History Main / RuleOfthree

* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': This is often used, such like relationships between characters (love triangles and characters with two close friends abound), and even in the story structure (it is split into three parts).

* At least suggested in ''Fanfic/LeftBehind'', as it would appear that there were three different versions of Crichton, D’Argo and Chiana created on Rohvu by Kaarvok's 'twinning' machine. Including the Crichton and Chiana that feature in the fic, Crichton knows for a fact that he saw Chiana on the transport pod back to Moya before she showed up behind him, and yet he found a dead version of her in a corridor during a search, he finds two different corpses of D’Argo while running through Rohvu, and is certain that he was only left behind because there was at least one version of him on the transport pod.

* ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'' is divided into three story arcs: "Hellsister", "The Apokolips Agenda" and "Hellspawn". There're also three main villains: [[EvilTwin Satan Girl]], [[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes Mordru]] and ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}.

* In ''Fanfic/ForbidenFruitTheTempationOfEdwardCullen'', Jacob calls [[MarySue Tia]] a "HALF-BREAD!" three times, while jumping up and down.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'s storyline ''ComicBook/SupermansReturnToKrypton'' is divided into three acts: "Part I: Superman Meets Jor-El And Lara Again!", where Superman goes back into time and meets his birth parents; "Part II: Superman's Kryptonian Romance!", where Superman starts a relationship with actress Lyla Lerrol and fails to put together a planet-wide evacuation plan; and "Part III: The Surprise Of Fate!", where Superman resigns himself to dying when Krypton blows up, but then he ironically gets blasted into space.

[[caption-width-right:300: ''[[WesternAnimation/SchoolHouseRock ♫ When it's threeeee you can seeeee [softreturn] it's a magic number... ♫]]'']]

Three is the smallest number required to create a pattern, so it's especially common in storytelling.[[YoungestChildWins The third of three siblings succeeds after their older siblings each failed.]] The protagonist is given [[TheThreeTrials three tests]] and receives the prize after the third. It's almost unusual to find a folktale that does ''not'' incorporate the Rule of Three in some form. This may be an artifact of the oral tradition, in which the stock formula of the first, second, and third attempts makes the story easier to remember.

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--> Creator/ArtSpiegelman explains how a drawing of three rocks in a background scene was Ernie's way of showing us there were some rocks in the background. It was always three. Why? Because two rocks wouldn't be "some rocks." Two rocks would be a pair of rocks. And four rocks was unacceptable because four rocks would indicate "some rocks" but it would be one rock more than was necessary to convey the idea of "some rocks." --Scott [=McCloud=]

* Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'' essentially established Franchise/{{Batman}}, Franchise/WonderWoman, and Franchise/{{Superman}} as the center of the DC Universe. They've used the term "trinity" to refer to the three characters since. After the reboot, the first major crossover for the Franchise/{{Justice League|OfAmerica}} was the ''ComicBook/TrinityWar'', in which three different Leagues (the main Justice League, the ComicBook/{{Justice League of America|2013}}, and ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark) first clash then unite, then break into three groups, each led by a different member of the "trinity" and accompanied by a different member of the "Trinity of Sin" (New 52 versions of Comicbook/TheQuestion and ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger, and new character Pandora). [[spoiler: The events of the "war" are revealed to be part of a plot by the Crime Syndicate, MirrorUniverse versions of the Justice League from AlternateUniverse Earth-3]]

* A series of Warburton's Bakery adverts in the UK used an extremely long-burning (the last ad came two years after the first two, which were six months apart) version of "the third is the punchline". The first one had Creator/SylvesterStallone approaching John Warburton to propose [[MundaneMadeAwesome an action movie about bread delivery]]. The second had Franchise/TheMuppets approach him about a musical extravaganza featuring crumpets. Both ended with a somewhat gobsmacked Warburton endorsing the concepts. Then the third one had Creator/PeterKay suggesting a CostumeDrama about the company's origins. This time, Warburton calls security.

* In the ''Series/HannahMontana'' fic "[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4592988/1/The-Long-Way The Long Way]]"- when circumstances lead to Lily joining Miley in the world where Miley was originally Hannah all the time- Lily expresses concern that Miley's recent declaration of love for her was only because Lily initially wished to be with Miley forever. However, Angel assures Lily that love is one of three things nobody can wish for, the other two being killing people or bringing them back to life.

The Rule of Three is also used widely in comedy. Many popular jokes are based on three {{Stock Character}}s (e.g. Priest, Imam, Rabbi), all in the same situation. The first two react normally, the third does something ridiculous (but stereotypically in character). In Britain, ''Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman'' jokes denigrate either the Irishman as stupid or the Scotsman as a tightwad, while the Englishman is usually the StraightMan of the gag (Unless it's being told by the Scots or Irish. When an American tells it, Englishmen are stuffed shirts.) This is why most Americans have [[BritainIsOnlyLondon never heard of Wales]]. Another (geeky) variant is the engineer/physicist/mathematician series of jokes, however, these are virtually never considered offensive, largely because the stereotypes are often jokingly accepted by the members of those three groups. (e.g. The engineer is overly practical, the physicist makes large assumptions, and the mathematician comes up with [[MathematiciansAnswer a correct, but useless answer]]; these are played up for humorous effect, but have some valid basis.)

* ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': Three main characters, three mean people, [[{{Polyamory}} three people in a relationship]].

* During Wrestling/TheAuthority angle, Wrestling/TripleH and his cohorts abused the Money in the Bank contract to get a champion under their control three times. The first time was at Wrestling/SummerSlam 2013, where Wrestling/RandyOrton cashed in on Wrestling/DanielBrian, the second was at [[Wrestling/WrestleMania WrestleMania 31]], where Wrestling/SethRollins cashed in on Wrestling/RomanReigns and Wrestling/BrockLesnar, and the third time was at Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 2015, where Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} cashed in on Reigns.

* Lampshaded in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2114791/30/Ghost-of-a-Memory Ghost of a Memory]]'':
-->'''James:''' My first captain called me a natural. By the way, when Harry's older, I'd like to buy him his first broom. As his godfather it's my responsibility to encourage such dangerous sports as Quidditch, duelling and dragon hunting.\\
'''Draco:''' Dragon hunting? I assure you Evans, my son is not going anywhere near a dragon until he's at least seventeen.\\
'''James:''' I needed a third activity. Replace it with pranking, if you want. That can be dangerous, especially if he tries to prank us or Severus.

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That's a [[https://youtu.be/-SHWm1qkJYk pizza place!]]"''

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See also [[{{Conflict}} Basic Conflicts]] and other plot devices which often come in [[NumerologicalMotif 3s or 7s]], and Administrivia/ThreeRulesOfThree, a wiki guideline. Not to be confused with [[FourIsDeath 4]], unless you're counting [[FourElementEnsemble elements]], [[FourTemperamentEnsemble bodily fluids]], and other dimensions.[[note]][[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail 5 is right out,]] and so is [[RuleOfTwo two.]][[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:300: ''[[WesternAnimation/SchoolHouseRock ♫ When it's threeeee you can seeeee]][softreturn][[WesternAnimation/SchoolHouseRock it's a magic number... ♫]]'']]

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