History Main / LavaPit

%% * A climactic moment in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie''.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' comics, smelting pits are generally used for particularly gruesome executions. If you like putting people into these, we know you're a creep.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Fubuki's {{Brainwashed}} SuperpoweredEvilSide threatens Judai's roommates with one during their duel.

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* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has these in two parts of the game: In the Sealed Cave in the World of Balance and in the Phoenix Cave in the [[AfterTheEnd World of Ruin]]. Falling into one reduces some HP and sends you to the entrance of that room.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', Kuja traps your entire party in cells in his Desert Palace with floors that retract to reveal lava beneath them. He threatens to retract them all the way unless Zidane and his selected party members fetch him the Gulug Stone from Oeilvert. However, after Zidane and the others leave, he says he hates keeping promises and puts the remaining party members on a ten minute timer which can be reset by an hourglass, but only if Zidane makes it back in time.

* In the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, Marble, Hill Top, Lava Reef, and the Underground Zone all feature lots of lava (or magma) pits. Eggman is very creative about incorporating them into his [[DeathCourse gauntlets of traps]].

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** Also, in the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' comics smelting pits are generally used for particularly gruesome executions. If you like putting people into these, we know you're a creep.

* Subverted (doubly) in the ''Comicbook/{{Legion Of Super-Heroes}}'' comic. Sun Boy gained his powers when Doctor Zaxton Regulus locked him inside a nuclear reactor just before its activation. In a later issue, Regulus comments "I could have killed him [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim when I had the chance]]. But no; I had to get theatrical!"

* The big finish in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'', when Gollum falls with the One Ring into a lava pit inside [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Mt. Doom]].[[note]]In the book, it's just a "crack of fire", contents not clearly specified — Gollum falls over the edge and that's the end of it. In the movie, we get to watch him sink slowly into the lava, and the ring sits on the surface for a long couple of seconds before melting.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Daikatana}}'' features lava prominently throughout the third episode. While falling in is pretty much certain death in the PC version, the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor version has the character melt into the lava...only to reappear on a nearby platform with only a few health points knocked off.

* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', if you choose a site with a volcano or magma pipe, you can use the lava to build a variety of death traps, and it removes the need for coal to smelt most metals, except for steel. The only issue is the Fire Imps and Magma Men that come with said sites.
** More than that, magma is the ''preferred'' way for most DF players to deal with virtually any problem. Too much garbage? Melt it in lava! Attacking hordes? Pump lava to the top of your tower, and pour liberally on any rash of invaders! Elves complaining about your deforestation? Melt the protesters! Your fortress flooding with regular water? Running out of good quality stone to craft with? Pour water and magma together, and you have an obsidian farming operation!
** In the latest version, there are no longer magma pipes. Instead, there is a [[spoiler: magma sea, provided that you dig down deep enough]].

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' shamelessly uses lava pits around the inevitable fire bosses (King Dodongo, Gleerok, Volvagia, Hot Head, etc.). Of interesting note is that in many cases the bosses themselves are vulnerable to the lava pit as soon as you incapacitate them or remove their armor.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', you can transform into a Goron, who apparently immune to lava (the flipside is that they easily freeze to death).

* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', Queen Himiko's palace has a ''huge pit of lava'' in it. Oh, and did I mention that said pit of lava is on the ''second floor'' of a building that looks '''easily burnable'''?!
** There's also some rather impressive (and considerably more justifiable) lava pits on [[DiscOneFinalDungeon Oni Island]]. In both cases, Ammy can swim in them like they're water by equipping an item called the Fire Tablet. [[LavaIsBoilingKoolAid She can even use the Waterspout technique on it!]]

* A common DeathTrap in the cave levels of ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2: The Shadow and the Flame''. They were a good way of killing skeletons permanently.
** The SNES version of ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia1'' had a [[LethalLavaLand level set inside a volcano]]. You don't see the lava here unless you're falling to the very bottom of the level, but that will happen if you don't grab a ledge right at the start.

** The Ammo Depot level in ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' has a rectractable bridge over lava that can be used to fry crossing enemies. The Torture Chambers level has a cage used to dunk prisoners into lava.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', you get to pull this trope on a miniboss. Easy way to help your chances of survival, given that there's two (OnlyWorksOnce for some reason). However, you lose any loot you would've gotten from that boss. [[spoiler:[[GuideDangIt Unless you backtrack into the Arena after entering the next room]].]] Chapter 5-2 also has a molten pit that you can knock {{mook}}s into.

** Another example would be ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles'', in which you defeat one of the Tyrants by knocking him into the lava in the blast furnace. [[spoiler:Subverted, as he comes back later with a vengeance.]]

* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': Bowser loves his lava pits, considering every single one of his many castles has one. In the first game, the most common method to beat him is to drop him into one.

** ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland DS'' also has lava pits, which kill Yoshi instantly if he falls in. A lava pit also plays a part in the battles against Big Guy the Stilted, where he must be pushed into one so Yoshi can damage him.
*** Not just the sequel, the original ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' is a big fan of these as well.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' has lava pools ''with slopes''. It also has {{Palette Swap}}ped chocolate pits in Chocolate Island, and bubbling grayish "death water" in some of the fortress levels, which is used frequently in PlatformHell hacks.

** Talorus in ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld II'' has a MacGuffin in the center of a lava pit. You're supposed to complete a BrokenBridge quest to reach it, but it's easy enough to run across the lava and grab it while taking only minor damage.

** You can fish in ''any'' lava, with a normal fishing pole. And the perfectly normal fish you catch are not even deep fried.

* In a variation, the Lava Pit that [[spoiler:Orm chains his brother Aquaman ''and his baby son'' to]] in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' was ''an underwater volcano''. [[spoiler:Aquaman has to chop off his own hand to save both himself and his son.]]

* [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment THE FLOOR IS MADE OF LAVA!]]

** A 2015 [[Creator/TheBBC BBC]] documentary, ''Kate Humble: Into the Volcano'' features the eponymous presenter joining a group of scientists as they abseil onto a ledge overlooking the Marum lava lake to make measurements. Just watching it on TV is pretty terrifying.

* Usually considered the best ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' battle in the anime, Charizard vs. Magmar took place over a lava pit.
** In the ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' games, stage 100 of Mt. Battle is on a platform that essentially floats on the lava pit in the crater of a volcano.
** The Blackthorn Gym in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and the remakes has lava. The solution to cross it and get to Clair differs between the original (Strength puzzle) and remakes (rotating floor).

* ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' has lava areas in some levels. Fire Pokemon are able to move across them without taking damage.
** The main series games often have lava pits in certain areas,too, but you can't fall into them in any way.

* In ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'', Patty Gauzweiler cements her KillerGM status (and greatly impresses her fellow [=GMs=] by creating a DeathTrap in which the players willingly have their characters jump into a lava pit.

* In ''VideoGame/ImpressiveTitle'', lava pits can be found just about almost anywhere, ranging from alpine forests like ''Shadow Veldt'', dying wastelands like ''Wyvern Hills'', and ''Anointed Hills'', and tropical grasslands like ''Labyrinth''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', "Too Much of a Gold Thing" has an unusual example. A lake of molten gold.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' : The Joker dumps Batman into a trash incinerator in one episode. In another, Red Claw tries dropping him into actual lava.
* In a variation, the Lava Pit that [[spoiler:Orm chains his brother Aquaman ''and his baby son'' to]] in WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague was ''an underwater volcano''. [[spoiler:Aquaman has to chop off his own hand to save both himself and his son.]]
** [[DeathWorld Apokolips]] is a world teeming with Fire Pits, which in the finale are implied to be made by drilling right into the planets magma core and letting all the smoke and flame spill out, which gives your atmosphere that nice FireAndBrimstoneHell look. The "implied" part comes when, during their latest AlienInvasion, Apokolips tries to perform this terraforming feat on ''Earth'', turning us into a twisted mirror image of that world purely ForTheEvulz.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': The championship match of The Butterfly Derby (a popular Blood Sport) is fought over one. There's also one underneath the Planet Express building, which Farnsworth uses to power the occasional machine. Bender winds up going for a swim in it in one episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinotrux}}'' has lava pits used by the BigBad as part of his evil lair. The gang eventually builds there own as it turns out access to a lava pool can be extremely handy in melting down spare scrap metal and reforging it.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS1E10LairOfGrievous "Lair of Grievous"]] the first trap Grievous triggers in his lair is to open a panel in the floor underneath the heroes to a pit leading to lava or a similar superheated surface. One of the clone troopers ends up falling all the way down it and burning to death.

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* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Fubuki's {{Brainwashed}} SuperpoweredEvilSide threatens Judai's roommates with one during their duel.

** Also, in the ''{{Transformers}}'' comics smelting pits are generally used for particularly gruesome executions. If you like putting people into these, we know you're a creep.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallZBrolySecondComing'', Gohan manages to knock Broly into lava, only to be shocked when he emerges unharmed, having protected himself with a forcefield.
%% * A climactic moment in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie''.

* The second ''Film/AustinPowers'' movie features a DeathTrap over a pit of lava. Doctor Evil seems to have a thing for magma.

* A variant in the ''Literature/JamesBond'' novel ''Literature/YouOnlyLiveTwice'': Blofeld threatens to leave Bond on top of a frequently erupting geyser unless he talks.

* ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' features one of these in "Sacrifice 2" [[DespairEventHorizon with terrible]] [[HeroicSacrifice consequences]].
* In ''Series/MacGyver1985'', Mac escaped from many variations of this, including an incinerator ("Jerico Games"), a nuclear reactor ("Flames End"), and even an actual pit of lava ("Good Knight, [=MacGyver=]"). Also, Murdoc threatens Pete with one (actually a vat of boiling water, but the same basic principle) in "Cleo Rocks."

* ''VideoGame/DoomZenStudios'' has two of these, but the ball can't fall into either of them. One of them is a decorative pool of lava that's crossed by a ramp, and another turns the bumper area into this when a reactor meltdown is triggered. If the ball is shot back into play during the meltdown via a ball saver, a portal directly in front of that pool brings the ball back into the playfield. The ball can be made molten if it comes into contact with any lava dripping from the latter pool, which can inflict bonus damage on drop targets.

* ''VideoGame/JoumeeTheHedgehog'' has lava pits as one of the hazards [[PlayerCharacter Joumee]] can face.
* ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'''s last test chamber includes a massive fire pit. [=GLaDOS=] tries lowering Chell into the fire, but she manages to escape with portals.

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', you get to pull this trope on a miniboss. Easy way to help your chances of survival, given that there's two (OnlyWorksOnce for some reason). However, you lose any loot you would've gotten from that boss. [[spoiler:[[GuideDangIt Unless you backtrack into the Arena after entering the next room]].]] Chapter 5-2 also has a molten pit that you can knock {{mook}}s into.
** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' does it one better: You get to do this on [[spoiler:the Final Boss]].
** Another example would be ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles'', in which you defeat one of the Tyrants by knocking him into the lava in the blast furnace. [[spoiler:Subverted, as he comes back later with a vengeance.]]
** In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'', the BigBad's facility is powered by geothermal energy coming from a semi-contained Lava Pit. [[RecurringElement Of course]], [[spoiler:you punch the FinalBoss into it]]. However, [[spoiler:it doesn't stop him]].

* [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]] loves his lava pits, considering every single one of his many castles has one. In the first game, the most common method to beat him is to drop him into one.
** In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'', Bowser even takes over Peach's castle and then arbitrarily gives her a giant lava pit for a moat. Said lava pit naturally just up and reverts to water without explanation when he's kicked out at the end.
** ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland DS'' also has lava pits, which kill Yoshi instantly if he falls in. A lava pit also plays a part in the battles against Big Guy the Stilted, where he must be pushed into one so Yoshi can damage him.
*** Not just the sequel, the original ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' is a big fan of these as well.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' has lava pools ''with slopes''. It also has {{Palette Swap}}ped chocolate pits in Chocolate Island, and bubbling grayish "death water" in some of the fortress levels, which is used frequently in PlatformHell hacks.

* ''VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary'' does this for the mutant boss in the final level before the final boss. You have to let the monster charge at you, pull off an bullet time shot so that it rolls over and over the edge, and then blast its fingers as it hangs on in order to drop it down a shaft with lava on the bottom.

* Red Faction lets the player drop a levitating robot into a garbage incinerator to the same effect.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' has lava areas in some levels. Fire Pokemon are able to move across them without taking damage.
** The main series games often have lava pits in certain areas,too, but you can't fall into them in any way.
* In the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' series, Marble, Hill Top, Lava Reef, and the Underground Zone all feature lots of lava (or magma) pits. Eggman is very creative about incorporating them into his [[DeathCourse gauntlets of traps]].
* ''VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy'' has entire floors covered with flamethrowers.

* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', if you choose a site with a volcano or magma pipe, you can use the lava to build a variety of death traps, and it removes the need for coal to smelt most metals, except for steel. The only issue is the Fire Imps and Magma Men that come with said sites.
** More than that, magma is the ''preferred'' way for most DF players to deal with virtually any problem. Too much garbage? Melt it in lava! Attacking hordes? Pump lava to the top of your tower, and pour liberally on any rash of invaders! Elves complaining about your deforestation? Melt the protesters! Your fortress flooding with regular water? Running out of good quality stone to craft with? Pour water and magma together, and you have an obsidian farming operation!
** In the latest version, there are no longer magma pipes. Instead, there is a [[spoiler: magma sea, provided that you dig down deep enough]].
* Comes up a few times in the VideoGame/{{Myst}} series.
** The original game had a small chasm in the Selenitic Age, containing rocks hot enough to emit fire - and in ''realMyst'', actual lava along with it.
** ''VideoGame/{{Riven}}'' has a few locations that show exposed lava pits, along with an underground corridor ''completely surrounded by lava''. Considering that the entire Age is unstable and on the verge of collapse, it's somewhat justified.
** ''VideoGame/MystIIIExile'' has a room in the Voltaic Age that the player can ''fill and drain of lava'' at will, designed to provide air to a hot-air balloon elsewhere in the age.
** Eder Gira in [[VideoGame/UruAgesBeyondMyst Uru]] is split in half by a wide lava pit - which the player will panic-link away from when inches from the surface. Naturally, there's an island in the middle that needs to be jumped onto to complete a steam valve puzzle.
* The final area of ''VideoGame/LighthouseTheDarkBeing'' is the titular villain's VolcanoLair, complete with a geothermal steam system fueled by its still-active caldera. And for good measure, you have to [[PipeMaze reroute a set of steam pipes]] to retrieve part of the {{MacGuffin}}, using a diving-bell-esque apparatus suspended over the lava.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', Queen Himiko's palace has a ''huge pit of lava'' in it. Oh, and did I mention that said pit of lava is on the ''second floor'' of a building that looks '''easily burnable'''?!
** There's also some rather impressive (and considerably more justifiable) lava pits on [[DiscOneFinalDungeon Oni Island]]. In both cases, Ammy can swim in them like they're water by equipping an item called the Fire Tablet. [[LavaIsBoilingKoolAid She can even use the Waterspout technique on it!]]

* [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/519030 Level up!]] has lava pits like this and hangs a lampshade on it. If you are badass enough, you can walk it in unharmed.
* Long, long ago, pre-''Halo'', the Bungie company had the ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' series. A few levels take place undeground on some planet, and you can fall in lava if you're not careful. It's like water, except instead of the screen having a blue filter it has a red filter, and your health slides down--quickly, but not instantly.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'', there are plenty in the old [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer]] ruins around Vvardenfell. Justified, since the island is basically all part of a large shield volcano and because the Dwemer seemed to power their creations, at least in part, geothermally. If you join House Telvanni and construct a stronghold, you'll get your own personal lava pit included. Quite fitting for the MightMakesRight EvilSorcerer Great House.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' has plenty of lava in Mehrunes Dagon's realm (it's treated like water, only you constantly take large amounts of damage from it). Some of the caverns in his realm also have holes in the floor which drop you into pools that have no way out. Admittedly, it is not made clear that it actually ''is'' lava -- Oblivion realms don't quite work as Mundus does, and red water that hurts you wouldn't be the oddest thing to be found.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakenings]]'' expansion of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', you can find a prisoner suspended in a metal cage above a lava pit (ConvectionSchmonvection, it seems). You can set him free in exchange for a magical rune … [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential or just be a dick]] and kick open the cage, sending him plummeting into the lava.
* Lava pits appear in [[LethalLavaLand Sector 4]] of ''VideoGame/{{Jumper}} Three''. Earlier games substituted floating fireballs for that.
* World 1 and 4 fortresses in ''VideoGame/{{Purple}}'' contain lava pits with [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Podoboo]]-like fireballs to boot. World 2 fortress has {{Acid Pool}}s instead.
* [[LethalLavaLand Arachnia]] in ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' has them all over the place. Don't fall in -- MercyInvincibility ''will not'' save Bug from becoming ashes instantly!
* Underground lava pools in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' are always a threat to the player's safety. Digging straight down poses the risk of falling into one with no easy way to climb back out -- that's why not digging straight down is an unspoken rule of the game. The player ''can'' scoop up lava with a bucket and use it to fashion lava pits of their own, either as a trap, defense, or a prank.
* ''VideoGame/{{SOMA}}'' downplays the trope to a realistic extent. Site Upsilon has a deep borehole used as a source of geothermal power. A [[PowerGlows glow can be seen from deep below]], and the catwalks in the turbine room are all railed.
* Found in deep depths of ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}''. Also made by players in order to create a barrier or trap for enemies.
* ''VideoGame/{{Daikatana}}'' features lava prominently throughout the third episode. While falling in is pretty much certain death in the PC version, the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor version has the character melt into the lava...only to reappear on a nearby platform with only a few health points knocked off.
* ''Holy Diver'' has lava pits that can be frozen with magic into destructible blocks. They soon start reaching up to the ceiling.
* ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' has these in some of the Foot air base tunnels.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has these in two parts of the game: In the Sealed Cave in the World of Balance and in the Phoenix Cave in the [[AfterTheEnd World of Ruin]]. Falling into one reduces some HP and sends you to the entrance of that room.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', Kuja traps your entire party in cells in his Desert Palace with floors that retract to reveal lava beneath them. He threatens to retract them all the way unless Zidane and his selected party members fetch him the Gulug Stone from Oeilvert. However, after Zidane and the others leave, he says he hates keeping promises and puts the remaining party members on a ten minute timer which can be reset by an hourglass, but only if Zidane makes it back in time.
-->'''Kuja''': Oops, just ten more minutes. Better start praying. Farewell... My sweet, lovable morons. Ahahahahahahaha!
* ''VideoGame/MachineHunter'' has lava pits and ledges that you can push [[GiantMook giant alien grubs]] into. Just make sure ''you'' don't fall in.
* Present in many levels after the second temple of ''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape''. Notably, the final levels feature them... despite taking place on a ''flying pirate ship''. One must wonder how they keep it from cooling down without melting a hole in the bottom of their hull.
* The "floor" of the arena in ''VideoGame/{{Joust}}'' is one of these, with a troll lurking in it that grabs at any combatant who gets too close.
* These appear in the final "Temple" section of ''VideoGame/{{Spelunky}}'', and kill anything that fall in them.
* ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' has a few of these in the Kung-fu training level, if you don't jump over them you die.
* ''Videogame/SouthParkTheFracturedButWhole'' has various "pools of lava" in the form of red Lego bricks scattered across the town that block your progress until you gain access to Stan and his sandblaster.

The Lava Pit can only work as a slow descending trap thanks to ConvectionSchmonvection - that wonderful law that says rising heat can't kill you and only touching the lava is fatal. Funnily enough, however, in many platform games, the lava seems to have sufficient viscosity for the player to [[PainPoweredLeap launch him/herself into the air]], [[RumpRoast shoes/backside on fire]]. You'll lose HitPoints, of course.

* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': Several [[{{Robeast}} Mechanical Beasts]] were fought beside or over lava pits on the crater of a volcano -usually Mount Fuji-: Aeros B2 and B3, Holzon V3 -in one of the manga versions-, Debira X1... And in one episode, Kouji was dumped in one.

* The big finish in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'', when Gollum falls with the One Ring into a lava pit inside [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Mt. Doom]].[[note]]In the book, it's just a "crack of fire", contents not clearly specified--Gollum falls over the edge and that's the end of it. In the movie, we get to watch him sink slowly into the lava, and the ring sits on the surface for a long couple of seconds before melting.[[/note]]

-->Frodo: This sure is taking a long time.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' took this to it's logical extreme in Dungeonscape where stats are provided for sadistic {{Game Master}}s that want to have sharks that can swim (and breathe) in lava. One assumes that they must be fed on a diet of adventurers considering that fairly few other things can and will submerge themselves in molten lava.

** Another example would be ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles'', in which you defeat one of the Tyrants by knocking him into the lava in the blast furnace. [[spoiler: Subverted, as he comes back later with a vengeance.]]
** In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'', the BigBad's facility is powered by geothermal energy coming from a semi-contained Lava Pit. [[RecurringElement Of course]], [[spoiler: you punch the FinalBoss into it]]. However, [[spoiler: it doesn't stop him]].

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': When Diana and the Holliday Girls are abducted by Hades to Pluto they're almost killed by first freezing and then a lava pit.

* [[GalacticConqueror Lord Hater]] has one on his ship in ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder''.

* The reason you shouldn't dig directly down in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/neopets_moltara_caves_1.png]]

[[quoteright:289:[[Website/{{Neopets}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lavapool_5352.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:289:[[SarcasmMode Looks like a nice place to take a swim.]]]]

* Present in many levels after the second temple of ''VideoGame/{{Rayman 2}}''. Notably, the final levels feature them... despite taking place on a ''flying pirate ship''. One must wonder how they keep it from cooling down without melting a hole in the bottom of their hull.

* In Creator/SternPinball's ''[[Pinball/StarTrekStern Star Trek]]'', the "Prime Directive" Mode requires rescuing Spock from inside an actively-erupting volcano.
* ''[[Pinball/Doom2016 Doom Pinball]]'' has two of these, but the ball can't fall into either of them. One of them is a decorative pool of lava that's crossed by a ramp, and another turns the bumper area into this when a reactor meltdown is triggered. If the ball is shot back into play during the meltdown via a ball saver, a portal directly in front of that pool brings the ball back into the playfield. The ball can be made molten if it comes into contact with any lava dripping from the latter pool, which can inflict bonus damage on drop targets.

The LavaPit can only work as a slow descending trap thanks to ConvectionSchmonvection - that wonderful law that says rising heat can't kill you and only touching the lava is fatal. Funnily enough, however, in many platform games, the lava seems to have sufficient viscosity for the player to [[PainPoweredLeap launch him/herself into the air]], [[RumpRoast shoes/backside on fire]]. You'll lose HitPoints, of course.

* The climax of ''Anime/{{Noir}}'' takes place over a LavaPit, in the [[EldritchLocation mystical dimension]] in-between Spain and France. No, not Andorra. [[spoiler: Altenna dies by falling into it. Kirika almost falls with her, but Mireille saves her.]]

** In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'', the BigBad's facility is powered by geothermal energy coming from a semi-contained LavaPit. [[RecurringElement Of course]], [[spoiler: you punch the FinalBoss into it]]. However, [[spoiler: it doesn't stop him]].

* In a variation, the LavaPit that [[spoiler:Orm chains his brother Aquaman ''and his baby son'' to]] in WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague was ''an underwater volcano''. [[spoiler:Aquaman has to chop off his own hand to save both himself and his son.]]

Like a [[DrowningPit swimming pool]], but much more viscous and much hotter [[LavaIsBoilingKoolAid than water]], and somewhat less inviting. Plus it's too dense to sink into and doesn't require you to periodically add chlorine or scoop out leaves. And it really doesn't matter if you don't wait an hour after eating before you jump in. [[{{Dissimile}} A better simile]], in fact, would be "not like a swimming pool." ([[Discworld/TheLightFantastic cf.]]) Often used as a barrier rather than a trap proper, but with [[TrapDoor the right mechanisms]] and delivery chutes, a Lava Pit can make for a delightful surprise at the end of a long drop. Often found in a LethalLavaLand.

'''Donkey:''' No, I'm just a little uncomfortable about being on a rickety bridge '''over a boiling lake of lava!'''

* The big finish in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', when Gollum falls with the One Ring into a lava pit inside [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Mt. Doom]].[[note]]In the book, it's just a "crack of fire", contents not clearly specified--Gollum falls over the edge and that's the end of it. In the movie, we get to watch him sink slowly into the lava, and the ring sits on the surface for a long couple of seconds before melting.[[/note]]

* The finale in ''Disney/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'' takes place in a lava pit created by Jafar to trap and kill Aladdin and his friends. He would have succeeded if it weren't for Iago's intervention.