Pans: To Shoot Or Not To Shoot?

Shooting pans is not safe. There is a high chance of ricochet, which can be dangerous.

However, pans have been used as weapons in several TV shows, films, and video games. Pans are versatile utensils, useful for frying, sautéing, braising, and bruising. A good skillet is considerably heavier than most war maces and can cause a concussion or serious head injury if brought down hard against someone's skull.

Pans have also been used as shields, as seen in the animated film Tangled, where Rapunzel uses a cast-iron skillet to fend off guards.

The dangers of shooting a pan with a firearm

Shooting a pan with a firearm is extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Here are several reasons why:

Firstly, there is a significant risk of ricochet when shooting a pan. Even if the bullet passes through the pan, fragments of the pan itself could break off and fly back towards the shooter. This shrapnel could cause serious injury or even death. The risk of ricochet is higher with more powerful firearms, but even a low-calibre rifle like a .22 presents a significant risk.

Secondly, the pan may not be able to withstand the force of the bullet and could fracture or break apart, sending shards of metal in all directions. Cast iron pans, in particular, are known to be brittle and likely to shatter when struck by a bullet. This again could result in dangerous shrapnel flying back towards the shooter or others in the vicinity.

Thirdly, even if the pan is not completely destroyed by the bullet, it is likely to be deformed or damaged. This could cause the pan to become unusable for its intended purpose, resulting in a waste of money and resources.

Finally, shooting a pan made from certain materials could release toxic chemicals into the air. For example, non-stick pans are often coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon. Heating a non-stick pan to high temperatures can cause it to release toxic gases and particles, which could be harmful to anyone in the vicinity.

In conclusion, shooting a pan with a firearm is extremely dangerous and should be avoided. The risks include ricochet, shrapnel from a destroyed pan, deformation of the pan, and the release of toxic chemicals. It is always better to use a proper target designed for shooting rather than risking an accident with a pan.

The use of pans as weapons in film and TV

The use of pans as weapons is also prevalent in cartoons, with examples including The Flintstones, The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Tom and Jerry. In the video game Super Mario Odyssey, there is even a Hammer Bro in the Luncheon Kingdom who throws frying pans instead of hammers.

In live-action TV and film, pans are often used as weapons in more serious contexts, such as self-defence against intruders or attackers. Examples include Austin Powers: Goldmember, The Great Dictator, Spy, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. In the James Bond film The Living Daylights, there is a memorable fight scene in a kitchen where a saucepan full of boiling water is thrown, and the battle is ended with a blow from a frying pan.

The use of pans as weapons can also be found in books and comics, with examples including Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where Aunt Petunia attempts to hit Harry with a frying pan, and the comic book series Asterix, where Impedimenta smashes a Roman over the head with a pan after he tells her to "get back to your pots and pans, woman".

Pans as weapons in video games

Pans have been used as weapons in video games for decades, with one of the earliest examples being Princess Peach's frying pan in Super Mario RPG (1996). In the game, the frying pan is her ultimate weapon.

Frying pans are also used as weapons in the Mother series, including Earthbound Beginnings and Earthbound. In the latter, the frying pan is the main heroine Paula's primary weapon.

Other games that feature frying pans as weapons include:

• Left 4 Dead 2 (2009)
• Team Fortress 2 (2010)
• Silent Hill: Downpour (2012)
• Fable (2004)
• Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001)
• Postal 2 (2003)
• PUBG
• Death Road to Canada
• Super Hot
• Phantasy Star Online
• Friday the 13th
• Fairy Tail
• Hetalia: Axis Powers
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Doraemon: Nobita's Treasure Island
• Dragon Half
• Et Cetera
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Final Fantasy IV
• Fire Emblem Fates
• Harvest Town
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
• Mother 3
• Tales of Vesperia
• Dead Rising
• Dead Rising 2
• EarthBound
• Eastward
• Legend of Mana
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
• Phantasy Star Online
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
• Salt and Sanctuary
• Undertale
• Wario Land: Shake It!
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3
• Your Turn to Die

In addition to being used as weapons, frying pans can also be used as shields in some games, such as Super Hot and PUBG.

Pans as weapons in literature

Pans have been used as weapons in various works of literature. Here is a list of some notable examples:

• In the 1997 French cookware brand Durandal advertisement, Roland, the hero of "The Song of Roland", defends himself against a Saracen using a frying pan.
• In the anime "Hetalia: Axis Powers", Hungary wields a frying pan as her weapon of choice, especially when around France and Prussia.
• In the "Dragon Ball" series, Chi-Chi uses a frying pan as a weapon, although the extent to which it is used is exaggerated by fans.
• In the "Harry Potter" series, Aunt Petunia attempts to hit Harry with a frying pan in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", and house elves use them against Death Eaters in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".
• In the "Lord of the Rings" movie, Sam takes down a few goblins in Moria with his trusty frying pan.
• In the "Xena: Warrior Princess" episode "A Day In The Life", Xena fends off an attack by some bad guys with a frying pan.
• In the "Discworld" book "The Wee Free Men", Tiffany uses a cast-iron skillet as a weapon on her journey with the Feegles to Fairy Land.
• In Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer's "Agnes and the Hitman", the heroine has a notorious habit of hitting men (particularly cheating boyfriends) over the head with frying pans.
• In Anne Bishop's "Black Jewels" series, a gentle female character is trained to be lethal with a frying pan after her employer throws a pot at her during her "moontime".
• In the "Percy Jackson" book series, Pan is a character sought out by all the satyrs for their quests.
• In the "Peter Pan" stories, Peter represents a golden age of pre-civilisation, and his character is both charming and selfish, reflecting our cultural confusion about whether human instincts are natural and good, or uncivilised and bad.

Pans as weapons in real life

Frying pans have been used as weapons in various media, including books, films, TV shows, and video games. In real life, they have been used as weapons for self-defence. A notable example is a man who used a frying pan to fend off a home invader. In another instance, a man used a frying pan to defend himself against a crocodile. On a darker note, there was a case where a girl murdered her mother by beating her on the head with an iron skillet and then stabbing her in the neck multiple times.

The effectiveness of a frying pan as a weapon depends on its weight and the force with which it is swung. A proper sauté pan, for example, should be heavy enough to cause a serious head injury if brought down hard against someone's skull. According to celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, if one has any doubts about whether the pan or the intended target's head will dent, the pan should be discarded.

The act of wielding a frying pan as a weapon is often associated with female characters in media, and it is usually portrayed in a comedic or slapstick manner. However, in real life, it requires considerable arm strength to effectively use a frying pan as a weapon for any extended period.

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