History Main / SealedArmyInACan

* ''DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure [=OA6=] ''Ronin Challenge''. Underneath the city of Tempat Larang is an army of 500,000 infantry.

* The Spirit Army from ''MortalKombat''. Resurrecting it was the villains' plot for ''Deadly Alliance'', and it was completely and totally destroyed in the opening of the following installment, ''Deception''.

* The second to last scenario of ''CommandAndConquer 3: Kane's Wrath'' involves activating an army of cyborgs Kane has hidden away, and the last mission involves using said cyborgs to storm a massive GDI Complex. Background information suggests [[AIIsACrapshoot CABAL]] hid a ''lot'' of the things, along with backup copies of its program, in vaults around the world, but GDI [[GenreSavvy was typically vigilant]] in rooting them out.

* In The Dragon in the Sword, by MichaelMoorcock, the Eternal champion manages to get access to one of these, composed of all the heroes throughout eternity that fell. (It's implied that they're ones who tried to stop fighting). Each one is described as being as skilled as Erekose, who is able to take on 6 mooks without too much trouble. They take on the concentrated might of all of Chaos.

* The second to last scenario of ''CommandAndConquer 3: Kane's Wrath'' involves activating an army of cyborgs Kane has hidden away, and the last mission involves using said cyborgs to storm a massive GDI Complex.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* The Titans from ''Disney/{{Hercules}}'' fulfill this role when Hades sets them free to help him take over the cosmos.

* While it's only described in detail [[AllThereInTheManual on the film's accompanying website and in the artbook]], the Warriors of Tenshu from ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' practically scream to be used in this fashion as a BadassArmy for the heroes. Here's hoping the repaired Urn of Whispering Warriors does show up in a sequel...
* The [[DemBones Cauldron-Born]] from ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron'' and the original story.

Hmm, what's this? Want to TakeOverTheWorld? Cause mayhem? Have you considered the SealedArmyInACan? Guaranteed to provide decades of destructive entertainment, try it today!

The SealedArmyInACan is an army that was so powerful that it was impossible to destroy them and the best that could be hoped for was sealing them away, usually at great cost. With works that employ this trope you can invariably expect that the BigBad's master plan will revolve around awakening this army to do his bidding whether it be to TakeOverTheWorld or just break things. Often times you will get the SealedEvilInACan thrown in with them as a nice bonus. Like the SealedEvilInACan the fact that they were sealed away may have weakened them to the point they can be destroyed or technology has advanced to the point where it can get the job done. [[ImmuneToBullets Or not.]]

* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheForgottenSands'', the Prince has an entire SealedArmyInACan.

** In the second movie the mummy returns and attempts to gain control of the Army of Anubis. [[spoiler:Cutting off their heads is the only way to kill them, not that it helps since more will show up anyway.]] They can only be sealed away, not destroyed.
** The Dragon Emperor's Army the Terracotta army in the third movie, [[spoiler:although the heroes get access to ''another'' SealedArmyInACan in the form of his many dead slaves. They aren't exactly superior combatants, but they hold their own.]]

* The [[DemBones Cauldron-Born]] from ''TheBlackCauldron'' and the original story.

* WolfensteinTheNewOrder is cast in an AlternateTimeline where Nazis rule the world. Where did they get the technology to build their robot army? Apparently, they found a cache of [[spoiler:REALLY BIG JEWISH SPOILER]] technology that is on par with Thule technology and twice as durable. This becomes heavily ironic, because [[Not only was the technology designed by Jewish scientists, but the reason why their technology was hyper-advanced was because their scientists took a binding oath to God that they would never apply their technology to real life, and would only use it to help other scientists design even more advanced technology with the sole intent of understanding the universe; no civil wars, no sabotage, all discoveries are shared between all scientists in the project, and nine thousand years to build and evolve their tinkertoys equals pure human potential. That means that their religion is SUPERIOR to the Nazi's philosophy, and yet they've been denounced as inferior by the Nazis the entire series, even after discovering what they're capable of.]]

* WolfensteinTheNewOrder is cast in an AlternateTimeline where Nazis rule the world. Where did they get the technology to build their robot army? Apparently, they found a cache of //Jewish// technology that exceeds anything . This becomes heavily ironic, because

** The Cybermen in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E1TheTombOfTheCybermen The Tomb of the Cybermen]]" and in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E6Earthshock Earthshock]]"
** Daleks in both "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E4PlanetOfTheDaleks Planet of the Daleks]]" and "[[Recap/DoctorWhoNSS2E13Doomsday Doomsday]]". ("Doomsday" also has SealedEvilInACan in the form of the Cult of Skaro, an elite group of special Daleks who release the army, in an unusually literal application of this trope. The entirety of the army is sealed in a metal can the size of a single Dalek. It used [[BiggerOnTheInside TARDIS tech]].)
** Kane's mercenaries in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS24E4Dragonfire Dragonfire]]"
** [[spoiler:The entire Time Lord race and Gallifrey itself in "[[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor The Day of the Doctor]]".]]

* At any given time the majority of the [[StargateAtlantis Wraith]] are in hibernation, as the human populations they feed on couldn't support all of them at once. However, when those currently awake find out about the 6 billion humans available on Earth they begin waking the rest up.

* It's heavily implied that this happens to the [[EvilArmy Iron Legion]] of Xylvania in ''BattalionWars'' when the Solar Empire uses its [[KillSat super weapon]] to defeat them.

* ''Film/LordOfTheRings'': In a variation on this trope Aragorn gains control of a ghost army of oathbreakers bound to serve the king, in both the film and the book ''The Return of the King'' [[spoiler: and uses it to save Minas Tirith]]. Different from most examples in that they retained their sapience.

* [[spoiler:There's Mr. House's Securitron army]] hidden in Fortification Hill in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the door to which can only be opened by the thing you were mugged for at the start of the game.

* The Golden Army from ''HellboyII''. An army of 4900 (More accurately, 70 times 70 soldiers) invincible, untireable, clockwork warriors, to be precise. They're controlled by a MacGuffin that was split into three pieces to prevent it from ever being used again.

* ''BabesInToyland'' (a/k/a ''March of the Wooden Soldiers'') features an army of toy wooden soldiers that were built outside specification (100 wooden soldiers each six feet tall, instead of 600 wooden soldiers each one foot tall). They come in handy defending Toyland from the boogeymen.

* The MahouSentaiMagiranger movie has an evil army that would be unleashed if [[FillerVillain Groom no Bridon]] marries someone pure and good, so he kidnaps the red ranger's LoveInterest.

* ''LordOfTheRings'': In a variation on this trope Aragorn gains control of a ghost army of oathbreakers bound to serve the king, in both the film and the book ''The Return of the King'' [[spoiler: and uses it to save Minas Tirith]]. Different from most examples in that they retained their sapience.

* In ''Immortals'', [[spoiler: Hyperion uses [[EnergyBow Epirus Bow]] to unleashed Titans for total destruction.]]

* The Darkspawn from ''Franchise/DragonAge'' are another example. While straggling warbands occasionally roam the surface, the only time they seriously gather in massive numbers to wage war on the surface is when they are rallied by an Archdemon, thus beginning a new Blight. As such, the Grey Wardens make it their top priority to locate and slay the Archdemon as soon as possible, removing it's guiding influence on the mindless Darkspawn and forcing the horde to retreat underground into the Deep Roads. Once underground again, they resume their [[ForeverWar endless war]] against the Dwarves, rebuild their numbers and begin searching for another Old God to corrupt into a new Archdemon, thus repeating the cycle all over again.

* The page picture is of a sculpture garden by AntonyGormley, who has this motif among his themes. He's also made a garden of wood and cement blocks shaped like real people (he took their measurements).
* Neo-Nazi movements, and extremist movements in general are the closest real life examples known.

* Unlike Soldiers themselves, tanks, ships, airplanes, guns, artillery, and everting else you need to ''arm'' an army in the modern world can be preserved for decades if not indefinitely. When these munitions become obsolete, Military's will often put them in a something akin to a state of suspended animation for long term preservation in case the latest technological developments actually suck. Similarly, whenever any base that is abandoned is often also specially preserved in case it became useful in the future. They might not be an entire army in can but there are many places in the world that have everything an army needs sealed away.

* The Darkspawn from ''Franchise/DragonAge'' are another example. While straggling warbands occasionally roam the surface, the only time they seriously gather in massive numbers to wage war on the surface is when they are rallied by an Archdemon, thus beginning a new Blight. As such, the Grey Wardens make it their top priority to locate and slay the Archdemon as soon as possible, removing it's guiding influence on the mindless Darkspawn and forcing the horde to retreat underground into the Deep Roads. Once underground again, they resume their EternalWar against the Dwarves, rebuild their numbers and begin searching for another Old God to corrupt into a new Archdemon, thus repeating the cycle all over again.