History Main / TentativeLight

* ''Series/FraggleRock'': In "[[Recap/FraggleRockS2E18TheDayTheMusicDied The Day the Music Died]]", the lantern Gobo carries keeps him awake, but when it goes out, it's all he can do to stay awake long enough to carry Wembley to the Gorgs' garden so the sunlight will wake him. The other Fraggles gather lanterns to keep them awake, but they fall asleep when the lanterns go out.

* In ''VideoGame/APlagueTaleInnocence'', Besides {{Hollywood Torch}}es, Amicia also has to deal with sticks which are burning up quickly.

[[caption-width-right:350:Must...not...{{sneeze|OfDoom}}...]]

* Many of ''VideoGame/{{Morrowind}}'''s dungeons are dark enough that a light source is required. The torches and lanterns you can use have a finite duration. Spells such as Light and Night Eye are available, but are also temporary unless you enchant them onto an item as a constant effect.

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[[quoteright:350:[[Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dyingtorch.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Must...not...{{sneeze|OfDoom}}...]]

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[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]

%%* The movie ''Film/ShutterIsland'' shows a clip from such a scene in its trailer.

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': Korben Dallas needs fire to unlock part of the weapon that can take down the BigBad. He has one match.
-->'''Korben:''' Nobody breathe.
* ''Film/DarknessFalls'' uses this a lot, as the villain cannot stand any sort of light.
* ''Film/{{Doom}}'' does this with Goat's flashlight, shortly after [[LetsSplitUpGang they split up to cover more ground]].
-->'''Goat:''' [[OhCrap This isn't happening...]]
* ''Film/ThePact'': Light fixtures and flashlights flicker and go out. The medium Stevie says that something is "taking the light."
* ''Film/{{Housebound}}'': The lights frequently flicker or shut off. Subverted, when we learn this isn't caused by a ghost, but by [[spoiler:Eugene living in the walls and mooching electricity.]]
* ''The Resurrected'', a 1991 film adaptation of ''Literature/TheCaseOfCharlesDexterWard'', recreates the scene where the hero has to navigate his way out of a MadScientistLaboratory of failed BodyHorror experiments after dropping his lamp. He's got a flashlight whose battery is on its last legs, and a pocketbook of matches. Fortunately the final match is enough to get him back to where he saw another hurricane lamp sitting on a table earlier.

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', many of the game's dungeons are dark enough that a light source is required. The torches and lanterns you can use have a finite, [[TenSecondFlashlight usually short]] duration. Spells such as Light and Night Eye are available, but are also temporary unless you enchant them onto an item as a constant effect.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' in general makes use of dark environments and the old TenSecondFlashlight, but ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode One'' in particular features zombie-infested environments that are often pitch black; in some sections you have to use your torch to light up enemies for Alyx to attack, in others you have to make use of flares, flaming barrels and [[VideogameCrueltyPotential flaming zombies]] to try and keep the area lit so you can see attacking zombies who aren't straight in front of you. Things can get quite tense when your last light source is burning out, your torch is out of juice and you've only killed ''most'' of the zombies...
* In ''VideoGame/EscapeFromButcherBay'', [[Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick Riddick]] is usually equipped with an InfiniteFlashlight mounted on a shotgun. After he falls into the Pit, however, his flashlight's battery is damaged, and he has six minutes to run through a maze of tunnels, fighting off wailing, naked ghouls, while his only source of light gradually dims. When Riddick finally receives his [[SuperSenses eyeshine]], it's a godsend.

* The ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'' series has lots of setpieces with flickering lights [[ElectromagneticGhosts when paranormal activity is involved]], including those of ''the HeadsUpDisplay itself''. Hell, in the Vivendi expansions ''Extraction Point'' and ''Perseus Mandate'', your headlamp will flicker along with the HUD, go out completely, and won't be usable until the supernatural moment ends. In ''F.E.A.R. 2'', the headlamp flickers at the slightest paranormal activity.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' in general makes use of dark environments and the old TenSecondFlashlight but ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode One'' in particular featured zombie infested environments that were often pitch black; In some sections you had to use your torch to light up enemies for Alyx to attack, in others you had to make use of flares, flaming barrels and [[VideogameCrueltyPotential flaming zombies]] to try and keep the area lit so you could see attacking zombies who weren't straight in front of you. Things can get quite tense when your last light source is burning out, your torch is out of juice and you've only killed ''most'' of the zombies...