History Main / WalkOnWater

* Soma Cruz in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow'' acquires the ability to walk on water. Considering [[TomatoSurprise who he "is"]] and that his last name more or less translates to "Cross", makes this possibly symbolic. Although Mina, who tells you about it, compares you to a ninja instead.

JustForFun/NotToBeConfusedWith the [[Film/WalkOnWater 2004 Israeli movie]] of [[NamesTheSame the same title]]. Compare with WalkDontSwim, which is about walking ''under'' water. Don't confuse with WaltzOnWater, which is the tendency for video game water levels to have waltz music.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2751 SCP-2751 ("Hydrophobic Dogs")]]. SCP-2751 is a group of anomalous dogs with an unusual quality: their bodies treat water as if it were solid, allowing them to lie or walk on it.

* ''Franchise/TombRaiderRevelation'': A puzzle is solved by dumping some ancient Egyptian chemicals into water that allows you to walk on it (okay, ankle-deep, but that's more due to engine limitations).

* In ''VideoGame/TouhouLunaNights'', Sakuya can stand and walk on water when she uses her [[TimeStandsStill time-stopping powers]]. If she stops time when she's in a body of water, she'll be stuck there until she un-freezes time.

* Jude of ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs 4}}'' does this in order to save a puppy drifting down a river. More precisely, he runs on ''leaves'' in the water using his SuperSpeed.

* In ''Manga/GoodLuckGirl'', Ranmaru Rindou due to a [[ToughLove childhood]] [[TrainingFromHell trauma]], can't swim well but while in a contest and with [[HotBlooded spirit]] and {{determinat|or}}ion she masters an ability to run along the surface of the water to beat her opponent.

** Saber can do so in ''LightNovel/FateZero'', because of the blessing of [[spoiler:[[Myth/TheLadyOfTheLake]]]]. It never comes up in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', however. Then, in ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia'', it turns out that despite being able to walk over water, ''she can't actually swim'', and freaks out in a public pool. It is hilarious. Saber's ability to do this is possibly a [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic symbolic extension]] of her [[spoiler:[[JeanneDArchetype martyrhood]] for Britain as King Arthur.]]

** Saber can do so in ''LightNovel/FateZero'', because of the blessing of the [[spoiler:[[Myth/KingArthur Lady of the Lake]]]]. It never comes up in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', however. Then, in ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia'', it turns out that despite being able to walk over water, ''she can't actually swim'', and freaks out in a public pool. It is hilarious. Saber's ability to do this is possibly a [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic symbolic extension]] of her [[spoiler:[[JeanneDArchetype martyrhood]] for Britain as King Arthur.]]

* In ''ComicBook/LesNaufragesDYthaq'', walking on water is part of the Water {{Elemental Powers}}et.

* The ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' series feature an example and a subversion. The former case is due to [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo's]] ability to manipulate boundaries, which she used to manipulate the boundary of truth and lie in order to invade the moon, through its mirrored image in a lake (she and her ghost friend [[ZenSurvivor Yuyuko Saigyouji]] invade the moon again through this method, in the official manga ''Silent Sinner in Blue''); the subversion is that the 9th game, ''VideoGame/TouhouKaeidzukaPhantasmagoriaOfFlowerView'', features the [[http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Perfect_Memento:_Sanzu_River Sanzu River]], through which the souls of the dead are ferried to be judged. This river is canonically described as unswimmable, and only a shinigami's boat is able to travel through it without sinking.

* Kazooie can do this in ''[[VideoGame/BanjoKazooie Banjo-Tooie]]'', but only while wearing the Turbo Trainers.

* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun: The Lost Age'' has Taopo Swamp, where Felix (and the PartyInMyPocket) will sink gradually as he moves around, and eventually [[SuperDrowningSkills go under and wash up back on the shore]], but can be buoyed to the surface by streams of bubbles. By "running" precisely from one bubble stream to another, he can navigate across the swamp and find a cave dungeon on the other side (which isn't necessary to advance the plot, but contains minerals for ItemCrafting).

* A would-be girlfriend to Twilight Sparkle in ''A Stitch in Time'' (sequel to ''[[Fanfic/EakinsHardReset Hard Reset]]'') tries to comprehend the idea of dating a mare who 'practically walks on water'. This being Twilight Sparkle, she does indeed do just this. And [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass dares her to walk out onto the lake with her]].

* Exar Kun, a Sith Lord from [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends early Star Wars history]] used this to impress and intimidate the Massassi people of Yavin 4 by walking to his temple in the middle of a lake. But it was actually a subversion -- Kun and his acolytes were walking on stones set a centimeter beneath the surface.
* Used in one episode of the children's series''Literature/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxyAndTurnLeft''. Dovis uses her powers to walk across a pond and save her friend. They then need to find some way to logically explain how she did this to [[{{Muggles}} Michelle]] (which they did by putting a log there to walk across).
* In “She who runs on the waves” novel of ''Literature/{{Grinlandia}}'' cycle features the character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to a mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.
* In Creator/PeterFHamilton's ''Literature/TheNightsDawnTrilogy'', the [[spoiler: [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens Kiint]] can walk on water, probably through the use of some supertech or PsychicPowers]]. They think little of it.
* From the same author, the ''Literature/VoidTrilogy'' actually has a ''character'' called Waterwalker (it's a nickname, actually, but he ''did'' do it). His ability is derived from the fact that he lives in a universe which allows PsychicPowers, and he's a very powerful telekinetic.
* In the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' series by Diane Duane, a fairly simple spell will allow a wizard to walk on water, although one has to be careful to maintain the {{masquerade}} and not let the {{muggles}} notice. Given a reasonably logical explanation -- the spell redistributes the caster's weight to a large enough area around the feet that the surface tension of the water will support it. Lightly deconstructed when Nita and Kit use the spell on the open sea. Making water hold their weight doesn't make it ''still'', and keeping their balance on the waves over a long trek leaves some seldom-used leg muscles very sore the next day.
* Elphaba does it in ''Literature/{{Wicked}}'' (the book), freezing the water at each step and she doesn't even notice it.

* In ''Literature/MissSmillasFeelingForSnow'', the title character has an almost psychic ability to read snow and ice. Thus she can walk on a half frozen sea because she can see which ice patches will support her weight and which won't. The onlookers are suitably impressed.
* ''Literature/TheHungarianGame'': One line invokes this as a statement of implausibility: the narrator's co-worker claims to have done something subtle, and the narrator notes that a vision of this fellow acting subtly is instantly followed by a vision of their boss walking across Lake Tahoe.
* ''Literature/{{Illusions}}'': Donald Shimoda does this trick to demonstrate his powers...and then follows it up by ''swimming in land''.

* ''Literature/TheIcelandicSagas'': In ''The Saga of Hallfred Troublesome Poet'', when Hallfred is lying ill in the middle of a storm on the passage to Iceland, the people on the ship suddenly see a tall woman in armour following the ship and walking on the waves as if on land. Hallfred realizes the woman is his ''fylgja'' or guardian spirit, and has come to take her leave from him -- meaning that he is about to die.
* ''Literature/AfterManAZoologyOfTheFuture'': The tiniest mammal in the work is a slender, short-legged insectivore with long hairs on its feet and tail. Set on the surface of still water, its foot- and tail-hairs spread its few grams of weight so broadly that it can scamper atop ponds and puddles, sticking its proboscis-like snout into mosquito larvae to suck out their contents.
* ''Literature/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'': A newly-arisen ghost tries to shake himself out of his postmortem depression by testing out what he can do in his newly-incorporeal state. Alas, going for a stroll on the Thames turns out to be fairly boring.
* ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' In a show of divinely-gifted power, the first angel to appear walks across a swamp of anger to help Dante on his odyssey through {{Hell}}.
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': Many people in Ankh-Morpork have done this, at least if you consider the polluted silt of the River Ankh to count as water -- it's a running joke that the Ankh is so filthy that once it leaves the city it's essentially a solid.
* ''Literature/ThePeople'': This is kind of a popular pastime among Creator/ZennaHenderson's humanoid aliens, who are accustomed to levitation ("lifting"). Back on Home, an elderly widow remembers strolling on a lake with her husband, and her granddaughter has been doing the same thing on another lake with her fiancé. We assume that they're lifting just enough that their feet touch the water while not going in. Century or so later, when earthwoman Meris finds and takes in little Lala, the child wants to take Meris to her crashed lifeship and starts to cross a fast-running creek this way, thinking Meris can follow her. It's not the only time Henderson implies that [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Jesus was one of Them]].

The [[TropeCodifier most well-known water-walker]] is probably [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Jesus Christ]] in the [[Literature/TheFourGospels Gospels]], who casually walked out '''[[UpToEleven over a raging sea]]''' (a feat few other water-walkers have ever matched -- JesusWasWayCool indeed) to meet his disciples' boat. Disciple Peter followed suit, but [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve his lack of faith]] caused him to sink beneath the water and he had to be saved by his master. Despite its Biblical origin, the trope is usually executed ''without'' an especially strong FauxSymbolism feel to it, as the primary objective is, once again, about looking cool. This doesn't stop the occasional Baptist-Fundamentalist MoralGuardian from complaining about people other than Jesus being depicted as doing such a thing, despite Peter walking on the water to Jesus almost immediately after seeing him.

* ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'''s EndingTheme cranks this trope UpToEleven. From the mark of 0:53 onwards, the Cures are shown ''[[DancingTheme dancing]]'' on water -- and it's a very energetic dance at that rate. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTxzO8-s8o It must be seen to be believed.]]

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'''s Ninjas take this UpToEleven with their Light Steps ability: they can walk across any surface, including water and lava, without difficulty or [[ConvectionSchmonvection harm]].

** In ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'', it's revealed Orion, due to some legends having him be a son of Poseidon, can do this at will. This is one of the few benefits that Artemis gets from hijacking his Saint Graph, which the heroes use to their advantage in Okeanos to have them launch an assault against Blackbeard's ship. Several of Saber's variants in the game also weaponize this, most particularly her summer swimsuit version (who also does the running variant) and her Alter self's swimsuit version (who takes this UpToEleven by imparting the blessing to her ''[[CoolBike motorcycle]]'' to ride across the ocean).

** Link could do this in the BubblegloopSwamp area of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap''.

** The "Tiny Mushroom" powerup in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' makes the player so small that they can run (even walk) across the surface of water, although they will start to sink if they stand still. Dottie's ability in ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' allows the same thing.

* The water walking potion in ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' grants the player this ability.

* Link could do this in the BubblegloopSwamp area of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap''.

* Subverted in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', in a scene in which Cologne is shown approaching the beach while apparently riding a wave, and the others comment on how a master of the martial arts can balance even on a twig floating on the water; at a suitably dramatic moment, however, the shark whose head Cologne has been standing on breaks the surface of the water.

* In “She who runs on the waves” novel of ''Literature/{{Grinlandia}}'' cycle features there is a character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to a mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.

* In “She who runs on the waves” novel of ''Literature/Grinlandia'' cycle features there is a character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to a mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.

* In “She who runs on the waves” novel of''Literature/Grinlandia'' cycle features the character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.

* In “She who runs on the waves” novel of''Literature/Grinlandia''cycle features the character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.

* Used in one episode of the children's series
''Literature/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxyAndTurnLeft''. Dovis uses her powers to walk across a pond and save her friend. They then need to find some way to logically explain how she did this to [[{{Muggles}} Michelle]] (which they did by putting a log there to walk across).
* ''Literature/Grinlandia'': The “She who runs on the waves” novel of the cycle features the character of Frezy Grant- a young girl, who, according to the legend, ran from her ship to mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, on waves. She thus became a good marine spirit, appearing to those lost at sea and leading them to safety, all the while walking on water.

* Used in one episode of the children's series ''Literature/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxyAndTurnLeft''. Dovis uses her powers to walk across a pond and save her friend. They then need to find some way to logically explain how she did this to [[{{Muggles}} Michelle]] (which they did by putting a log there to walk across).

The ability to stand on a liquid as if it were solid ground, which may occasionally have a tactical use, but is usually much more about [[RuleOfCool looking cool]].

SolidClouds can be seen as a form of walking on water as clouds in the sky often consist of masses of water droplets. Walking on [[WackyWaterbed waterbeds or lawn bubbles]] is the closest we can get to walking on liquid water on Earth.

SolidClouds can be seen as a form of walking on water as clouds in the sky often consist of masses of water droplets.

* Milked for all it's worth in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''. Some of the most climactic battles of the series have taken place over a large body of water. Like their usage of IHaveTheHighGround, it's related to the "standard" ninja ability to channel [[KiManipulation chakra]] into the feet. Sometimes the animators forget that everything else is meant to sink -- one filler episode showed huge clods of earth sitting happily on the surface.

The [[TropeCodifier most well-known water-walker]] is probably [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Jesus Christ]] in the [[Literature/TheFourGospels Gospels]], who casually walked out '''[[UpToEleven over a raging sea]]''' (a feat few other water-walkers have ever matched -- JesusWasWayCool indeed) to meet his disciples' boat. Disciple Peter followed suit, but [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve his lack of faith]] caused him to sink beneath the water and he had to be saved by his master. Despite its Biblical origin, the trope is usually executed ''without'' an especially strong FauxSymbolism feel to it, as the primary objective is, once again, about looking cool. This doesn't stop the occasional Baptist-Fundamentalist MediaWatchdog from complaining about people other than Jesus being depicted as doing such a thing, despite Peter walking on the water to Jesus almost immediately after seeing him.

IHaveTheHighGround, with a body of water and the ability to stand on a liquid as if it were solid ground substituted for the slender pole. This may occasionally have a tactical use, but it is usually much more about [[RuleOfCool looking cool]].