History ChekhovsSkill / WesternAnimation

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': In TheMovie, ''WesternAnimation/OperationZERO'', Number One has learned a new fighting style which allows him to take down four enemies at once. Each time he is about to use it, he is interrupted. He does eventually get to use it in the finale to take down his agified zombie friends.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "Them's The Breaks, Kid", during a flashback to their childhood, Raine whistles over Eda's gross drink to turn it into something that actually tastes good, and explains that Bard magic allows them to alter the molecular structure of liquids. [[spoiler:At the end of the episode, when Terra hands them their mind control tea, they whistle over it while pretending to just be blowing on it, revealing that they were PretendToBeBrainwashed all along.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': In "Them's The Breaks, Kid", during a flashback to their childhood, Raine whistles over Eda's gross drink, turning it into something that actually tastes good, and explains that Bard magic allows them to alter the molecular structure of liquids. [[spoiler:At the end of the episode, when Terra hands them their mind control tea, they whistle over it while pretending to just be blowing on it, revealing that they were PretendToBeBrainwashed all along.]]

** Subverted (hilariously, by the way), where Stan goes through the TrainingMontage, only to win his climactic ski race with the same two skills he learned near the beginning: pizza, french fries. The actual difference is made when the {{Meganekko}} flashes the JerkJock and stuns him for more than enough time for Stan to cross the finish line first.

** Iroh's original technique of redirecting lightning was first demonstrated in the first season with little fanfare. In the early second season Azula demonstrates the ability to actually generate lightning, where Iroh reused that technique against her. This prompts Zuko to request to be trained in the art of lightning bending. After failing to use the regular lightning strike, Iroh teaches him the redirect technique, but refuses to help him [[DontTryThisAtHome practice with actual lightning.]] Zuko does have to put that training to use over a season later, though not against Azula.
*** Zuko would also pass the technique on to Aang, who uses it to avoid a fatal blow from Fire Lord Ozai in the finale.

* In SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' "[[Recap/TheLegendOfKorraS1E2ALeafInTheWind A Leaf in the Wind]]" Young [[BlowYouAway Airbender]] Jinora demonstrates the spiral dodging movements and footwork that form the base tactics of her {{Supernatural Martial Art|s}}, which teenaged Avatar Korra struggles to master, until a DieOrFly moment in a [[FictionalSport pro-bending]] match causes her to relate the movements in the abstract to dodging the attacks of her opponents.
** Asami's defense training, [[spoiler:which allows her to quickly subdue her father and the Lieutenant.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "With Friends Like Steve's", Steve expresses utter boredom with all of Stan's CIA tricks like speaking Dolphin and [[MuggedForDisguise stealing uniforms]]. After he gets shipped off to a prison camp on an oil rig, Steve uses all these skills to escape.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender.'' After his initial Earth Bending training, the third season reveals that Toph had trained Aang to [[YourEyesCanDeceiveYou sense movement through Earth Bending]] like she does, which he used later on.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood'', this is done in reverse with Red Hood cutting the line before it goes taut, and Jason Todd as Robin doing the same thing in a flashback.
* Christy's marble skills in ''WesternAnimation/CareBearsMovieIIANewGeneration'' are used to save the Care Bears from their CrystalPrison.

** [=SpongeBob=]'s bad driving is put to a ''very'' good usage in "Demolition Doofus", as it protects him from getting killed, maimed, or otherwise injured from the other contestants (even Mrs. Puff), as since he's a horrible driver, this makes him a completely impossible target.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}}'', Young {{Hero}} Lion-O is introduced as a hobbyist CollectorOfTheStrange, acquiring and tinkering with BlackMarket LostTechnology. Though rudimentary, his familiarity with it helps him figure the user interface of a BlackBox that he uses to blow up {{Walking Tank}}s invading his city, and, as time goes on, gives him a leg up on his companions when they encounter SchizoTech.