History Main / IfICanOnlyMove

* ''CallOfDuty 4'' ''ModernWarfare'' has some minor instances of this, notably at the end [[spoiler: where you must look to Captain Price, who throws you his gun to shoot Zakhaev and his guards]]. But this plays an even bigger role in ''CallOfDuty ModernWarfare 2'', particularly [[spoiler: in space, where you must move slightly as the astronaut in order to progress the scene]] or even more pivotally [[spoiler: where you must pull a knife out of your chest to throw at the enemy to save Captain Price.]]

[[AC: Literature]]
* Not that it would've changed much but still in the end of ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour'' the main "hero" is completely immobilised during his ultimate torment so that he couldn't turn away from the approaching cage with rats that he is afraid of and abhors to extreme.

* The ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' often find themselves in this situation with the need to activate their powers and they are both just out of reach. However, Gleek often solves the problem since his body can act as a conduit for their powers.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece, near the end of the Enies Lobby arc, Luffy is exhausted and trapped in the ruins of a tower with several battleships poised to blow him away. Problem is, his fight with [[BigBad Rob Lucci]] took all his usual {{Determinator}} tendencies to bring down, leaving him so weak he really ''can't'' move at all, even with a few scenes of numerous allies cheering him on. Fortunately, [[PlotTailoredToTheParty Robin's ability allows her to move him herself from a distance.]]

* In OnePiece, near the end of the Enies Lobby arc, Luffy is exhausted and trapped in the ruins of a tower with several battleships poised to blow him away. Problem is, his fight with [[BigBad Rob Lucci]] took all his usual {{Determinator}} tendencies to bring down, leaving him so weak he really ''can't'' move at all, even with a few scenes of numerous allies cheering him on. Fortunately, [[PlotTailoredToTheParty Robin's ability allows her to move him herself from a distance.]]
* In ''YuYuHakusho'', Asato Kido doesn't allow his paralysis to stop him from telling Yusuke who the [[DeadlyDoctor evil doctor]] is by [[CouldntFindAPen writing the name with his own blood]].

* One of the most famous SpiderMan comic book images is Spidey pinned beneath tons of rubble. The rare isotope that his dying Aunt May needs is mere feet away, and the room is being filled with water. He keeps trying to lift the rubble enough to escape, but it's VERY heavy. Cue the final Herculean effort!
** Like many of his famous comic book scenes, this is given a ShoutOut in TheSpectacularSpiderMan, only Spidey is trapped under a ceiling fixture and it's Gwen Stacey who's in trouble.
* In the MarvelUniverse, Dr. Don Blake has been tied up at least once and has to struggle to reach his walking stick to strike it and transform into {{Thor}}.

* The ending of ''{{Bone}}'': [[spoiler:Thorn is pinned only inches from the Crown of Thorns, and all she has to do is touch it and the world will be saved. Fone Bone holds her hand and touches the Crown, producing the same effect as if Thorn had touched it. Probably.]]

* ''StarWars Episode V: TheEmpireStrikesBack'' has a variation: Luke Skywalker is trapped in the wampa's cave, dangling by one foot, and about to be turned into a meal by the monster. His lightsaber is just out of reach, but he's able to call upon the ability of The Force to call it to his hand and cut his way to relative safety at the last moment.

* {{Videogame}} example: the player in the final battle of ''VideoGame/AnotherWorld'' - insofar as it can be considered a 'battle'.

* ''FrankensteinJr'': Played straight in "The Menace from the Wax Museum" where Buzz Conroy is immobilized with wax and everything depends on moving his ring to an open candle flame to contact his robot.
* Frequently invoked in old Space Ghost cartoons: "I... can't reach... my... power bands!"
* ''{{Popeye}}'' always seemed to get stuck with his spinach just out of reach.
* The ''SuperFriends'' often find themselves in this situation with the need to activate their powers and they are both just out of reach. However, Gleek often solves the problem since his body can act as a conduit for their powers.

* In RedVsBlue, all Wash has to do in his fight with [[spoiler: the Meta at the end of season 6]] is distract him long enough to activate the EMP.

* ''KillBill'': "Wiggle your big toe."

* ''What Lies Beneath'', the scene with Michelle Pfeiffer slowly drowning in the bath tub, trying to pull the plug out with her toe.
* ''{{Predator 2}}''. Lieutenant Harrigan is on a ledge on the side of a building with the Predator hanging onto him. The Predator has activated his SelfDestructMechanism, which will destroy a large area and kill thousands of people. The Predator's cutting disk is embedded in the wall ''just'' out of Harrigan's reach.

[[AC: Video Games]]

* {{Videogame}} example: the player in the final battle of ''AnotherWorld'' - insofar as it can be considered a 'battle'.

* '[[BatMan "If I can just reach my utility belt..."]]

* In KungFuPanda, Tai Lung was kept immobilized in a top security prison for years. Once he could take the very first step, he got out easily.

Examples:

* ''FinalFantasyIV'': During the fight with the Dark Elf, the party is struck down due to how their metal equipment is magnetically pinned down. Cue Cecil lamenting, "If I could only lift my sword!"
* ''FinalFantasyVII'': At one point Tifa is attached to a chair and has to wriggle (FanService suspected) enough to reach the key on the floor with her feet and use it to free herself before the room fills with gas.

----

->If only... I could lift my sword...

With the maximum of suspenseful music and editing, the hero, often saying "If I can only move.." gives it everything he's got and just barely makes it. With that help is summoned or the transformation has begun and he's back in action.

If only... I could lift my sword...

''- Cecil, Final Fantasy IV''

* At the end of the {{Infocom}} game ''Spellbreaker'', the BigBad ([[spoiler:your EnemyWithout]]) paralyzes you and then starts a JustBetweenYouAndMe speech that goes on just long enough to let you make one move at the last econd to stop him. Unfortunately, by that point [[DownerEnding your options are limited]].

* In the MarvelUniverse, Dr. Don Blake has been tied up at least once and has to struggle to reach his walking stick to strike it and transform into Thor.

For instance, the hero is immobilized and is facing certain doom if he remains that way. Suddenly, ''everything'' depends on moving just enough to reach and activate something vital like his [[KidWithTheRemoteControl giant robot remote control]] or TransformationTrinket to summon help or activate his power mode to break free before it's too late. Unfortunately, the thing needed is often seemingly out of reach.

* In ''YuYuHakusho'', Asato Kido doesn't allow his paralysis to stop him from telling Yusuke who the [[DeadlyDoctor evil doctor]] is by [[CouldntFindAPen writing the name with his own blood]].

* In the MarvelUniverse, Dr. Don Blake has been tied up at least once and has to struggle to reach his walking stick to strike it and transform into Thor.
* '[[BatMan "If I can just reach my utility belt..."]]

** Maybe not 100% true to this trope but the Bride does this after coming out of a coma and trying to solve the problem of atrophy. Her arms however had been getting plenty of exercise, apparently.

* Not that it would've changed much but still in the end of ''NineteenEightyFour'' the main "hero" is completely immobilised during his ultimate torment so that he couldn't turn away from the approaching cage with rats that he is afraid of and abhors to extreme.

<<|NarrativeDevices|>>

* ''{{Predator}} 2''. Lieutenant Harrigan is on a ledge on the side of a building with the Predator hanging onto him. The Predator has activated his SelfDestructMechanism, which will destroy a large area and kill thousands of people. The Predator's cutting disk is embedded in the wall ''just'' out of Harrigan's reach.

* In OnePiece, near the end of the Enies Lobby arc, Luffy is exhausted and trapped in the ruins of a tower with several battleships poised to blow him away. Problem is, his fight with [[BigBad Rob Lucci]] took all his usual {{Determinator}} tendencies to bring down, leaving him so weak he really ''can't'' move at all, even with a few scenes of numerous allies cheering him on. Fortunately, [[EigenPlot Robin's ability allows her to move him herself from a distance.]]

* ''WhatLiesBeneath'', the scene with Michelle Pfeiffer slowly drowning in the bath tub, trying to pull the plug out with her toe.

* At the end of the {{Infocom}} game ''{{Spellbreaker}}'', the BigBad ([[spoiler:your EnemyWithout]]) paralyzes you and then starts a JustBetweenYouAndMe speech that goes on just long enough to let you make one move at the last econd to stop him. Unfortunately, by that point [[DownerEnding your options are limited]].

* One of the most famous SpiderMan comic book images is Spidey pinned beneath tons of rubble. The rare isotope that his dying Aunt May needs is mere feet away, and the room is being filled with water. He keeps trying to lift the rubble enough to escape, but it's VERY heavy. Cue the final Herculean effort!
** Like many of his famous comic book scenes, this is given a ShoutOut in TheSpectacularSpiderMan, only Spidey is trapped under a ceiling fixture and it's Gwen Stacey who's in trouble.
* ''FrankensteinJr'': Played straight in "The Menace from the Wax Museum" where Buzz Conroy is immobilized with wax and everything depends on moving his ring to an open candle flame to contact his robot.
* In the MarvelUniverse, Dr. Don Blake has been tied up at least once and has to struggle to reach his walking stick to strike it and transform into Thor.

* Frequently invoked in old Space Ghost cartoons: "I... can't reach... my... power bands!"
* At the end of the {{Infocom}} game ''{{Spellbreaker}}'', the BigBad ([[spoiler:your EnemyWithout]]) paralyzes you and then starts a JustBetweenYouAndMe speech that goes on just long enough to let you make one move at the last second to stop him. Unfortunately, by that point [[DownerEnding your options are limited]].
* ''{{Popeye}}'' always seemed to get stuck with his spinach just out of reach.
* ''KillBill'': "Wiggle your big toe."
** Maybe not 100% true to this trope but the Bride does this after coming out of a coma and trying to solve the problem of atrophy. Her arms however had been getting plenty of exercise, apparently.
* ''WhatLiesBeneath'', the scene with Michelle Pfeiffer slowly drowning in the bath tub, trying to pull the plug out with her toe.
* '[[BatMan "If I can just reach my utility belt..."]]
* {{Videogame}} example: the player in the final battle of ''AnotherWorld'' - insofar as it can be considered a 'battle'.
* ''{{Predator}} 2''. Lieutenant Harrigan is on a ledge on the side of a building with the Predator hanging onto him. The Predator has activated his SelfDestructMechanism, which will destroy a large area and kill thousands of people. The Predator's cutting disk is embedded in the wall ''just'' out of Harrigan's reach.
* ''FinalFantasyIV'': During the fight with the Dark Elf, the party is struck down due to how their metal equipment is magnetically pinned down. Cue Cecil lamenting, "If I could only lift my sword!"
* ''FinalFantasyVII'': At one point Tifa is attached to a chair and has to wriggle (FanService suspected) enough to reach the key on the floor with her feet and use it to free herself before the room fills with gas.
* The ending of ''{{Bone}}'': [[spoiler:Thorn is pinned only inches from the Crown of Thorns, and all she has to do is touch it and the world will be saved. Fone Bone holds her hand and touches the Crown, producing the same effect as if Thorn had touched it. Probably.]]
* ''CallOfDuty 4'' ''ModernWarfare'' has some minor instances of this, notably at the end [[spoiler: where you must look to Captain Price, who throws you his gun to shoot Zakhaev and his guards]]. But this plays an even bigger role in ''CallOfDuty ModernWarfare 2'', particularly [[spoiler: in space, where you must move slightly as the astronaut in order to progress the scene]] or even more pivotally [[spoiler: where you must pull a knife out of your chest to throw at the enemy to save Captain Price.]]
* Not that it would've changed much but still in the end of ''NineteenEightyFour'' the main "hero" is completely immobilised during his ultimate torment so that he couldn't turn away from the approaching cage with rats that he is afraid of and abhors to extreme.
* The ''SuperFriends'' often find themselves in this situation with the need to activate their powers and they are both just out of reach. However, Gleek often solves the problem since his body can act as a conduit for their powers.

* In ''YuYuHakusho'', Asato Kido doesn't allow his paralysis to stop from telling Yusuke know who the [[DeadlyDoctor evil doctor]] is by [[CouldntFindAPen writing the name with his own blood]].

* Not that it would've changed much but still in the end of ''NineteenEightyFour'' the main "hero" is completely immobilised during his ultimate torment so that he couldn't turn away from the approaching cage with rats that he afraids of and abhors to extreme.
* In the ''SuperFriends'' often find themselves in this situation with the need to activate their powers and they are both just out of reach. However, Gleek often solves the problem since his body can act as a conduit for their powers.