History Main / SeventhEpisodeTwist

So you've been watching a new show for a few weeks now, you like the characters and are just getting comfortable with the routine of how things work. You tune in expecting another MonsterOfTheWeek when all of a sudden the writers pull a fast one.

This is done to either showcase something that's been teased at, raise the stakes, or [[GameChanger change the game]] somehow to keep things more interesting. It could also be [[FridgeBrilliance played subtly,]] introducing something that seems like a regular MonsterOfTheWeek plot, but [[ChekhovsGun later on goes on to define the main plot.]] The repercussions of this episode will continue to be important for the rest of the arc or even series.

The point when the Exposition stops and the real Plot begins. Usually falls on episode 7 or there about as it's halfway through the first 13-episode season, or 1/4 of the way through your 26-episode season if you get renewed. The logic behind this is relatively simple: if the show contains a MythArc, [[TheHerosJourney 1/4 of the way through a 26-episode season corresponds with the "Crossing The First Threshold" moment of the story (or the end of "Act 1" of the story), while 1/2 of the way through a 12/13-episode season corresponds with the "Approach the Inmost Cave" moment (or halfway through "Act 2", with the plot picking up steam until the end of the "Act 2".]] May extend to later seasons as well, as it is one of the few acceptable times to shift the [[StatusQuoIsGod Status Quo]].

Either as a result of, or a reaction to, this trope these events almost always take place during "Sweeps" period during which networks gather ratings data to support the advertising rates they charge for commercial airtime during their shows. With the average network show beginning its season in mid- to late September the seventh episode will normally air in November, the first "Sweeps" period. With many shows going into re-runs during the Christmas/New Years holiday, the 13th episode will typically be airing in February, the second "Sweeps" period.

'''''Warning. Examples are essentially [[SpoileredRotten Spoilers]] but since they're so early in the series, most are probably closer to LateArrivalSpoiler.'''''

Compare FirstEpisodeSpoiler and LateArrivalSpoiler.

'''''Unless otherwise specified, all examples actually land on Episode 7 exactly.'''''

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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''{{Manga/Appleseed}} XIII'': The pilot of the renegade Hecatonchires mech is revealed.
* ''GundamWing'': The five Gundam pilots come together for the first time and end up getting played by the series' quintessential MagnificentBastard, whose superb BatmanGambit leads to the first of many major power shifts in the series.
* ''GGundam'': Episode 6 is when we learn Domon and Kyoji's backstory and he activates SuperMode for the first time.
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Devimon, the first BigBad, makes his first official appearance in episode 8.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Zabuza is formally introduced, and the show jumps from being about a kid in ninja school to an A-rank "protect against an evil assassin" mission.
* ''Bleach'': When Ichigo fights to keep Rukia in the real world.
* Chapter 9 of ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' reveals [[spoiler: that [[TheHero Eren]] did not die in battle. Not only that, he also has the power to transform into a Titan.]]
** Corresponding, the anime gives us an exact example in episode 7, when Mikasa is saved by the appearance of an Abnormal Titan that [[HunterOfHisOwnKind kills]] another Titan. Then it goes even further in the following episode, which reveals [[spoiler: the Titan is a transformed Eren]].
* Episode 4 of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' introduces Fate and [[GrowingTheBeard turns the Jewel Seed hunt into background noise]].
* ''GurrenLagann'': Episodes 7 & 8 -- The first ones that really start to kick the plot in gear, and [[spoiler: Kamina dies]].
* ''SaintSeiyaTheLostCanvas'' episode 6: the death of Pisces Albafica, showing the series as DarkerAndEdgier and AnyoneCanDie.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'': Introduces the (or a) BigBad into the series. Also, [[spoiler:Soul is infected with the Black Blood, which pretty much initiates the plot.]]
* ''RosarioToVampire'': The first seven chapters establish the series as a MonsterOfTheWeek ecchi - by chapter eight, however, the hints of a larger plot start to show, with the return of [[spoiler: the AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil]].
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Episode 3 is when the tone of the show goes from standard MagicalGirl fare to a CosmicHorrorStory, headed by [[spoiler: Mami... well, losing her head. Literally]]. Episode 8 reveals [[spoiler:what witches really are, as well as essentially killing off Sayaka to create Oktavia.]]
* ''Anime/CodeGeass''
** Season 1 - Zero is defeated for the first time by Cornelia.
** Season 2 - The Black Knights' conflict with Britannia begins going global when Zero agrees to the SAZ plan.
* ''Manga/BlackCat'': Episode 6 has Saya murdered and Train injured, leading to Sven rescuing the latter and pushing Train to his HeelFaceTurn.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' - the series' first real TearJerker happens when [[spoiler:Nina's father combines her with a dog to make a talking chimera so he could extend his State Alchemist license for another year]].
* Episodes 7 and 8 of ''Manga/DragonBall'' revealed that Muten Roshi was a powerful martial arts master and that Goku's Grandpa Gohan was his pupil.
* ''PhantomOfInferno'': (Anime) Episodes 7 and 8 reveal Zwei's true past and identity.
* ''HellGirl'' adds the perspective of Hajime and Tsugumi to the episodic format in the eighth episode.
* In ''FinalFantasyUnlimited'', the seventh episode introduces new character Lou Lupus and new threat Omega.
* ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' introduces [[KnightOfCerebus Princess]] [[DarkMagicalGirl Kraehe]].
* In Episode 8 of {{Elfen Lied}}, we begin to learn of Lucy's traumatic backstory, and as such some of her motivations.
* ''RurouniKenshin'' Episode 7 had Kenshin temporarily revert to being a manslayer for the first time in order to fight Jinei, the first BigBad.
* ''BusouRenkin'': Dr. Butterfly resurrects Papillon.
* ''InuYasha'': He claims the sword Tessaiga.
* ''SchoolRumble'' (manga): Harima accidentally confesses his love for Tenma, to Eri.
* ''YuYuHakusho'' episode 6 - Yusuke gets his first assignment as spirit detective.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Another Eva pilot gets a passing mention, manning another Evangelion in Germany, Unit 02. Episode 8 formally introduces her- Asuka Langley Soryu. The series goes into a temporary MonsterOfTheWeek format following her arrival, until episode 16... then hits CerebusSyndrome.... ''hard.''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' - People are starting to forget [[{{Unperson}} Fuko]].
* ''Trigun'': Episode 5 is the first time Vash gets completely serious in a fight, and the villain of the episode is later revealed to be part of a mercenary family. Likewise, episode 9 introduced the Gung-Ho Guns and reveals Vash's many scars.
* ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'': in the seventh episode, Misty is revealed to be a Gym Leader.
* ''SailorMoon'': We meet the first member of the team apart from Sailor Moon herself, Sailor Mercury, and leave behind the strictly Usagi antics in Episode 8.
* ''WeddingPeach'': Switches from Jama-P controlling the VictimOfTheWeek every episode to a more standard MonsterOfTheWeek format, in addition to having Jama-P join the team proper.
* ''Negima!?'': In the first anime, [[spoiler: Evangeline]] isn't revealed to be a [[spoiler: vampire]] until episode 6, and [[spoiler: Chachamaru]] to be a [[spoiler: robot]] until episode 7 (though at least she has some foreshadowing.) It happens even later in the manga, with the revelation not coming until after the 8th grade exams, which were episodes 12 and 13 in the anime.
* ''MacrossFrontier'': The first major space battle (earlier engagements were just small skirmishes), with the first Vajra capital ship making an appearance...folding through a [[NegativeSpaceWedgie fold fault]], which was supposed to be completely impossible. Then the ''Macross Quarter'' gets to show off why it deserves the first part of its name...basically, episode 7 seriously upped the ante in terms of action. And then, at the very end, Brera plays ''Aimo'' on his harmonica, hinting at his connection to Ranka for the first time.
* ''ZatchBell'': The first few episodes revolve around Zatch meeting Kiyo as well as understanding what the plot is, revealed in Episode 4. However, matters truly take a twist in the 8th episode, where Zatch and Kiyo meet the first truly kind mamodo. Furthermore, when she returns to the mamodo, this is where Zatch gets his reason and goal. His goal is to become a kind king.
* ''Anime/SaintSeiyaOmega'' has several. Despite people's belief it was a lighthearted series, several were shocked with the revelation that the director from Palestra is revealed as one of Athena's strongest Saints but has betrayed her and is sacrificing several young soldiers. Another twist involves in mid first season when a main member from the cast, Aria. is KilledOffForReal despite the previous series' NotQuiteDead. Several fans refused to believe she was killed and expected the next episodes to reveal she was alive. They were wrong.
* ''Anime/SoukouNoStrain'' looks like it's going to avert this with a fanservice filler episode, until Lavinia's antics accidentally land Emily in a garbage truck. Episode eight follows, with an almost-kiss, Sara meeting the other Emily, Carris having ADeathInTheLimelight, and Sara confronting Ralph only to be exposed to Lottie and the ''Libertad''.
* MÄR doesn't exactly have a twist on Episode 7 per se, aside from the fact that Snow exists (something you could figure out by watching the OP) but it is where the plot actually starts.

* ''Manga/TheDaughterOfTwentyFaces'' is ''very'' difficult to discuss without revealing [[EverybodysDeadDave what happens]] [[TrashTheSet in the]] [[HeroicBSOD sixth]] [[NotQuiteDead episode]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]''
** Season 1 is a special case, because the show wasn't certain to get a full 24 episode, they dropped the twist in the finale of the 13th episode (when their original contract ended) - A second hitman arrives in Los Angeles.
*** Actually, there was a 7th episode twist: [[spoiler:Jamey]] was revealed to be the mole at CTU working with Ira Gaines.
** Season 2: Kim finds the dead body of Carla in the trunk of her car. Up until that point, Carla's husband Gary was just abusive. Now he's a murderer too.
** Season 3 begins with a virus threat and a demand to release a drug lord from prison. However by episode 7, it's revealed that the virus threat was all a hoax created by the good guys as part of a completed undercover mission to obtain the real virus.
** Season 4: Tony Almeida returns.
** Season 6: Philip Bauer is involved in the terrorist plot.
* ''Series/{{Angel}}''
** Season 1 - Doyle is KilledOffForReal via HeroicSacrifice, showing that the show will inevitably pull no punches and that AnyoneCanDie, even the main characters.
** Season 2 - Wolfram & Hart gets Drusilla to re-sire Darla. ''BAD IDEA''.
** Season 3 - Holtz comes back; Wesley takes Connor.
** Season 4 - The Beast appears and begins the apocalypse. Cordelia and Connor have sex.
** Season 5 - [[spoiler:Lindsey]] returns.
* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' - First appearance of Helena, aka, Huntress. Tommy's father [[spoiler: is in league ith [[NebulousEvilOrganization Tempest]]]]. Walter comes home.
* ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' - Almost half of the main characters in Easy Company is dead or maimed.
* ''Series/{{Banshee}}'' - [[spoiler: The Rabbit finds out where Lucas is. Lucas and Carrie have sex.]]
* ''BreakingBad'' episode 5 - Walt turns down his friend's money and keeps cooking meth to pay for his chemo.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''
** Season 1: Angel is a vampire.
** Season 2: Angel loses his soul.
** Season 3: The Mayor of Sunnydale is revealed as the BigBad. Willow and Xander have an affair.
** Season 4: Riley works for the Initiative. Adam wakes up. Spike becomes a regular
** Season 5: Dawn is the Key; Glory is a god. The revelation that "Every Slayer has a death wish" really kickstarts the CerebusSyndrome that engulfs the season.
** Season 6: Buffy and Spike kiss, Willow becomes addicted to magic.
** Season 7: The BigBad confronts the Scoobies. Spike has been feeding again.
* ''BurnNotice''
** Season 1: Michael gets his hand on what got him burned; a fake dossier detailing all the bad things he supposedly done.
** Season 2: Michael and crew discover the name of the man who picked up the sniper rifle Mike stole last episode.
** Season 3: Michael decides to work with Strickler.
** Season 4: Fiona destroys evidence proving Michael burned Jesse.
** Season 5, episode 4: Michael is framed for the death of his CIA contact.
** Season 6, Episode 6: Fiona finally gets out of prison. Anson is finally defeated but he and [[spoiler:Nate]] are killed by a sniper.
* ''{{Charmed}}''
** Season 1: Piper and Phoebe vie for the attention of Leo
** Season 2, episode 8: We find out how their mother died, as well as the introduction of Sam. [[spoiler: They had an affair to produce Paige in Season 4]].
** Season 3, episode 8: Phoebe is forced to vanquish Cole after the sisters find out that he's a demon. [[spoiler:She fakes it.]]
** Season 4: Piper hallucinates that she is in a mental asylum and nearly gives up the sisters' powers. The following episode also qualifies as an "8th Episode Major Character Death" as [[spoiler: Belthazor is vanquished]].
** Season 5: Barbas returns.
** Season 6, episode 8: Wyatt is found to be [[spoiler: heir of Excalibur]].
** Season 7: Leo becomes an Avatar.
** Season 8: The aforementioned Sam returns.
* ''{{Chuck}}''
** Season 1: Bryce betrayed Chuck so he won't be recruited by the CIA.
** Season 2: Jill is a FULCRUM agent.
** Season 3: episodes 5-8 chronicled Chuck's doomed relationship with Hannah.
** Season 4: we are introduced to Volkoff and Chuck loses the intersect.
** Season 5: Last appearance of Shaw. And [[spoiler:Sarah has a baby (sister)!]]
* ''Series/{{Community}}''
** Season 1 - First appearance of Prof. Slater and Pierce's pill addiction. Troy & Abed hang out for the first time.
** Season 2 - [[StartOfDarkness Pierce breaks his legs and gets addicted to pills]].
** Season 3 - Annie moves in with Troy and Abed and first appearance of the Dreamatorium.
** Season 4 - Chang is faking his "Changnesia".
* ''DeadLikeMe'' - Betty [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence gets her lights]].
* ''Series/{{Dexter}}''
** Season 1 - Miami Metro thinks they have the Ice Truck Killer, but Dexter finds out it's the wrong guy.
** Season 2 - Lila, believed to be just eccentric, turns out to be positively insane as [[{{Yandere}} she burns down her apartment to keep Dexter from leaving her]].
** Season 3 - Dexter helps family friend Camilla kill herself as she is dying of cancer
** Season 4 - Dexter accidentally kills an innocent man
** Season 5 - Dexter and Lumen discover the identities of Lumen's captors/rapists
** Season 6 - Dexter discovers Trinity's son is killing using his father's MO
** Season 7 - Deb relents and asks Dexter to kill Hannah, who Dexter is presently sleeping with.
* ''Series/DoctorWho''
** Interestingly, despite ''always'' having 13-episode seasons in the revived series, Episode 7 is often the least impactful episode of the season, except...
** Series 1 - The new companion, Adam, is rather quickly ''fired'' for stealing future-tech, and Satellite 5 (the stage for the finale) is introduced. Weirdly, the episode's title doesn't even get [[TitleDrop dropped]] ''until'' the finale.
** Series 6 - River Song's identity as [[spoiler:Amy and Rory's daughter]] is revealed.
*** Although thanks to BritishBrevity, the seventh episode (where this is revealed) is also the mid-season finale.
* ''{{Dollhouse}}'' - we find out that Caroline was investigating Rossum (the company that owns the Dollhouse) before she became Echo.
* ''EarlyEdition'' episode 4 - Gary discovers the name of the previous owner of the paper, Lucius Snow.
* ''{{Firefly}}'' episode 9 - The crew discover what the Academy did to River's brain.
* ''{{Friends}}''
** Season 1 - First appearance of Paolo.
** Season 2 - Ross finds out about Rachel's feelings for him.
** Season 3 - Janice is cheating on Chandler.
** Season 4 - Episode 5-7 - Chandler falls for Joey's girlfriend.
** Season 5 - Episode 6 - Ross and Emily's marriage ends.
** Season 6 - Joey gets a new roommate.
** Season 7 - Episode 8 - Rachel tells Tag how she feels about him.
** Season 10 - Episode 8 - Monica and Chandler are chosen to be adoptive parents.
* On ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', episode 4 of any given season is a game-changer.
** Season 1, "The Arrival": The first Observer-centric episode, and also the episode that marks Peter's transition from the AgentScully to a full-on member of the team.
** Season 2, "Momentum Deferred": [[spoiler:The Charlie shapeshifter is outed, Olivia and the audience learn what William Bell's mission is, and the BigBad of season 2 is introduced]].
** Season 3, "Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?": [[spoiler:A US Senator is outed as a shapeshifter, the BigBad of season 2 is killed, Walter figures out how the shapeshifters work, and Peter and Fauxlivia begin a relationship]].
** Season 4, "Subject 9": [[spoiler:The first cortexiphan-centric episode in the new timeline, Walter finally leaves the lab, and Peter returns]].
** Season 5, "The Bullet That Saved the World": [[spoiler:The team resolve to use previous Fringe events to fight the Observers, Broyles is revealed to be a resistance leader, and Etta is killed]].
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': since every season is only 10 episodes, we can say that [[spoiler:Eddard getting arrested for contesting Joffrey's accession to the throne]] is the 7th episode twist for the entire series.
* ''Series/TheGoodGuys'': Jack kisses Liz and admits he's not over her.
* ''HeadOfTheClass'': the original premise had Charlie as a substitute teacher to a "gifted" class. Episode 6 featured the return of the original teacher and a permanent change in Charlie's status -- specifically, since this wasn't the last episode, he becomes permanent. The show does act as though he will leave until the literal last minute of the episode.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''
** Season 1: Ted meets Victoria and Robin's feelings for Ted are revealed (this occurs in the 13th episode of the season, but since the season was 22 episodes long, this is only just over halfway through).
** Season 2: Marshall and Lily get back together.
** Season 3: Marshall and Lily buy a new apartment.
** Season 4: Marshall and Lily first consider having children. Stella also leaves Ted at the altar in the 5th episode.
** Season 5: Barney and Robin break up.
** Season 6: Zoey appears. Also, in episode 13 (around halfway through the season), Marshall's father dies.
* ''KamenRiderRyuki'': Episode 6 ends [[spoiler: with Sudoh/Scissors being devoured by his Contract Monster, making him the first casualty of the Rider War.]]
* ''Series/{{Jericho}}'' - Gray returns with news that the federal capitol has been destroyed. He also becomes suspicious of Robert Hawkins.
* ''Series/{{Leonardo}}'' Season 2: The Duke is killed at the very end of episode 6; episode 7 sees Florence move to a war footing, while Piero convinces Leo he needs to build weapons to protect the city.
* ''{{Life}}'' - Crews discovers a link between Dani's father and the Bank of LA shootout.
* ''{{Moonlight}}'': marked the reappearance of Mick's supposedly dead wife, as a human.
* ''NewGirl'': Nick and Schmidt get into a fight. This is the first time we see drama in the show.
* ''Series/{{Nikita}}''
** Season 1 - First appearance of Owen and of the Black Boxes.
** Season 2 - Sean is Sen. Pierce's son. Alex starts questioning her decision to stay with Division. The supposedly dead Ryan is imprisoned in Division.
** Season 3 - Owen returns to Division. Alex is becoming addicted to pain pills. Amanda has a mole in Division.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': Regina remembers the Enchanted Forest, has somehow kept her collection of hearts from those she enslaved, and [[spoiler: kills Graham]].
* ''Series/OrphanBlack'': Helena makes contact with Sarah, the Neolution movement is revealed as the clone-makers, Paul is given the opportunity to sell out Sarah and chooses to remain loyal to her, Sarah leads Helena to Olivier, the cops restart their investigation from scratch and link Katja to Sarah and learn they resemble Beth.
* ''Series/PersonOfInterest''
** Season 1: Elias makes his first on-screen appearance and becomes the first member of the RoguesGallery, marking something of a GenreShift and demonstrating that the show had a strong MythArc.
** Season 2: A new villain with a connection to Reese's past, Alistair Wesley, is introduced. Carter finds out about Snow's predicament.
* ''PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'': Mamoru discovers Sailor Moon's identity but keeps it a secret.
* ''{{Primeval}}'': The seventh episode of series 4 (which like ''DoctorWho'' is the finale thanks to BritishBrevity) reveals that Matt Anderson is [[spoiler: from a future Earth that is a sterile wasteland (except for a few lifeforms)]], and that he and his father came to the present to [[spoiler: prevent the disaster that destroyed the Earth.]] Connor also finds out that the anomalies are [[spoiler: growing more frequent]].
* ''{{Series/PrimevalNewWorld}}'': The episode "Truth", while technically Episode 8, qualifies. It starts out reasonably normal with a Pachycephalosaurus coming through an anomaly. But then [[spoiler: after that is quickly resolved, Evan starts having flashbacks of his wife's death, thanks to the contents of a sneeze from the Pachycephalosaurus. In the following chaos of him hunting down an Albertosaurus that isn't there, it is revealed that the frozen ARC soldier who saved Evan when his wife was killed is Mac from an alternate timeline. By the end of the episode, Ange has quit and it seems that Dylan is the only one left by Evans' side.]]
* ''Series/RobinHood''
** Series 1: Marian agrees to marry Gisborne.
** Series 2: Marian's father Edward is killed and she joins Robin and the outlaws in the forest.
** Series 3: Gisborne is outlawed after failing to carry out Prince John's orders.
* ''Series/{{Rome}}'' - Pompey is defeated. Brutus is pardoned. Servilia and Octavia go gay. We see a glimpse of the land of Egypt.
* ''{{Sanctuary}}'':
** Season 1: Helen's history with John Druitt and the rest of the five is revealed; Henry is a werewolf.
** Season 2: Big Bertha is mentioned for the first time.
** Season 3: Introduces Adam Worth.
* ''TheSarahConnorChronicles'' season 2: Cromartie finds out where the Connors live.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** Season 1: The boys' dad calls them.
** Season 2: The brothers meet Ava and she disappears.
** Season 3: It's revealed that demons were once human.
** Season 4: Sam is addicted to demon blood.
** Season 5: The boys face off against Lucifer. It ends badly.
** Season 6: Castiel reveals that Sam [[CameBackWrong came back without his soul]]. Eve is released from Purgatory.
** Season 7: Dick Roman becomes the Big Bad. Sam's hallucinations get worse.
** Season 8: Castiel returns (outside of flashbacks). Introduction of Naomi.
* ''{{Terriers}}''
** Season 1, episode 5: After spending the first part of the season trying to figure out the mystery about the Montague real estate development, Hank and Brit find a document that states there are toxic chemicals in the ground, only to end the episode with the discovery that [[spoiler:the report is fake and the people bankrolling the development want people to think that the site is dangerous so the land can be marked uninhabitable.]]
* ''TheVampireDiaries'': [[spoiler:Vicki]]'s death
* ''XenaWarriorPrincess''
** Season 1, episode 6: first appearance of Ares.
** Season 2: [[WrittenInInfirmity Callisto switches bodies with Xena]]
** Season 3, episode 4: Gabrielle is impregnated by the spawn of Dahak.
** Season 4, episode 3: Gabrielle is alive ([[UnexplainedRecovery for some reason]]). Hope is finally killed.
** Season 5, episode 4: Xena finds out she's pregnant.
** Season 6 - We are introduced to the [[NorseMythology Norse gods]].
* Even documentary series sometimes fall into this. Episode 7 of Simon Schama's ''A History of Britain'' ends with the union of the English and Scottish crowns.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Videogames]]
* Occurs in many ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' titles. Each game is divided up into 24~30 Chapters (excluding sidequests) that feel very much like a season of television or a ~26 episode series.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Blazing Sword]]'', Chapter 7 is the first time we are introduced to the struggle between the Black Fang and Ninian and Nils, which is the major plot for most of the game. Eliwood and Hector, the game's [[PowerTrio other two protagonists]] make cameo appearances in the same chapter.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones The Sacred Stones]]'' Chapter 7 and 8 are essentially a two part chapter (the first to occur without going back to the main map) that ends Eirika's solo journey, reunites her with Ephraim, and gives the player the choice of who to follow for chapter 9 and onward. Chapter 7 also starts with a team rally, similar to the ones that usually start the final chapter in this series so you know its important.
** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]]'': Chapter 7 is when the split-up Greil Mercenaries regroup. Some hours after the battle ends, [[spoiler:Greil fights and is killed by the Black Knight, forcing Ike to go from rookie mercenary to the company's commander at the beginning of Chapter 8]].
*** In ''Radiant Dawn'', Chapter 7 is when Tormod reunites with Sothe, and informs him that the evil doers in Begnion are led by a sect of Senators, not the Apostle Sanaki. The reveal of the rift in Begnion's leadership defines the politics of most of the game. Like the Blazing Sword example, this is really a teaser that becomes more important after the extended prologue.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'': Chapter 6 reveals that Marth [[spoiler:is a woman who somehow knows of the future]]. Also introduces Validar, the BigBad from the [[TheTeaser Premonition Chapter,]] and has him meet the Fell Dragon Grima in human form for the first time who is [[ObviouslyEvil obviously]] the BiggerBad. Chapter 7 is when Emm gives Chrom the Fire Emblem to protect as she splits with the rest of the team to lead the war against Plegia.
* ''{{Tenchu}}'' 2 - Rikimaru and Ayame discover that Tatsumaru has amnesia and is fighting for the Burning Dawn.
* ''Mother3'': The end of chapter 7 is when it is officially revealed that [[spoiler:Porky Minch]] is the Pigmasks' "King" responsible for all of the evil that has befallen the island (though anyone familiar with ''{{Earthbound}}'' has had plenty of clues by that point).
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'': Chapter 7 serves to introduce TheSixthRanger Fang, who finally reveals her and Vanille's role in causing the Purge, as well as to end the long-running arc of Hope's pursuit of revenge upon Snow. All in all, it marks the turning point where the [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits l'Cie]] stop working against each other and instead try cooperate henceforth.
* ''VideoGame/DreamfallTheLongestJourney'': Chapter 7 is the first one where we get to play as Kian and April, kicking the plot into gear. It also features April meeting the White Kin and the Guardian of the Balance, serving to integrate ''Dreamfall'' into the established mythology of ''VideoGame/TheLongestJourney''.
* For the first six episodes of {{Halo 4}}'s Spartan Ops The Infinity is using the Spartan 4s to try and learn more about Requiem, trying to keep a step ahead of the Covenant. Business as usual. But when episode seven rolled around, things on the Infinity get shaken up.
** [[spoiler: Prometheans Teleport aboard, and the Covies board her. To make things worse, the artifiact is telling requiem to tether Infinity through slipspace, so they can't get out of the range of the Promethean teleporters.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'': Garrett gets hired to rob someone named Constantine.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Warcraft 3]]''
** Alliance: The Cult of the Damned is defeated but Kel'Thuzad vows that it's not over yet.
** Undead: Kel'Thuzad says the Dreadlords aren't to be trusted.
** Horde: [[StartOfDarkness Thrall sends Grom away for disobeying orders to not attack the humans.]]
** Night Elves: Furion Stormrage is awakened.
* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}''
** Terrans: The player is captured and imprisoned by the [[TheEmpire Terran Confederacy]] for accepting aid from [[LaResistance the Sons of Korhal]].
** Zerg: The creature inside the chrysalis is Kerrigan.
** Protoss: The player defects to the side of Tassadar.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSeries''
** ''Tiberium Wars'': The deposit of Liquid T. beneath the Temple of Nod is detonated, killing millions and attracting an AlienInvasion.
** ''Kane's Wrath'': Nod sabotages an Australian Liquid T facility, turning the heart of the continent into a Red Zone. The player turns out to be [[spoiler:a cimputer AI]].
* ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter'': Stealth is introduced when Gabe has to infiltrate the Pharcom Expo Center. [[spoiler:Edward Benton]] is revealed as TheMole.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresIII'''
** Blood: The Ottomans are defeated but a new threat arises in the form of the Circle of Ossus.
** Ice: The BigBad Governor Warwick makes his appearance.
** Steel: Water form the Fountain of Youth still exists.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]
* In Creator/DavidGonterman's ''American Kitsune'', the seventh chapter reveals that Serena and David are long lost siblings.
* Machinima/RedVsBlue - ends with a teaser stating a character would die in the next episode (which happens to be episode 7). Of course with the nature of this show, the character who dies comes back (as a ghost). His death pretty much sets off the plot of the rest of the series.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Episode 7 is part one of the the two-part Winter Solstice episode that introduces the Spirit World, Aang's ability to talk to past Avatars, and the coming of Sozin's Comet. The series jumps from "Let's take [[TheChick Katara]] to learn Waterbending" to "kill [[BigBad Ozai]] in a year or the world gets destroyed".
** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' has this in episode 6, the midpoint of the first 12 episode Season (or "Book"). The Pro-bending finals take place and the Equalists [[spoiler:destroy the arena (depriving Mako and Bolin of their home) and emerge publicly]]. At this point the series becomes much more intensely about the battle with the Equalists and the secrets of Republic City, and less about acclimating Korra. [[CaptainObvious Also the pro-bending subplot goes away.]]
* ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}} [=ThunderCats (2011)=]]]'': Episode 7, "Legacy" is a WhamEpisode, where we learn the origin of the Thundercats, their relationship with Mumm-Ra, and the game changes for the characters. They don't just need the Sword and Book of Omens, now they need to unite the Animals and find three new mystical stones as well.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'' April begins her training with Splinter and the Turtles acquire and actually manage to keep a live canister of Ooze.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' Season four, episode seven is when Raven reveals her true [[HalfHumanHybrid nature]] and [[AntiAntiChrist destiny]] to the other Titans.
* Episode seven of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'' first introduces (in-costume) the Green Goblin, who will ultimately [[spoiler: take over as BigBad]].
** The following season's seventh episode ends with [[spoiler:George Stacy all but flat-out admitting that he knows Peter is Spider-Man]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men Evolution}}''
** Season 1 - Rogue's HeelFaceTurn and the existence of [[TheDragon Mystique]] to the team.
** Season 2 - Introduces Angel as well as Magneto's first on screen appearance since his [[NeverFoundTheBody apparent death]] the previous season finale.
* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' - first appearance of [[BigBad Vlad Plasmius]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'' did this over the seasons:
** "Enter the Punisher": Ends with Spider-Man succumbing to the full effects of his Neogenic Disease - transforming into Man-Spider.
** "The Man Without Fear": Spider-Man learns Wilson Fisk is the Kingpin, TheManBehindTheMan for many of his past battles.
* For ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'',in season 2, we get one proper which reveals [[spoiler: Kaldur is a FakeDefector, and that the original 3 and Artemis are on a private mission to figure out The Light's partner. Lagoon Boy also gets captured, and Artemis fakes death to get closer to The Light and taking them down. Furthermore, we get a reason proper for the breakup of Superboy and Miss Martian as M'gann's ruthless treatment of "bad guys" [[WhatTheHellHero lead Superboy to break things up in disgust of what she was becoming]]. Additionally, it appears that M'gann tried to make Connor forget or repress his objections, by using her powers, which is doubly horrible, given Superboy's history of being mind controlled by villains and his origin as a mind-controlled tool of destruction. ]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'':
** The team forms at the end of the seventh episode produced during season one.
** In season two, episode 7 is when the Avengers first become aware of the Skrull infestation. [[spoiler: It also marks the end of Iron Man as leader of the Avengers, with Skrull Captain America leading only Hawkeye, Hulk and Wasp due to Iron Man, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther spitting off out of mistrust for the rest of the team.]] Interestingly, the production order lists this as the ''eighth'' episode of season two, but Marvel has confirmed that the chronological order designates this as the seventh episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}'' has a couple:
** Season 1: The X-men return home from a rescue mission only to find the mansion completely destroyed.
** Season 2: Bishop returns to the past to prevent another disaster from destroying his future, in this case a plague that has been infecting humans, engineered by the Friends of Humanity to pin the blame on mutants and eventually infect them with as well. Cable, who's been researching the events, discovers that the plague was actually created by [[spoiler:Apocalypse]] and that Bishop's actions are actually wiping out ''his own'' timeline.
** Season 3: Jean Grey, now merged with the Phoenix, must sacrifice herself to seal the M'Kraan Crystal before it destroys all existence.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ultimate Spider-Man}}'' has a notable twist that pulls a fast one on long time comic book fans: [[spoiler:Harry Osborn is Venom!]]
* ''TronUprising'' episode 7 has Beck getting his hands on a dangerous UpgradeArtifact and using it despite Tron's warnings. WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity ensues, resulting in Beck nearly getting Able killed.
* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'':
** First Arc- "The Reckoning": [[BigBad Atrocitus]] learns that the heroes are still alive after apparently dying in the second episode; [[spoiler: the existence of Atrocitus's invasion fleet is revealed, showing just how high the stakes really are]].
** Second Arc- "Cold Fury": [[spoiler: Aya disables her emotions, absorbs the power of the ''Interceptor'''s engines and uses it to defeat the Anti-Monitor, but in the process merges with the Anti-Monitor's remains, undergoes a FaceHeelTurn, and becomes the new BigBad]].
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