Object
Tear Gas Canister (Non‑Lethal Crowd‑Control Munition)
An unnamed, offstage canister invoked as a non‑lethal tactical munition: no model, marking, or physical detail appears in the script. Characters describe a small, launchable projectile intended to be fired or put through windows to deliver chemical irritant. The device exists as a planning artifact—talked about in clipped, tactical terms—and its mention tightens the room, provoking moral pushback and tactical debate among advisors rather than physical handling or display.
2 appearances
Purpose
To deliver chemical irritant agents (tear gas) for crowd‑control, area denial, or to incapacitate/coerce occupants without resorting to lethal force.
Significance
Functions as the moral and strategic fulcrum of the Oval Office argument: its proposed use escalates pressure for force, catalyzes ethical objections, and helps drive the President's decision to pursue negotiation. The canister's rhetorical weight exposes tensions about state power, public perception, and the cost of decisive action.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used