Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Portal (Science-Fiction)

2011-02-03T10:21:35Z

Preda: /* Envisionings */

{{Multiple issues|cleanup =August 2008|refimprove =April 2010|in-universe =August 2008}}

A '''portal''' in [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]] is a [[Magic (fantasy)|magic]]al or [[technology|technological]] doorway that connects two distant locations, whether separated by [[spacetime]]. It usually consists of two or more gateways, with an object entering one gateway leaving via the other instantaneously.

Places that a portal will link to include: a different spot in the same universe (in which case it might be an alternative for [[teleportation]]); a parallel world (inter-dimensional portal); the past or the future ([[time portal]]); and other [[Plane (cosmology)|planes]] of existence, like [[heaven]], [[hell]] or other [[afterworld]]s. A parallel world, such as [[C. S. Lewis]]'s [[Wood between the Worlds]] may exist solely to contain multiple portals—perhaps to every parallel world in existence.

Portals are similar to the cosmological concept of a [[wormhole]], and some portals work using [[wormhole]]s.

==Envisionings==

[[Image:STCityForever.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Guardian of Forever]] ([[Star Trek: The Original Series|TOS]]).]]

There is a widespread conception within visual science fiction of what a "portal" should look like. The "ripple effect" is the most common part of this conception. One of the earliest examples is the [[Guardian of Forever]], an artifact of the [[Star Trek|Star Trek universe]]. The device could open [[spacetime]] portals to any point in history on any world in the universe, and was ring-shaped with a watery "event horizon." It was first seen in the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' episode "[[The City on the Edge of Forever (TOS episode)|The City on the Edge of Forever]]" (1967) and later in the ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'' episode "[[Yesteryear (TAS episode)|Yesteryear]]" (1974). Again in ''Star Trek'', portals (with angular frames) and ripple effects are seen in the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' episode "[[To the Death (DS9 episode)|To The Death]]."

Other examples include the "warp gates" in ''[[Jak 3]]'' which are rings containing a rippling blue substance used for transportation; a portal in ''[[ReBoot]]'', created by the villainous character Megabyte, displays a rippling "event horizon" (generated by a ring that closely resembled the [[Stargate (device)|Stargate]] in appearance, making it a reference to the movie);{{Opinion|date=August 2010}} and the "Waygates" in ''[[Warcraft III]]'' which bear a shimmering portal.{{Or|date=September 2010}} Also, in the [[StarCraft (series)|''StarCraft'' series]], "warp gates" exist, which are similar in both style and function. The Xel'Naga, and later the Protoss created Warp Gates to travel great distances instantaneously, rather than using the slower process of space travel. The knowledge involved in their creation was lost, but on some planets like in ''Stargate'', these gates still remain.

In ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' and the game ''[[Star Trek: Armada II]]'', the [[Borg (fictional aliens)|Borg]] have a device known as a [[Warp drive#Transwarp|Transwarp Conduit]]. The aperture of the conduit at the transwarp hub resembles the event horizon of a Stargate crossed with the wormhole effect created by the Stargate.

Another famous science fiction example is the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)|1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' cartoon]], where the "dimensional portals" allow fast transportation between distant locations, and some portals are even used to travel in time. The portals are connected to some kind of machines and often look like a pulsating light in different colors. If the portals somehow work wrong or, someone/something doesn't get through before the closing, it/he/she often will end up in a whole other place instead. As a result of the portals, interstellar [[spacecraft]] are seldom seen in the series.

In [[Dan Simmons]]' ''[[Hyperion (Simmons novel)|Hyperion]]'' [[Hyperion Cantos|series]], there exists a network of portals called farcasters which connect most human inhabited planets. The actual form these farcaster portals take can vary, and they may be opaque, completely transparent, or semi-transparent. The completely transparent variety is very commonly used and effectively turns all connected places into one giant "WorldWeb" where distance becomes almost meaningless, even between planets. Some of the more opulent occupents may have houses where each room is built on a different planet, and some rooms themselves may actually be partially built in several different physical locations but be joined by farcaster portals to form one complete room. The farcasters also, however, allowed the AI [[TechnoCore]] to parasitise human brains as they travelled through the portals.

In the anime ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', hyperspace gates allow for faster- though not instantaneous- travel between the planets and colonies of our solar system. These gates, however, were imperfect upon construction; this imperfection was made plain after a catastrophic accident involving the explosion of a gate near Earth ripped nearly half of the Moon's surface away to crash into the Earth.

[[File:Portal physics.svg|The basic concept of the portal as a link to another point in space, within the same universe.|thumb]]
The game ''[[Portal (video game)|Portal]]'' created by [[Valve Corporation]] features a portal-creating device as a central game mechanic which is used to solve puzzles and reach otherwise-inaccessible destinations. The portals here (when both ends are extant) are depicted without many special visual effects; instead, they show a crystal clear representation of the destination, bordered by blue or orange particle effects to identify the portals, that the player can walk through seamlessly, without any change in the magnitude of their momentum. The distance between two portals on the opposite plane is zero; directionality is preserved, but only within reference to the portals themselves.

In [[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]], portals are displayed as glowing balls of energy which instantly teleport the user to an inversely colored exit point, and are in experimental stages at the Black Mesa Research Facility. Larger portals also exist: the tip of the Lambda Reactor and the A-17 prototype teleporter are very powerful devices, capable of sending the user into Xen, a so-called borderworld "where the dimensions intersect". However, the most advanced teleporter was Project XV11382, better known as the Displacer, a handheld device that can create fully functional portals on the fly and transport its user along with itself while using only an internal reactor operating on depleted uranium. Xenian teleporters are also capable of instantaneous transport, although they require seemingly no power or machinery at all. Using these portals can be very dangerous; when an extremely pure sample of Xen crystal was tested in Black Mesa, its structure was destabilized and a subsequent scanning attempt with an "anti-mass spectrometer" caused a huge dimensional anomaly, bringing Xen and Earth into collision. The term is in [[Half-Life 2]] to refer to a huge Combine machine capable of tunneling through dimensions. When activated, it created a large portal that was partially transparent, with the Combine homeworld clearly visible on the other side. Destruction of the device caused a nuclear-like explosion which blew off the tip of the Citadel. Later, the energies released from the Citadel's ruptured core were condensed into a city-sized glowing portal above the ruins of City 17; this phenomenon was dubbed a "superportal", said to be able to transport entire armies from the Combine Overworld when fully fledged; however, it was closed before reaching full strength by using a Black Mesa satellite array and a rocket with a so-called "xenium resonator".

Stephen Robinett's book ''Stargate''<ref>Robinett, Stephen, ''Stargate'', Signet, 1976. ISBN 978-0451077578</ref> (1976) revolves around the corporate side of building extra-dimensional and/or transportational Stargates. In the novel, the Stargate is given the name "Jenson Gate," after the fictional company which builds it. [[Andre Norton]]'s 1958 novel ''Star Gate'' may have been the first to use that term for such portals. The plot of [[Robert A. Heinlein|Robert A. Heinlein's]] ''[[Tunnel in the Sky]]'' (1955) uses a portal. Raymond Jones' ''Man of Two Worlds'' (aka ''Renaissance'') (1944) employs a portal which turns out to be a fraud.<ref>Jones, Raymond F. ''Man of Two Worlds'', Street and Smith Publications, Inc., 1944. ISBN 978-1434466914</ref>

A recent example of a portal, or [[Stargate (device)|Stargate device]], is found in the ''[[Stargate]]'' TV series. Portals were also seen on television well before. They can be seen in the series ''[[Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' (1979–1981), where travel between stars was also accomplished by a Stargate network. Each Stargate carries a designation such as "Stargate 4." These Stargates however were only shown as a diamond-shaped quartet of stars that shimmered when a vessel was making transit. Buck Rogers is portrayed as disliking them on at least one occasion.

The [[Shi'ar]], an extraterrestrial race introduced by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1976, also utilize a network of Stargates. The Shi'ar utilize both planet-based Stargates and enormous space-based versions (equivalent to the [[Supergate (Stargate)|Ori supergate]]), though both are usually depicted without any physical structure to contain the wormhole.Stargates: Devices in a network system. They are used for travel to faraway distances. There are planet-based Stargates (used for personal travel) and enormous space-based versions (used for starships to travel through).

Since the introduction of the Stargate on the big screen other authors have referenced the Stargate device. Authors [[Lynn Picknett]] and Clive Prince also write of ''The Stargate Conspiracy: The Truth About Extraterrestrial Life and the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt''. The book details an alternative theory which ingrains the term Stargate with Egypt's past: either the pyramid itself is a gateway to the stars (because of the shafts pointing to a star) or the building of Heaven on Earth based on geographical location of the great and outlying pyramids (''see: [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]'').

A more lighthearted use of portals can be found in the Japanese comic and anime series [[Doraemon]], where the "Anywhere Door" is used to travel from any point to another. This door looks like and operates like an ordinary household door.

The role of a portal serves the [[tunnel network]] of [[GLA]] in the game [[Command and Conquer Generals]]. This is a building that can garrison some units. These units can exit from every tunnel network of their base without any relay. It is supposed that they travel underground with relative high velocities but they seem to be teleported.

==Common functions==
[[Image:X3 Jumpgate.jpg|thumb|A "[[jumpgate]]" of the [[X (game series)|X Universe]], part of a space-travel network.]][[Image:PrimalRiftGate.jpg|thumb|A "Rift Gate" of the Video Game ''[[Primal (video game)|Primal]]'' used for transport between different realms of Oblivion]]
One concept of portals used abundantly in science-fiction to cast protagonists into new territory. Another video game concept assumes that portals are used to cover territory that's already been explored very quickly. A related book plot that is commonly used is the struggle to get to the opposite end of a new gate for the first time, before it can be used. The 1998 film ''[[Lost in Space (film)|Lost in Space]]'' featured a space-bound hypergate system. The premise of the film is that the Robinson family will pilot a spaceship to [[Alpha Centauri]], in order to complete construction of another hypergate there, which will allow instantanous travel between Earth and Alpha Centauri.
Stargate-like devices are abundant in [[video game]]s as they can be used to neatly split a game into [[Level (computer and video games)|levels]]. The [[video game]]s ''[[Primal (video game)|Primal]]'' and ''[[Turok|Turok the Dinosaur Hunter]]'' feature gateways that allow instantaneous travel between locations to this effect, and in ''[[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]'', a number of ring-shaped dimensional portals allow the main character to travel between a "Light" and "Dark" version of the planet Aether. In the game ''[[EVE Online]]'', a large object called a Stargate lets you travel between solar systems, and in ''[[Homeworld 2]]'', "Hyperspace Gates" serve as the centerpiece of one of the game's final missions; these are massive rings that create wormholes capable of transporting matter great distances. In [[Super Mario 64]], and its follow up, [[Super Mario Sunshine]], various paintings and warp pipes lead to levels, all connected by a bigger level that houses said portals.

In the cartoon series "[[Jackie Chan adventures]]", eight [[demons]] were sealed away using portals to trap them in a different realm. The portals could be opened again, which all were. However, despite all efforts the demons were released but later sealed back to the netherworld. A spell was used on each portal to seal it forever insuring the demons could never escape again.

In the cartoon series ''The [[Transformers]]'', the [[Decepticons]] built the Space Bridge, which serves a similar purpose. A large round ring built on [[Earth]] (lying flat) would create a subspace tunnel to a destination tower on [[Cybertron]]. One key difference in function was that matter was not broken apart for transport.

In [[Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars]], the alien race [[Scrin]] uses portals to transport their armies onto and across the battlefields. The description of their Gravity Stabilizer states that the structure compensate for Earth's intense gravity and magnetic field, "allowing Alien spacecraft to execute short-range teleportation jumps directly to the battlefield".

In a few [[MMORPG]]s, Portals are very widespread. In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', Mages can summon portals that can teleport themselves and group members to various cities. In ''[[RuneScape]]'', portals can be used domestically - players can install Portal Chambers in their houses that link to different cities in the world, allowing free transport to these places for both them and any visitors to their house.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runescape.com/kbase/guid/construction_portal_chamber|title=Construction - Portal Chamber|work=RuneScape Knowledge Base|publisher=Jagex Ltd|accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref>

Billy and Mandy made fun of the Stargate and allowed Irwin to travel back in time.

==See also==
*[[Teleportation in fiction]]
*[[Wormholes in fiction]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Portals In Fiction}}
[[Category:Fantasy tropes]]
[[Category:Science fiction themes]]
[[Category:Transport in fiction]]

[[es:Portal (ciencia ficción)]]
[[hy:Պորտալ (գիտական ֆանտաստիկա)]]
[[it:Portale (fantascienza)]]
[[hu:Dimenziókapu]]
[[pt:Portais na ficção científica]]

Portal (Science-Fiction)

2011-02-03T10:20:17Z

Preda: /* Envisionings */

{{Multiple issues|cleanup =August 2008|refimprove =April 2010|in-universe =August 2008}}

A '''portal''' in [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]] is a [[Magic (fantasy)|magic]]al or [[technology|technological]] doorway that connects two distant locations, whether separated by [[spacetime]]. It usually consists of two or more gateways, with an object entering one gateway leaving via the other instantaneously.

Places that a portal will link to include: a different spot in the same universe (in which case it might be an alternative for [[teleportation]]); a parallel world (inter-dimensional portal); the past or the future ([[time portal]]); and other [[Plane (cosmology)|planes]] of existence, like [[heaven]], [[hell]] or other [[afterworld]]s. A parallel world, such as [[C. S. Lewis]]'s [[Wood between the Worlds]] may exist solely to contain multiple portals—perhaps to every parallel world in existence.

Portals are similar to the cosmological concept of a [[wormhole]], and some portals work using [[wormhole]]s.

==Envisionings==

[[Image:STCityForever.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Guardian of Forever]] ([[Star Trek: The Original Series|TOS]]).]]

There is a widespread conception within visual science fiction of what a "portal" should look like. The "ripple effect" is the most common part of this conception. One of the earliest examples is the [[Guardian of Forever]], an artifact of the [[Star Trek|Star Trek universe]]. The device could open [[spacetime]] portals to any point in history on any world in the universe, and was ring-shaped with a watery "event horizon." It was first seen in the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' episode "[[The City on the Edge of Forever (TOS episode)|The City on the Edge of Forever]]" (1967) and later in the ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'' episode "[[Yesteryear (TAS episode)|Yesteryear]]" (1974). Again in ''Star Trek'', portals (with angular frames) and ripple effects are seen in the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' episode "[[To the Death (DS9 episode)|To The Death]]."

Other examples include the "warp gates" in ''[[Jak 3]]'' which are rings containing a rippling blue substance used for transportation; a portal in ''[[ReBoot]]'', created by the villainous character Megabyte, displays a rippling "event horizon" (generated by a ring that closely resembled the [[Stargate (device)|Stargate]] in appearance, making it a reference to the movie);{{Opinion|date=August 2010}} and the "Waygates" in ''[[Warcraft III]]'' which bear a shimmering portal.{{Or|date=September 2010}} Also, in the [[StarCraft (series)|''StarCraft'' series]], warp gates exist, which are similar in both style and function. Protoss warriors created Warp Gates to travel great distances instantaneously, rather than using the slower process of space travel. The knowledge involved in their creation was lost, but on some planets like in ''Stargate'', these gates still remain.

In ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' and the game ''[[Star Trek: Armada II]]'', the [[Borg (fictional aliens)|Borg]] have a device known as a [[Warp drive#Transwarp|Transwarp Conduit]]. The aperture of the conduit at the transwarp hub resembles the event horizon of a Stargate crossed with the wormhole effect created by the Stargate.

Another famous science fiction example is the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)|1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' cartoon]], where the "dimensional portals" allow fast transportation between distant locations, and some portals are even used to travel in time. The portals are connected to some kind of machines and often look like a pulsating light in different colors. If the portals somehow work wrong or, someone/something doesn't get through before the closing, it/he/she often will end up in a whole other place instead. As a result of the portals, interstellar [[spacecraft]] are seldom seen in the series.

In [[Dan Simmons]]' ''[[Hyperion (Simmons novel)|Hyperion]]'' [[Hyperion Cantos|series]], there exists a network of portals called farcasters which connect most human inhabited planets. The actual form these farcaster portals take can vary, and they may be opaque, completely transparent, or semi-transparent. The completely transparent variety is very commonly used and effectively turns all connected places into one giant "WorldWeb" where distance becomes almost meaningless, even between planets. Some of the more opulent occupents may have houses where each room is built on a different planet, and some rooms themselves may actually be partially built in several different physical locations but be joined by farcaster portals to form one complete room. The farcasters also, however, allowed the AI [[TechnoCore]] to parasitise human brains as they travelled through the portals.

In the anime ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', hyperspace gates allow for faster- though not instantaneous- travel between the planets and colonies of our solar system. These gates, however, were imperfect upon construction; this imperfection was made plain after a catastrophic accident involving the explosion of a gate near Earth ripped nearly half of the Moon's surface away to crash into the Earth.

[[File:Portal physics.svg|The basic concept of the portal as a link to another point in space, within the same universe.|thumb]]
The game ''[[Portal (video game)|Portal]]'' created by [[Valve Corporation]] features a portal-creating device as a central game mechanic which is used to solve puzzles and reach otherwise-inaccessible destinations. The portals here (when both ends are extant) are depicted without many special visual effects; instead, they show a crystal clear representation of the destination, bordered by blue or orange particle effects to identify the portals, that the player can walk through seamlessly, without any change in the magnitude of their momentum. The distance between two portals on the opposite plane is zero; directionality is preserved, but only within reference to the portals themselves.

In [[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]], portals are displayed as glowing balls of energy which instantly teleport the user to an inversely colored exit point, and are in experimental stages at the Black Mesa Research Facility. Larger portals also exist: the tip of the Lambda Reactor and the A-17 prototype teleporter are very powerful devices, capable of sending the user into Xen, a so-called borderworld "where the dimensions intersect". However, the most advanced teleporter was Project XV11382, better known as the Displacer, a handheld device that can create fully functional portals on the fly and transport its user along with itself while using only an internal reactor operating on depleted uranium. Xenian teleporters are also capable of instantaneous transport, although they require seemingly no power or machinery at all. Using these portals can be very dangerous; when an extremely pure sample of Xen crystal was tested in Black Mesa, its structure was destabilized and a subsequent scanning attempt with an "anti-mass spectrometer" caused a huge dimensional anomaly, bringing Xen and Earth into collision. The term is in [[Half-Life 2]] to refer to a huge Combine machine capable of tunneling through dimensions. When activated, it created a large portal that was partially transparent, with the Combine homeworld clearly visible on the other side. Destruction of the device caused a nuclear-like explosion which blew off the tip of the Citadel. Later, the energies released from the Citadel's ruptured core were condensed into a city-sized glowing portal above the ruins of City 17; this phenomenon was dubbed a "superportal", said to be able to transport entire armies from the Combine Overworld when fully fledged; however, it was closed before reaching full strength by using a Black Mesa satellite array and a rocket with a so-called "xenium resonator".

Stephen Robinett's book ''Stargate''<ref>Robinett, Stephen, ''Stargate'', Signet, 1976. ISBN 978-0451077578</ref> (1976) revolves around the corporate side of building extra-dimensional and/or transportational Stargates. In the novel, the Stargate is given the name "Jenson Gate," after the fictional company which builds it. [[Andre Norton]]'s 1958 novel ''Star Gate'' may have been the first to use that term for such portals. The plot of [[Robert A. Heinlein|Robert A. Heinlein's]] ''[[Tunnel in the Sky]]'' (1955) uses a portal. Raymond Jones' ''Man of Two Worlds'' (aka ''Renaissance'') (1944) employs a portal which turns out to be a fraud.<ref>Jones, Raymond F. ''Man of Two Worlds'', Street and Smith Publications, Inc., 1944. ISBN 978-1434466914</ref>

A recent example of a portal, or [[Stargate (device)|Stargate device]], is found in the ''[[Stargate]]'' TV series. Portals were also seen on television well before. They can be seen in the series ''[[Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' (1979–1981), where travel between stars was also accomplished by a Stargate network. Each Stargate carries a designation such as "Stargate 4." These Stargates however were only shown as a diamond-shaped quartet of stars that shimmered when a vessel was making transit. Buck Rogers is portrayed as disliking them on at least one occasion.

The [[Shi'ar]], an extraterrestrial race introduced by [[Marvel Comics]] in 1976, also utilize a network of Stargates. The Shi'ar utilize both planet-based Stargates and enormous space-based versions (equivalent to the [[Supergate (Stargate)|Ori supergate]]), though both are usually depicted without any physical structure to contain the wormhole.Stargates: Devices in a network system. They are used for travel to faraway distances. There are planet-based Stargates (used for personal travel) and enormous space-based versions (used for starships to travel through).

Since the introduction of the Stargate on the big screen other authors have referenced the Stargate device. Authors [[Lynn Picknett]] and Clive Prince also write of ''The Stargate Conspiracy: The Truth About Extraterrestrial Life and the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt''. The book details an alternative theory which ingrains the term Stargate with Egypt's past: either the pyramid itself is a gateway to the stars (because of the shafts pointing to a star) or the building of Heaven on Earth based on geographical location of the great and outlying pyramids (''see: [[Orion (constellation)|Orion]]'').

A more lighthearted use of portals can be found in the Japanese comic and anime series [[Doraemon]], where the "Anywhere Door" is used to travel from any point to another. This door looks like and operates like an ordinary household door.

The role of a portal serves the [[tunnel network]] of [[GLA]] in the game [[Command and Conquer Generals]]. This is a building that can garrison some units. These units can exit from every tunnel network of their base without any relay. It is supposed that they travel underground with relative high velocities but they seem to be teleported.

==Common functions==
[[Image:X3 Jumpgate.jpg|thumb|A "[[jumpgate]]" of the [[X (game series)|X Universe]], part of a space-travel network.]][[Image:PrimalRiftGate.jpg|thumb|A "Rift Gate" of the Video Game ''[[Primal (video game)|Primal]]'' used for transport between different realms of Oblivion]]
One concept of portals used abundantly in science-fiction to cast protagonists into new territory. Another video game concept assumes that portals are used to cover territory that's already been explored very quickly. A related book plot that is commonly used is the struggle to get to the opposite end of a new gate for the first time, before it can be used. The 1998 film ''[[Lost in Space (film)|Lost in Space]]'' featured a space-bound hypergate system. The premise of the film is that the Robinson family will pilot a spaceship to [[Alpha Centauri]], in order to complete construction of another hypergate there, which will allow instantanous travel between Earth and Alpha Centauri.
Stargate-like devices are abundant in [[video game]]s as they can be used to neatly split a game into [[Level (computer and video games)|levels]]. The [[video game]]s ''[[Primal (video game)|Primal]]'' and ''[[Turok|Turok the Dinosaur Hunter]]'' feature gateways that allow instantaneous travel between locations to this effect, and in ''[[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]'', a number of ring-shaped dimensional portals allow the main character to travel between a "Light" and "Dark" version of the planet Aether. In the game ''[[EVE Online]]'', a large object called a Stargate lets you travel between solar systems, and in ''[[Homeworld 2]]'', "Hyperspace Gates" serve as the centerpiece of one of the game's final missions; these are massive rings that create wormholes capable of transporting matter great distances. In [[Super Mario 64]], and its follow up, [[Super Mario Sunshine]], various paintings and warp pipes lead to levels, all connected by a bigger level that houses said portals.

In the cartoon series "[[Jackie Chan adventures]]", eight [[demons]] were sealed away using portals to trap them in a different realm. The portals could be opened again, which all were. However, despite all efforts the demons were released but later sealed back to the netherworld. A spell was used on each portal to seal it forever insuring the demons could never escape again.

In the cartoon series ''The [[Transformers]]'', the [[Decepticons]] built the Space Bridge, which serves a similar purpose. A large round ring built on [[Earth]] (lying flat) would create a subspace tunnel to a destination tower on [[Cybertron]]. One key difference in function was that matter was not broken apart for transport.

In [[Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars]], the alien race [[Scrin]] uses portals to transport their armies onto and across the battlefields. The description of their Gravity Stabilizer states that the structure compensate for Earth's intense gravity and magnetic field, "allowing Alien spacecraft to execute short-range teleportation jumps directly to the battlefield".

In a few [[MMORPG]]s, Portals are very widespread. In ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', Mages can summon portals that can teleport themselves and group members to various cities. In ''[[RuneScape]]'', portals can be used domestically - players can install Portal Chambers in their houses that link to different cities in the world, allowing free transport to these places for both them and any visitors to their house.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runescape.com/kbase/guid/construction_portal_chamber|title=Construction - Portal Chamber|work=RuneScape Knowledge Base|publisher=Jagex Ltd|accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref>

Billy and Mandy made fun of the Stargate and allowed Irwin to travel back in time.

==See also==
*[[Teleportation in fiction]]
*[[Wormholes in fiction]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Portals In Fiction}}
[[Category:Fantasy tropes]]
[[Category:Science fiction themes]]
[[Category:Transport in fiction]]

[[es:Portal (ciencia ficción)]]
[[hy:Պորտալ (գիտական ֆանտաստիկա)]]
[[it:Portale (fantascienza)]]
[[hu:Dimenziókapu]]
[[pt:Portais na ficção científica]]