7-year-old vs. soldier: who would win?

[lyndseas]

I have a character who, for most of his life, fought physically against various supernatural beings; he has lots of experience and training in that arena. However, he was deaged. Time passed, now he's physically about 7 and as in-shape as a 7-year-old can be. With his body and experience, is it possible for him to take down (knock out or force to

Comments

[conuly]

I'd be astonished. Even if it's possible, I wouldn't believe it written down unless the grown-up (doesn't matter if the guy is a soldier or not, he's still got to be twice the kid's size!) is severely impaired.

[starry_diadem]

I'd have thought that he'd suffer the double disadvantage of height and weight - a seven year old boy's body is small and slight, and wouldn't have the musculature to take down a grown man even if his mind had the skills. So much of fighting and training is to train in muscle memory, so that your body automatically goes through specific moves. I'd seriously doubt his seven-year-old body would have that.

Just an opinion, of course. But I think you'd be stretching your readers' credulity.

[lyndseas]

How much time is required for muscle memory? I know that at his age it would be a terrible idea for him to become a body builder or something, but he's had a few years as a kid, including frequent exercise and practice fighting.

[starry_diadem]

Sorry - I've been sleeping and am just back online. Months and years of training, and even then he will still be at the height/weight disadvantage. As busaikko says below, there are other and better (and sneakier) ways of doing it.

[twistedsister4u]

I immediately thought that a 7 year old is just the right height for a running headbutt in the crotch. That might take an adult down, especially if it was completely unexpected. Of course, if it doesn't work, that's going to be one ticked off adult.

[robinhood]

This is pretty much the only way I can see that working and even then it seems a bit of a stretch unless little 7 y/o can basically impair him long enough to acquire a weapon of some sort. If the goal is surrender, anyways, that might pass?

(I'm assuming the soldier is armed, that the kid would distract him with aforementioned headbutt and acquire his gun, because anyone can be threatening if they are able and willing to shoot you, and that there is no one else involved in this situation.)

I have absolutely no knowledge to back any of this up though.

[ffutures]

Not likely; Height, weight, strength, and leverage are all too low for any sort of unarmed attack to succeed. Home Alone style traps etc. are probably your best bet.

[lyndseas]

He's not unarmed; he has at least a knife, and possibly a gun. But traps give me an idea...

[ansela_jonla]

Got nothing to add to the above comments, but is this a SPN or Buffy crossover with Stargate? With the Major/Lieutenant Colonel being Sam Carter?

[lyndseas]

Buffy with SGA, the episode Runner in particular; I'm not sure if I want Xander to take down Sheppard or Lorne.