History Main / SkyCell

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': The Earthbender prison is built far out at sea with only a few token handrails, ensuring the prisoners have no contact with dirt to fight with.

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely a TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you [[{{Oubliette}} don't have much need for]], as nothing prevents them from easily [[IDieFree "escaping"]]. The captors [[DrivenToSuicide may even count on it]].

Note that the key aspect is an easily reachable drop, or unlocked airlock InSpace. If reaching the fatal drop requires what would be a major breakout attempt on the ground, it's not an example of this trope. If you're not quite sure, ask yourself if it would be remotely secure on the ground. If so, it's not an example.

* ''Manga/{{Toriko}}'' features two:
** [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Sky Prison]] floats ten kilometers above the ground. The area around it is prone to tornadoes and inhabited by giant carnivorous birds with a taste for human flesh.
** [[HellholePrison The Honey Prison]] hangs on the edge of a cliff above one of the harshest environments in the human world - areas with abnormal climates. In the summer frequent eruptions flood the entire zone with magma and temperatures rise to the point when even the air can burn human skin upon contact. In the autumn the area is covered by a fog so thick that vision is limited to just one meter and so poisonous that inhaling it three times is enough to stop a human heart. In the winter temperatures can drop to 200 below zero. Only the spring period is survivable... which is why all horrifying monsters, who live in that area, come out of hibernation and become active during that season. The only safe road ("safe" meaning, that monsters are less likely to attack there) is blocked by several kilometer-long drawbridges and specifically trained monsters.

* In the British miniseries ''Series/{{Casanova}}'', the titular character was in one. He manages to escape, though.
* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', Tyrion is thrown into a sky cell in the Eyrie. As mentioned under the ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' entry above, the floor is sloped and the guard cantankerous and rather eager to rid himself of the Lannister. Later, when Bronn fights on behalf of Tyrion, Bronn wins by pushing Ser Vardis out the Moon Door to his death.

* The citizens of Columbia in ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' have done this to themselves out of extreme xenophobia. Booker is infiltrating it to get what may be the only sane person left out.

* An Ard Skellig island in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' has prison cells clearly inspired by the sky cells from ''Series/GameOfThrones'', as proved by the corpse of a Tyrion lookalike and some lines of dialogue taken from the show.
* Durgesh Prison from ''VideoGame/FarCry4'' has a few of these. Ajay gets stuck in one and escapes by assembling a makeshift grappling hook.

* The second season of ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed'' has many dangerous superpowered criminals moved from deep subterranean burrows to a prison satellite in orbit above the stratosphere of Acmetropolis. Many of the Loonatics' RoguesGallery are housed in the satellite, including Massive, Otto the Odd and Electro J. Fudd.

* Tyrion, in HBO's Series/GameOfThrones, is thrown into a sky cell in the Eyrie. As mentioned under the Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire entry above, the floor is sloped and the guard cantankerous and rather eager to rid himself of the Lannister. Later, when Bronn fights on behalf of Tyrion, Bronn wins by pushing Ser Vardis out the Moon Door to his death.

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely a TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you don't have much need for, as nothing prevents them from easily [[IDieFree "escaping"]]. The captors [[DrivenToSuicide may even count]] [[{{Oubliette}} on it]].

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': When Lucy is kidnapped by the Phantom Lord guild, she is locked in a tower whose only entrance is high in the air and through which only guildmaster Jose Porla and certain other wizards can reach. Her hastily conceived plan is to go ahead and jump out in the hopes that [[TheHero Natsu]] will be able to catch her.

* The Aerial Prison in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesTheCrystalBearers''.

* The TropeNamer is ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', where the Eyrie's cells have slightly sloped floors and carved into a mountain, with one side open to the sky. If prisoners happen to accidentally fall out before their trial, so much the better. Even those who don't eventually go mad from the constant fear of falling and leap to their deaths. It's also mentioned that their floors don't all slope at the same degree -- some have gentler slopes and some steeper, and unruly prisoners are kept in line with the threat of being moved to a more steeply sloping sky cell.

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely a TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you don't have much need for, as nothing prevents them from easily [[IDieFree "escaping"]]. The captors [[DrivenToSuicide may even count on it]].

* In Creator/JimButcher's ''Literature/CodexAlera'', some Alerans are confined on top of these by enemies who don't believe in windcrafting.

* ComicBook/JudgeDredd has one "prison" that's simply a raised platform above a constantly busy superhighway. Any crooks that tried to escape would be pulverized by traffic.

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:Videogames]]

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely an TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you don't have much need for, as nothing prevents them from easily [[IDieFree "escaping"]]. The captors [[DrivenToSuicide may even count on it]].

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely an TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you don't have much need for, as nothing prevents them from easily [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled "escaping"]]. The captors [[DrivenToSuicide may even count on it]].

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely an TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly. Of course, it is used for prisoners you don't have much need for, as nothing prevents them from easily [[DrivenToSuicide "escaping"]]. The captors may even count on it.

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely an TailorMadePrison, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly.

* ''Literature/{{Rapunzel}}'': Rapunzel's tower is one without a door.

Note that the key aspect is an easily reachable drop, or unlocked airlock InSpace. If reaching the fatal drop requires what would be a major breakout attempt on the ground, it's not an example of this trope. If you're not quite sure, ask yourself if it would be remotely secure on the ground.

* The TropeNamer is ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', where the Eyrie's cells are slightly sloped and carved into a mountain, with one side open to the sky. If prisoners happen to accidentally fall about before their trial, so much the better. Even those who don't eventually go mad from the constant fear of falling and leap to their deaths.
* In ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', Gandalf is confined on top of Orthanc until he is rescued by a giant eagle.

* ''Flashman on the March''. Literature/{{Flashman}} is forced through a trapdoor into a cage hanging above an abyss. Later he forces an enemy in there and shuts the trapdoor on him; on opening it later on, he finds the rope holding the cage has broken, sending the occupant plummeting to his death.

[[folder:VideoGames]]

Most prisons have walls and guards. This one is open to the air. In fact, there's open air below it as well. The only way out is through the door or by flying. May be on top of a tower, but that's not necessarily the case. Obviously, this tends to be an example of TheAlcatraz, as most settings rarely have people capable of unpowered flight. It's rarely an Oubliette, simply because it's a rather generic way of containing people who can't fly.

* The TropeNamer is ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', where the Eyrie's cells are slightly sloped and carved into a mountain, with one side open to the sky. If prisoners happen to accidentally fall about before their trial, so much the better.

* In the ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' episode "The Ugly Truth", the characters are put on a "holding cell" on an alien spaceship that consists of a metal disc hung from the ceiling above a huge drop, with no railings.

* The TropeNamer is ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', where the Eyrie's cells are slightly sloped and carved into a mountain, with one side open to the sky.

* The Aerial Prison in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyCrystalChroniclesTheCrystalBearers''. - '''ZCE'''

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