History Main / OminousFloatingCastle

Some villains have their own country, and with a [[{{Mordor}} well-guarded desolate volcanic wasteland]] around their [[EvilTowerOfOminousness ominous, dark tower]] that the heroes must battle their way through. Others, however, have bigger plans. Entire planetary systems, or an alternate universe, perhaps. And right in the middle is this place, a floating, menacing castle of doom or huge levitating fortress overlooking...well, pretty much nothing. There's no {{Mordor}} here, no [[ViceCity vice-filled urban district]], and certainly no [[LethalLavaLand red-hot volcanic underworld]]. The base floats in absolute nothingness.

* In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', [[https://zelda.gamepedia.com/File:Ganon%27s_Tower_(comic).png Ganon's Tower]] looks like an absolutely massive floating sphere with massive spikes protruding all over its stony surface.

Some villains have their own country, and with a [[{{Mordor}} well-guarded desolate volcanic wasteland]] around their [[EvilTowerOfOminousness ominous, dark tower]] that the heroes must battle their way through. Others, however, have bigger plans. Entire planetary systems, or an alternate universe, perhaps. And right in the middle is this place, a floating, menacing castle of doom overlooking — well, pretty much nothing. There's no {{Mordor}} here, no [[ViceCity rough downtown district]], and certainly no [[LethalLavaLand red-hot volcanic underworld]]. The base floats in absolute nothingness.

On top of that, there are multiple versions with their respective associations. A FloatingContinent with this place on top will often be a rather mystical area, while various space-faring series usually have an enormous AirborneAircraftCarrier in the centre or edge of the universe for the alien invaders. Then, of course, anything literally in a void has a pretty good chance of being a MindScrew. Nevertheless, it's relatively common, especially as TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon in a videogame, providing the backdrop for many an extremely powerful evil force.

On top of that, there are multiple versions with their respective associations. A FloatingContinent with this place on top will often be a rather mystical area, while various space-faring series usually have an enormous spacebattleship in the centre or edge of the universe for the alien invaders. Then, of course, anything literally in a void has a pretty good chance of being a MindScrew. Nevertheless, it's relatively common, especially as TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon in a videogame, providing the backdrop for many an extremely powerful evil force.

Some villains have their own country, and with a [[{{Mordor}} well-guarded desolate volcanic wasteland]] around their [[EvilTowerOfOminousness
ominous, dark tower]] that the heroes must battle their way through. Others, however, have bigger plans. Entire planetary systems, or an alternate universe, perhaps. And right in the middle is this place, a floating, menacing castle of doom overlooking — well, pretty much nothing. There's no {{Mordor}} here, no [[ViceCity rough downtown district]], and certainly no [[LethalLavaLand red-hot volcanic underworld]]. The base floats in absolute nothingness.

Some villains have their own country, and with a [[{{Mordor}} desolate volcanic wasteland]] around their [[EvilTowerOfOminousness tower]] that the heroes must battle their way through. Others, however, have bigger plans. Entire planetary systems, maybe. Alternate universe, perhaps. And right in the middle is this place, a floating castle of doom overlooking — well, pretty much nothing. There's no {{Mordor}} here, no [[ViceCity rough downtown district]], and certainly no [[LethalLavaLand volcanic underworld]]. The base floats in absolute nothingness.

On top of that, there are multiple versions with their respective associations. A FloatingContinent with this place on top will often be a rather mystical area, while various space-faring series usually have an enormous battleship in the centre or edge of the universe for the alien invaders. Then, of course, anything literally in a void has a pretty good chance of being a MindScrew. Nevertheless, it's relatively common, especially as TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon in a videogame, providing the backdrop for many an extremely powerful evil force.

** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'': The game’s second to last dungeon [[spoiler:during Version 1 of the game]], the Temple of Reidametes, is a volcanic temple that menaces the Ogre village 500 years ago as a fake sun and is also a place of worship for Nelgel the Netherlord. The Hero fights Razuban there to try and prevent Nelgel’s coming, but is too late despite the latter’s defeat. [[spoiler:Said temple is also used for the Heart of Hell, Nelgel’s base of operations, while Temple Reidametes itself is brought back during the game’s 10th Anniversary Quest sidestory.]]

{{Franchise/DragonQuest}}:
''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'': Dhuran, the last of the Dread Fiends, has the Stormsgate Citadel as his lair, which is also fought as a boss after the Hero and his party gather what is nowadays the Zenithian Equipment.
''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'': The Black Citadel, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Rhapthorne’s]] lair and the final dungeon of the game which was formerly sealed within the Holy Island of Neos before Eight and the party defeated Marcello.
''VideoGame/DragonQuestX'': The game’s second to last dungeon [[spoiler:during Version 1 of the game]], the Temple of Reidametes, is a volcanic temple that menaces the Ogre village 500 years ago as a fake sun and is also a place of worship for Nelgel the Netherlord. The Hero fights Razuban there to try and prevent Nelgel’s coming, but is too late despite the latter’s defeat. [[spoiler:Said temple is also used for the Heart of Hell, Nelgel’s base of operations, while Temple Reidametes itself is brought back during the game’s 10th Anniversary Quest sidestory.]]
''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'': The Fortress of Fear, Mordegon’s base of operations, where he mostly chills out after obtaining the Sword of Light and bringing Erdrea into a monster infested land of darkness. It’s also the final dungeon for the game, [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle though since the evil that Mordegon stopped from regaining his power wasn’t properly taken care of…]]

%%* You ''fight'' one of these as a boss in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI''. ''On foot!''

Not to be confused with ''Roleplay/FloatingCastle''. Extreme cases can overlap with SpaceStation.

* The [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon fifth Stratum]] of ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey II'', the Heavenly Keep, is a legendary flying castle hidden within the highest reaches of Yggdrasil.

*** There was an epic level spell (the most powerful magic in third edition) that let you do this. In previous editions it was a 10th level spell [[UpToEleven in a system where the most powerful spells are normally 9th level]].

* Mobile floating castles were used in the War of the Lance, from the Literature/{{Dragonlance}} D&D setting.
* ''{{TabletopGame/Exalted}}'': The tomb-bodies of the Neverborn are both Ominous Floating Mountain-Thingies and one of the setting's (many) groups of Big Bads. They ''really'' want to fall into the Void and finish dying, and they're willing to destroy all of Creation to get there.

* The Zurich Station from ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', located on Earth's orbit. It houses the central governing body of all Evil {{Mega Corp}}s. THE. MOST. SECURE. FACILITY. EVAR.
* Floating fortresses in ''[[TabletopGame/ProseDescriptiveQualities Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies]]'', where everything is either on a FloatingContinent or free-floating in the Skies. Of particular note was the ''Astramorte'', an obvious {{Expy}} of the [[Franchise/StarWars Death Star]], destroyed in a daring raid taking advantage of seemingly inconsequential vulnerabilities.
''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' has a couple. The Floating Castle is a creepy location in the Realm of Chaos, doubtless home to daemons. There is also a rare good example - the Palace of Hothar the Fey - a powerful High Elf mage prince's palace that drifts gently through the clouds of the Elven province of Saphery.

** In book seven [[spoiler: Praesi mobilise some of the mothballed flying fortresses against the [[BiggerBad Dead King]]. They turn out quite useful, though it is noted that [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome they're easy to destabilize from the inside and become unescable deathtraps if it happens]].]]

** In book three, [[spoiler:[[AristocratsAreEvil Diabolist]] performs a ritual to raise the city of Liesse above the clouds to buy time for her time to finish her work on a MysticalPlague.]]

** Knowhere is a fortress made from ''a Celestial's head'', discovered by the ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy and located near The Rip, the extreme outer edge of all existence. (Who killed it? Pretty much everyone hopes they never find out.) It serves as base for those who study the Rip and the space-time abnormalities of the location. (It also appeared in [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy the movie]] and [[WesternAnimation/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy the animated series]].)

* Etelgar's fortress in ''Film/UltramanGingaSTheMovieShowdownThe10UltraBrothers'', which descends above Tokyo early in the film. The Ultras have to infiltrate the fortress in the finale, with three of them (Tiga, Dyna and Gaia) staying at ground level to do battle against Etelgar's first summon, Five King, while the remaining heroes (Nexus, Max, Mebius, Zero, Cosmos and Ginga-Victory) goes through the fortress, one level at a time (and each holding a summon for an Ultra to stay behind to battle) before confronting Etelgar at it's very tip.

%%* In the ''WebVideo/MegaMan'' FanFilm, Dr. Wily's castle happens to be one of these.

* In the season two finale of ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'', [[spoiler:upon using the Calamity Box to reactivate the land's LostTechnology, while at the same time revealing he was EvilAllAlong, King Andrias transforms the royal castle of Newtopia into this, intending to use it as a fortress as he becomes a MultiversalConqueror.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyKingdoms'' has the Museum Of The Wyrd, which is located on a floating island in the middle of nowhere.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTalesTheMovieTreasureOfTheLostLamp'' has a great example when the evil sorceror Merlock uses the Genie's magic to turn Scrooge's money bin into a Floating Castle that is ''very'' ominous. It's not floating by design though; Merlock specifically wished to "return home in his new home". Scrooge just defeats him before they get to the destination.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'', Prison Island is a fortress that floats above Eryth Sea and sticks out against the clean High Entia structures and natural scenery with its dark, medieval appearance. Late in the game, it is [[spoiler:drawn into a void by the game's BigBad and serves as his stronghold.]]

* "Merlin" [[spoiler: actually Venger]] has one in the "The Day of No Tomorrow" episode of the ''[[WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' cartoon.

%%** The lost city of Kefin in ''[[VideoGame/{{Ys}} Ys V]]''.
%%** Also, the Solomon Shrine on the FloatingContinent of Ys in ''II''.