History Main / ThereAreNoRules

* Played with in ''ComicBook/Preacher''. A mook that Jesse Custer kicked the shit out of earlier is looking for a rematch. When they finally meet up, he tells Jesse that this time, it'll be a fair fight. His boss, who has seen Jesse fight and knows how tough he is, offers some advice.

* {{Wikipedia}} organizes its rules into [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Five_pillars five pillars]], the fifth of which is to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IAR ignore all rules]]: "If a rule prevents you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore it."

'''Mean Machine:'' What stinkin' rules? There ain't no stinkin' rules!\\

* Rule six of the MontyPython "Bruces" sketch is that there is no rule six.

* In ancient Greece there was a fighting sport called pankration or 'all powers', which had two rules (outside Sparta, where it had none): (1) no eye gouging, and (2) no biting. You win when your enemy surrenders, is knocked out, or [[ThanatosGambit you die]], whichever happens first.

* Captain Jack from the first ''{{Pirates of the Caribbean}}'' gives an entire speech to Will on how there are no rules when it comes to duels aside from any physical barriers.

** /b/ does have rules, they're just [[Franchise/PiratesofTheCaribbean more like guidelines]]. Rules 1 and 2 are borrowed from ''Film/FightClub'' and Rules 30 through 40 [[RuleThirtyFour mostly deal with porn]].

** /b/ does have rules, they're just [[PiratesofTheCaribbean more like guidelines]]. Rules 1 and 2 are borrowed from ''Film/FightClub'' and Rules 30 through 40 [[RuleThirtyFour mostly deal with porn]].

* In ancient Greece there was a fighting sport called pankration or 'all powers', which had two rules: (1) no eye gouging, and (2) no biting. You win when your enemy surrenders, is knocked out, or [[ThanatosGambit you die]], whichever happens first.

* This is the answer given in ''Film/RatRace'' when asking what the rules of the race were.

-->-- ''ComicBook/HarleyQuinn'' # 10

* This is Summer's summary of the underground "Skate Club" in ''ComicBook/HarleyQuinn'' # 10:

* http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/NewRideForever has long been known in ''DueSouth'' fandom as the list with no rules. (surprisingly, it's still active to a point after over a decade, though it moved from OneList to Yahoo after the buyout and the original had to be replaced with the 'new' one due to the original mod leaving and no one else being able to delete Yahoogroups' all too common spam posts)

* The first page of the GM's Guide for the TabletopGame ''[[SeventhSea 7th Sea]]'' says: "GM Rule #1: There are no rules. GM Rule #2: [[GameMaster Cheat anyway.]]"

--> '''Butch:''' Well, if there aint' going to be any rules, let's get the fight started. Someone count 1,2,3 go.

StockPhrase. When someone's describing a game unfamiliar to the audience - especially if it's a particularly dangerous game - they will say this. Usually preceded by "[[RuleNumberOne There's only one rule...]]" Occasionally, they will list two or three rules of the game which are [[ViewersAreMorons easy for the audience to remember]], and round it off by saying that "Apart from that, ThereAreNoRules!"

* In ''RegularShow'', Mordecai exploits a literal lack of rules, including no rule against having rules.

This is almost a DiscreditedTrope; if it crops up in media nowadays it'll at least [[LampshadeHanging have a lampshade hung on it.]] Although there are a few stray instances of it being played straight, even today.

* The trailer for ''{{Leatherheads}}'': "In the early days of Football, the rules were simple. There were no rules." Or something like that.
* Parodied in ''ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid''. Logan has challenged Butch to a fight for leadership of the Hole in the Wall gang.

* In ''{{Grease}}'' (1978), Leo says "The rules are... there ain't no rules!"

* ''Out Cold:''

* The live-action ''[[Film/{{Popeye}} Popeye]]'' with Robin Williams has an organized fight, where the gamesmaster announces, "Now, you all know the rules: there are no rules."

* Subverted in ''{{Friends}}'' in describing the Ultimate Fighting Champion tournament. At first Ross claims (in a very dramatic voice) "The only rule is 'there are no rules!'" When confronted with the absurdity of this, he admits that there are two rules: no eye gouging or fish-hooking (pulling out your opponent's cheek with a crooked finger).

* Happens in an episode of ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' where the MonsterOfTheWeek makes Tommy and Jason hate each other. They almost end up in a fight arranged by Bulk, who says "The only rule is - there are no rules!"
* Parodied in ''MalcolmInTheMiddle'' when Francis moved in with Richie for a while.

* ''DarkAngel'' episode "Fuhgeddaboudit"

* Heavily subverted in ''Series/{{Community}}''. During a DuelToTheDeath in the Sun Chamber, the announcer gets a [[LargeHam little bit over the top]].

* This is ''VideoGame/LEGODimensions'''s tagline, which describes the game perfectly.

* This is ''VideoGame/{{LEGODimensions}}'''s tagline, which describes the game perfectly.

* In PaulRobinson's ''InstrumentOfGod'', "The Sign by The Right of ''The Road''" states "There is no law except the Law of the Jungle in the Frontier, anyone may do anything to anyone out there. Rule #1 doesn't apply there, there are no rules."

* Said word-for-word in the MatthewHawkwood novel ''Rapscallion'', just before Hawkwood's duel with the Marmeluke:

-> ''"In short: there are no rules. And here they are."''
-->-- '''Creator/ScottMcCloud''', ''Making Comics''

-> ''"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."''
-->-- '''[[TheHashshashin Hassan-i Sabbah]]''', ''Alamut'' by Vladimir Bartol

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''DragonHalf'', the Brutal Killer Martial Arts Tournament is like this. Any weapon or tactic is allowed. The winner must either kill his opponent or put the King's seal on his forehead.
* ZoidsNewCentury: The Backdraft Group's Battle Mode 0999 ''is'' this trope. And they milk it for everything it's worth.

* This is Summer's summary of the underground 'Skate Club' in ''ComicBook/HarleyQuinn'' # 10:

-->-- '''Scott [=McCloud=]''', ''Making Comics''