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1So you have DeflectorShields that stop incoming objects or propagating fields. Cool. You know what we really need to stop from moving too much? Parts of armor plates and loaded girders. Or, if you prefer, molecular bonds and atomic nuclei. So if the shields can work ''inside'' matter, they could (and should) be used to make materials stronger and more resilient than could otherwise be possible.
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3These reinforcement fields are sometimes used in ScienceFiction settings to help spaceship frames withstand the strain of high-speed travel. As an extreme variant, some have [[MileLongShip Mile-Long Ships]] (or [[UnnecessarilyLargeVessel even]] [[TheBattlestar larger]]) and {{Space Station}}s that are explicitly stated to be physically possible only due to "structural integrity fields" or the like that keep them from being crushed or torn apart. Size matters, but scaling things up [[http://stardestroyer.net/Empire/Science/Size.html is not cheap]]. Spaceships can be free from the burden of gravity, but the larger they are, the greater the strain on them when they accelerate or turn.
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5Of course, strengthening effects have lots of other uses, up to and including reinforcing [[RazorFloss frail]] melee [[ImprobableWeaponUser weapons]] to make them both [[AbsurdlySharpBlade sharp]] and resilient.
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7See also DeflectorShields, ContainmentField and InertialDampening. An opposite effect is DisintegratorRay.
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10!!Examples
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14[[folder:Comics]]
15* Every so often (especially in the guidebooks), a structural integrity field is used to explain why ComicBook/IronMan can withstand a punch from the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]].
16* In ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}},'' Dr. Manhattan got his powers when a freak lab accident removed the natural "intrinsic field" holding the matter of his body together, but left his bodyless consciousness, which was then able to reconstruct a body for him, as well as affect other matter.
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20* The ''Film/HarryPotter Pop-Up Book'' says that most of the buildings in Diagon Alley would fall over if they weren't held together by magic.
21* The tensor field is actually shown in action in the climatic battle in Film/RogueOne. The U-Wing’s door gunner blazes away at the knee joint of an AT-ACT with an Ion cannon, which disrupts energy systems. This is normally used to temporarily immobilize or shut down vehicles, but after a few seconds of fire, the walker’s knee suddenly collapses as the field around the leg gets stripped away.
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25* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, ''Normandy SR-2.5'' is fitted with these to toughen up already thick interior subdivisions intended to help manage [[spoiler:Flood]] attacks should the ship be boarded.
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28[[folder:Literature]]
29* In the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'':
30** Some books mention "tensor fields" that serve this purpose for starships and {{Walking Tank}}s, particularly for operating in gravity wells.
31** The Star Wars Technical Manuals describe Particle Shields such a way that they could be Reinforce Fields that make armor more resilient against physical impact. They're paired with Ray Shields, DeflectorShields that protect against energy weapons.
32* In Creator/MikhailAkhmanov's ''[[Literature/ArrivalsFromTheDark Invasion]]'', a massive alien starship arrives to the Solar System and proceeds to CurbStompBattle a large chunk of the Earth SpaceNavy (to be fair, humans have just begun to explore space at this point and lack FTL). When the ship lands in the Antarctic to use melted ice as raw materials for repairs, a different alien teleports on-board and gives the protagonist a device that will destroy the ship's bio-computer. Apparently, the ship is too massive to support itself, and it's being reinforced with force fields that are controlled by the computer. As soon as the computer dies, the ship collapses on itself like a tin can, killing everyone on board. Apparently, the aliens have never heard of backup systems. The Reinforce Field has not been mentioned in later novels.
33* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'' even the largest [[AMechByAnyOtherName Arm Slaves]] are only around 10 meters tall, so when the 40 meter tall "Behemoth" shows up, the fact that a HumongousMecha of its size normally shouldn't be able to support its own weight is a major plot point. Sure enough, the protagonists discover that the Behemoth is equipped with a [[BlackBox Lambda Driver]], which would normally provide it with {{Telekinesis}} but is instead being used just to hold everything together. When its Lambda Driver takes damage, the entire thing collapses on itself.
34* Hyperfiber in the ''Literature/GreatShip'' universe has an innate reinforcement field; any energy applied to the material is dissipated through multiple universes, making the material MadeOfIndestructium. The eponymous [[PlanetSpaceship Greatship]] has an outer hull made of ultra high grade hyperfiber that is almost impregnable, and gives the ship enough strength to not crush itself under its own gravity.
35* Creator/PeterFHamilton's ''Literature/TheNightsDawnTrilogy'':
36** The Molecular Binding Force Generator reinforces materials several times over their normal strength (it might be only with some specially-made materials, but it's not clarified).
37** The Valency Generator is cleverly used in an airbag-like safety mechanism: in a collision, the vehicle is flooded with a gel or foam-like substance, and then the valency generator kicks in, making the substance rigid, absorbing the momentum of the passenger. After the collision, the valency generator turns off and the passengers can climb out of the foam unharmed.
38* In ''Literature/KnightsAndMagic'' the bodies of demon beasts are magically reinforced. For larger beasts like [[{{Kaiju}} Behemoths]] this means that running out of {{Mana}} can be fatal, since without a Reinforce Field their bodies are unable to support their own weight.
39* A version of this whose main obvious use seems to be to make solid materials [[DisintegratorRay disintegration]]-proof exists in the ''Literature/PerryRhodan'' setting, as shown in one of the earliest issues and very occasionally brought up since. It's very much a niche application since various DeflectorShields can accomplish the same goal just as well while being more flexible (if perhaps also more obvious).
40* In ''Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy'', building materials can be infused with magic to make them much stronger, enabling Kyralian nobility to build sweeping, airy constructions out of reinforced glass. [[spoiler:Later, the invading Ichani {{Black Mag|ic}}es are delighted to realize that each noble estate is a reserve of magical power that they can tap for {{Mana}}.]]
41* "Edenite", in the ''Undersea'' series by Frederick Pohl and Jack Williamson, allows city domes and submarine hulls to withstand the crushing pressures encountered deep under sea.
42* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', Harry guesses that the Weasleys' bizarre house is probably held up by magic.
43* ''Literature/BabelOrTheNecessityOfViolence'': Long-term UtilityMagic is a MundaneFantastic element of life in 1830s London, including enchantments to strengthen old building foundations. [[spoiler:When the maintenance schedule for those spells is disrupted, those buildings start collapsing.]]
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46[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
47* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' has lots of shields and force fields.
48** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' features the invention of "polarized hull plating", the forerunner to the DeflectorShields of the later series.
49** Later ships have a "structural integrity" system, and can divert power to or from them. The abundance of TimTaylorTechnology coupled with the availability of force fields has led some to theorize that, in fact, ''all'' Federation technology is held together by tiny force fields.
50** The Structural Integrity Field [TM] first received that name on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. It's a standard feature of starships, absorbing forces that would otherwise be exerted on the hull or warp drive. Later works show that an SIF can be enabled or disabled over specific sections of a ship, or even extended to affect a nearby vessel in an emergency.
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54* In ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
55** Magic items gain extra DamageReduction, HitPoints, and resistance to magic over their mundane prototypes by default, but there are also enchantments specifically making important things much less fragile. Artifacts and relics are above normal mortal magic and mostly are MadeOfIndestructium.
56** "Glassteel" enchants glass to be as strong as steel, but remain as non-conductive, corrosion-resistant, and light as glass. Thus, it became the the armor material of choice for flying warriors, whether Aarakocra, [[WingedHumanoid Avariel]] or Nimbral (''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'') pegasi cavalry.
57** ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' has several permanent spells for this specific purpose, including ''Nulatoe's Ninemen'' for organic remnants and ''Veladar's Vambrace'' and ''Holy Might'' for other things. ''Crown Meld'' doesn't enhance in itself, but "borrows" the best resistances of each component material and applies it to the whole item (as steel vs. impacts + as ceramics vs. acid and electricity = NighInvulnerable).
58** ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'': Sharn, the [[SkyscraperCity City of Towers]], is a variant -- its massive skyscrapers are made possible by a region of RealityBleed that enhances flight and levitation magic.
59** The ''TabletopGame/EpicLevelHandbook'' in [=D&D3E=] contains an adventure which includes a wizard tower with walls made of two thick layers of obsidian with a thin forcefield in-between.
60* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', the ancient Thassilonians used magic to preserve their monuments, which is why they're still standing 10,000 years later.
61* One sample explanation for the cosmic armor in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}: Spaceships'' is that it increases the binding energy between atoms.
62* In ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'':
63** In ''Scars of Mirrodin'', the flavor text for "Tumble Magnet" suggests and inverts this trope: "Magnetic devices that keep massive golems and structures standing can also be used for the opposite purpose."
64** Earlier in Mirrodin there is the Darksteel, magical metal that is plain Indestructible. Things made of Darksteel has eerie light balls orbiting them, be they weapons, golems, or metal fortresses.
65* ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful:'' Despite what the name might imply, the Barrier Jacket Charm actually functions as an example of this trope, infusing the Princess's Transformed body and Regalia to make it hard as iron. This means that the armor rating the Charm grants applies whether the Princess appears to be wearing armor or whether [[ChainmailBikini she appears to be wearing a leotard, tutu, and tiara]], and that the protection the Charm offers has no chinks or weak points that can be exploited.
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69* ''VideoGame/{{Galactic Civilizations}} 2'': Massive-class ships are possible by tinkering with the "Q-field" to increase their resilience, and civilizations can research more effective structural integrity fields to make it possible to build larger vessels.
70* ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion 2'': [[BlandNameProduct Doom]] [[Franchise/StarWars Star]] class ships are stated to require these to be feasible.
71* Orisa from ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' is a centaur-like Omnic (sentient robot) who is a Tank-class character and has the ability ''Fortify'', which charges her with energy that reinforces her body and reduces all damage taken by 50% as well makes her immune to all form of crowd-control and movement-affecting abilities and attacks. She can even casually stroll out of Zarya's Graviton Surge (a mini-black hole) and Mei's ice-based attacks that normally slow and freeze people in place while ''Fortify'' is active.
72* Shiki's glasses in ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' are indestructible, period. The reason for this is that they block out his MagicalEye effects that allow him to destroy ''anything'', period. Makes sense to have an indestructible PowerLimiter on an omni-destructive ability, doesn't it?
73* A variant of this is in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. Reinforcement is one of the most basic forms of magic, and can be described as concentrating an objects traits. For instance, reinforcing a wooden sword makes it temporarily harder, sharper, and more resilient, reinforcing a body grands minor SuperStrength and SuperToughness, reinforcing eyes gives you eagle vision etc.
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77* ''Webcomic/QuentynQuinnSpaceRanger'' [[http://www.rhjunior.com/QQSR/00015.html mentioned]] apparent over-reliance on this trope in a TakeThat aimed at ''Franchise/StarTrek'', among many other aspects of the Federation that the author dislikes.
78* ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'': Dwarves have a [[https://diggercomic.com/blog/2007/02/14/digger-7/ bad reputation]] in-universe for shoring up their {{Underground Cit|y}}ies with unreliable spells rather than [[MugglesDoItBetter build them to be structurally sound in the first place]].
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