Some of the best fantasy adventures feature great battles and imaginative wars. Whether war is the focus of a fantasy film franchise or television show, some conflict always picks out the heroes from fiction’s greatest magical worlds.
As such, some of the genre’s most memorable characters are aided by weapons on their quests. The greatest weapons from fantasy movies and TV are so creative, powerful, and cool that they’ll likely never leave your mind. And, if they have, some excellent fantasy shows and films would like to remind you of their kick-ass creations.
Andúril: 'The Lord of the Rings' (2001)
J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth might just be the fantasy genre’s seminal creation. It is the setting of The Lord of the Rings book series, which director Peter Jackson adapted into a series of successful films.
Though it first appears in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) as the broken Narsil, Andúril is restored in The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003). Named Andúril, or “Flame of the West,” the iconic sword is given to Aragorn, who is played by Viggo Mortensen in Jackson’s films.
Maneuvering Gear Swords: 'Attack on Titan' (2013)
Attack on Titan’s post-apocalyptic world isn’t one you’ll likely want to visit soon. In this acclaimed dark fantasy anime, humanity survives in walled cities that protect them from the monstrous Titans that roam the earth.
To battle the Titans, the series’ characters developed the iconic vertical maneuvering gear, a combat suit that allows for great mobility when throwing down massive foes. The weapons often paired with this ensemble are the iconic twin retractable swords. Made out of Titan-slaying ultra-hard steel, these blades are the preferred weapons of the series’ main cast of elite combatants.
Longclaw: 'Game of Thrones' (2011-2019)
Even though his stories are somewhat famous for having great characters die too soon, it’s hard to argue that creator George R. R. Martin hasn’t made his share of memorable stuff. From the adaptation of their deeply-woven languages, fictional kingdoms and incredible beasts, both Game of Thrones and its spin-off series House of the Dragon are fantasy series audiences won’t forget.
One of the most recognizable weapons from Martin’s world is Longclaw, a bastard sword owned by Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington. With a blade of Valyrian steel, the sword bears magical properties, the most notable among them being the ability to kill the undead.
Head of Medusa: 'Clash of the Titans' (1981)
This might seem like a strange weapon in that it might not seem deadly at all. However, fans of Greek myth or Clash of the Titans know that this head is so much more.
Its power stems from Medusa’s ability to turn beings to stone when their gaze meets hers. After Medusa is killed, her head is carried by the demigod Perseus, the hero of the myth that inspired Clash of the Titans. The 1981 action fantasy flick is a must-watch film for fans of myth; it was remade in 2010 and released under the same name.
The Elder Wand: 'Harry Potter' (2001-2011)
The Elder Wand is a powerful weapon from the Harry Potter franchise of films. It appeared in early films as the wand of Albus Dumbledore – played by Richard Harris and, later, Michael Gambon.
The Elder Wand's capabilities were revealed in the series’ seventh film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). It is part of the Deathly Hallows, a trio of artifacts that allow their master to withstand death, should one wield them all.
Excalibur: 'Excalibur' (1981), 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017), & More
The legendary armament above all armaments, the mythic sword known as Excalibur answers only to the one true king. In Arthurian legend and popular culture, this archetypal magical sword is often embedded in the heart of a stone, to be removed by Arthur of the Roundtable on his legendary quest to ascend to the throne.
Excalibur has been the focus of many excellent fantasy flicks. From the delightful R-rated 1981 film Excalibur to the underappreciated blockbuster from director Guy Ritchie, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Mjölnir: 'Thor' (2011)
The iconic and mythic hammer brandished by the Norse god of thunder, Mjölnir has been depicted in various popular films. Most notably, Mjölnir is wielded by Thor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It made its first appearance in Thor (2011) alongside Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who was brought on to portray the hero.
Though ostensibly destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok, the Asgardian's 2017 solo outing, the hammer survived and was passed to Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Chainsaw Hand: 'Evil Dead II' (1997)
When one is forced to remove their right hand after it was possessed by an evil demon, it’s not the first thought in everyone’s mind to replace said hand with a working chainsaw. Yet, that is exactly what Ash Williams does in the 90s classic Evil Dead II.
Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash Williams, the protagonist of Sam Raimi’s dark fantasy classic The Evil Dead. As you might have gathered from the chainsaw hand – Williams’ iconic-yet-bizarre weapon of choice – Evil Dead 2 is an entertaining ride, ready with laughs and scares in equal measure for every kind of fantasy fan.
Trident of Poseidon: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' (2017), 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightening Thief' (2010) & More
This godly weapon has been represented in various movies throughout the years. The trident was featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales as the sought-after artifact of the film. It also appeared in the hands of the god Poseidon in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
In ancient mythologies, Poseidon (and his Roman counterpart, Neptune) was the Greek god of the sea. His trusted trident was both his symbol and exceptionally powerful weapon of choice.
The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch: 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' (1975)
Satirizing Arthurian legend – and the whole premise of legendary weapons – is the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This deadly relic parodies Christian symbolism to deliver quite an explosive punch. In the beloved British fantasy comedy, the Holy Hand Grenade is used quite effectively to defeat the terrible Rabbit of Caerbannog.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the most acclaimed comedy movies of the 1970s. The film was even used as the basis for the musical Spamalot, which first premiered in 2005.