History Main / RealityEnsues

* ThisIsReality, when characters mentions the trope In-Universe.

[[index]]

[[/index]]

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!!''General trope examples:''
[[index]]
* [[RealityEnsues/MarvelUniverse Reality Ensues]]
[[/index]]

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[[redirect:SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome]]

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1586665412072915200 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13222107430A61495000 Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]


%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=m7qwrvkm0ki8dvax5viu5ktm
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[[quoteright:340:[[Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/reality01_264.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:340:[[UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.]]\\
Try to dodge bullets and you'll end up like me.]]

->''If you saw a movie that was like real life, You'd be like, "What the hell was that movie about?\\
It was really all over the place."\\
Life doesn't make narrative sense.''
-->-- '''Music/JoshGroban''', ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend: "''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctXYZWE_bCs "The End of the Movie"]]''

Somebody thought they were protected by the power of narrative convention. Then reality ensued.

By definition, fiction is unrealistic. But most of those who indulge in media don't ask for their stories to be completely like reality. As long as things are kept [[MagicAIsMagicA internally consistent]], an audience is [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief willing to go along with just about anything an author can create]]... [[RefugeInAudacity no matter how irresponsible, immoral, or unhinged their more likeable and sympathetic characters might be acting by the standards of]] RealLife. For that reason, a creator can sometimes ignore or HandWave consequences of the real world in their stories, even when they've ShownTheirWork. This trope, though, is about what happens when a creator chooses not to ignore said consequences, and even factors them in as part of the plot or events.

This can sometimes be seen on the hard end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, though it isn't necessarily so since realism, despite what many claim, is not the same as cynicism. There are many realistic stories that run on optimism.

Generally, this trope is not used in order to make fiction completely and entirely mirror mundane everyday life... except when it is. This is also surprisingly often used as a ComedyTrope. Contrast FantasyAllAlong, when reality ensues and immediately afterwards ''fantasy'' kicks in again (occasionally undoing the damage done by the "reality" moment).

Note that, when we say "reality", we mean reality as in RealLife. We have "X happens" and "Y happens as a consequence of X"; the Y must not involve the fantastic in-story aspects of the work's own universe. For realistic consequences of unrealistic superpowers, see LogicalWeakness.

The ExtraordinaryWorldOrdinaryProblems trope is a variant. Also related to {{Deconstruction}} and DeconstructiveParody, and is mainly used for comedy.[[note]]The difference between this trope and {{Deconstruction}} is the outcome, oddly enough - where deconstruction goes for a logical and realistic outcome under the rules employed (say "magic exists" + "some people are crazy/evil" = "fireball-throwing maniacs using magic to commit crime"), as mentioned this trope goes for a logical and realistic outcome under RealLife rules, i.e. "magic does not exist" and people believing it does are just weirdoes.[[/note]]

Not to be confused with HilarityEnsues, although when done right, the two can and will overlap. Still, do note that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools this is not strictly a "humor" trope]]: the defiance of a fantastic element can be a pretty powerful tool for deconstructive drama and sometimes even horror.

Characters who use this to their advantage almost invariably are GenreSavvy. A WrongGenreSavvy character has chances to be hit hard by an Ensuing Reality. The NoNonsenseNemesis runs entirely on this trope played for drama and sometimes horror. Violates NoOntologicalInertia when things do not automatically change because one thing comes to an end.

This trope is sometimes used to counter InsaneTrollLogic.

Since this trope is entirely about outcomes happening under the rules of RealLife, [[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease real life examples would be redundant]]. If you want more detailed information on this, see JustForFun/TelevisionIsTryingToKillUs, a detailed list of why many different fiction tropes would not only not work out well in real life, but will end in disaster for anyone who actually attempts to do it.

''Please Note: Before adding your examples, make sure it qualifies. This trope is not for any instance that is realistic, even if it is unexpected. In most cases, it doesn't count if it's an {{Anticlimax}} [[labelnote:Example]]It turns out the woman had left while the two men were arguing for an hour[[/labelnote]], FridgeLogic [[labelnote:Example]]Of course a policeman is going to be competent at takedowns, even if he acts like an idiot most of the time[[/labelnote]], the obvious outcome [[labelnote:Example]]He tries to pick up his car to throw at the zombies, but it turns out an ordinary person can't lift a 2 ton machine[[/labelnote]], or taking into consideration something that is usually ignored [[labelnote:Example]]In this game you actually have to consider the effect gravity has on your ship instead of being able to zip in a straight line to your destination[[/labelnote]].''

'''Warning: As this trope frequently occurs at the climax of a work, spoilers are likely to be unmarked. Caution advised.'''
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!!Example Subpages:
[[index]]
* RealityEnsues/{{Advertising}}
* RealityEnsues/AnimeAndManga
* RealityEnsues/ComicBooks
* RealityEnsues/FanWorks
* [[RealityEnsues/AnimatedFilms Films — Animation]]
* [[RealityEnsues/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
* RealityEnsues/{{Literature}}
* RealityEnsues/LiveActionTV
* RealityEnsues/{{Music}}
* RealityEnsues/ProWrestling
* RealityEnsues/TabletopGames
* RealityEnsues/VideoGames
* RealityEnsues/VisualNovels
* RealityEnsues/WebAnimation
* RealityEnsues/{{Webcomics}}
* RealityEnsues/WebOriginal
* RealityEnsues/WebVideos
* RealityEnsues/WesternAnimation
* RealityEnsues/OtherMedia
[[/index]]
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* {{RealityEnsues/Other}}

!!Other Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Audio Plays]]
* ''AudioPlay/WereAlive'': Angel attempts to use a broken zip line to repel down from the roof of the collapsing Tower, barehanded. The result is he tears up his hands, lands next to the remains of a tanker truck filled with burning diesel fuel, and is left barely clinging to life but slowly dying from his injuries. It's made very clear his injuries would have killed him if Scratch hadn't [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim given him a terminal case of lead poisoning first.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* Throughout the comic, Sarge beating up ''ComicStrip/BeetleBailey'' is typically PlayedForLaughs, but in one story in the 90s, he actually ends up getting locked up for it.
* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', since Calvin is a lazy six-year-old kid, a lot of the jokes and gags come from his naivete when his perceptions don't match reality.
** When Calvin has to write a report about bats, he deliberately doesn't do any research because he hates homework, doing an in-universe bit of CriticalResearchFailure by assuming that bats are bugs because they're hairy and they fly. He fails the assignment.
** In an early arc of the strip, Calvin finds a raccoon by the side of the road who had been hit by a car. Calvin takes the raccoon in to try and nurse it back to health, but the raccoon still dies. The only solace Calvin's dad can give Calvin is that at least he died in peace.
** Calvin spends a lot of time rolling a giant snowball to throw it at someone, only for Hobbes to point out (much to Calvin's dismay) that it's too heavy to lift. Calvin's disheartened response is, "Reality continues to ruin my life."
** Calvin trying to disguise himself as Stupendous Man never works. Everyone sees through his PaperThinDisguise no matter how hard he tries to deny it. It kinda gets sad when he tries to pull it on his own mother, who ''made the costume for him in the first place''.
** Calvin orders a beanie with a motorized propeller in the mail, expecting to be able to fly with it. When he gets the beanie, it barely works and the propeller snaps off. Even when Calvin could get it to work, the propeller just spun, not lifting him off the ground at all.
* There is a more-positive-than-usual example in a ''[[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Far Side]]'' comic strip. Some Vikings are returning to their ship after what is obviously a pillaging raid, as we can see a burning settlement in the distance and a captive woman being carried over one Viking's shoulder. The crew's dog is very happy to see them and is wagging its tail enthusiastically. Cartoonist Gary Larson admitted that many people didn't understand the strip, and asked him what the punchline was. He later explained that the point was that [[MoralityPet as long as you're nice to it]], your dog won't [[AnimalsHateHim hate you]] and will happily greet you when you come home, no matter "how big a jerk you are."
* In one ''ComicStrip/PearlsBeforeSwine'' strip, the crocs decide to kill Zebra in a manner inspired by Popeye the Sailor. While one of them sings the theme song, the other one pops open a can of spinach, swallows the whole thing in one gulp--and chokes to death.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology]]
* Literature/TheBible:
** Moses sees an overseer whipping a Jew and is overcome with rage, killing him. Instead of being seen as a {{Big Damn Hero|es}} protecting his own from an oppressor, however, later on, when he tries to intervene with a pair of Jews who are fighting each other, [[WhatTheHellHero the instigator asks if Moses is going to kill him too]], and he realizes that he might be punished as a dangerous criminal, so he flees to Midian as soon as he can.
** The Pharaoh let the Israelites go after the 10th plague killed his son. However, once the people are gone, the Pharaoh and other officials realized that they just let go all their workers and now they're economically screwed, so he leads his army after them (cue Red Sea falling to drown said army after the Israelites cross).
** In the Book of Judges, Abimelech is mortally wounded when a woman drops a millstone on his head. Therefore, he gets his armor bearer to stab him, thinking that no one will know that [[IWasBeatenByAGirl he was beaten by a girl]]. [[WrongGenreSavvy This is referenced later on and unfortunately for him, they still say a woman killed him]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Podcasts]]
* During an episode of ''Podcast/MyBrotherMyBrotherAndMe,'' while imagining scenarios to answer a Yahoo Answers inquiry about how one should describe a non-human character in a book taking five blades out of their chest, when it gets to be Justin's turn, he has the alien protagonist taking them out extremely slowly, inch by inch, swearing profusely, and vomiting and blacking out from the intense pain. Repeat four more times to get every other blade out.
* ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'': From "A Story About You":
-->'''You:''' How did you find me?\\
'''The Man Who Is Not Tall:''' [[LampshadeHanging Everything you do is being broadcast on the radio for some reason.]] That made it pretty easy.\\
'''You:''' Oh yeah, I see that now.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Print Media]]
* The UK edition of ''Official Playstation Magazine'' once had a semi-regular guest column about this trope as applied to AmusingInjuries, in which an ER nurse would watch some footage from a particular game and describe exactly what would happen if someone was on the wrong end of such an injury in real life. If the intent was to convince young readers [[DontTryThisAtHome not to try and recreate anything the saw in a videogame]], [[NightmareFuel it worked!]] They also once had a special feature in which a Royal Air Force fighter pilot had a go at ''VideoGame/{{Ace Combat 3|Electrosphere}}'' to see how similar it was to his actual job - unsurprisingly, the answer was "not very".
* ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'':
** In a [[http://www.madcoversite.com/mad307backprintid.jpg spoof]] of ''Literature/HanselAndGretel'', the witch is cackling to herself as she builds a GingerbreadHouse to ensnare and covers it with various candies and sweets to entice any little boys and girls who might pass her way. When Hansel and Gretel arrive sometime later...
--->'''Gretel:''' Egad, Hansel. Look at the size of that ant-hill!!\\
'''Hansel:''' Listen, Gretel... do you hear someone ''screaming?''
** A particularly savage example involved ''ComicStrip/BringingUpFather'', a very old-school {{newspaper comic|s}} from the early 1900s about a [[AcceptableTargets Wacky Irish Immigrant]], Jiggs. Think ''ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie'' or ''The Katzenjammer Kids''. He is constantly [[DomesticAbuse abused]] by his wife, which is played for [[ValuesDissonance laughs]] in the original strip. In a rather dramatic ArtShift, the parody [[http://therainer.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html begins]] [[http://pics.livejournal.com/dr_hermes/pic/000e3gaw/s640x480 like this]] and ends like this: showing Jiggs [[http://tinyurl.com/6k46y6 in a pool of his own blood]] as his vicious wife looms in the doorway, rolling pin in hand. This ran in ''Mad'' #17, [[TheFifties 1954]].
--->'''Jiggs:''' That's right! Have a good laugh while my wife beats me up! [[YouBastard Laugh like you have all these years!]]\\
'''Maggs:''' You '''WORM!''' My doggie is dead and it's all your fault!\\
...\\
'''Maggs:''' That's odd! There isn't a mark on the dog!\\
'''Jiggs:''' That dog didn't get hit by a plate! It's just that [[LampshadeHanging in this serious atmosphere]], that dog died from being too skinny!... No skinny dog like that can survive in this serious atmosphere... and nobody getting beatings like me can survive either!
** Articles parodying cliche scenes in movies include a scene in which a mobster decides that [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim it is, in fact, easier just to shoot Lance and his girlfriend]]. While the way the scene played out in movies lasts most of two pages, this is resolved in ''two panels''.
** Mad had a regular feature for a while called "Reel vs. Real" in which it regularly parodied whichever popular movies were in theaters or being released for home viewing at the time by taking their basic premise and showing how it would play out in real life. For instance, whereas in the [movie] "reel" world exposing some turtles in the sewers to radioactive ooze gave us the sentient anthropomorphic Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles, the ooze is shown giving those turtles cancer and turning them into non-sentient mutant animal freaks with weird stuff growing out of their shells in the "real" world.
** The ending to their satire of ''Film/DoubleJeopardy'' did this by way of subverting WrongfulAccusationInsurance.
** In a contrast between a movie cowboy and a real life one, the movie cowboy is hailed as a hero for defeating his rival in a fistfight, while the real life one is knocked out in one blow, wins by ambushing his rival at a later date, and is lynched for murder.
** Another comic has an inexperienced race driver enter a 24-hour race in an old piece of junk of a car. Everyone laughs at him, but the plucky [[UnderdogsNeverLose underdog]] takes chances none of the other drivers dare, pushes his car to the limit, wins the crowd over with his death-defying driving... and finishes dead last, because his car is a piece of junk.
** In a parody of the airlines' safety instructions, Mad shows panels of what people would actually do in those situations - panicking, making mistakes and not following the directions. In one example, two people frantically grab oxygen masks, strangling the man seated between them, and in another, a swarm of people rush to the emergency exit.
** One feature spoofing comic strips features what would happen if the characters behaved more realistically:
*** If ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' Gang talked like real children. It just has Charlie Brown and Lucy spouting off random things you would expect a four-year-old to say, such as "I got a hole in my knee" or "You know what I would like to see? A green sky."
*** Another one about ''ComicStrip/BringingUpFather'' which also plays on the abuse Jiggs experiences from Maggs, but this time, he simply files for divorce after it happens.
*** One about if ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS'' had parents with normal patience just has Dennis getting spanked (this was before his MenaceDecay).
* A 1938 program from the San Francisco Opera features an article that explains what would happen to various opera characters if their stories were enacted in 1930's California. Among other things, Theatre/AndreaChenier is jailed for dueling, while the title character from ''Theatre/DonGiovanni'' and Clytemnestra from ''Theatre/{{Electra}}'' are executed for murdering the Commendatore and Agamemnon respectively.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* ''Roleplay/DarwinsSoldiers'' has quite a few examples:
** If you do massive damage to a top secret military base in the process of saving it from a terrorist assault, you will suffer severe consequences.
** [[spoiler:Dr. Branston]] was shot in the leg and later dies from his injury.
*** Same for [[spoiler:Hicks]] and some unnamed sniper.
** Air vents are cramped and [[AirVentPassageway using them as passageways]] will make a lot of noise.
*** Air vents in a top secret military base will be too small for someone to fit through.
** Being made of solid metal grants NighInvulnerability...and a total inability to swim due to your increased density.
** TheBerserker will end up with convictions for assault and/or spend time in the hospital.
** Throwing someone [[DestinationDefenestration through a window]] will severely injure or kill them.
** InterspeciesRomance will ''never'' result in children.
** [[spoiler:[[SnakePeople Sergeant Larry Masters]]]] eventually dies of lung cancer bought on by his habit of smoking.
** [[spoiler:[[MindOverMatter Siberys]]]] shows what happens if you quickly cobble together a vaccine/drug and use it without proper testing and/or followup. The vaccine he took works as intended but [[spoiler:he dies from the complications several years later]].
** [[spoiler:Chris [=MacLean=]]] shows what the stress of being responsible for someone's death as well as keeping a deep secret for decades can do. He [[spoiler:[[DrowningMySorrows becomes an alcoholic]] and later dies in an alcohol related accident.]]
* Despite the more outlandish aspects of ''Roleplay/WeAreAllPokemonTrainers'', realism can indeed rear its ugly head:
** The PEFE Founders took down the corrupt corporation Pokéfutures Inc., who also happened to be the lynchpin of Angela's economy. This resulted in the Angelan economy going into freefall, and had the Founders not took the deal to take all their assets they would've ended up in prison.
** Raise loads of sapient beings for use in competition and basically rejecting the rest for one or two perfect mons? Be prepared for a lot of issues regarding self-worth.
** Verax may have done a HeelFaceTurn, but that doesn't mean the J-Team members who he's tried to kill before are going to like having him around.
** Daisy and Pentigan got together due to their adventures fighting Glitch Pokémon, but once that was over, they found that apart from a shared horrific experience they didn't really have anything else in common and broke up.
** The J-Team causing property damage to the places they stayed at caused many hotels to ban them from staying there.
** Psychological issues take time to fix and may never fully go away.
** During the Hoenn arc Tagg decides to have his mons destroy a perfectly legal Neo-Magma machine to stop them from destroying a beach and is forced to retreat by them calling the cops as that's vandalism.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sports]]
* Many routine professional wrestling moves such as the power bomb, suplex and even DDT have proven to have very nasty effects when used in Shoot Fighting and UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts, though they show up rarely rather than routine and almost always as counters than as offensive moves. Conversely, popular moves such as [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin the stunner]] and [[Wrestling/TheGreatMuta the various bridging submission holds]], while doable, [[AwesomeButImpractical tend to get shrugged off]]. The most popular pro wrestling move in combat sports is the plain old ankle lock. [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique The ankle lock is a dangerous move that gets on-and-off bans]], rather than the infamous pile driver (which tends to fall under "only as a counter").
* This often happens when a champion from a past era makes a comeback in boxing or MMA and returns to the ring to challenge the new champion or highly ranked contender. These bouts are almost inevitably promoted as a battle between the ages, with the champ from the past talking about how much better the fighters from their era were, and how they'll be too smart or too tough for the young guy. Fans, maybe despite themselves, start to believe in the hype and want to see a storybook performance from their old favorite, so they cheer the old guy on. Then the fighters get in the ring and it seldom ends well for the old champion. Sometimes, it's downright tragic.
* A variation on IKnowMortalKombat: When Top Gear magazine put iRacing champion Greger Huttu in a real race car, he did indeed put down some good, and consistent lap times, but soon threw up all over his overalls from the violent motions of the car.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theme Parks]]
* Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a mine train roller coaster located at four of the Ride/DisneyThemeParks. The theme of the ride is that you're traveling on a possessed mine train through an old mine from the 1850s. One thing that sets the Disneyland Paris version of the ride apart from the others is that the trains are painted to look weathered from years of neglect, while the other versions use trains that look shiny and brand-new.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* ''Theatre/TwistedTheUntoldStoryOfARoyalVizier'':
** In ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', the side character Prince Achmed is never heard from again after being attacked and humiliated by Princess Jasmine's tiger. When the same thing happens in this parody musical, he ends his kingdom's trade alliance with the princess's and declares war in response, and [[LampshadeHanging is openly baffled that she seemed to expect that such an assault on the prince of a sovereign nation would have no political consequences]].
--->'''Achmed:''' This really is an act of ''war'', Ja'far! And she treated it as if it were a throwaway joke. As if I was some... silly side character, here only to illustrate ''her'' reluctance to get married!
** Aladdin's antics in escaping the guards at the beginning also takes a slightly different turn [[AmusingInjuries than in the film]]:
--->'''Captain:''' Today things got a little out of hand, and a lot of good people are dead. [...] The sword-swallower slit his throat from the inside when the thief's pet monkey ripped the sword right out of it... Do you know the guy who sleeps on the bed of nails? [...] A fat guard fell on him. Now he's dead. Then, when we fell from the window and into the cart of manure... Kabal snapped his neck on impact... two more choked on shit... [[IronicEcho All this, for a loaf of bread.]]
** Later, Aladdin's arrival in the city via an opulent parade with no prior notice or clearing of the streets beforehand results in much property damage and several deaths.
* ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon'':
** When Elders Price and Cunningham are assigned to Uganda, they assume it will be like ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 The Lion King]]''. When they actually arrive, their luggage is stolen, the villagers are ravaged by disease and a local warlord, and the Mormons are hopelessly in over their heads.
** Elder Price thinks that [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve it's enough to believe strongly in his religion to make people convert]]. He walks into General Butt-Fucking-Naked's territory while singing passionately about his faith. At first, the general and his men are stunned by Price's audacity, but they get more and more angry as the song progresses. Not only does Price not convert anyone, he gets [[AssShove the Book of Mormon shoved up his ass for his troubles]].
** Elder Cunningham does a series of in-universe {{Ass Pull}}s to get the Ugandans to stop doing things such as genital mutilation and baby rape. Later, the Missionary Leader comes to visit the camp and sees the pageant "Joseph Smith, American Moses", based on what Cunningham has been teaching. It's so wildly inaccurate that the Missionary Leader promptly disbands the district and excommunicates the elders for failing to do anything right in their mission.[[invoked]]
* This trope is often taken as the reason for Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'s ambiguous reluctance to kill Claudius -- in reality (and contrary to the Elizabethan revenge dramas that were popular at the time), most people simply wouldn't be able to live up to the command to put a knife in another person's back. Doubly so since Claudius is family by blood and the reigning monarch, which means that killing him would render Hamlet NotSoDifferent from him. Hamlet also doesn't just take his father's ghost at his word -- he notes from his knowledge of legends and theatre that something as fantastical as a ghost could easily be a trick of the Devil to tempt him. As such, he doesn't act on his revenge until he has more convincing evidence. Of course, that doesn't mean he isn't seriously affected by the whole affair....
* ''Theatre/IntoTheWoods'' is all over this trope. Not only does it show the considerably more realistic consequences of fairy tales (particularly in regards to FourthDateMarriage and ParentalAbandonment), it also shows just how dangerous some fairy tale characters can be in a more realistic setting. When a giant comes down from the beanstalk, the audience goes "hey, cool!" at first, until she starts actually stepping on people. It's ''not'' played for laughs whatsoever. However, this only applies for Act II. [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids Act I is frequently used for school productions]], as it's a fairly straightforward mash-up of recognisable fairy-tales that ends with a musical number celebrating how all the heroes have had their dreams come true and now they're going to live HappilyEverAfter... [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle and then Act II opens]], and everyone is faced with the fallout of their decisions.
* A couple events play out more realistically in ''Theatre/JacobMarleysChristmasCarol'' than in [[Literature/AChristmasCarol the original story]].
** When Marley first haunts Scrooge, instead of shrugging it off and eating by the fire, he hides in preparation to defend himself with the fire poker.
** Scrooge points out the hypocrisy of Marley asking him to change his ways when he was just as bad in life, also pointing out that his business dealings are perfectly legal and he pays his taxes.
* ''The History of Invulnerability'' a play which recounts Jerry Siegel's last thoughts as he lays dying, is intercut with scenes of prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp. One of the prisoners reads smuggled-in Superman comics and believes that eventually Superman will come and save them. In the last scene of the production, Superman and Jerry Siegel (both with superpowers) arrive, beat up the Nazis and free the prisoners. This is followed by a coda where Jerry Siegel says "Now, what really happened". He and his creation look on as the prisoners are rounded up and gassed. In the end, Superman is defeated by reality.
* ''Theatre/{{Urinetown}}'' takes place in a town where a drought has caused a terrible water shortage. A corporation controls the public toilets and forces people to pay to use them to control water consumption with harsh laws ensuring the townspeople comply. The poor people of the town eventually rise up and overthrow the corporation, changing the law to allow people to use the toilet for free… only for the remaining water supply to quickly be used up and causing most of the population to die from thirst.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Toys]]
* ''ComicBook/BeastWarsUprising:'' Preditron is the creator of the Predacons, a ProudWarriorRaceGuy capable of inspiring terrified warriors into action with a rousing speech. And then he fights Tripredacus, a CombiningMecha. [[spoiler:He gets beaten to death without ever managing to land a solid hit.]] Valiant warrior or not, he's massively outclassed by the combiner's sheer power.
[[/folder]]

[[caption-width-right:340:[[UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.]] Try to dodge bullets and you'll end up like me.]]

* A 1938 program from the San Francisco Opera explains what would happen to various opera characters if their stories were enacted in 1930's California. Among other things, Theatre/AndreaChenier is jailed for dueling, while the title character from ''Theatre/DonGiovanni'' and Clytemnestra from ''Theatre/{{Electra}}'' are executed for murdering the Commendatore and Agamemnon respectively.