History Main / FlagpoleChallenge

* In ''[[Manga/StrikeWitches Brave Witches]]'' Rossmann challenges [[IneptMage Hikari]] to fetch down a hat on top of an obelisk within a week if she wants to stay in Brave Witches, telling her to use her magic to WallCrawl up the obelisk. She just barely makes it within the time limit when Rossmann instructs her to focus her magic onto one hand at a time instead of crawling up on all fours.

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Mulan}}'', Shang fires an arrow into the top of a pole and challenges the recruits to retrieve it while carrying two heavy metal discs. None of the recruits are able to do so, until Mulan wins the challenge by taking the two heavy discs she was given and tangling them around the pole to counterbalance her climb.

* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' has Steve Rogers accepted from among the group of candidates because he knocked down the flagpole by removing the bolt that was holding the flagpole to the base (all of the other recruits just tried climbing the flagpole).

* On November the 25th, 1783, to signal the end of The American Revolution, the British greased a flagpole that still had the Union Jack raised before they left New York City. A man named Jon Van Arsdale managed to climb up the top and replaced it with the American Flag.

* The Music/HarveyDanger song "Flagpole Sitta" makes nominal reference to this trope, by using it to make a [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbation joke]].

Mine can't forget the curves of your body\

* The Music/HarveyDanger song "Flagpole Sitta" is a reference to this trope.

Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded.]]

* At the Naval Academy during Graduation Week, first year cadets must climb a tall monument. It's about six meters high, smooth, and at the top is a hat that's worn by freshmen. The cadets must replace the hat with one worn by senior cadets. To make it even more difficult and force the freshmen to get creative and use teamwork, upperclassmen grease the monument. ''Heavily.''

During a TrainingMontage, there is something at the top of a flagpole, and a group of trainees are challenged to retrieve it in order to either pass basic training, or earn a promotion, or be the candidate selected from a number of applicants. Usually, whoever wins the challenge is someone who manages to figure out an [[CuttingTheKnot unorthodox method]], rather than someone who is simply physically fit enough to climb the pole. Often results in AnAesop about brains versus brawn, or whoever was giving the test telling the candidate that [[HiddenPurposeTest they were looking for someone with the ability to think creatively]].

* In ''{{Disney/Mulan}}'', Shang fires an arrow into the top of a pole and challenges the recruits to retrieve it while carrying two heavy metal discs. None of the recruits are able to do so, until Mulan wins the challenge by taking the two heavy discs she was given and tangling them around the pole to counterbalance her climb.

* In ''{{Disney/Mulan}}'', Shang fires an arrow into the top of a pole and challenges the recruits to retrieve it while carrying two heavy metal discs. None of the recruits are able to do so, until Mulan wins the challenge by taking the two heavy discs she was given, tying them together, and wrapping them around the pole to hold her tight to the pole while climbing.

[[caption-width-right:350: Top: How everyone else tried to get the flag. Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flagpole_challenge.jpg]]

During a TrainingMontage, there is something at the top of a flagpole, and a group of trainees are challenged to retrieve it in order to either pass basic training, or earn a promotion, or be the candidate selected from a number of applicants. Usually, whoever wins the challenge is someone who manages to figure out an [[CuttingTheKnot unorthodox method]], rather than someone who is simply physically fit enough to climb the pole. Often results in AnAesop about brains versus brawn, or whoever was giving the test telling the candidate that [[HiddenChallengeTest they were looking for someone with the ability to think creatively]].

[[caption-width-right:350: Top:How everyone else tried to get the flag. Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded.]]

During a TrainingMontage, there is something at the top of a flagpole, and a group of trainees are challenged to retrieve it in order to either pass basic training, or earn a promotion, or be the candidate selected from a number of applicants. Usually, whoever wins the challenge is someone who manages to figure out an [[CuttingTheKnot unorthodox method]], rather than someone who is simply physically fit enough to climb the pole. Often results in AnAesop about brains versus brawn, or whoever was giving the test telling the candidate that they were looking for someone with creativity.

[[caption-width-right:350: Top:How everyone else tried to get the flag\\ Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded\\]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Top:How everyone else tried to get the flag\\ Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded]]

[[caption-width-right:350: *Top:How everyone else tried to get the flag *Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded]]

[[caption-width-right:350: Top:How everyone else tried to get the flag Bottom: How Steve Rogers succeeded]]