History Main / ExtradimensionalPowerSource

* In ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', a "Tipler Oracle" is a PocketDimension created by an [[DeusEstMachina Archai]] for the sole purpose of answering a question that even a godlike artificial intelligence can't handle on its own: it's seeded with self-replicating computational material, processes the question through its entire existence through TimeDilation, and passes the answer back through a wormhole before collapsing into a singularity. Despite all this, they're still fallible.

* In the backstory of ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'' series, ''Detonator X'' was humanity finding a near infinite energy source in another dimension. Sadly, it's inhabited by gigantic dinosaurs who aren't happy about humans invading.

-->-- '''The Ancient One''', ''Film/DoctorStrange''

* In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'', it's revealed that the energy source for all alchemical reactions is [[spoiler: the souls of those who died in an AlternateUniverse. Specifically, ''our'' universe]].

* ''ComicBook/{{RASL}}'': The secret government experiments were all about drawing energy from other universes. Robert has to shut the projects down when he discovers [[spoiler: those other universes are inhabited, and the energy drain actually kills people, rather horrifically.]]

* [[spoiler: Ringbuilder]] technology from ''Literature/TheExpanse'' works on this principle. It draws power from an older universe, using the conflict between our universe's physics and the older one to produce power akin to a turbine. [[spoiler: It wound up killing the Ringbuilders because [[EldritchAbomination some form of life]] exists in that universe and really didn't appreciate having a "splinter" of our reality in it drawing power away.]]

* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', the titular Stormlight, which powers magic and fills gems with light, is brought into the physical world when a Highstorm causes the Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual planes to intersect, thus allowing energy to flow from one to another. In ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}'' [[spoiler: Dalinar gains the ability to open a perpendicularity (essentially a portal) between realms that lets Stormlight in to recharge the powers of his allies.]]

* ''VideoGame/Doom2016'': Mankind was facing an energy crisis and found an energy source in syphoning energy from {{Hell}}. Extracting this "Argent energy" is fraught with health risks [[note]] One scientist developed a brain tumour and devoted himself to studying BrainUploading to escape death, which worked. Another developed debilitating scoliosis and developed an exoskeleton to remedy this, which put her in perpetual pain, but functional.[[/note]], but using it once extracted and purified is perfectly safe. Of course, beyond the health risks is the fact that you've opened a HellGate to siphon it, and demons can and will pour through every so often. The plot is kickstarted by one of these demons offering one of the top scientists a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with the literal devil]].
* The bad guys' plan in ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'' and ''VideoGame/DreamfallChapters'' involve stealing the dreams from a parallel world in order to power-up [[spoiler: the Undreaming, a primeval force of destruction, in order to tear down the Divide between Stark and Arcadia]].

* In ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' BadFuture!Mell sends back a video tape explaining that physical time travel requires all the energy in the universe, so she destroyed hers by sending that one message back in time. It's a [[AxCrazy lifelong dream]]. [[spoiler: However, after that timeline is averted, Dave meets his and Helen's future daughter who says that they solved that problem by siphoning energy from [[ExpendableAlternateUniverse other universes that don't want to exist as much]] ]].

* Several [[Wiki/SCPFoundation SCPs]] rely on (or are) extradimensional power sources. For example, SCP-3304 shows the drastic consequences when an extradimensional being tries to sell its own world's energy to ours. The wiki uses the tag "ectoentropic" for anomalies that violate conservation of mass and energy.

* In the 2003 version of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'', it's revealed that the energy source for all alchemical reactions is [[spoiler: the souls of those who died in an AlternateUniverse. Specifically, ''our'' universe]].

* ''Anime/{{Macross}}'': In the backstory, the [[{{Precursors}} Protoculture]] discoverd an alternate dimension in which no apparent matter existed, only energy, and they hit upon using it as a nigh infinite power source. There was just one problem: [[spoiler:they didn't consider that an absence of matter doesn't necessarily imply an absence of life... intelligent life at that. Some of the energy they brought over was in fact [[EnergyBeings intelligent beings]], and these beings lashing out over being used as power started a chain of events that lead to the downfall of the Protoculture's entire civilization.]]

* The magic used by the Butterfly family in ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil,'' comes from a place called the realm of magic. It enters the multiverse in two forms. The first is a golden liquid which flows in to each universe at one specific location like water from a well. This can be collected and used for rituals but prolonged exposure causes amnesia and insanity. The second is as a [[BackgroundMagicField background magic field]] which is everywhere, but is undetectable and extremely difficult to tap in to without a special wand that was made by the magic's living embodiment. As a result, anyone who has the wand becomes a target for those hoping to gain power for themselves.

Depending on the work, the extradimensional energy can be of magical, technological, cosmic, or even quantic nature. The latter often happens in sci-fi works because otherwordly particles are convenient AppliedPhlebotinum. Using energy from another world frequently has unforeseen consequences, because of how it may interact with a different world.

* In ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'', this is considered one of the Forbidden Magic. It is explained that there is a separate universe filled with limitless energy, and the magic brings that energy to the world. The dungeon is also said to be created with similar magic.

* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': Long-ago {{Precursors}} detected a vast reserve of [[SoulPower Source magic]] outside the physical universe and tapped it to [[spoiler:[[DeityOfHumanOrigin become the Seven Gods]]]]. Unfortunately for the world, that reserve was a barrier against [[PowerOfTheVoid the Void]], and its weakening caused all [[BlackMagic Sourcery to become tainted]].

* Several [[Wiki/SCPFoundation SCPs]] rely on (or are) extradimensional power sources. For example, SCP-3304 shows the drastic consequences when an extradimensional being tries to sell its own world's energy to ours.

* This is how [[ComicBook/MsMarvel2014 Kamala Khan's]] powers work as her powers are connected to a nexus dimension that binds ''all Kamalas'' through time and space. When she stretches or enlarges, she's essentially borrowing mass from some point in the past, future or parallel present that she's shrunken herself.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' (specifically, a sendup of the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E6 TheDoomsdayMachine The Doomsday Machine]]"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}} to fuel their [[FasterThanLightTravel warp drive]], because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel the engine much more safely and mass-efficiently (although all involved are glad to have so much antimatter on hand when the Planet Eater comes a-knocking). He's also annoyed that the federation TeenGenius who theorized this was possible was told to can it for political reasons.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' (specifically, a sendup of the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E6 TheDoomsdayMachine The Doomsday Machine"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}} to fuel their [[FasterThanLightTravel warp drive]], because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel the engine much more safely and mass-efficiently (although all involved are glad to have so much antimatter on hand when the Planet Eater comes a-knocking). He's also annoyed that the federation TeenGenius who theorized this was possible was told to can it for political reasons.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' (specifically, the episode "Doomsday Machine"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}} to fuel their [[FasterThanLightTravel warp drive]], because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel the engine much more safely (although all involved are glad to have so much on hand when the Planet Eater comes a-knocking). He's also annoyed that the federation TeenGenius who theorized this was posdible was told to can it for political reasons.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' (specifically, the episode "Doomsday Machine"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}}, because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel an FTL engine much more safely.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrek'' (specifically, the episode "Doomsday Machine"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}}, because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel an FTL engine much more safely.

* As part of an extended TakeThat to ''Series/StarTrekTOS'' (specifically, the episode "Doomsday Machine"), the second story arc of ''WebComic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger has Quentyn incensed that the [[CaptainErsatz stand-ins for]] the UFP lugs around extremely dangerous canisters of {{Antimatter}}, because Hyperspace itself can be tapped to fuel an FTL engine much more safely.

* Marvel's [[ComicBook/{{Longshot}} Spiral]] uses the energy of the dimensional crossroads known as "the Wildways" to power her spells.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' future!Kelly sends back a video tape explaining that physical time travel requires all the energy in the universe, so she pretty much destroyed the universe sending that one message back in time. However, after that timeline is apparently averted Dave meets his and Helen's future daughter who says that they solved that problem by siphoning energy from other universes that don't want to exist as much.