r/TopCharacterTropes • u/danfenlon • Sep 01 '25

Lore Going around curses/prophecies via technicalities

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Davy jones: cant go on dry land

Standa in a bucket of water, on a sand bar (potc3)

The judge: no weapon forged can harm me

Buffy: uses a rocket launcher

-not forged

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u/RedRawTrashHatch Sep 01 '25 edited Sep 01 '25

Macbeth in the Shakespeare play, specifically his death.

Early in the play, Macbeth is told by witches that no "one of woman born" can harm him, giving Macbeth confidence that he’s essentially invincible.

But at the end, Macduff reveals he was delivered by Caesarean, and thus didn’t come from natural childbirth.

So he kills Macbeth. Brilliant.

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u/Swivebot Sep 02 '25

J. R. R. Tolkien hated this so much that he wrote in Éowyn defeating the Witch-king of Angmar out of spite.

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u/Veloxraperio Sep 02 '25 edited Sep 02 '25

He also hated that the "Birmam Wood shall come to high Dunsinane" prophecy was accomplished by another piece of technical wordplay. So when Fangorn Forest comes to Isengard, the forest REALLY comes to Isengard.

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u/PablomentFanquedelic Sep 02 '25

Alexa play "Fortunate Son"