History Main / AirVentPassageway

* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and Xander use this method to escape from vamp Jesse and his new friends in the electrical tunnels in "The Harvest".

* ''TwentyFour'' enjoys playing around with this. Sometimes played straight and other times, the villains are quick to seal them to prevent the cliche from happening. One notorious use of air ducts was seen in a fifth season episode, as agent Jack Bauer uses duct tape to seal a shaft and prevent nerve gas from seeping into a safe room.

* Most of the air vents in ''TeamFortress2'' are inaccessible and just for decoration, but there are a few in Hydro that are big enough for players (even the Heavy Weapons Guy) to stand up in. Custom-map-made-official Turbine has an entire system these that's more of a cramped hallway than a vent.

* Peter and Brian do this in an episode of ''FamilyGuy'', complete with a ShoutOut to ''Film/DieHard''.

* Subverted in ''{{Futurama}}''. Fry and Bender try to escape from a brig through a steam pipe vent. Unfortunately, the steam pipe is full of steam. At least they got a good steam out of it.

* Spoofed on ''ArrestedDevelopment'': in one episode, George Sr. finds an entrance to the air ducts behind the refrigerator and attempts to escape house arrest. Not only does he fail to find a way out of the house, Buster pushes the refrigerator back into place and traps him inside.

* Like the first episode of the first season, the first episode of the second season of ''GhostInTheShell: StandAloneComplex'' is all about showing off the awesome skills of Section 9 while providing a reason for the units reactivation. The regular SWAT unit attempts as Air Vent Assault on the Chinese Embassy, but spectacularly fails with one officer dead and another being added to the terrorists hostages. Seeing these poor results, his superiors immediately give Aramaki the green light to send his men in and do the job.

** Played with when the Aliens in ''{{Aliens}}'' bypass the walls and doors by sneaking through the ceiling plenum a la "Breakfast Club" as notated above, correctly using the structure to carry their weight and cross the the lay-in-ceiling. Of course this only serves to prove that that The Company shops out their work to the lowest bidder; it's common practice in cheap office space to span an entire suite with a single suspended ceiling and simply stop the walls when they hit the underside of the grid.

* ''{{Daylight}}'' has Sylvester Stallone get into a caved in tunnel through a air vent. Since the air vent was meant to supply air to an entire car tunnel, it's huge size is justified. However, the architecture of the system is still not completely realistic.

* Yoda's escape through the vents in ''[[StarWars Revenge of the Sith]]''. Justified, of course, by Yoda's small size.

* The ''{{Dennis the Menace|UK}}'' cartoon does this in one episode when he's trying to flee with Gnasher from a large mobile mall that has arrived in Beanotown and hypnotising everyone into buying useless junk. Whilst crawling, they find the office of the mad scientist behind the plot, and instead of escaping Dennis decides to bring him down instead.

* Used in the ''{{Portal 2}}'' fanfic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6953776/1/Test_Of_Humanity Test Of Humanity]]'', though it's more of an "incineratior exhaust pipe escape". Subverted in that [[spoiler:Wheatley is too fat to fit all the way through and ends up stuck causing the pipe to explode from the built-up pressure.]]

* Lots of duct-crawling goes down in ''BeyondGoodAndEvil''. Jade makes use of air vents once or twice in order to break into a few facilities, but Double H tends to do it whenever he and Jade [[LetsSplitUpGang split up]] in order to follow her. He literally ''slides out of one'' during the third boss fight, [[BigDamnHeroes rocketing to the rescue.]]

* The demon in ''[[VideoGame/Reincarnation Reincarnation: Riley's Out Again]]'' does this to get around the school without being spotted by humans. but it's so "[[ScrappyLevel tedious and unfun]]" that later versions added an option to skip the sequence altogether.

* The demon in ''[[{{Game/Reincarnation}} Reincarnation: Riley's Out Again]]'' does this to get around the school without being spotted by humans. but it's so "[[ScrappyLevel tedious and unfun]]" that later versions added an option to skip the sequence altogether.

* A few ''{{Legend of Zelda}}'' games.
** Especially hilarious in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', when Link is thrown into the same room, every time he gets seen.... and they never leave guards in front of the room, neither do they check on HOW exactly he always escapes: There's a fairly obviously placed easy-to-reach air-vent in the room....
*** Well, the Moblins are portrayed as idiots.... They've probably forgotten about him by the time he's caught again. They dump him in the same cell simply because it's empty. They aren't even smart enough to notice a SUDDENLY-OUT-OF-PLACE BARREL. (Unless you actually move it while they're looking at the barrel, that is.)
**** Though at least in that case, the "air-vent" is at least just a tunnel-like hole in the rock walls, instead of an actual duct made out of flimsy, noisy sheet metal.

* ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' did this so often that there is a small monster almost designed to be placed in the vents. In the expansion pack, the game has a nod to the famous air vent scene in the first ''MissionImpossible'' movie.

** In ''MissionImpossible III'', Ethan escapes IMF headquarters like this. Given they are the masters of the air vent entry, you would have thought they'd had better security, but no.

* The master of air duct navigation is clearly the ''MissionImpossible'' jack-of-all-trades Barney Collier. And one of the few times he wasn't doing it, he was coaching the woman who was.

* Justified in ''TheBatman'' when Ragdoll uses it; he is the most flexible person to have ever lived, and the air vent only needs to be big enough for his head to fit in, as many air vents are in RealLife.

* Odd... No one's mentioned the extremly large and life saving air vents in ''[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ptitlexn2hm2be8nol Mirror's Edge]]''.

* Subverted in ''ToAruMajutsuNoIndex''. In Volume 17 of the novels, Touma asks if he could use the ventilation ducts in the plane, but the flight attendant says that the ducts are too small. Instead, Touma asks for some hot tea and coffee to pour down the duct, causing thermal expansion and make the terrorist on the other side think that there's someone crawling through the ducts. As a result, the terrorist on the other side gets some boiling hot tea to the face when he checks the ducts.

* ''{{Ben 10}}'' did this a couple times, though it's {{Justified|Trope}} by the fact that, both times, Ben was transformed into an alien form that was five inches tall and gave him greatly enhanced brainpower.

* As evidenced in the fifth ''{{Halloween}}'' movie, Michael Myers does not take too kindly to this trope. He proceeds to relentlessly stab the outside of the air vent when a would-be victim (his niece) tries to escape through one.

* Averted in ''DeadWinter''. Lou's plan for getting into the store for supplies involves this method, but Monday objects on the grounds that he won't fit. Apparently he's tried before.

* BeastWars: Cheetor goes through the ventilation shafts of the Predacon ship after having been accidentally transported to ''The Darksyde'' in ''Equal Measures''.

** Especially hilarious in ''The WindWaker'', when Link is thrown into the same room, every time he gets seen.... and they never leave guards in front of the room, neither do they check on HOW exactly he always escapes: There's a fairly obviously placed easy-to-reach air-vent in the room....

* Done in the Lorenzo Lama vehicle ''Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster'': as Lama's character [[FanService wiggles his denim-clad gluteal region]] through the mental asylum's air duct, he meets two characters going ''in'' -- a [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean hired woman]], and a pizza delivery guy!

Some large universities (MIT and Caltech in particular) have longstanding "steam tunnel spelunkers" clubs, who often use air ducts (among other things) for exploring, getting around campus quickly, or pulling off pranks. Readers of this trope should be advised that [[DontTryThisAtHome this is]] '''[[DontTryThisAtHome extremely]]''' [[DontTryThisAtHome dangerous]], not to mention illegal -- steam tunnels are usually hot, cramped places that are frequently criss-crossed by scalding-hot (badly-insulated) piping, and explorers face trespassing charges (and possible academic sanctions) if they're discovered within. (So basically, you could be [[HarryPotter killed...or worse, expelled]].)

* Subverted in ''AvatarTheLastAirbender''. The Gaang was stuck in a room and the only exits were air ''tubes'', so they tried to get Momo through it. However, Momo ate too much, and couldn't fit.

* Parodied in the 100th episode of ''TheSimpsons''. Santa's Little Helper gets into the school ventilation shafts, and only a greased Scotsman can catch him....

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRTP2IZ2nOo& Duct Hunt]], a parody of the MetalGear series, to a certain extent, as well as every straight example of this trope ever.

* There are personal anecdotes in [[TroperTales/AirVentEscape Troper Tales: Air Vent Escape]].

* One level of ''[[TwentyFour 24]]: The Game'' has Kim Bauer, armed only with a taser, having to crawl through ducts to get around a room full of bad guys. She has to move very slowly, though, or they'll hear her and shoot.
* The titular character of the ''SlyCooper'' series can do this in all his games. He usually does to break into places, though.

* This happens a lot in ''[[BatmanArkhamAsylum Batman: Arkham Asylum]]''. Whenever opening doors, stealth or jumps are impossible, a conveniently placed vent will always be there to be busted open to save the day, and help you proceed.

* ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' uses this in a few episodes, but more often as a way ''in'' than out. Then again, the use is probably justified as the Rescue Rangers themselves are only around 10 cm tall.

It's the only move on the part of a villain that's stupider than LockingMacGyverInTheStoreCupboard (or any room with [[BedsheetLadder a bed]]). When heroes find themselves trapped in a room with all doors and windows locked, the quickest exit is always through the ventilation duct. Covers require little or no effort to remove, openings are always within reach, they're always able to support the weight of a person even though they were only designed to carry ''air'', they are wide enough in diameter to easily allow a human being to pass comfortably through, there are no internal obstacles like bracing or blowers (except for the occasional menacing giant fan blocking the branching corridors), they are free of normal sheet metal's dangerously sharp edges, they are totally soundproof, and there's never a lack of light or chance of getting lost unless the plot calls for it.

Air vents also work excellently in reverse for breaking ''in'' and infiltrating a facility, as well.

This is practically a DiscreditedTrope by now, and requires some effort to [[JustifiedTrope justify]] if it's to be used seriously. Which is why it's such a shock that [[TruthInTelevision it's actually happened at least once in real life]]. Frank Morris and his accomplices escaped from Alcatraz by breaking out the grills in their cells and climbing through a maintenance corridor, up to the large ventilation duct that led them to the roof. This escape was later reproduced by ''{{Mythbusters}}''. However, on another occasion, ''Mythbusters'' did test more standard metal ducts, such as one would find in most buildings, and found climbing around in them impractical at best, along with being very noisy and certain to attract attention. (At least, if you've got magnets attached to your hands and knees....)

Some large universities (MIT and [=Caltech=] in particular) have longstanding "steam tunnel spelunkers" clubs, who often use air ducts (among other things) for exploring, getting around campus quickly, or pulling off pranks. Readers of this trope should be advised that [[DontTryThisAtHome this is]] '''[[DontTryThisAtHome extremely]]''' [[DontTryThisAtHome dangerous]], not to mention illegal -- steam tunnels are usually hot, cramped places that are frequently criss-crossed by scalding-hot (badly-insulated) piping, and explorers face trespassing charges (and possible academic sanctions) if they're discovered within. (So basically, you could be [[HarryPotter killed...or worse, expelled]].)

* Like the first episode of the first season, the first episode of the second season of ''GhostInTheShell:StandAloneComplex'' is all about showing off the awesome skills of Section 9 while providing a reason for the units reactivation. The regular SWAT unit attempts as Air Vent Assault on the Chinese Embassy, but spectacularly fails with one officer dead and another being added to the terrorists hostages. Seeing these poor results, his superiors immediately give Aramaki the green light to send his men in and do the job.

* Subverted in ''[[YTheLastMan Y: The Last Man]]'' when Agent 355 and Yorick are breaking into a hotel in Sydney (surrounded by barbed wire and armed security due to the increase in drug-related crime after the plague).

* ''ToyStory 2''. Naturally, ducts are much more convenient when you're eight inches tall.

*** {{Ceiling|Cling}} River is watching you procreate.

* Played with in ''{{Mr and Mrs Smith}}'', where assassin Jane Smith's place of work has security lasers everywhere to keep intruders out, ''including the vent system'', as Mrs. Smith is the owner of the company and has used such tactics herself in the past.
* Used in ''{{Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny}}'', complete with a rooftop airvent to enter through and enough lighting inside to see. The shaft does however break apart and fall through the ceiling once two people are inside it, crashing to the floor below and alerting the guards.

* Inverted in ''Film/MissionImpossible'', where TomCruise's character infiltrates the CIA headquarters this way (along with JeanReno), which leads to the famous "dangling in the ultra-secure white room" scene.

** Double-subverted way back in the film ''[[DrNo Dr. No]]''. When Bond tries to escape his cell through the vent, he gets electrocuted when he touches the grill. However, he tries again by using his shoe to push it out and succeeds in escaping. As a nice touch, he experimentally taps the grill at the other end with his feet to make sure ''it'' isn't electrified.

* In ''{{Santa Claus Conquers the Martians}}'', the creepily jolly St. Nick and some Earthling kids escape from a spaceship's ''air lock'' through the ventilation duct -- employing Santa's long-established ability to fit through chimneys.

* Inverted in ''Film/MenInBlack II''. The worms get to the power control of MIB headquarters through the air vents.

* ''{{Inception}}'' had the group breaking into an ice fortress using a air vent system. Justified since they had created those air vents to be big enough to let people move around.

** He also pokes fun at it in ''[[{{Discworld}} Going Postal]]'' when, after a character fails to tunnel out of his jail cell, a guard remarks that the last guy in that cell - who happened to be unusually small and nimble - managed to squeeze through a tiny drain in the floor. Unfortunately, it didn't lead to the river like he thought.

* ''{{Buffy the Vampire Slayer}}'' and Xander use this method to escape from vamp Jesse and his new friends in the electrical tunnels in "The Harvest".

* ''[[TwentyFour 24]]'' enjoys playing around with this. Sometimes played straight and other times, the villains are quick to seal them to prevent the cliche from happening. One notorious use of air ducts was seen in a fifth season episode, as agent Jack Bauer uses duct tape to seal a shaft and prevent nerve gas from seeping into a safe room.

* In the second season of ''{{Lost}}'', this was a legitimate way of getting around in the Swan station. Kate used the ventilation ducts to escape imprisonment in the food storage room in the episodes "Adrift" and "Orientation", and in the episode "Lockdown", Ben (then going by the alias of "Henry Gale") could escape from being locked inside ''by blast doors''.

* Not an escape, but in the ''RedDwarf'' episode "Duct Soup", the crew spend most of the episode crawling around the ship's exceptionally large heating ducts to fix the thermostat. This, unfortunately for them, includes a badly claustrophobic Lister and the ducts being washed down and then air-dried...

* ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'', "Blood on the Scales". Chief Tyrol spends most of TheMutiny crawling through shafts to get to the FTL drive. Unlike some examples of this trope, these are shown to be narrow, unpleasant (especially when going past the urinals), and bloody tiring to crawl through -- when Tyrol is caught at one stage, he invites his captor to shoot him then and there as he's too exhausted to clamber out and be taken prisoner.

* Inverted on ''{{Seinfeld}}'', when George uses an air vent to break ''into'' his office after his boss tries to get him to resign by barricading it.

** ''{{BioShock}}'' does this too.

* ''MetalGearSolid''
** In one of the games, said vents are occasionally guarded by the memetically infamous Zanzanibar Poisonous Hamsters.
** In which there is an otherwise level air duct with a lowered section in it. Said lowered section is flooded with WATER, which would render the duct useless for ventilation. Perhaps justified given the military base shows many signs of poor maintenance.
** Very blatant in ''Portable Ops'' which opens up with Snake escaping from a prison by crawling through the air vents.