>>96564025
I don't know if it's a "trope," but I wholesale stole the plot of The Pirates of Dark Water to run a Spelljammer campaign. Down to the hero's stolen ship, the golden compass, the 13 treasures, and a giant enemy ship constantly pursuing them as an insidious force (red space instead of dark water) creeped into existence and destroyed everything it touched. It was really a wonderful campaign. Oh and they had a giant space hamster, instead of a monkeybird.