Mobstacle Course: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
Our hero has to get to his destination ''yesterday'', and he's on foot. Unfortunately, there's a huge crowd between him and his goal, and for whatever reason, shouting at them to get out of his way just isn't cutting it. His only option is to weave his way through the crowd Frogger-style; changing speeds, cutting left and right to avoid clumps of people, and sometimes even ducking under carried objects and jumping over the incidental obstacles like benches and garbage cans. Generally, if the person is being chased or is fleeing a scene, they'll not even bother dodging, preferring to just bull their way through a crowd as best they can. (Naturally, the hero has to be nicer about it than the villain.) Of course, if the person being chased does this right, they tend to be [[Lost in A Crowd]]. If the hero is holding onto a [[MacGuffin]], odds are he'll lose it, and have to play a game of [[Crowd Hockey]] in order to get it back.
Our hero has to get to his destination ''yesterday'', and he's on foot. Unfortunately, there's a huge crowd between him and his goal, and for whatever reason, shouting at them to get out of his way just isn't cutting it. His only option is to weave his way through the crowd Frogger-style; changing speeds, cutting left and right to avoid clumps of people, and sometimes even ducking under carried objects and jumping over the incidental obstacles like benches and garbage cans. Generally, if the person is being chased or is fleeing a scene, they'll not even bother dodging, preferring to just bull their way through a crowd as best they can. (Naturally, the hero has to be nicer about it than the villain.) Of course, if the person being chased does this right, they tend to be [[Lost in a Crowd]]. If the hero is holding onto a [[MacGuffin]], odds are he'll lose it, and have to play a game of [[Crowd Hockey]] in order to get it back.


If one half of a couple is about to leave on a plane/boat/train/whatever, the odds that the other person will have to run the [[Mobstacle Course]] increase exponentially.
If one half of a couple is about to leave on a plane/boat/train/whatever, the odds that the other person will have to run the [[Mobstacle Course]] increase exponentially.
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* Daily mobstacle course training was how the protagonist of [[Eyeshield 21]] managed to (unintentionally) develop the skills needed to become a great runningback.
* Daily mobstacle course training was how the protagonist of [[Eyeshield 21]] managed to (unintentionally) develop the skills needed to become a great runningback.
* In ''[[One Piece]]'', Nami went through one of these to get to the [[Cool Boat|Going Merry]] at the end of the Arlong Arc, though this example is a bit different from the norm in that the crowd is an issue because they're trying to ''thank'' her. Being Nami, she not only gets through the crowd with ease, she steals all their money in the process.
* In ''[[One Piece]]'', Nami went through one of these to get to the [[Cool Boat|Going Merry]] at the end of the Arlong Arc, though this example is a bit different from the norm in that the crowd is an issue because they're trying to ''thank'' her. Being Nami, she not only gets through the crowd with ease, she steals all their money in the process.
* In the ''[[Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple]]'' manga, while training for the fight with Pollux, Kenichi's [[Trickster Mentor]] Hayato Fuurinji made him use this as a training technique.
* In the ''[[Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple]]'' manga, while training for the fight with Pollux, Kenichi's [[Trickster Mentor]] Hayato Fuurinji made him use this as a training technique.


== Comics ==
== Comics ==
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* Subverted in ''[[Hackers]]'', where the heroes are able to not only weave through the crowded conditions around Grand Central Station easily, they use the crowd (and the traffic) to keep the FBI at bay for a while.
* Subverted in ''[[Hackers]]'', where the heroes are able to not only weave through the crowded conditions around Grand Central Station easily, they use the crowd (and the traffic) to keep the FBI at bay for a while.
* Used ''[[Batman the Movie (Film)|Batman the Movie]]'' as they attempt to reach the United World building.
* Used ''[[Batman: The Movie|Batman the Movie]]'' as they attempt to reach the United World building.
* Deckard does this while pursuing Zhora through the crowd in ''[[Blade Runner]]''.
* Deckard does this while pursuing Zhora through the crowd in ''[[Blade Runner]]''.
* Subverted in ''[[Ong Bak]]: The Thai Warrior'' in which Tony Jaa, confronted by a crowd, ''runs across people's heads''. The [[Mooks]] chasing him are unable to duplicate the feat and must push through the [[Mobstacle Course]].
* Subverted in ''[[Ong Bak]]: The Thai Warrior'' in which Tony Jaa, confronted by a crowd, ''runs across people's heads''. The [[Mooks]] chasing him are unable to duplicate the feat and must push through the [[Mobstacle Course]].
* Likewise in ''[[Crocodile Dundee (Film)|Crocodile Dundee]]'', Mick Dundee "takes the high road" across people's shoulders when he can't make his way through a crowd to get to [[Love Interest|Sue Charlton]].
* Likewise in ''[[Crocodile Dundee]]'', Mick Dundee "takes the high road" across people's shoulders when he can't make his way through a crowd to get to [[Love Interest|Sue Charlton]].
* In ''[[The Princess Bride (Film)|The Princess Bride]]'' movie, Inigo attempts this, but quickly becomes frustrated. Good thing he has Fezzik next to him to shout "Everybody ''move''!"
* In ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'' movie, Inigo attempts this, but quickly becomes frustrated. Good thing he has Fezzik next to him to shout "Everybody ''move''!"
* In ''[[The Matrix (Film)|The Matrix]]'', during the "Agent Training Program", Neo is continually bumping into people as he and Morpheus walk through a crowded New York City street. Conveniently, the crowd parts for Morpheus.
* In ''[[The Matrix]]'', during the "Agent Training Program", Neo is continually bumping into people as he and Morpheus walk through a crowded New York City street. Conveniently, the crowd parts for Morpheus.
** Later in ''[[The Matrix (Film)|The Matrix]]'', Neo is forced to do this while running through crowds of people in the streets while escaping from the three Agents near the end of the movie. The Agents tend to just throw people out of their way. Or shoot them.
** Later in ''[[The Matrix]]'', Neo is forced to do this while running through crowds of people in the streets while escaping from the three Agents near the end of the movie. The Agents tend to just throw people out of their way. Or shoot them.
*** Or simply change places with them
*** Or simply change places with them
* In ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark (Film)|Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', Indy does this for a bit while chasing the basket Marion is in, as soon as he realizes she's [[Lost in A Crowd]].
* In ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', Indy does this for a bit while chasing the basket Marion is in, as soon as he realizes she's [[Lost in a Crowd]].
* In ''Broadcast News'', Joan Cusack's character must cross a [[Mobstacle Course]] to get a badly needed newstape to the broadcast booth in order for the tape to be included in that night's news broadcast. She barely gets it there in time, but she gets it there.
* In ''Broadcast News'', Joan Cusack's character must cross a [[Mobstacle Course]] to get a badly needed newstape to the broadcast booth in order for the tape to be included in that night's news broadcast. She barely gets it there in time, but she gets it there.
* ''[[Film/Equilibrium|Equilibrium]]'': John Preston does this at least twice. He didn't have any place in particular to go one of the times, he was just running to blow off some steam or possibly to be alone and he floored random citizen onto his back!
* ''[[Film/Equilibrium|Equilibrium]]'': John Preston does this at least twice. He didn't have any place in particular to go one of the times, he was just running to blow off some steam or possibly to be alone and he floored random citizen onto his back!
* ''[[Casino Royale (Film)|Casino Royale]]'': Mollaka, the bomb-making [[Le Parkour]] villain, gets chased by Bond in Madagascar through a construction site and an embassy. He practically goes out of his way to push and shove bystanders aside as well as kick one off a superstructure quite ruthlessly, even though he demonstrates several times that he can avoid obstacles with ease with his free running skill.
* ''[[Casino Royale]]'': Mollaka, the bomb-making [[Le Parkour]] villain, gets chased by Bond in Madagascar through a construction site and an embassy. He practically goes out of his way to push and shove bystanders aside as well as kick one off a superstructure quite ruthlessly, even though he demonstrates several times that he can avoid obstacles with ease with his free running skill.
** ''[[Quantum of Solace (Film)|Quantum of Solace]]'': Bond chases a bad guy through the audience of a horse race.
** ''[[Quantum of Solace]]'': Bond chases a bad guy through the audience of a horse race.
* ''The Wind And The Lion'': While the U.S. Marines are trotting through the streets of Tangier, they run into a crowd of people and push them out of the way, including throwing two people into market stalls along a wall.
* ''The Wind And The Lion'': While the U.S. Marines are trotting through the streets of Tangier, they run into a crowd of people and push them out of the way, including throwing two people into market stalls along a wall.
* ''[[Wanted]]''. One of the various climactic scenes is this trope [[Incendiary Exponent|on fire.]] The main character runs through a huge loom hallway covered with explosive rats, shooting the hell out of everyone that gets in his way, never once reloading his weapons- instead, he catches the guns his enemies drop out of the air. And he doesn't stop moving.
* ''[[Wanted]]''. One of the various climactic scenes is this trope [[Incendiary Exponent|on fire.]] The main character runs through a huge loom hallway covered with explosive rats, shooting the hell out of everyone that gets in his way, never once reloading his weapons- instead, he catches the guns his enemies drop out of the air. And he doesn't stop moving.
* The climax of ''[[Twelve Monkeys]]'' takes place in such a scene at the airport.
* The climax of ''[[12 Monkeys]]'' takes place in such a scene at the airport.
* ''[[Inception (Film)|Inception]]'': After meeting Eames, Cobb is chased through the streets of Mombasa by [[Mooks]] sent by Cobal Engineering, and must shove his way past bystanders. Luckily, when the people chasing Cobb start shooting, [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy|their aim is all over the place]]
* ''[[Inception]]'': After meeting Eames, Cobb is chased through the streets of Mombasa by [[Mooks]] sent by Cobal Engineering, and must shove his way past bystanders. Luckily, when the people chasing Cobb start shooting, [[Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy|their aim is all over the place]]
* In the Hungarian film ''[[Kontroll (Film)|Kontroll]]'' Bulsco's gang chase a graffiti artist, which requires pushing past and through random people.
* In the Hungarian film ''[[Kontroll]]'' Bulsco's gang chase a graffiti artist, which requires pushing past and through random people.


== Literature ==
== Literature ==


* The main character of [[Cory Doctorow]]'s ''[[Down and Out In The Magic Kingdom]]'' does this all the time, which leads directly to his employment at Disney World.
* The main character of [[Cory Doctorow]]'s ''[[Down and Out In The Magic Kingdom]]'' does this all the time, which leads directly to his employment at Disney World.
* Done by Rincewind in ''[[Discworld (Literature)/The Last Continent|The Last Continent]]'', in a [[Shout-Out]] to the ''[[Crocodile Dundee]]'' example above.
* Done by Rincewind in ''[[Discworld/The Last Continent|The Last Continent]]'', in a [[Shout-Out]] to the ''[[Crocodile Dundee]]'' example above.
* In one of [[EE Doc Smith]]'s books (an early ''[[Lensman]]'' one, if memory serves) our hero is undercover with some criminals on a very highly populated planet - the criminals are experts at running the crowds, and the hero has to barge people aside and generally rush to keep up, and hope that the villain doesn't turn back to check on him. The expectation was that a guy in the position he was claiming to hold would know how to run the crowds, and it was a sort of [[Secret Test of Character]].
* In one of [[E. E. "Doc" Smith]]'s books (an early ''[[Lensman]]'' one, if memory serves) our hero is undercover with some criminals on a very highly populated planet - the criminals are experts at running the crowds, and the hero has to barge people aside and generally rush to keep up, and hope that the villain doesn't turn back to check on him. The expectation was that a guy in the position he was claiming to hold would know how to run the crowds, and it was a sort of [[Secret Test of Character]].
* ''[[New Moon]]'' does this in the big Italy scene. You've got to get to the other side of the square before the clock stops tolling in order to save your beloved from a successful suicide they really don't want to do..... did I mention we're having a festival?
* ''[[New Moon]]'' does this in the big Italy scene. You've got to get to the other side of the square before the clock stops tolling in order to save your beloved from a successful suicide they really don't want to do..... did I mention we're having a festival?


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* ''[[Seinfeld]]'' does this with George while trying to get a ''Frogger'' arcade console across a busy New York City street. [[Hilarity Ensues]].
* ''[[Seinfeld]]'' does this with George while trying to get a ''Frogger'' arcade console across a busy New York City street. [[Hilarity Ensues]].
* In the ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]'' episode, ''Turn and Face the Strange'', the ordinarily calm and collected Mr. Bennet has to make a desperate on-foot escape through a city street, comically knocking over just about every pedestrian in his way.
* In the ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'' episode, ''Turn and Face the Strange'', the ordinarily calm and collected Mr. Bennet has to make a desperate on-foot escape through a city street, comically knocking over just about every pedestrian in his way.
* In the ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'' episode "[[Community (TV)/Recap/S2 E09 Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design|Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design]]" a [[Chase Scene]] occurs that includes examples of [[Excuse Me, Coming Through]] and [[Mobstacle Course]] in the form of a Latvian Independence Parade... all within the confines of a blanket fort.
* In the ''[[Community]]'' episode "[[Community/Recap/S2 E09 Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design|Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design]]" a [[Chase Scene]] occurs that includes examples of [[Excuse Me, Coming Through]] and [[Mobstacle Course]] in the form of a Latvian Independence Parade... all within the confines of a blanket fort.
* Happens when ''[[The Amazing Race]]'' visits big cities, especially in India. Sometimes used as a task where teams have to find a specific person within the mob.
* Happens when ''[[The Amazing Race]]'' visits big cities, especially in India. Sometimes used as a task where teams have to find a specific person within the mob.


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* One of the highlighted features of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' was the protagonists capacity to make his way unnoticed through [[Mobstacle Course|crowds]], weaving in and out, and gently pushing people aside without breaking pace.
* One of the highlighted features of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' was the protagonists capacity to make his way unnoticed through [[Mobstacle Course|crowds]], weaving in and out, and gently pushing people aside without breaking pace.
* Ryo ends up having to do this a few times while chasing various people in ''[[Shenmue]]''.
* Ryo ends up having to do this a few times while chasing various people in ''[[Shenmue]]''.
* You do this automatically if someone's in your way in ''[[Prototype (Video Game)|Prototype]]''. If you're sprinting then the crowd is sent flying. In the former case they'll get annoyed and confront you if you stick around, in the later case they'll start running and screaming (or shooting if they're a soldier or policeman). This can be an annoyance though, when trying to do stealth.
* You do this automatically if someone's in your way in ''[[Prototype (video game)|Prototype]]''. If you're sprinting then the crowd is sent flying. In the former case they'll get annoyed and confront you if you stick around, in the later case they'll start running and screaming (or shooting if they're a soldier or policeman). This can be an annoyance though, when trying to do stealth.
* The [[Nintendo]] ''[[Back to The Future]]'' game. And what's better, [[Everything Trying to Kill You|everyone wants Marty dead]], including [[Sheet of Glass|guys carrying windows]] and hula hoop girls.
* The [[Nintendo]] ''[[Back to The Future]]'' game. And what's better, [[Everything Trying to Kill You|everyone wants Marty dead]], including [[Sheet of Glass|guys carrying windows]] and hula hoop girls.
* ''[[Heavy Rain]]'' invokes a tragic version of this while you're trying to get to Jason.
* ''[[Heavy Rain]]'' invokes a tragic version of this while you're trying to get to Jason.
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* In the ''[[Futurama]]'' episode "A Taste of Freedom", during Freedom Day (the day for doing whatever you want with no regard for consequences) Bender attaches a cowcatcher to himself for pushing through crowds.
* In the ''[[Futurama]]'' episode "A Taste of Freedom", during Freedom Day (the day for doing whatever you want with no regard for consequences) Bender attaches a cowcatcher to himself for pushing through crowds.
* In [[Aladdin (Disney)|Aladdin]], our introduction to the titular character occurs as he dashes with a stolen piece of bread through crowds, fakirs, and herds of sheep with ease while his pursuers take the "toss-everyone-aside" approach.
* In [[Aladdin (Disney film)|Aladdin]], our introduction to the titular character occurs as he dashes with a stolen piece of bread through crowds, fakirs, and herds of sheep with ease while his pursuers take the "toss-everyone-aside" approach.
* This is how Kronk loses the bag holding the unconscious Kuzco in ''[[The Emperor's New Groove (Disney)|The Emperors New Groove]]''.
* This is how Kronk loses the bag holding the unconscious Kuzco in ''[[The Emperor's New Groove|The Emperors New Groove]]''.


== Real Life ==
== Real Life ==
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Mobstacle_Course"