History Main / RuleOfthree

[[caption-width-right:300: ''[[WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock ♫ Every triangle has three corners\\

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

* ''Manga/Evangelion303'': 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).

Variations on this trope include uses of 5, 7, 12, and convenient multiples of 5 afterwards (i.e., 25 or 50, but not 35 or 70).

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 [[ActuallyPrettyFunny 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.)

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 fairly unusual to find a folktale that does ''not'' incorporate the Rule of Three in some form.

* ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'' essentially established ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/WonderWoman, and ComicBook/{{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]]

** In ''ComicBook/TheOtherSideOfDoomsday'', villain T.O. Morrow abducts three women: [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Linda Danvers]], Iris Allen and Jean Loring.

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

* In the second main story of ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'', ComicBook/LexLuthor is aided by three female villains: his niece Nasthalthia, old ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} enemy Starfire -nothing to do with Teen Titan ComicBook/{{Starfire}}- and Franchise/WonderWoman villain Cyber.

* A joke in 2009 uses the Rule Of Three to explain the three close celebrity deaths that year.

* Jokes in general tend to make very heavy use of the Rule Of Three, especially those following the "Blonde/Brunette/Redhead" or "Nationality/Nationality/Nationality" formula.

* ''ComicBook/{{Slaine}}'': Characters constantly refer to things in groups of three1: three great silences, three sorrows, etc.

* ''ComicBook/{{Slaine}}'': Characters constantly refer to things in groups of three -- three great silences, three sorrows, etc.

* The irreducible simplicity of Ernie Bushmiller's ''Nancy'' depends in part on the principle of "the three rocks".

* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' 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]].

* In the second main story of ''Fanfic/KaraOfRokyn'', ComicBook/LexLuthor is aided by three female villains: his niece Nasthalthia, old ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} enemy Starfire -nothing to do with Teen Titan ComicBook/{{Starfire}}- and Franchise/WonderWoman villain Cyber.
* An {{invoked|Trope}} [[BadLuckCharm negative]] example from the ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' fanfic ''Fanfic/HalfPastAdventure'': If Macy has three [[ImagineSpot Imagine Spots]], then she thinks she'll lose something important.
* In ''Fanfic/LongTimeNoSee'', Asuka announces her third pregnancy to Shinji Ikari. Played for laughs when she says she is not naming it after him, and Shinji realizes she is referring to his old codename "Third Child".
-->'''Asuka:''' "Either way, don't expect me to name it after you."\\
'''Shinji:''' "Why should you...? Oh, because it's the 'Third'... (groaning) You know, you already had better jokes."

Following on from the oral tradition, speech-writers have learnt the 'Rule of Three' -- listen to a political speech -- the points come in threes, from 'Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer' to Tony Blair declaring 'Education, education, education' [[/note]]Saying that, Sir Tony may or may not have been aware that he was channelling none other than Vladimir Ilyich Lenin whose famous mantra ran 'Study, study, study.'[[/note]] . In persuasive or educational speaking, it also is a foundational concept: "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; Tell 'em; Tell 'em what you told 'em" [[note]]Formally: An Introduction and Precis; the Body of the speech, the Summary.[[/note]]

* ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'' essentially established ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/WonderWoman, and ComicBook/{{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]]

Following on from the oral tradition, speech-writers have learnt the 'Rule of Three' -- listen to a political speech -- the points come in threes, from 'Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer' to Tony Blair declaring 'Education, education, education'[[/note]]Saying that, Sir Tony may or may not have been aware that he was channelling none other than Vladimir Ilyich Lenin whose famous mantra ran 'Study, study, study.'[[/note]]. In persuasive or educational speaking, it also is a foundational concept: "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; Tell 'em; Tell 'em what you told 'em" [[note]]Formally: An Introduction and Precis; the Body of the speech, the Summary.[[/note]]

Following on from the oral tradition, speech-writers have learnt the 'Rule of Three' -- listen to a political speech -- the points come in threes, from 'Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer' to Tony Blair declaring 'Education, education, education'. In persuasive or educational speaking, it also is a foundational concept: "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; Tell 'em; Tell 'em what you told 'em" [[note]]Formally: An Introduction and Precis; the Body of the speech, the Summary.[[/note]]

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.

* ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'' essentially established Franchise/{{Batman}}, Franchise/WonderWoman, and ComicBook/{{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]]

* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': In Season 2 episode 6, Fang knows, somehow, to take three of Yaya's cookies to feed Crazy Cat so that he will be stunned and BoBoiBoy's gang can get across Cowboy Pete Monday's Alley without it attacking them.

* In Creator/MarvelComics, there are the Warriors Three, three heroic Asgardians -- Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg -- who are lifelong friends and fighting companions.

* Many a PowerStable, like Wrestling/{{n|ewWorldorder}}Wo, began as and remained centered around a trio. Having at least three members also brings in the Freebird Rule, where a Power Stable wins the tag team belts and any two of them can defend it in a given match.

* A commercial for [[Advertising/EnergizerBunny Energizer batteries]] has [[RogerRabbitEffect a live-action animator drawing three cartoon rabbits that come to life]]; [[TastesLikeDiabetes an overly-cutesy baby rabbit]], a goofy-looking clumsy rabbit that trips over his own ears, and the Energizer Bunny himself. The animator doesn't like any of the three rabbits, and while the first two get erased by a mechanical eraser, the Energizer Bunny doesn't, as the Supervolt battery in the mechanical eraser runs out of power at that point.

* Characters in ''ComicBook/{{Slaine}}'' constantly refer to things in groups of three -- three great silences, three sorrows, etc.

* ''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]]

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* It's a general law of advertising that the product will be mentioned at least three times, to ensure it lodges firmly in the brain.
** A common axiom of how to advertise has three parts to it - “show it, describe it, or sing it!!”

* In a somewhat similar vein, Creator/AlanMoore repeatedly employs a 9-panel grid - three wide, three high - in most of his comics. While the format in itself obviously predates Moore, Moore was (one of) the first to combine it with the {{Beat}} panel, lending a certain rhythm and gravitas to even the most rote conversations in his stories.
* In Creator/MarvelComics, there are the Warriors Three, three heroic Asgardians -- Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg -- who are lifelong friends and fighting companions.
* 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]]