History Main / ChaseStopsAtWater

The pursuers may be afraid of water, or they may not know how to swim. In fantasy settings, the pursuers may not be able to touch water for magic-related reasons.

You're in a jungle or in the wilderness, and somehow, you're being chased by monsters or wild beasts like dinosaurs, wolves, or big cats. And somehow, by luck, you find a body of water, swim in it, and they stop chasing after you. Hopefully you don't encounter other dangers while you swim for safety, like crocodiles, strong currents, or those chasing after you knowing how to swim.

In RealLife, depending on the animal it's possible they really won't chase you into water. However, if you're being chased by hound dogs, do not expect running through a river will prevent them from tracking you down after.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'': Insectoid enemies such as Sheargrubs drown in water and will stop chasing you when you get in the water. Unfortunately averted with your Pikmin, most of whom will also drown but will ''happily'' follow you to their watery graves.

In video games, this can be justified with SuperDrowningSkills at play for non-amphibious and non-aquatic enemies where the water acts as a deterrent to them and they cannot swim, preventing them from chasing you without drowning themselves in the process.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'': The bug monsters will stop chasing you when you get in the water. Unfortunately, the Pikmin can't swim and will drown in water.

In video games, this can be justified with SuperDrowningSkills at play for non-amphibious and non-aquatic enemies where the water acts as a deterrent to them and they cannot swim, preventing them from chasing you without [[SuicidalOverconfidence drowning themselves in the process]].

* ''Minecraft'': Endermen take damage when coming in contact with water, and will be unable to follow the player if they go into a river, ocean, or any body of water, instead they will stand on the shore and stare at you.

* ''VideoGame/Minecraft'': Endermen take damage when coming in contact with water, and will be unable to follow the player if they go into a river, ocean, or any body of water, instead they will stand on the shore and stare at you.

* Averted in ''Literature/NoCountryForOldMen''. In the film, the pit pull owned by the drug dealers is perfectly willing and able to pursue Moss into the river and swims hard after him until they both reach the other side. Once there, Moss barely manages to shoot it dead as it leaps for his throat.

* ''Literature/MidnightSun2020'': Discussed. When hunting James, Edward notes that he will lose track of his quarry if he reaches water, being a vampire, James could emerge "five miles down the coast, or in Japan." Averted, however, because James instead eludes Edward by stealing a small aeroplane.

* Averted in ''Literature/TheCallOfCthulhu''. When Johansen and Briden reach the ship, there is a HopeSpot where the narrator compares the Great Old One to Polyphemus cursing Odysseus' ship as it sails away. But then, he describes how Cthulhu was bolder than the old Cyclops of legend, as he enters the water to give pursuit to the fleeing boat, to the horror of its occupants.

* Completely Averted and PlayedForLaughs in the ''Class Dismissed'' episode of ''WesternAnimation/BrandyAndMrWhiskers''. Brandy and Mr. Whiskers are chased by a hungry panther and decide to try and escape by crossing a river with a log and removing the log. To their surprise, the panther is a SuperPersistentPredator who immediately tries to swim across the river, but is luckily stopped when the river reveals to be the end of a waterfall that washes the panther away.

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': In the episode "The Birdbot of Ice-catraz." Leela, Fry, and Bender flee a flock of bloodthirsty penguins. Bender breaks off a section of ice for them to escape on, but the penguins are obviously only momentarily delayed before diving into the water and continuing the chase ("Oh, right, they can swim. It's all coming back to me now.")

* Killer bees are notorious for [[AvertedTrope averting]] this. In the event their victim jumps into water to escape them, the bees will sit just outside the water and wait for the victim to reemerge.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'': If you throw Cappy at a dog on the beach in the Seaside Kingdom, it'll chase after you to return your hat. But if you enter the water, the dog lets go of your hat and gives up the chase.

You're in a jungle or in the wilderness, and somehow, you're being chased by wild beasts like hunters, monkeys, or big cats. And somehow, by luck, you find a body of water, swim in it, and they stop chasing after you. Hopefully you don't encounter other dangers while you swim for safety, like crocodiles, strong currents, or those chasing after you knowing how to swim.

* In ''Film/TheFellowshipOfTheRing'', the first Nazgûl the Hobbits meet pursues them to the Bucklebury Ferry, but quickly reins in his horse when Frodo jumps onto the barge. This is a hint at their supernatural nature; as undead, they ''hate'' [[CannotCrossRunningWater crossing rivers.]]

* Justified in ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', as the people being chased have the ability to walk on water [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0561.html thanks to magic]], and their chasers don't. Even if the orcs were inclined to swim after them, they would be too slow to catch up.

* Justified in ''WebComic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0561.html as the people being chased have the ability to walk on water thanks to magic]], and their chasers don't.

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/Futurama'': In the episode "The Birdbot of Ice-catraz." Leela, Fry, and Bender flee a flock of bloodthirsty penguins. Bender breaks off a section of ice for them to escape on, but the penguins are obviously only momentarily delayed before diving into the water and continuing the chase ("Oh, right, they can swim. It's all coming back to me now.")

* ''WesternAnimation/Futurama'': Inversion in the episode "The Birdbot of Ice-catraz." Leela, Fry, and Bender flee a flock of bloodthirsty penguins. Bender breaks off a section of ice for them to escape on, but the penguins are obviously only momentarily delayed before diving into the water and continuing the chase ("Oh, right, they can swim. It's all coming back to me now.")

* In ''WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer1964'', Rudolph, Hermie, and Yukon Cornelius are being chased by the Abominable Snow Beast when they come to the edge of the water. Cornelius cuts an ice floe as a makeshift raft and floats out to sea, while the Abominable falls into the water.