History LoopholeAbuse / WesternAnimation

*** For the spell to work, the victim must both see ''and'' hear the spell cast, and in its entirety. Thus, several characters escape being turned to stone - a blind man is spared because he cannot see the spell cast on his TV. Xanatos avoids becoming a victim as he sees it on TV but mutes the audio. The quick thinking Hudson spares the Gargoyles as he turns the TV off before the spell is completed.

** The four part special "City of Stone" featured two loopholes: For the spell to work, the victim must both see ''and'' hear the spell cast, and in its entirety. Thus, several characters escape being turned to stone - a blind man is spared because he cannot see the spell cast on his TV. Xanatos avoids becoming a victim as he sees it on TV but mutes the audio. The quick thinking Hudson spares the Gargoyles as he turns the TV off before the spell is completed.) and the escape clause is "when the sky burns", which prompts the protagonists to spray flammable gas across Manhattan and ignite it.

** Another example from Puck: [[spoiler:Oberon strips him forever of all his magical powers except when he is training or protecting young Alexander - but Oberon doesn't impose any restrictions on the timing, frequency or nature of the lessons, and Puck is quick to exploit this.]]

* This trope is what saves the day in the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017''. [[spoiler:Bradford has Scrooge dead to rights when he forces him to sign a MagicallyBindingContract stating that he can only have his family if he gives up adventuring. As the rest of Scrooge's family rushes in to defend him from Bradford's attacks, the triplets get the contract to look it over. Louie laments how airtight it was before he, his brothers and Webby realize the flaw in it -- Scrooge cannot give up adventuring for his family because to him, "family is the greatest adventure of all". Bradford thinks that's the lamest thing ever and wouldn't work until the Contract disintegrates before his eyes.]]

** In an example similar to the ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' example above. Rolf held a no-rules race to see who would get a jawbreaker to solve an argument while carrying an egg. Eddy cheated, as per usual, Double D [[GadgeteerGenius made a 2X4 go-kart]], Ed just hobbled (Eddy had tied his shoes together at the start) to the finish, which was right by the start, and won (Ed's egg broke, but Rolf never said the egg had to make it).

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': Despite the critical acclaim of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', Creator/TheWB head Jamie Kellner wanted a new ''Batman'' series with the eponymous character in high school, which the network could market towards younger viewers and sell toys for. However, he didn't say that had to be Bruce Wayne. Bruce Timm and Paul Dini are no stranger to loopholes, and the rest is history.

** In "Five Days of F.L.A.R.G.", the last day of F.L.A.R.G., G, stands for "Goodbye", meaning Mark has to destroy the planet he celebrated on to keep up tradition for Yugopatamia. The rule states he must destroy the host planet; he can't destroy his home planet. Timmy comes up with an epiphany to not destroy Earth, because it technically ''is'' his home planet now because he's hiding from Princess Mandie, so he targets Fairy World instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'':

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', Angelica's mother told her not to be mean to the other kids or she wouldn't get the new doll accessory she wanted. When she heard about people hiring assistants to do for people things they can't do themselves, she decided to pick a kid to be her assistant and be mean to the others on her behalf because she couldn't be mean herself. [[spoiler: Her mother caught her showing her "assistant" how to be mean, and the plan backfired.]]

** In "Kung Timmy" when Francis takes over the Turner house, Timmy wishes Cosmo and Wanda were his karate gear so he can challenge Francis to a Kung Fu battle to decide if his family gets the house back. Timmy ends up losing his powers because he abused the most important rule of Kung Fu to use it for self-defense and not for revenge. However, his powers come back when Francis threatens Tootie, allowing him to defeat him once and for all because he is now technically using said skills to defend Tootie.

** There's also "Kung Timmy", in which Timmy wishes for "amazing kung-fu powers". The "rules of kung-fu" state that it must only be use for self-defence, ''never'' for vengeance"...[[IdiotBall which Timmy completely ignores in an attempt to beat the crap out of Francis]], who'd stolen the Turners' home. Because he's using his kung-fu for vengeance, which is against the rules, his powers won't work...until [[AbhorrentAdmirer Tootie]] arrives to help and [[WouldHitAGirl Francis threatens to beat her up as well]]. Since Timmy is now fighting to defend Tootie and not just hurt Francis, his powers start working again.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan'' episode "Run Pig Run," Spider-Man is [[BalefulPolymorph transfigured into a pig]] by Loki and thus made the target of an Asgardian boar hunt. In comes Thor, but sadly, Thor doesn't have the authority to call off the hunt. As Thor tells the hunters, however, he may not be able to officially call off the hunt, there's nothing in the rules that says Thor can't interfere with the hunt and slow them down until sunset.

** Timmy and his friends are stuck in a horrible military school and his godparents are trapped, in a vulnerable state at the end. With missiles pointed at them. They simply go around the last obstacle.

** In "Arrgh!", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are told not to look at Mr. Krabs' treasure map, as "only the captain can lay eyes on the map". Later, when they sneak into his tent, they find the map and start poking it, as there's no rule against ''touching'' the map.

** Another O.W.C.A. one, [[spoiler: Stacy is able to get away with knowing Perry's secret because she's not part of his host family]].

:: She then spends most of the remainder of the episode making out with her own hand.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'': A major plot point of human magic is that spells are easier to cast if there is an escape clause, though the conditions for the escape clause do not need to be feasibly practical. The main spell book in the series was written some time before 970 AD, so many of the clauses are only infeasible for that time.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', Lobo promised {{Superman}} that he would leave everyone on Earth alone if the latter rescues him, and he did. Later, he got into a brawl with other Leaguers. In orbit.

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra', set in a world where people can manipulate earth, air, fire or water (but only one) with the exception of the Avatar, Korra, who can do all four. When Korra plays a sport and bends multiple elements, the judges hold an impromptu session and [[ObviousRulePatch quickly determine that Korra limit herself to only waterbending]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' episode "The Sidekick", Sonic fires Tails as a sidekick out of concern for his safety. He then puts out flyers looking for a new one, with the note "All qualified candidates welcome". That meant that not only could Tails go back in to get his job back, it also allowed ''Dr. Eggman'' to try to get the job (so he can try to destroy Sonic up close and personal!)

** Also, the Butterfly Miraculous' Akumatization preys on a single emotion and a single object tied to that emotion, but not a single ''person'' specifically. Hawk Moth/Shadow Moth has exploited this loophole a ''lot''.

** Also, the Butterfly Miraculous' Akumatization is usually a single-target affair due to preying on a single emotion and a single object tied to that emotion, but Hawk Moth has taken advantage an emotional state shared by multiple people holding the same object to Akumatize them all at once.

*** In the first half of the "Battle of the Miraculous" two-parter, he preys upon André and Audrey Bourgeois while they're arguing with each other during their 20th wedding anniversary. Like with Oblivio, they undergo a FusionDance when Akumatized, turning into Heart Hunter.

*** Shadow Moth must really like this trick, because he pulls it yet again in "Dearest Family", this time with Weredad (Tom Dupain), Qilin (Sabine Cheng), Befana (Gina Dupain) and Bakerix (Rolland Dupain). While they're bickering over who among them knows what's best for Marinette, Shadow Moth's new Megakuma possesses what's left of a galette that all four had eaten a portion of.

*** The ball really got rolling with the Punisher Trio, consisting of Lady Wifi (Alya), Reflekta (Juleka Couffaine), and Princess Fragrance (Rose Lavillant). Hawk Moth sends an Akuma while they're all holding the same tablet, and successfully Akumatizes them all at once because they're all mad at Adrien.
*** In the first half of the "Battle of the Miraculous" two-parter, he preys upon André and Audrey Bourgeois while they're arguing with each other during their 20th wedding anniversary. This turns them into Heart Hunter.

*** In "The Collector", he creates an akuma, then detransforms and renounces his ownership of the Butterfly Miraculous, and ''then'' takes the akuma. This had the additional benefit of throwing the heroes off his true identity, since they were beginning to figure it out, but his akumatization "proved" he couldn't possibly be Hawk Moth since they were aware of the "can't empower yourself" restriction but not the loophole. After he's defeated he simply reclaims ownership of the Butterfly Miraculous and resumes his usual activities as Hawk Moth.

** Also, the Butterfly Miraculous' Akumatization is usually a single-target affair due to preying on a single emotion and a single object tied to that emotion, but Hawk Moth has taken advantage an emotional state shared by multiple people holding the same object to Akumatize them all at once. If it doesn't result in a FusionDance, each of the victims will become different villains.
*** The next case of this is the Punisher Trio, consisting of Lady Wifi (Alya Césaire), Reflekta (Juleka Couffaine), and Princess Fragrance (Rose Lavillant). Hawk Moth sends an Akuma while they're all holding the same tablet, and successfully Akumatizes them all at once because they're all mad at Adrien.
*** Then there's the Gang of Secrets, which includes all three villians from the Punisher Trio, plus Timebreaker (Alix Kubdel) and Horrificator (Mylène Haprèle). Again, their civillian selves are all angry at somebody (in this case, Marinette) when Shadow Moth turns them all evil, but since they're all emotionally tied to the same object (a friendship bracelet), it works ''without'' physical contact this time.

*** The first case of this is the Punisher Trio, consisting of Lady Wifi (Alya Césaire), Reflekta (Juleka Couffaine), and Princess Fragrance (Rose Lavillant). Hawk Moth sends an Akuma while they're all holding the same tablet, and successfully Akumatizes them all at once because they're all mad at Adrien.

*** Shadow Moth must really like this trick, because he pulls it yet again in "Dearest Family", this time with Weredad (Tom Dupain), Qilin (Sabine Cheng), Befana (Gina Dupain) and Bakerix (Rolland Dupain). While they're bickering over what each of them thinks is best for Marinette, Shadow Moth's new Megakuma possesses what's left of a galette that all four had eaten a portion of.

*** Shadow Moth must really like this trick, because he pulls it yet again in "Dearest Family", this time with Weredad (Tom Dupain), Qilin (Sabine Cheng), Befana (Gina Dupain) and Bakerix (Rolland Dupain). They're bickering over who's the best parental figure towards Marinette when Shadow Moth's new Megakuma possesses what's left of a galette that all four had taken a bite of.

*** Shadow Moth must really like this trick, because he pulls it yet again in "Dearest Family", this time with Weredad (Tom Dupain), Qilin (Sabine Cheng), Befana (Gina Dupain) and Bakerix (Rolland Dupain). All four had taken a bite of the same galette and are bickering over Marinette when Shadow Moth's new Megakuma possesses what's left of the galette.

*** The first case of this is the Punisher Trio, consisting of Lady Wifi (Alya Césaire), Reflekta (Juleka Couffaine), and Princess Fragrance (Rose Lavillant). Their civilian selves were all angry at Adrien and all three just happened to be holding the same tablet.
*** Then there's the Gang of Secrets, which includes all three villians from the Punisher Trio, plus Timebreaker (Alix Kubdel) and Horrificator (Mylène Haprèle). Again, their civillian selves were all angry at somebody (in this case, Marinette), but since they were all emotionally tied to the same object (a friendship bracelet), it works without physical contact this time.

*** The first case of this was the Punisher Trio, consisting of Lady Wifi (Alya Césaire), Reflekta (Juleka Couffaine), and Princess Fragrance (Rose Lavillant). Their civilian selves were all angry at Adrien and all three just happened to be holding the same tablet.
*** Then there's the Gang of Secrets, which includes all three villians from the Punisher Trio, plus Timebreaker (Alix Kubdel) and Horrificator (Mylène Haprèle). Again, their civillian selves were all angry at somebody (in this case, Marinette), but since they were all emotionally tied to the same object (a friendship bracelet), it worked without physical contact this time.
*** It happened again in "Crocoduel" with Guitar Villain (Jagged Stone) and Captain Hardrock (Anarka Couffaine), who were Akumatized simultaneously when Shadow Moth caught them arguing with each other over a broken record.
*** Shadow Moth must really like this trick, because he pulled it yet again in "Dearest Family", this time with Weredad (Tom Dupain), Qilin (Sabine Cheng), Befana (Gina Dupain) and Bakerix (Rolland Dupain). All four had taken a bite of the same galette and were all arguing over Marinette. Shadow Moth, sensing a golden opportunity, sent an Akuma to possess what was left of the galette.

*** Then there's the Gang of Secrets, which includes all three villians from the Punisher Trio, plus Timebreaker (Alix Kubdel) and Horrificator (Mylène Haprèle). Again, their civillian selves were all angry at somebody (in this case, Marinette), but since their emotions were all tied to the same object (a friendship bracelet), it worked without physical contact this time.
*** It happens again in "Crocoduel" with Guitar Villain (Jagged Stone) and Captain Hardrock (Anarka Couffaine), who are Akumatized simultaneously when Shadow Moth catches them arguing with each other over a broken record.