History Main / UnableToRetreat

->''As long as this Pokémon is in the Active Spot, your opponent's Active Pokémon can't retreat.''
-->-- [[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Snorlax_(Pokémon_GO_55) Snorlax's]] Ability, ''TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}}''

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': On their second night at Kimberly Magic Academy in volume 1 ([[Recap/ReignOfTheSevenSpellbladesS1E02SwordArts anime episode 2]]), Oliver, Pete, and Chela accidentally end up in [[MalevolentArchitecture the labyrinth under the school]] and are accosted by predatory upperclasswoman Ophelia Salvadori. They flee, only to be intercepted by another upperclassman, Cyrus Rivermoore, who conjures a fence of bones in their path, blocking their escape so that they may be victimized by whomever wins the ensuing WizardDuel between himself ans Salvadori.

** Soon after, just as Neo, Trinity, Apoc, and Switch have found a viable phone, [[spoiler: Cypher takes out Doser and Tank back in the real world]], meaning there's no Operator to log them out, leaving them effectively trapped in the Matrix. And then [[spoiler: Cypher]] begins fatally unplugging them one by one.

* In ''Literature/{{The Art of War|SunTzu}}'', Sun Tzu actually argues ''against'' doing this: an entirely encircled enemy is likely to fight to the death if you attempt to crush them, costing the attacker unnecessary casualties, or else you'll have to conduct a lengthy siege. Whereas if you leave a gap through which to escape, the enemy is likely to rout--which historically is when the defender sustains the most casualties.

--> "Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. Men and officers alike will put forth their uttermost strength."

** 'VideoGame/{{Doom}}'': Common traps involve closing certain doors for 30 seconds (e.g. ''E1M6: Central Processing''), having doors open only on one side, doors that require a key to head through in the return route, and so on.
** [=E3M7=] of the mod ''No End in Sight'' is structed in a way such that several areas cannot be revisited, and trying to explore the level out of sequence will render many of the inaccessible from the get-go (this doesn't make the level UnwinnableByDesign, it just makes the player reach the exit too soon and miss all the hidden goodies).

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'': Common traps involve closing certain doors for 30 seconds (e.g. ''E1M6: Central Processing''), having doors open only on one side, doors that require a key to head through in the return route, and so on.

* ''VideoGame/MyHouse'' requires getting the blue skull key to unlock the exit. Picking it up removes the doors leading out of the house.

-->-- [[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Snorlax_(Pokémon_GO_55) Snorlax]]'s Ability, ''TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}}''

** The move ''No Retreat'' raises all the user's stats by 1 but prevents the user from switching out or fleeing.

** ''Mean Look'' is a non-damaging move that prevents the opponent from switching out and escaping battle.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blocked_exit_1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:oh.]]

Losing your exit can also be the result of an accident or something unexpected that's no ones fault. Such as a PlotDrivenBreakdown or AlienGeometries. The point is, you're in deep now, and you've lost your EscapeRope.

There are lots of ways to apply this in video games. When applied as a game mechanic this can force a WinToExit scenario. This is ''very'' common for boss rooms (especially the GhostButler variation). Alternatively in TagTeam games this can manifest as disabling someone's SwitchOutMove or capacity to [[EscapeBattleTechnique disengage]] once combat starts. AntiEscapeMechanism is a way you can do this to certain enemies. Contrast BigDamnFireExit. Compare YouWillNotEvadeMe.

** ''Series/KamenRiderOutsiders'': Banno/Bronze Drive pathetically tries to make a run after his pleas to spare his life fails. Zein unleashes all 10 Seikens to skewer Bronze Drive before he exploded. Fortunately Banno survived by transferring his data to Brain's tablet.

* ''Videogame/GenshinImpact'': In the Interlude Chapter "Perilous Trail" the Traveler, Paimon, Yelan, Yanfei, Itto and Shinobu accidentally stumbles into "the Chasm's Bed", a hidden location at the bottom of the Chasm. As an EldritchLocation, the entrance hole is "gone" as soon as they land, and the cavern's layout seems to be actively changing to make them lost inside. It's also hard to track the flow of time inside, as their bodies don't seem to suffer from hunger, thirst or drowsiness, but they become mentally drained. Only by discovering a magical device inside it that they have a chance to escape. Of course, [[GameplayAndStorySegregation you can leave it anytime by using a Teleport Waypoint before the plot ends]].

** During "The Cave Of Two Lovers" the characters get trapped by an unexpected cave-in that blocks their exit.
** During "The Day of Black Sun" this happens when the Fire Nation destroys the invading forces' submarines, forcing most of the troops to surrender instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': PlayedForLaughs in the episode "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS6E22ChumBucketSupremeSingleCellAnniversary Chum Bucket Supreme]]." When [[TheDitz Patrick]] thinks too hard, his brain literally starts to burn up. It then cuts to a MentalWorld, where a bunch of Patricks are trying to escape. They think that the door is jammed and that there is no way out... [[DoorDumb even though the door is pull and not push]].

May create a CorneredRattlesnake situation when someone fights hardest because they have no other option. May also be a case of SimpleSolutionWontWork or being LuredIntoATrap.

** In the Countdown Ending, trying to activate the mind control facility for yourself only results in the extremely petulant Narrator [[SoreLoser activating the facility's self-destruct system]] and sealing the exits, leaving you running from button to button in a futile attempt to save yourself before the timer runs out, as nothing in the room can stop the sequence to allow you to escape.

** In the Countdown Ending, trying to activate the mind control facility for yourself only results in the extremely petulant Narrator [[SoreLoser activating the facility's self-destruct system]] and sealing the exits, leaving you running from button to button in a futile attempt to save yourself before the timer runs out.

It's common in media to unexpectedly take away someones ability to retreat, as a way to raise the stakes. This allows characters to willfully enter danger under the assumption they can OptOut whenever they so wish—while also not letting them have the luxury of leaving when things ''do'' go south. This is one of the most mundane forms of trapping, simply cutting off someones means of exit. The character doesn't even have to specifically ''try'' to escape, someone could just destroyed the exit when they saw you eyeing it to be on the safe side.

This can happens to individuals, but also entire armies.

There are lots of ways to apply this in video games. When applied as a game mechanic this can force a WinToExit scenario. This is ''very'' common for boss rooms (especially the GhostButler variation). Alternatively in TagTeam games this can manifest as disabling someones SwitchOutMove or capacity to [[EscapeBattleTechnique disengage]] once combat starts. AntiEscapeMechanism are a way you can do this to certain enemies. Contrast BigDamnFireExit. Compare YouWillNotEvadeMe.

** ''Series/KamenRiderKuuga'': Go-Jalaji-Da gets subjected into a barbaric NoHoldsBarredBeatdown by the titular Rider himself, to the point Godai uses his own [[CarFu motorcycle's front bonnet to drag Jalaji away]] from a distance where he is about to meet his end by Rising Titan's FinishingMove.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}}'': Some attacks have conditions which disable the standard Ability for Active Pokemon to retreat to the Bench as an action. [[DownplayedTrope There are also ways to increase and decrease the]] ''[[DownplayedTrope cost]]'' [[DownplayedTrope of retreating.]]

* ''Videogame/DungeonCrawl'': In The Vaults, vault wardens can cast spells which seal the doors and staircases, preventing your retreat. This is especially dangerous in the last level of the vaults, where large numbers of monsters can approach you at once.

** During "The Day of Black Sun" this happens when the Fire Nation destroys the invading forces submarines, forcing most of the troops to surrender instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': When Prowl falls under the control of parasitic Space Barnacles in "[[Recap/TransformersAnimatedS1E12NatureCalls Nature Calls]]", Sari comes up with a plan to trap him in the mines long enough for her and Bumblebee to get help from the other Autobots. Unfortunately, Bumblebee misinterprets Sari's instructions by luring Prowl into the mine and then sealing the entrance to the from the ''inside'', thus trapping them both with the infected Prowl.

* ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'': Like all Mirror World Riders, Another Ryuga can use reflective surfaces as his transportation. Zi-O II blocks his escape by smashing all mirrors behind him before he delivers his finishing move.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': Ricks portal gun is a frequent victim of this. The worst instance is when it becomes entirely inoperable during the climax of season 4, forcing the duo to wait for weeks until rescue.

** Certain moves have the effect of "binding" the opponent for a few turns. Starting second generation, one effect is that they can't be switched out and you can't escape battle.

* Videogame/GenshinImpact: In the Interlude Chapter "Perilous Trail" the Traveler, Paimon, Yelan, Yanfei, Itto and Shinobu accidentally stumbles into "the Chasm's Bed", a hidden location at the bottom of the Chasm. As an EldritchLocation, the entrance hole is "gone" as soon as they land, and the cavern's layout seems to be actively changing to make them lost inside. It's also hard to track the flow of time inside, as their bodies don't seem to suffer from hunger, thirst or drowsiness, but they become mentally drained. Only by discovering a magical device inside it that they have a chance to escape. Of course, [[GameplayAndStorySegregation you can leave it anytime by using a Teleport Waypoint before the plot ends]].

[[/folder]]

It's common in media to unexpectedly take away someones ability to retreat, as a way to raise the stakes. This allows characters to willfully enter danger under the assumption they can OptOut whenever they so wish - while also not letting them have the luxury of leaving when things ''do'' go south. This is one of the most mundane forms of trapping, simply cutting off someones means of exit. The character doesn't even have to specifically ''try'' to escape, someone could just destroyed the exit when they saw you eyeing it to be on the safe side.

Supertrope to:
* BurningTheShips - When a character does this ''voluntarily'' to force commitment.
* ClosedCircle - When this is the setup for the ''whole story''.
* GhostButler - When a door slams and locks behind someone immediately.

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]

* ''Fanfic/AMadGlimmer'': When Starlight's attempts to fight Discord fail, she tries to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere teleport away.]] She's [[YouWillNotEvadeMe immediately snapped back to the middle of the cave, due to his reality-warping magic]].

[[folder:Film - Animated]]

[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': The Empire's strategy at the Battle of Endor is to [[LuredIntoATrap use the Death Star and the Emperor as bait to draw the Rebel Fleet to mass and attack]]. An Imperial Navy fleet under Admiral Piett then hides behind the planet Endor, coming forth to cut off the Rebels' retreat when they arrive, so that Palpatine and Moff Jerjerrod can destroy the fleet at will [[spoiler:with the Death Star itself]]. [[spoiler:Lando Calrissian upends the plan by convincing Admiral Ackbar to attack Piett's fleet at close range, forcing the Death Star to hold its fire or else risk hitting their own ships, buying Han Solo's strike team the time they need to win the ground battle.]]

* ''Literature/SoImASpiderSoWhat'': Ariel's [Great Demon King] skill prevents opponents from running away, which is a problem for a relatively FragileSpeedster like Kumo. [[spoiler:She ends up getting her main body killed and having to respawn elsewhere.]]

[[folder:Tabletop Game]]

[[folder:Video Game]]

INDEX: RestrictionTropes, ThisIndexIsStuck, RealizationIndex, SurpriseTropes, PlotTwist