History Main / ImprobableCover

Sister trope of ConcealmentEqualsCover. Also see BulletproofHumanShield.

The rule of ImprobableCover states: explosions in movies can't see you if you sidestep behind a wall or jump behind a table.

Of course, as the Series/{{Mythbusters}} showed, this can be TruthInTelevision often some small amount of cover can blunt the "pressure shockwave" caused by the explosion, although insufficient cover probably won't protect you from flames or flying debris also caused by the explosion, which can still injure or kill you.

* ''BarefootGen'', Gen survives the detonation of the nuclear bomb simply because there was a wall between him and it. The people around him were not so lucky. Even more terrifying because it actually happened....

* Subverted, in ''{{Tremors}}: Aftershocks'', when Earl tosses a bomb in an attempt to kill a Shrieker, it lands [[spoiler: in the bed of a truck packed with explosives. When the others hide behind a nearby building, Burt shouts at them to "Keep running!". They look at Earl, who replies "Burt knows his bombs". After quite a bit more running, they find a ditch, which, combined with the distance, provides sufficient cover.]]

Of course, as the {{Mythbusters}} showed, this can be TruthInTelevision often some small amount of cover can blunt the "pressure shockwave" caused by the explosion, although insufficient cover probably won't protect you from flames or flying debris also caused by the explosion, which can still injure or kill you.

* In the ''{{Castle}}'' two-parter "Tick, Tick, Tick..." and "Boom!", Beckett survives her apartment being blown up by diving into her bathtub just as the bomb went off. More justified in this case since her tub is one of those old cast iron jobs.

* Nuclear blasts are strange things, sometimes a person can be vaporised while someone standing right next to them survives simply because of a wall.

* In ''Film/HotFuzz'' a massive explosion that takes out a whole building is survived by the people ''inside'' it. They do this by [[spoiler:hiding behind some old sofas]] how they did this is '[[RuleOfFunny explained]]' in the extras.

* ''Film/{{Predator}}'' and ''{{Predator 2}}''. In the first film Dutch lives through a small nuclear (?) explosion at close range because he ducked behind some cover. In the second film Lieutenant Harrigan survives the exhaust blast of a Predator ship taking off by doing the same thing.

* True of most "heavy" weapons in ''MassEffect'', including rocket launchers, anti-materiel rifles, and grenades: all of them are stopped by the flimsiest of cover. However, in ''Mass Effect 3'', enemies have [[ArtificialBrilliance learned to throw grenades behind your cover]] -- and you can return the favor by grabbing [[{{BFG}} a heavy sniper rifle]] and sniping enemies ''through'' cover.

* In the ''Film/DieHard'', series, this hapens multiple times.
** In the first film, [=McClane=] builds a homemade bomb and tosses it down an elevator shaft. When it goes off, a blast of fire shoots upword toward him. He survives by stepping to the side of the door.

!!!Examples:

* ''TheDayAfterTomorrow'': They outrun an oncoming ice storm, and escape it by closing a door.

* In ''DoubleTeam'', the heroes hide behind a coke machine and survive despite roaring walls of flame on either side. Possibly a moment of genre-savvy.

* In ''HotFuzz'' a massive explosion that takes out a whole building is survived by the people ''inside'' it. They do this by [[spoiler:hiding behind some old sofas]] how they did this is '[[RuleOfFunny explained]]' in the extras.
* ''DantesPeak'': Harry, Mayor Wando and her kids escapee the eruption of the titular volcano by hiding in a mine.

* In ''IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'', Indy survives a nuke by hiding in a refrigerator.

[[folder:Manga and anime]]

* In ''DoubleTeam'', the heroes hide behind a coke machine and survive despite roaring walls of flame on either side. Possibly a moment of genre-savvy
* Film/IndependenceDay: Pretty much every time there's an explosion that the heroes escape, they do so by this trope.

* ''TheDayAfterTomorrow'': they outrun an oncoming ice storm, and escape it by closing a door.

[[folder:Television]]

* Against advanced ''{{Half Life 2}}'' AI, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0WqAmuSXEQ the only thing you can do is hide]].

* In the first season finale of ''TheWalkingDead'' Dale and Andrea survive the explosion of the [=CDC=] by flattening themselves against a pile of sandbags.

* Against advanced ''Half Life 2'' AI, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0WqAmuSXEQ the only thing you can do is hide]].

The rule of {{Improbable Cover}} states: explosions in movies can't see you if you sidestep behind a wall or jump behind a table.

* IndependenceDay: Pretty much every time there's an explosion that the heroes escape, they do so by this trope.

* ''DantesPeak'': Harry, Mayor Wando and her kids escapee the eruption of the titular volcano by hiding in a mine.

* Real bombs shockwaves are tricky things. Running down a side street won't save you if you are still within the danger area - the shockwave spreads out along any route offering least resistance. However when IRA terrorists bombed Manchester City centre, a traditional red telephone box suffered no damage apart from a cracked pane of glass, despite being well inside the cordon, and more extensive damage being wrought around it.

* ''{{Predator}}'' and ''{{Predator}} II''. In the first film Dutch lives through a small nuclear (?) explosion at close range because he ducked behind some cover. In the second film Lieutenant Harrigan survives the exhaust blast of a Predator ship taking off by doing the same thing.

* ''BarefootGen'', Gen survives the detonation of the nuclear bomb simply because there was a wall between him and it. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel The people around him were not so lucky]]. Even more terrifying because it actually happened....

* ''BarefootGen'', Gen survives the detonation of the nuclear bomb simply because there was a wall between him and it. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel The people around him were not so lucky]]. Even more terrifying because it actually happened....
* In DoubleTeam, the heros hide behind a coke machine and survive despite roaring walls of flame on either side. Possibly a moment of genre-savy

* In the ''DieHard'', series, this hapens multiple times.

* In the first season finale of ''TheWalkingDead'' Dale and Andrea survive the explosion of the [=CDC=] by flattening themselves against a pile of sandbags.

Sister trope of '''ConcealmentEqualsCover'''

* Subverted, then Played Straight in ''{{Tremors}}: Aftershocks'', when Earl tosses a bomb in an attempt to kill a Shrieker, it lands [[spoiler: in the bed of a truck packed with explosives. When the others hide behind a building, Burt shouts at them to "Keep running!". They look at Earl, who replies "Burt knows bombs". A moment later, they find a ditch, which provides sufficient cover.]]

* Independence day (Multiple)