History Main / CompactInfiltrator

* ''Film/Masterminds1997'': One of the villains is Ferret, a small, skinny guy that they brought along in case someone had to crawl through the air vents or whatever. He doesn't have a pleasant time given that the hero booby-traps the vents and eventually traps him at the bottom of an abandoned chimney.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E7PrehibernationWeekLifeOfCrime Pre-Hibernation Week]]", after Sandy has forced the whole town to search for [=SpongeBob=] nonstop for days, one citizen urges her to ThinkOfTheChildren! Her response:

* ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'': Young Leia volunteers to crawl through the vents to find the source of the spaceport control malfunction since she's the only one small enough to fit and willing enough to try. Obi-Wan, who has seen how resilient she is in their travels, agrees that she deserves a shot to try. Leia finds her robot toy Lola, corrupted by an Imperial restraining bolt, at the source, and removes the bolt and fixes the issue.

* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'': A favored method of travel for the title characters was crawling through the air vents. [[Main/LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in one episode, where Zach complains about the vents getting harder to crawl through, as he is getting older and too big to fit.

->'''Tammy:''' Okay, Marge, you're the only one of us skinny enough to squeeze through this vent.
->'''Marge:''' ''That's'' my special skill?

When it comes to breaking and entering—or escaping, for that matter—sometimes the most effective route isn't to just kick the door down, but to sneak in through the tiniest of gaps: under the door, through the keyhole, down the chimney, and of course, through the air ducts. And of course, only a handful of characters can manage such a feat.

Enter [[TitleDrop the Compact Infiltrator]], a character with the uncanny ability to fit through these narrow spaces. Maybe they're a contortionist with a gift for narrowing their bodies until they can fit through air vents; maybe they're a RubberMan that can squeeze themselves under doors; maybe they're {{Sizeshifter}}s that can shrink themselves small enough to climb through mouseholes; maybe they're a BlobMonster that can ooze through drains and up plugholes; maybe they're a VoluntaryShapeshifter with a gift for becoming rodents, insects, water, smoke, or sand, the better to escape restraints meant for bigger people. They might actually be a RidiculouslyCuteCritter of some description. Or maybe they're just shorter, skinnier, or ''younger'' than anyone else trying to break in or out.

Often, this is a method of justifying the AirVentPassageway, which has fallen out of fashion now that audiences are more aware of the many logical reasons why it usually doesn't work for most adult human beings: smaller, slipperier figures that (normally) exist only in fiction—or would only be ''employed'' as such in fiction—are not so encumbered. Also a possible method of justifying the DumbwaiterRide, which is not recommended for anyone taller than the average PintSizedKid.

* ''ComicBook/TheSimpsonsTreehouseOfHorror'': In "Sideshow Blob," Bob very quickly figures out that his new BlobMonster body is a lot more mobile than it looks when he accidentally oozes through the barred gates of the prison during his escape. Consequently, Bob is frequently able to sneak up on Bart and Lisa via similar methods, even managing to infiltrate the Kwik-E-Mart and begin absorbing Apu's legs without being noticed.

[[folder:Films — Animated]]

** When first released from the tree, [[BigBad Hexxus]] initially takes the form of [[BlobMonster a tiny blob of brown slime]], allowing him to sneak around the Leveller by pouring himself down pipes, climbing out of smokestacks, and oozing through gratings—eventually giving him the opportunity to trick the Leveller's operators into doing his bidding.

[[folder:Films — Live Action]]
* ''Film/AntMan1'': Scott Lang is already a highly skilled cat burglar, but when he gets hold of the [[SizeShifter Ant-Man suit]], he quickly becomes a master of sneaking into restricted areas through vents, drains, and even cracks in the floor. As such, his biggest challenge is to break into Darren Cross's building through layers of seemingly impenetrable security and steal the Yellowjacket tech. [[spoiler: In the finale, Scott uses a DangerousForbiddenTechnique to shrink himself down to subatomic size so he can sneak into Darren Cross's Yellowjacket suit and sabotage it from the inside.]]

* ''Film/TheBlob1988'': Rather than simply oozing over everything in its path, the Blob is capable of using its liquid mass in [[ItCanThink surprisingly cunning ways]]. In one case, it infiltrates the diner by oozing ''up'' the plughole of the kitchen sink—and then grabbing the unlucky bastard trying to unblock it, [[FoldSpindleMutilation dragging his entire body down the drain]]. Later, it also sneaks into the movie theatre via its ventilation system, not only ambushing the unlucky employee investigating the blockage in the A/C but also taking the entire audience by surprise.

** Yondu claims that the reason why he kept young Peter Quill instead of bringing him to Ego as per their agreement was because Quill was smaller than anyone else in his gang, making him useful for sneaking through tight spots—or, as he puts it, "good for thievin'." He's lying: [[spoiler: it's because Yondu figured out that he'd been hired to track down Ego's various children so that the Living Planet could use one of them as a battery for [[AssimilationPlot the Expansion]]. Plus, Ego was [[WouldHurtAChild murdering the kids]] who [[YouHaveFailedMe didn't measure up]], a fact that prompted [[WouldNotHurtAChild Yondu]] to grow a conscience.]]
** In the finale, Baby Groot is found to be the only member of the team small enough to sneak through the tunnels and plant the bomb [[spoiler: on Ego's brain]]. The only downside is that Baby Groot [[TheDitz isn't terribly bright]]: even after repeated explanations, he can't remember the difference between the button that activates the timer and the button that triggers instant detonation. Worse still, he [[LeeroyJenkins sets off before Rocket can finish the mission briefing]].
* ''Film/GhostbustersII'': [[BigBad Vigo the Carpathian]]'s Mood Slime proves more sentient than initially suspected, using its shapeless mass to infiltrate Dana's apartment via the plumbing and pour itself into the bath she was running for Oscar—presumably with the intention of [[LivingMacGuffin capturing him]]. Thankfully, Dana notices and is able to escape with the baby before the slime can make a grab for them.

* ''Film/TheMummy1999'': Imhotep has the ability to transform into sand, which he normally uses to travel as a dust storm. However, while still regaining his strength, he uses the same power to sneak into Evelyn's bedroom without raising the alarm—namely, by literally pouring himself through the keyhole.

* ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'': Martia is eventually revealed to be a shapeshifter, and though her power seems restricted to mimicking humanoids, it proves immensely valuable for helping Kirk and Bones escape from [[PenalColony Rura Penthe]] - and not just via fooling the guards: In one case, she shapeshifts into the form of a child in order to shrink out of her restraints.
* ''Film/{{Sky High|2005}}'': Magenta is a shapeshifter, but she can only turn into a guinea pig. Though this power gets her relegated to sidekick status, [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman it ends up working in her favour during the climax]], in which she uses her power to crawl through a tiny duct to fix the school's sabotaged anti-gravity device.

* ''Literature/FlatStanley'': Given that he's completely flat, Stanley can not only slide under doors but even fit inside envelopes, allowing him to be ''mailed.''
* In ''Fuzzy Sapiens,'' the sequel to ''Literature/LittleFuzzy,'' the bad guys send Fuzzies through the CZC's ventilation system to steal sunstones. The air ducts are too small for humans, but the Fuzzies are small enough to fit.
-->Now, we gotta make everything in the building Fuzzy-proof.

** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'', [[spoiler: Peter Pettigrew, as a rat animagus, was the only member of the Marauders able to weave between the Whomping Willow's attacking branches to open the passage to the Shrieking Shack when the Marauders were still at Hogwarts. It was also how Pettigrew was able to fake his death years later, since he cut off a finger and transformed, slipping down a sewer to let Sirius take the blame for the murders Pettigrew committed.]]
** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', [[spoiler: Rita Skeeter is revealed to be a beetle animagus, explaining how she was able to sneak around Hogwarts and report on such intrusive stories all year. On the flip side, once Hermione figured it out, she managed to trap Rita in a jar and blackmail her into stopping.]]

* In the children's book ''Literature/MoonMan'': When the Man in the Moon comes down to Earth, he is persecuted as an invader, and thrown into prison. However, as the full moon becomes a much thinner crescent moon, he himself becomes much thinner and is able to escape by squeezing through the bars of his window. He later uses this again, by becoming small enough to squeeze into a spacecraft capsule to return to the moon.

* In ''Literature/TalesOfDunkAndEgg'' novella "The Mystery Knight", it's heavily implied that TheSpymaster had a dwarf circus performer crawl through a narrow space in order to steal a valuable dragon egg.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS12E2TheArkInSpace The Ark in Space]]", Sarah Jane volunteers to run a cable from the cryogenic chamber to the ship via a narrow conduit, since, as a petite, narrow-hipped woman in a room full of grown men, she's the only one ''just'' small enough to squeeze through it. {{Downplayed|Trope}}, since Sarah struggles quite a bit to get through due to getting stuck multiple times—it takes the Doctor using reverse psychology on her to get her out, if only to spite him.

* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Rygel is only twenty-six inches tall, and frequently exploits his diminutive stature to sneak through Moya's ventilation system, hence how he managed to break D'Argo and Zhaan out of their cells in the first place. Other episodes feature him being press-ganged into helping the larger members of the crew with infiltration: in "[[Recap/FarscapeS01E02IET I, ET]]," he's the only member of Moya's crew who can fit through an extremely small hatch to disable the Peacekeeper beacon; in "[[Recap/FarscapeS01E03ExodusFromGenesis Exodus From Genesis]]," D'Argo literally throws him into a vent so he can covertly investigate the Drak infestation of Moya; and in "[[Recap/FarscapeS02E19LiarsGunsAndMoneyANotSoSimplePlan Liars, Guns, And Money Part 1]]," Rygel is smuggled into the Shadow Depository vault while disguised as a statuette, allowing him to sneak through the hatchways in the containers and swap the dud deposit with a more valuable account.

** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E12TheAlternate The Alternate]]," Odo begins uncontrollably transforming into a deranged BlobMonster while under the influence of an alien gas. Thanks to its liquid body, the creature sneaks about Deep Space 9 via the ventilation shafts, allowing it to launch surprise attacks and disappear just as quickly.

* ''Series/TheXFiles:'' Eugene Victor Tooms has the ability to [[RubberMan contort and distend his body at will]], allowing him to enter his victims' homes through vents and other narrow passageways. His debut episode ends with him being imprisoned... [[SequelHook only for him to eye the food slot at the base of his cell door with escape in mind]].

* In Irish folklore, the bodach is a boogeyman figure and a sort of SpearCounterpart to [[WitchSpecies hags]] with the power to transform himself into a LivingShadow that can slip through cracks too narrow even for mice to get through, the better to sneak into houses and terrorize the occupants. On a similar note, the Scottish version of the bodach is reportedly in the habit of creeping down chimneys in order to kidnap naughty children.

** ''VideoGame/Bioshock2'': As with the previous game, the Little Sisters are all children, and therefore small and skinny enough to hide in Rapture's vents when they're not out Gathering. In the finale, this is exploited when Eleanor briefly transfers Subject Delta's mind into the body of a Little Sister, allowing the player to sneak around [[HellholePrison Persephone]] via the ventilation system and [[spoiler: steal the pieces of a Big Sister suit that Eleanor needs without Sofia being any the wiser.]]
** ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'': Elizabeth is so skinny that she's easily able to slip through barred gates, allowing her to break into the Hall of Heroes courtyard without even bothering with her usual lockpicking skills. Booker, being much bigger and brawnier, has to wait until Elizabeth can open a Tear that allows him to bypass the gate entirely via a docking hook.

* ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime:'' Farah is small and skinny enough to fit through cracks in the wall, allowing her to sneak into areas that the Prince can't reach and access switches controlling various traps.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

-->'''Tammy:''' Okay, Marge, you're the only one of us skinny enough to squeeze through this vent.
-->'''Marge:''' ''That's'' my special skill?
-->'''Tammy:''' Well, what'd you think, you were a master of disguise? Not with that 'do.
-->'''Marge:''' I thought you ''liked'' my hair...
-->'''Tammy:''' It's alright.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E7PrehibernationWeekLifeOfCrime "Pre-Hibernation Week"]]: After Sandy has forced the whole town to search for Spongebob nonstop for days, one citizen urges her to ThinkOfTheChildren! Her response:
-->"That's a good idea! [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Use the children to crawl into small spaces you couldn't normally reach!]]"
* ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'': during the fourth special, ''Strawberry Shortcake: Housewarming Surprise'', the Peculiar Purple Pieman squeezes his whole body through a hose in an attempt to spy on the titular character as she invites her international friends to her house.

** The "superhero" games with {{Sizehifter}} supers, in addition to Vent Travel access, also have a special interaction where they can shrink down super-tiny for entering and traveling through paths that are too small for normal-sized characters.

** All of the "superhero" games starting from ''VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes'', including the ''LEGO DC'' games starting from ''[[VideoGame/LegoBatmanTrilogy LEGO Batman 3]]'', feature a "Vent Travel" mechanic where there are vents with grate gaps too small for most characters to pass through, necessitating characters with {{Sizeshifting}} powers like Ant-mMan or The Atom, RubberMan powers like Mr Fantastic or Plastic Man, ElementalShapeshifter powers like Sandman, or {{Energy Being}}s like Livewire, in order to pass through them for solving puzzles or finding hidden collectibles.

** In the [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes Lego]] [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes2 Marvel]] [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelsAvengers Games]], "Size Changing Characters" such as Ant-Man or Mr. Fantastic are able to shift their form and travel through air vents in order to solve puzzles or find hidden collectibles.

When it comes to breaking and entering - or escaping, for that matter - sometimes the most effective route isn't to just kick the door down, but to sneak in through the tiniest of gaps: under the door, through the keyhole, down the chimney, and of course, through the air ducts. And of course, only a handful of characters can manage such a feat.

Often, this is a method of justifying the AirVentPassageway, which has fallen out of fashion now that audiences are more aware of the many logical reasons why it usually doesn't work for most adult human beings: smaller, slipperier figures that (normally) exist only in fiction - or would only be ''employed'' as such in fiction - are not so encumbered. Also a possible method of justifying the DumbwaiterRide, which is not recommended for anyone taller than the average PintSizedKid.

[[folder:Films - Animated]]

** When first released from the tree, [[BigBad Hexxus]] initially takes the form of [[BlobMonster a tiny blob of brown slime]], allowing him to sneak around the Leveller by pouring himself down pipes, climbing out of smokestacks, and oozing through gratings - eventually giving him the opportunity to trick the Leveller's operators into doing his bidding.

[[folder:Films - Live Action]]

* ''Film/TheBlob1988'': Rather than simply oozing over everything in its path, the Blob is capable of using its liquid mass in [[ItCanThink surprisingly cunning ways]]. In one case, it infiltrates the diner by oozing ''up'' the plughole of the kitchen sink - and then grabbing the unlucky bastard trying to unblock it, [[FoldSpindleMutilation dragging his entire body down the drain]]. Later, it also sneaks into the movie theatre via its ventilation system, not only ambushing the unlucky employee investigating the blockage in the A/C but also taking the entire audience by surprise.

** Yondu claims that the reason why he kept young Peter Quill instead of bringing him to Ego as per their agreement was because Quill was smaller than anyone else in his gang, making him useful for sneaking through tight spots - or as he puts it, "good for thievin'." He's lying: [[spoiler: it's because Yondu figured out that he'd been hired to track down Ego's various children so that the Living Planet could use one of them as a battery for [[AssimilationPlot the Expansion]]. Plus, Ego was [[WouldHurtAChild murdering the kids]] who [[YouHaveFailedMe didn't measure up]], a fact that prompted [[WouldNotHurtAChild Yondu]] to grow a conscience.]]

* ''Film/GhostbustersII'': [[BigBad Vigo the Carpathian]]'s Mood Slime proves more sentient than initially suspected, using its shapeless mass to infiltrate Dana's apartment via the plumbing and pour itself into the bath she was running for Oscar - presumably with the intention of [[LivingMacGuffin capturing him]]. Thankfully, Dana notices and is able to escape with the baby before the slime can make a grab for them.

* ''Film/TheMummy1999'': Imhotep has the ability to transform into sand, which he normally uses to travel as a dust storm. However, while still regaining his strength, he uses the same power to sneak into Evelyn's bedroom without raising the alarm - namely by literally pouring himself through the keyhole.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS12E2TheArkInSpace The Ark in Space]]", Sarah Jane volunteers to run a cable from the cryogenic chamber to the ship via a narrow conduit, since, as a petite, narrow-hipped woman in a room full of grown men, she's the only one ''just'' small enough to squeeze through it. {{Downplayed|Trope}}, since Sarah struggles quite a bit to get through due to getting stuck multiple times -- it takes the Doctor using reverse psychology on her to get her out, if only to spite him.

[[/folder]]

Compare CrouchAndProne, where video games use this as a shorthand for concealment and/or a crouch-slouch-slide combo.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': In the "Lost In Dreams" question, players learn to shapeshift in [[SpiritWorld the Fade]] in order to navigate the Sloth Demon's dominion; the first form learned is that of a mouse, allowing you to sneak through holes and bypass locked doors.

* ''VideoGame/MediEvil 2'': Sir Dan eventually realizes that he can detach his skull and use it to control [[HelpingHands the disembodied hands]] roaming the levels, allowing his new Dan Hand form into hidden areas accessible only through vents and holes in the wall. In the levels following this discovery, breaking into Wulfram Hall requires Sir Dan to send Dan Hand into the building through a tiny basement window and access the door controls on the ground floor via the dumbwaiter.

-->'''Tammy:''' Okay, Marge, you're the only one of us skinny enough to squeeze through this vent.
-->'''Marge:''' ''That's'' my special skill?

* ''ComicBook/SecretWars1984'': Ultron at first appears invincible thanks to its [[MadeOfIndestructium adamantium outer shell]], with even the Hulk barely managing to leave tiny dent in the robot's head. Then, without warning, Ultron begins spitting sparks and collapses in a heap; turns out Janet van Dyne AKA the Wasp was able to sneak into the robot's interior via the dent left in Ultron's skull and zap any non-adamantium components she could find.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'': The Devil's Eye diamond resides in a cave that is too narrow for Madame Medusa and Snoops to get through themselves, so the kidnap the much smaller Penny and have her get it instead.

* ''Film/AntMan1'': Scott Lang is already a highly skilled cat burglar, but when he gets hold of the [[SizeShifter Ant Man suit]], he quickly becomes a master of sneaking into restricted areas through vents, drains, and even cracks in the floor. As such, his biggest challenge is to break into Darren Cross's building through layers of seemingly impenetrable security and steal the Yellowjacket tech. [[spoiler: In the finale, Scott uses a DangerousForbiddenTechnique to shrink himself down to subatomic size so he can sneak into Darren Cross's Yellowjacket suit and sabotage it from the inside.]]

* ''Film/TheMummy1999'': Imhotep has the ability to transform into sand, which he normally uses to travel as a dust-storm. However, while still regaining his strength, he uses the same power to sneak into Evelyn's bedroom without raising the alarm - namely by literally pouring himself through the keyhole.

* ''Literature/TheFamousFive'': In ''Five Fall into Adventure'', a tiny window in Kirrin Cottage is impossible to close properly; and they decide that nobody could possibly squeeze through. However, the gipsy child Jo manages it and lets robbers into the house.

* In the children's book ''Literature/MoonMan'': When the Man in the Moon comes down to Earth, he is persecuted as an invader, and thrown into prison. However, as the full moon becomes a much thinner crescent moon, he himself becomes much thinner, and is able to escape by squeezing through the bars of his window. He later uses this again, by becoming small enough to squeeze into a spacecraft capsule to return to the moon.

* ''Literature/OliverTwist'': Bill Sikes sends Oliver into a house through a window that only the orphan boy is small enough to slip through, so that Oliver can open the front door for him.

* ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'': Young Leia volunteers to crawl through the vents to find the source of the spaceport control malfunction, since she's the only one small enough to fit and willing enough to try. Obi-Wan, who has seen how resilient she is in their travels, agrees that she deserves a shot to try. Leia finds her robot toy Lola, corrupted by an Imperial restraining bolt, at the source, and removes the bolt and fixes the issue.

** In the [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes Lego]] [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes2 Marvel]] [[VideoGame/LegoMarvelsAvengers Games]], "Size Changing Characters" such as Ant Man or Mr. Fantastic are able to shift their form and travel through air vents in order to solve puzzles or find hidden collectibles.

** Jessica "Silent Death" Valiant, a playable character in ''The Freedom Chronicles'', is a spy and OSS Agent whose special training allows her to contort herself into tight spaces without need for a Constrictor Harness.

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': Sergeant Schlock is a (variably) human sized BlobMonster who can fit through extremely narrow spaces, like when he kills a [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2008-02-24 particularly hated enemy]] in [[DeadlyBath the shower]] by crawling out of the pipe and straight [[OrificeInvasion into the man's throat]].

When it comes to breaking and entering, sometimes the most effective route isn't to just kick the door down, but to sneak in through the tiniest of gaps: under the door, through the keyhole, down the chimney, and of course, through the air ducts. And of course, only a handful of characters can manage such a feat.

Enter [[TitleDrop the Compact Infiltrator]], a character with the uncanny ability to fit through these narrow spaces. Maybe they're a contortionist with a gift for narrowing their bodies until they can fit through air vents; maybe they're a RubberMan that can squeeze themselves under doors; maybe they're {{Sizeshifter}}s that can shrink themselves small enough to climb through mouseholes; maybe they're a BlobMonster that can ooze through drains and up plugholes; maybe they're a VoluntaryShapeshifter with a gift for becoming rodents, insects, water, smoke, or sand. They might actually be a RidiculouslyCuteCritter of some description. Or maybe they're just shorter, skinnier, or ''younger'' than anyone else trying to break in or out.

However they do it, these subtle operators specialize in the tiniest cracks and smallest entries.

Of course, as advantageous as this skillset may be, Compact Infiltrators should watch their step: after all, if you're small enough to slip through a crack in the wall, you run the risk of literally falling through the cracks...