History Main / PowderTrail

'''--Franz Liebkind''', ''TheProducers''

* As indicated by the page quote, in ''TheProducers'', the protagonists come to regret using one of these.

Tested and confirmed by the ''{{Mythbusters}}''. This is one of the few explosive myths they've tested that worked in real life pretty much ''exactly'' the way it is portrayed in movies. And, just like the movies, it was also possible for a person to outrun it or just scatter the trail.

* The cover of ''KnightsOfTheDinnerTable Special Edition'' #1, as seen in the page image.

Similar to VaporTrail but generally with a different intent.

A trail of gunpowder is laid as a makeshift fuse, leading to a pile of explosives (usually barrels of gunpowder). Once lit, the trail smokes and sparks impressively and the hero will have to race the burning powder to scuff out the line before it reaches the explosives. In a comedic variation, a character will unknowingly leave a trail of powder behind him as he is stockpiling explosives, allowing another character to casually light it, blowing the first character to kingdom come.

* Pulled off in issue #78 of the original series of ''JonahHex'', where Jonah ignites the powder trail with a rifle shot.

* BMovie ''Ator The Invincible'' ("CaveDwellers" on ''{{MST3K}}'') had a character do this with rock dust. Cue the guys: "She's making flash powder out of her own filth!"
* ''{{Muppet Treasure Island}}''. Freaking hilarious, Rizzo and Gonzo scared witless trying to load a gun to fend off pirates.... Kaboom!!

[[AC:Literature]]

* {{MacGyver}} improvises a powder trail to blow up an arms shipment in "The Escape".

* In ''VideoGame/{{The Curse of Monkey Island}}'', Guybrush knocks over a keg of rum, leaving a trail of the alcohol down the grassy knoll and to the keg, which happens to be sitting next to a rubber tree. He lights the trail with a match (would work since pure rum is flammable), and proceeds to be blown right off the cliff and into town by the blast. After coming to, he drowsily declares, "Woah, my head is spinning. I gotta lay off the rum!"

* The comedic variation happened frequently to Wile E. Coyote and Yosemite Sam in ''LooneyTunes'' shorts.

* In ''CarryOnHenry'', Guy Fawkes lays a trail of gun powder to the kegs of gunpowder to blow up Parliament. The fuse goes out inches from the kegs, until, of course, the conspirators go close to see what went wrong. "OH FAWKES!" was the exclamation when the kegs blew up at just that moment.

** Also to Tom of ''TomAndJerry''.

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* In the movie ''[[TheThreeMusketeers The Return of the Musketeers]]'', the powder fuse is used to blow up a ship.

* In the comedy western ''TheVillain'', Cactus Jack accidentally creates one of these, and has to be saved from being blown up by his horse [[CoolHorse Whiskey]].

* In ''{{The Curse of Monkey Island}}'', Guybrush knocks over a keg of rum, leaving a trail of the alcohol down the grassy knoll and to the keg, which happens to be sitting next to a rubber tree. He lights the trail with a match (would work since pure rum is flammable), and proceeds to be blown right off the cliff and into town by the blast. After coming to, he drowsily declares, "Woah, my head is spinning. I gotta lay off the rum!"

* ''Film/TheAdventuresOTinTin'' features this. Sir Francis Haddock sets it off, Red Rackham snuffs it out, repeat, repeat...

* TheMovie of TinTin features this. Sir Francis Haddock sets it off, Red Rackham snuffs it out, repeat, repeat...

* Done on ''{{Lost}}'' to open the hatch.

* In ''[[MonkeyIsland The Curse of Monkey Island]]'', Guybrush knocks over a keg of rum, leaving a trail of the alcohol down the grassy knoll and to the keg, which happens to be sitting next to a rubber tree. He lights the trail with a match (would work since pure rum is flammable), and proceeds to be blown right off the cliff and into town by the blast. After coming to, he drowsily declares, "Woah, my head is spinning. I gotta lay off the rum!"

* Happens in the {{Animorphs}} book ''Elfangor's Secret''. The villain plans to destroy ''HMS Victory'' during the battle at Trafalgar, and uses the powder trail to give him extra time to make his escape via TimeTravel. Ax [[SubvertedTrope managed to cut the]] PowderTrail [[JustInTime in the nick of time]], using his tail blade -- [[spoiler: [[DoubleSubverted only to accidentally strike a spark that ignites the rest of the trail]]]].

* Happens in the {{Animorphs}} book ''Elfangor's Secret''. The villain uses this to blow a hole in ''HMS Victory'', using the extra time to make his escape via TimeTravel. The heroes try to stop the trail [[spoiler: and are unsuccessful, although they're pulled along by the timeshift before they get blown up]].
** In fact, [[spoiler:Ax managed to cut the PowderTrail in the nick of time, using his tail blade -- only to [[NiceJobBreakingItHero strike a spark that ignites the rest of the trail]]]].

*** That's because they still had the leaky barrel of powder under their arms.

* As indicated by the page quote, in ''TheProducers'', the protagonists come to regret using one of thse.

Tested and confirmed by the ''{{Mythbusters}}''. This is one of the few explosive myths they've tested that worked in real life pretty much ''exactly'' the way it is portrayed in movies. However, it was also possible for a person to outrun it or just scatter the trail.

Tested and confirmed by the ''{{Mythbusters}}''. This is one of the few explosive myths they've tested that worked in real life pretty much ''exactly'' the way it is portrayed in movies.

Tested and found plausible on ''{{Mythbusters}}'' (you can run faster than a burning trail of gunpowder, and a burning trail of gunpowder will detonate a keg of black powder).

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** In fact, [[spoiler:Ax managed to put the fire out in the nick of time -- only to [[NiceJobBreakingItHero strike a spark]]]].