History Main / RingOfFire

A commonly seen element of a climactic battle involving TheHero being encircled by a flaming ring. Much like a boxing ring or a gladiatorial arena with sealed exits, it is used to indicate that neither the BigBad nor TheHero have the option of running away from the FinalBattle, and the story will end with one of the two dead. Most frequently used by villains, especially {{Magnificent Bastard}}s who want TheHero to be DeaderThanDead, but can occasionally be enacted by TheHero when the BigBad has run away from similar confrontations in the past. FridgeLogic tends to come into play as soon as the viewer realizes that sending the flames directly ''under'' the feet of the hero is probably a better idea on the part of the villain, but let's face it, [[RuleOfCool it looks cool]]. The Ring of Fire is a great set up for a hero and villain to meet in a final confrontation, symbolic in that there is no escape from the fight and representative of the emotion of the scene. Expect it to be a part of the TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon or any other situation where failure is not an option.

* This is one stock [[KillItWithFire Fire]] attack in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'', used by a number of powersets. The ring of fire actually has [[StandardStatusEffects effect of immobilising the target]], trapped in a circle of damage-inflicting flames.

* Monk Ti Tan from ''Film/LegendaryWeaponsOfChina'' can summon a ring of fire around him by making a circle around hin with his sash and setting it alight with his ''chi''.

* In the ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'' episode "Changing Courage into Magic", [[TheCaptain Captain Marvelous]] and [[CowardlyLion Don]] encounter one of these set up by a few [[Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger Magirangers]] as part of their test of character. Marvelous idea of an escape plan... [[ViolationOfCommonSense is to run right through it]] ([[BlackComedy and throwing Don through the fire first]]). [[CrazyEnoughToWork Amazingly enough, it works.]]

* The Disney version of ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' has this happen to the Aladdin in the final battle with Jafar. It's magic fire, so it's somewhat justified.
** Which is then used to neat effect for Jafar's ScaledUp moment.

[[quoteright:320:[[Anime/MaiHiME https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mai_hime_ring_of_fire.jpg]]]]

* Karen has one spring up around her in the ''Manga/{{X1999}}'' movie, though it is her major power to manipulate and create flames.
* In ''Anime/{{Mai HiME}}'', one springs up around the main character as her full powers ([[PlayingWithFire flame-based, of course]]) manifest for the first time.
** In the ElseWorld sequel ''Anime/{{Mai Otome}}'', that continuity's Mai takes this to ridiculous extremes -- she creates a giant version of the floating rings around her arms and legs and ''flies through it'' like a trained seal to obliterate enemies on the other side.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': When ComicBook/BlackCanary tried to apprehend Zenna Persik, unaware that the elderly man Persik was chasing was a Nazi, Persik responded by creating a wall of fire around her and her foe to prevent Canary from advancing.

[[folder:Film]]

* At the end of the movie version of ''[[Film/HarryPotter Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone]]'', Voldemort stops Harry from running away with the Stone by summoning one. In the book magical ropes were used, but RuleOfCool prevails in the movies.
** In ''[[Film/HarryPotter Half Blood Prince]]'', Bellatrix creates one around the Burrow to keep the other wizards from going after Harry to help.

* The Disney version of ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' has this happen to the Aladdin in the final battle with Jafar. It's magic fire, so it's somewhat justified.

* Played with in ''Disney/TheLionKing 2'' when a dim-witted villain surrounds himself in one of these.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Changes'', Harry and Susan battle the Ick (and its [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Red Court]] handlers) in the Erlking's court. Said duel takes place in a Ring Of Fire with ''screaming faces'' floating in it.

* OlderThanPrint: The Valkyrie Brynhildr in Myth/NorseMythology was imprisoned in one of these after deciding the outcome of a battle against Odin, the King of the Gods.

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Fire a certain tectonically active area of the Earth.]]

** Also figures prominently in the operatic version by Creator/RichardWagner, ''[[Theatre/TheRingOfTheNibelung Die Walküre]]''.

[[caption-width-right:320:Mai Tokiha gets [[Pun all fired up.]]]]

[[caption-width-right:320:Mai Tokiha gets all fired up.]]