Escape Artist: Difference between revisions

The '''Escape Artist''' (or Escapologist) is exactly that: a character whose ability to escape dangerous situations is practically superhuman. However, do note that it's not ''actually'' superhuman: a true escape artist relies merely on skill, guile and misdirection to make his escapes. After all, breaking free with [[Super Strength]], escaping death with [[Super Speed]] or surviving with [[Nigh Invulnerability]], well, that would be cheating, and this character is ALL about doing things the right way.

 

 

As a character type in fiction, escapologists will ''always'' escape on pure skill. Though they may use tools to free themselves, those tools still require intense training to use, as well as a high amount of cunning to conceal in case of being trapped. They are also always incredibly nimble and of cat-like dexterity. This lends itself to excelling in other talents, like [[Professional Gambler|gambling]] (especially at [[Absurdly High Stakes Game|high stakes]]), [[Gadgeteer Genius|gadgeteering]], misdirection, etc. Also, the ability to escape also usually goes hand-in-hand with the ability to ''infiltrate'', and so escapologists can usually be found as the mastermind or a high profile member of a group performing [[The Caper]]. Also, expect an escapologist [[I Know Kung Fu|to know kung-fu]], for when guile and skill alone won't get him out of trouble.

 

Because of its association with the stage, escapist characters are also usually [[Large Ham|pretty hammy]] and melodramatic. They tend to be [[Loveable Rogue|roguishly charming]] to boot. Basically, if a character's gimmick is escapology, he's gonna be larger than life. Escapology is, obviously, quite an universally useful skill, so you see both good and bad guys relying on it, but even bad guys tend to be [[Affably Evil|pretty charming and charismatic]] if they're this kind if character. They will ''always'' show confidence in their skill, to the point of sometimes bragging about it or even using it as a signature of their character. There is no such thing as a timid or subdued escapist, since their ability to survive traps and bonds depends on being brave and confident of one's abilities. Even when an escapologist is actually a very serious character, he'll still tell you to your face that a trap won't work on him. For example, [[Batman]], one of fiction's greatest escapologists, may be serious and not prone to bragging, but if you tie him up, he'll be the first to tell you "This won't hold me for long."

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== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

** "You will remember this as the day you ''almost'' caught, Captain jack Sparrow!"

* [[James Bond]].

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* [[Sherlock Holmes]] has, in quite a few stories, proven himself to be notoriously hard to entrap. He sure as hell likes rubbing it in, too.

 

== [[Live-Action TV]] ==

* Jo Grant, companion to the Third Doctor on ''[[Doctor Who]]'', was very handy at getting out of handcuffs, manacles, and the like. The lock picking course seems to be the only UNIT agent course that she excelled in.

** The Doctor himself is an example. It helps that he's been trained by Houdini.

* Parodied in the ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' "Life of Tchaikovsky" sketch, in which a pianist freed himself from a sack while pounding out the opening chords of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B-flat minor.

* Would the titular character of [[MacGyver]] count? He certainly has the technical expertise, seeing as he can escape almost any dangerous situation [[MacGyvering|using any means at his disposal]].

* ''[[Boardwalk Empire]]'' had a performance by Harry Houdini's brother, who claims to be a much better escape artist than his famous brother. The audience at the show seems unimpressed since he lacks the showmanship of his brother.

 

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* Basil Mouse, of ''[[The Great Mouse Detective]]'', is basically just a rodent-version of Sherlock Holmes - so of course, he's also a superb escape-artist, demonstrating it in the movie by escaping a [[No Kill Like Overkill|ludicrously lethal]] [[Death Trap]].

* In one episode of ''[[The Real Ghostbusters]]'', the team was having a hard time with a ghost that their trap could not hold. No matter how many times they trapped it, it kept breaking out. They later found out that the ghost was the spirit of Harry Houdini himself; clearly, he hadn't lost his touch.

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Characters As Device]]

[[Category:Hocus Tropus]]

[[Category:Escape Tropes]]