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recap links, Historical Present Tense
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* Averted on ''{{Series/CSI}}'', when confession-notes left on bathroom stall doors provided a clue to track a truck-driving serial killer. Although the graphic showing how all the restrooms' locations lined up resembled a Connect-The-Deaths diagram, the killer's girlfriend/accomplice is the one who left the clues, and the line merely plotted out the trucker's delivery route rather than a symbol.
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** Inverted when a killer is identified because he'd turned on the lights in his downtown office suite, ''breaking'' the pattern of lights in which the victim had spelled out "Marry Me," as a grand romantic gesture.
** Played straight in another episode when Mac plots the three locations where a victim's body parts have been found, but whose head is still missing, and discovers that the sites are corners of the neighborhood formerly known as Hell's Kitchen. When they search the fourth corner, they find the missing head.
** Played straight in another episode when Mac plots the three locations where a victim's body parts have been found, but whose head is still missing, and discovers that the sites are corners of the neighborhood formerly known as Hell's Kitchen. When they search the fourth corner, they find the missing head.
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** Inverted in "[[Recap/CSINYS03E01 People with Money]]", when a killer is identified because he'd turned on the lights in his downtown office suite, ''breaking'' the pattern of lights in which the victim had spelled out "Marry Me," as a grand romantic gesture.
** Played straight inanother episode "[[Recap/CSINYS08E16 Sláinte]]" when Mac plots the three locations where a victim's body parts have been found, but whose head is still missing, and discovers that the sites are corners of the neighborhood formerly known as Hell's Kitchen. When they search the fourth corner, they find the missing head.
** Played straight in
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* Parodied in ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' when Jake tries to find a pattern by mapping burblaries in Brooklyn, ending up with a map just fully covered in pins.
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* Parodied in ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' when Jake tries to find a pattern by mapping burblaries burglaries in Brooklyn, ending up with a map just fully covered in pins.
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* Played with in the sequel to ''Fanfic/{{Hinterlands}}. The Royal Guard suspect that the murders around Canterlot are meant to form a ritual circle, but conclude that it's unlikely since the murders are too random to form a proper circle. [[spoiler:Turns out the initial hunch was right, the murderers were just really bad at ritual magic and it would've never worked]].
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* Played with in the sequel to ''Fanfic/{{Hinterlands}}.''Fanfic/{{Hinterlands}}''. The Royal Guard suspect that the murders around Canterlot are meant to form a ritual circle, but conclude that it's unlikely since the murders are too random to form a proper circle. [[spoiler:Turns out the initial hunch was right, the murderers were just really bad at ritual magic and it would've never worked]].
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* Played with in the sequel to ''Fanfic/{{Hinterlands}}. The Royal Guard suspect that the murders around Canterlot are meant to form a ritual circle, but conclude that it's unlikely since the murders are too random to form a proper circle. [[spoiler:Turns out the initial hunch was right, the murderers were just really bad at ritual magic and it would've never worked]].
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* Parodied in ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' when Jake tries to find a pattern by mapping burblaries in Brooklyn, ending up with a map just fully covered in pins.
-->'''Jake:''' There is so much crime in New York. No one should live here.
-->'''Jake:''' There is so much crime in New York. No one should live here.
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* Practically every episode of ''{{Series/Numb3rs}}'' has some form of this. One of the early episodes ends up Double Subverting it as the killer is trying ''not'' to murder in a predictable pattern, but ends up doing so anyway because most people are actually terrible at trying to simulate randomness -- the killer had inadvertently spaced his kills at roughly equidistant intervals (the main character demonstrates the human mind's tendency to do this by have the group of police officers he's advising try to place themselves randomly, then when they had finished pointed out that they had just spaced themselves out in the room rather evenly). Using this knowledge of negative correlation, he is able to narrow down where the killer might strike next.
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* Practically every episode of ''{{Series/Numb3rs}}'' ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'' has some form of this. One of the early episodes ends up Double Subverting it as the killer is trying ''not'' to murder in a predictable pattern, but ends up doing so anyway because most people are actually terrible at trying to simulate randomness -- the killer had inadvertently spaced his kills at roughly equidistant intervals (the main character demonstrates the human mind's tendency to do this by have the group of police officers he's advising try to place themselves randomly, then when they had finished pointed out that they had just spaced themselves out in the room rather evenly). Using this knowledge of negative correlation, he is able to narrow down where the killer might strike next.
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* Happens often in ''Series/TheWire'' but rarely for murder:
** In season two, [=McNulty=] who in on PunishmentDetail in the Marine Unit finds the dead body of a young woman in the sea, and later, 12 bodies in a shipping container are found abandoned at the docks. [=McNulty=], who had already earlier used tide charts to prove the floater died withing Baltimore Police juristiction, is able to connect the two events. Later in the season, the team uses GPS trackers under suspects' crs to find key locations of the port smuggling operation, including the warehouse and the Greek diner.
** In season three, after swiping one of the BurnerPhones from Bodie, the Major Crimes Unit are able to trace the purchase of the phone and numbers it has called to a series of grocery stores outside Baltimore, and because of a slip-up earlier by the phone buyer, find one store where he bought six at the same time, which the store owners would remember unlike other stores where the buyer would have been just any customer. The third season also shows the full extent of Stringer Bell's real estate investments, and how they overlap with an urban renewal plan championed by Clay Davis
** In season four, [=McNulty=] is able to plot out the pattern in a rash of church burglaries, and lays in ambush with his patrol partner to catch the thieves in the act.
** In season two, [=McNulty=] who in on PunishmentDetail in the Marine Unit finds the dead body of a young woman in the sea, and later, 12 bodies in a shipping container are found abandoned at the docks. [=McNulty=], who had already earlier used tide charts to prove the floater died withing Baltimore Police juristiction, is able to connect the two events. Later in the season, the team uses GPS trackers under suspects' crs to find key locations of the port smuggling operation, including the warehouse and the Greek diner.
** In season three, after swiping one of the BurnerPhones from Bodie, the Major Crimes Unit are able to trace the purchase of the phone and numbers it has called to a series of grocery stores outside Baltimore, and because of a slip-up earlier by the phone buyer, find one store where he bought six at the same time, which the store owners would remember unlike other stores where the buyer would have been just any customer. The third season also shows the full extent of Stringer Bell's real estate investments, and how they overlap with an urban renewal plan championed by Clay Davis
** In season four, [=McNulty=] is able to plot out the pattern in a rash of church burglaries, and lays in ambush with his patrol partner to catch the thieves in the act.
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* In real life, law enforcement uses [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_mapping Crime Mapping]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_profiling Geographic Profiling]], primarily to narrow down areas to investigate.
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* In a subversion, suspected SerialKiller Henry Lee Lucas was eager to confess to all and any open murder cases in exchange for treats and the occasional trip out of prison to visit crime scenes, until skeptical investigators decided to map out all the murders he took credit for, showing that the distances made it impossible for him to have done all of them.
* During the 1854 Cholera Outbreak in London, Physician Jon Snow made a map of infections and death and was able to use it to prove the outbreak was spread by a contaminated pump on Broad Street.
* During the 1854 Cholera Outbreak in London, Physician Jon Snow made a map of infections and death and was able to use it to prove the outbreak was spread by a contaminated pump on Broad Street.
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* ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest III'' goes for the old standard pentagram killings. In defiance of the top quote, the player doesn't figure it out until ''after'' his wife stabbed into a coma.
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* ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest III'' ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest3TheKindred'' goes for the old standard pentagram killings. In defiance of the top quote, the player doesn't figure it out until ''after'' his wife stabbed into a coma.
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*''Film/FirehouseDog:'' Fire chief Connor Fahey has a conspiracy board behind his desk, which he uses to connect fires that he believes are connected. His son uses the map to determine the location of the next fire: [[spoiler: the firehouse that he is currently sitting in]].
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* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The last victim is actually [[spoiler:Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
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* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''.''Literature/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The last victim is actually [[spoiler:Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
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** ''Literature/ThreeActTragedy''
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** ''Literature/ThreeActTragedy''
''Literature/ThreeActTragedy'': The first and third victims had nothing to do with the killer's goal (one was chosen at random and the other was implied to have known something due to planted evidence) and were killed in order to draw attention away from the second victim, which was the important one.
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* Referenced in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'' episode [[Recap/ArcherS3E8LoScandalo Lo Scandalo]] when Krieger gives the entire ISIS staff each a package containing part of a murder victim. He tells them specific dumpsters, to form a smiley face. Averted, however, as they just dump it wherever they feel like.
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* Referenced in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'' episode [[Recap/ArcherS3E8LoScandalo "[[Recap/ArcherS3E8LoScandalo Lo Scandalo]] Scandalo]]" when Krieger gives the entire ISIS staff each a package containing part of a murder victim. He tells them specific dumpsters, to form a smiley face. Averted, however, as they just dump it wherever they feel like.
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This should be clearer.
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* Dramatically done in the ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' manga: [[spoiler:it turns out all of the conflicts that had excessive bloodshed involving the government in the history of Amestris could be connected to form a giant human transmutation circle that spans ''the whole country''.]]
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* Dramatically done in the ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' manga: [[spoiler:it turns out all of the conflicts that had excessive Amestris's worse moments of bloodshed involving throughout its history were carefully planned by the government in the history of Amestris could be connected to form a giant human transmutation circle that spans spanning ''the whole country''.]]
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* Practically every episode of ''{{Series/Numb3rs}}'', but in one of the early episodes, the main character develops an algorithm which, based on the inherent human inability to produce random numbers/circumstances, uses a map with pushpins to find where the next murder will/would have occurred.
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* Practically every episode of ''{{Series/Numb3rs}}'', but in one ''{{Series/Numb3rs}}'' has some form of this. One of the early episodes, episodes ends up Double Subverting it as the killer is trying ''not'' to murder in a predictable pattern, but ends up doing so anyway because most people are actually terrible at trying to simulate randomness -- the killer had inadvertently spaced his kills at roughly equidistant intervals (the main character develops an algorithm which, based on demonstrates the inherent human inability mind's tendency to produce random numbers/circumstances, uses a map with pushpins do this by have the group of police officers he's advising try to find place themselves randomly, then when they had finished pointed out that they had just spaced themselves out in the room rather evenly). Using this knowledge of negative correlation, he is able to narrow down where the next murder will/would have occurred.killer might strike next.
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* ''Film/{{Arachnophobia}}'' uses this when Dr. Jennings is figuring out where the spiders' nest is. [[spoiler: Naturally, given his crippling fear of spiders, it's his own house.]]
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* ''Film/{{Arachnophobia}}'' uses this when Dr. Jennings is figuring out where the spiders' nest is. [[spoiler: Naturally, [[spoiler:Naturally, given his crippling fear of spiders, it's his own house.]]
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** ''Literature/AfterTheFuneral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]
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** ''Literature/AfterTheFuneral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully [[spoiler:purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]suspicion]].
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* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The last victim is actually [[spoiler: Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
to:
* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The last victim is actually [[spoiler: Rue [[spoiler:Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
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* Creator/JorgeLuisBorges's short story "Death and the Compass" is an early subversion. The AmateurSleuth carefully deduces that a series of three murders (that seem kabbalistically-related) committed at regular intervals in the North, East and West areas of the city, imply that a fourth murder will take place in the South, completing a perfect rhombus that symbolizes the four-letter name of God. He goes to the expected place at the expected time hoping to prevent the murder, only to find out that [[spoiler: it was all a BatmanGambit by a personal enemy of him to lure him to this deserted spot, and kill him.]]
** Which ironically winds up playing this straight anyway: the pattern itself holds up and ironically even for the exact same reasons as the AmateurSleuth thinks they do; [[spoiler: it's just that the pattern is not the main motivation for the killer.]]
** Which ironically winds up playing this straight anyway: the pattern itself holds up and ironically even for the exact same reasons as the AmateurSleuth thinks they do; [[spoiler: it's just that the pattern is not the main motivation for the killer.]]
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* Creator/JorgeLuisBorges's short story "Death and the Compass" is an early subversion. The AmateurSleuth carefully deduces that a series of three murders (that seem kabbalistically-related) committed at regular intervals in the North, East and West areas of the city, imply that a fourth murder will take place in the South, completing a perfect rhombus that symbolizes the four-letter name of God. He goes to the expected place at the expected time hoping to prevent the murder, only to find out that [[spoiler: it [[spoiler:it was all a BatmanGambit by a personal enemy of him to lure him to this deserted spot, and kill him.]]
him]].
** Which ironically winds up playing this straight anyway: the pattern itself holds up and ironically even for the exact same reasons as the AmateurSleuth thinks they do;[[spoiler: it's [[spoiler:it's just that the pattern is not the main motivation for the killer.]]killer]].
** Which ironically winds up playing this straight anyway: the pattern itself holds up and ironically even for the exact same reasons as the AmateurSleuth thinks they do;
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* The organizing principle of Reginald Hill's ''[[Literature/DalzielAndPascoe Dialogues of the Dead]]''. There's just one problem: [[spoiler: while Dalziel and Pascoe figure out the connections, they never realize that they've mistaken the killer's identity.]]
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* The organizing principle of Reginald Hill's ''[[Literature/DalzielAndPascoe Dialogues of the Dead]]''. There's just one problem: [[spoiler: while [[spoiler:while Dalziel and Pascoe figure out the connections, they never realize that they've mistaken the killer's identity.]]identity]].
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* In the second ''Literature/MercyThompson'', book the BigBad is demon-possessed and causes violence by just being nearby. The good guys try to locate him by tracking the outbreaks of violence but no pattern is visible at first. The pattern shows up when [[spoiler:they look at day-time incidents only - being a vampire, the villain can't move around to cover his tracks in daylight.]]
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* In the second ''Literature/MercyThompson'', book ''Literature/MercyThompson'' book, the BigBad is demon-possessed and causes violence by just being nearby. The good guys try to locate him by tracking the outbreaks of violence but no pattern is visible at first. The pattern shows up when [[spoiler:they look at day-time incidents only - being a vampire, the villain can't move around to cover his tracks in daylight.]]daylight]].
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** Another killer made a heart with his victims (well, with a little imagination it's a heart) [[spoiler: to show his love for another serial killer's widow.]]
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** Another killer made a heart with his victims (well, with a little imagination it's a heart) [[spoiler: to [[spoiler:to show his love for another serial killer's widow.]] widow]].
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* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
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* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', ''Film/{{Zodiac|2007}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
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Related is the StringTheory trope, which is more about connecting evidence and people together with string on a cork board, rather than on a large map.
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Related is the StringTheory trope, which is more about connecting evidence and people together with string on a cork board, rather than on a large map.
map. See also MapStabbing for when a map is stabbed once to mark a specific location.
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Moved
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* ''Series/{{Life}}'': The SerialKiller from the "Find Your Happy Place" episode killed his victims by leaving them to suffocate in steamer trunks. When plotted out on a map, the trunk locations make a smiley face.
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* ''Series/{{Life}}'': ''Series/{{Life|2007}}'': The SerialKiller from the "Find Your Happy Place" episode killed his victims by leaving them to suffocate in steamer trunks. When plotted out on a map, the trunk locations make a smiley face.
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* ''Manga/CaseClosed'' has a variation with criminal fires to write the kanji for well... "fire".
** Also in the movie ''Anime/DetectiveConanFilm13TheRavenChaser'' has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
** Also in the movie ''Anime/DetectiveConanFilm13TheRavenChaser'' has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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* ''[[Manga/CaseClosed Detective Conan]]'' has a variation with criminal fires to write the kanji for well... "fire".
** Also in the movie ''Anime/DetectiveConanFilm13TheRavenChaser'' has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
** Also in the movie ''Anime/DetectiveConanFilm13TheRavenChaser'' has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" ''Anime/DetectiveConanFilm13TheRavenChaser'' has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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Merged per TRS
* ''Manga/CaseClosed'' has a variation with criminal fires to write the kanji for well... "fire".
** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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* ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' has a variation with criminal fires to write the kanji for well... "fire".
** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
** Also in the movie "The Raven Chaser" has connected murder cases with Mahjong tiles placed near the victims. It's later found out the crime scenes mapped out a star constellation.
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Not related to the trope
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* You and the other main characters ''try'' to do this in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', they end up being utterly unable to prevent anyone from getting thrown into the TV world, and really can only do anything once the next victim has been thrown in (then again, if nobody got thrown into the TV, you would not have to dungeon crawl and there would be no real game, still, you can't help but feel that your party members are idiots)
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* ''VideoGame/DiscworldNoir'' plays this trope straight.
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* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn}}]]: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
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* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn}}]]: ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn}}: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
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* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn]]: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
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* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn]]: ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn}}]]: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
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%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!
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* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In Mr. Polka-Dot's first appearance, his crimes mark out a stick figure on the map. Batman deduces that the next crime will be at the point that marks the head.
* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn]]: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
* In ''Franchise/{{Batman}}[=/=]ComicBook/{{Spawn]]: War Devil'', the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
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* One of the best (though it's not on a map) is in Grant Morrison's ''Marvel Boy'', in which the title character - the hero, mind you - rampages through NYC to spell out a message to humanity. The message? "FUCK YOU."
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In Mr. Polka-Dot's first appearance, his crimes mark out a stick figure on the map. Batman deduces that the next crime will be at the point that marks the head.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In the Spawn cross over, the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In Mr. Polka-Dot's first appearance, his crimes mark out a stick figure on the map. Batman deduces that the next crime will be at the point that marks the head.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In the Spawn cross over, the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
to:
* One of the best (though it's not on a map) is in Grant Morrison's ''Marvel Boy'', Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/MarvelBoy'', in which the title character - the hero, mind you - rampages through NYC to spell out a message to humanity. The message? "FUCK YOU."
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In Mr. Polka-Dot's first appearance, his crimes mark out a stick figure on the map. Batman deduces that the next crime will be at the point that marks the head.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In the Spawn cross over, the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram."
* Done in one [[Magazine/{{Mad}} Don Martin]] ''ComicBook/CaptainKlutz'' misadventure; the Captain plots Mervin the MadBomber's attacks on a map, which form an arrow pointing at the Captain's present location. The pin which marks the tip of the arrow is of course a disguised bomb.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In Mr. Polka-Dot's first appearance, his crimes mark out a stick figure on the map. Batman deduces that the next crime will be at the point that marks the head.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': In the Spawn cross over, the villain plants explosives in the shape of a pentagram.
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* ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'' has a variant - the pattern is random, but "desperately random," as Lecter put it -- both the killer and his first victim were from the same area; later victims were abducted from random locations in an [[HiddenInPlainSight attempt to hide that fact]].
* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
* In ''Film/NightWatch'' (the film, not the book) mapping the vampire attack incidents gives a pentagram.
* In ''Film/SplitSecond1992'', the monster kills its victims in specific places in order to draw a dot-to-dot version of an astrological symbol on the city map.
* In ''Film/TheJanuaryMan'', the killer is murdering one woman per month starting in January: when seen on a map, the sites of the eleven murders form the constellation Virgo, and when photographs of the buildings are lined up, the floors on which the murders were committed are the notes on the scale that form the song "Calendar Girl". Yes, really.
** And the dates of the month on which the murders occur are, as the hero realizes when he sees a passing PRIME MEATS truck, ''prime'' numbers. As there are 12 that are less than or equal to 31, and 11 of them have been used on the eleven previous months, he's able to tell, which building, which floor, and which day the [[OscarBait murder will occur]].
* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
* In ''Film/NightWatch'' (the film, not the book) mapping the vampire attack incidents gives a pentagram.
* In ''Film/SplitSecond1992'', the monster kills its victims in specific places in order to draw a dot-to-dot version of an astrological symbol on the city map.
* In ''Film/TheJanuaryMan'', the killer is murdering one woman per month starting in January: when seen on a map, the sites of the eleven murders form the constellation Virgo, and when photographs of the buildings are lined up, the floors on which the murders were committed are the notes on the scale that form the song "Calendar Girl". Yes, really.
** And the dates of the month on which the murders occur are, as the hero realizes when he sees a passing PRIME MEATS truck, ''prime'' numbers. As there are 12 that are less than or equal to 31, and 11 of them have been used on the eleven previous months, he's able to tell, which building, which floor, and which day the [[OscarBait murder will occur]].
Deleted line(s) 55 (click to see context) :
* Happens in ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', due to the villain trying to make it ''look'' like he is an EvilSorcerer and therefore marking out a pentagram, and later a cross, with the murders.
* In ''Film/TheJanuaryMan'', the killer is murdering one woman per month starting in January: when seen on a map, the sites of the eleven murders form the constellation Virgo, and when photographs of the buildings are lined up, the floors on which the murders were committed are the notes on the scale that form the song "Calendar Girl". Yes, really.
** And the dates of the month on which the murders occur are, as the hero realizes when he sees a passing PRIME MEATS truck, ''prime'' numbers. As there are 12 that are less than or equal to 31, and 11 of them have been used on the eleven previous months, he's able to tell, which building, which floor, and which day the [[OscarBait murder will occur]].
* In ''Film/NightWatch'' (the film, not the book) mapping the vampire attack incidents gives a pentagram.
* Happens in ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', due to the villain trying to make it ''look'' like he is an EvilSorcerer and therefore marking out a pentagram, and later a cross, with the murders.
* ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'' has a variant - the pattern is random, but "desperately random," as Lecter put it -- both the killer and his first victim were from the same area; later victims were abducted from random locations in an [[HiddenInPlainSight attempt to hide that fact]].
* In ''Film/SplitSecond1992'', the monster kills its victims in specific places in order to draw a dot-to-dot version of an astrological symbol on the city map.
* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
** And the dates of the month on which the murders occur are, as the hero realizes when he sees a passing PRIME MEATS truck, ''prime'' numbers. As there are 12 that are less than or equal to 31, and 11 of them have been used on the eleven previous months, he's able to tell, which building, which floor, and which day the [[OscarBait murder will occur]].
* In ''Film/NightWatch'' (the film, not the book) mapping the vampire attack incidents gives a pentagram.
* Happens in ''Film/SherlockHolmes2009'', due to the villain trying to make it ''look'' like he is an EvilSorcerer and therefore marking out a pentagram, and later a cross, with the murders.
* ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'' has a variant - the pattern is random, but "desperately random," as Lecter put it -- both the killer and his first victim were from the same area; later victims were abducted from random locations in an [[HiddenInPlainSight attempt to hide that fact]].
* In ''Film/SplitSecond1992'', the monster kills its victims in specific places in order to draw a dot-to-dot version of an astrological symbol on the city map.
* Film, and thus, RealLife subversion: In ''Film/{{Zodiac}}'', despite the best attempts of Paul Avery, David Toschi, Robert Graysmith and everyone else involved, there is never a real perceivable pattern in the Zodiac Killer's killing, and thus, the real killer is never found.
Changed line(s) 61,62 (click to see context) from:
* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The last victim is actually [[spoiler: Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
* Averted in Creator/ElleryQueen's ''Cat of Many Tails''; while the deaths are plotted on the map, the pattern is irrelevant.
* Averted in Creator/ElleryQueen's ''Cat of Many Tails''; while the deaths are plotted on the map, the pattern is irrelevant.
to:
* Averted in Creator/ElleryQueen's ''Cat of Many Tails''; while the deaths are plotted on the map, the pattern is irrelevant.
Changed line(s) 64 (click to see context) from:
** ''The ABC Murders'': A serial killer is murdering victims in alphabetical order. [[spoiler:They killed the first two to cover up their motive for the third.]]
to:
** ''The ABC Murders'': ''Literature/TheABCMurders'': A serial killer is murdering victims in alphabetical order. [[spoiler:They killed the first two to cover up their motive for the third.]]
** ''Literature/AfterTheFuneral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]
** ''Literature/AfterTheFuneral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]
Changed line(s) 66,67 (click to see context) from:
** ''Three Act Tragedy''
** ''After the Funeral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]
** ''After the Funeral'': The killer [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try and connect an otherwise natural death to the real murder in order to release herself from suspicion.]]
to:
** ''Three Act Tragedy''
** ''After''Literature/ThreeActTragedy''
!!Individual works
* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that theFuneral'': next target lives in a particular condo complex, and has the initials B.B. Two people in the complex match that description, and Naomi and Rue evacuate them to a 5-star hotel. The killer last victim is actually [[spoiler: purposefully laid evidence to try Rue himself. It turns out [[DetectiveMole he]] is the SerialKiller Beyond Birthday they've been looking for, and connect an otherwise natural death to [[MurderSuicide he had this planned all along.]]]]
* Averted in Creator/ElleryQueen's ''Cat of Many Tails''; while thereal murder in order deaths are plotted on the map, the pattern is irrelevant. (There turns out to release herself from suspicion.]]be a far more sinister link between the victims.)
** ''After
!!Individual works
* Used in ''LightNovel/AnotherNote''. The SerialKiller sends evidence that the
* Averted in Creator/ElleryQueen's ''Cat of Many Tails''; while the
Changed line(s) 71 (click to see context) from:
* The organizing principle of Reginald Hill's ''Dialogues of the Dead''. There's just one problem: [[spoiler: while Dalziel and Pascoe figure out the connections, they never realize that they've mistaken the killer's identity.]]
to:
* The organizing principle of Reginald Hill's ''Dialogues ''[[Literature/DalzielAndPascoe Dialogues of the Dead''.Dead]]''. There's just one problem: [[spoiler: while Dalziel and Pascoe figure out the connections, they never realize that they've mistaken the killer's identity.]]
* In the second ''Literature/MercyThompson'', book the BigBad is demon-possessed and causes violence by just being nearby. The good guys try to locate him by tracking the outbreaks of violence but no pattern is visible at first. The pattern shows up when [[spoiler:they look at day-time incidents only - being a vampire, the villain can't move around to cover his tracks in daylight.]]
Changed line(s) 77,78 (click to see context) from:
* In the second ''Literature/MercyThompson'', book the BigBad is demon-possessed and causes violence by just being nearby. The good guys try to locate him by tracking the outbreaks of violence but no pattern is visible at first. The pattern shows up when [[spoiler:they look at day-time incidents only - being a vampire, the villain can't move around to cover his tracks in daylight.]]
* Michael Slade's ''Ripper'', serial killings in Vancouver are arranged to trace a pattern of triangles derived from a Tarot card.
* Michael Slade's ''Ripper'', serial killings in Vancouver are arranged to trace a pattern of triangles derived from a Tarot card.
to:
* In the second ''Literature/MercyThompson'', book the BigBad is demon-possessed and causes violence by just being nearby. The good guys try to locate him by tracking the outbreaks of violence but no pattern is visible at first. The pattern shows up when [[spoiler:they look at day-time incidents only - being a vampire, the villain can't move around to cover his tracks in daylight.]]
* Michael Slade'sCreator/MichaelSlade's ''Ripper'', serial killings in Vancouver are arranged to trace a pattern of triangles derived from a Tarot card.
* Michael Slade's
* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', [[spoiler:Azrael]] is the WeirdnessMagnet, drawing random-looking patterns in the ground wherever Batman encounters him until they all line up and make a map to where you can find him.
Deleted line(s) 120 (click to see context) :
* In ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'', [[spoiler:Azrael]] is the WeirdnessMagnet, drawing random-looking patterns in the ground wherever Batman encounters him until they all line up and make a map to where you can find him.
Changed line(s) 141,144 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Chief Wiggum''': Well...there doesn't seem to be any pattern yet... But I take this one and move it here...''[moves a pin]''...and I move these over here...''[moves more pins]'' Hello! It ''almost'' looks like an arrow!
-->'''Lou''': Hey, look, Chief! It's pointing right at this police station!
-->'''Chief Wiggum''': Let's get out of here!
-->''[All the cops flee in terror]''
-->'''Lou''': Hey, look, Chief! It's pointing right at this police station!
-->'''Chief Wiggum''': Let's get out of here!
-->''[All the cops flee in terror]''
to:
-->'''Chief Wiggum''': Well...there doesn't seem to be any pattern yet... But I take this one and move it here...''[moves a pin]''...and I move these over here...''[moves more pins]'' Hello! It ''almost'' looks like an arrow!
-->'''Lou''':arrow!\\
'''Lou''': Hey, look, Chief! It's pointing right at this policestation!
-->'''Chiefstation!\\
'''Chief Wiggum''': Let's get out ofhere!
-->''[Allhere!\\
''[All the cops flee in terror]''
-->'''Lou''':
'''Lou''': Hey, look, Chief! It's pointing right at this police
-->'''Chief
'''Chief Wiggum''': Let's get out of
-->''[All
''[All the cops flee in terror]''
