History Main / ImpossiblyCompactFolding

* This is how Unseen University's Cabinet of Curiosity works in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''. In its "dormant" state, it looks like a simple wooden cabinet. When you slide out a drawer, it slides out much further than it should. And the drawer has other drawers along its sides which do likewise. When we first see it in ''Discworld/MakingMoney'', it's fully extended (or as fully extended as the wizards have managed so far) and looks like an enormous tree with an unusual amount of right angles. Collapsing it causes a partial vacuum.

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[[folder:Myths & Religion]]

** In ''Film/BlackPanther'', the Black Panther suit is [[InstantArmor conveniently stored]] in a decorative necklace, thanks to a combination of MinovskyPhysics and nanotech.

* In order to perform a test, [[WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty Rick]] orders [[TheChewToy Jerry]] to fold himself in half twelve times. First, Jerry actually does it, becoming impossibly flat and small, and second, he can only manage six folds. From this, Rick deduces [[spoiler: the exact model number of the LotusEaterMachine he's in.]]

* In order to perform a test, Rick orders Jerry to fold himself in half twelve times. First, Jerry actually does it, becoming impossibly flat and small, and second, he can only manage six folds. From this, Rick deduces [[spoiler: the exact model number of the LotusEaterMachine he's in.]]

->'''Barnacle Boy:''' Drive? What do you know about driving the Invisible Boatmobile?
->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Tons. Like the windshield wipers are right here. ''[pushes a button]''
->'''Barnacle Boy''': Don't touch that button, that's the... ''[folds into origami swan]'' ... Origami Button.

[[folder: Advertising]]
* A commercial for the [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci-Fi Channel]] featured a car folding into a briefcase. May be a ShoutOut to ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons'' (see WesternAnimation entry below).

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* In ''Film/{{Transformers}}'', the All Spark cube goes from the size of a house to the size of a basketball.
** It also, apparently, forgoes the conservation of mass by allowing a teenager to lift it without trouble.
* In ''Film/{{Iron Man 2}}'' the suitcase Iron Man suit. A full body powered armor suit all in a briefcase. It is however shown in that battle to not be nearly as durable as the regular suit nor is it seen if it can fly.
* [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' when Tony Stark summons (for lack of a better word) his Iron Man suit glove. He taps his watch then pulls towards his fingers, and an Iron Man suit hand expands over his fingers, which then takes a bullet from [[spoiler:a brainwashed Bucky Barnes]] at point blank range with no harm to Tony.

[[folder: Literature]]

* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Jaffa helmets fold down into the collar, apparently having relatively thick armor. The Iris also folds up into a thin ring around the edge of the Stargate.

[[folder: Mythology]]
* [[Myth/NorseMythology Skidbladnir]] is a Dwarf-built ship that could carry all the gods and all their gear while magically raising good winds. It also folds up small enough to carry in one's pocket.

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' module I12 "Egg of the Phoenix". The title egg is an homage to the foldbox in the ''Literature/GloryRoad'' entry in the {{Literature}} section. It can be opened up multiple times, each time becoming larger.

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Web Animation]]
* ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'' is a series where almost everyone uses a SwissArmyWeapon, some of which make limited, excusable use of this. And then there's Coco Adel, whose briefcase-sized HandbagOfHurt can somehow expand into an [[{{BFG}} enormous]] [[GatlingGood minigun]].

[[folder: Western Animation]]
* [[WesternAnimation/TheJetsons George Jetson's]] car could fold up into a briefcase, which he can easily carry into his workplace in the show's intro.

** As seen in the page image, In "Summer Belongs to You" Ferb unfolded a map from a roughly two by two inch square into a world map larger than the house it was leaning on.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Homer folds a GiantNoveltyCheck into a small wad and stuffs it into his pocket. [[SubvertedTrope Then it expands.]]

* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones Flintstones]]'' episode "The Hit Song Writers", the celebrity songwriter Hoagy performs Fred and Barney's song on piano, then immediately folds the piano into a briefcase and exits the stage.

[[folder: Real Life]]

* "Astronaut Blankets", or metallic Mylar sheets, come in a pack no bigger than say two of those tissue packs stacked on their side, and can fold out to cover about a 8'x4' area. Considering these are normally meant for campers, it's better if they're tiny.
** On the other hand, any camper who has actually had a reason to open one has discovered the joys of trying to fold it back into that size. (It's not possible, by the way, not without machines.)

* Many engineers are working to create objects capable of this trick, working from the premise that much of the problem is in the empty space and unnecessary excess material present in most objects[[note]]for instance, thinner paper that is folded to be completely flat and smooth can be folded many more times than sloppily folded thicker paper.[[/note]] The holy grail is an object that functions like a dome tent- a bare-bones but strong and stable structure large enough to comfortably sleep two or more adults, which folds into a tiny bundle of tubes and cloth easily stored inside a hiker's pack. The mass remains constant, but unnecessary empty space is eliminated.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Ultra-Tech'' this appears to be possible at TechLevel|s 10, which includes such things as the "Suitcase Doc", which just keeps unfolding life support systems, surgical manipulators and diagnostic sensors as needed, the "Dynamic Car", which folds into a box when not in use (or, if an enemy hacks its systems, while ''in'' use) and the "Backpack Dragonfly", a microlight aircraft that can be carried in a backpack, and unfolded in seconds.

* ''Series/StargateSG1'': Jaffa helmets fold down into the collar after having glowing red eyes and apparently relatively thick armor. The Iris also folds up into a thin ring around the edge of the Stargate.

* Everything in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar''. Apparently that wooden bridge can be turned into a folded up sticker the size of a rubber band ball then chucked across the map. Then unfolded and stuck back down in place. See about [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv1I3SJc3Fc two minutes into this video]]

** Marge buys Homer some large underwear for Christmas. After making sure it'll fit him by asking to two clerks to wear it together, one clerk then folds up the bed sheet sized underwear and stuffs into a gift box that would fit a wedding ring. He warns her to be careful when opening it.

* In one old episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', the Griffin family is preparing for the [[MillenniumBug [=Y2K=]]] Apocalypse. Peter and Lois have this conversation...
-->'''Lois:''' What the hell, Peter?! You just ate a year's worth of dehydrated food!
-->'''Peter:''' Yeah, and it was a waste of money! I'm still hungry!
-->''*Peter drinks a glass of water and his body immediately expands to several times its size, smashing the chair he's sitting on*''
-->'''Peter:''' Everyone leave. I have to poop. '''''NOW!!'''''

** As seen in the page image, Ferb once unfolded a map from a roughly two by two inch square into a world map larger than the house it was leaning on.
** Their "Plataposterior" robot is about 10 feet tall, but folds up into a square that fits in Ferb's front shirt pocket.

** Also the "Wrapped up in a nice little boxinator" literally compacts his WHOLE BUILDING into a tiny box.

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[[folder: WesternAnimation]]

[[folder: RealLife]]

->'''Spongebob:''' Tons. Like the windshield wipers are right here. ''[pushes a button]''

-->-- ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants''

A subtrope of {{Hammerspace}} and ToonPhysics, and a supertrope of TelescopingRobot. May overlap with TransformingMecha, BagOfHolding, SwissArmyWeapon. or RetractableWeapon.

->'''Spongebob:''' Tons. Like the windshield wipers are right here. (pushes a button)
->'''Barnacle Boy''': Don't touch that button, that's the... (folds into origami swan) ... Origami Button.

* On ''WesternAnimation/HowToHookUpYourHomeTheater'', {{Goofy}} opens the "easy" instructions for the home theater. Unfolded, they cover most of the room.

* In ''SorcerersApprentice'', when Balthazar gives Dave the book, Dave marvels at how tiny and light it is. Balthazar then proceeds to unfold it several times until it's the size of an atlas, and hands it to Dave, who no longer finds it light. Balthazar then picks the top and lifts it and the book also becomes thick as a technical manual, nearly making Dave lose his balance.

* [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar]] when Tony Stark summons (for lack of a better word) his Iron Man suit glove. He taps his watch then pulls towards his fingers, and an Iron Man suit hand expands over his fingers, which then takes a bullet from [[spoiler:a brainwashed Bucky Barnes]] at point blank range with no harm to Tony.

* In ''SorcerersApprentice'', when Balthazar gives Dave the book, Dave marvels at how tiny and light it is. Balthazar then proceeds to unfold it several times until it's the size of an atlas, and hands it to Dave, who no longer finds it light. Balthazar then picks the top and lifts it and the book also becomes thick as a technical manual, nearly making Dave lose his balance.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': Pushing the [[ContextSensitiveButton origami button]] on Mermaid Man's invisible boatmobile folds it and everyone inside into a paper crane.

* On ''WesternAnimation/HowToHookUpYourHomeTheater'', {{Goofy}} opens the "easy" instrctions for the home theater. Unfolded, they cover most of the room.