A vat is a popular item for villains and their henchmen, as well as the occasional hero or superhero, to get thrown into in action movies and comic books. This is because they are wide, deep, and often filled with acid, molten metal, hot cheese, salsa, or other such dangerous substances. They are also, usually and inexplicably, left without lids and positioned in critical locations below catwalks, and may be equipped with huge stirring apparatus for added dramatic effect. The Joker and T-1000, for example, have fond memories of encounters with vats.