History Main / TightropeWalking

* Elix Skipper's "New School" maneuver involved him tight rope walking across the ropes to an opponent sitting on the turn buckle then jumping on them and delivering a Frankensteiner. In Wrestling/{{TNA}}, he's done if not on a rope, but after [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome walking on the edge of a steel cage.]]

* ''Literature/AlexRider'': In ''Ark Angel'', Alex escapes from a burning high rise by walking across a cable attaching a banner to the neighbouring building, using some 'props' left behind by a building crew for balance. Author Creator/AnthonyHorowitz explain in an afterword that the physics of what Alex does would work, but tells readers DontTryThisAtHome.

* In ''[[Literature/DreamPark The California Voodoo Game]]'', Acacia crosses a rope strung over a chasm in the Crystal Maze. The narrative mentions that she's actually capable of such a feat for real, although in-Game it's her ''character's'' skill that determines her chances.

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[[caption-width-right:350:For this activity, a balanced diet is especially important.]]

* Chiko, the title character of ''Manga/{{The Daughter of Twenty Faces}}'', works as a tightrope walker when the gang goes undercover as a circus troupe. Later, she uses the skill to flee an angry mob by tightrope walking from one roof to another.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tightrope-walker-vibrant_1137.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[Music/JanelleMonae You got to tip on the tightrope.]]]]

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[[Music/JanelleMonae ...and I'm still tippin' on it.]]

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* The eponymous warriors in ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' can do this, and one of them, Anastasia, has even weaponized this ability, using her super-strong and super-thin hair for NotQuiteFlight. Other warriors can also use her hair to "float" in the air.

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* A variation of this trope happened in a [[ComicBook/DisneyMouseAndDuckComics Disney Comics]] WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck story, when Daisy Duck is on a building site and walks out onto a bouncy, springboard-like plank to retrieve a hammer left near one edge where it could fall on someone. She points out that (in this story) she's a ballet teacher and such perfect balance is nothing special for her.
* In Comicbook/{{Superman}}'s early appearances he couldn't fly; he got around Metropolis by running quickly along telephone wires. He explains on more than one occasion that as long as he jumps over the connectors at the telephone poles he's in no danger of electrocution.

[[AC:Film -- Animated]]
* ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', Chihiro has to attempt this once on a thin metal pipe to reach a far ladder. At the end, however, she is absolutely terrified when she actually makes it.

[[AC:Film -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', we see Legolas running along a chain to attack the cave troll.
* In ''Film/HeroicTrio'', one of the main heroines is introduced, running along powerlines, She even does the splits between two of them while throwing knives at a foe.
* Exploring the Klowns' tent/ship in ''Film/KillerKlownsFromOuterSpace'', the characters encounter a passage where they must walk a tightrope in a fog; they manage, but wobble enough to show it's not easy. The weirdness of the scene increases when they reach the end of the passage, where the rope is ''bent into steps'' which lead to the next doorway.

[[AC:Literature]]
* Legolas in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Similar to the movie example, in Lorien, Legolas ran along a rope to get to the other side of a stream. It was mentioned that elves did this sort of thing a lot if a bridge was not available. He points out nobody else in the group is an Elf, so it is probably easy for them.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

[[AC:Professional Wrestling]]

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* There is a SkillScore responsible for this type of movement in the TabletopGame/D20System and other RPG systems based on it.

[[AC:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', Team Tidus doesn't so much run along wires as skitch down them. He and his posse have impressive GrindBoots.
* Averted in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', in that your human form can't move on ropes. Your ''wolf'' form is perfectly able to do so, do a jumping 180 on the spot, and even leap off as if he were on solid ground rather than a swaying rope no thicker than his leg.
** Occurs in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', where you can walk across them. So can your enemies, but they move slower.
* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreed'' games, Altaïr, Ezio, and Connor can all run on certain incredibly thin ropes, wires, and the like.
* In ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge'' Faith can run on thin pipes and planks if need be. She can also run on cranes, but this is not automatic and dependent on the skill of the player.

[[AC:Web Comics]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* On ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Ty Lee does this in the episode "The Boiling Rock", to get to the cable car: She sprints across a [[http://piandao.org/screencaps/ep55/ep55-1692.png gondola cable]] for a rematch with fellow ActionGirl, Suki.
* In ''Mother Up'', Apple becomes obsessed with winning pretty trophies; the last one in the case is for tightrope walking, and was retired since the last winner fell off and died. [[NoOSHACompliance For some reason]], the school still has the tightrope set up and Apple walks it in a fugue state (unless the ghost she sees is real, hard to say.)

[[AC:Real Life]]
* This is often done by LeParkour practicioners.
* Many acrobats have made a career of this trope.
** Dean Potter and Mustafa Danger are two such practitioners of Tight Rope Walking.
** The Flying Wallendas are a famous trapeze/tightrope walking family of circus performers. Most of them have died when falling from incredible heights during walks.

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* A variation of this trope happened in a DisneyComics WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck story, when Daisy Duck is on a building site and walks out onto a bouncy, springboard-like plank to retrieve a hammer left near one edge where it could fall on someone. She points out that (in this story) she's a ballet teacher and such perfect balance is nothing special for her.

* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': When joining Valan Luca's traveling circus in ''The Shadow Rising'', Elayne trains herself to become a tightrope walker.

* The eponymous warriors in ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' can do this, and one of them, Anastasia, has even weaponized this ability, using her super-strong and super-thin hair for Not Quite Flight. Other warriors can also use her hair to "float" in the air.

* The thief in VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' gets a chance to demonstrate his balance on numerous occasions: from the humble beginnings of shuffling over a tree branch, to creeping around on tightropes twenty feet above the head of a demon wizard.

Tightrope walking, also known as wire-walking, is a talent that has been around for a very long time in many different regions. In fictional works, a character, (whether it be through [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower training]] or from [[AWizardDidIt magic]]), is able to walk, or even run, across very thin surfaces.

First, let's take a look at tightrope walking. It is, in the simplest sense, walking on tightened ropes. Optionally the performer may use a balancing tool such as an umbrella, a long pole, of they may stretch out their arms. Tightrope walkers were staples in traveling circuses. These balancing performers walked on ropes high above the circus ring. Although this skill is cool in and of itself, there are other [[UpToEleven more dangerous versions.]]

High-wire walkers walk generally about 20+ feet off the ground. Skywalkers take their stunts to DangerousHeights by walking between skyscrapers, poles, and other terrifying places. It has been pushed UpToEleven with ropes stretching over The Grand Canyon without any climbing gear to speak of.

Being able to walk on ropes is not a very common skill in RealLife, and reveals a lot about a characte, [[IHaveTheHighGround like that he or she has a very good sense of balance and body control]], that they can perform [[DanceBattler graceful, lithe combat maneuvers,]] or they have a flamboyant streak. Depending on the general background of the work, it can imply a character's history with a traveling troupe, ninja village or a circus, for example, all pointing to useful further contacts for the character.

Characters can be forced into these situations if they are stranded high above ground, and this trope takes into account all objects these skilled balancers walk and run on. These include but are not limited to ropes, wires, thin railings, chains, power lines, or any other super thin surfaces.

* Discussed in a dialogue option in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' Storm of Zehir. When investigating the wreck of the trade ship Vigilant, if your party contains a rogue they can observe that they've stood on ropes thinner than the one that snapped in the storm. It broke because it had been partly cut through by a saboteur.