History Main / BubbleShield

Ah, the ever-so-fleeting soap bubble. It just seems so unfair that we can't make them in such a way that we could go inside one and be safe from everything. Well, while our world sucks, this very concept is often explored in fictional settings. Bubble Shields are when bubbles are used as a defense against an oncoming threat. These bubbles often have incoming attacks [[DeflectorShield harmlessly bounce away on impact]], or perhaps the bubble and the person inside get launched away instead. Sometimes they can function as an air supply, [[OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles allowing the wielder to safely traverse water without having to worry about breathing.]] Though, be careful not to overestimate them, they're still bubbles after all so be wary of sharp objects or other methods by which your shield can be destroyed.

* In ''Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie', Mew has the ability to create bubbles, presumably made of psychic energy, an ability absent in the games. Ash gets saved from a hard impact by one: the bubble catches and bounces him into the air before he lands on it like a soft beanbag.

* In the anime version of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', Mew has the ability to create bubbles, presumably made of psychic energy, an ability absent in the games. Ash gets saved from a hard impact by one in the first movie: the bubble catches and bounces him into the air before he lands on it like a soft beanbag.

* In ''VideoGame/FantasyStrike'', Argagarg's ground super move forms a shield around him that can knock back enemies when activated a second time.

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekPicardS3E08Surrender Surrender]]" Jack and Seven of Nine activate a shield to protect them while they open the emergency evacuation hatch on the ''Titan'''s bridge, blowing Vadic and her Changeling mooks out into space whereupon they all freeze solid. Once the Changelings are gone the two close the hatch, restore life support, and then turn off the shield.
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* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfNewerth'': Pearl is a defensive support hoer who uses bubble-based magic to protect her allies. Her ultimate creates a huge bubble shield that pushes away enemies when it's created and blocks all damage from attacks outside of the bubble.

Ah, the ever-so-fleeting soap bubble. It just seems so unfair that we can't make them in such a way that we could go inside one and be safe from everything. Well, while our world sucks, this very concept is often explored in fictional settings. Bubble Shields are when bubbles are used as a defense against an oncoming threat. These bubbles often have incoming attacks [[DeflectorShield harmlessly bounce away on impact]], or perhaps the bubble and the person inside get launched away instead. Sometimes they can function as an air supply, [[OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles allowing the wielder to safely traverse water without having to worry about breathing.]]. Though, be careful not to overestimate them, they're still bubbles after all so be wary of sharp objects or other methods by which your shield can be destroyed.

** At the start of the film, Timmy asks his fairy godparents to materialize elements from his favourite cartoon, which he uses to replicate action scenes he had watched. When his stunts send him on collision course with an airplane, he quickly wishes to be surrounded in a Banzai Bubble, which bounces harmlessly against the vehicle.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda1989'': Using the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda creates a pair of bubble helmets for her and Link so that they can indefinitely breathe underwater on their search for the kidnapped King Harkinian at the Royal Water Park in "Fairies in the Spring".

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': All Gems have this ability. It's one of the first powers Steven learns, befitting his status as a BarrierWarrior. By Season 3, he learns how to use it offensively by growing spikes out of the bubble.

This trope specifically covers shields made of bubbles, not spherical shields in a more general sense. If the shield is explicitly made of water, soap, or gum, then it qualifies by default. If not, then it can still qualify if it has bubble-like attributes. I.E. buoyancy, wobbling or stretching on impact, general bubbly physics. If none of these qualities apply, take it to BeehiveBarrier.

Ah, the ever so fleeting soap bubble. It just seems so unfair that we can't make them in such a way that we could go inside of one and be safe from everything. Well, while our world sucks, this very concept is often explored in fictional settings. Bubble Shields are when bubbles are used as a defense against an oncoming threat. These bubbles often have incoming attacks [[DeflectorShield harmlessly bounce away on impact]], or perhaps the bubble and the person inside get launched away instead. Sometimes they can function as an air supply, [[OxygenatedUnderwaterBubbles allowing the wielder to safely traverse water without having to worry about breathing.]]. Though, be careful not to overestimate them, they're still bubbles after all so be be wary of sharp objects or other methods by which your shield can be destroyed.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'': Stray Cat is a cat that was killed and reincarnated into a Stand imbedded in a plant. Its abilities revolve around air bubbles, manipulating the air pressure around itself to form invisible bubbles. Its primary use is defense, creating an air bubble around itself that can't be pushed through.

* In the anime version of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', Mew has the ability to create bubbles, presumably made of psychic energy, an ability absent in the games. Ash gets saved from a hard impact by one in the first movie: the bubble catches and bounces him into the air, before he lands on it like a soft beanbag.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhZexal'': One of the Yuma's trap cards is Half-Unbreak, which prevents a monsters destruction and cuts your life point damage in half. The card art is a swarm of bubbles and the visual effect is one of the bubbles encasing the monster to defend it.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'': Charging up the Bubble Splash turns the rapid fire BubbleGun into an orbital shield that also allows X to jump extremely high underwater.

** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'': Robotnik in Tidal Tempest zone would go down in a single hit if not for the ring of air bubbles surrounding his eggmobile. FridgeLogic kicks in when you realize the boss fight takes place underwater, and it'd probably easier to just camp above where Sonic can't reach him instead of engaging him with an easily destroyable shield made of one of the only things that can circumvent his inability to swim.

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'': The Bubbler is a giant ink bubble that surrounds the user, makes them invulnerable to damage, and can be spread to allies via contact.

** The Banzai Bubble makes a reappearance during the film's final battle, when Vicky conjures it to deflect one of Timmy's energy blasts.

** In order to defend themselves from a remote controlled wedding dress about to crash into them, Sam busts out the "Escape From Trouble Bubble Wand," blowing a bubble to keep them safe from the crash.

* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', Mew has shown the ability to create bubbles presumably made of psychic energy (an ability entirely absent in the games). Ash gets saved from a hard impact by one in the first movie, the bubble catching him and bouncing him into the air before he lands on it like it's a beanbag.

* ''WesternAnimation/Steven Universe'': All Gems have this ability. It's one of the first powers Steven learns, befitting his status as a BarrierWarrior. By Season 3, he learns how to use it offensively by growing spikes out of the bubble.

* VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}: Wash Buckler's Cutlass Captain upgrade path has this as its first upgrade. Slashing a bubble with his sword will cause a bubble shield to surround him that will reduce damage and explode when attached.

* VideoGame/{{Skylanders}}: One of Wash buckler's upgrade paths. Slashing a bubble with his sword will cause a bubble shield to surround him that will reduce damage and explode when attached.

* ''VideoGame/HenryStickminSeries'':
** The "Intruder on a Scooter" route of ''Stealing the Diamond'' features Henry using a Bubble to defend from an oncoming Sniper, a blatant homage to Sonic's Water Shield.
** The Bubble Shield FAIL from "International Rescue Operative" in ''Fleeing the Complex'' has Henry place a drone on the ground that forms a bubble around him, but he gets himself trapped inside it because he can't step out of it without getting shot, and it can't be moved.

* ''[[VideoGame/HenryStickminSeries Henry Stickmin]]'': The "Intruder on a Scooter" route of Stealing the Diamond features Henry uses a Bubble to defend from an oncoming Sniper, a blatant homage to Sonic's Water Shield.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'': The stand "Stray Cat" is a cat that was killed and reincarnated into a plant. Its abilities revolve around air bubbles, manipulating the air pressure around itself to form invisible bubbles. Its primary use is defense, creating an air bubble around itself that can't be pushed through.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'': The stand "Stray Cat" is a cat that was killed and reincarnated into a plant. It's abilities revolve around air bubbles, manipulating the air pressure around itself to form invisible bubbles. It's primary use is defense, creating an air bubble around itself that can't be pushed through.

[[folder:Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

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!!Indices: BubblyTropes, TropesInShiningArmor, ImageSource/AnimeAndManga