Being a fan of Karma Houdinis in general, I don't think I understand the point of this trope.
Isn't EVERY VILLAIN EVER (almost) a "temporary" Karma Houdini? Like, if they die at or near the end of the work, then they are a "Karma Houdini" throughout the first 90% of it. For instance, in Dirty Harry, the Scorpio Killer (spoilers, but this movie is 40 years old, so I doubt they concern anyone) does die, but only at the end, so would be a "temporary" Karma Houdini? Does he fit this trope? It just seems redundant to me.
Unless I am missing something, but even the Laconic wiki does not clear this up for me, I think that this trope makes no sense.
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I think I may take this to Trope Repair Shop, but the idea behind the trope actually isn't really about villains- it's more like "character is only punished for misdeeds when they start to repent them".
Edited by Jordan Hodor
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. Okay.
Because the current Laconic version "The character is only a temporary Karma Houdini." is not at all as good as what you just suggested.
But even what you suggested, I still think Karma Houdini Warranty is a bad name for it. It kind of fits under No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, no? I mean, I guess I kind of get it, they are a Karma Houdini as long as they stay bad, but then when they do a heel face turn, they get in trouble, but I still don't think applying the phrase "Karma Houdini" is necessary.
Whatever
Isn't Trope Co a licensed agent?
Ketchum's corollary to Clarke's Third Law: Any sufficiently advanced tactic is indistinguishable from blind luck.
Linking to a past Trope Repair Shop thread that dealt with this page: Impenetrable Trope Co nonsense - needs a rewrite
, started by nrjxll on Aug 7th 2011 at 6:47:02 AM
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman