With weapons appearing in so many genres of film, it can be hard to narrow in on the top 30 weapons of all times, but when you look across a wide variety of films a few great weapons stand out above all the rest.
Here we break down why these popular weapons are the gold standard for their particular hero or villain to wield. The sheer fear and entertainment factor of all of these weapons makes them the best of the best, just hopefully, you won’t come up against one anytime soon.
1. Elder Wand from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 & 2
A wand of such mythical powers that very few wizards even believed it existed. And of those who did believe in the elder wand as more than a piece of the legend of The Three Brothers’ Deathly Hallows have generally been regarded as off-the-wall. (The Lovegoods were a little off-kilter for sure.)
The Elder Wand, made of elder wood, 15 inches long with a thestral tail core, the wand looks quite unassuming, making it nearly indistinguishable from any other wand. The Elder Wand follows the hierarchy of wand ownership and once a master had been defeated would change its allegiance to the new master.
With a very bloody history of wizards battling to take possession of the wand, Harry the final owner of the wand placed it back in Dumbledore’s tomb. Its final act was to repair Harry’s original wand, as the only wand that could fix the damage it made the legend that it can perform feats of magic unheard of to be correct. If you are interested in getting your hands on an Elder Wand, you can find it here.
2. Mjolnir
Otherwise known as Thor’s Hammer, Mjolnir, which translates literally to “grindstone,” is a popular weapon and an incredibly powerful one. Created from Uru, a metal ore that at once looks like stone and a metallic. Uru is difficult to manipulate and it took the heat from a star in order to forge Mjolnir from it.
Whether you agree that Mjolnir can be destroyed like in the Avengers Franchise or you believe that it is actually indestructible as the comic books suggest, Mjolnir is certainly a powerful and popular weapon. If you are interested in buying Mjolnir, you can get it here.
3. Indiana Jones’s Whip
A fan of the bullwhip since age 7 Indiana Jones when he discovered them after seeing a traveling circus. During his first time using one, he didn’t understand how they worked resulting in the scar on his chin. Indy’s whip is a double bolster and hand-braided out of kangaroo leather.
Indiana Jones not only use the weapon against animals and adversaries but also used it to save his life by pulling lovers, using it as a swing rope and also helping him climb. A weapon with so many potential uses certainly stands out from the crowd. If you want an Indiana Jones whip you can find it here on Amazon.
4. The Wallace Sword from Braveheart
The scene where William Wallace defends Scotland from English rule using his family’s giant sword makes Braveheart all the better film. But once you find out this exemplary sword is based on a real one actually used in the battle against England elevates this movie weapon to legendary status.
Weighing over 5 pounds, with a total length of over 5 feet, this giant sword would have been a beast to carry, much less throw clear across a field as the Scots fight on. They can take their lives, but they cannot take their freedom or the Wallace Sword. If you want the sword check it out on Amazon here.
5. Candlestick from Clue
Is in unconventional? Certainly. Did it actually kill Mr. Boddy? Absolutely. Why go for something as obvious as a knife, revolver or rope when you could murder your blackmailer using a decorative blunt object?
If like most of the decor in Boddy’s mansion the brass candlesticks were antique, the sheer heft of the candlestick would be more than enough to cause death via a blunt object. It’s maybe not the most obvious weapon on this list but its unassuming nature makes it all the more likely it could be used to kill again.
6. Hattori Hanzo Katana Sword from Kill Bill
With a legend like Hattori Hanzo coming out of retirement to create Beatrix’ katana sword, you know that this is absolutely the best katana sword ever made and is priceless. Hanzo even says it is his greatest creation, so even if it doesn’t kill all of the Death List Five it is still a fantastic weapon.
With the ability to slice through anything or anybody, why cop out with a more modern weapon when the artistry of a katana sword is enough? The curved blade is more precise than a straight blade would be which means a katana can cause grievous injury easily. If you want the best Hattori Hanzo sword you can buy, check it out via Swords of Northshire.
7. The Trident from The Little Mermaid
King Triton is the ruler of the seas and his seven daughters. Since the trident has the power to control the sea it is highly sought after, in fact, Ursula sets Ariel up, knowing that Triton would protect his daughter and she would gain control of the trident.
Not only can the trident control the sea (and create massive whirlpools) but it can also destroy objects by exploding them underwater. Its laser beam accuracy with the ability to sense the emotional quality of the person holding it makes the trident incredibly powerful. It can also apparently create rainbows so the duality of its capabilities makes it truly extraordinary.
8. Captain America’s Shield
It may seem strange to think of Captain America’s Shield as a weapon since it’s clearly defensive protection but that is what makes the shield so unassuming. Made from a combination of materials like Vibranium and steel alloy the shield is virtually indestructible under normal use, and can even absorb kinetic energy, preventing little recoil.
When Captain America has his shield he can perform amazing feats and tricks, as the shield gives him supernatural abilities. The shield can be used offensively when it is thrown at enemies. The shield is aerodynamic and sleek, making it easy to control. If you want a shield for yourself check this one out via EZCosplay.
9. Sting from The Lord of the Rings
The sword with an elven blade with the convenience of glowing blue when elves or orcs are nearby, Sting is merely dagger sized to a human, but for the Hobbits, it is a full-sized sword. Sting is first Bilbo’s after he finds it in a troll-hoard and then he passes it on to Frodo.
It is presumed that Sting was forged in Gondolin in the First Age, but it’s true origins are unknown. One major benefit of Sting is that Gollum is afraid of it, which helps the hobbits. Sting is incredibly sharp, giving it both the ability to wound and cut through spider webs and other things the hobbits encounter on their journey. Want Sting for yourself, check it out here on Amazon.
10. Atlantean from Conan the Barbarian
When you’re a huge muscular barbarian and you hide in a cave and happen to find a great sword, it’s almost like it’s meant to be. Not only is the Atlantean sword responsible for saving Conan from a pack of wolves but its unique design makes it stand out among the other swords on this list.
With a blade that is 27 inches long, this sword isn’t for the faint of heart. The handle extends past the guard in case someone needed to reach and hold the blade. Conan’s expert sword work makes the Atlantean all the more interesting. Want a sweet Atlantean for yourself? Check it out here on Amazon.
11. Excalibur from Excalibur
King Arthur’s legendary sword, Excalibur is never more brilliant than in its titular movie role. A brilliant sword given to Merlin by the Lady of the Lake, Excalibur is cast into a large stone, to be removed only by the one who shall be king. Obviously, Arthur has the ability to remove it from the stone.
A beautiful sword, however, plagues Arthur and his dying wish is that it shall be returned to the Lady of the Lake until it is needed again. The sword’s history is one of infamy and magic, and to exclude it from a list of weapons would be shameful. If you want the Excalibur, check it out on Amazon here.
12. Wolverine’s Claws
The Adamantium claws that are bonded to Wolverine’s skeleton are indestructible. Because they are apart of him, his claws can’t be stolen, borrowed or even misplaced since they can be summoned at will. The only downside is that Logan feels pain when they appear.
The fact his claws are so strong and part of his body means that Wolverine has a full range of movement and is in complete control of his greatest weapon. This is a weapon that can go almost anywhere unnoticed, except maybe through airport security.
13. Batman’s Batarang
Batman doesn’t have superpowers, he has cool gadgets and one of his most well-known gadgets is the Batarang. When it was originally introduced, it worked almost like a boomerang but over time has evolved into a dangerous weapon.
The throwing weapon is unlikely to kill in its basic forms but can cause quite a lot of hurt and potentially give Batman the advantage. However, there are some versions of the Batarang that can cause a little extra damage like the electric Batarangs and ones that can explode have been used in different versions of Batman. Want a batarang? Check them out on Amazon here.
14. Lightsabers from Star Wars
When the Jedi Knights battle, this is the formal weapon of choice. It can slice through doors and hurt enemies equally in a sophisticated magnetically contained plasma and can even be used to weld metal. Only an energy field or another lightsaber can stop the destructive lightsaber from causing damage.
Most lightsabers have a steady beam of light, the Sith lightsabers are often red, and the Jedi use blue, green or even yellow lightsabers most frequently. With the ability to be turned on and off when needed, the lightsaber is an amazingly iconic weapon and one many people wish were technologically possible. Want a high-quality lightsaber for yourself? Check it out on Amazon here.
15. Phasers from Star Trek
These are versatile particle weapons that can fire beams of lasers into opponents. These phasers can stun, heat, kill and even disintegrate someone. As a weapon that can defend you in a battle to aid in cutting through walls or stone the Star Trek phasers are a powerful device that works well in the star fleet.
Phasers can be manipulated by an enemy into overloaded, causing them to explode, taking out the person holding it in a single blast. Without a clear indication a phaser would likely overload, does mean using them as a weapon comes with some degree of risk. Even with the limitations of a phaser, the different settings make it a versatile weapon. Want a phaser? Check them out on Amazon here.
16. Noisy Cricket from Men in Black
Sometimes the sneakiest weapons come in the smallest packages. Such is the case with the Noisy Cricket in Men in Black. This little gun may be tiny, but when you hear the noise of the cricket you can believe things are going down. The Noisy Cricket shoots orbs of energy that can surprise anyone unsuspecting.
Noisy Crickets are given to all rookies including Agent J, but its immense recoil makes them dangerous for anyone to use. Once Agent J gains control of the Noisy Cricket however it’s a perfect match and it becomes his small but mighty signature weapon. Want a toy noisy cricket? Check it out on Amazon here.
17. Paint Cans from Home Alone
Is there a more iconic weapon in your memory that is used by an 8-year-old? Kevin McCallister was able to protect his house from Harry and Marv using a wide variety of things found around his home, but he caused some real damage with the paint cans swinging from the staircase proving sometimes the most simple weapons can be effective.
Simple physics makes the swinging paint cans more than just a simple booby trap. They not only cause both Harry and Marv to fall backward, even knocking out Harry’s gold tooth but they are also relatively easy to clean up compared to the other household goods utilized to protect the house after the police apprehend the Wet Bandits.
18. Green Lantern’s Ring
Green Lantern’s Ring can grant the wearer unmeasurable power, making this the smallest and most incomprehensible weapon. When Green Lantern harnesses his willpower the ring enables him to do just about anything.
The only real downside to the ring is that, like any other modern device, it needs to be charged occasionally. While there’s no word if eventually, the battery life decreases over time, the oath of the Green Lantern Corp is recited during the charge to reaffirm their commitment. The rings can be overcharged to fly faster and be stronger over time. Get one on Amazon here.
19. Lawgiver Pistol from Judge Dredd
We are all happy this gun is fictional since it can be both semi and fully automatic when it fires. Because each gun is programmed to work only for the one who’s palm print is stored in its memory, the Lawgiver cannot be stolen or used by anyone, if anyone unauthorized attempts to use it, this gun will explode in their hand.
With the ability to shoot multiple different kinds of ammunition including heat-seeking to target those who flee, incendiary to set its target on fire and explosives besides just regular ammunition, the Lawgiver Pistol is a terrifying weapon.
20. Flamethrower from The Thing
The flamethrower is your basic mechanically incendiary device that shoots out a long flame of fire. Luckily, the flame can be controlled by the user of the flamethrower as they try to take down The Thing.
These weapons are particularly gruesome and cruel so they aren’t generally used often, which is why it was the perfect option in taking out The Thing in Antarctica. While it’s unknown why the polar base would have them on hand, it’s a good thing they did.
21. Machete from Friday the 13th Series
More than just a knife, Jason uses the bloodied machete as his favorite weapon. While a machete isn’t particularly useful for self-defense, it didn’t seem to slow down the villainous Jason at all.
The fear factor from the machete comes from the unsuspecting nature of the attacks and the damage it causes is more fearful than the actual machete itself. But with a massive sharp knife, anyone is a little scary right?
22. The Sickle from Children of the Corn
Who knew that a simple old fashioned farm tool could be a weapon? Well, the army of children yielding sickles certainly figured it out as they systematically murdered adults with a hand-held tool with a curved blade meant for harvesting. The sickle has been around since the bronze age but it didn’t strike a group of children to use them as murder weapons until much later.
The typical sickle is curved in order to cut the crop’s stem, this curved blade also makes the sickle uniquely shaped to slit a throat with very little effort, perfect for children attacking adults. A sickle is easy to grip and lightweight furthering it’s potential as a deadly weapon.
23. Proton Pack from Ghostbusters
Is this weapon meant for catching ghosts? Sure, but anything that can change the protons of ghostly matter and weaken the spirits is a pretty cool weapon. Also, the fact it is strictly expressed as “not a toy” means it can cause real damage to anyone. Especially if you cross the streams.
Firing a stream of highly energized protons can help to dissipate the psychokinetic energy that ghosts use to appear to humans. The proton packs are small nuclear devices and while they were unlicensed and probably illegal, they did, in fact, help people rid themselves of ghosts.
24. Inigo Montoya’s Rapier from The Princess Bride
It’s a rare gentleman who not only forewarns his opponents of their impending death and why, but Inigo Montoya is just that gentleman and his famous rapier. His sword is the finest ever created by his father and Montoya’s fast swordsmanship is something to be admired.
The symbol of a life long quest, with its gold hilt and it’s slightly unusual grip (since it was designed for someone with six fingers to grasp) this Renaissance-style rapier is decked out with gemstones and is capable of taking down any adversary.
25. Freddy Kruger’s Clawed Glove
The thing nightmares are made of, it’s a leather glove with knives attached. Knives that are then used for disemboweling teenagers. Part of the glove’s construction can be seen in Nightmare on Elm Street, but while we are grateful Freddy included only 4 knives and skipped over the thumb, even those 4 sharp claws can freak you out.
Is this glove iconically scary? Absolutely. The real horror stems from how easy it would be to make one of these gloves yourself. As long as you put in on carefully, the potential for damage would be immense.
26. Iron Man’s Suit
Who wouldn’t want a fictional exoskeleton built from a combination of alloys that can withstand attacks via an extreme force field? Tony Stark’s suit can help enhance his strength and even allow him to fly thanks to the rockets built into the suit near the hands and feet. The suit has multiple power sources including the option to solar charge in case the other power supplies fail.
The suit can be folded up so this is your typical knight’s armor but it is even more special when you realize that every single cell of the suit has been grown specifically for the protection of Iron Man. The suit also has repulsers that act as the eyes with a 360-degree capability so Stark knows what’s going on.
27. Ash’s Chain Saw from Evil Dead Series
If you cut-off your possessed hand what kind of prosthesis would you seek out? If your answer is a chainsaw retrofitted for your stump, it may be that your mind is possessed and your hand was just fine. While Ash’s chainsaw hand is designed to help him stay alive in the cabin of horrors, it’s certainly not a situation you’d want to find yourself in.
The chainsaw and all the ones that follow help Ash create different weapons as well as protect him from demons, that can apparently be defeated by a chainsaw. The Chain Saw hand is iconic and terrifying.
28. Wonder Woman’s Lasso
Wonder Woman has yet another indestructible superhero weapon, this time in the form of a lasso. Not only can it reshape itself into any particular size needed which certainly comes in handy from time to time.
The Lasso of Truth as it is nicknamed renders anyone within its grasp unable to say anything other than the truth which makes it a particularly useful tool for interrogations. The lasso can also hypnotize enemies and capture them. Don’t underestimate the other uses for the lasso either, when used with Wonder Woman’s skill it is an incredibly powerful and useful weapon.
29. My Little Friend Scarface
Sure, it may look just like any old Colt A15 assault rifle with a rigged up M230 grenade launcher attached capabilities but this is no ordinary gun. This is Tony Montana’s Little Friend. If you’ve used a weapon often enough to give it a pet name, certainly it’s worthy of fear.
While automatic weapons are more commonplace today in 1983, only true maniac gangsters would dare to employ one, making Tony Montana a crazed villain and his Little Friend uniquely terrifying and destructive.
30. Oddjob’s Derby Hat
A villain who never speaks, the mute Oddjob doesn’t seem overly fearsome until he takes off his derby hat and you learn what a powerful weapon it actually is. With a razor-sharp steel brim, when the hat is thrown it can cause serious damage, including slicing through metal and stone.
Oddjob is particularly skilled at throwing his hat, thrown similar to a frisbee. Since he never speaks there isn’t a good warning you are going to be at the hands of the hat, making it all scarier. Is it a piece of a stylish wardrobe? Is it a weapon? It’s both.
Conclusion:
With such a wide variety of weaponry listed here, how can you even choose your favorite? It would be near impossible and together these weapons would create an armory that would be undefeatable if they weren’t mostly works of fiction that is.