Aerial Canyon Chase: Difference between revisions

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Expect to see lots of fast pans and quick camera changes, as well as tense music and close calls.
Expect to see lots of fast pans and quick camera changes, as well as tense music and close calls.


Subtrope of [[Try and Follow]]. Often includes instances of a [[Wronski Feint]] or [[Dodge By Braking]].
Subtrope of [[Try and Follow]]. Often includes instances of a [[Wronski Feint]] or [[Dodge by Braking]].


{{examples}}
{{examples}}


== Anime & Manga ==
== Anime & Manga ==
* A Variation in the ''[[Area 88 (Manga)|Area 88]]'' OAV, where several pilots fly through a canyon to avoid SAM batteries. Many don't make it.
* A Variation in the ''[[Area 88]]'' OAV, where several pilots fly through a canyon to avoid SAM batteries. Many don't make it.
* Used in the last episode of ''[[UFO Robo Grendizer (Anime)|Grendizer]]'', when General Gandal (Minos) tries to ram his ship into Grendizer in a suicide attack. Duke Freed manages to make him crash into a cliff, since the Spazer (Grendizer's UFO) was still controllable, while Gandal's flagship was a flaming mess.
* Used in the last episode of ''[[UFO Robo Grendizer|Grendizer]]'', when General Gandal (Minos) tries to ram his ship into Grendizer in a suicide attack. Duke Freed manages to make him crash into a cliff, since the Spazer (Grendizer's UFO) was still controllable, while Gandal's flagship was a flaming mess.




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* The movie ''[[Stealth]]'' has the [[AI Is a Crapshoot|out-of-control robot plane]] use this trope to dispose of one of the overconfident heroes.
* The movie ''[[Stealth]]'' has the [[AI Is a Crapshoot|out-of-control robot plane]] use this trope to dispose of one of the overconfident heroes.
* Will Smith uses this trope to escape the pursuing space invaders in ''[[Independence Day]]''.
* Will Smith uses this trope to escape the pursuing space invaders in ''[[Independence Day]]''.
* When a conveniently placed canyon is not available in ''[[X-Men (Film)|X-Men]] 2'', Halle Berry's character, Storm, uses her weather manipulating powers to create one from tornadoes, giving the X-Men jet a chance to escape.
* When a conveniently placed canyon is not available in ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]] 2'', Halle Berry's character, Storm, uses her weather manipulating powers to create one from tornadoes, giving the X-Men jet a chance to escape.
* The film version of ''[[The Hunt for Red October]]'' has the titular submarine using the cliffs of an undersea canyon system to scrape off a torpedo dropped on them by a "[[Reporting Names|Bear]]" that was part of the Soviet group tasked to prevent the ''Red October'' from making it to the US.
* The film version of ''[[The Hunt for Red October]]'' has the titular submarine using the cliffs of an undersea canyon system to scrape off a torpedo dropped on them by a "[[Reporting Names|Bear]]" that was part of the Soviet group tasked to prevent the ''Red October'' from making it to the US.
* ''[[Hot Shots (Film)|Hot Shots]]'':
* ''[[Hot Shots]]'':
** Charlie Sheen's character lures enemies into a canyon and [[Dodge By Braking|Top Gunning]] them by ''stepping on the brakes''. Yes, he's piloting an ''airplane''. No, that's [[Rule of Funny|not because it's cool]].
** Charlie Sheen's character lures enemies into a canyon and [[Dodge by Braking|Top Gunning]] them by ''stepping on the brakes''. Yes, he's piloting an ''airplane''. No, that's [[Rule of Funny|not because it's cool]].
** ''[[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Airbrakes]]!''
** ''[[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Airbrakes]]!''
* ''[[Star Wars (Franchise)|Star Wars]]'':
* ''[[Star Wars]]'':
** The Millennium Falcon in the attack on the second Death Star in ''[[Return of the Jedi (Film)|Return of the Jedi]]''. Complete with [[Outrun the Fireball]] for extra Tropey Goodness!
** The Millennium Falcon in the attack on the second Death Star in ''[[Return of the Jedi]]''. Complete with [[Outrun the Fireball]] for extra Tropey Goodness!
** Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon do this in ''[[The Empire Strikes Back (Film)|The Empire Strikes Back]]'' during the famous asteroid chase scene. As Solo was noting, [[Try and Follow|"They'd be crazy to follow us."]] Unfortunately, Darth Vader is quite a motivator for his troops and they dive in after him.
** Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon do this in ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' during the famous asteroid chase scene. As Solo was noting, [[Try and Follow|"They'd be crazy to follow us."]] Unfortunately, Darth Vader is quite a motivator for his troops and they dive in after him.
** And then again in the prequels, several occasions.
** And then again in the prequels, several occasions.
** The [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] loves this in general. If a book has "[[X Wing Series|X-Wing]]" in the title (and even occasionally if it doesn't), expect there to be at least one of some sort. X-Wings are actually somewhat slower and less maneuverable than TIE fighters, but there are a few reasons why the canyon trick can work. TIE fighters, with those wings, have greater air resistance, and those pilots who haven't trained in atmosphere often don't compensate for that. And an X-Wing can turn on its side and use its targeting computer to get through a gap only a handful of meters wide, while TIE fighters are almost as wide as they are tall. As ''Iron Fist'' showed, a TIE interceptor can pull off a similar maneuver due to it having a narrower profile than a TIE fighter.
** The [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] loves this in general. If a book has "[[X Wing Series|X-Wing]]" in the title (and even occasionally if it doesn't), expect there to be at least one of some sort. X-Wings are actually somewhat slower and less maneuverable than TIE fighters, but there are a few reasons why the canyon trick can work. TIE fighters, with those wings, have greater air resistance, and those pilots who haven't trained in atmosphere often don't compensate for that. And an X-Wing can turn on its side and use its targeting computer to get through a gap only a handful of meters wide, while TIE fighters are almost as wide as they are tall. As ''Iron Fist'' showed, a TIE interceptor can pull off a similar maneuver due to it having a narrower profile than a TIE fighter.
** Though subverted by ''Solo Command'', where the good guys hop through a dangerous asteroid field from large asteroid to large asteroid, and then the enemy battleship ''targeted the large, stationary asteroids'', destroying the good guys due to their use of the feint. {{spoiler|Or it would have, except that one pilot remembered that particular enemy had used that counter-tactic before, and managed to get the attack called off just in time.}}
** Though subverted by ''Solo Command'', where the good guys hop through a dangerous asteroid field from large asteroid to large asteroid, and then the enemy battleship ''targeted the large, stationary asteroids'', destroying the good guys due to their use of the feint. {{spoiler|Or it would have, except that one pilot remembered that particular enemy had used that counter-tactic before, and managed to get the attack called off just in time.}}
* In the original ''[[Terminator (Film)|Terminator]]'', Sarah and Reese are driving flat-out in a parking garage with Ah-nult just behind them. Sarah spots the wall but Reese is too distracted to listen to her (with the gunfire and all). Sarah slams her car into park, but Ah-nult doesn't react in time to avoid hitting the wall at top speed. Of course, him being a cyborg, this is just a minor inconvenience.
* In the original ''[[Terminator (franchise)|Terminator]]'', Sarah and Reese are driving flat-out in a parking garage with Ah-nult just behind them. Sarah spots the wall but Reese is too distracted to listen to her (with the gunfire and all). Sarah slams her car into park, but Ah-nult doesn't react in time to avoid hitting the wall at top speed. Of course, him being a cyborg, this is just a minor inconvenience.
* The winged flyers in ''[[Transformers Dark of the Moon (Film)|Transformers Dark of the Moon]]'' were able to outmaneuver the Decepticon patrol ships by flying through damaged buildings. Due to their size, they would be more than capable into fitting in places those ships couldn't.
* The winged flyers in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon]]'' were able to outmaneuver the Decepticon patrol ships by flying through damaged buildings. Due to their size, they would be more than capable into fitting in places those ships couldn't.
* ''[[Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow]]''. The title character flies his fighter plane along the streets of New York just above ground level while trying to escape Dr. Totenkopf's robot ornithopters.
* ''[[Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow]]''. The title character flies his fighter plane along the streets of New York just above ground level while trying to escape Dr. Totenkopf's robot ornithopters.
* The climax of ''[[Lilo and Stitch (Disney)|Liloand Stitch]]'' involved Jumba, Pleakley, Nani, and Stitch flying in a giant spaceship to save Lilo from [[The Dragon|Gantu]], who accidentally captured her while attempting to capture Stitch (he escaped), by chasing him down a series of volcano-filled canyons located all over Hawaii. Originally, they were going to go after Gantu by chasing him down with a stolen passenger jet into the capital city of Honolulu, but due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the entire scene had to be reanimated into what we see in the final version of the film.
* The climax of ''[[Lilo and Stitch (Disney film)|Liloand Stitch]]'' involved Jumba, Pleakley, Nani, and Stitch flying in a giant spaceship to save Lilo from [[The Dragon|Gantu]], who accidentally captured her while attempting to capture Stitch (he escaped), by chasing him down a series of volcano-filled canyons located all over Hawaii. Originally, they were going to go after Gantu by chasing him down with a stolen passenger jet into the capital city of Honolulu, but due to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the entire scene had to be reanimated into what we see in the final version of the film.




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== Live Action TV ==
== Live Action TV ==
* Subverted in the ''[[Firefly (TV)|Firefly]]'' episode "The Message". When this trope is attempted by ''Serenity'', the pursuing ship simply flies above the canyon, keeping the ship in view. And when the heroes try to hide, the pursuers flush them out with saturation bombing.
* Subverted in the ''[[Firefly]]'' episode "The Message". When this trope is attempted by ''Serenity'', the pursuing ship simply flies above the canyon, keeping the ship in view. And when the heroes try to hide, the pursuers flush them out with saturation bombing.




== Newspaper Comics ==
== Newspaper Comics ==
* ''[[Calvin and Hobbes (Comic Strip)|Calvin and Hobbes]]'' parodied this. Or explored [http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1992/01/12 the origin].
* ''[[Calvin and Hobbes]]'' parodied this. Or explored [http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1992/01/12 the origin].




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* ''[[Rescue On Fractalus]]!'' was originally going to have this be the ''only way'' to defeat enemies; George Lucas said that was silly.
* ''[[Rescue On Fractalus]]!'' was originally going to have this be the ''only way'' to defeat enemies; George Lucas said that was silly.
* Not necessarily a chase scene, but pretty much every ''[[Ace Combat]]'' game requires the player to do this for some reason. Sometimes there are enemy planes or helicopters skulking in the canyons or other narrow passageways or tunnels, just waiting to achieve missile lock.
* Not necessarily a chase scene, but pretty much every ''[[Ace Combat]]'' game requires the player to do this for some reason. Sometimes there are enemy planes or helicopters skulking in the canyons or other narrow passageways or tunnels, just waiting to achieve missile lock.
* Appears in the cinematic for a secret project in ''[[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (Video Game)|Sid Meiers Alpha Centauri]]''.
* Appears in the cinematic for a secret project in ''[[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri|Sid Meiers Alpha Centauri]]''.
* The canyon level [[Crimson Skies]]: High Road to Revenge is pretty much this trope.
* The canyon level [[Crimson Skies]]: High Road to Revenge is pretty much this trope.
* In the original ''[[Wing Commander (Video Game)|Wing Commander]]'', one of your fellow pilots suggests that asteroid fields are great equalizers when you're outnumbered. Asteroids are great shields, and you only have to concentrate on not hitting them, while your pursuers have to divide their attention between shooting you and not crashing. Sooner or later, they're more likely to screw up than you are. While it actually didn't work out that way in that game, it sometimes does in the later games or the ''[[Free Space]]'' series.
* In the original ''[[Wing Commander (video game)|Wing Commander]]'', one of your fellow pilots suggests that asteroid fields are great equalizers when you're outnumbered. Asteroids are great shields, and you only have to concentrate on not hitting them, while your pursuers have to divide their attention between shooting you and not crashing. Sooner or later, they're more likely to screw up than you are. While it actually didn't work out that way in that game, it sometimes does in the later games or the ''[[Free Space]]'' series.




== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* The ''[[Futurama (Animation)|Futurama]]'' episode "A Clone of My Own" features an extended parody of the above scene during the escape from the ''Near''-Death Star.
* The ''[[Futurama]]'' episode "A Clone of My Own" features an extended parody of the above scene during the escape from the ''Near''-Death Star.
* The series ''[[Tale Spin (Animation)|Tale Spin]]'' did this all the time with Baloo being a master pilot. For instance, in the climax of the first story, Baloo leads a merry aerial chase into the bowels of the city, causing all his pursuers to eventually crash and him crowing "If you can't fly, don't mess with the eagles!"
* The series ''[[Tale Spin]]'' did this all the time with Baloo being a master pilot. For instance, in the climax of the first story, Baloo leads a merry aerial chase into the bowels of the city, causing all his pursuers to eventually crash and him crowing "If you can't fly, don't mess with the eagles!"
** Another episode had Baloo pull up in front of a wall in a cave. Don Karnage hit it, with the statement "What a ''lousy'' place for a wall!"
** Another episode had Baloo pull up in front of a wall in a cave. Don Karnage hit it, with the statement "What a ''lousy'' place for a wall!"
* In an Episode of ''[[Storm Hawks (Animation)|Storm Hawks]]'', Aerrow tries this to defeat the Dark Ace. As demonstrated earlier in the episode, the very end of the canyon is so narrow, one must turn their fliers to motorcycle mode to get through, and then back again as to not plummet to the ground. The trick here is that, earlier in the fight, Aerrow had stuck a wrench into the Dark Ace's wing mechanism, preventing him from retracting them.
* In an Episode of ''[[Storm Hawks]]'', Aerrow tries this to defeat the Dark Ace. As demonstrated earlier in the episode, the very end of the canyon is so narrow, one must turn their fliers to motorcycle mode to get through, and then back again as to not plummet to the ground. The trick here is that, earlier in the fight, Aerrow had stuck a wrench into the Dark Ace's wing mechanism, preventing him from retracting them.
* Cheetor tries this with a canyon that has many close pillars in ''[[Beast Wars (Animation)|Beast Wars]]''. Even though he manages to shake off the [[Mooks]] with this technique, Megatron just plows head-first right through the pillars to no ill effect.
* Cheetor tries this with a canyon that has many close pillars in ''[[Beast Wars]]''. Even though he manages to shake off the [[Mooks]] with this technique, Megatron just plows head-first right through the pillars to no ill effect.




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