History Main / LaserHallway

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* An episode of ''SpacePrecinct 2040'' had a laser trap inside a bomb. The laser was shown by firing a fire extinguisher not-directly-at the bomb in question.

* ''FightScience'' employed a non-moving visible laser hallway to demonstrate a female ninja's flexibility and kinesthetic sense. [[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/fight-science#tab-Videos/07741_00 She clears the room in 56 seconds and does a back walkover out of the room just to show off]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'' episode ''The Dark Side of the SWAT Kats'', our heroes (and their [[EvilCounterpart Evil Counterparts]]) have to jump through one of these to break into Pumadyne Weapons Lab.

* ''Under Ten Flags'' (1960) had a British spy breaking the German naval codes out of a safe guarded by invisible beams (he put on infra-red goggles). Rather ironic when you realise the codes were actually obtained by the [[BoringButPractical less glamorous but methodical method]] of Ultra cryptography (still classified at the time the movie was made).

* A strange example in ''Franchise/StarWars Episode I: Film/ThePhantomMenace''. Not actually laser, rather forcefields that turn on and off at intervals, but achieving the same purpose. They were strong enough to stop a lightsaber, so they'd probably disintegrate anyone stupid enough to step into one, but the characters were all smarter than that.

** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. If you don`t have the right lockpicking perks to bypass it, you have to go through a laser beam corridor to obtain the "Treasure of Jamaica Plain." If you trip a laser beam, [[MoreDakka several machine gun turrets immediately open fire on you]]. Assuming you painstakingly disable every single laser beam without getting filled with bullets, you can finally get your hands on the treasure...[[spoiler:a time capsule filled with mundane pre-War items]].

* An early version of this trope occurs during the robbery that opens ''The Return of Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' (1975), with the beams (columns of bright light rather than visible lasers) revealed by an aerosol spray can.

* One British war movie had an agent breaking the German naval codes out of a safe guarded by invisible beams (he put on infra-red goggles). Rather ironic when you realise the codes were actually obtained by the less glamorous but methodical method of Ultra cryptography (still classified at the time the movie was made).

* ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' has ''many'' such traps, and in one instance as the Marine attempts the jumping puzzle, guards hidden in alcoves in the walls appear to take shots at him. One in E3-M1 could be circumvented via an alternate route.
* In ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'' there is a level in which the player comes across a few space marines nearby a laser hallway. The marines point out that the lasers are deadly, as discovered by one of them who foolishly thought he could dance his way through. The player, however, having been mostly stroggified, can pass through without triggering the trap.

* In the ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'' episode "Deliverance," [[ActionGirl Kensi]] is kidnapped and held in a room full of lasers; breaking one of the beams will set off a bomb. Fortunately, [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Deeks]] has a laser of his own (for whatever reason) which he uses to fool the laser sensors so Kensi can escape.
** It was the targeting laser on his gun.

** The Creator/TomBaker arc "City of Death" features a variation; as Count Scarlioni demonstrates how he plans to steal the [[MonaLisaSmile Mona Lisa]], he shows a holographic recreation of the famed painting in the Louvre. He shows a laser grid in front of the painting which will trigger "every alarm in Paris" if tripped. Using a device that will [[TechnoBabble "alter the refractive index of the air itself"]], he bends the laser beams so the Mona Lisa can be removed safely.

* An ITV kids' game show, ''[[http://www.ukgameshows.com/page/index.php?title=Swap_Team Swap Team]]'', featured a similar game.

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** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. If you don`t have the right lockpicking perks, you have to go through a laser beam corridor to obtain the "Treasure of Jamaica Plain." If you trip a laser beam, [[MoreDakka several machine gun turrets immediately open fire on you]]. Assuming you painstakingly disable every single laser beam without getting filled with bullets, you can finally get your hands on the treasure...[[spoiler:a time capsule filled with mundane pre-War items]].

** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. If you don`t have the right lockpicking perks, you have to go through a laser beam corridor to obtain the "Treasure of Jamaica Plain." If you trip the laser beam, [[MoreDakka several machine gun turrets immediately open fire on you]]. Assuming you painstakingly disable every single laser beam without getting filled with bullets, you can finally get your hands on the treasure...[[spoiler:a time capsule filled with mundane pre-War items]].

** Played straight in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}''. If you don`t have the right lockpicking perks, you have to go through a laser beam corridor to obtain the "Treasure of Jamaica Plain," which turns out to be [[spoiler:a time capsule filled with mundane pre-War items]].

* In ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', May and Coulson encounter one. Coulson is unimpressed ("Why is it always lasers?") and limbers up to dodge his way around them to the control panel on the other side...[[CuttingTheKnot until May just strolls through, setting off the alarm]].

Whenever there's a security system in place, there's always a highly visible laser sensor grid with man-sized holes in it. The infiltrator must then use cunning acrobatics or clever trickery to navigate around the lasers to reach the target on the other side. Or, if he's MacGyver, he can rig up a cunning system of mirrors to deflect the lasers around himself.

* The second-season episode "Cash Eye" of ''Anime/GhostintheShellStandaloneComplex'' features a laser hallway which is quickly defeated by the Major. Her actual navigation of the hallway is portrayed in such a perfunctory way that the trope is somewhat subverted: nobody looks impressed afterward and her animated movements aren't particularly dramatic. (Her breasts are given '''far''' more artistic attention in that scene than her ability to defeat this particular laser hallway.)
* In ''LightNovel/GoshuushouSamaNinomiyaKun'', this trope is combined with [[spoiler:[[GagBoobs gag boobs]]]] to comical effect. After much careful sidestepping, the lasers eventually [[spoiler:Tsukimura Mayu's breast obscures one of the (sensory-only) beams and sets off the security response.]]

* The entire plot of ''Film/{{Entrapment}}'' (1999) appears to have been constructed to provide an excuse for Catherine Zeta-Jones to twist and bend her way through laser beams in a SpyCatsuit.
** According to WordOfGod, that is ''exactly'' why it was made.

* Anne Hathaway's Agent 99 navigated a laser web in the 2008 ''Film/GetSmart'' movie. The lack of a SpyCatsuit in this case was more than made up for by the presence of a slinky silver dress with a nice high split up the side. Then Agent Smart navigates it as well, though with a bit less dignity because the lasers also burn.

* ''{{Robotrek}}'' has lasers in an enemy base which activate/deactivate in a pattern. They're invisible unless you're wearing a pair of special goggles. Tripping a beam activates an alarm that brings enemy troops running into the room.

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* The most improbable laser hallway ever, as well as the most improbable method of moving through a laser hallway ever, appeared in ''Film/OceansElevenTwelve'', in the lobby of a museum. Not only were there about two dozen beams, they were moving, and moreover, their movement was ''randomized'', which means there's no way to predict how and where to move through them. [[spoiler:Nonetheless, the French jewel thief extraordinaire (the Night Fox) makes it through.]]

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_re4laser.jpg]]

[[quoteright:200:[[LightNovel/GoshuushouSamaNinomiyaKun http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_Goshuushou_sama_Ninomiya_kun_laser_hallway_with_meido.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:200:It isn't easy being a {{Meido}}.]]

* In ''LightNovel/GoshuushouSamaNinomiyaKun'', this trope is combined with [[spoiler:[[GagBoobs gag boobs]]]] to comical effect. After much careful sidestepping, the lasers eventually [[spoiler:Tsukimura Mayu's breast obscures one of the (sensory-only) beams and sets off the security response.]]
* One features in the second episode of ''Anime/AngelBeats'', likely as a {{Homage}} to ''Film/ResidentEvil''. The group is trapped in a locked corridor and have to dodge the increasingly complicated laser patterns. [[spoiler: Matsushita]] ends up sliced into pieces, but of course, DeathIsCheap here and he revives soon after, although his clothes are shredded.
* Occurred in a ''Manga/{{Kochikame}}'' TV special when one of the circus villains acrobat through the laser room which holds the gold head statue.
* DoubleSubversion in ''Manga/ZeroZeroNineOne''. The lead character does the usual tricky laser dodging maneuvers (somewhat {{justified|Trope}} in that she's a cyborg) and gets all the way through to the end. She pulls out a device to plug into the machine at the end of the hallway, uses it, then unplugs it -- and the cable falls into the laser beam, setting off the alarm. This triggers ''another'' laser grid, this one deadly, as demonstrated by cutting the wire which had tripped the alarm. The heroine tells her partner to leave her, but naturally, they escape.
* The second-season episode "Cash Eye" of ''Anime/GhostintheShellStandaloneComplex'' features a laser hallway which is quickly defeated by the Major. Her actual navigation of the hallway is portrayed in such a perfunctory way that the trope is somewhat subverted: nobody looks impressed afterward and her animated movements aren't particularly dramatic. (Her breasts are given '''far''' more artistic attention in that scene than her ability to defeat this particular laser hallway.)

* In the first episode of the '90s ''WesternAnimation/XMen'' series, the beams are detected by smelling ozone, revealed by super-summoned fog, and shut down by scaling overhanging pipes to reach the control panel.
* In ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution,'' Iceman uses an ice bridge to pass the beams along the floor, and when bragging to Shadowcat, he's spinning the keys (to disable the security system) on his finger. They fly off, fall through a beam, and trigger the alarm. The look on Iceman's face is priceless.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''
** In her first appearance, Catwoman uses a clever way of getting past such a hallway (actually, a room) to steal a diamond necklace; she uses her housecat Isis - who can ''see'' the infrared beams and, thus, can steer around them with her sleek body - to get the jewelry for her.
** Harley Quinn simply jumps around the beams when she goes to steal a diamond. Works fine, but then Ivy activates the alarm during her own robbery from another wing of the facility.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTalesTheMovieTreasureOfTheLostLamp'' featured Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby having to go through one of these in Scrooge's office building. One difference from other example: those lasers are ''lethal''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'', Yumi encounters once a laser hallway of the deadly variety in Sector 5. Good thing she's the most acrobatic of the team.
* The closing credits of ''[[WesternAnimation/{{COPS}} C.O.P.S.]]'' had Nightshade navigating one wearing special goggles in order to see the lasers.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', it isn't so much a hallway, but the Autobot's base is filled with motion sensors. In "Home Is Where The Spark Is", they sense movements and grab the Autobots.
* Parodied in a ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' episode where Dexter just walks under the lasers ([[MundaneMadeAwesome in a library, close to the devolution box!]]) since he's really short.
* Used and mocked in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' when Doctor Girlfriend and Henchmen 21 try to go to the Monarch after Dr. Killenger becomes his new right hand man. A hallway has laser tripwires, and Doctor Girlfriend nimbly flips and weaves through them all. Henchmen 21 tries, and just trips into a lot of them from the start setting off an alarm (nothing deadly, just sirens). Doctor Girlfriend then just opens a secret hallway to where the Monarch is and leaves 21 behind.
* Used in the second ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' toon, where April, Casey and Splinter are forced to traverse one of these in order to rescue the turtles in an early season 3 episode. While it proves easy enough for Splinter and April (who in this episode reveals that she has [[TookALevelInBadass taken a level in badass]]) it proves quite difficult to the graceless Casey.
* This has been seen at least twice on ''WesternAnimation/TheBackyardigans''.
* Doctor Doofenschmirtz installs an "anti-platypus security" system in one episode of ''PhineasAndFerb'' that includes a laser hallway, among other traps. Naturally, Perry manages to avoid every trap easily.
* Trevor Goodchild uses one on ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' in the first episode of the TV series. It's suggested he knows the problems with this setup, he just likes to watch the gymnastics she does to get out of it.
* Robin and Red X both overcome a tangle of lasers that are protecting a Xenothium vault when Robin goes after whoever was in the Red X suit in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''.
* The episode "Double Date" from ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'' sees Huntress use an aerosol spray to reveal lasers in Mandragora's home. She simply vaults and flips through them.
* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/OzzyAndDrix''. Drix and Maria encounter a laser hallway blocking the entrance to "The Fear Center". Drix gets through it by squeezing between every laser as carefully yet clumsily he can. After he's done, Maria, who is a cop, simply pulls out her ID card and deactivates the lasers.
* On ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'', Uncle Grandpa and company end up accidently breaking into a bank vault scattered with lasers while looking for a treasure. They end thinking it's a ''dance rave''.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'' episode ''The Dark Side of the SWAT Kats'', our heroes (and their [[EvilCounterpart Evil Counterparts]]) have to jump through one of these to break into Pumadyne Weapons Lab.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "Mmmystery On The Friendship Express", while trying to figure out who vandalized the cake, [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] imagines that [[Franchise/JamesBond Con Mane]] infiltrated the place, revealed the laser beams with a spray, then used a mirror to bounce them onto the cake. Annoyed, Twilight Sparkle points out, "Pinkie! There is no laser beam security system!"
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Cat Man Do" a cat hypnotizes the Professor and the two go to the museum to steal the Cat's Eye Jewel. The Professor puts a container of grease on the floor and slides the cat under the lowest beam, leaving a trail of grease behind. The Professor then does the same and they steal the jewel.

* DoubleSubversion in ''Anime/ZeroZeroNineOne''. The lead character does the usual tricky laser dodging maneuvers (somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that she's a cyborg) and gets all the way through to the end. She pulls out a device to plug into the machine at the end of the hallway, uses it, then unplugs it - and the cable falls into the laser beam, setting off the alarm. This triggers ''another'' laser grid, this one deadly, as demonstrated by cutting the wire which had tripped the alarm. The heroine tells her partner to leave her, but naturally, they escape.
* The second-season episode "Cash Eye" of ''[[Anime/GhostintheShellStandaloneComplex Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex]]'' features a laser hallway which is quickly defeated by the Major. Her actual navigation of the hallway is portrayed in such a perfunctory way that the trope is somewhat subverted: nobody looks impressed afterward and her animated movements aren't particularly dramatic. (Her breasts are given '''far''' more artistic attention in that scene than her ability to defeat this particular laser hallway.)