10 Iconic Fictional Swords!

Freelance illustrator and animator Robert Shaw created an infographic displaying 10 of the most iconic swords in fiction. It's a great list, although it does rather prompt a "What, no Excalibur?" response. The graphic includes swords from The Hobbit, Highlander, Thundercats, Kill Bill, Conan, and more.

Other than Excalibur, what other swords would you include on this list?

Click here to jump to his website!

​

 

[Tonguez]

Wilkinson Hydro three blade?

 

[Mark CMG]

and what about the triple sword/ 3-bladed sword from the sword and the sorcerer...

Sly Sword!

 

[Thotas]

There can be on excuse for not including Stormbringer, even the "there's no specifically recognized depiction of it" that works for Excalibur, the most famous sword in the world. Because if a GM were to say to a group of players "you see that the sword is black and is inlaid with glowing red runes" and that means nothing to them, they're pretty behind on the genre, to say the least.

 

[Mr0wlington]

I had no idea what Stormbringer was. I guess not everyone reads the same books.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I had no idea what Stormbringer was. I guess not everyone reads the same books.

That's okay - I didn't know the Kill Bill sword - I detest that style of movie so, no idea of it.

 

[MarkB]

There can be on excuse for not including Stormbringer, even the "there's no specifically recognized depiction of it" that works for Excalibur, the most famous sword in the world. Because if a GM were to say to a group of players "you see that the sword is black and is inlaid with glowing red runes" and that means nothing to them, they're pretty behind on the genre, to say the least.

I've heard about the novels and about Stormbringer, but I've never read them, or a description of Stormbringer's physical appearance. I think it tends to make a strong impression upon those who've read the novels, but that doesn't necessarily translate to it being iconic and recognisable across the FRP community.

 

[Jhaelen]

I've heard about the novels and about Stormbringer, but I've never read them, or a description of Stormbringer's physical appearance. I think it tends to make a strong impression upon those who've read the novels, but that doesn't necessarily translate to it being iconic and recognisable across the FRP community.

Sacrilege! ;-)
Well, at least among (old) D&D players it should be well known as the inspiration for intelligent swords. Blackrazor is pretty much a blatant rip-off. Just like Vecna's Hand and Eye are a blatant rip-off of Corum's Hand of Kwll and Eye of Rhynn... I have no idea how obscure these references are these days, but back in my teens Moorcock was as much of a must-read as Tolkien.

 

[Lord Rasputin]

And, if someone flashed a pic of the sword used in that film, would anyone recognize it? Probably not.

How many of the above would you recognize without the captions?

 

[Dioltach]

I have to say, it's a nice enough picture, but what's the point really? The artist has copied a series of existing visual representations of fictional weapons and provided short descriptions. There doesn't seem to be any unifying criterion for the selection (time, medium, theme), and the artist hasn't added anything to the existing images or information.

Basically he's saying, hey, these are some swords that I think are cool.

 

[Mercule]

Masamune lived in the 13th and 14th centuries, AD. Not sure where the 590 BC date comes from, unless that's Ramirez' birth.