History Main / ImpossiblyCompactFolding

* In ''TabletopGame/GURPSUltraTech'' this appears to be possible at TechLevel 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.

* In ''The Car Of Tomorrow'', there was a car "designed to fit the working man's pocket". The man driving it steps out, folds it up, tucks it in his jacket pocket and walks off.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Ultra-Tech'' this appears to be possible at TechLevel 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.

** As seen in the page image, In "Summer Belongs to You" Ferb unfolds a map from a roughly two-by-two inch square into a world map larger than the house it was leaning on.
** The boys' "Plataposterior" robot from "Perry Lays an Egg" is about 10 feet tall, but folds up into a square that fits in Ferb's front shirt pocket.
** Their initial plan in ''Journey to the Center of Candace'' was a FantasticVoyagePlot into Pinky the Chihuahua's stomach to retrieve Isabella's sash by folding it to microscopic size.
** The full-sized chemistry lab they carry around with them also qualifies.
** Also the "Wrapped up in a nice little boxinator" literally compacts Dr. Doofenshmirtz's WHOLE BUILDING into a tiny box.

* In the Silver and Bronze Ages, {{Superman}} used to hide his [[{{Muggle}} civilian]] clothes by folding it up to the size of a wafer; everything he wore was chemically treated to survive the super-pressure this required. This process, oddly enough, only worked on items which were red, white, or blue, resulting in a very limited wardrobe for Clark. No word on what he did with his shoes [[AWizardDidIt (or how he hid his boots and cape under Clark's socks and shirt while wearing both)]].

* ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'' adventure The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues, Mission 4. In order to enter Troubleshooter Headquarters, the {{PC}}s must enter a huge machine. If they stall, a NPC enters to demonstrate how [[BlatantLies safe]] it is, and the machine folds in on itself repeatedly until it's the size of a suitcase. If they don't stall, well, activate clones.

** ''Film/IronMan2'', introduces the Mark V or more colloquially know as the "Suitcase Suit". A full body Iron Man Suit, all inside a briefcase. Although it's evened out by the fact that it's clearly not as durable as a regular suit, and it's not seen if it can fly, having to sacrifice a few things ''just'' to be compact.
** A slightly realistic and downplayed version of this trope (surprisingly enough) appears in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. When fighting [[spoiler:Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier whom was brainwashed by Baron Zemo]]. Tony is revealed to have a special Iron Man Gauntlet stored within a custom wristwatch and seems to {{foreshadow}}ing of how Stark is close to understanding nanotech. Although the gauntlet is clearly more of a deterrent or self-defense weapon rather than a offensive one, as it lacks the repulsor rays his gauntlet are known for, but it still has a bulletproof construction as it manages to block a point-blank shot from a pistol.

* By ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Tony finally manages to catch up to Wakanda-tech and has his own [[InstantArmor Instant Iron Man NanoTech Armor]]. Stored in a chest device over his Arc Reactor. To make it even more improbable, thanks to it's Nanotechnology the suit is capable of having ShapeshifterWeapon arsenal!

A subtrope of {{Hammerspace}} and ToonPhysics, and a supertrope of TelescopingRobot. May overlap with TransformingMecha, BagOfHolding, SwissArmyWeapon, RetractableWeapon or CollapsibleHelmet. FoldSpindleMutilation does this (messily) to a ''person''.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'', Doc Brown builds a car that can fold itself into a briefcase, just like George Jetson's example above. However, it's ''still'' a car, and requires a crane to lift.

[[caption-width-right:350:Taking compact vehicles to the next level.]]

[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/impossibly_compact_folding.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350: [[ToonPhysics And to think all of this was unfolded from a normal sized brochure.]]]]

Very common in {{Zeerust}} settings, being explained as a result of advanced technology. While real life technology does tend to become more and more compact as time goes on, we don't have to say that it simply can't overcome the basic principles of physics.

Very common in {{Zeerust}} settings, being explained as a result of advanced technology. While real life technology does tend to become more and more compact as time goes on, we don't have to say that it simply can't overcome the basic principles of matter physics.

** In ''Film/IronMan2'' 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.
** ''Film/IronMan2'', introduces the Mark V or more colloquially know as the "Suitcase Suit". A full body Iron Man Suit, all inside a briefcase. Although it's evened out by the fact that it's clearly not as durable as a regular suit nor can it fly, having to sacrifice a few things ''just'' to be compact.

** [[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.

* ''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]].

* The ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'' pilot, "[[Recap/BackToTheFutureTheAnimatedseriesS1E1Brothers Brothers]]", combines this with RealityEnsues: Doc includes a new security feature on the [=DeLorean=], which makes it fold up into the size of a briefcase, but it still weighs as much as a full-size car.

* ''WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture'' combines this with RealityEnsues: Doc includes a new security feature on the [=DeLorean=], which makes it fold up into the size of a briefcase, but it still weighs as much as a full-size car.

A subtrope of {{Hammerspace}} and ToonPhysics, and a supertrope of TelescopingRobot. May overlap with TransformingMecha, BagOfHolding, SwissArmyWeapon. or RetractableWeapon. FoldSpindleMutilation does this (messily) to a ''person''.

* ComicBook/TheFlash's entire costume is stored inside his ring, but the folding is aided with a special shrinking gas.

* Played for horror in China Miéville's ''{{Literature/Kraken}}'' when ThoseTwoBadGuys use magical 4-dimensional folding to hide themselves in a small package in order to break into the hero's home, and later to [[BodyHorror kill the folding expert who taught it to them]], giving disturbing new meaning to "tying up loose ends".

* Their initial plan in ''Journey to the Center of Candace'' was a FantasticVoyagePlot into Pinky the Chihuahua's stomach to retrieve Isabella's sash by folding it to microscopic size.