History Main / JacobMarleyWarning

* Charles Dickens must have liked this one. In ''GreatExpectations'', Pip can become either Jaggers (the bad choice) or Herbert (the good choice).

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* Done in ''TheMuppetChristmasCarol'', of course. Worth mentioning because A) they give Jacob a brother, Robert, so they can give the role of Marley to both {{Statler and Waldorf}}, which allows them to B) sing a cool little song about it all. And C) [[StealthPun you get "Bob Marley"]]. (''Groan'')

* The 1972 film version of ''[[{{Film/ECComics}} Tales From The Crypt]]'' has a rather grim subversion of this. The Crypt-Keeper shows a group of strangers visions of the hideous fates awaiting each of them as a result of various wicked actions; at the end of the film, he reveals that these visions are not warnings of what might happen, but records of what has ''already'' happened; they're already dead, and destined for Hell.

** Though inverted in that he blasts Walton's crew for not having the balls to carry on on Walton's journey. Victor might represent what Walton could become, but unlike other examples he doesn't realize this, or regard it as a bad thing. He blames the Creature for all his ills but doesn't take responsibility for the hell he put the Creature through ForScience.

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* In the [[TheBible Gospel according to Luke]] there is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not to be confused with [[BackFromTheDead the other Lazarus]]). The rich man goes to hell and then begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to act as the JacobMarleyWarning to his brothers. [[SubvertedTrope Abraham tells him it would do no good]], "If they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not listen even to a man come back from the dead."

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-->--[[FamousLastWords Last words]] of : '''Ace Hardlight''', ''RatchetDeadlocked''

* In the early ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'' episode "The Torment of Tantalus", Dr. Ernest Littlefield represents what would become of Daniel if he stayed on the planet and tried to figure out the Meaning Of Life Stuff.

* An episode of ''That70sShow'' featured Eric meeting a 35-year-old who had no job and was as big a nerd as he was. He eventually decided to avoid that fate after he found out the man still lived with his mother.
* The title character of ''MalcolmInTheMiddle'' met a 30-something loser who couldn't hold a job, was badly in debt to unsavory types and spent all day trying to get people to play chess with him at the park. He acted in exactly the same way as Malcolm.

* The ''[[LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit Law & Order: SVU]]'' episode "Redemption" features an older detective who represents Stabler if he follows his current path.

* In the ''{{Friends}}'' episode "The One Where Heckles Dies", Chandler discovers that cranky old Mr. Heckles was once a fun guy, and becomes obsessed with the notion that he may become just like Heckles when he gets older.
* In an episode of ''WillAndGrace'', the titular characters meet an author who Will admires. They discover he's a miserable jerk who spends all day in his house arguing with his female best friend and roommate who's just as big of a jerk as he is. Guess who they remind the main characters of?
* Done in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' where Xander meets his future self who tells him he will be unhappy [[spoiler:marrying Anya. Subverted when it turns out future Xander is actually one of Anya's victims pretending to be Xander.]]
* In ''{{Supernatural}}'', Dean gets this warning from [[spoiler:[[FutureMeScaresMe the post-apocalyptic version of himself]]]], who implores him not to resist the angels' plan for him. Essentially, he's given the choice of either [[spoiler:becoming Michael's vessel or killing Sam before Sam becomes Lucifer's vessel. [[ScrewDestiny Predictably]], he tries [[TakeAThirdOption taking the third option]] of patching things up with his brother so that Sam'll be able to resist Lucifer]].
* Max Ryan from the ''CriminalMinds'' episode "Unfinished Business" represents what could happen to any of the main characters if they allow their work at the BAU [[MarriedToTheJob to dominate their lives]]: he's divorced, rarely sees his children and went as far as to move house in order to be closer to one of the crime scenes in a serial killer case [[ThatOneCase that he never solved]]. Later in the show, Agent Rossi serves a similar purpose, having been divorced three times, being obsessed with an unsolved double murder, having been too focused on fame and having let his whole life pass him by while he worked at the BAU.

* In ''Series/ThirtyRock'' episode "Rosemary's Baby", Rosemary Howard represents what would become of Liz if she left ''TGS'' and wrote films based on the premise that TrueArtIsOffensive.

* Parodied in BrawlInTheFamily during their AChristmasCarol parody arc. Wario takes the role of Marley, who sees nothing wrong with the path Mario is taking, but is sent to warn Mario anyways.

-->--[[FamousLastWords Last words]] of : '''Ace Hardlight''', ''RatchetDeadlocked'' [[spoiler: [[IGotBetter He gets better.]]]]

'''Examples:'''

* ''{{Doraemon}}'': It's the eponymous robot's raison d'etre to stop Nobita from becoming a FutureLoser; but occasionally, Future Nobita himself appears to whip his younger self into studying dilligently. These are some of the [[NightmareFuel most unsettling episodes]], since Future Nobita knows his past-self's tricks and possess Doraemon's future gadgets.

* In ''TheLittleFoxes'', Birdie warns her niece-in-law Alexandra: "Don't love me. Because in twenty years you'll just be like me. They'll do all the same things to you."

* In ''[[{{ptitleolsdue4jfzga}} 30 Rock]]'' episode "Rosemary's Baby", Rosemary Howard represents what would become of Liz if she left ''TGS'' and wrote films based on the premise that TrueArtIsOffensive.

* Foreman is afraid of becoming like the titular character of ''{{House}}''.

->[+The song is even more poignant once the FridgeHorror sinks in: Paddy is dead and is giving his warning as a ghost.+]

* In the [[TheBible Gospel according to Luke]] there is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (not to be confused with [[BackFromTheDead the other Lazarus]]). The rich man goes to hell and then begs the Lord for the chance to go back and act as the JacobMarleyWarning to his brothers. [[SubvertedTrope God responds no]], since his brothers already have the teachings of Moses and the prophets, telling them the rules of how it all goes down.
** That's not how it went- the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers, and Abraham tells him it would do no good, "If they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not listen even to a man come back from the dead." God isn't even in this scene (because Jesus has not yet died and risen, the righteous dead are still in the netherworld; they aren't suffering, but they don't get to go to Heaven until after the Resurrection.)

** For the record, that's in the first or second season. The show lasts for ''eight''.

-->--[[FamousLastWords Last words]] of : '''Ace Hardlight''', ''[[RatchetAndClank Ratchet: Deadlocked]]'' [[spoiler: [[IGotBetter He gets better.]]]]

* Foreman is afraid of becoming like the titular characters of ''{{House}}''.

* Foreman is afraid of becoming House on ''{{House}}''.

* Done in ''Muppet Christmas Carol'', of course. Worth mentioning because A) they give Jacob a brother, Robert, so they can give the role of Marley to both {{Statler and Waldorf}}, which allows them to B) sing a cool little song about it all. And C) [[StealthPun you get "Bob Marley"]]. (''Groan'')

* The 1972 film version of ''TalesFromTheCrypt'' has a rather grim subversion of this. The Crypt-Keeper shows a group of strangers visions of the hideous fates awaiting each of them as a result of various wicked actions; at the end of the film, he reveals that these visions are not warnings of what might happen, but records of what has ''already'' happened; they're already dead, and destined for Hell.

** Though inverted in that he blasts Walton's crew for not having the balls to carry on on Walton's journey. Victor might represent what Walton could become, but unlike other examples he does'nt realise this, or regard it as a bad thing. He blames the Creature for all his ills but does'nt take responsiblity for the hell he put the Creature through ForScience.

* In ''{{Supernatural}}'', Dean gets this warning from [[spoiler:[[FutureMeScaresMe the post-apocalyptic version of himself]]]], who implores him not to resist the angels' plan for him. Essentially, he's given the choice of either [[spoiler:becoming Michael's vessel or killing Dean before Dean becomes Satan's vessel. [[ScrewDestiny Predictably]], he tries [[TakeAThirdOption taking the third option]] of patching things up with Dean so that he'll be able to resist Satan]].

-->--[[FamousLastWords Last words]] of : '''Ace Hardlight''', ''[[RatchetAndClank Ratchet: Deadlocked]]'' [[IGotBetter spoiler:He gets better.]]

-->--[[FamousLastWords Last words]] of '''Ace Hardlight''', ''[[RatchetAndClank Ratchet: Deadlocked]]''