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{{trope}}
[[File:
[[Rule of Cool]] insists that when a bunch of fighters go into battle, you always have to see them taking off first. ''Always''.
There are several reasons for this. One is the ''[[Most Wonderful Sound|sound]]'' of the fighters starting up. There is something very [[Rule of Cool|evocative]] about fighter engines
This is closely related to [[Red Alert]] with its attending imagery of lights flashing and klaxons sounding as the pilots in their flight gear race for their fighters while the ground crew calmly preps them for take-off as their commander goes over the PA with something like "All fighters, '''Scramble!'''"
In [[Anime]], you always have to have the commander [[
Sometimes this trope is brutally [[Subverted Trope|subverted]], with the pilots attempting to scramble only to have their airfield or mothership disabled or destroyed before they can launch. That would be an example of [[Sitting Duck]].
Compare [[
{{examples}}▼
▲{{examples}}
== Anime
* All the time in the various ''[[Robotech]]'' series (''[[Macross]]'', ''[[Southern Cross]]'', ''[[Mospeada]]''), complete with a [[Stock Footage]] unfurling of the tail fins from their storage mode.
* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' does this with its giant mecha.
* Getting to the robots in ''[[
* ''[[Gundam]]''. Every series (with the possible exception of Turn A) has had at least one launch sequence.
** ''[[Gundam Seed Destiny]]'' gratuitously abuses
* The title sequences to the various ''[[Getter Robo]]'' series pretty much always include a scene with the three machines taking off and going through a tunnel.
* The first opening sequence of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
* ''[[Uchuu Senkan Yamato]]'': The Black Tigers.
* ''[[
* With both sides of the conflict in ''[[Star Fleet]]'' having carrier ships that launch fighters, this tends to crop up in pretty much every episode.
* A one-time example occurs during episode 14 of ''[[
* ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico]]'' features a [[Hot
* ''[[
* ''[[Strike Witches]]'' most prominently uses this at the beginning of the second episode of the first season, where we see Sakamoto and the rest of the Akagi's fighters preparing for takeoff.
* ''[[Area 88]]'', which is set in a [[Qurac
* ''[[Eureka Seven]]'' sometimes has [[Stock Footage]] of the Nirvash launching into batttle, complete with [[Transformation Sequence]].
* ''[[Sengoku Basara]]'' has Honda Tadakatsu who uses a launch sequence reminiscent to that of Gundam despite being in the Sengoku era and just wearing very heavy armor with jet packs and treads.
* The ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]'' anime has a scene several episodes into the first series where Kurtz and Mao launch their M9s off the catapult on the deck of the Tuatha De Danann. This sequence is repeated with the Arbalest in the opening credits of ''The Second Raid''.
== Films -- Animation ==
* Parodied and subverted in ''[[Wallace and Gromit]]: A Close Shave''. Wallace uses a visual feast of overly-elaborate [[Technology Porn]] to get on a bike to go and clean windows. Gromit, of course, achieves the same end result by walking through a door.
** Then there's the very impressive rocket launch from the first film, which is played more like an actual rocket launch
== Films -- Live-Action ==
* When the ships take off in ''[[Star Wars]]'' to attack the first Death Star. The 1977 version showed the takeoff from a distance, with the fighters rendered as glowing dots. The 1997 [[
** Except for the fact that the CGI folks got lazy and made them all copies of Red Five, Luke's fighter. They originally had stripes on the wings denoting what number they were, but instead they all have five stripes.
* The opening of ''[[Top Gun]]'' is a launching sequence.
* ''[[Tora! Tora! Tora!]]''. The scene where the Japanese aircraft took off from their aircraft carriers on their way to Pearl Harbor.
* Similar, done thrice in [[Michael Bay]]'s ''[[Pearl Harbor]]''.
* In ''[[The Rock]]'' when the plane meant to bomb Alcatraz takes off.
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* ''[[Battle of Britain]]'': ''Well don't just '''stand''' there! Get one '''up!'''''
* The transports taking off in ''[[A Bridge Too Far]]''. The movie spends a significant time on this one, zooming in on the C-47 tow planes to show that they are piloted by officers and the gliders in tow to show that they are piloted by enlisted men.
* Used repeatedly in ''[[Transformers (
* The scene in ''[[Avatar (
* A (very) low-tech case could be made for ''The Wizard of Oz'': "Fly, monkeys, fly!!!"
* Subverted in David Lynch's version of [[Dune]]. As the Atreides troops become aware that their shields have been crippled, they run for their ships... which are blown up in their faces by Harkonnen bombers.
== Literature ==
* Throughout the ''[[X Wing Series]]'' there are pre-flight checks where characters sound off -- "Red Flight, are we good to go?" "Red Two, ready." "Red Three, four lit and ready to burn." "Red Four, nothing's gone wrong yet." Then there's that scene near the end of ''Starfighters of Adumar'' where Wedge gives a speech about purpose to the united Adumari nation, then has someone hit the air siren to get people in their fighters, tells Iella the two reasons why nothing is going to happen to him, and gets into the cockpit to lead them.
== Live-Action TV ==
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** Subverted in season one "Hand of God" {{spoiler|the true attacking force is hidden nearby, rather than launching from Galactica}}
* This trope is used in the shows of the ''[[Ultra Series]]''. Often featured in opening theme sequences.
** ''[[Ultraman Towards The Future]]'' did this with the UMA fighter jets, [[Once an Episode|in nearly every episode]].
** ''[[Ultraman Gaia]]'' featured the XIG fighters launching from their base in the series' opening sequence.
** ''[[Ultraman Nexus]]'' featured the launching sequence of the Chrome Chesters in the series' opening sequence for the first 25 episodes of the series.
** The opening sequence of ''[[Ultraman Mebius]]'' shows the Gun Phoenix taking off.
* ''[[Babylon
* ''[[Buck Rogers in
** The pilot actually subverted this - the outnumbered defenders of Earth saw the enemy ships fly out of their launch tubes only to explode. What they did not know was that our hero {{spoiler|was roaming the launch bay shoving munitions up the Draconian ships' tailpipes.}}
* ''[[UFO]]''. When [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EkR2GlzEFg Moonbase interceptors] or [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNHMz5lSTA Sky One] launched to fight incoming UFO's.
* [[Batman]] again (the Adam West incarnation): "To the Batmobile!" followed by "Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed..." (the latter appears as a [[Shout
* ''[[Power Rangers]]'', a LOT. Especially ''[[Power Rangers Operation Overdrive]]''.
** This goes back to the [[Super Sentai]] origins, of course, which heavily preferred vehicular mecha in the early
** Early Sentai also had mobile bases which carried their mecha... which first emerged from the heroes' main base. It's a good thing [[Transformation Is a Free Action]], otherwise Tokyo would be gone while the second base was launching.
* All the [[Gerry Anderson]] shows had stock launching sequences.
** ''[[Thunderbirds]]''
** The Angels from ''[[Captain Scarlet]]''.
* An elaborate one in ''[[Space: Above and Beyond]]'', in which the cockpits descend and attach to the bodies of the fighters before launch.
== Music ==
* ''[[
* "Aces High" by [[
== Video Games ==
* Game of ''[[Zero Wing]]'', has sequence of launching. Captain is said "Take off every Zig!"
** [[For
* [[Soukyugurentai]] has a 9.92-second launch sequence before the first level. The two levels after that start with the player ship launching from a floating fortress or carrier.
* ''[[Star Fox (
** ''[[Star Fox (
* ''Super [[R-Type]]'' and ''[[R-Type]] III'' use it.
* The player character of ''[[
* Happens in ''[[Kingdom Hearts|Kingdom Hearts II]]'' every time you enter an area with the gummy ship.
* The ''[[Wing Commander (
** The novels and later games also mention a "magnum launch," where a carrier simply takes every available pilot and loads them into every available ride, then dumps them into space as fast as possible, usually when the carrier itself is about to come under attack. Such missions in the games, while usually awesome, are also a bit more challenging because you can't personalize your loadout and are stuck with the defaults.
* This occurs in the ''[[Ace Combat]]'' series from time to time, too. Sometimes you have to play through the takeoff as well.
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** This is taken much further, of course, in virtually every actual combat flight simulator. Many also require a full startup sequence and correct radio communications.
* ''[[Air Rivals]]'' has a relatively cinematic launch sequence for whenever a player leaves town. There's also a bit of a tradition within the playerbase to send duel challenges while landed and then take off as it starts.
* The ''[[X Wing Series]]'' had launch sequences before every mission. However, due to the specific way that ''[[Star Wars]]'' fighters are launched, the cutscene may be much less exciting than with other games. However, it compensates for this with the subsequent hyperjump directly into the combat zone.
* ''[[
* Your spaceship from ''[[Galaga]] '88'' does that at the start of the game.
* ''[[Ikaruga]]'' has an equivalent sequence at the start of each level where the player's ship accelerates to intercept the enemies while the [[Video Games/Awesome Music|music kicks in]].
* ''[[Star Control]]'': The Ur-Quan Dreadnought's secondary attack is essentially a mini-version of this trope.
** "Launch Fighters! Launch Fighters! [[Limited Sound Effects|Launchlaunch]][[Like a Broken Record|launchlaunchlaunch]] Fighters!"
* [[
* The ''194X'' series of [[Shoot'Em Up|arcade shooters]] had an initial launch sequence from an aircraft carrier.
* ''[[Freelancer]]'' has a skippable mini-sequence every time you enter a planet, station or capital ship.
* ''[[Another
* ''[[Gradius]] III'' has a scene of this if the title screen is left to play.
* ''[[Free Space]] 2'' usually just starts you in space, but your first mission into the nebula (full of [[Interface Screw]] and mystery) starts you and your wing on the wing of your flagship so that you can fly off into the blue in style.
* [[
* ''Top Gun'': The plane is seen firing its engines in the opening cinematic, and then you watch your jet take off in first person. You also have to land the thing at the end of the level, much to a generation of player's immense frustration.
* [[Combat Flight Simulator]] always starts campaign missions and one-off missions with the player on the ground, requiring you to start your engines and take off before getting to do anything fun. Ordinary flights usually let you start at altitude, though.
* [[
* ''[[Terminal Velocity]]'' had the launch scene (complete with caution sirens, and launching from out of a rotating space station) when the game is first started (since the player continues flying between each mission without returning to base or even docking).
** Its spiritual successor ''[[Fury
* The opening cinematic of ''[[Silpheed]]'' for the [[Sega CD]].
{{quote|
* The first game in the ''[[Galaxy Angel (
* In ''[[Rogue Squadron]]'', each mission starts with a cutscene showing your selected craft take off from a hanger and fly out through space towards the appropriate planet. Including when that craft is a snowspeeder.
* The intro cutscene of ''[[Quake II]]'' has a squadron of drop pods launching. The pods are knocked out of the sky by an [[EMP]] blast, killing most of the soldiers except for the player character.
* ''Raiden Trad'' featured the player's ship taking off from atop the [[Airborne Aircraft Carrier]] as an opening to the first stage, and then again as an opening to the third stage. Interestingly enough, the carrier is shown with extensive battle damage for the second take-off.
* ''[[Battlefield 3]]'' The start of the level ''Going Hunting'' had this as well as all of the pre-flight checks.
== Western Animation ==
* The opening of ''[[Batman: The
* ''[[
* ''[[The Fairly
* ''[[Rocket Robin Hood]]'' has one in the opening sequence.
* ''[[
▲* ''[[The Fairly Odd Parents (Animation)|The Fairly Odd Parents]]'': "I LIKE TO SCRAMBLE ZE FAIRIES!"
* ''[[
▲* The opening of ''[[Batman: The Animated Series (Animation)|Batman the Animated Series]]'' featured the Batmobile jetting out of the Bat Cave.
▲* ''[[Exo Squad (Animation)|Exo Squad]]'' often had extended sequences showing Able Squad "framing up".
▲* ''[[Transformers Cybertron (Anime)|Transformers Cybertron]]''
▲* ''[[Wing Commander Academy (Animation)|Wing Commander Academy]]'' featured several such sequences, given that it took place aboard a spacecraft carrier. In contrast to the wildly gesturing commanders in many of the Anime examples, [[The Brigadier|Commodore Tolwyn]] could be seen standing on the bridge, [[Stiff Upper Lip|hands clasped behind his back]], as he oversaw the ensuing battle.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Rule of Cool]]
[[Category:Spectacle]]
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