History Main / RuleOfthree

** The maximum number of evolutionary stages for a single Pokémon is three (unless it branches, such as Eevee, who started out with three evolved forms; it now has seven).

* In the Creator/CirqueDuSoleil show ''TheBeatlesLOVE'' a white VW bug appears several times. The third (or possibly [[FourIsDeath fourth]]) and final time [[spoiler: it smashes into a woman (who represents John Lennon's mother, who died in a car crash); the car bursts apart]].

* The ''PrettyCure franchise'' has a [[QuirkyMiniBossSquad villain trio]] for almost every continuity (the [[FutariWaPrettyCure first]] and [[YesPrettyCure5 third]] continuity has even two). Those said trios are seen more often then other villains at that time. It's either that a member of the trio is [[TheDragon the leader or they're led by a superior fourth person]] who is more working in the background.

* The ''PrettyCure franchise'' has a [[QuirkyMiniBossSquad villain trio]] for almost every continuity (the [[FutariWaPrettyCure first]] and [[YesPrettyCure5 third]] continuity has even two). Those said trios are seen more often then other villains at that time. It's either that a member of the trio is [[TheDragon the leader or their led by a superior fourth person]] who is more working in the background.

* The ''PrettyCure franchise'' has a [[QuirkyMiniBossSquad villain trio]] for almost every continuity (the [[FutariWaPrettyCure first]] and [[YesPrettyCure5 third]] continuity has even two). Those said trios are seen more often then other villains at that time. It's either that a member of the trio is [[TheDragon the leader or their lead by a superior fourth person]].

* TheThreeStooges. (Well, there were actually 6 of them, but never more than 3 in any one production.)

* In the CirqueDuSoleil show ''TheBeatlesLOVE'' a white VW bug appears several times. The third (or possibly [[FourIsDeath fourth]]) and final time [[spoiler: it smashes into a woman who represents John Lennon's mother who died in a car crash and bursts apart (the car, not the woman)]].

** And let's not forget the three-star rating.

** Also [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames three CDi games...]][[CanonDisContinuity maybe not]].
** Not only just Triforce, the Zelda games are littered with Three's: There are [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime three Sacred Stones, three magical spells, three elemental arrows]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess three Provinces covered in twilight, three Fused Shadows to collect]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass three fairies to save, and three metals from which the Phantom Sword is formed]], in addition to everything else listed.
*** Also, while there are four pieces to the Mirror of Twilight, you only look for three... which makes three bosses you have to beat in order to complete it.

** On the other hand, the MarxBrothers arguably did their best stuff when there were four of them.
*** Even when all four appeared, it was really the three of them [[AndZoidberg and Zeppo]].
* Film/{{Beetlejuice}}, Beetlejuice, okay, stopping now.
** [[OhCrap Beetlejuice...]]

->''Good things come in 3s. So do bad things. And even things that are neither good nor bad.\\
Good things come in 3s. So do bad things. And even things that are neither good nor bad.\\
Good things come in 3s. So do bad things. And even things that are neither good nor bad.''

** Other Tolkien examples: there are three [[Literature/TheSilmarillion Silmarils]], three Elven [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Rings of Power]], three races that got Rings of Power, three groupings of Elves of the Light, three ancient tribes of noble Men, three archaic clans of Hobbits, and three survivor states of Numenor (Arnor, Gondor, and Umbar). [[BigBad Melkor]] disrupts the Music of the Ainur three times. Galadriel refused Fëanor's request for a lock of hair thrice, and in The Lord of the Rings gives Gimli three hairs when he asked for just one.
** There are also nine Nazgul. Nine is thrice three, and a very important number in NorseMythology.

* 1)Faster than a speeding bullet. 2)More powerful than a locomotive. 3)Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look, up in the sky. 1)It's a bird. 2)It's a Plane. 3)It's ''{{SUPERMAN}}''! Superman - 1) Who can change the course of mighty rivers. 2) Bend steel in his bare hands and who 3)Disguised and Clark Kent, mild manered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never ending battle for 1)truth, 2)justice, and 3)the American way.

* 1)Faster than a speeding bullet. 2)More powerful than a locomotive. 3)able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look, up in the sky. 1)It's a bird. 2)It's a Plane. 3)It's ''{{Superman}}''! SUPERMAN - 1) Who can change the course of mighty rivers. 2) Bend steel in his bare hands and who 3)Disguised and Clark Kent, mild manered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never ending battle for 1)truth, 2)justice, and 3)the Americam way.

[[caption-width-right:200:[[DirtyHarry I know what you're thinking:]] [[ComicallyMissingThePoint is that 3 triangles or 5?]]]]

* Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll.

* Lampshaded AND subverted in ''RobotChicken'', the comics special, Bane repeatedly turns up suddenly and breaks Batman's back, followed by a hilarious music sting (dumdedum dum dee THAT'S BANE!). He does this the expected three times... then a fourth, to which Batman scream "Rule of THREE, dammit, not FOUR!"

* Lampshaded AND subverted in ''WesterAnimation/RobotChicken'', the comics special, Bane repeatedly turns up suddenly and breaks Batman's back, followed by a hilarious music sting (dumdedum dum dee THAT'S BANE!). He does this the expected three times... then a fourth, to which Batman scream "Rule of THREE, dammit, not FOUR!"

* In the ''Literature/DresdenFiles'' books, all fae are bound by whatever they say 3 times. Harry mentions it several times throughout the books.