History Main / KarmaHoudini

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent. But when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on him. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free. He is forgiven, maybe even praised, and even getting elected president. And he might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for him.

Note also: The work usually must be completed for a character to qualify as this trope. Only if there are no more opportunities for LaserGuidedKarma to strike can a character be said to have successfully avoided any consequences for their actions. Exceptions may be made in cases where StatusQuoIsGod, or when a character can be said to have permanently escaped, e.g. they died peacefully in their sleep at an old age.

Note that a character doesn't necessarily need to be a villain, or even evil, to qualify for this trope. They may simply end up doing unnecessarily hurtful things, yet not suffer the repercussions. Worst comes to worst, a stolen happy ending may take place at the expense of the [[ButtMonkey hapless victim]].

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent. But when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on him. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free. He is forgiven, maybe even praised, even getting elected president. And he might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for him.

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent. But when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on him. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free. He is forgiven, maybe praised, even getting elected president. And he might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for him.

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent. But when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on him. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free. He is forgiven, maybe even praised, and gets elected president. And he might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for him.

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent. But when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on him. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free. And he might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for him.

Don't mistake a lack of direct karma for this trope. If a character, for example, commits a heinous crime and no one ever finds out about it, but something suitably bad happens to them, they've still gotten their just desserts.

->''"It's hard to be religious when the worst of us are never incinerated by bolts of lightning."''

->''"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning."''

Note that a character doesn't necessarily need to be a villain, or even evil, to qualify for this trope. They may simply end up doing unnecessarily hurtful things, yet not suffer the repercussions. Worse comes to worst, a stolen happy ending may take place at the expense of the [[ButtMonkey hapless victim]].

[[quoteright:320:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/news_064_8637.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:320:So is Satan just generous when people don't have a [[DealWithTheDevil soul to sell?]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Maybe if you do enough deeds in his name...]]]]

A character in a work who commits a morally reprehensible or questionable act, but by the end of the work, has avoided any major/suffice punishment for their crime.

A character in a work who commits a morally reprehensible or questionable act, but by the end of the work's act, has avoided any major/suffice punishment for their crime.

->''"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never [[BoltOfDivineRetribution incinerated by bolts of lightning]]."''

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate. And KarmaHoudiniWarranty, when it takes a while.

Note that a character doesn't necessarily need to be a villain, or even evil, to qualify for this trope. They may simply end up doing unnecessarily hurtful things, yet not suffer the repercussions. Worse comes to worse, a stolen happy ending may take place at the expense of the [[ButtMonkey hapless victim]].

Compare ButtMonkey, for which a character ends up having many disproportionately bad things happen to them throughout the story (and may also technically qualify for this trope, as hard as that sounds). The extreme counterpart of that trope, CosmicPlaything, can be considered this trope's polar {{opposite|Tropes}}.

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate. And KarmaHoudiniWarranty, when it takes a while. It is the opposite of NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished, where the good guy suffers as a result of doing the right thing.

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate. And KarmaHoudiniWarranty, when it takes a while.

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate.

[[caption-width-right:320:So is Satan just generous when people don't have a [[DealWithTheDevil soul to sell?]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive maybe if you do enough deeds in his name...]]]]

The character has done a number of things that deserve a karmic comeuppance, most importantly things that caused harm to the innocent, but when the time comes for the [[LaserGuidedKarma Karmic Hammer]] to fall, that's not what happens. He ''doesn't'' get what he deserves. Instead, he gets away scot-free.