Basic Trope: The elevator takes too long, so the character takes the stairs instead.
- Straight: On the run from General Drake, Bob pushes the button for the elevator, but when Drake catches up, he takes the stairs instead.
- Exaggerated: The elevator takes 3 hours to go up one floor.
- Downplayed: Bob waits one second for the elevator before taking the stairs down one floor.
- Justified:
- Drake was seconds away from catching up to Bob, so he had no time to wait.
- The elevator was out of order.
- Which floor the elevator is located at is displayed at the doors - Bob may have seen that all the elevators are too far away from her floor. Alternatively, there may be other people in the building chasing him - taking the elevator would mean Drake can tell his accomplices what floor Bob's at (especially if there's a chance one of them has access to a fire alarm, which would disable all elevators where they are and leave Bob a sitting duck).
- It's a particularly busy time of day at the base, with lots of people using the elevator and getting on/off at various floors.
- The work is set in a time period where elevators still require operators. This one was asleep.
- It's only a half-floor dash, the time it takes for the elevator doors to start closing renders the elevator's speed moot on such a short distance.
- Inverted: Bob starts to take the stairs, but ends up taking the elevator instead.
- Subverted: Drake is just about to catch up to Bob when the elevator door opens.
- Double Subverted: But the elevator is full, so he ends up taking the stairs.
- Parodied: The elevator door opens seconds after Bob leaves to take the stairs.
- Zig Zagged: Bob switches back and forth between stairs and the elevator.
- Averted: The elevator door instantly opens, giving Bob no problem.
- Enforced: The cameras are already set up in the stairwell, and the director thinks a chase down them will be more dramatic.
- Lampshaded: "These elevators are so slow! I could be at the bottom by the time this thing gets up here!"
- Invoked: Drake puts the elevator out of order, and the building has 5 floors, allowing Drake to catch up to Bob while he is climbing the stairs.
- Exploited: Drake's accomplices are waiting for Bob in the stairway.
- Defied: Bob refuses to take the stairs and fights off Drake while waiting for the elevator.
- Discussed: "You know, that elevator's taking too long. The stairs would be faster!"
- Conversed: "Isn't it funny how elevators take the longest when characters need it the most?"
- Deconstructed: In a rush to escape from Drake, Bob trips up.
- Though he climbed the stairs in record time, Bob is exhausted.
- Reconstructed: When Drake catches up, Bob catches him by surprise by kicking him where it hurts.
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