History Main / CelestialDeadline

* ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' is big on this. In ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}} the first film]], sunrise and sunset were important times for Fiona. In [[WesternAnimation/Shrek2 the second]], Shrek has until midnight to make the effects of his potion permanent. Lampshaded:

If the events happen on their own after astronomical events, see WhenThePlanetsAlign. Not to be confused with CosmicDeadline. Overlap with LiminalTime is considerable.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Visionaries}}'' episode "Lion Hunt", Darkstorm uses a potion to [[ShapeshifterModeLock trap Leoric in his Lion form]]. If the effects of this potion are not reversed by the time the last of Prysmos's Three Suns sets, Leoric will never by able to change back into his human form again.

** In Book 2 of ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfKorra'', Unalaq's plan to [[spoiler:open the Spirit Portals, free Vaatu and fuse with him, then use his power to destroy the world]], all hinges on an event known as "Harmonic Convergence" that only happens once every ten thousand years.

** In Book 2 of ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfKorra'', Unalaq's plan to [[spoiler:open the Spirit Portals, free Vaatu and fuse with him, then use his power to destroy the world]], all hinges on an event known as "Harmonic Convergence" that only happens once every few hundred years.

* In ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'', the Beast had to learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal on the enchanted rose fell off in order to break his curse. Fortunately, this also undid [[spoiler:his apparent death]].

* ''Disney/TheLittleMermaid'': The contract is made until the sunset on the third day. Covering sunsets and the rule of three.

** Faerie magic likewise has this limitation. In ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry gets a whole panoply of goods from his faerie godmother, the Leanansidhe, but learns that they're only good until noon the next day. She implies that, had the gift come from a Summer faerie rather than a Winter one, it would indeed run out at midnight like [[GenreSavvy Harry was worried might happen]]. He's worried because the villain's spell is ''also'' keyed to midnight, and he's got quite enough on his mind as it is.

* On ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', the first third of the fifth season follows the Winx on a quest to obtain the Sirenix transformation. However, this is a TimedMission; they have one lunar cycle to finish it. If they don’t earn Sirenix before the lunar cycle ends, they’ll lose their powers forever.

** In Book 2 of ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfKorra'', Unalaq's plan to [[spoiler:open the Spirit Portals, free Raava and fuse with him, then use his power to destroy the world]], all hinges on an event known as "Harmonic Convergence" that only happens once every few hundred years.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' universe, sunrise acts as a magical ResetButton. Many but the most powerful spells either fade completely or weaken considerably when the sun rises.
** Faerie magic likewise has this limitation. In ''Changes'', Harry gets a whole panoply of goods from his faerie godmother, the Leanansidhe, but learns that they're only good until noon the next day.
*** She implies that, had the gift come from a Summer faerie rather than a Winter one, it would indeed run out at midnight like [[GenreSavvy Harry was worried might happen]]. He's worried because the villain's spell is ''also'' keyed to midnight, and he's got quite enough on his mind as it is.

** And, in "Cold Days", Harry finds out that [[spoiler:Halloween night]] is a time when even immortals can be killed.

* ''{{Franchise/Shrek}}'' is big on this. In ''[[Film/{{Shrek}} the first film]], sunrise and sunset were important times for Fiona. In [[Film/Shrek2 the second]], Shrek has until midnight to make the effects of his potion permanent. Lampshaded:

* ''Film/{{Ladyhawke}}'': A couple is cursed so that she's a hawk by day and human by night, and he is human by day and a wolf by night. They only get to see each other in the moments of sunrise and sunset, until they are saved by [[RulesLawyer Rules Lawyering]]

* ''Film/{{Ladyhawke}}'': A couple is cursed so that she's a hawk by day and human by night, and he is human by day and a wolf by night. They only get to see each other in the moments of sunrise and sunset then were saved by [[RulesLawyer Rules Lawyering]]

* In ''WebAnimation/KillingSpree'', a strange mystic gives the main character the power to do anything he wants, but only until midnight. Having been turned into a NighInvincible {{Badass}}, he naturally goes on a mass murder spree. The deadline comes into play at the end of ''Killing Spree VI'', when [[spoiler:he's seeming shot dead by a vengeful cop, only for the mystic to reveal that Jase [[NotQuiteDead can't be dead]] because it's not yet midnight and the spell hasn't worn off yet]].

# '''[[FantasticFragility Magic Has Its Rules]]''': Somehow setting limits such as a "RuleOfThree" or [[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} "Until the Castle Rises Above the Clouds"]] or "Until the Sun Sets," or [[VirginPower "This spell/ritual/technique can only be performed by a virgin"]] makes the power work better or at all. [[MagicAIsMagicA So whatever happens needs to happen within the rules instead of at one's convenience]]. If a rules lawyer is around this sometimes leads to NoManOfWomanBorn.

** In Book 2 of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarLegendOfKorra'', Unalaq's plan to [[spoiler:open the Spirit Portals, free Raava and fuse with him, then use his power to destroy the world]], all hinges on an event known as "Harmonic Convergence" that only happens once every few hundred years.

If the events happen on their own after astronomical events, see WhenThePlanetsAlign. Not to be confused with CosmicDeadline.