Line #62 Main/NotMeThisTime


1	%%%
2	%%
3	%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Take care to put your example in its proper place in accordance with Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings!
4	%%
5	%%%
6
7	%%
8	%% Trope was declared Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease via crowner by the Real Life Maintenance thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php?crowner_id=g3b7mhvj
9	%%
10
11	[[quoteright:330:[[ComicBook/{{Batman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/not_me_this_time.png]]]]
12	[[caption-width-right:330:[[OOCIsSeriousBusiness It's a bad sign]] when [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker the Joker]] is [[VillainHasAPoint making sense.]]]]
13
14	->''"Oh, for crying out loud, no! I had no intention of committing any crimes! ''...today.''"''
15	-->-- '''Mojo Jojo''', ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'', "[[Recap/ThePowerpuffGirlsS1E6TelephoniesToughLove Telephonies]]"
16
17	In a series with a recurring BigBad, it is sometimes the case that a side-villain or MonsterOfTheWeek is introduced to cause havoc and shake things up.
18
19	Of course, since this is a series with a recurring Big Bad, our heroes may feel perfectly justified in going after the usual suspects. This trope refers to such scenes, in which our regular villain is forced to inform the heroes that this installment's EvilPlan is not their doing. This may or may not be believed at first, but after the villain's innocence is established, expect them to curtly dismiss the heroes.
20
21	Traditional TruceZone requirements mandate that regardless of all the crimes they committed ''yesterday'', if caught for the wrong thing today, the heroes have to let them go. Either that or the Big Bad got OffOnATechnicality for ''yesterday's'' crimes. Another possibility is the usual villain not having been defeated yet - and the heroes don't want to waste time and resources on beating him right now, in the middle of a crisis.
22
23	This trope can be chalked up to TheLawOfConservationOfDetail: if you're going to have your villain appear, it might as well be relevant to the plot at hand.
24
25	An occasional subversion is for the usual suspect to claim innocence, convince the hero that somebody else did it... [[FramingTheGuiltyParty and then have it turn out that the original suspect is guilty after all.]] In some cases, the FrameUp [[ThenLetMeBeEvil inspires the villain to actually do it afterward]].
26
27	This trope may also occur with any character who has a recurring habit, such as TheTroublemaker. It may or may not lead to EvilVersusEvil or EnemyMine, depending on the story. A villain might be upset that they were blamed and maybe even suffered a beatdown for something they didn't do. Or that a plan of their own got thwarted because of the false accusation that made the hero seek them out. Or that they were accused of [[EvenEvilHasStandards a crime they consider beneath themselves]] or almost denied [[TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou a triumph they seek for themselves]]. Any of these reasons is enough for them to be pissed at the person who ''really'' did it.
28
29	Also see VillainsOutShopping, which might explain the villain's innocence. Compare GuiltyUntilSomeoneElseIsGuilty, and MotiveMisidentification, where the Big Bad is responsible, but for different reasons than the heroes initially suspect. Contrast InsistsOnBeingSuspected, when they were never suspected in the first place, and HijackedByGanon, where it seems like a new villain is at fault but the Big Bad is revealed to be pulling the strings. May overlap with CardCarryingVillain and/or VillainsNeverLie if the heroes believe the story because it would be out of character for the villain to deny his crimes rather than boast about them.
30	----
31	!!Example Subpages:
32	[[index]]
33	* NotMeThisTime/AnimeAndManga
34	* NotMeThisTime/ComicBooks
35	* NotMeThisTime/FanWorks
36	* NotMeThisTime/{{Literature}}
37	* NotMeThisTime/LiveActionTV
38	* NotMeThisTime/VideoGames
39	* NotMeThisTime/{{Webcomics}}
40	* NotMeThisTime/WesternAnimation
41	[[/index]]
42	----
43	!!Other Examples:
44	[[foldercontrol]]
45	[[folder:Advertising]]
46	* In a 2018 commercial for Blue Bunny ice cream, a couple notices that all their pants are missing. The TalkingAnimal mascot admits that he took their pants as a stunt promoting loaded sundaes. Then, an elderly woman enters also without pants, announces that she's meeting friends to play mahjong, and leaves the house.
47	-->'''Blue Bunny:''' I did not take Grandma's pants.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Animation]]
51	* The first three episodes of ''Animation/BlackCatDetective'' revolves around the reoccurring villain, the One-Eared mice, committing murders and theft while evading Black Cat and the authorities. So when the fourth episode had a praying mantis character discovered horribly maimed and ripped to pieces on his wedding night, a day ''after'' One-Ear is spotted lurking through the fields where the mantis community lives, everyone is quick to assume One-Ear is the killer. [[spoiler: He's not, turns out the [[MantisMatingMeal mantis groom is killed by his bride]] and One-Ear just happens to be passing through]].
52	* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': In "The Haunted House", the heroes [=BoBoiBoy=] and Gopal investigates a "haunted" house to see who the ghost really is while villains Adu Du and Probe goes there a little earlier to recruit the ghost. When the heroes find Adu Du, they naturally accuse him of being the fake ghost all along, but Adu Du denies it. Before they can settle it, the real "ghost", Fang, reveals himself and attack all of them.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
56	* In ''ComicStrip/{{Curtis}}'', Greg and Diane Wilkins are in their bedroom for the night, only to hear a crash originating from Curtis and Barry's room. They naturally assume that they got into a fight again. However, the final panel has them screaming for help with multiple crashing sounds, revealing that this time, the crash was not from one of their fights. The next strip reveals the cause for the crash were hailstones the size of eggs or golf balls.
57	* An arc in ''ComicStrip/{{Foxtrot}}'' had WalkingTechbane Roger be blamed for rendering the family computer nonfunctional when he tried turning it on. While not implausible given his record, it'd actually been broken beforehand when Paige spilled soda on it.
58	* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'':
59	** The July 10,1980 strip has Odie crash into a pedestal and knock over a flowerpot. Jon assumes Garfield is to blame for the destruction when Garfield was only sitting their minding his own business.
60	--->'''Jon:''' GARFIELD!!!\
61	'''Garfield:''' I'm innocent! I swear it!
62	** In the February 2, 1999 strip, somebody threw away all of Jon's shirts except one that reads "I (heart) cats". Believing Garfield is responsible, Jon throws him outside; Odie then appears in the doorway wearing one of Jon's shirts and a malicious smile.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
66	* In ''Film/Apollo13'', Fred Haise has been using the cabin repress valve, which causes a sharp banging sound, to mess with the other astronauts. When the oxygen tank explodes and the entire ship starts shaking, he rushes in saying, "That's no repress valve!"
67	* At the end of ''Film/BostocksCup'', it becomes apparent that a large part of fictional team Bostock Stanley's surprise FA Cup run and eventual win was the result of the producer of the FilmWithinAFilm that chronicled their run using bribery and other illicit means to get them to the final. However, he denies having rigged the final itself, pointing out that the film would have worked just as well if they lost, and that even if he'd wanted to, he knew that Bostock's final opponents, Leeds United, had probably already offered the referee a larger bribe than he could afford.
68	* ''Film/TheBravados:'' Zachary and his men are guilty of multiple murders, but [[spoiler:they didn't rob and kill Douglass's wife. In fact, they unknowingly rob and kill her actual murderer during their RunForTheBorder.]]
69	* ''Film/CappsCrossing'': Justin is immediately blamed for being ThePeepingTom who was spying on Robin undressing in her cabin (it may have actually been David). Justin says this trope word-for-word in his defense.
70	* In ''La Folie des grandeurs'' (''Film/DelusionsOfGrandeur''), when obvious villain Don Salluste is accused of setting up a bomb during his own disgrace ceremony, and is found hiding on top of a statue.
71	--> '''Salluste:''' No, Sire! It wasn't me! For once, it wasn't me! I was here. [[BlatantLies Praying]].
72	* Spoken word for word by John Spartan in ''Film/DemolitionMan'', when his first attempt to capture Simon Phoenix results in a building in flames (blown up by Phoenix) and a heap of charred hostages (killed by Phoenix before Spartan dropped in, specifically to hide them from infrared scan until their unrecognizable remains could be found in the wreckage).
73	-->'''Captain Healy:''' Yeah right, like you had nothing to do with it.
74	* ''Film/Gremlins1984'': Billy rightfully suspects Mrs. Deagle of abusing his dog Barney by stringing the poor thing up with a bunch of Christmas lights, since she had already made threats to do even worse. However, she's not responsible, it was Stripe and the other evil Mogwai.
75	* Alan from ''Film/TheHangover'' series has been responsible for drugging the Wolfpack in the first two films. But in the third film, during TheStinger, [[spoiler:the gang and Alan's new wife Cassie has been drugged again. When a [[ItMakesSenseInContext bare-breasted Stu]] asks Alan what he has done, Alan responds that the wedding cake was from [[AxCrazy Chow]].]]
76	* In ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart2'', When Snow is confronted by Katniss about [[spoiler:the bombing that killed Prim]], he tells her that he wasn't responsible, citing the fact that he would not do something so petty unless it benefited him. [[spoiler:It was actually Coin, as a gambit to destroy his support and end the war]].
77	* ''Film/JacksBack'': After being arrested, [[spoiler:Jack]] confesses to murdering [[spoiler:John]], but denies being the Ripper and killing the {{Disposable Sex worker}}s. [[spoiler:He is telling the truth.]]
78	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
79	** In ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', Thor's first thought when he hears about a prison riot is "Loki". Loki is the only one not rioting and is in fact calmly reading in the corner of his cell.
80	** A far less humorous example comes in the followup, ''Film/ThorRagnarok''. When Thor and Loki find Odin to take him home, he serenely tells them that he hears his late wife calling to him. Thor angrily tells Loki to lift his enchantment but Loki's look of concern and subtle head shake confirms he's not to blame this time. Then Odin reveals that he had already broken free from Loki's spell.
81	** Lampshaded when Doctor Strange starts to open a portal beneath Loki's feet and he exclaims "This isn't me".
82	* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'': Jack Sparrow is believed to be trying to locate a ship to find the Fountain of Youth, as well as recruiting a crew. Turns out, for once, he was not the one who is actually doing it. It was Angelica, a former flame of Sparrow, who was doing it, while disguised as him.
83	* ''Film/PitchBlack'': When Zeke is killed, everyone at first thinks that the culprit was Riddick, who everyone knew to be an escaped convict and killer. However, while he admits that he ''has'' killed "a few people," Zeke wasn't one of them; it turns out the desert planet they crash-landed on has monsters lurking in the dark.
84	* ''Film/TheReturnOfThePinkPanther'': When the Pink Panther diamond is stolen, Inspector Clouseau suspects Sir Charles Lytton had stolen it once again. It turns out Charles's wife, Lady Claudine, [[ItAmusedMe had stolen it out of amusement]].
85	* In ''Film/Se7en'', as Somerset is looking at an object in the road:
86	-->'''Mills:''' What you got?\
87	'''Somerset:''' Dead dog.\
88	'''John Doe:''' ''I'' didn't do that.
89	* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/SpyHard''. When the Creator/MacaulayCulkin {{expy}} is captured by some thugs and tormented, they drag him up the stairs to torture him:
90	-->'''Thug One''': [[AndThisIsFor This is for]] Film/GettingEvenWithDad!\
91	'''Thug Two''': And this is for Film/MyGirl!\
92	'''Thug One''': And this is for [[FunWithHomophones My Girl, Too!]]\
93	'''Kevin''': I wasn't even ''in'' ''My Girl 2''!\
94	'''Thugs''': (''look to each other, then...'') WE DON'T CARE!
95	* ''Film/TheTournament'': Joshua joins the titular tournament in order to avenge his dead wife, believing his sworn enemy, the [[AxCrazy psycopathic]] Miles Slade, is the culprit. While Slide is indeed a ruthless killing machine (and even rubs it into Joshua's face that if he could make Joshua suffer by killing his spouse, he ''would''), turns out it isn't the case. [[spoiler:The assassin who killed Joshua's wife is none other than the ''other'' protagonist, Lai Lai Zhen, under BigBad Powers' orders]].
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Game Shows]]
99	* On ''Series/{{Taskmaster}}'', Alex ''loves'' to sneak traps and pitfalls into tasks to trip up the contestants. So, during "Exit the caravan exactly 20 minutes after you entered the caravan", when Mae finds a clock on the roof that has moving gears but ''doesn't work'', she and even Greg assume Alex did it deliberately to trip up contestants [[PoisonMushroom "lucky" enough to find and use it]]. Alex points out that this time it was Mother Nature:
100	--> '''Greg:''' How's it make you feel that Alex would put a clock that doesn't work on the roof of the caravan?
101	--> '''Alex:''' I need to point out here the clock ''was'' working, but it rained during May's attempt and then it stopped working.
102	--> '''Greg:''' Ahhhh. I thought it was one of your sneaky things that makes you all fizzy under your duvet.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Music]]
106	* Music/BobMarley's "I Shot the Sheriff" has him confess to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin shooting the sheriff]], but he then clarifies that he ''didn't'' shoot the sheriff's deputy.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
110	* The during the rivalry between Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin and [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] for top superstar status during the Attitude Era, both wrestlers did a lot of ambush attacks on each other. The most brutal happened during ''Wrestling/SurvivorSeries 1999'' when Stone Cold got run over by a car. The Rock, himself, didn't confirm nor deny he was responsible, so the battles continued. Nearly a year later it was revealed that The Rock wasn't behind the attack, it was his friend, real-life relative, and sometimes wrestling partner, {{Wrestling/Rikishi}}, who claims he did it to help him out as appreciation for breaking barriers as a person of color in the wrestling business and didn't want Steven Austin or anyone to stop his momentum (This was actually BlatantLies; Rikishi was actually recruited to do so by Wrestling/TripleH).
111	** Speaking of Wrestling/TripleH, he was initially a suspect in the runover because he was scheduled to defend his WWF Championship against both Austin and The Rock that night and had attacked Stone Cold while he'd been giving an interview earlier that night that had led to Austin getting run over while he was chasing Triple H. Triple H claimed that [[ConfessToALesserCrime while his attack on Austin was meant to be a plan on lead him into a beatdown by Triple H's D-Generation X cohorts]], he hadn't ran over Austin (Of course, as revealed above, this was actually a [[SubvertedTrope Subversion]], as while [[ExactWords he hadn't done the actual runover]], he'd gotten Rikishi to do it for him).
112	* While in Wrestling/RingOfHonor, Wrestling/{{Raven}} wooed and recruited Trinity to humiliate and beat down Wrestling/CMPunk, who responded by calling on his girlfriend [[Wrestling/DaffneyUnger Lucy]] to do the same to Raven before fulfilling his obligations to Wrestling/ProWrestlingZero1. When Punk returned from Japan, he found Lucy had been attacked and a calling card eerily similar to that used by [[PowerStable Raven's Nest]], but Raven was proven innocent, as it was actually the mark of the Prophecy, which lead to Punk leading the Second City Saints after the group's leader Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels, who still wasn't the culprit. It was new recruit BJ Whitmer.
113	* A third example occurred during the holiday season of 2008-2009, when Wrestling/JeffHardy was WWE Champion and Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} was Number One Contender. Hardy was repeatedly wronged by a mysterious assailant who ambushed him backstage at ''Survivor Series'', ran his car off the highway...and nearly burned him alive by sabotaging his in-ring entrance pyrotechnics when Hardy was coming down to the ring to be interviewed on ''The Cutting Edge''. Hardy himself and all the commentators were convinced that Edge was behind all the mischief, but Edge kept insisting he was innocent. And he was: the person who'd been stalking Jeff Hardy for two whole months, and who finally cost him his championship at the ''Royal Rumble'', was [[spoiler:Jeff's envious older brother [[Wrestling/MattHardy Matt]], who admitted that, for good measure, he'd also burned down Jeff's house nearly a year before and killed his dog. Of course, Edge wasn't too sorry about this anyway, since Matt's interference enabled him to win the title.]]
114	* In ''Wrestling/WWESmackdown'':
115	** After ''Royal Rumble 2004'', Wrestling/EddieGuerrero gets taken out backstage before he was set to compete in the 15-man Royal Rumble match[[note]]He still made it to the match and won[[/note]]. His nephew Wrestling/{{Chavo\|GuerreroJr}} and his father (and Eddie's older brother) arrive at the scene, only to see Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}} glaring suspiciously at them, thinking they're the assailants due to their feud with Eddie. Despite them swearing revenge on Eddie earlier for beating them down at the PPV (with Eddie bloodying Chavo as payback for doing the same to him), they claim to not be the culprits. Rey doesn't buy it and attacks them.
116	** A storyline in 2010 involved Wrestling/{{Kane}} looking for the one who put Wrestling/TheUndertaker in a coma. When he accused Wrestling/CMPunk of doing the deed, Punk replied that while he wanted to do it, it wasn't him this time. Kane proceeds to identify Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}} as the attacker. [[spoiler:Subverted; it was ''Kane himself '' who was responsible for it all.]]
117	** An early storyline in 2011 had Smackdown General Manager Wrestling/TeddyLong getting taken out. Since Wrestling/WadeBarrett had just formed The Corre on that episode, had done something similar to the [[Wrestling/BretHart previous]] [[Wrestling/WWERaw Raw]] GM during his time as Wrestling/TheNexus leader, and Teddy had just [[TemptingFate tempted fate]] by telling them that he would not allow himself to be cowed by their beatdown antics like the current Raw GM was, they were naturally the first suspects. However, they denied having anything to do with it. It eventually turns out that [[spoiler:they were telling the truth. It was Wrestling/VickieGuerrero [[UnholyMatrimony and]] Wrestling/DolphZiggler that did it.]]
118	* Since arriving in NXT, Wrestling/KevinOwens laid waste to numerous wrestlers and even tried to end the career of his former friend Wrestling/SamiZayn. However, when [[Wrestling/KentaKobayashi Hideo Itami]] was found injured in the parking lot and Owens was nearby, he responded with this, and has continued to respond as such every time he's questioned about it. He even asked commissioner Wrestling/WilliamRegal why he'd deny attacking Itami when he's bragged about every other atrocity he's committed.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
122	* In ''Series/TheWubbulousWorldOfDrSeuss'' episode "The Snoozer", Yertle the Turtle announces his intent to build a huge statue of himself at the site of the Snoozer, an existing and popular statue. When the statue disappears, Jane Kangaroo assumes Yertle is responsible, and when Horton insists "We shouldn't jump to conclusions, We should walk slowly and carefully to conclusions" decides that anyone who defends him must be an accomplice. [[spoiler:It turns out the statue wasn't stolen at all. It woke up.]] Even Yertle is surprised at the idea of being innocent of something, and says it feels weird.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Theatre]]
126	* In ''Theatre/OrpheusInTheUnderworld'', given Jupiter's many, ''many'' lovers and indiscretions, the whole of Olympus is shocked when for once it's Pluto who kidnapped a girl to make his bride.
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
130	* In the Midship Detective Agency attraction for Disney Cruise Line, one of the cases the guests have to solve is who kidnapped the Dalmatian Puppies from ''101 Dalmatians'' on the ship. One of the suspects is Cruella De Vil, who despite her threats against the dogs in continuity, has an alibi, as she wasn't even on the ship at the time they were kidnapped. The culprit tends to be randomized, for the cases.[[note]]Cruella De Vil also was innocent of the earlier case, the plundered paintings (the culprit also being randomized here?), although it's not as notable.[[/note]]
131	[[/folder]]
132
133	[[folder:Urban Legends]]
134	* One legend involves a driver who picks up a scary-looking, scruffy hitchhiker. The driver immediately regrets this, and begins to fear that the hitchhiker might try to rob or murder him. Away down the road, he sees another hitchhiker. This one is very well dressed and good looking, so the driver picks him up, thinking that this will help potentially protect him from the scruffy hitchhiker. The well-dressed hitchhiker pulls out a gun and tries to rob the driver, but is outwitted and knocked out by the scruffy hitchhiker. The driver confesses to the scruffy hitchhiker that he originally suspected him of being a robber. The hitchhiker tells him that he is actually a robber, but, "Today's my day off."
135	[[/folder]]
136
137	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
138	* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
139	** In the fourth case of ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'', Edgeworth suspects that Manny Coachen was responsible for killing Byrne Faraday, as Byrne had prosecuted him for killing Cece Yew (and he was almost certainly guilty, but got off because the decisive evidence was missing), but Detective Badd says that while Coachen attended the day's trial, he was being watched by the police the entire time, giving him an alibi.
140	** The first case of ''Investigations 2'' involves an assassination attempt on a foreign president. A witness is involved who is very clearly the assassin Shelly De Killer. He denies he had anything to do with it. [[spoiler:He's telling the truth, though he had ''planned'' to kill the president before things went out of hand. The president's assassination was actually staged, and De Killer was the only witness in the case who ''wasn't'' in on it.]]
141	** Case 4 of ''Investigations 2'' reveals that one of [[AmoralAttorney Manfred Von Karma's]] evidence forgeries was actually orchestrated by someone else behind his back. [[spoiler:Specifically, the one in the case where he received his first penalty.]]
142	** In the first case of ''Dual Destinies'', [[StarterVillain Ted Tonate]], a police bomb technician, is exposed as the killer of a detective, as well as the one who blew up the courtroom in the opening. [[spoiler: But in the game's final case, he admits that while he did kill the detective, he didn't blow up the courtroom, [[HiddenVillain someone else]] stole a remote that detonated said bomb. [[EvenEvilHasStandards He even warned everyone to evacuate when the bomb was about to go off.]]]]
143	** In the fan-made case ''VisualNovel/TheEmptyTurnabout'', [[spoiler:Athena Cykes]] murdered [[spoiler:Simon Blackquill]] six months ago, and only Apollo knows it. The game presents Apollo in such a way that it appears he only took this case because he suspects she also killed Ian Arts and wants to finally bring her to justice. But she didn't do it, as it turns out.
144	** In a meta sense, every tutorial case in the main series follows a very specific formula: the trial only lasts one day with no investigation segments. The single eyewitness is a BitchInSheepsClothing who intends to frame the defendant to cover up their own crime. All except for [[spoiler: ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'']], where the single eyewitness ''is'' lying about what they saw and they're still a BitchInSheepsClothing, but a cross-examination reveals that they aren't the killer. They lied because they were unconscious during the murder. [[spoiler: The actual killer was Apollo's mentor, Kristoph Gavin.]]
145	* ''VisualNovel/Case03TrueCannibalBoy'': Marty, who went crazy in ''VisualNovel/ExtraCaseMyGirlfriendsSecrets'', [[spoiler:isn't the one who killed Sally, as that was the original Cannibal Boy. However, he is responsible for killing two women in a mad attempt to get Sally a new body. In the true ending, he kills Lily to accomplish this goal]]. At this same time, Lily and Brucie wrongfully assume [[spoiler:the Cannibal Boy killed the woman near Silversmith's]].
146	* In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', Genocide Jack is both a SerialKiller [[spoiler:''and'' Toko Fukawa's SplitPersonality.]] However, Genocide Jack is accused of three different murders throughout the first game, from the second case to the fourth case. [[spoiler:But throughout the entire story, she is responsible for none of the murders. She did '''not''' murder Chihiro Fujisaki and then creepily crucify their lifeless body, despite how the evidence ''does'' point at her. It ultimately turns out that Byakuya Togami was the one who staged the body like that in order to frame her, but he isn't the killer either; he only did that to "keep things interesting" and test the perceptiveness of his classmates. Jack even points this out, saying her motivation is based on PragmaticVillainy when it comes to murder in the killing game. Because Jack doesn't want to kill anyone without using her {{Calling Card}}s -- which would make it very obvious that she's the killer -- Jack decides that the easiest solution is to simply not kill anyone.]] It gets lampshaded by Ishimaru.
147	-->'''Ishimaru''': "I have no idea what's going on anymore...! Could such a heinous villain really be innocent!?"
148	* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': In ''Maekashi-hen'' (and ''Watanagashi-hen'' to an extend), Shion blames her grandmother Oryou and many others connected to the Sonozaki family to be responsible for [[spoiler:Satoshi's]] disappearance. By the end of ''Maekashi-hen'', Mion reveals (too late) that their grandmother [[spoiler:kept her word of leaving Satoshi alone, since Shion took [[{{Fingore}} responsibility]] for that]], but Shion doesn't believe her sister. Later in ''Matsuribayashi-hen'', we learn what really happened to [[spoiler:Satoshi]]. [[spoiler:After killing his aunt and buying the big stuffed animal for his sister Satoko, he met Dr. Irie who noticed that Satoshi was about to enter the final stage of the Hinamizawa Syndrome and he immediately took him to the hospital where the boy would get his treatment in secret and hidden to the public, while the murder on the aunt is covered up by the Yamainu due to Dr. Irie's request.]]
149	* Early on in ''VisualNovel/ShinraiBrokenBeyondDespair'', Rie Miyamoto, who hosts the Halloween party that serves as the setting of the game, triggers a power outage as part of a planned prank that does not go as planned. When the power goes out again, Rie denies responsibility for this one. Considering that she wasn't anywhere near the circuit breaker when it happened, she's right.
150	* ''VisualNovel/ZeroEscape'' Trilogy:
151	** K's route in ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'' has Dio, who claims that while [[spoiler:he killed the old woman they discovered at the beginning of the game,]] he wasn't responsible for Luna and Alice's deaths. [[spoiler:Turns out, he was telling the truth.]]
152	** Series-wide example. The [[DeadlyGame Nonary Game]] in ''VisualNovel/NineHoursNinePersonsNineDoors'' is orchestrated by a person called Zero. In ''VisualNovel/VirtuesLastReward'' there is another Zero masterminding another Nonary Game, but the original Zero is working behind the scenes with the new one. In ''VisualNovel/ZeroTimeDilemma'' there is yet another Zero with new DeadlyGame... and for once the original Zero has nothing to do with it.
153	[[/folder]]
154
155	[[folder:Web Animation]]
156	* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'':
157	** In "The Camping Webisode", Koden tells Alex and Seth not to beat up Andy for Frets, Martha asks "why", and Koden, knowing [[HeroicComedicSociopath Alex]] is the one to say stuff like that, does a DoubleTake when he realizes it didn't come from him for once.
158	** In "Untamed and Uncut", [[TheyKilledKenny Evil Balloon is the one to die in an instant rather than Balloon.]] Balloon is, of course, delighted about surviving the episode.
159	** In 'Carneelval', Bill is the one lamenting about craziness ruining a fun outing rather than Koden.
160	--->'''Bill''': I thought we could just have a fun time without another bad guy showing up! Now I know how Koden feels.
161	* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': The short "Play Date" involves Homestar hanging out with Strong Mad, who repeatedly causes him harm because Strong Mad DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength. When Homestar tries to relax, a meteor falls on his head. Strong Mad had nothing to do with it.
162	--->'''Strong Mad:''' THIS ONE'S NOT MY FAULT!
163	* In mashed's ''[[{{Videogame/Overwatch}} OmniLeaks]]'' animated short, Winston, Mercy, Lucio, Tracer, Zarya, Genji, and [[GoKartingWithBowser Reaper]] capture Sombra, convinced that she leaked embarrassing secrets about them (the titular [=OmniLeaks=]). Sombra is thoroughly confused by the accusations but admits that she wished she had leaked the info after hearing the hilarious Leaks. It's hinted to have been Doomfist, but given that [[spoiler:[[ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish Winston's passwords are ALL "password"]]]], it could have been anyone.
164	* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', when [[LethallyStupid Caboose claims that the crash that stranded them on Chorus was not his fault]], no one takes him seriously. But in this case, he really was innocent- it was ''[[EverybodyDidIt everyone else's]]'' fault. [[spoiler: And the crash was actually caused by a tractor beam. The team's antics just ripped the ship in half instead.]]
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Web Original]]
168	* The Website/SCPFoundation's SCP-682 is an OmnicidalManiac. There is one point in the test log (mostly a list of [[WhyWontYouDie spectacularly failed attempts to kill it]]) where somebody shoved Dr. Clef into its enclosure and locked the door. The document goes to great lengths to point out that the subsequent death by neck-snap of the person who pushed him in there was ''definitely'' due to 682 somehow managing to break containment without visibly disappearing from its enclosure, and [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial not in any way caused by Dr. Clef]].
169	* ''Website/SFDebris'': "Next week, we return to ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', where someone is experimenting on the crew... and it's not [[MadScientist Captain Janeway]] this time."
170	[[/folder]]
171
172	[[folder:Web Videos]]
173	* In ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', both Linkara and the audience assume it was Mechakara who broke the Continuity Alarm. However, when he's finally confronted, he admits he didn't do it. As it turns out, it was Linksano who broke it.
174	* During ''WebVideo/{{Cornerstone}}'', the group (mainly LetsPlay/{{Rythian}}) assume that Smiffy and someone else are posing as creepers to try and scare the others after Smiffy has tried it before and died for his trouble. It turns out that no, those are actual creepers. LetsPlay/{{Sjin}} also kills the wrong person for stealing his jetpack.
175	* Despite being the TokenEvilTeammate for LetsPlay/HatFilms, there are occasions when Smiffy's PyroManiac tendencies get him blamed for fires he didn't actually start. One example is in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot_Z2y_3CEc&feature=g-u-u Minecraft 1.8.2 XBLA #5,]] when Ross accidentally places lava inside their (partially wooden) house, setting it on fire. Trott immediately shifts the blame to Smith, due to his habit of burning down their houses. He was similarly accused of stealing items, causing them to actually kill him... only to be stunned to not find them in his dropped inventory. Turns out they just missed them among all the junk in the chest.
176	* The WebVideo/HitlerRants videos on Website/YouTube normally sees either Fegelein or Himmler (or often both) pulling antics on Hitler. Once the spin-off series based around UsefulNotes/JosefStalin and the cast of ''Film/DasBoot'' got their own antic masters, Fegelein frequently had to explain to Hitler's staff that he wasn't involved in whatever embarrassment had just befallen Hitler, often with little success.
177	* ''WebVideo/{{Kittisaurus}}'': Claire discovers a silicone plate from her food steamer has been chewed up and there are bits missing, so part of it is in one of her cats' stomachs. Initially she suspects BigEater Lulu as he tries to steal the plate from her due to it smelling of food. In the comments she reveals Dodo (who makes Lulu look ''picky'' by comparison) was the culprit as he threw the pieces he ate back up.
178	* ''Series/{{Noob}}'' had this happen twice:
179	** Gaea, a known ManipulativeBastard, has a video that is very compromising for her faction's top player end up on her blog. It took a solid alibi to convince her own Guild Master that she had gotten framed.
180	** ''The actual poster of the video'' later got this, mostly due to them happen to be in the same faction as the female player that had just broken one of the male protagonist's hearts. On a side note, part of the audience was suspecting said female player to be working for him all along up to that point.
181	* During LetsPlay/{{Sips}}' ''VideoGame/GarrysMod VideoGame/{{Murder}}'' series, Ross of LetsPlay/HatFilms becomes TheDreaded as the murderer due to his shouting "EAT SHIT" at the top of his lungs. In at least one case, however, he's mistaken for the murderer as his efforts to shout "EAT SHIT" and put them off fail, resulting in him dying and everyone else assuming it's him.
182	* The Website/ChannelAwesome team review of ''Film/TheLastAirbender'' has a group of reviewers forced to watch the movie; the group initially thinks WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic is behind it, since last year he did exactly that with ''Film/DragonballEvolution''. When they contact him, [[EvenEvilHasStandards he's horrified at the idea of anyone sitting through it]]. [[spoiler:It was Creator/JewWario, he accidentally left the disc there after borrowing WebVideo/YRulerOfTime's ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' DVD.]]
183	* ''WebVideo/ThereWillBeBrawl'':
184	** Who's the butcher and/or Peach's kidnapper? Bowser? [[HijackedByGanon Ganondorf?]] Mario assumes Bowser, but Luigi is the main character and has no idea, so we have no idea.
185	** [[spoiler: Played with in that it ''was'' Ganondorf, using the butcher''s'', as well as Olimar and others. Ganondorf was then hijacked by the biggest evil in the series, ''Kirby''.]]
186	[[/folder]]

Context Main / NotMeThisTime