History Main / OncePerEpisode

** Every movie involves the BigBad trying to harness a powerful magical (or ''[[ClarkesThirdLaw seemingly]]'' magical) artifact, only to have it [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfire on him/her in the end]] due to hubris.

** When the executive brings up some particularly troublesome fridge logic that the writer has no answer for, he'll cheerfully tell the executive to "I'm going to need you to get ''all the way'' off my back about this!" The executive will respond, "Okay, let me get off of that thing!"

* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': Haara's spear gets [[WreckedWeapon broken or lost]] pretty much every story, forcing her to resort to [[BareFistedMonk martial arts]] for the rest of the current story.

* Parodied in ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'', where Strong Bad specifically says that once an episode of ''[[ShowWithinAShow Sweet Cuppin' Cakes]]'', Eh! Steve! shows up to deliver his CatchPhrase.

** Whenever Jules Gill hosts a video list, he will invariably include a crass YourMom joke, adding, [[CatchPhrase "There's my one-per-list"]]. Starting in Spring 2020 he appears to have stopped doing this, having stated he thinks that they've run their course.

*** ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' and ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'': [[TunnelKing The Underminer]]

** [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory1 The "Pizza Planet" truck]], a rusty, beaten-up yellow pickup truck that appears in every single Pixar film, aside from ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''. Here are all of the truck's appearances:

*** ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' is an aversion. Fans have argued for years as to if it's even in the film, but Brad Bird himself confirmed that it wasn't.

*** ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': The cell Mr. Incredible is held captive inside [[BigBad Syndrome's]] lair (floor A1, cell 13). Was also mentioned earlier in the film by [[TheDragon Mirage.]]

*** ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'': [[WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles Mr. Incredible.]]
*** ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': [[WesternAnimation/Cars1 Doc Hudson.]]

** At least one location in every ''Paper Mario'' game has music that begins like the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'' overworld theme but drifts off into its own thing a few measures in. This location is always found at or near the beginning of the game. The exception is ''Origami King'', which instead has music taken from the ''Super Mario Bros.'' underground theme.

* Every ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' game:

* ''Creator/ScreenRant'': The "movie pitch" series features a number of recurring jokes that happen at least once an episode:

** And Shepard being interviewed (and then given the option of [[TalkToTheFist punching]]) by Khalisah bint Sinan al-Jilani.

** Every game up until ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' will always have you fighting the Elite Four plus the Champion or a similar FinalBoss. Or both, in one case. Subverted in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' where there is no Elite Four or Pokémon League initially, but they are instated near the end of the game.

** Every game has a long area, usually consisting mostly of caverns, called Victory Road between the final gym and the Elite Four. Played with in ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'', where the phrase "Victory Road" to refer to the gym challenge and Elite Four is there, but it refers to the ''campaign'' instead of any one particular location.

** Every game will always have a rival who always picks a starter Pokemon with a type advantage over yours. Inverted in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' where your rival picks a starter whose type is weak against yours, and for ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', where the rival does the same and it's the ''champion'' who picks the one strong against yours--and you have to face its fully-evolved form at the end of the game.

*** ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'': [[StealthPun "ACXIII"]]

** The only evolutionary lines available in every single generation before the Elite Four (without trading etc) are Zubat, Magnemite, and Psyduck as of ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'''s DownloadableContent ExpansionPack (Pikachu was not available before the Elite Four in any version of Unova).

* All three films in the ''Film/MCUSpiderManTrilogy'' have a Parker yell, "WHAT THE [[CurseCutShort FU-]]?!":

* Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. "ComicBook/TheScarecrow", is the only villain to appear in every single film of ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy''.

** Every single one of the sequels, to date, features ''one'' character from the original's EnsembleCast returning as a central character. It's Ian Malcolm in ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'', Alan Grant in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'', Dr. Henry Wu (returning [[FaceHeelTurn as an antagonist]]) in ''Film/JurassicWorld'', and Malcolm again in ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom''.

*** The ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' series films: Mack the semitruck

*** ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'': Is anthropomorphized and is given the name "Todd".

*** ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'': Mater's license plate. Also, the number on [[AllThereInTheScript Trev Diesel]] (the locomotive that almost hit Lightning [=McQueen=] on his way to Radiator Springs)'s headlights and running boards.

*** ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': [[WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} Doc Hudson.]]

** In another opening-related trend, Parts 3-5 have the BigBad [[spoiler:use his time manipulation powers on the opneing. In Part 3, DIO stops time near the end. In Part 4, Kira uses Bites The Dust to rewind the opening. In Part 5, Diavolo uses King Crimson to "erase" several seconds of time (shown by several blood splatters appearing on the ground below Giorno's cut finger) to deliver a monologue, although Giorno intrrupts him with Gold Experince Requiem in the third vrsion of th second opening.]]

** Every game up until ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' will always have you fighting the Elite Four plus the Champion or a similar FinalBoss. Or both, in one case. Subverted in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' where there is no Elite Four or Pokémon League initially, but they are instated near the end of the game.
** Every game has a villainous team trying to destroy/change/take over the world using the Cover's Legendary, though the last part only began to take form after Generation II.

** Every game has a long area, usually consisting mostly of caverns, called Victory Road between the final gym and the Elite Four.

** Every game has at least one rival, and a Pokémon Professor [[ThemeNaming named after a tree or type of plant]] that gives you a starter of your choice from either Water, Fire or Grass types.
** Every game has a place where you can [[RecursiveCanon talk to members of Game Freak staff]] and get a reward from the Director for completing the National Pokédex.

** Every new generation introduces a sweet food associated with the region.[[note]]I - Rare Candy, II - Berry Juice and Rage Candy Bar, III - Lava Cookie, IV - Old Gateau, V - Casteliacone, VI - Lumiose Galette and Shalour Sable, VII - Big Malasada and Pewter Crunchies[[/note]] The ones introduced in Generation III and onward all have the effect of curing any status condition. The exception is Generation VIII, which instead makes all of the previous ones available as rare items.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'' has recurring trends for each season, usually related to the anime adaptation.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', there is a shot of the club room sign with a new sticker added each episode. The only exceptions are the episodes set at a summer camp.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':

* Basically all matches involving full national teams, whatever the sport, start with the playing of both national anthems, with the home team's last. An exception is at the Ireland national rugby union team's matches held in the [[UsefulNotes/{{Ireland}} Republic of Ireland]], when ''three'' anthems are played—the away team's anthem; the Republic'a anthem of ''Amhrán na bhFiann''; and finally "Ireland's Call", an anthem specially composed for the Ireland team, which includes players from both the Republic and the UsefulNotes/{{North|ernIreland}}.[[note]]When Ireland plays outside of the Republic, it only uses "Ireland's Call". Several other "all-Ireland" national teams (i.e., those representing the entire island) have adopted that anthem.[[/note]]

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': Beelzebub is always a BonusBoss, and is always one of the most (if not THE most) difficult.

*** ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2'': On the marquee at the theater Violet and Tony go to for their first date.

** In almost every case,

* In the US, at least, most major sporting events begin with the playing of the national anthem.