I forgot the smart gun from aliens, also that expanding Minbari staff thing Marcus carried on Babylon 5 I have forgotten it’s name. \*\* Minbari fighting pike. (Am I a sad git or what?) ---
**Author:** ![barton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@barton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barton)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699/46 "2001-03-23T16:30:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Steve Wright \* > Minbari fighting pike. (Am I a sad git or what?) \*\* \ “You’re just jealous because you don’t have one. Bad case of pikal envy, if you ask me…” \ Those PPGs were great, also. I liked that ‘bbbrrrippp’ sound they made when drawn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-science-fiction-personal-weapons/58699.md?page=2)