History Main / TheJoyOfFirstFlight

* ''WesternAnimation/MyAdventuresWithSuperman'': After getting over the initial shock of floating off the ground, a young Clark soon takes off into the clouds at the beginning of the first episode. He's laughing and whooping the whole time as he flips, spins, and somersaults through the air. His fun is only soured by the realization that normal people can't do this, resulting in him wondering [[IAmWho who and what he is]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'': Young Clark Kent is understandably distraught when his {{Puberty Superpower}}s kick in and his adopted parents reveal that he is an alien. Learning that his alien heritage includes the ability of flight, however, goes a long way to calming him down and starting him on the road to coming to terms.

''({{beat}} as Yamori takes in the scenery)''\\

** Subverted when Kobayashi rides Tohru for the first time due to been late for work, with her reaction been a mix of terror from the speed of their flight and agony due to her lower back pain. After a few more times, however, she appears to enjoy it without much issue - actively asking to ride Tohru on the night of Christmas Eve in the anime and expressing great joy during the flight.
** Played straight with Chloe, who is clearly enjoying riding on Kanna after being rescued from a kidnapping. Then again, [[FeatheredDragons Kanna's]] back is significantly more comfortable than Tohru's.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
** In ''ComicBook/SupermanSecretOrigin'', [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Clark Kent]] figures out he can fly as saving Lana Lang from a tornado. At the beginning, he's too shocked to do anything but try to land safely, but he's bursting with joy afterwards.
--->'''Jonathan Kent:''' You really did it, son? You flew?\\

** In ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton1959'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} sports a radiant smile when she takes off and soars through the skies for the first time. [[ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton2004 Later]] [[ComicBook/LastDaughterOfKrypton origin]] stories subverted this, though, making Kara look more shocked and scared than joyous.
** "ComicBook/SupergirlsBigBrother": After taking one power-granting pill, Biff Rigger immediately tests his newfound flight power, feeling exultant while he makes pirouettes across the sky, not even noticing his clothes are burning off due to the air friction.
** ''ComicBook/Supergirl1984'': When she rises through the air for the first time, Kara is surprised but delighted, and she immediately tests her new power as sporting a radiant smile on her face.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' story ''ComicBook/TheGreatDarknessSaga''. Most of the Legionnaires love flying, but Invisible Kid can't wait to land after being forced to fly from California to London during his first mission.
-->'''Invisible Kid:''' And if you would, please-- Could we not land first? I think my stomach has flown enough for its first day with a Flight Ring!

** Despite the depressing and SeriousBusiness circumstances, Aoshi describes the first time he and Kenshin fly on a dragon "incredible". Subverted for Saitou and Hana, who both discover theretofor-unknown fears of heights.
** Similarly the first time Kenshin flies unaided is a re-establishing character moment (in the joy he finds in it), and the first time he takes any of his family with him is a bonding moment every time.

* Trainee witch Rebecka Smith-Rhodes learns to fly in the tale ''Strandpiel'' by Creator/AAPessimal. Her overjoyed reaction to - at last - being allowed on a broomstick is tempered by the instructor sitting behind her who tersely says we aren't up here for sight-seeing, and that was a bloody awful take-off.

-->'''Katherine:''' "I, well, when I was six years old, I had my mother make me a Supergirl costume, and when we were alone, just the family, with nobody else and no spyrays or anything around, I'd just jump into the air, wearing it, and holler, 'Up, up, and away from me!' And I, oh, I didn't go very far up, not high enough to be visible from a great distance, but it was so much fun. Being a little six-year-old Supergirl. Not to have to fight bad guys, or to show off my strength. Just to be able to fly."

* ''Fanfic/NewBeginningsSmallville'': In the second chapter, Clark Kent tries to fly for the first time. Smiling witfully, he takes off upwards rapidly, and then he lets himself float among the clouds.
-->Clark finally opened his eyes to realize he was floating comfortably in the air, the image of Lois fixed firmly in his mind.\\
''"Get out of your head Kal-El. Let go and just fly, it's freedom," said Kara, a wistful smile on her face as she remembered the feeling.''\\
Clark shot upwards rapidly, completely unburdened by the future or the past. His mind focused on Lois because she was his freedom. He smiled contentedly as he soared higher. […]\\
Clark finally stopped his ascent a few miles above ground. This was the freedom Kara had talked about. Clark closed his eyes and allowed himself a chance to just float wherever the high winds took him.
* ''Fanfic/TheWeaverOption'': Taylor's reaction when she flies after gaining her Saint Wings. She has try not to giggle in joy of the novelty of being able to fly under her own power.
* In ''Fanfic/AVeryKaraChristmas'', Linda oozes boundless joy as she practices her newfound flying powers.
-->Flying. She was flying.\\
Rao, she loved to fly. Both hands stuck out in front of her balled in fists, air scraping into her face so fast she could feel its heat, smell its sizzle, hear its roar in her long-since-popped ears, the cape flapping behind her like a flag in a high wind, it felt triumphant, she felt triumphant. Not just some lame bird trying to play a role in a house of parentless children, but an unbeatable goddess (dare she think that? Not a real goddess, just a mythical one) with the speed of lightning and the force of a tornado on overtime.\\
She wanted to shriek in joy, but Kal had told her not to. Somehow, somewhere, someone might hear it. So she just grinned and rocketed into the night sky.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Dial}}'', Pepper Potts feels exultant when she flies alongside Iron Man after getting used to her armor.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{How to Train Your Dragon|2010}}'':

** There's Astrid's reaction when Hiccup and Toothless take her flying to convince her that Toothless isn't just a monster (after he initially scares the hell out of her with stomach-churning stunt flying until she apologises) which doubles as a FlightOfRomance for her and Hiccup, set to the soaring but beautiful tune of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXUd7GqXYGI "Romantic Flight"]] to really convey the beauty of being able to touch the clouds with your fingers.
* ''WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvania'': After finally getting her long-desired permission from her father to go out for the first time, Mavis happily jumps out of a window and turns into a bat moments before hitting the water of the moat. She playfully skims the tip of her wing over it as she flies.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'': Quasimodo encourages a young, tremulous bird to take its first flight. When the bird discovers that it can indeed remain airborne, it's ecstatic and goes soaring off to join other birds in riding the wind. This scene demonstrates that Quasimodo is kindly and compassionate, and contrasts the bird's freedom in the skies with Quasimodo's effective imprisonment in the cathedral's belltower.

* Twice earlier when Buzz Lightyear from Creator/{{Pixar}}'s ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' attempted to fly, he failed. The second failure also served as his BreakTheCutie moment. However, when Buzz deployed his wings to break free of the doomed rocket, he discovered that he could indeed fly... or at least glide well. This even gave him the chance to chide Sheriff Woody with an IronicEcho: "This isn't flying; this is falling, ''with style''."
* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', when Mei discovers her giant red panda transformation grants her NotQuiteFlight, the look on her face is pure joy.

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' - Jake's first flight on a Banshee / Ikran fills him with joy.
** Earlier on, the first time in his Avatar form, he relishes the feeling of being able to ''walk'' after years of being wheelchair-bound, swiftly followed by running all around the complex with childlike abandon.

* The main characters in ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' are in ecstasy over being able to fly.
* Once Johnny Storm in ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' discovers that his power to control heat and flames also entail flight as RequiredSecondaryPowers, he's ecstatic, and goes zooming around New York like a flying, flaming loon.

* Tony Stark in ''Film/IronMan1'' was gasping in thrilled ecstasy when he first took up flight with his Mk. 2 armor.

* While it's not flying ''per se'', in ''Film/SpiderMan1'' when Peter first learns how to web sling, he's hooting and hollering as he swings through New York.
** Hilariously subverted in ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''. Peter tries taking M.J through NYC on his webs, and she's understandably terrified and swears never to do it again.
* One of Neo's powers in ''Franchise/TheMatrix'' trilogy is flight, which is depicted as just as awesome and indeed godlike as one might expect. Lampshaded in the [[Film/TheMatrixReloaded second film]] in the series, when Link refers to this ability as Neo "doing his Superman thing".
* ''Film/ThePumaman'': When the protagonist first tries his flight power, it's accompanied by joyful music meant to evoke the wonder... of some of the worst ChromaKey in the history of mankind. The [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S09E03ThePumaman MST3K episode]] had ''tons'' of fun with it.
-->'''Mike:''' Help, I'm falling at a 60 degree angle breaking all the laws of physics!

* ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'': When E.T. and Elliot go to send the signal to E.T.'s home they go on a bike ride through the woods, until E.T. causes them to go over a cliff at which point they start flying. Elliot is at first yelling for them not to go too high, but soon after relaxes and begins to enjoy himself, culminating in the iconic shot of them flying across the moon, and all of it set to John William's unforgettable score.
* ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'': While in the book Harry's first flight with Buckbeak is brief and rather unpleasant (Harry much prefers a broom to Hippogryph), the movie makes it into an entire sequence of the two of them flying around, at one point showing Harry spreading his arms as though ''he'' were the one flying.
* ''Film/XMenFirstClass'': Banshee has several failed attempts at harnessing his screaming powers to fly. The first time he flies (rather than falling), he gives out a classic "woo hoo!", which he immediately has to stop - in order to give another scream that will keep him flying.
* ''Film/SantaClausTheMovie'':
** Santa Claus's first Christmas takeoff and journey is a colossal celebration for him and everyone else at the North Pole.
** Joe's first ride with Santa in the sleigh over New York City is a similarly joyous occasion for the boy.
** Patch's initial flight in the Patchmobile is presented in a similar manner to Santa's first flight, just with a smaller crowd of B.Z. and his underlings cheering him on.
** Much of humanity gets to feel this when they find out what makes Patch's lollipops so special. The first person seen experiencing it is Miss Tucker, Cornelia's sourpuss nanny, who only takes a bite because the girl doesn't want it. She laughs delightedly upon floating up, adding "I feel just like Mary Poppins!"

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': More like the joy of every flight- according to every member of the team in just about every book, the thrill of flying never gets old. If anything, all other experiences pale before it: Jake mentions a roller coaster that's just sad compared to pulling a 200 mph dive as a peregrine falcon.

* ''Literature/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'': Main character Tatsuya's brilliancy in handling--and development (as only a handful of characters ever know)--of cutting edge {{magitek}} bears novel fruit: the flying device. Onscreen events include him showing the prototype to his prodigy little sister Miyuki, followed by Miyuki's test flight. Later, Tatsuya's closely collaborating thinktank laboratory testers use small batch of devices. Next comes a very public display by Miyuki in major event of Nine-School Competition arc without prior announcement. Making it three revelations of one device, with increasing in-universe audience each time.

* In ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', a key part of video game [=ALfheim=] Online's appeal is that it lets characters fly--which means, being as it's a [[InsideAComputerSystem virtual reality]] game, that the players get to experience flight for themselves. When Kirito first gets the hang of the flight controls in ALO, he takes a minute to have fun being able to fly, momentarily forgetting about his very serious mission. Suguha is revealed to have been much the same, as she got a copy of ALO just to see the world Kazuto loves so much; she only saw VR games as something that took him away from her until she flew for the first time as Leafa.

* in ''Literature/TheTwoPrincessesofBamarre" one of the first things newborn sorcerers do is take their flying abilities for a joy ride.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': Downplayed in episode 2 where [[PowerCopying Peter]] argues with Nathan on a rooftop and unwittingly copies his power to fly causing him to hover. His reaction upon realizing this (with Nathan's help) is sheer amazement.

-->'''Michelle:''' Jim Jim Jim! Jim look! Holy crap! I'm ''flying!''
-->'''Jim:''' ''[shadowing her]'' Actually, you're just gliding. Try flapping, ''then'' you'll fly.
* In ''Webcomic/BlueYonder'', [[http://www.blueyondercomic.net/comics/1729438/blue-yonder-chapter-3-page-1/ Jared discovered the delights of flying soon after birth]]. (Albeit as a ThreeMonthOldNewborn.) [[http://www.blueyondercomic.net/comics/1780885/blue-yonder-chapter-3-page-6/ And for him the punishment of "grounding" means no flight]].
-->'''[[http://www.blueyondercomic.net/comics/1729438/blue-yonder-chapter-3-page-one/ Jared]]''': ''I never got the phrase "For the birds." Sure, they eat bread, bugs, and the occasional worm, but I still think it's worth it for the view alone.''
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
** When Elliot flies for the first time, he started out focused on the situation at hand before quickly becoming distracted [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1154 by enjoying the fact that he was flying]].
** Ellen's first experience with flying was in the middle of a life-or-death battle. Nanase had to [[http://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-07-30 keep her focused on the task at hand]] (Link contains spoilers).
** When Nanase regained her magic after several months without it, one of the first things she did was to [[http://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-09-06 simply enjoy flying again.]]
** Ashley can't fly on her own, but she certainly seemed enthusiastic about being carried by a flying Elliot, if the [[http://www.egscomics.com/comic/2015-10-19 huge grin]] is anything to go by.
* ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'': In [[http://xkcd.com/962/ 962]] it states that making & using flight suits which are fun but very dangerous is more satisfying that flying in rockets to other planets. Also, according to the AltText no alien avian society has ever developed space travel because "it's impossible to concentrate on calculus when you could be outside flying."

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''. [[spoiler: Not only is [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraZaheer Zaheer]] learning to fly a very, ''very'' bad thing for the protagonists, but it was born from Zaheer tragically losing the last of his earthly attachments -- his longtime love, P'Li.]]

* Young Clark Kent is understandably distraught when his {{Puberty Superpower}}s kick in and his adopted parents reveal that he is an alien in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''. Learning that his alien heritage includes the ability of flight, however, goes a long way to calming him down and starting him on the road to coming to terms.
* Tom Cat dons a lady's corset in such a way as to mimic bat's wings and gains the ability to fly in the WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry cartoon "The Flying Cat." After a wobbly start, Tom gets the hang of it, and leers triumphantly ... then crashes into a mailbox.

Commonplace for any character becoming a DragonRider. See also FlightIsTheFinalPower and FlightOfRomance. Compare and contrast DieOrFly and TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening which may lead to a character discovering flight in decidedly ''unhappy'' circumstances.

Commonplace for any character becoming the DragonRider. See also FlightIsTheFinalPower and FlightOfRomance. Compare and contrast DieOrFly and TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening which may lead to a character discovering flight in decidedly ''unhappy'' circumstances.

Standard trope for any character becoming the DragonRider. See also FlightIsTheFinalPower and FlightOfRomance. Compare and contrast DieOrFly and TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening which may lead to a character discovering flight in decidedly ''unhappy'' circumstances.

Whether it's achieved through [[{{Flight}} magic, superpowers]], [[JetPack some kind]] [[PoweredArmor of machine]] or by [[HorseOfADifferentColour riding an animal]], the moment a character first takes flight is seen as euphoric, empowering and cathartic. Often, the first flight will be savored by characters and given a lot of screen time, often including soaring music, SceneryPorn which typically involves the character zooming around tall buildings and mountains, before skimming low over the surface of water and possibly reaching out to touch it, and maybe even a song -- subsequent flights just don't capture the magic of first taking off.

* ''Anime/StrikeWitches'': The eponymous heroines' job is hunting the airborne baddies, by attacking with firearms (less often, melee) and using magic for shield defence and wild aerial manoeuvers. Main heroine Yoshika has to tackle her first time flying with sole prior experience being see another witch fly. She nearly falls off the carrier into the ocean when trying to take off, but manages not to, excitedly shouting "I'm flying!" The soundtrack in anime employs a triumphant piece for the first time in the one-sided clash with the enemy ambush that frames the event. She manages to help stall the aggression long enough for TheCavalry to arrive, then [[PostVictoryCollapse faints from exertion]].

* Twice earlier when Buzz Lightyear from Creator/{{Pixar}}'s ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' attempted to fly, he failed. The second failure also served as his BreakTheCutie moment. However, when Buzz deployed his wings to break free of the doomed rocket, he discovered that he could indeed fly... or at least glide well. This even gave him the chance to chide Sheriff Woody with an IronicEcho: "This isn't flying; this is falling, ''with style''."

Flying, especially for the first time, is seen as empowering and cathartic. Often, the first flight will be savored by characters and given a lot of screen time and maybe even a song--subsequent flights just don't capture the magic of first taking off.

Possibly due to their place as an emotional high point, they are prone to getting interrupted.

Standard trope for any character becoming the DragonRider. See also FlightIsTheFinalPower.

* In ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', a key part of video game [=ALfheim=] Online's appeal is that it lets characters fly--which means, being as it's a [[InsideAComputerSystem virtual reality]] game, that the players get to experience flight for themselves. When Kirito first gets the hang of the flight controls in ALO, he takes a minute to have fun being able to fly, momentarily forgetting about his very serious mission.

** After their first meeting, Nazuna takes Yamori to the top of a building, [[DestinationDefenestration kicks him off the roof]], then jumps down and catches him before taking him for a flight around town. Seeing the city's skyline at night makes Yamori feel alive for the first time in months, possibly years.