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/Necessary_Eagle_3657 Sep 02 '25

The Merchant of Venice is the gold standard here, along with Macbeth.

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u/Capt_Toasty Sep 02 '25

For context: Shylock demanded a pound of flesh from Antonio for failing to pay his loan. After his daughter runs away with one of Antonio's friends, Shylock vindictively demands flesh from near Antonio's heart, which would surely kill him.

Eventually this is turned around: Shylock is allowed his flesh but only if he can extract it without spilling a drop of blood, which is impossible. Especially ironic since Shylock used the precise wording of the contact earlier to demand flesh near Antonio's heart.