History Main / InertiaIsACruelMistress

* While the 2D ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' games for UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis don't feature much teleportation, an interesting effect can be found in the debug mode, which allows you to turn into and place objects. If you're moving and turn into an object, you'll still have the same momentum when you turn back.

* Rather forcibly applied in ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' by Hiccup [[spoiler: to the Green Death]].

** Kakashi faced a similar problem when he first developed Chidori, which required a full-speed straight sprint at the target. Once committed to the attack his ability to dodge was greatly reduced and the move was heavily telegraphed, which could easily be exploited by more numerous or skilled opponents. His Sharingan removed this weakness.

* In ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', Characters/{{Deathstroke}} detonates a series of explosives and immediately sticks out his katana. Just as planned, ComicBook/TheFlash runs through the only safe path and impales himself. Given Flash's SuperSpeed is almost always portrayed as coming with SuperReflexes and the ability to stop or go to full speed almost instantly, there is absolutely no way in hell this should have worked, except for the fact that Flash was probably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation fixated on his target]] and took Deathstroke a little too lightly.

* Invoked in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', where a Stand that has the ability to move between reflective surfaces is intercepted that way. Leaving him with but a single point of destination becomes the strategy to defeat him. Similarly used by a character with a gun to defeat an enemy whose Stand renders him bulletproof and lets him throw the bullets back. He empties his gun into the foe, who throws the bullets back at him - but Newton's Second Law throws the guy backwards as he's throwing the bullets, [[spoiler:and gets him impaled on a tree behind him]].

* At [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2007/05/31/episode-852-its-just-basic-physics/ one point]] in ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'', the [[VillainProtagonist Light Warriors]] are plummeting to their deaths when [[AWizardDidIt Sarda]] warps them into his cave. They still become smears on the floor.

* Defied in ''Film/{{Battleship}}''. The aliens try to LeadTheTarget and fire at where their targeting computer predicts the ''Missouri'' will be, but Mighty Mo's crew drop her anchor and she stops short of the aliens' projectiles.

* In ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'', the minion Rahanimu was magically modified so he could fly in a straight line at immense speed. His only battle tactic was to charge straight at Lina, and Lina's only defense tactic was to duck. This went on for quite some time, in what Lina describes as a pathetic excuse for a battle. Later, when Zelgadis gets in a fight with Rahanimu, Lina warns him about how dangerous Rahanimu is. Zel simply holds his sword up in front of him, and Rahanimu is promptly sliced in half.

* In ''LightNovel/TheCircumstancesLeadingToWaltrautesMarriage'', when asked why the Valkyries don't just teleport next to an enemy, they explain that it takes a few seconds to re-materialize, so they are extremely vulnerable to being attacked during that period.

Once a character enters teleportation, or starts a set of movements, he can't change destination or direction of movement at all.

* This is invoked in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' as Mr. Incredible is fighting Syndrome's robot. He decides to jump over the top of the robot to avoid one blow. The robot does the math on the arc of his jump, intercepts him, and then continues to lay down the smackdown.

* The portals in ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' work this way, which is quite important to many puzzle solutions. For example, a number of them involve putting yourself on a ledge, planting a portal on the floor below, and another on the wall behind you. Jump into the floor portal and get shot out of the wall portal like a cannonball. However, in a game where the only source of damage is bullets and instant-kill traps (so no damage for slamming into walls/floor), inertia turns out to be a rather merciful mistress.

* The portals in ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' work this way, as explained with the page quote. This is quite important to many puzzle solutions. For example, a number of them involve putting yourself on a ledge, planting a portal on the floor below, and another on the wall behind you. Jump into the floor portal and get shot out of the wall portal like a cannonball. However, in a game where the only source of damage is bullets and instant-kill traps (so no damage for slamming into walls/floor) Inertia turns out to be a rather merciful mistress.

* Riddick in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' uses a variant of this trope- rather than hitting the BigBad with a stopping force while he teleports towards Riddick, [[spoiler: he takes his knife, and simply ''places'' it where the unlucky schmuck is going to be]].

->''[[AC:"Momentum, a function of mass and velocity, is conserved between portals. In layman's terms: speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out."]]''

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
** In ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', Kitty uses this against Juggernaut. She realizes that the kid she's been sent to rescue has the ability to suppress powers. [[spoiler: Since Juggernaut's power makes him unstoppable, taking that power away without his knowledge means that he expects to just crash through the next wall.]]
** In ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' Victor takes advantage of this to kill [[spoiler: Wraith]].
* Used as a weapon in ''Film/{{Jumper}}'': teleport onto a busy street, grab a speeding car or bus, and teleport back...

* Defied in ''Film/{{Battleship}}''. The aliens try to LeadTheTarget and fire at where their targeting computer predicts the ''Missouri'' will be, but Mighty Mo's crew drop her anchor and she stops short of the aliens' projectiles.

* In ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', [[Characters/BatmanDeathstroke Deathstroke]] detonates a series of explosives and immediately sticks out his katana. Just as planned, ComicBook/TheFlash runs through the only safe path and impales himself. Given Flash's SuperSpeed is almost always portrayed as coming with SuperReflexes and the ability to stop or go to full speed almost instantly, there is absolutely no way in hell this should have worked, except for the fact that Flash was probably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation fixated on his target]] and took Deathstroke a little too lightly.

* This [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QqT1P4VO30 short film]] takes Newton's first law to its inevitable, [[UpToEleven over-the-top]] conclusion. "A body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force", like a terrified middle school kid.