History Main / SmokeShield

* ''Manga/QueenEmeraldas'': When El Domain tries to blow up Emeraldas with the weapons on his fighter craft, it creates a huge wall of smoke. When the smoke clears, it's revealed that her ship was parked in a ravine right behind her, and she was safe under its DeflectorShields. Emeraldas draws her Cosmo Dragoon and takes out the fighter with a near miss just above the skin of the wing.

* In ''Film/{{Transformers}}'', happens in the fight between the soldiers and Scorponok before [[spoiler:he is finally seen escaping by burrowing under the sand after being damaged by an AC-130 Spectre gunship.]]

* [[PlayingWithFire Firebending]] masters Jeong Jeong and Princess Azula have pulled the disappear-in-the-SmokeShield trick using swirling flames in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

* ''Anime/QueenEmeraldas'': When El Domain tries to blow up Emeraldas with the weapons on his fighter craft, it creates a huge wall of smoke. When the smoke clears, it's revealed that her ship was parked in a ravine right behind her, and she was safe under its ForceField. Emeraldas draws her Cosmo Dragoon and takes out the fighter with a near miss just above the skin of the wing.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* One character in ''Literature/ModernMagicMadeSimple'' knows that the BigBad is waiting in the smoke cloud.
* Nabeshin does this against a helicopter in ''Anime/ExcelSaga''.

* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'':
** This happens quite often in both ''Anime/YuGiOhFirstAnimeSeries'' and ''Anime/YuGiOh: Duel Monsters'' -- when the smoke clears, the monster/opponent that was believed destroyed is still there but saved by one or more Trap Cards activated in the nick of time.
** In ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', this happens so often that all suspense can be considered removed: if there is a smoke cloud after a would-be successful attack, it didn't work.
** {{Averted|Trope}} in IV's duel with Shark in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'' -- which is surprising, because it happens in both duels he's previously involved in.
* This starts happening in ''Manga/AngelicLayer'' once they introduce the terrain layers.

* This happens a fair amount in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', at least once every few fights.
** This happens twice during Ichigo's fight with Yammy at the beginning of the Arrancar arc. [[spoiler:In both cases, the smoke clears to reveal that Urahara interposed himself and nullified the attack.]]
** {{Subverted|Trope}} with Szayel. After taking Renji and Uryuu's trump card and being enveloped in the obligatory smoke cloud, he starts boasting about how he perfectly predicted the attack and minimized damage... but it's clear that the attack does affect him, and he's quite furious about it.
** [[spoiler:Barragan, the number 2 Espada, is obscured by a cloud of smoke after being attacked by Soi Fong's bankai, and of course emerges unharmed.]]
* ''Anime/GaReiZero'': Kiri and Zinguchi vs [[spoiler:Yomi]]. Between the two of them, they manage to get her restrained long enough for [[spoiler:Zinguchi to use her [[MoreDakka Gatling-leg]]. Yomi comes flying out seconds later and runs Kiri through with her blade.]]
-->'''Zinguchi:''' Did we get her?\\
'''Kiri:''' We got her...I think.

* A clever filler opponent in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' exploits this -- he has a technique that creates a smokescreen whenever he's attacked.
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' when Shinji engages the fourth Angel with an automatic cannon, shrouding it in smoke. For a moment it appears the assault was successful, but then Misato yells at him, saying "You idiot, you hid the enemy behind your own smoke!". Cue the counterattack.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' does this often, usually incorporating a NonchalantDodge. It's also {{parodied|Trope}} when Jack tells Negi to [[HitMeDammit punch him with his]] FinishingMove to prove his strength. Negi does so, and Jack emerges dramatically from the smoke...only to cough up some blood and sock Negi in the head for punching too hard.
* There are a few characters in ''Manga/DigimonVTamer01'' who {{invoke|d trope}} this trope but it is still presented as {{dramatic| irony}} to the readers.
* ''Manga/MarchenAwakensRomance'' makes use of this trope in a few fights, for example the first time Snow fights in the War Games.
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'' you can expect this to happen frequently, like when Luffy is revealed to survive after Don Krieg uses an explosive attack.
* In ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'', it is safe to assume that any villain obscured by a cloud of smoke after one of Inuyasha's many [[SwordBeam attacks]] has survived, usually completely unharmed.
* Justified in ''Manga/CannonGodExaxxion''. In Exaxxion's battle with Dagunov-1, because they're both using high-powered railguns, the clouds of steam they kick up are saturated with magnetized particles, meaning even advanced sensors can't see through them.
* ''Manga/RaveMaster'', having plenty of action, frequently uses this trope. It also has variants, for example when the zombie Crash Cookie is enveloped by Haru's flame attack... only to jump out of the smoke unharmed but angry.

* ''Anime/QueenEmeraldas'': When El Domain tries to blow up Emeraldas with the weapons on his fighter craft, it creates a huge wall of smoke. When the smoke clears, it's revealed that her ship was parked in a ravine right behind her, and she was safe under its ForceField. Emeraldas draws her Cosmo Dragoon and takes out the fighter with a near miss just above the skin of the wing.

* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': This happens to the Hulk quite a bit. In ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'', it happens at least twice; the first time, [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] injects the Hulk with something meant to neutralize his healing factor, then launches a pair of missiles at him, which only reminded Hulk of the explosion that killed his wife. The second time, [[ComicBook/XMen Storm]] and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the Human Torch]] combine a [[ShockAndAwe lightning bolt]] and a massive {{fireball|s}} to blast the Hulk. This doesn't work out so well.

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* In the climax of ''Film/TheLastJedi'', the First Order fires every gun they have to [[spoiler:kill Luke Skywalker, who had shown up to help the Resistance escape.]] Hux even sarcastically quips "Do you think you got him?" after ordering the guns to stop firing. Once the dust and debris clear, their target is completely unscathed. [[spoiler:{{Justified|Trope}}, as Luke is using [[AstralProjection Force Projection]] and isn't actually on the planet.]]
* In ''Film/{{Transformers}}'', happens in the fight between the soldiers and Scorponok before [[spoiler:he is finally seen escaping by burrowing under the sand after being damaged by an AC-130 Spectre gunship.]]
* In ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds1953'', the "smoke" is caused by an atomic bomb being dropped on some Martian war-machines. It still doesn't work.
* In the finale of ''Film/TheManInTheIronMask'', the Four Musketeers (and Philippe) are pinned down, their only way of escape blocked by about thirty young musketeers, who now have their muskets primed and ready and pointed down the corridor towards them. Determined to either break their ranks or die well, the five men charge down the hallway and into a hail of musket fire. For a long moment after the guns fall silent, nothing but swirling gunsmoke fills the hallway. Then the Musketeers and Philippe walk out of the smoke, virtually (Athos is limping) unharmed.
* Nuclear weapons are used against the alien ships in ''Film/IndependenceDay'' after conventional weapons fail to breach their {{Deflector Shield}}s. The nukes don't do the job either.

* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' has Black Widow fire a rocket launcher at the Soldier, and when the smoke clears, he's nowhere to be seen. [[spoiler:It's his support team that then reappears out of thin air to capture the heroes.]] Naturally, he's completely unscathed [[spoiler:when he goes back for the mission outbrief... [[TearJerker at first]]]].
* During the final battle of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'', Peter shoots the Hadron Enforcer at Ronan... [[spoiler: who proceeds to emerge from the dust unscathed and NeckLift Drax]].

* This is used as a gameplay mechanic in ''VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable''. Since a lot of the game relies on watching your opponent's moves in order to quickly counter them, a player who's been obscured by smoke (generated when a large attack hits) is usually at an advantage.

* Happens at least once in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', where [[spoiler: Damien explodes into fiery doom, possibly destroying Grace.]] The smoke clears to reveal that AWizardDidIt.

* [[http://nerfnow.com/comic/8 This]] ''Webcomic/NerfNow'' strip, together with BigDamnHeroes.
* ''Webcomic/{{Panthera}}'': [[spoiler:Leo [[http://www.pantheracomic.com/?p=1369 escaping the remains]] of the Ovid research lab.]]
* Various permutations of this occur in ''Webcomic/BobAndGeorge''. Including one time with ''an entire room full of steam''. This is also a running gag throughout the comic in which characters who are seemingly blasted into oblivion are actually just "blown clear." Unless they aren't, in which case some sort of insanely convoluted series of events is at work to explain their survival. They usually involved time travel.
* Viole from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'' applies this trope in his introductory fight.

* This is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in the ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' AffectionateParody ''[[http://www.atomictoy.org/comics/buttlordgt/buttlordgt.html Buttlord GT]]''. "Haw! He is obviously finished. No one could survive that much dust."

* Done by Chemo in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold''.

* A frequent staple of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' fight scenes.

* One character in ''LightNovel/ModernMagicMadeSimple'' knows that the BigBad is waiting in the smoke cloud.

DirtForcefield ''sounds'' similar, but is a completely different trope. Same goes for SmokeOut.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* One character in ''LightNovel/ModernMagicMadeSimple'' knew that the BigBad was waiting in the smoke cloud.
* [[Creator/ShinichiWatanabe Nabeshin]] did this against a helicopter in ''Anime/ExcelSaga''.
* Happened more times than one can count in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. Pretty much every remotely significant villain gets hit at least once with a [[TheWorfBarrage barrage]] of BeamSpam that obscures them in dust/smoke, and not a single one is actually ''beaten'' by such an attack. If our heroes are lucky, the bad guy and/or his clothing is scuffed up and they manage to provoke a MinorInjuryOverreaction. Actually a strange case since [[FridgeLogic the majority of the characters in the series]] should be able to ''[[ForgotAboutHisPowers sense the enemy]]''.
** Naturally, this was lampshaded in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''.
---> '''Krillin:''' Did we get him?\\
'''Gohan:''' Krillin, we can feel his energy. Why do you bother asking?\\
'''Krillin:''' I'm an optimist.
** Frieza. From his very introduction to when Goku goes Super Saiyan, he just waits until the smoke clears, with no visible damage. If he was matched, he just said he wasn't going all out, and proceeded to beat the crap out of his match.

** This is, of course, {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in AffectionateParody [[http://www.atomictoy.org/comics/buttlordgt/buttlordgt.html Buttlord GT]]. "Haw! He is obviously finished. No one could survive that much dust."
* Happens quite often in both ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' series; when the smoke clears, the monster/opponent that was believed destroyed is still there, but saved by one or more Trap Cards activated in the nick of time.

** Averted in IV's duel with Shark in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL''. Which is surprising, because it happened in both duels he was previously involved in.
* Starts happening in ''Manga/AngelicLayer'' once they introduce the terrain layers.
* Happens frequently in ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''. In the first season, Fate uses Photon Lancer: Phalanx Shift to attack Nanoha, the smoke clears and Nanoha is revealed to be (mostly) unharmed. In A's Nanoha used Divine Buster Extension to snipe Vita, but when the smoke cleared it was revealed a third party had intervened and shielded Vita from the attack. And finally in [=StrikerS=] [[spoiler:Dieci tries to snipe the Mobile Section 6 Helicopter, and seems to score a direct hit, but the smoke clears, and Nanoha is revealed to have gotten there just in time to block the shot.]]

* Happens a fair amount in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', at least once every few fights. This happens twice during Ichigo's fight with Yammy at the beginning of the Arrancar arc. [[spoiler:In both cases, the smoke clears to reveal that Urahara interposed himself and nullified the attack.]]
** Another example: [[spoiler:Barragan, the number 2 Espada, is obscured by a cloud of smoke after being attacked by Soi Fong's bankai, and of course emerges unharmed.]]
** Subverted earlier with Szayel: after taking Renji and Uryuu's trump card and being enveloped in the obligatory smoke cloud, he starts boasting about how he perfectly predicted the attack and minimized damage... but it's clear the attack did affect him and he was quite furious about it.

--> '''Zinguchi''': Did we get her?\\
'''Kiri''': We got her...I think.
* Kei in ''Manga/SpecialA'' walks out of a smoke shield created from an exploded rocky cliff, completely unharmed. (Though Akira did think he was dead, if only for a few minutes.) He walks out ''carrying a lion on his shoulders''.
* A clever filler opponent in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' exploits this - he has a technique that creates a smokescreen whenever he's attacked.
* Lampshaded in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' when Shinji engages the fourth Angel with an automatic cannon, shrouding it in smoke. For a moment it appears the assault was successful, but then Misato yells at him, saying "You idiot, you hid the enemy behind your own smoke!". Cue the counterattack.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' does this often, usually incorporating a NonchalantDodge.
** It's also parodied when Jack tells Negi to [[HitMeDammit punch him with his]] FinishingMove to prove his strength. Negi does so, and Jack emerges dramatically from the smoke...only to cough up some blood and sock Negi in the head for punching too hard.
* Variation from the ''Manga/{{Akira}}'' [[TheMovie movie]]: after throwing a pile of rubble onto [[BadassNormal Kaneda]] during their duel, [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Tetsuo]] stands over it [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat smirking]]... until a blind shot from Kaneda's [[EnergyWeapon laser cannon]] comes through a wall and damn near takes his head off.
* Ushers in the final fight scene in ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie'' After an overloaded cloning machine explodes, Mewtwo delivers his speech about how he plans to used his army of cloned Pokemon to annihilate humanity and the Pokemon who serve them. This is where Ash Ketchum steps through the smoke, the real Pokemon in tow, and ballsily declares, "You can't do this. I won't let you."
** Normal episodes use this as well.
* There are a few characters in ''Manga/DigimonVTamer01''that {{invoke|d trope}} this trope but it is still presented as {{dramatic| irony}} to the readers.

* ''[[Anime/{{Memories}} Stinkbomb]]'' actually manages to use this as its entire premise. The main character actually gives off a cloud of colored gas that not only visually obscures him but also knocks people unconscious and disrupts electronic equipment rendering the aiming systems of everything from tanks to sidewinder missiles ineffective.
* In ''Manga/InuYasha'', it is safe to assume that any villain obscured by a cloud of smoke after one of Inuyasha's many [[SwordBeam attacks]] has survived, usually completely unharmed.

* Subverted in the Post-reboot ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': A not quite defeated villain uses [[EyeBeams heat vision]] to [[MomentKiller break up a moment between]] [[FlyingBrick Ultra Boy]] and [[IntangibleMan Apparition ("Phantom Girl")]].
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': Happens to the Hulk quite a bit. In ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'' it happens at least twice; the first time, [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] injects the Hulk with something meant to neutralize his healing factor, then launches a pair of missiles at him, which only reminded Hulk of the explosion that killed his wife. The second time, ComicBook/{{Storm}} and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour The Human Torch]] combined a lightning bolt and a massive fireball to blast the Hulk. Didn't work out so well.
* The ComicBook/XMen annual "Lost in the Funhouse": The assembled team throw everything they have at the one-off villain, who is revealed to be completely unscathed when the smoke clears. Out of all of them, Storm was the only one who didn't bother to attack, knowing there had to be a catch.

[[folder:Fanfic]]
* Done by [[spoiler:Marius]] in the {{fanime}} ''Franchise/TouhouProject Side Story'', as a prelude to TheReveal that [[spoiler:he'd taken the Hourai Elixer, which the creators got horribly wrong.]]
** Later done in the ''official'' Touhou manga ''Silent Sinner in Blue'' .

[[folder: Film ]]
* In the climax of ''Film/TheLastJedi'', the First Order fires every gun they have to [[spoiler:kill Luke Skywalker, who had shown up to help the Resistance escape.]] Hux even sarcastically quips "Do you think you got him?" after ordering the guns to stop firing. Once the dust and debris clear, their target is completely unscathed. [[spoiler:Justified, as Luke was using [[AstralProjection Force Projection]], and wasn't actually on the planet.]]
* In the 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' movie, happens in the fight between the soldiers and Scorponok before [[spoiler:he is finally seen escaping by burrowing under the sand after being damaged by an AC-130 Spectre gunship.]]
* Done in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie'', the animated film from the eighties: Unicron is devouring Cybertron's moons, where the Autobots have situated bases; Bumblebee and Spike evacuate one of the moons moments before Unicron arrives, but not before setting massive explosive charges designed to blow up the moon as Unicron eats it. As they fly away in their ship, they see a massive explosion and celebrate, reassured that "Nothing could have survived that!" only to despair once the smoke clears and they see that "It isn't even dented!"
* In the 1953 version of ''Film/{{The War Of The Worlds|1953}}'' the "smoke" is caused by an atomic bomb being dropped on some Martian war-machines. It still doesn't work.
* In the finale of ''Film/TheManInTheIronMask'', the Four Musketeers (and Philippe) are pinned down, their only way of escape blocked by about thirty young musketeers, who now have their muskets primed and ready and pointed down the corridor towards them. Determined to either break their ranks or die well, the five men charge down the hallway and into a hail of musket fire. For a long moment after the guns fall silent, nothing but swirling gunsmoke fills the hallway. Then the Musketeers and Philippe walk out of the smoke, virtually (Athos is limping) unharmed.
* Nuclear weapons are used against the alien ships in ''Film/IndependenceDay'' after conventional weapons fail to breach their {{Deflector Shield}}s. The nukes don't do the job either.
* ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'', unsurprisingly, does this too. After the characters manage to get on one of the last evac helicopters, they get front-row seats to the monster being bombed. In this case, "Clover" waits just long enough for a HopeSpot but not for the smoke to disperse on its own.
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' has Black Widow fire a rocket launcher at the Soldier, and when the smoke clears, he's nowhere to be seen. [[spoiler:It's his support team that then reappears out of thin air to capture the heroes.]] Naturally, he's completely unscathed [[spoiler:when he goes back for the mission outbrief... [[TearJerker at first]]]].
* During the final battle of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', Peter shoots the Hadron Enforcer at Ronan... [[spoiler: who proceeds to emerge from the dust unscathed and NeckLift Drax]].

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett''. Boba fires his backpack rocket at a couple of [[SpiderTank Scorpenek droids]], causing a big explosion and lots of smoke. However, after a few hopeful moments, they emerge from the smoke, unscathed thanks to their DeflectorShields.
* ''Series/KamenRiderExAid''. Lazer's finishing move against Kamen Rider Genm leaves a cloud of smoke. When it clears, the villain Parad is standing in Genm's place, as if he was Genm's true identity--thus discrediting Lazer who had (correctly) accused Dan Kuroto.

* In ''[[Franchise/GundamExpandedUniverse Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front]]'' this is the most reliable (and canonical) way to defeat [[HeroAntagonist Lt. Agar]]'s Mudrock Gundam. Unlike the original RX-78-2 Gundam, Mudrock suffers from CripplingOverspecialization due to its focus on heavy artillery, so smoke grenades to throw off its aim go a long way towards being able to close in and [[UnusualEuphemism tear it a few new exhaust ports]].
* In the tactical game ''[[VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense X-COM]]'' major explosions will always fill up at least a small area full of smoke, which obscures vision for both you and the aliens. Unlike most other examples of this trope, smoke inhalation is actually a problem, too, and inhaling too much can cause both you and the opponent to fall unconscious.
** In the ''[[VideoGame/XCOMTerrorFromTheDeep Terror from the Deep]]'', the [[GiantEnemyCrab Lobster Men]] are so tough that the entire squad of ten to fourteen soldiers will often have everyone in throwing range throw explosives at one of them while the rest shoot lasers and rockets at him. The explosives go off together and then the [[ImplacableMan Lobster Man gets his turn]].

* [[PlayingWithFire Firebending]] masters Jeong Jeong and Princess Azula have pulled the disappear-in-the-SmokeShield trick using swirling flames on ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

* In the episode of 2002's ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' titled "The Council Of Evil (pt. 2), Skeletor strongly implies to Count Marzo, one of his confederates, that Skeletor will renege in his promise to share in the resultant power once they breach Castle Greyskull and conquer Eternia. Marzo, already an extremely powerful figure in his own right, naturally takes umbrage at this, and tries to destroy the Overlord of Evil with a blast from his magical amulet. The blast lasts for nearly thirty seconds, generating a huge cloud of dust, and Marzo is shocked when the smoke clears and Skeletor is shown hovering in midair without a scratch on him. Bonus cool points to The Lord of Destruction for merely walking over to a cowering Marzo who is clearly anticipating a harsh, and possibly fatal reprisal, only to snatch Marzo's amulet from his grasp and walk away, like nothing happened.
* A frequent staple of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' fight scenes.
* Invoked in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars''. The ARC Troopers fire on General Grievous, creating a massive dust cloud. They avert the standard "wait and see" technique and continue firing into the dust cloud. Unfortunately for them, Grievous emerges unharmed.
* ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow'': In "Toad Warriors", King Koopa's troops fire cannons at the rebel's fortress and it gets covered in smoke. Mouser cheers and says they destroyed them, but King Koopa comments they should wait til the smoke clears. Sure enough, the fortress is intact.

* In ''Series/KamenRiderExAid'', Lazer's finishing move against Kamen Rider Genm leaves a cloud of smoke. When it clears, the villain Parad is standing in Genm's place, as if he was Genm's true identity- thus discrediting Lazer who had (correctly) accused Dan Kuroto.

* Happens to [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] quite a bit. In ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'' it happens at least twice; the first time, [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] injects the Hulk with something meant to neutralize his healing factor, then launches a pair of missiles at him, which only reminded Hulk of the explosion that killed his wife. The second time, ComicBook/{{Storm}} and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour The Human Torch]] combined a lightning bolt and a massive fireball to blast the Hulk. Didn't work out so well.

* Happens to [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] quite a bit. In ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'' it happens at least twice; the first time, [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] injects the Hulk with something meant to neutralize his healing factor, then launches a pair of missiles at him, which only reminded Hulk of the explosion that [[BerserkButton killed his wife]]. The second time, ComicBook/{{Storm}} and [[ComicBook/FantasticFour The Human Torch]] combined a lightning bolt and a massive fireball to blast the Hulk. Didn't work out so well.

* In the final battle of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', Peter shoots the Hadron Enforcer at Ronan... who proceeds to emerge from the dust unscathed and NeckLift Drax.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[ComicallyMissingThePoint Oooh, look at that]], [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys a monkey!]]]]

* Inverted in the final battle of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', where a pair of Ravager frigates launch energy mortars at the Dark Aster that explode in front of the ship's bridge and obscure its viewports. Yondu's fighters take advantage of this diversion to attack the Dark Aster's flank.