History Main / NaturalSpotlight

* During the song "Hellfire" in ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', this happens with moonlight through windows a couple of times.

* In the ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' Anime, Archer appears to summon a natural spotlight (probably the Moon, although it's odd considering the angle changes) this before he uses Unlimited Blade Works.

* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'': Rachel, after she broke through the ceiling of Baam's cave, was fully lighted from the hole she just made, standing on a pile of rubble.

Compare NoticeThis, RuleOfPerception, RuleOfSymbolism, EmergingFromTheShadows.

* A few scenes in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', like Balin's tomb. Balin's tomb was described like this even in the original novel, explained by ingenious light channels carved by the dwarves in the mountainside. On the other hand, the one lighting Gollum's cave in the prologue comes off as highly improbable, considering its depth and the fact that Gollum can't stand daylight.

* Done in exactly the same way in Disney's adaptation of ''Disney/TheSwordInTheStone''.

* Snow White's glass coffin at the end of ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''.
* ''Disney/SleepingBeauty'': Aurora asleep in the tower.
* During the song "Hellfire" in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', this happens with moonlight through windows a couple of times.
* ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'': When Cinderella is brought into her stepmother's bedroom to be admonished, sunlight shines down on her from the large window. For added effect, the shadows of its muntins also appear on the light, making it look like she's in a prison cell.

[[quoteright:330:[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/master_sword_sunlight_highlight.jpg]]]]

Quite common in some western religious artwork.

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]

[[folder:LiveActionTelevision]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

[[folder:RealLife]]
* This actually happened to Abraham Lincoln right after he finished his Second Inaugural Address. No sooner was the speech done when the sun burst out of the clouds and illuminated the president. Even he was shocked by it.

* In ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'' Katniss is in a very dark environment, when suddenly a small strong circular spotlight illuminates just her.

* ''Film/PacificRim'': Though not sunlight, del Toro was determined to keep the light sources diegetic in nature. Hence, the large amount of helicopters flying around during battle scenes, and large lights on the Jaeger themselves. Raleigh even asks a nearby chopper if it has a visual on the nearby {{Kaiju}} at one point, which neatly explains what they're there for.

A SisterTrope to RaysFromHeaven (where the light is symbolic instead of highlighting).

* ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' has a similar statue bathed in sunlight hidden in the depths of Skytown.

* It is told that Joseph Goebbels exploited this for dramatic effect during one of the Nuremberg rallies. As the clouds were shifting, he timed his speech just long enough to make sure the sun came through in time for AdolfHitler to enter the podium. The effect was staggering.

* In the most recent book of the ''Literature/WheelOfTime'' series, main character Rand gets one of these shining on him during a key character moment. Possibly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the fact that his ta'veren nature warps probability (ItsComplicated) and the combination of his being a FisherKing and slowly growing more and more insane has resulted in a continent-wide pattern of overcast weather that only starts to break when he begins to get his screwed-up little head back together.

* It is told that Joseph Goebbels exploited this for dramatic effect during one of Nuremberg rallies. As the clouds were shifting, he timed his speech just long enough to make sure the sun came through in time for AdolfHitler to enter the podium. The effect was staggering.

* In ''DGrayMan'', "Old Man of the Soil and a Lonely Night's Aria", a spotlight of moonlight shines down on Guzol and Lala in their underground hideout at the moment that the Exorcists find them.

* In the most recent book of the ''WheelOfTime'' series, main character Rand gets one of these shining on him during a key character moment. Possibly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the fact that his ta'veren nature warps probability (ItsComplicated) and the combination of his being a FisherKing and slowly growing more and more insane has resulted in a continent-wide pattern of overcast weather that only starts to break when he begins to get his screwed-up little head back together.
* ''DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'':

Note this can only be when it's used as a substitute for a spotlight. If sunlight is actually used in the story to highlight something, like killing {{Dracula}} or [[Franchise/IndianaJones finding the location of the Ark of the Covenant]], it's not this trope.

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:Films -- Animated]]

[[AC:Films -- Live-Action]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

* ''TowerOfGod'': Rachel, after she broke through the ceiling of Baam's cave, was fully lighted from the hole she just made, standing on a pile of rubble.

* In ''{{Smallville}}'', Clark gets one during his battle against [[EvilTwin Bizarro]].

* In ''MetroidPrime'' there are a few places where Chozo Statues are resting, the ceiling is cracked and sunlight gets through. (And yet on the "Overworld", it's constantly raining.) The sunlight may not be directly on the statue, but it's close enough to give that entire room that effect.

* Used both straight and parodied in ''TheSimpsons''.
* This occurs in the BugsBunny short ''What's Opera, Doc?''. After Elmer Fudd's character discovers that "Brunnhilda" is actually Bugs, he summons lightning bolts to "Kill the wabbit!". When Elmer goes to see what happened to Bugs, the area is dark and a shaft of sunlight shines down to reveal Bugs' lifeless body.
* During the song "Hellfire" in Disney's Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame, this happens with moonlight through windows a couple of times.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* Lampshaded in ''TheBluesBrothers''. "Do you see the light?" It's even justified here: the Sun is breaking through some clouds and then coming in through a small window; Joliet Jake is (by coincidence? divine intervention?) located in just the right spot for it to fall on him.
* A few scenes in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', like Balin's tomb. Balin's tomb was described like this even in the original novel, explained by ingenious light channels carved by the dwarves in the mountainside. On the other hand, the one lighting Gollum's cave in the prologue comes off as highly improbable, considering its depth and the fact that Gollum can't stand daylight.
* In ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' movies, Morticia's face always has a light on it. It is rather obvious and jarring.
* Another lit face is Anya's, in the ''{{Anastasia}}'' movie. The eyes are the ones in focus, which makes one wonder whether or not she notices; most people would certainly be blinded by such thing.
* In ''Film/{{Serenity}}'', Mal's speech to his crew before the final action sequence is lit with copious amounts of light directed at him by overhead windows. In the commentary, Joss notes that on the one hand, this is [[HandWave vaguely believable]], but still exists [[RuleOfCool solely because it was awesome]].

* ''Film/PacificRim'': Though not sunlight, del Toro was determined to keep the light sources diegetic in nature. Hence, the large amount of helicopters flying around during battle scenes, and large lights on the Jaeger themselves. Raleigh even asks a nearby chopper if it has a visual on the nearby Kaiju at one point, which neatly explains what they're there for.

* This actually happened to Abraham Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address.

A SubTrope of DramaticSpotlight. Closely related to RaysFromHeaven where the light is symbolic only, not being used to highlight an object.

Compare RuleOfPerception, RuleOfSymbolism, EmergingFromTheShadows.

A SubTrope of DramaticSpotlight.

* ''TowerOfGod'': Rachel, after she broke through the ceiling of Baam's cave, was fully lighted from thehole she just made, standing on a pile of rubble.

* In the ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' Anime, Archer appears to summon a natural spotlight (Probably the Moon, although it's odd considering the angle changes) this before he uses Unlimited Blade Works.

* Lampshaded in ''TheBluesBrothers''. "Do you see the light?"
** It's even justified here: the Sun is breaking through some clouds and then coming in through a small window; Joliet Jake is (by coincidence? divine intervention?) located in just the right spot for it to fall on him.
* The iconic scene in the introduction to ''Disney/TheLionKing''.
* A few scenes in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', like Balin's tomb.
** Balin's tomb was described like this even in the original novel, explained by ingenious light channels carved by the dwarves in the mountainside. On the other hand, the one lighting Gollum's cave in the prologue comes off as highly improbable, considering its depth and the fact that Gollum can't stand daylight.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler:'' There's a subtle one when Tack the Cobbler is seen the first time, shining on him. It's probably used to signify his pure nature. Particularly {{Egregious}} as is seems to come through the ''ceiling''.

* In the most recent book of the WheelOfTime series, main character Rand gets one of these shining on him during a key character moment. Possibly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by the fact that his ta'veren nature warps probability (ItsComplicated) and the combination of his being a FisherKing and slowly growing more and more insane has resulted in a continent-wide pattern of overcast weather that only starts to break when he begins to get his screwed-up little head back together.
* DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency:
--> With an impeccable timing of which it is very rarely capable, the sun choose this moment to burst briefly through the gathering rainclouds, and as she played her cello a stormy light played on her and on the deep old brown of the wood of the instrument. Richard stood transfixed.

** ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' has a similar statue bathed in sunlight hidden in the depths of Skytown.