History Main / SeriesContinuityError

* The Disney DirectToVideo film ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingOneAndAHalf'' (which is essentially a recap of the first film's events, but from Timon and Pumbaa's point of view) actively contradicts the events of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'' on many levels. On the other hand, given whose [[UnreliableNarrator points of view]] this is... Then again, some people have interpreted it as a parody because of how ''many'' events it contradicts.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheMitchellsVsTheMachines'', Linda adopts Eric and Deborah, which would make her a mother of 4. However, in the battle with the Prime bots, she states that she is a "mother of two".

[[folder:Multiple Media]]
* Franchise/MonsterVerse:
** In ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', [[YouAreNumberSix Number 10]] (which has a notably different coloration from the Skullcrawlers previously seen on Skull Island) bleeds [[AlienBlood bright-green blood and viscera]], whereas in ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', the Skullcrawler in the boneyard scene bled ''pink'' blood. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C8zJjOoouQ B-Roll footage]] shows that Number 10's remains originally would have been a lifelike crimson, more or less preserving series continuity, but this was apparently changed at some point before the movie was released.
** It's hinted in ''Godzilla vs. Kong'', and confirmed in the novelization, that the public are still treating the HollowEarth as if its existence wasn't confirmed during the events of ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'', with the novel hinting that Monarch kept silent about their discovery in the previous film – this directly contradicts an InUniverse publicized article in the CreativeClosingCredits of ''Godzilla: King of the Monsters'', which addresses the topic of the Hollow Earth and its connection to the Titans as if its existence was verified to the public.
** In ''Film/Godzilla2014'', it was stated that Godzilla was awakened in 1954 as the result of a nuclear submarine reaching the lower depths for the first time ever, and it was implied that there were ''multiple'' attempts to kill Godzilla with atomic detonations that were covered up as tests during this decade. In the [[Recap/MonarchLegacyOfMonstersS1E3SecretsAndLies third episode]] of ''Series/MonarchLegacyOfMonsters'', Godzilla was discovered via a gigantic footprint he'd left on land with no mention of a submarine; and the Castle Bravo detonation (which was depicted in the 2014 film's opening) is portrayed as the ''sole'' detonation aimed at killing Godzilla, with Godzilla being [[DramaticIrony presumed]] [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated dead]] after he vanished in the nuclear fireball.
[[/folder]]

* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse: ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' has a glaring one right at the start, claiming the events in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'' happened eight years prior. For starters, both movies were made only five years apart. And in-universe, ''Homecoming'' is set months after ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', which explicitly says only four years have passed since ''The Avengers''.
* In ''Film/MenInBlack'', keen eyed viewers can notice that Agent J's year of birth on his recently deleted birth certificate shows he was born in 1969. But that is later contradicted in ''Film/MenInBlack3'' which reveals Agent J was already a child around that year, given Apollo 11's launch provides a major setting and plotpoint for that film. And that was in 1969, supposedly when he was born.

** In ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' Obi-Wan's spirit informs Luke that he cannot intervene if Luke chooses to face Vader, and Vader says the same thing to the Emperor, implying that Force Ghosts cannot interact with the physical world. This would be proven false in subsequent installments. ''Return of the Jedi'' shows branches moving as Obi-Wan walks past them and he's able to sit down on a rock. In ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' episode "Voices", Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit is able to levitate Yoda and other objects in the room in order to prove he's really there. In ''The Last Jedi'' Yoda's spirit uses the Force to summon lightning to strike the tree containing the ancient Jedi texts and he later whacks Luke with his cane. And in ''The Rise of Skywalker'', Luke's spirit catches Anakin's lightsaber when Rey discards it and uses the Force to lift his submerged X-wing out of the water.

* The ''{{Franchise/Cars}}'' franchise takes place in a world populated entirely by SentientVehicles, and as such, most world landmarks are given a vehicle motif. However, some landmarks have contradicting designs: At the end of ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'', the Taj Mahai and the Great Wall of China both appear in the credits and have a car motif, while the Statue of Luberty, as seen in one tie-in storybook, resembles a Ford Model T. However, when all of these landmarks appear again in ''{{WesternAnimation/Planes}}'', the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall are instead both given a plane motif, and the Statue of Luberty now resembles a forklift.

* At the end of Disney's ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', [[TheHighQueen Kida]] gains more tattoos on her face, which could be a sign of her becoming queen; but in the sequel, all of her tattoos save her first one are inexplicably gone.

** At the end of [[Film/Halloween1978 the first movie]], Michael is shot by Loomis six times, then falls off a covered balcony at the back of the house. This scene is shown again at the start of [[Film/HalloweenII1981 the sequel]] — and Loomis shoots Michael ''seven'' times (despite only having a six-chamber revolver), sending him flying off an ''uncovered'' balcony at the ''front'' of the house. It worsens when Loomis goes around shouting, "I shot him six times!" in the film's first few minutes.

* During Chapter 6 of ''VideoGame/FZero GX'''s Story Mode, Black Shadow attempts to murder Captain Falcon by strapping a speed-senstive bomb to the Blue Falcon. However, Captain Falcon manages to knock the bomb off and survive. During the next chapter, Black Shadow is suprised to see that Captain Falcon is still alive and well. But it shouldn't be very suprising, [[FailedASpotCheck considering that the Blue Falcon is parked right in front of him]].

* ''SeriousContinuityError/StarTrek''

* Franchise/MonsterVerse:
** In ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', [[YouAreNumberSix Number 10]] (which has a notably different coloration from the Skullcrawlers previously seen on Skull Island) bleeds [[AlienBlood bright-green blood and viscera]], whereas in ''Film/KongSkullIsland'', the Skullcrawler in the boneyard scene bled ''pink'' blood. The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C8zJjOoouQ B-Roll footage]] shows that Number 10's remains originally would have been a lifelike crimson, more or less preserving series continuity, but this was apparently changed at some point before the movie was released.
** It's hinted in ''Godzilla vs. Kong'', and confirmed in the novelization, that the public are still treating the HollowEarth as if its existence wasn't confirmed during the events of ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'', with the novel hinting that Monarch kept silent about their discovery in the previous film – this directly contradicts an InUniverse publicized article in the CreativeClosingCredits of ''Godzilla: King of the Monsters'', which addresses the topic of the Hollow Earth and its connection to the Titans as if its existence was verified to the public.

** ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamUnderworld'' sees Harley Quinn in her ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' costume--which she stated in that exact game was new and a tag at the start of ''Underworld'' says the game takes place "9 years ago", which given ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' states the events of ''Origins'' takes place ten years before it, means part of ''Underworld'' takes place not long after ''Origins''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'':
** ''Final Fantasy XIII', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 XIII-2]]'', and ''VideoGame/{{Lightning Returns|FinalFantasyXIII}}'' have terrible in-game continuity and cross game (they are a successive series of events) continuity. It's absurd to the point where ''Lightning Returns'' has completely different reasons/motivations/developments/explanations, etc., for events the characters reflect upon and the lore of the games themselves after the prior two built everything up. Yet they still apparently happen the same way.
** Etro is stated to be the goddess of time in ''XIII-2'', but in ''Lightning Returns'' and the expanded universe material, her dominion is over the life and death cycle, meaning time travel and visions of the future/alternate timelines she made possible in ''XIII-2'' couldn't have been done by her, and the rest of the series' god entities were either sleeping or dead.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheMitchellsVsTheMachines'', Linda adopts Eric and Deborah, which would make her a mother of 4. However, in the battle with the Prime bots, she states that she is a "mother of 2".
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIceAgeAdventuresOfBuckWild'', Crash and Eddie point out that dinosaurs don't talk, despite having met Gavin and his kids who are talking dinosaurs in [[WesternAnimation/IceAgeCollisionCourse the previous film]].

* Myth/GreekMythology could have a page to itself due to its numerous continuity errors and [[ContinuitySnarl snarls]]. See the origins of gods.

* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Future: Tools of Destruction]]'' reveals Ratchet to be [[spoiler:the last of the Lombaxes]]... but in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Going Commando]]'', [[spoiler:Angela Cross is one too]]. Whoops. Apparently, WordOfGod has said [[spoiler:she's a separate but similar species]]. Regardless, in the prison in ''Tools of Destruction'', they mention [[spoiler:"prisoner's of Lombax descent", so Angela could also be half-Lombax.]] [[spoiler:FlipFlopOfGod. As of ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime A Crack in Time]]'' Angela has been confirmed as a Lombax (apparently females don't have tails).]]
* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
** In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'', Guile's motive for entering the World Warrior tournament was to get revenge on M. Bison for killing his friend Charlie. In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', he's insistent that Charlie is still alive because (as established in the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' prequel series) they NeverFoundTheBody.
** The SNES sequel to ''VideoGame/FinalFight'', ''Final Fight 2'', established that Guy became the Bushin-ryu successor after training under Genryusai. It would be contradicted in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' by having Zeku revealed to be Guy's predecessor, even though Genryusai's daughter Maki would show up in later fighting games (specifically ''Capcom vs. SNK 2'' and the portable versions of ''Street Fighter Alpha 3''). Udon's ''World Warrior Encyclopedia'' attempts to reconcile this inconsistency by having Genryusai be Zeku's predecessor.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' has a considerable number.
** The entire game of ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'' takes place in a dungeon destroyed several games ago.
** In ''VideoGame/UltimaIX'', the Tapestry of Ages is supposed to depict the previous ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' games. It supposedly magically painted itself throughout history as the events unfolded, yet the earlier games have no such tapestry. The visual depictions are not accurate to the details of each story. The tapestry is meant as a reminder that the Avatar visited Britannia on eight occasions, once for each main entry in the series, ignoring how the Avatar was not on Britannia in ''VideoGame/UltimaII'' and ''VideoGame/UltimaVIII'', and remained on Britannia in other games.
*** The Tapestry is just the tip of the iceberg -- people have written entire dissertations about all the continuity errors in ''IX''.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2 XIII-2]]'', and ''VideoGame/{{Lightning Returns|FinalFantasyXIII}}'' have terrible in-game continuity and cross game (they are a successive series of events) continuity. It's absurd to the point where ''Lightning Returns'' has completely different reasons/motivations/developments/explanations, etc., for events the characters reflect upon and the lore of the games themselves after the prior two built everything up. Yet they still apparently happen the same way.

* On the way to the TrueEnding of ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2'', the CPU Candidates are promoted to full [=CPUs=]. Yet at the beginning of ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory'', the direct sequel, Nepgear introduces herself, Uni, Rom and Ram as CPU Candidates. Despite a few ways to reconcile this (mk2's Good Ending is the canon one, or the immortal goddess [=CPUs=] being reinstated after the events of the game), the game doesn't explain it.

* ''VideoGame/SpaceQuest'': The [=WD40=] terminoid in ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestVTheNextMutation'' is sent to collect on the payment Roger Wilco didn't make for the Gippazoid Novelty Company's Labion Terror Beast Mating Whistle after defeating the Arnoid sent to collect payment in ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestIIIThePiratesOfPestulon''. In that game, Roger defeated the Arnoid, who demanded payment for the whistle from ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestIIVohaulsRevenge''. And in that game, examining the order form shows the whistle is for free, which later games never brought up again in-story. The developers admitted it was an oversight, and the Space Quest [[http://spacequest.wikia.com/wiki/Gippazoid_Novelty_Company wiki]] runs with the idea it's the company's fault for charging for an allegedly free item.
* ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'' clearly states dragon eggs only occur once every twelve years. In ''VideoGame/SpyroAHerosTail'' you must rescue different dragon eggs despite the fact no one seems to have aged much since the third game, and certainly not twelve years. However, ''Year of the Dragon'' also flies contrary to ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon1998'', where one had to chase thieves with dragon eggs. While time passed between the games, twelve years seems unlikely.

** Despite the ''[[VideoGame/SonicRushSeries Sonic Rush]]'' games establishing them as being [[DimensionalTraveler from another dimension]], ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Sonic '06]]'' and the ''VideoGame/SonicRivals'' games went on to claim Blaze and Eggman Nega (respectively) came from the future of Sonic's world (Nega, in particular, being Dr. Eggman's descendant as opposed to Eggman's counterpart in the Sol Dimension). Since ''[='06=]'' is subject to a CosmicRetcon, later games revert to Blaze being from another dimension, while Nega is still from the future.

* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' games since ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' have established Samus's [[PoweredArmor Power Suit]] as [[PsychoactivePowers something formed and maintained by her will]] (and being knocked unconscious causes the suit to dematerialize), and not so much a physical set of armor. This causes problems with the chronologically later game, ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' -- where the plot hinges on the Power Suit being a physical object that remains around Samus whilst she is unconscious, and a parasite can infect her.
* Between the first and second ''Franchise/MassEffect'' games, "thermal clips" were invented to replace all guns' original heat sink system. During the same period, mechs became widespread compared to their initial limited numbers. This is an issue when rescuing Jacob's father, who was marooned eight years prior to the first game. Despite being cut off from the galaxy, the planet still has a plentiful supply of thermal clips and mechs.
* Discussed in ''VideoGame/DeusExMankindDivided'' in the "A Criminal Past" DLC when Jensen gets his augmentations back. The game notes that giving him access to the new experimental augs from the main game nine months before he canonically knew they existed constitutes a PlotHole and gives you the option to either respect continuity at the cost of a weaker Jensen or accept the plot hole so you can have all of your shiny new toys. Can also be a case of UnreliableNarrator as Jensen survived a bombing that did some damage at the start of the game and the DLC is framed as Jensen giving a very overdue after-action report following the events of the base game and the other DLC.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'', Myron proudly claims to have invented the addictive drug known as Jet, and if asked, will tell you the story of how it was created, partly by accident, as a result of the Mordinos' efforts to create a potent drug that they could produce in the wasteland. ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' indicates that the drug was made before the nuclear war due to being on a list of drugs hidden in a vault before the bombs fell. No canon source has addressed this yet.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** Since ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade'' is a prequel, characters who appear in or have children who appear in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'' are SavedByCanon and won't [[{{Permadeath}} die for real if they fall in battle]] (though they'll still become unplayable). Rebecca is an exception -- despite her son appearing in the previous/next game, she dies for real if she falls in battle. No explanation is given for this, suggesting that it was simply an oversight.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem]]'', it was established that Minerva initially rode a pegasus before she became a wyvern rider, tying into how the Dracoknight class that rode wyverns promoted from Pegasus Knights in that game. Later material reinforced this, with the trading card game ''TabletopGame/FireEmblemCipher'' releasing a card of Pegasus Knight Minerva that could be used to summon that version of the character in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates''. Later on, ''VideoGame/FireEmblemHeroes'' released a younger version of Minerva, who rides a wyvern despite the events of the remake being previously established as canon. Her past as a Pegasus Knight is ignored.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', undead monsters known as "The Risen" terrorize the land of Ylisse. However, they don't appear until a few chapters into the story. Depending on how you play, Robin and Lissa's first support converstation will be unlocked, which mentions the Risen before they show up. The European version of the game corrects this by changing the Risen into bandits.
* ''VideoGame/BoomBots'': If you unlock [[VideoGame/TheNeverhood Klaymen]] as a playable character and decide to play through the game as him, the first message you recieve tells you that Dr. Pick created Klaymen. [[spoiler:Anyone who has played ''The Neverhood'' knows that it was Hoborg who created Klaymen.]]
* ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'' is normally incredibly good at keeping track of what you did, which makes it weird in the few cases when later scenes do contradict previous ones:
** Players who explore long passages of the game without Kim will sometimes find him knowing about things he shouldn't, repeating in-jokes from conversations he wasn't there for, and sometimes even being reacted to by other people as if he had been there on an earlier meeting. This is especially relevant to the way the game tracks your character's drug abuse. You will only lose RelationshipValues with Kim for taking up a new drug habit while Kim is there to watch you, making it clear he's not supposed to know about what you do when he's not there, but Kim will still mention it in the ending if you only took one drink, in your room, after Kim had gone to bed.
** Even if you have been drinking throughout the game, if you have the Wasteland of Reality thought internalized during the ending, Kim will tell Jean that you have been dry all week. This is due to an OrphanedReference -- in older versions of the game, Wasteland of Reality couldn't be acquired if you were drinking in the first two days of the game, so there wouldn't have been an inconsistency.
** The game is internally inconsistent about when Harry [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy wrecked his car]]. Kim and your character will deduce from the visual evidence that the crash happened on Sunday night, but Idiot Doom Spiral tells you it happened on Saturday night. You partied with the Union of Moribund Alcoholics through Sunday morning before becoming suicidal around midday Sunday and vanishing.
** In the first scene when Kim uses his Trigat Mini camera, it's described as a digital camera, but in the second, it uses film.
* ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriorsAgeOfCalamity'' is a prequel to ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', and the map of Hyrule is intact as such, with Castle Town in particular showing more streets than the earlier game. However, in the cutscene where Purah excitedly shows the completed map on the Sheikah Slate atop Akkala Tower, Castle Town is prominently visible as its destroyed version. Notably, the area directly in front of the Hyrule Castle drawbridge should look more like a U with a line connecting the top, but it looks like a J instead.
* ''VideoGame/{{Feral}}'': It's established in several quests that airships cannot visit the Blood Tundra's harbor without crashing. When the Fera Air Mail airship rotates into the Blood Tundra, it docks in the harbor without experiencing any problems.

* During Chapter 6 of ''VideoGame/FZero GX'', Black Shadow attempts to murder Captain Falcon by strapping a speed senstive bomb to the Blue Falcon. However, Captain Falcon manages to knock the bomb off and survive. During the next chapter, Black Shadow is suprised to see that Captain Falcon is still alive and well. But it shouldn't be very suprising, considering that the Blue Falcon is parked right in front of him.

* ''WebVideo/TheChroniclesOfJaller'': {{Invoked}}, {{Lampshaded}} and PlayedForLaughs in "Black Piraka Gets Noticed Part 2."

* ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'': In episode 21, the [[RunningGag "Krillin Owned" meter]] hits 13 when Krillin is unable to look away in time from Burter and Jeice's "Seizure Procedure" technique. It hits 13 again two episodes later when Captain Ginyu-in-Goku slaps Krillin.
* ''Series/FlandersCompany'': In the season 4 finale, there's view of the energy blast that destroyed Damien rising above the atmosphere. Cool shot, except the stream is clearly coming from France, while the last battle is supposed to happen in Pennsylvania, at Reed Richards' manor, as with the beginning of season 4.

** There is no Mural for Griffin from ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' even though he is should be one of Draco and Siveth’s contemporaries. There is also no mention of the existence of another population of dragons in the east despite the fact that ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' mentions the existence of the eastern dragon council who were the ones responsible for cursing Griffin to be human sometime after he fled east to escape Bowen during his twelve year dragon-slaying career before they were later all killed by Emperor Kuo-Fan.

** There is no Mural for Griffin from ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' even though he is should be one of Draco and Siveth’s contemporaries. There is also no mention of the existence of another population of dragons beyond in the east despite the fact that ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' mentions the existence of the eastern dragon council who were the ones responsible for cursing Griffin to be human sometime after he fled east to escape Bowen during his twelve year dragon-slaying career before they were later all killed by Emperor Kuo-Fan.

** There is no Mural for Griffin from ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' even though he is should be one of Draco and Siveth’s contemporaries. There is also no mention of the existence of another population of dragons existing in the east despite the fact that ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' mentions the existence of the eastern dragon council who were the ones responsible for cursing Griffin to be human sometime after he fled east to escape Bowen during his twelve year dragon-slaying career before they were later all killed by Emperor Kuo-Fan.

** There is no Mural for Griffin from ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' even though he is should be one of Draco and Siveth’s contemporaries. There is also no mention of the existence of another population of dragons existing in the east despite the fact that ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' mentions the existence of the eastern dragon council who were the ones responsible for cursing Griffin to be human for killing humans sometime after he fled east to escape Bowen during his twelve year dragon-slaying career before they were later all killed by Emperor Kuo-Fan.

** There is no Mural for Griffin from ''Film/DragonheartANewBeginning'' even though he is should be one of Draco and Siveth’s contemporaries.

* The ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' franchise's timeline was already very complex, so much that even dedicated fans can get frustrated getting a grasp on the sequence of events, especially since some movies happen out of chronological order or even during another; however, the timeline was still carefully constructed, and could be understood clearly when put in order. Then along came the eighth film, ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'', which dropped a bomb on everyone by revealing that Logan, a new character who debuted in the film, was the first Jigsaw apprentice, not the previously-introduced Hoffman. Fans were baffled at this reveal, since it disrupted the timeline the previous films had, and when the issue was brought up to the film's writers, they admitted that knowing the complete timeline didn't make any sense for such a reveal (since the film was released and is set years after the previous ones), and they were hoping that nobody would notice it.

* During Chapter 6 of ''VideoGame/FZero GX'', Black Shadow attempts to murder Captain Falcon by strapping a speed senstive bomb to the Blue Falcon. However, Captain Falcon manages to knock the bomb off and survice. During the next chapter, Black Shadow is suprised to see that Captain Falcon is still alive and well. But it shouldn't be very suprising, considering that the Blue Falcon is parked right in front of him.