Line #91 Main/WashingtonDCInvasion


1	%%
2	%% Trope was declared Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease via crowner by the Real Life Maintenance thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php?crowner_id=mtmpjzzl
3	%%
4	%%
5	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
6	%%
7	%%
8	%% Image selected per Image Pickin thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16931008670.17869900
9	%% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread.
10	%%
11	[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/MarsAttacks https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ma_washingtoninflames_crop.png]]]]
12	[[caption-width-right:350:Finally, some interesting news.]]
13	%%
14	%% Caption selected per above thread. Please don't change or remove without approval from the Caption thread:
15	%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1404492079030138900
16	%%
17
18	-> ''"This is insane! You can't possibly hold Washington, much less conquer the entire United States. I know. I've '''TRIED!'''" ''
19	-->-- '''Cobra Commander''' to Serpentor, ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe''
20
21	So, you've got your villain, and his evil army. You've assured they're [[MoralEventHorizon evil]], but you're not sure whether the audience finds him [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain threatening]]. Or, you're trying to reverse years of VillainDecay. One way or another, you need to give your baddie some serious villain cred. So what do you do?
22
23	Invade UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC, of course! One second, the army's just rocking up on the outskirts, and the next, the BigBad's already asking the defeated defenders to TakeMeToYourLeader!
24
25	It seems that every villain, whether they be [[VideoGame/ModernWarfare2 Russkies with a grudge]] or [[ComicBook/AmazonsAttack a nutty supervillainess]], has their crosshairs aimed firmly at the center of American political power. While this is often justified, just as often (or possibly more often) the villain has no reason to attack Washington more than [[BigApplesauce any]] [[TokyoFireball other]] [[BritainIsOnlyLondon city]], and may often be setting his evil plan back a step by attempting to kill off the only people who can surrender to him.
26
27	A SubTrope of InvadedStatesOfAmerica, CapitalOffensive and sometimes CreatorProvincialism. Related to MonumentalDamage. See also the trope image for DirtyCommunists. Contrast with AliensInCardiff.
28
29	In RealLife DC traffic is so bad that any invasion by ground would be quickly stalled by the circles and roundabouts, which was their original intended purpose. To date, only two (technically three) forces have ever managed to hold the Capitol by invading it: Great Britain (and Canada) in the Burning of Washington during the War of 1812, and the [[WesternTerrorists insurrectionists]] during the [[TheCoup January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol]].
30
31	Also note that no such fictional invasion ever took place under the term of [[MemeticBadass Theodore Roosevelt]]. Coincidence? ''We think not!''
32	--------
33	!!Examples:
34
35	[[foldercontrol]]
36
37	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
38	* Not exactly aliens, but in ''Anime/AuraBattlerDunbine'' Drake Luft, the expansionist BigBad from Byston Well, the fantasy world with unicorns, fairies and [[HumongousMecha giant robots]], sets base in Washington as one of his first actions upon arriving at our Upper Earth, holding the entire United States as his hostage.
39	* In ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Shin Getter Robo vs Neo Getter Robo]]'', Texas Mack's introductory fight is set in [[EagleLand his homeland's]] capital, defending [[MonumentalDamage the White House, what was left of the Washington Monument and all the other well-known landmarks]].
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Comic Books]]
43	* ''ComicBook/AmazonsAttack'' primarily took place in DC, although the Amazons invaded other parts of the US as well.
44	* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica:'' The climactic fight of ''Captain America: Reborn'', where Steve Rogers returns from the dead and dramatically kills the Red Skull supposedly for real this time, takes place in Washington. Because naturally.
45	* ''ComicBook/CaptainCarrotAndHisAmazingZooCrew'' saw Waspington, DC (Washington's Earth-C counterpart) attacked on several occasions by villains.
46	* In the sequel to ''ComicBook/FreddyVsJasonVsAsh'', the US government gives us possibly the most suicidal example of the "we can exploit this dangerous creature's powers" trope in all fiction - resurrecting Freddy and Jason. The result? Freddy declares himself PresidentEvil, with a Deadite army (that they'd ''also'' had on hand) led by Jason storming Washington.
47	* ''ComicBook/{{Supreme}}'': Prior to his escape, Korgo the Space Tyrant appeared in front of TheWhiteHouse, challenged UsefulNotes/BillClinton for a duel (aghast at the poor combat capabilities of "William Clint's Son" compared to those of his father, the High Plains Drifter), defeated him and [[KlingonPromotion declared himself next president of USA]] and Hillary Clinton his wife. Don't worry, Hillary scared him off.
48	* The climax of ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'' has Franchise/{{Superman}} lead the invasion into Washington personally.
49	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Volume 1]]: While the Saturnian Empire's initial invasion plans were not directed at D.C. when those are called off and the Empire forms a treaty with the US. Instead Eviless' own little invasion targets D.C. She's framing the Saturnian ambassador for it in an attempt to destroy the new alliance.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Fanfiction]]
53	* ''Fanfic/CorelineOperationEndgame'': The second act of the story follows the heroes as they try their best to stem a ''massive'' invasion of DC by CHIMERA (an epic VillainTeamUp army composed of groups like COBRA, SPECTRE, the Decepticons and the Legion Of Doom. Think the GreatOffscreenWar of ''ComicBook/OldManLogan''). Even with multiple reinforcements requested and several of the heroes being a veritable OneManArmy, the best they can do is HoldTheLine long enough for the President to be safely evacuated (and deny CHIMERA one of its biggest targets).
54	* In ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureauTheOtherSideOfTheSpectrum'', [[LesCollaborateurs the PER]] working in collusion with the [[TheEmpire Solar Empire]] launched an all-out assault on Washington DC to take out the heads of America's military (as the USA was one of the few countries that hasn't been too seriously affected by the barrier and provides much of the backbone of earth's military response to the empire's xenocidal campaign). The end result has the American president take the NuclearOption.
55	* In ''Fanfic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'', [=ProtoMan=] plans this in episode 9, but it doesn't happen due to Wily's interference. Wily then steals his idea to use in episode 11.
56	* Like its canon namesake, ''Fanfic/TiberiumWars'' features a Nod invasion of GDI-held DC, centered around the (unsuccessful) attack on the Pentagon. Unlike in canon, the fic stretches this into a fifteen-chapter epic involving massive-scale urban warfare, thousands of tanks, and super-commandos on each side -- including ''Renegade'''s Havoc.
57	** Of course, "super-commando" fails to measure up to Havoc's level of awesome when he [[spoiler: ''retakes the occupied White House'' with nothing but a few GDI soldiers he picked up in the chaos and a couple of stolen Nod vehicles. [[StuffBlowingUp And a large quantity of explosives.]]]]
58	[[/folder]]
59
60	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
61	* The WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies film ''{{WesternAnimation/Wonder Woman\|2009}}'' has [[BigBad Ares]] invading Washington DC with an army of monsters and [[spoiler: zombie Amazons]]. When the army can't beat them, an army of Amazons arrive to defend the city. Notable for coming out shortly after the controversial ''ComicBook/AmazonsAttack'', where the Amazons are the ones ''invading'' DC.
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
65	* The original ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'' starts with a spaceship landing on the National Mall. Not an invasion, but no one told the Army. [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill2008 The remake]] moves the film to [[BigApplesauce New York]].
66	* ''Film/EarthVsTheFlyingSaucers'': The final battle takes place in Washington D.C.
67	* When [[Characters/MonsterVerseKingGhidorah King Ghidorah]] takes control of the other {{Kaiju}} and has them begin destroying the world in ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'', Ghidorah along with Rodan flies north from Mexico to personally invade Washington D.C., and his hurricane completely floods the city to the point where ''battleships'' can sail through the streets when the military arrive to combat him.
68	* The most famous scene in ''Film/IndependenceDay'' has the aliens destroying the White House, though they were simultaneously attacking many other cities as well.
69	* ''Film/InvasionUSA1952'' has "[[HammerAndSickleRemovedForYourProtection The Enemy]]" raid D.C. near the end to try to decapitate the United States' leadership; they're driven back, but not before killing the Senator character in the film.
70	* In ''Film/MarsAttacks'', Washington DC suffers MonumentalDamage, including the classic "tipping the Monument over" gag. Hilariously, they filmed what appears to be an actual tenement whose front wall had been demolished in one of the less salubrious parts of town, making the residents appear to be living in a dollhouse when the invasion ends.
71	* The 2013 film ''Film/OlympusHasFallen'' features an invading terrorist force sympathetic to North Korea overthrowing the White House and kidnapping the president.
72	* In ''Film/RampagePresidentDown'', Bill Williamson 400 feet from the White House uses a sniper rifle to kill the President, Vice President and Secretary of Defense. In the ending, it's implied that anarchists who sympathize with Bill killed off everyone else in the White House in order to fulfill Bill's plan of cleansing and regaining control of the nation.
73	* DC is hit in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'', and there are a few nods given to the last time a Transformers series showed the Decepticons attacking the capital of the USA
74	* Inverted in ''Film/{{The War Of The Worlds\|1953}}'' (1953), where Washington is the only major capital not to be attacked by the Martians.
75	* ''Film/CivilWar2024'': The film has the climax show the Western Forces of Texas and California (out of all states given the political differences between the two) invading Washington D.C after the Loyalist generals to the President surrendered, leaving only a small defence force in protecting the city and the President himself. [[spoiler: This leads to the WF forces successfully marching right into the White House's doorstep, killing any White House staff and Secret Service they come across, and ultimately summarily executing the President in the Oval Office.]]
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Literature]]
79	!!Authors
80	* Shows up in Creator/HarryTurtledove's AlternateHistory works a few times.
81	** In ''Literature/TheGunsOfTheSouth'', Robert E. Lee captures Washington DC to effectively end the "Second American Revolution" (this timeline's American Civil War).
82	** In ''Literature/Timeline191'', Washington DC is surrounded and threatened by Confederates in the "War of Secession" (''this'' timeline's American Civil War), then shelled in the Second Mexican War in 1881, and shelled and captured ''again'' during the Great War. Unsurprisingly, the Union government has long since decamped to Philadelphia out of artillery range, and Washington is described as a cold city of monuments only kept in place to prove a point.
83	** The Race in ''Literature/{{Worldwar}}'' don't bother invading Washington DC--they just ''nuke'' it. This is considered a MoralEventHorizon for many who had previously collaborated with the Race (whose only other nuking to this point was an attack on Nazi Germany's capital Berlin). The Race themselves didn't see how it was any different, as objectively speaking it wasn't, but of course, [[PatrioticFervor Americans are going to care much more about an American city]]. Propaganda films made much of a horror-inducing scene of the city turned to glass and panning to reveal the melted stub of the Washington Monument.
84	** The Nazis of ''In the Presence of Mine Enemies'' likewise nuke Washington DC during World War III, after the U.S. stayed neutral through World War II.
85
86	!!Individual Works
87	* Creator/DaveBarry's review of ''Film/IndependenceDay'' notes that the aliens' first mistake is attacking DC, as they seem to think attacking political centers will somehow make [[VastBureaucracy the government]] less effective. Similarly, millions of Americans take to the streets to celebrate that there are no more income taxes to pay.
88	* As in the RealLife UsefulNotes/WarOf1812, the British forces in ''[[Literature/TrailOfGlory The Rivers of War]]''[[note]]hardback title; the paperback was titled ''1812: The Rivers of War''[[/note]] attack Washington, DC in a punitive raid. However, in this AlternateHistory Sam Houston was present to help rally the troops to defend the Capitol Building, effectively turning the British attack from a major propaganda victory to petty arson when they settle for torching other buildings after being bloodied badly and driven away in their attempt to assault the Capitol Building.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
92	* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in ''Series/TheManInTheHighCastle''. Instead of invading Washington D.C. during their conquest of America, ThoseWackyNazis just dropped an atomic bomb on it instead.
93	* ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': In "The Deprogrammers", it is mentioned that the Torkor invasion of Earth began with one ship landing on the National Mall in Washington DC.
94	* The "Storm Front" two-parter of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' takes place in [[AlternateHistoryNaziVictory an alternate timeline where the Nazis]] [[InvadedStatesOfAmerica invaded the eastern United States]] with help from time-traveling aliens from the future. This is demonstrated with the White House draped in swastikas.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Video Games]]
98	* ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' culminates in DC, where the BigBad tries to nuke the White House.
99	* In the {{backstory}} of ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'', Nemesis attacked Washington DC near the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, and even managed to stage a ceremony where he was sworn in as Emperor of the Americas before heroes drove him out.
100	* Pulling off one of these is the ultimate goal of the Confederate player in the ''VideoGame/CivilWarGenerals'' series.
101	* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'':
102	** In a fairly early mission briefing for the first ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn'''s NOD campaign, Kane's right-hand man sends your forces to Washington DC to attack the Pentagon, against Kane's wishes. He doesn't get enough time to regret this, and the attack is called off.
103	** In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'', both the Soviet and Allied campaigns have two missions each take place in and around Washington -- ''[=RA2=]'' was when the series started to get {{camp}}y and {{Troperiffic}}, so the triteness of the premise can be excused. The first Soviet mission has you destroying the Pentagon en route to occupying the city, while the eighth Soviet mission involves attacking [[CivilWarcraft General Vladimir's base]] near and capturing the White House. On the Allied side, the third mission Subverts the trope in that the player's task is simply a smash-and-grab of the President to be evacuated by helicopter before he can be psychically-compelled to surrender the US to the Soviets, while the sixth mission technically fits the trope insofar as Allied forces are the ones staging an invasion to recapture Washington and kick the Soviets out.
104	** ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars'': The first act of the Nod campaign is a multi-stage invasion of DC and the environs, with special attention paid to the White House and Langley AFB. The first act of the ''GDI'' campaign is kicking the aforesaid invasion back ''out'' of the city, starting with the Siege of the Pentagon. Justified in this game given that the Pentagon is GDI's remaining command center and both sides are exploiting the White House's propaganda value.
105	* ''VideoGame/TheConduit'' takes place almost entirely in Washington D.C. at the start of such an invasion. The sequel, ''VideoGame/Conduit2'', has a level where you return to the city at the peak of the invasion.
106	* D.C. is one of the cities you can attack in ''VideoGame/CrushCrumbleAndChomp!''
107	* The second-to-last mission of the American campaign in ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth II'' is a scramble to defend Washington from an attempted MilitaryCoup by cybernetically-enhanced troops who are opposed to large cutbacks in military spending.
108	* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'': While Washington D.C wasn't invaded by ground troops (aside from the chinese infiltrators using the Mama Dolce's restaurant as a hiding place even before World War III broke out, who can still be found there as Ghouls 200 years later), the city was by far the most heavily targeted during the Great War - the area is called the Capital Wasteland for a reason. While some landmarks such as the Washington Monument, the Capital Dome, and the Lincoln Memorial still exist, albeit damaged, the White House is outright gone, with only an irradiated crater in it's place. [[spoiler: After the Lone Wanderer rediscovers the Purifier, Washington is invaded again, this time by the Enclave, hoping to use it to launch their conquest of America.]]
109	* The first missions of ''[[VideoGame/StrikeSeries Jungle Strike]]'' are set in Washington DC, and the bad guys send tanks and missile trucks to destroy the famous landmarks and invade the White House. [[ItsUpToYou You are the only person doing anything at all about it]].
110	* ''VideoGame/MetalWolfChaos'': In the first mission, [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent President Michael Wilson]] fights his way out of TheWhiteHouse and through a secret bunker to launch UsefulNotes/AirForceOne [[RuleOfCool through the Washington Monument's moon pool]] as [[EvilChancellor Vice President RICHAAARD! Hawk]] invades the city, though Washington D.C. is one of the last major cities Michael retakes.
111	* ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare 2'' plays with this trope. The Russian invasion encompasses ''all'' of the East Coast states (starting with Northeastern Virginia), and Washington is only assaulted relatively late into the invasion, persumably after the Russians managed to break through the other states in their way. Either that or the PlayerCharacter simply wasn't sent there yet. Fittingly, the final battle of it is you storming the White House. America winning it was the turning point in the invasion, but prior to it things were so bad [[GodzillaThreshold the military was going to level the entire city.]]
112	* The final level of ''VideoGame/{{Octogeddon}}'' involves the titular giant octopus destroying Washington D.C. and TheWhiteHouse.
113	* An invasion of Washington is the best possible ending of ''VideoGame/PanzerGeneral''.
114	* One possible win condition for the Soviet side of the Cold War campaign in ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' is a conventional invasion of the Eastern Seaboard territory (the Americans' capital territory), where the player starts from New England and whose goal is to capture and hold Washington.
115	* The intro of ''VideoGame/ShatteredUnion'' shows DC suffering a nuclear attack by terrorists [[spoiler:backed by a hostile Russia]]. Afterwards, when [[DividedStatesOfAmerica America falls into a second Civil War]], the European Union expeditionary force seizes the ruins of the city and the surrounding Chesapeake Bay region in order to restore order. You yourself, of course, can fight in and around the city.
116	* ''Creator/TomClancy'':
117	** VideoGame/{{HAWX}}'' features a PMC [[NGOSuperpower launching a multi-pronged attack on the USA]]. One of their main goals is to kidnap/kill the President, so of course, they invade Washington DC. Good thing the HAWX Squadron are there to repel them!
118	*** They actually do manage to blow up the White House, but the First Family was currently on Air Force One. Which Artemis quickly tries to shoot down, and whom the HAWX have to defend.
119	** In ''VideoGame/EndWar'', since it's the American capital, Washington DC can be invaded.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Web Original]]
123	* ''Literature/TheFireNeverDies'': The climax of the [[SecondAmericanCivilWar Second American Revolution]] is the Battle of Washington, with the Red Army unleashing one of their trademark [[MoreDakka artillery barrages]], [[MonumentalDamage destroying the White House]], before Red troops cross the frozen Potomac and enter the city, leading to [[MonumentalBattle firefights in the Smithsonian and Capitol]]. The city falls after ten days of fighting. Unlike most examples, the attackers here are the ''good guys''.
124	* ''WebOriginal/TheInnocent'': This is portrayed in one EmergencyBroadcast.
125	* ''Literature/UntilEveryDropOfBloodIsPaid'': The Confederacy is able to take advantage of the unruly situation at the beginning of the war and successfully invades Washington D.C., forcing the government to move to Philadelphia. The city becomes the first target of the U.S. Army in the Eastern Front, and it becomes liberated in July 1862 - but not before the Confederates burn the White House and the Capitol to ashes.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Western Animation]]
129	* In the teaser for the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' episode, "The Siege of Starro" (Part One) we see [[TakeOverTheWorld would-be conqueror]] Per Degaton and his army of robots attacking Washington. They are defeated by the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica.
130	** Much of "Darkseid Descending!" takes place in an occupied Washington, D.C., which Kalibak is using as a beachhead for Darkseid's invasion of Earth.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'': Technically, the Skrull invasion hits the entire planet, but the final battle between the Avengers and Veranke takes place outside Congress.
132	* This happens quite frequently in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', so that President Nixon and Captain Brannigan have gotten so used to surrendering that they will sometimes do so at inappropriate occasions on accident.
133	* The episode "Arise, Serpentor, Arise" from ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'', which featured Cobra seizing the capitol, and Serpentor using the Lincoln Memorial as a throne room. (He brought in a gold throne, and sat it in the statue of Lincoln's ''lap.'')
134	* Dr. Wily tries this in one episode of the Ruby-Spears ''WesternAnimation/MegaManRubySpears'' cartoon.
135	* The episode "Atlantis, Arise!" from ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers''. Featuring highlights such as the Autobots having to melt the masonry of the Washington Monument back together (somehow), and Megatron ripping the Abe Lincoln part of the Lincoln Memorial off the chair so that he can use the chair as a throne.
136	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'''s third season episode, "The Red Badge Of Gayness" has Cartman attempt to pull this off by playing the role of Robert E. Lee in a historical re-enactment and riling up the Confederacy re-enactors just so he can win a bet with Stan and Kyle. He almost has UsefulNotes/BillClinton ready to surrender until Stan and Kyle come in dressed as UsefulNotes/JeffersonDavis and UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln in order to end the re-enactment as a Union victory.
137	[[/folder]]
138

Context Main / WashingtonDCInvasion