Epic Hail: Difference between revisions
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This is where someone, often a protagonist or group of them, sends a dramatic signal to a powerful ally. The purpose of the message is usually to ask for assistance or send a warning in desperate circumstances. The act of sending the message is often dramatized through problems with the person or device used to signal, thereby necessitating last minute repairs or improvisation. Epic Hails usually occur prior to a [[Final Battle]], [[The End of the World as We Know It|semi-apocalyptic situation]], or (if the ally is traitorous) a [[Big Bad Friend]] reveal.
Somewhat less often, an
See the related [[Gondor Calls for Aid]] for the trope of calling for aid in general. If successful, can result in [[The Cavalry]] coming over the hill to the rescue. Often serves as the conclusion of a [[Bring News Back]] plot (where instead of trying to run all the way themselves, the goal of the news-bearers is to reach and activate the
[[I Thought It Meant|This trope has nothing to do]] with the weather condition. Or with Soviet [[Macross Missile Massacre|salvo]] launcher [[I Call It Vera|name]]. Or the [[Epic Fail|type of fail.]] [[Mundane Utility|Usually]].
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== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Happens thrice or so in ''[[Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]]'', first with a broadcast to the scattered settlements to tell them of the Brigade's plight on the surface, a few episodes later with Nia to keep [[Call to Adventure|those who responded]] to the first
* Happens in ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]'' when Sousuke signals to Mithril that he is alive by spelling out the words with gasoline and lighting it just as Mithril's satellite passes over head. He then uses the grass fire he created as cover.
* [[Vandread]] does this epicly in the second-to-last episode in the second season. They send a message to both warring planets of Tarrak and Mejale, and not just via a video message either, but also by demonstrating the eponymous [[Combining Mecha]], the Vandreads. This is very important due to the message of unity between the two planets as Vandreads are made up from both planets' technology (albeit heavily modified by the Paexis Pragma). Not too long after, several elite squads from both planets defied their planets' order to standby and reinforces the Nirvana fleet followed by the most epic act of drawing the first blood by a Tarrakian wizened elder warrior.
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* Partially in the [[Firefly]] episode "The Message", when they [[Incredibly Lame Pun|call]] the baddies on ''not'' calling the station.
* In ''[[Babylon 5]]'', a ship sent on a rescue gets its communications down and its engines damaged, but the allied ship doesn't know which way to go. So he shoots in the direction of the jump point, despite the fact that he's spinning out of control.
** The extremely brutal Earth-Minbari war started right when two ships of each of the races met for the first time. Identyfing the unknown vessel as a warship, the Minbari wanted to greet them with an
* With the exception of series 2, every series of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' [[Russell T. Davies|RTD era]] has involved an
** Series 1: {{spoiler|Rose Tyler signals ''herself'' by scattering the words "Bad Wolf" across all of space and time.}}
** Series 3: {{spoiler|The Master has hypnotized the human population on Earth using Archangel communication software. Martha Jones has spent the last year spreading the word (in this case, Doctor). At the proper moment, everyone thinks "Doctor!" and the Epic Prayer restores the Doctor's strength, allowing him to battle the Master.}}
** Series 4: {{spoiler|Sarah Jane, the Torchwood team and Harriet Jones all band together with their respective technologies to contact the Doctor.}}
*** Link to narrative point - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=[[CVS 5 C Fp 0 tq I]]
** The 2009 Specials: {{spoiler|The Time Lords send an
** And with the first episode of the Eleventh Doctor in series 5 the tradition continues: {{spoiler|all digital displays on Planet Earth turn to 000000 to indicate the presence of Prisoner Zero.}}
*** Not quite as big as the other examples, but in "Let's Kill Hitler", Amy and Rory {{spoiler|create a giant crop circle spelling out 'Doctor' to get his attention. He then [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] this with a deadpan "Really?"}}
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* The lantern signal from the Old North Church in Boston, warning would-be Yankee rebels to the whereabouts of British troops, is certainly one of the more dramatic 'hails' in history.
** Also, the [[Did Not Do the Research|legendary Ride of Paul Revere]]. ''[[Beam Me Up, Scotty|The British are coming!]] The <s> British</s> regulars are coming!''
* In Ancient Greece, the hero Pheidippides is credited with running a total of 240
** A parallel of this can be found in ''[[Transformers Animated]]'' occurs when Blurr runs ''across the galaxy'' to reach Cybertron and inform the Autobots that there is a traitor in their ranks. {{spoiler|Unfortunately, the guy he reports to actually is said traitor. It doesn't end well.}}
* Hadrian's Wall, the edge of the Roman empire, located on mainland Britain had a series of keeps complete with troops and smaller look-outs along the complete stretch. If one section of the wall was attacked they would set alight a fire, the next guy along would then set his fire alight until it reached one of the keeps. Then the garrisoned troops would rush to the defense. Probably Tolkien's inspiration for the above examples.
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