History Main / FlamingMeteor

->''"Huh, the sky ''is'' falling."''
-->-- '''General Fletcher''', upon a shot from a Meteor Tower killing an alien, ''VideoGame/DefenseGridTheAwakening''

* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has the recurring Meteor spell, which drops one or more flaming space rocks on the target for massive damage.

** The original ''Warcraft'' had the Conjurer unit able to summon a multitude of fiery meteors with the "Rain of Fire" spell, though the Mage of ''Warcraft II'' and Archmage of ''Warcraft III'' switched to the icy "Blizzard" [=AoE=] spell instead, giving the Rain of Fire ability to the demonic Pit Lord. However, the Mage class in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' eventually gets the "Meteor" spell, which calls down a flaming rock that does large damage in the impact zone while leaving behind a lingering patch of fire. Some [=NPCs=] instead get the [[UpToEleven "Meteor Swarm"]] spell.

** [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Several hundred years later]] it's not only stable but hollowed out to serve as a maximum-security prison known as the Ministry of Truth. When Vivec's power finally does run out after his [[{{UncertainDoom}} disappearance/death]], Baar Dau picks up right where it left off, [[ColonyDrop and hits Vivec City with its full momentum]].

** Several hundred years later by the time of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'' it's not only stable but hollowed out to serve as a maximum-security prison known as the Ministry of Truth. When Vivec's power finally does run out after his [[{{UncertainDoom}} disappearance/death]], Baar Dau picks up right where it left off, [[ColonyDrop and hits Vivec City with its full momentum]].

Because of this association with fire, if anyone has [[MeteorSummoningAttack the ability to call down meteors]], it's the person PlayingWithFire, sometimes as a LimitBreak. In these cases, they're often {{Slap On The Wrist Nuke}}s. Compare with the standard {{Fireballs}}, which are sometimes depicted as small rocks that are on fire. Piss off your GameMaster enough and [[RocksFallEveryoneDies it might be these particular rocks that fall]]. Contrast FrictionlessReentry; when objects travelling through space can get into the atmosphere without the atmosphere igniting.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3337195d00000578_3542106_image_a_20_1460734129298.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Flaming Meteors: [[UsefulNotes/{{Dinosaurs}} Ruining lives since 66.000.000 BC]]]]

* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'': The 4[[superscript:th]] Edition spell "Comet of Casandora" [[ColonyDrop calls down]] a large comet onto the battlefield, dealing a huge amount of damage and igniting everything underneath.

* The Ixalan block of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' added a card based on this trope called "[[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=star%20of%20extinction Star of Extinction]]," which destroys a land and deals 20 damage to everything that isn't a player, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin usually killing everything in play]]. It's depicted as a group of white-hot meteorites with flaming, smoking tails.

%%* The Ixalan block of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' added a card based on this trope called "[[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=star%20of%20extinction Star of Extinction]]," which destroys a land and deals 20 damage to everything that isn't a player, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin usually killing everything in play]]. %%Is this "Star of Extinction" on fire? Examples shouldn't rely on weblinks for context.

-->-- '''General Fletcher''', upon a shot from a Meteor Tower killing an alien. ''VideoGame/DefenseGridTheAwakening''

->''Huh, the sky ''is'' falling.''
-->--'''General Fletcher''', upon a shot from a Meteor Tower killing an alien. ''VideoGame/DefenseGridTheAwakening''

Because of this association with fire, if anyone has the ability to [[MeteorSummoningAttack call down meteors]], it's the person PlayingWithFire, sometimes as a LimitBreak. In these cases, they're often {{Slap On The Wrist Nuke}}s. Compare with the standard {{Fireballs}}, which are sometimes depicted as small rocks that are on fire. Piss off your GameMaster enough and [[RocksFallEveryoneDies it might be these particular rocks that fall]]. Contrast FrictionlessReentry; when objects travelling through space can get into the atmosphere without the atmosphere igniting.

Because of this association with fire, if anyone has the ability to [[MeteorSummoningAttack call down Meteors]], it's the person PlayingWithFire, sometimes as a LimitBreak. In these cases, they're often {{Slap On The Wrist Nuke}}s. Compare with the standard {{Fireballs}}, which are sometimes depicted as small rocks that are on fire. Piss off your GameMaster enough and [[RocksFallEveryoneDies it might be these particular rocks that fall]]. Contrast FrictionlessReentry; when objects travelling through space can get into the atmosphere without the atmosphere igniting.

Because of this association with fire, if anyone has the ability to call down Meteors, it's the person PlayingWithFire, sometimes as a LimitBreak. In these cases, they're often {{Slap On The Wrist Nuke}}s. Compare with the standard {{Fireballs}}, which are sometimes depicted as small rocks that are on fire. Piss off your GameMaster enough and [[RocksFallEveryoneDies it might be these particular rocks that fall]]. Contrast FrictionlessReentry; when objects travelling through space can get into the atmosphere without the atmosphere igniting.

Whether because most writers only know of meteors from the dozens of videos of meteors igniting the atmosphere ([[RuleOfPerception making it look like the meteor itself is burning]]), or because [[IncendiaryExponent it looks cool]], meteors in media are depicted as literal burning, or red-hot, boulders that incinerate anything they [[ConvectionSchmonvection touch]]. If the object is burning even before the atmosphere is at all within range, then it's safe to assume that SpaceIsAir is in effect as well.

->Huh, the sky ''is'' falling.

* In the ''Literature/PastDoctorAdventures'' novel ''City at World's End'', the moon of the planet Sarath is set into a descending orbit after it is struck by a meteor, with serious geological implications even before it strikes the planet; by the time the TARDIS arrives, there is just over a month before the moon will hit and destroy all life on Sarath.

* Played with in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' by the Meteor Swarm spell, which conjures small "meteors" that deal bludgeoning damage on impact and then explode for fire damage.
* The Ixalan block of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' added a card based on this trope called "[[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=star%20of%20extinction Star of Extinction]]," which destroys a land and deals 20 damage to everything that isn't a player, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin usually killing everything in play]].

* ''Videogame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'' has them raining down from the sky all throughout the final mission.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' III. The "Meteor Shower" spell falls under the [[DishingOutDirt Earth magic]] school.

* ''WebAnimation/{{Dreamscape}}'': Drake can call upon a meteor strike.

* ''Film/TheBlackHole''. A shower of glowing meteors start to pummel the ''Cygnus'' as it flies toward the eponymous black hole, smashing their way through the MileLongShip and inflicting fatal damage. One gigantic (and suspiciously-spherical) red-hot meteor comes rolling down the Cygnus's central shaft as the [[IndyEscape heroes rush across a small footbridge in its path]].

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': During the copious amount of space travel the background has frequent depictions of "shooting stars". In space, not in atmosphere.