Fireworks of Victory

When a major victory is scored by the heroes, you can often expect fireworks to suddenly start launching even in locations where their presence might not always make sense (or they somehow had firework launchers ready at the exact moment). This is often used to celebrate the significance of the event. Fireworks are not always used and may be replaced by a light show.

Note that this doesn't cover just any old fireworks display; the Fireworks of Victory are let loose because of a victory (either a deliberate celebration or due to an Empathic Environment). Compare Fireworks of Love. May coincide with a Smooch of Victory (which would consequently turn this trope into Fireworks of Love). Not to be confused with Blinking Lights of Victory, which is what happens when you win big on a game show.

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Examples

Films — Animated

• In Mulan, a firework is actually part of the victory, as Mushu launches a huge firework right at Shan Yu, as Mulan had planned. This not only kills him, but sets off a huge fireworks display as Mulan outruns them and jumps off the roof with an Improvised Zipline.
• Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf - Moon Castle: The Space Adventure: The Sweetness Tree forming and enveloping the Bitter Gourd King's mech is accompanied by fireworks in the background. One really has to wonder who's setting off the fireworks or how they would know to set them up; they're on the moon.
• In Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, after Victor seemingly kills the Were-Rabbit, the residents take a moment to console Lady Tottington and then immediately begin celebrating, complete with fireworks. Played with in that a) it's revealed seconds later that Victor hit a decoy instead, and b) the Were-Rabbit's death wouldn't count as a victory for the audience, because he's actually Wallace.

Films — Live-Action

• Annie (1982) ends on the Fourth of July, with Daddy Warbucks hosting a giant fireworks party after defeating Rooster and Lily and officially adopting Annie. The fireworks even spell out Annie's name before continuing to go off during the credits.
• Godmothered: Inverted. Rather than a team's victory causing fireworks to be set off, Eleanor creates magic fireworks that cause the Boston Bruins to win 12 games in a row.
• At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, all of the Ravager factions show up at Yondu's funeral. They'd heard about how he sacrificed himself to save Peter and help destroy Ego. Forgiving his past transgressions against the Ravager Code, they give him a Ravager funeral complete with fireworks to honor his sacrifice and celebrate the victory.
• Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie: After defeating Ivan Ooze and restoring Zordon to life, the Rangers are rewarded with a fireworks display dedicated to their heroism.
• Star Wars: The extended editions of Return of the Jedi add scenes featuring various planets around the galaxy celebrating the death of the Emperor, fireworks and all (despite the final battle taking place somewhere very isolated where no-one outside of the combatants should have known).

Live-Action TV

• Doctor Who:
  • The TV Movie ends at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day 2000, with fireworks exploding over San Francisco after the Doctor and friends have defeated the Master. While the fireworks aren't for the Doctor, it counts as a victory since he prevented the world from ending before the fireworks could take place. Also counts as Fireworks of Love, since the Doctor and Grace kiss.
    Doctor: [seeing the fireworks] Now that's as it should be.
  • Exaggerated in "Eve of the Daleks", where the fireworks are actually the cause of the victory. The Doctor and friends defeat the Daleks and break the "Groundhog Day" Loop using fireworks illegally stored at the storage facility to blow it up and crush them.
• Power Rangers Lost Galaxy: The final scene of the last episode shows the Galactabeasts somehow setting off fireworks to celebrate the Rangers victory over Trakeena and the restoration of Mirinoi.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: In the episode "Explorers", Ben and Jake Sisko reach Cardassia in an archaic lightship to prove an old tale that the ancient Bajorans managed the same feat. A fleet of Cardassian ships unleash fireworks in space in celebration of their accomplishment (and the surprisingly convenient discovery of an ancient Bajoran lightship having been unearthed on Cardassia at the same time).
• Star Trek: Voyager. In "Timeless", Harry Kim relates how Anti Matter fireworks where used to celebrate their return home. Subverted however as he and Chakotay were the sole survivors of the Voyager crew in that alternate timeline, so they don't think there was much to celebrate.

Video Games

• In the mission "Gracemeria Patrol", in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, the people of Emmeria celebrate the liberation of their capital with fireworks above the city. However, the celebrations end up being premature, as the Estovakians start firing the Chandelier at Gracemeria to deny the Emmerians their victory.
• Baten Kaitos Origins: Sagi begins competing in the coliseum specifically because a bedridden little girl—the granddaughter of the coliseum's proprietor—wants to see fireworks. And the way to get them? Becoming the coliseum's champion.
• Bejeweled 3: Background fireworks exploding in the shapes of the gems are your reward for achieving 100% Completion in Quest Mode.
• Black & White: When you convert a village to your worship, a small (and entirely anachronistic) fireworks display spontaneously launches from the Village Center.
• Guild Wars 2: At the end of the core game Personal Story, once you return to Fort Trinity you get a cutscene showing celebrations across Tyria, including firework displays at three of the racial capital cities. (The Grove is too flammable for fireworks, and the norns of Hoelbrak throw a beer bash to celebrate instead.)
• Paper Mario 64 ends with one, after the big roll call parade. More interestingly, it actually softlocks on this scene at the very end, so the only way you can go back to the menu and play post-game content is if you restart the console.
• Paper Mario: The Origami King: After Rubber Band is defeated, Mario, Olivia, and Bobby are treated to a celebration. They walk from the back of the park to the front while the staff and visitors cheer, as fireworks are launched. It's from one of these fireworks that Bobby, an amnesiac, finally regains his memories.
• Invoked in Path of Exile's April Fools jokes, where the devs took the term "pay to win" too literally and added single-use fireworks to the in-game store.
• In Namco's Point Blank (1994) arcade shooter, the Fireworks of Victory are part of a bonus round for completing all sixteen stages: shoot as many of the launchers as you can in 5 seconds for additional explosions (and bonus points).
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus: When a Pokémon is successfully caught in a Poké Ball, it will let off a firework from the hole at its top.
• Przygody Reksia: Fireworks can be seen across the Kuran system after the evil Kurator is defeated and The Rotten Egg is destroyed.
• Sonic Colors: The final blow against the Nega Wisp Armor is capped off by a purple firework exploding in the shape of Eggman's symbol.
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Completing the final Special Stage causes the sky to flash in multiple colours as you collect the 7th Chaos Emerald.
• In the Windows XP game Spider Solitaire, fireworks launch from the bottom of the window and explode upon successfully completing a game.
• In any outdoor level in Super Mario Bros., fireworks will explode in the sky when you reach the small castle with the timer ending in a 1, 3, or 6 (the number of fireworks launched will equal the last digit). Each firework rewards you 500 extra points apiece. This feature is also present in a few New Super Mario Bros. titles; in the Wii game, the fireworks will even award you extra mushrooms.
• In Super Mario World, a fireworks show commences almost immediately after defeating Bowser and saving Princess Peach, ending with a firework in the shape of a heart.
• The "40 Lines" mode in Tetris DX rewards you with a night-time fireworks display after you finish. The faster you finish, the more fireworks you see.
• In the Tetris: The Grand Master series of games, a fireworks display is the result of surviving the credits run, and another if you successfully gain the coveted grandmaster rank.

Visual Novels

• In The Great Ace Attorney, the Old Bailey launches a set of fireworks indoors whenever a defendant is found not guilty, signifying your victory as a defense attorney.

Western Animation

• Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM): Also doubles as Fireworks of Love. After destroying the Doomsday Project, Sonic and Sally declare their love for one another and kiss during the celebration in Knothole. Still harbouring residual energy from the Deep Power Stones, this causes firework-like explosions to go off above them.

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