History Main / KarmaHoudini

* Spike Milligan obviously loved this trope, so even when Grytpype-Thynne (and his frequent partner in crime Count Moriarty) fails, one of the other characters - most frequently Major Bloodnok - will succeed. In at least two episodes, ''The Phantom Head-Shaver'' and ''The Spanish Suitcase'', it turns out to be announcer Wallace Greenslade.

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. [[{{Hell}} And sometimes even that’s not enough.]] (Unless they ''somehow'' managed to get into {{Heaven}} and are gleefuly rubbing their current state in your face). Otherwise, resist the urge to put it on an ongoing work's page.

'''This is a Spoileriffic trope. Spoilers shall be unmarked. You have been warned.'''

!!Examples with their own subpages:

* [[KarmaHoudini/AnimatedFilms Film — Animated]]
* [[KarmaHoudini/LiveActionFilms Film — Live-Action]]

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma (for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate), KarmaHoudiniWarranty (when it takes much longer) and KarmicDeath (when it leads to the villain's death). Also see IdiotHoudini, when a person is forever protected from the results of their stupidity.

Predictably, it is often shocking or downright ''upsetting'' for the audience to see such scoundrels dodge [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] and come out triumphant in the end, and instances of Karma Houdinis can rile up MoralGuardians and {{Media Watchdog}}s. As such, expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or try to satisfy that frustrating, unfulfilled desire for retribution by [[FixFic writing their own]].

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma (for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate), KarmaHoudiniWarranty (when it takes much longer) and KarmicDeath (where it leads to the villain's death). Also see IdiotHoudini, when a person is forever protected from the results of their stupidity.

This is it. This is all there is to the story. The show is over. The book is finished. The author isn't going to write any more. The WordOfGod has been spoken. Karma is out to lunch. The villain has become a Karma Houdini.

!!other examples:

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate, KarmaHoudiniWarranty, when it takes a while, and KarmicDeath, where it leads to the villain's death. Also see IdiotHoudini, when a person is forever protected from the results of their stupidity.

* KarmaHoudini/{{Other}} (Pinball, Radio)

!!other examples

!!Examples:

* KarmaHoudini/{{Music Videos}}

* KarmaHoudini/FanFic

Predictably, it is often shocking or downright ''infuriating'' for the audience to see such scoundrels dodge [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] and come out triumphant in the end, and instances of Karma Houdinis can rile up MoralGuardians and {{Media Watchdog}}s. As such, expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or try to satisfy that frustrating, unfulfilled desire for retribution by [[FixFic writing their own]].

* KarmaHoudini/WebOriginal

Predictably, seeing such scoundrels ''not'' being struck by [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] tends to rub people the wrong way, leaving the audience with a frustrating, unfulfilled desire for retribution as well as offending MoralGuardians or {{Media Watchdog}}s. Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or [[FixFic write their own]].

Stories that do this, especially if the person doing the Houdini is the main villain, have a high risk of falling into DarknessInducedAudienceApathy.

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. [[{{Hell}} And sometimes even that’s not enough.]] Otherwise, resist the urge to put it on an ongoing work's page.

Predictably, seeing such scoundrels ''not'' being struck by [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] tends to rub people the wrong way, leaving the audience with a frustrating, unfulfilled desire for retribution. Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or [[FixFic write their own]].

Predictably, seeing such scoundrels ''not'' being struck by [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] tends to rub people the wrong way, leaving the audience with the familiar frustration of dealing with an unfulfilled desire for retribution. Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or [[FixFic write their own]].

Contrast the aforementioned LaserGuidedKarma, for instances where the villain's comeuppance is swift and immediate, and KarmaHoudiniWarranty, when it takes a while. Also see IdiotHoudini, when a person is forever protected from the results of their stupidity.

Don't mistake a lack of direct karma for this trope. If a character, for example, murders someone and never gets caught, but [[BoltOfDivineRetribution a freak lightning strike kills them]], they've still gotten their comeuppance even though the lightning had no connection to their crime. Think of the writer as God, with the power to punish or not punish a character who does evil.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] a literal Houdini-style escape by the villain to avoid justice, that's VillainExitStageLeft, although the two can certainly (and often do) overlap.

Predictably, seeing such scoundrels ''not'' being struck by [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] tends to rub people the wrong way, leaving fans with the familiar frustration of dealing with an unfulfilled desire for retribution. Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or [[FixFic write their own]].

This is a Spoileriffic trope. Spoilers shall be unmarked. You have been warned.

This is it. This is all there is to the story. The show is over. The book is finished. The author isn't going to write any more. The WordOfGod has been spoken. The villain has become a Karma Houdini, and Karma is out to lunch.

Predictably, seeing such scoundrels ''not'' being struck by [[CantGetAwayWithNothing instant karmic punishment]] tends to rub people the wrong way, leaving us with the familiar frustration of dealing with an unfulfilled desire for retribution. Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance -- or [[FixFic write their own]].

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 hammer to fall, that's not what happens. At least, not on them. They ''don’t'' get what they deserve. Instead, they get away scot-free. They are EasilyForgiven, maybe even praised, and even elected president. And they might even have ''reversed'' the HumiliationConga that was being planned for them. Worst comes to worst, TheBadGuyWins and a stolen happy ending takes place at the expense of the [[KarmicMisfire hapless victim]] [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished who may be punished in the guilty character's place.]]

Expect fans to clamor for a sequel where the villain gets their comeuppance- or [[FixFic write their own]].

This is it. This is all there is to the story. The show is over. The book is finished. The author isn't going to write any more. The WordOfGod has been spoken. The villain has become a Karma Houdini.