- Assess the Situation: The character would examine the bomb casing, timer, and any visible wires or components. They’d check for booby traps or secondary triggers.
- Identify the Trigger Mechanism: Could be time-based, remote-detonated, pressure-sensitive, etc. The hero would figure this out fast (sometimes with a tech expert on a headset!).
- Choose the Wire: Classic trope: red wire or blue wire? Often, there’s a bunch of wires—some are decoys. The correct one is usually tied to the triggering circuit.
- Cut Carefully: Once identified, they’d cut the correct wire or disable the triggering mechanism. Wrong move? Boom. Right move? Crisis averted with seconds to spare.
- Disarm Safely: In more complex setups, they might have to disable multiple systems—battery packs, motion sensors, backup triggers.
From a very real source