Line #147 Main/TailorMadePrison


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3	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
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6	%% Examples that don't explain how the prison is tailor-made (that is to say, zero context examples) will be commented out.
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13
14	->''"...she did confine thee,\
15	By help of her more potent ministers\
16	And in her most unmitigable rage,\
17	Into a cloven pine; within which rift\
18	Imprison'd thou didst painfully remain\
19	A dozen years..."''
20	-->-- '''Prospero''', ''Theatre/TheTempest''
21
22	A personal [[TheAlcatraz Alcatraz]] made with special precautions to stop this one person from escaping. If they have a [[StockSuperPowersIndex super power]], then it likely incorporates either a PowerNullifier or mechanisms that are power-proof. More likely to use a LogicalWeakness than a KryptoniteFactor.
23
24	[[RuleOfDrama Eventually the villain will break out]], but to be fair to the prison's designer, they usually can't escape on their own. They might [[EvilIsNotAToy get some help]] from [[BreakingOutTheBoss their henchmen]], some UnwittingPawn, or an ill-advised upstart villain exploiting the prison's FantasticFragility. Since such prisons are designed for one occupant, they may be ineffective against the powers of another, leading to a variant on the OpponentSwitch.
25
26	The purpose of the Tailor-Made Prison in a story is usually one to give a villain street cred: they must be ''really'' bad to merit it. Also, a previous BigBad can be considered to be CommutingOnABus when in the prison. They’re being kept around with a plausible reason to be [[OrcusOnHisThrone cooling their heels]] instead of raising hell and can be sprung out when dramatically convenient. Considering that any villain who merits such attention very likely has JokerImmunity in a world of {{Cardboard Prison}}s, the builders of the place may be fully aware that this is a temporary solution but hope it will give them, at least, a few months of peace.
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28	There are generally skeletons -- BackStory {{Red Shirt}}s -- [[UnwillingSuspension hanging about]] to indicate that this is not a normally escapable place.
29
30	Sometimes this is the purpose of the PhantomZone. Compare SealedEvilInACan for those immortal villains who can't be held by a mere custom-designed prison but can overlap if their can is custom made. Compare also ShippedInShackles, which is the mobile version of this trope. For added psychological trauma, may be paired with TheAloner. Sometimes combined with GildedCage. See also CrystalPrison for a common cage.
31
32	{{Cardboard Prison}}s occur when these are circumvented way too often and ''way'' too easily.
33
34	%%Not to be confused with RealLife oubliettes, which work completely differently, by dumping prisoners in a pit too deep to climb out of and leaving them there. Maybe they get fed, maybe they don't. Probably they die there. Many chambers described as dungeons or oubliettes were in fact storerooms, water-cisterns or even latrines. In the Middle Ages, imprisonment was mainly reserved for those too politically important to execute or have murdered, and such a prisoner was of great value (a duke or a king) for ransom purposes, so there was an incentive to keep the prisoner alive and moderately healthy.
35
36	Usually becomes a case of CripplingOverspecialization when someone else becomes an inmate of that prison.
37
38	----
39	!!Examples:
40	[[index]]
41	* TailorMadePrison/AnimeAndManga
42	* TailorMadePrison/ComicBooks
43	* TailorMadePrison/FanWorks
44	* [[TailorMadePrison/LiveActionFilms Films - Live-Action]]
45	* TailorMadePrison/{{Literature}}
46	* TailorMadePrison/LiveActionTV
47	* TailorMadePrison/TabletopGames
48	* TailorMadePrison/VideoGames
49	* TailorMadePrison/WesternAnimation
50	[[/index]]
51
52	[[foldercontrol]]
53
54	[[folder:Films — Animated]]
55	* Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' sees Zeus imprison the Titans in an undersea vault in the prologue; the vault only becomes visible and vulnerable when the planets align, and even then, only another god could release the seal.
56	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' has Syndrome put the family into special restraints that involve a large metal ball around each hand and foot and the balls are then suspended by electricity, preventing most movement. This is shown to have two flaws. One, when it's just holding Mr. Incredible, he still has enough leeway for movement to lunge, grab, and super-strength-bear-hug anyone who gets too close. Two, it has no contingency for Violet's force fields, which she can simply put around herself to block the electricity and free herself from the device, which allows her to deactivate the rest of the restraints.
57	* ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'': When she gets captured by [[spoiler:Evelyn]], [[RubberMan Elastigirl]] is held inside a cell chilled to well below freezing, so not only can she not stretch very far, if she tries, as her captor puts it, she'll break.
58	* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1'': Tai Lung's prison Chor Ghom was built specifically to hold him and no other prisoners. Built into a mountain, it consisted of multiple levels with the bottom level holding the evil snow leopard with some sort of acupuncture needles paralyzing him and his front paws held by iron chains fastened to massive boulders hanging over the chasm. The upper layers included pulley elevators, ballistae, [[RocksFallEveryoneDies dynamite tied to huge stalactites]], and 1000 rhino guards (several hundred of them archers). He got out by using a ''fallen feather'' to pick the lock on his restraints -- a feather from a duck sent there [[SelfFulfillingProphecy specifically to make sure that Tai Lung didn't escape]]. He then uses everything that was used to imprison him to pull off an elaborate escape.
59	* ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfOzDorothysReturn'': When he captures the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, [[BigBad the Jester]] places them in individualized containment that would be the worst for them to experience. Scarecrow is on a spinning wheel surrounded by magical flames that flare up at whim. The Tin Man is in a clear box filled to the top with water so that he would continue to rust. And the Lion is in a cage the tends to shrink and squeeze him whenever the Jester feels like it.
60	* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'': When being transported, Stitch is restrained in a prison with a gun specifically designed to fire at him and only him by locking on to anything containing his DNA. He escapes this by spitting on a guard which makes the gun fire at the spit and cause chaos. He then lands on an unintentional one, Hawaii. Due to not being able to swim, and due to the fact that his primary function is destroying stuff like large cities is unlikely to create a mode of transportation, he's trapped on the island where he is eventually reformed by Lilo.
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
64	* Myth/ClassicalMythology: The Labyrinth was built by Daedalus to be a prison for the [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent Minotaur]].
65	* Myth/NorseMythology:
66	** Loki can shape-shift his way out of any kind of fetters, talk his way out of any kind of incrimination, and seemingly almost by reflex think up plots to bring down the invincible. So the gods turn his sons into wolves ripping each other's guts out and tie him up with said guts, entomb him in an isolated cave beneath the world, and place a snake over his head that constantly drips venom into his eyes to keep him distracted.
67	** The wolf Fenris was imprisoned with a specially crafted, unbreakable, ribbon-like chain, made from women's beards, cat's footfalls, bear's sinews, the roots of mountains, fish's breath and bird's spit. The reason that these things can't be found anymore is because the dwarves had to use them all up to create the chain.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Toys]]
71	* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': Belonging to a species that was subjected to an experiment GoneHorriblyWrong, Avak received the power to conjure cages made out of absolutely anything at will. These only exist as long as he keeps focusing, and require a knowledge of the captive's strengths and weaknesses rather than automatically disabling their abilities.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Webcomics]]
75	* In ''Webcomic/TheDementiaOfMagic'', Marzos was imprisoned by other mages, but escaped.
76	* Othar Tryggvassen, GentlemanAdventurer!, of ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' is introduced imprisoned in one of these in Castle Wulfenbach. He tries to get Agatha to release him from it, thinking her to be the MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter (she didn't do it, not wanting to be the easily [[UnwittingPawn duped minion]] that sets the insanely dangerous experiment free). [[AuthorAvatar "Professor Phil Foglio"]] is later found and [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20060726 inadvertently freed]] by a group seeking to rescue Agatha in Sturmhalten. He's '''singing''' "[[{{Pun}} Oubliette, oubladaa, life goes on, yeah!]]". It was a pit filled with the bones of all those who pissed off the local Prince. The rescue party also ended up in another one but a comrade they'd been separated from earlier showed up through a secret door and let them out.
77	* In ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'', some of the supervillains from the "brawl" are shown in prison cells specifically designed to inhibit their powers (since there is no such thing as a universal power suppressant, this is necessary for anyone whose powers might be useful in staging a breakout). One who could create portals is put in a pressurized cell so that opening a portal would cause explosive decompression, while the violence-powered guy who started the whole thing is kept in solitary confinement with cute video games, ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' posters, and a constant stream of marijuana smoke.
78	* In ''Webcomic/HeroOhHero'', three of the four "Special Prisoners" in the Baron's castle (Moe the Shifter, Ariara, and "Magic Shoes") were kept in these.
79	* Lok's prison in ''Webcomic/{{Juathuur}}''. He still gets visits, sort of.
80	* In ''Webcomic/{{Roza}}'', [[http://www.junglestudio.com/roza/?date=2007-05-13 old Gil]].
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Web Original]]
84	* The whole point of the ''Website/SCPFoundation'' (which stands for "'''S'''pecial '''C'''ontainment '''P'''rocedures) is to find ways to contain anomalous objects, creatures, and phenomena; some of which would threaten humanity if allowed to go free, and others which are less dangerous but would break the {{Masquerade}}. The prisons can range from as extreme as keeping a [[HealingFactor regenerating]] OmnicidalManiac immersed in a vat of concentrated hydrochloric acid, to as minor as fencing off areas where weird stuff happens.
85	* ''TabletopGame/TechInfantry'' has the Federation (and later Imperial) Prison in the R45 system, a DeathWorld with orbiting warships and magical fields to prevent escape or rescue, where the most dangerous supernatural criminals are sent. The more mundane version of the trope is seen when Andrea Treschi kidnaps Xavier Pollos and holds him prisoner in a deep pit to force him to carry out an assassination on Treschi's behalf.
86	* The web novel ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' features the Birdcage, a prison designed to hold supervillians on life sentences. It is designed to counter a huge variety of superpowers through both active and passive measures, most of which are spectacularly lethal to those who attempt to escape. An escape is eventually effected with the aid of an individual on the outside who has the ability to create dimensional portals, but even that required cooperation from the prison's controllers.
87	** ''Worm'''s sequel ''Literature/{{Ward}}'' features a ''lack'' of such a prison as a plot point: what exactly do you do with superpowered criminals when you don't have the resources to build a tailor-made prison? [[spoiler:They eventually arrive at the solution of dumping criminals in uninhabited alternate dimensions, isolated and alone, but with regular supply drops to ensure they have the tools they need to survive. Everyone's aware that this isn't a very humane or sustainable solution, but they simply don't have the ability to construct a second Birdcage.]]
88	* In the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'', there are a few of these for the really high-class super-powered individuals, from Roxbury C (around Boston) to the Thunder Mountain Penitentiary, which is specially prepared for [[FlyingBrick bricks]] and ragers. The biggest of all we've seen so far is the Arkham Research Consortiate's, at ''that'' [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Arkham]], where they don't just keep the most demented {{Reality Warper}}s [[HumanPopsicle on ice]], but a number of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s as well.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Real Life]]
92	* Back in the 19th century the worst prisoners spared from death penalty were boxed in into tiny alcoves that were then bricked shut save for a window through which they were fed. In practice this was a far more cruel punishment than death, as it meant slowly wasting away from infections -- apparently the builders thought that NobodyPoops. [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Or they didn't care]].
93	* Countess UsefulNotes/ElizabethBathory de Ecsed of Sixteeth Century Hungary allegedly tortured and killed hundreds of young girls over several years. Upon being convicted, she was placed under house arrest for the rest of her life, where she was immured in her bedroom with only a small opening to provide her with food. She died after living this way for four years.
94	* Stammheim Prison was the first supermax prison in Germany, purposely built to keep captured members of the [[WesternTerrorists Red Army Faction]]. As with many improvements in public security of the period, it was a huge failure; the captives were quite able to communicate with each other and even had firearms smuggled inside their cells.
95	** The guns in question were allegedly used to commit suicide. However, persistent and not entirely baseless theories have circulated that, actually, the Baader-Meinhof gangers were executed by the German government. (Andreas Baader, for instance, fired his gun at least 3 times and supposedly shot himself in the back of the neck so the bullet exited his forehead.) So, how much of a failure the prison was is debatable.
96	* Robert Maudsley, a British serial killer, was sent to prison in 1973. Whilst there he tortured and killed several people, allegedly cannibalizing one, until in 1983 it was decided he was too dangerous for a normal cell. He now is kept for 23 hours a day in a glass cell where the bed is a concrete slab, the toilet and sink are bolted to the floor, and the only other thing he has is a chair and desk made from compressed cardboard. He is escorted for one hour a day to an empty yard to exercise under the supervision of six guards. The cell was made eight years before ''Silence of the Lambs'' used it for our other famous cannibal.
97	** The regime has been relaxed a little in recent years, however, and Maudsley is allowed a stereo in his cell and on rare occasions is permitted contact with people besides his guards, including at least one press interview.
98	* The alternate name for the page, "The Oubliette", is a dungeon in the shape of a well or bottle (hence "bottle dungeon") with a trap door at the top to let people in via a rope or rope ladder. Seeing how these were only talked in the 1880s it's very likely these alleged "dungeons" were likely places to store ice or ammo for siege weapons like catapults.
99	* There is the famous Man in the Iron Mask. He was held in various prisons throughout France in the late 17th and early 18th century, but was forced to always wear an Iron Mask and the man's identity was kept hidden from all the guards. It was often theorized that the Man identity was so confidential as the man was a secret brother of King Louis XIV to prevent any SuccessionCrisis. Other theories was that it was an Italian diplomat, so the identity was hidden to avoid a major diplomatic incident.
100	[[/folder]]
101

Context Main / TailorMadePrison