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Empty Elevator

 Empty Elevator
type
FeatureClass
 Empty Elevator
label
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator
page
EmptyElevator
 Empty Elevator
comment
It's a tense moment. You know the other guy is three or 30 floors down/up. The only way to here from there is the elevator. But LOOK! The elevator! The lighted numbers show it's MOVING! The other guy is headed right this way! Suspense builds. The elevator approaches. It stops here. There's a pause. Possibly a bell rings. Then... the doors open to reveal... nothing. There's nobody inside.
It's at this point it's revealed that the other guy is: A. On top of the elevator B. Under the elevator C. Doing a Ceiling Cling D. Already on this floor by another route (possibly right behind you) E. Something even worse.
Depending on the context, the supposed occupant of the elevator may be the hero (in which case there'll be at least a platoon's worth of bad guys' weaponry pointed at, or possibly already emptied into, the door when it opens), the villain or the monster. A variant is for the elevator door to open to reveal a comrade of whatever side is waiting, either dead or tied up, thus sending a message.
Subtrope of Inexplicable Cornered Escape. Empty Elevators are the subversion of an Elevator Snare, when the chaser outruns a chase-ee who took a lift.
 Empty Elevator
fetched
2023-12-04T08:02:17Z
 Empty Elevator
parsed
2023-12-04T08:02:17Z
 Empty Elevator
processingComment
Dropped link to ChildSoldier: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Empty Elevator
processingComment
Dropped link to Kneecapping: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Empty Elevator
processingComment
Dropped link to OutpostRiseOfTheSpetsnaz: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
 Empty Elevator
processingUnknown
OutpostRiseOfTheSpetsnaz
 Empty Elevator
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Empty Elevator / int_1510822e
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_1510822e
comment
Played with in GoldenEye. The elevator reaches its destination and the doors open, revealing Natalya apparently unconscious on the floor as a guard walks in in confusion. Cue James Bond dropping down from the ceiling and smashing him into the wall while Natalya gets up.
 Empty Elevator / int_1510822e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_1510822e
featureConfidence
1.0
 GoldenEye
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_1510822e
 Empty Elevator / int_1ac6ad40
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_1ac6ad40
comment
Hitman: Blood Money has a specific mechanic whereby you can climb onto the roof of any lift in the game to achieve this effect, in probable homage to Leon/The Professional.
 Empty Elevator / int_1ac6ad40
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_1ac6ad40
featureConfidence
1.0
 Hitman: Blood Money (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_1ac6ad40
 Empty Elevator / int_2bb4ae0f
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_2bb4ae0f
comment
In Heroes episode "Five Years Gone", Matt Parkman and a group of guards wait with guns pointed for Hiro to come out of the elevator, but when the doors open, Hiro is nowhere to be found.
 Empty Elevator / int_2bb4ae0f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_2bb4ae0f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Heroes
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_2bb4ae0f
 Empty Elevator / int_2fd96163
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_2fd96163
comment
In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Michael has to thwart Cipher's raid on ONBS. During this, he gets on an elevator and rides it up a level - the elevator is completely empty when he boards, but when he leaves, there's a Peon right behind him!
 Empty Elevator / int_2fd96163
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_2fd96163
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_2fd96163
 Empty Elevator / int_31313512
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_31313512
comment
ANNO: Mutationem: One side-quest at Skopp City involves searching for a suspect who is shown entering an elevator on surveillance footage and suddenly disappearing when it arrives at the next floor.
 Empty Elevator / int_31313512
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_31313512
featureConfidence
1.0
 ANNO: Mutationem (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_31313512
 Empty Elevator / int_34a70b48
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_34a70b48
comment
Batman Forever: Two-Face's men blast away at the elevator which arrives at their floor, perforating the door and riddling its interior with bullets. The doors open to reveal — nothing. Three seconds later, Batman bursts out, starting the first fight scene. It's not explained how he avoided the gunfire, although he probably just hid above the car.
 Empty Elevator / int_34a70b48
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_34a70b48
featureConfidence
1.0
 Batman Forever
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_34a70b48
 Empty Elevator / int_468bebb0
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_468bebb0
comment
Discworld: In Thief of Time, the Auditors are waiting for their adversaries to come to them in an elevator.
 Empty Elevator / int_468bebb0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_468bebb0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Discworld
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_468bebb0
 Empty Elevator / int_4caf980
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_4caf980
comment
Evolution: The military points their guns at an elevator that turns out to be empty. Then ape-like aliens ambush them from an alternate opening.
 Empty Elevator / int_4caf980
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_4caf980
featureConfidence
1.0
 Evolution (2001)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_4caf980
 Empty Elevator / int_513f5832
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_513f5832
comment
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: In 20th Century San Francisco, Kirk et al. are being chased through a hospital by cops. Our heroes beat the cops to the elevator. In an attempt to head them off, the cops rush down the stairs and wait for the elevator to arrive on a lower floor. As the elevator doors open, the cops draw their guns and yell "freeze!" But the elevator is empty; Kirk and co have been beamed away by Scotty in the nick of time. (The incidental music is very proud of their implementation of this trope.)
 Empty Elevator / int_513f5832
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_513f5832
featureConfidence
1.0
 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_513f5832
 Empty Elevator / int_562e8a6e
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_562e8a6e
comment
During the Asgard Manor section of Max Payne, there is a point when Max sees an elevator coming up, the doors open, and it's empty. And then a grenade flies out of it. The enemy is actually on top of the elevator carriage, and jumps down through the trapdoor after the grenade explodes.
 Empty Elevator / int_562e8a6e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_562e8a6e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Max Payne (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_562e8a6e
 Empty Elevator / int_58af2679
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_58af2679
comment
Played with in The Silence of the Lambs. In search for Lecter, the police find an already empty elevator.
 Empty Elevator / int_58af2679
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_58af2679
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Silence of the Lambs
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_58af2679
 Empty Elevator / int_5a47599
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_5a47599
comment
Batman: Arkham Series:
Near the end of Batman: Arkham City, Batman rides an elevator up to the observation deck of Wonder Tower. The Big Bad's henchmen are waiting at the top with guns pointed at the doors. Fortunately, the access hatch is open, allowing Batman to climb out of the car and walk out onto the glass canopy above the armed henchmen and perform a takedown.
Batman: Arkham Origins: Batman also attempted this trick earlier in his career; unfortunately, Bane was Genre Savvy enough to reach up through the ceiling and grab him.
 Empty Elevator / int_5a47599
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_5a47599
featureConfidence
1.0
 Batman: Arkham Series (Franchise)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_5a47599
 Empty Elevator / int_5d2848bb
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_5d2848bb
comment
In Sam & Fuzzy, the Elevator Snare ends with the door opening and Sam having escaped through an opening in the ceiling.
 Empty Elevator / int_5d2848bb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_5d2848bb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sam & Fuzzy (Webcomic)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_5d2848bb
 Empty Elevator / int_687bcc4c
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_687bcc4c
comment
In Deep Rising, the mercenaries are searching through the abandoned cruise ship looking for any passengers or crew members, but none can be found. Then the elevator activates, and they can see it moving to their floor. They keep their weapons aimed at the door, but it's empty. Except for the blood-covered walls inside the elevator, that is.
 Empty Elevator / int_687bcc4c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_687bcc4c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Deep Rising
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_687bcc4c
 Empty Elevator / int_6b689220
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_6b689220
comment
Raw Deal (1986). After the mobsters use up all their ammo shooting up the empty elevator, Arnold Schwarzenegger enters by sliding down the ventilation shaft.
 Empty Elevator / int_6b689220
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_6b689220
featureConfidence
1.0
 Raw Deal (1986)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_6b689220
 Empty Elevator / int_6d5db4c5
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_6d5db4c5
comment
The Art of War: The villain is in a hall of elevators, which start opening at random around him one by one. The hero then steps out from the end of the corridor, not having been in the elevator at all, so it was apparently just done for Mind Screw.
 Empty Elevator / int_6d5db4c5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_6d5db4c5
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Art of War
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_6d5db4c5
 Empty Elevator / int_7291539d
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_7291539d
comment
Near the end of Batman: Arkham City, Batman rides an elevator up to the observation deck of Wonder Tower. The Big Bad's henchmen are waiting at the top with guns pointed at the doors. Fortunately, the access hatch is open, allowing Batman to climb out of the car and walk out onto the glass canopy above the armed henchmen and perform a takedown.
 Empty Elevator / int_7291539d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_7291539d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Batman: Arkham City (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_7291539d
 Empty Elevator / int_8c5f856b
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_8c5f856b
comment
In the second season finale of Being Human, Kemp and one of his men watch the elevator descend expecting Mitchell to be there for them to kill. The door opens to reveal a dead body while Mitchell reveals himself elsewhere in the compound.
 Empty Elevator / int_8c5f856b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_8c5f856b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Being Human (UK)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_8c5f856b
 Empty Elevator / int_8d7fb002
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_8d7fb002
comment
Jason Bourne. A hit team is climbing a stairwell around a cage elevator. They peer closely at the elevator as it passes and see Bourne isn't there, not realising that Bourne is actually riding the elevator counterweight.
 Empty Elevator / int_8d7fb002
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_8d7fb002
featureConfidence
1.0
 Jason Bourne
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_8d7fb002
 Empty Elevator / int_a33754fa
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_a33754fa
comment
Resident Evil: Afterlife. The Umbrella Corporation mooks are pointing their guns at the elevator while Alice slips out of a roof vent behind them. In Resident Evil: Retribution as the elevator pad descends to the level of the waiting mooks, a round frizbee-like gadget is tossed out which fires bullets in all directions. The infiltrators turn out to be lying flat on the pad so the bullets don't kill them.
 Empty Elevator / int_a33754fa
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_a33754fa
featureConfidence
1.0
 Resident Evil: Afterlife
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_a33754fa
 Empty Elevator / int_a3748187
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_a3748187
comment
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind: In the Whole Episode Flashback epilogue, Mista is about to enter an elevator when he sees its coming down, and takes cover when it opens to find nobody inside except a boulder in the corner. Then he realizes Scolippi is hiding to the side of the elevator.
 Empty Elevator / int_a3748187
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_a3748187
featureConfidence
1.0
 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind (Manga)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_a3748187
 Empty Elevator / int_a92653e1
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_a92653e1
comment
The Executioner. In "Tiger War", some drug soldiers are on the top floor of a warehouse, and the only way up is a slow service elevator. Mack Bolan sends up a wheelbarrow packed with explosives, with a large sign saying ULTIMATUM attached to it. When Bolan hears the elevator reach the top floor, he activates the detonator.
 Empty Elevator / int_a92653e1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_a92653e1
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Executioner
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_a92653e1
 Empty Elevator / int_bf471bbe
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_bf471bbe
comment
Men in Black II: J, K and the worm guys arrive back at MIB Central, and the garbage can robot neatly peppers the elevator they arrive in with bullets... but they're all doing a Ceiling Cling.
 Empty Elevator / int_bf471bbe
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_bf471bbe
featureConfidence
1.0
 Men in Black II
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_bf471bbe
 Empty Elevator / int_c3e7ab30
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_c3e7ab30
comment
The opening cut-scene in Perfect Dark's second mission shows a soldier guarding an elevator. Suddenly the door opens... but the guard doesn't see Joanna hiding on the ceiling, and when he goes to investigate, she knocks him out.
 Empty Elevator / int_c3e7ab30
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_c3e7ab30
featureConfidence
1.0
 Perfect Dark (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_c3e7ab30
 Empty Elevator / int_c4076b9e
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_c4076b9e
comment
Gunslinger Girl
In the anime, Elsa does this during her introductory action scene; as a Child Soldier it's easy for her to hide off to the side of the elevator before jumping out and shooting the guard with an assault rifle.
In the manga when Hilshire has to do an assassination without his cyborg Triela, he tapes down a button on the elevator control panel so he can take the bodyguard guarding the lift lobby by surprise, shooting him in the back of the head when he goes to investigate the empty lift. The lift stays on that floor until Hilshire rips the tape off so he can take it to the ground floor again to make his getaway.
 Empty Elevator / int_c4076b9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_c4076b9e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Gunslinger Girl (Manga)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_c4076b9e
 Empty Elevator / int_c43df4d8
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_c43df4d8
comment
Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor does this to fool the guards in "The Deadly Assassin". Quoth Castellan Spandrell (basically a police commissioner):
 Empty Elevator / int_c43df4d8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_c43df4d8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Doctor Who
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_c43df4d8
 Empty Elevator / int_c75d67d
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_c75d67d
comment
Person of Interest.
In "Last Call", a gang of kidnappers start shooting the moment the lift doors open to reveal a suit...on a coat hanger. Cue Knee-capping by the Man in the Suit, who came up the stairs.
In "Prophets", several mooks are waiting for Root in a hotel lobby. First the L appears in one lift indicator, then in all the others. After several lifts open at once a smoke grenade rolls out, eventually followed by Root when the lobby is full of smoke.
 Empty Elevator / int_c75d67d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_c75d67d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Person of Interest
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_c75d67d
 Empty Elevator / int_d2545219
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_d2545219
comment
The Stone Killer: The mercenaries sent to kill several mobsters are hanging beneath the elevator using abseiling gear. Once the mobsters have reached their floor and the doors close, they climb in through the service hatch, enter the room and kill everyone. The mercenaries are shown rehearsing for the attack using a dummy elevator in their training camp in the desert.
 Empty Elevator / int_d2545219
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_d2545219
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Stone Killer
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_d2545219
 Empty Elevator / int_d5b9ab68
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_d5b9ab68
comment
In Time Chasers, Nick and Lisa evade the bad guys this way. The Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew are not particularly impressed: "They took the stairs! They're masters of evasion!"
 Empty Elevator / int_d5b9ab68
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_d5b9ab68
featureConfidence
1.0
 Time Chasers
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_d5b9ab68
 Empty Elevator / int_d6c9c0a4
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_d6c9c0a4
comment
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: In the first episode of 2nd Gig, a terrorist has a look of surprise when the lift opens to reveal an empty elevator, only to be shot in the face by Batou who's wearing thermoptic camouflage. Incidentally, Batou isn't happy at being ordered to go up in the elevator; the only reason the Major told him to do so was because the terrorists were expecting the attack to come via the roof or stairs, and had the hostages there as a Human Shield, plus she used a ghost-hacked terrorist to kill most of the other terrorists waiting in ambush. The scene serves as Bookends when Batou and the Major use the empty elevator trope to assassinate the Big Bad in the final episode, sniping him from an unexpected direction when he's surrounded by CIA bodyguards.
 Empty Elevator / int_d6c9c0a4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_d6c9c0a4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_d6c9c0a4
 Empty Elevator / int_e755f69b
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_e755f69b
comment
Batman: Arkham Origins: Batman also attempted this trick earlier in his career; unfortunately, Bane was Genre Savvy enough to reach up through the ceiling and grab him.
 Empty Elevator / int_e755f69b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_e755f69b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Batman: Arkham Origins (Video Game)
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_e755f69b
 Empty Elevator / int_ea15127e
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_ea15127e
comment
The Professional: "Someone's coming up. Someone serious." (The hero's not in it, but as in Die Hard he has placed one of the bad guys in there instead.)
 Empty Elevator / int_ea15127e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_ea15127e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Professional
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_ea15127e
 Empty Elevator / int_f7a71c3c
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_f7a71c3c
comment
Averted in X-Men Origins: Wolverine - they're in the elevator, right in the firing line of two dozen mooks with automatic weapons. So they send in the Merc with the Mouth to "clean up" first.
 Empty Elevator / int_f7a71c3c
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_f7a71c3c
featureConfidence
1.0
 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_f7a71c3c
 Empty Elevator / int_f986dd0b
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_f986dd0b
comment
High Risk has Li driving a van into an elevator after crashing through a lobby full of enemy mooks, before sending the van upwards to the penthouse. More mooks on the penthouse prepares firing into the main elevator, only to find it empty before Li comes driving out from an alternate entrance.
 Empty Elevator / int_f986dd0b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_f986dd0b
featureConfidence
1.0
 High Risk
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_f986dd0b
 Empty Elevator / int_ff9ab17f
type
Empty Elevator
 Empty Elevator / int_ff9ab17f
comment
Star Trek: The Next Generation. In "The Hunted", Worf and a security team are waiting to detain a Super-Soldier who is in the turbolift. They find it empty except for a phaser set on overload.
 Empty Elevator / int_ff9ab17f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Empty Elevator / int_ff9ab17f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Star Trek: The Next Generation
hasFeature
Empty Elevator / int_ff9ab17f

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Empty Elevator
processingCategory2
Action/Adventure Tropes
 Empty Elevator
processingCategory2
Elevator Tropes
 Batman Forever / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Deep Rising / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Men in Black II / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Outpost / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Raw Deal / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Raw Deal (1986) / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Resident Evil: Retribution / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 The Professional / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 The Stone Killer / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 X-Men Origins: Wolverine / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Echoes (2014) / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 The Silence of the Lambs / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Thief of Time / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 ANNO: Mutationem (Video Game) / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator
 Sam & Fuzzy (Webcomic) / int_53744f96
type
Empty Elevator