In writing, we are allowed a “creative freedom” where not everything we write has to be realistic to how it actually would happen in real life. We can have a hero walk away with an explosion directly behind him, we can have him somehow never have to reload his gun, and we can have him be hit by a car and roll over it, and just keep running. They are common action movie scenes that many viewers don’t even blink at, but there is another one that is missing here, and it is one that can be found in almost every genre ever:

The hero getting knocked out.

Most commonly, the hero is hit over the head with something, and wakes up hours later somewhere else. In action movies, the hero awakes as if he were simply sleeping, and is able to use that (somehow uninjured) brain to think up the perfect escape.

The “knock over the head” is seen as a quick way to capture even the toughest of fighters, so often so fans can worry for them and wonder how the hero will escape.

In real life, he would likely be dead, or in extreme need of medical care. If you are knocked out for under a minute, a checkup is recommended. Over a minute, and you are supposed to be seen at an emergency care hospital for dangers such as internal bleeding of the brain.

That is just a single minute, and many fiction heroes are out for hours.

Even being if knocked out that long somehow does not kill you, you are still going to have some effects. Concussions are not fun, and can cause several symptoms; including light sensitivity, and more.

Concussion Symptoms

🔹Headache or “pressure” in head.
🔹Nausea or vomiting.
🔹Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
🔹Bothered by light or noise.
🔹Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
🔹Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
🔹Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”.

csc.gov

So what can you do? You could still have the main character hit over the head, and disoriented. Then, they can be tied up and blindfolded and still brought to where you need them to be. From then on, the hero trying to fight despite injuries raises the risks for the hero, making it more thrilling for the reader.

Now, before you say “what about chloroform?” Sadly, friend, that is also partially a movie myth.

Scientists estimate that it would probably take around 5 minutes for an adult person to become unconscious from breathing though a cloth with chloroform on it.

technology.org

In movies, the hero is snuck up on from behind, and a white cloth is pressed over their nose and mouth. Within seconds, they drop, and are out for however long the bad guy needs.

In real life, with how long it can take chloroform to hit, you would have o overpower the hero first(which is an option you could go with). In that fight, unless the baddie is wearing a mask, they are in as much danger of breathing the chloroform as the hero.

So, you have two options here; the first is to keep searching for the perfect way to have your character be temporarily subdued, or you could go with the second option: just give yourself the creative freedom to write what you want. Both are valid paths, so no matter which you take, I hope you have a great time writing.