History Main / InevitablyBrokenRule

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Played with in the episode "Candace Gets Busted", when the mother made a "no parties" rule while she was gone. Candace tries her hardest not to break the rule, but people get into her house and a wild party occurs anyways, and in the end, well, there's a reason it's called [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Candace Gets Busted".]]
* This is a common plot on ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry''. Tom is threatened to be thrown out if he makes a mess, or wakes up Spike the bulldog, or whatever. Jerry, naturally, procedes to make sure the rule is broken, with Tom scrambling to keep that from happening. It started with the very first short in the series, "WesternAnimation/PussGetsTheBoot", and was used in other shorts like "WesternAnimation/QuietPlease" and "WesternAnimation/MouseCleaning".

* In any federation which has {{Heel}}s, ''all'' the rules. In fact, the reason feds ''have'' rules is for heels to Inevitably Break them.

** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Patterns of Force," a Federation historian shattered the Prime Directive when he used a developing alien culture to create what was essentially a fascist dictatorship with a more benign ideology. He failed in the most disastrous way imaginable, as his experimental society [[ANaziByAnyOtherName eventually became just as racist and genocidal]] as the real Nazi Germany.
** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "Pen Pals," the Enterprise violates the Directive to save a planet that is breaking down. However, it was already broken by Data prior to this, as he had been communicating with a young girl on the planet, which is how they found out about the problem in the first place.
** In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', the episode "Thirty Days" involves Tom Paris breaking the Prime Directive by protecting the huge ocean the aliens live in despite their refusing that protection. He is subsequently jailed for that decision.
** In the ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' episode "New Eden", the ''Discovery'' finds a planet settled by displaced humans who were removed from Earth during World War III. A big issue is whether or not the Prime Directive even applies, as they are humans (albeit ones who pre-date faster-than-light travel). Captain Pike finally decides that human or not they are a pre-warp civilization so it applies, and then he secretly breaks it later to get some needed information in trade for higher technology.

* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': When Nina first arrives, Victor lays down the two main House rules for her- no staying up past the 10:00 curfew, and no going into his office, the attic, or the cellar. When the plot gets rolling, these rules get ''immediately'' broken; Sibuna has to habitually sneak out at night for a shot at getting anything done, the keys to the cellar and attic are in Victor's office, and the attic and cellar is where a good chunk of the Season 1 clues are found. The rules were only in place because of the big mystery anyway, as Victor needed the kids to not snoop around and discover [[ImmortalitySeeker his secret plans]].

* On ''Series/BigTimeRush'', when the band is mansion-sitting for Gustavo, he gives them five rules to follow- Don't go in his media room, don't open his fridge, don't sit on his couch, don't touch his cat, and don't break anything. Cue the guys breaking every single rule -- in order -- and causing all kinds of mess. Cue Mrs. Knight, who was upset earlier over her son's decreasing reliance on her, sweeping in to save the day.

* ''Teardrop'' by Creator/LaurenKate: As a small child, Eureka is told by her mother to never ever cry. Most of the plot of the first book is other characters either trying to make her cry or trying to stop her - and when she finally does, it's TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt

*** "Make sure to take this cure for a heart disease you'll have before you go off to fight the androids." The dope doesn't, causing the disease he has to flare up at a critical moment in the battle against them, and forcing him to sit out the first half of the arc.

* The [[ArtificialIntelligence people]] of Underworld in ''[[Anime/SwordArtOnline Sword Art Online: Alicization]]'' are bound by a code of laws known as the Taboo Index. The Index is not merely rigidly enforced by the Integrity Knights; it is ''physically impossible'' for most to defy: [[spoiler: Eugeo is left temporarily paralyzed when he attempts to defy the Index in order to rescue Alice from the Integrity Knights, and Raios dies by ''[[LogicBomb glitching out]]'' when he is forced into a situation where he has no choice but to violate the Taboo Index, either by allowing his own death or by asking his accomplice Humbert to give his life for him]]. However, the ''entire point'' of Underworld's existence is to create artificial intelligences capable of voluntarily defying said rules, and [[spoiler: Alice herself]] turns out to be the first successful case.

** Taken even further when the [[TyrantTakesTheHelm Dolores Umbridge seizes power over Hogwarts]] in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'', and Harry and his friends end up having to violate quite a few of her mandates just to oust her, such as openly speaking out against her ineffective teaching methods and curriculum in Defense of the Dark Arts class, and printing/distributing ''The Quibbler''.

** There are several rules that the Flawed are forced to comply with, lest they be subject to disciplinary action and even worse restrictions. They are, specifically: "Never hide your brands, unless on the foot or tongue", "Always wear your red arm band in public", "Be home by 11:00", "Don't stand next to two other Flawed, and don't gather without at least one non-Flawed present", and "Don't have kids with another Flawed person". Celestine struggles with most of these rules, and several of them are, or are almost, broken- [[spoiler:she gets kidnapped one night and almost doesn't make it home for curfew, her [[IdenticalTwinMistake sister is mistaken for her, and lacks the red armband]], and her standing next to two other Flawed people at a store is met with police violence and Celestine being attacked.]]

** Right from the start, we're told that a group called the Guild enforce and create rules for people to follow. These aren't laws, but the punishment for breaking them is still catastrophic, as doing so brands one as being [[FantasticUnderclass Flawed]]. One of these rules is to not help a Flawed person- a rule Celestine ends up violating, as she decides to stand up for a sick Flawed man on the bus to get him some medical attention. This act is what drives the rest of the plot.

* In ''Filn/TheCatInTheHat'', the Cat gives Conrad only one rule -- "no opening the crate". It takes Conrad all of about five minutes to break the rule, and his doing so kicks off the second half of the plot. At the end of the film it's revealed that the Cat actually invoked this trope and gave Conrad the rule because he ''knew'' Conrad would break it. [[BatmanGambit It was all part of his plan for the day]].

*** Infinity Stones should only be wielded by someone capable of handling the massive bodily strain of all that cosmic power. Therefore, only inhumanly strong heavyweights like the Hulk or Thanos should attempt to use them. [[spoiler:However, at the climax Tony Stark wields all six Infinity Stones, using their power at the cost of his own life.]]

* When WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} is permitted to enter the Cave of Wonders, he is given one rule. "Touch nothing but the lamp." Since the Cave of Wonders is filled to the brim with riches, the temptation hounds Abu until, just as Aladdin gets the lamp, Abu grabs a massive ruby. The Cave of Wonders is outraged that they have touched the forbidden treasure and tries to kill them in a wave of fire and magma.

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/AntMan'', Hank Pym tells Scott to never mess with the regulator in his suit that prevents him from shrinking under one inch in size, as shrinking beyond that becomes irreversible and/or could cause him to shrink ''forever''. In fact, this is how Hank lost his beloved wife Janet. At the climax, Scott breaks his regulator to save his daughter, and shrinks to sub-atomic size before managing to save himself with another gadget, returning to normal size and provoking Hank's suspicions that Janet could be saved from her fate.
* In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the characters are told to adhere to specific rules when dealing with time travel and the Infinity Stones:
** An important rule of time travel using Pym Particles as fuel should always save one particle for the trip back home, which Tony and Steve break by using their last particle to jump to another time where they'll be able to get more.
** Infinity Stones should only be wielded by someone by capable of handling the massive bodily strain of all that cosmic power. Therefore, only inhumanly strong heavyweights like the Hulk or Thanos should attempt to use them. [[spoiler:However, at the climax Tony Stark wields all six Infinity Stones, using their power at the cost of his own life.]]
* In ''Film/{{Ghostbusters}}'', Egon strongly cautions to never "cross the streams" while firing their power-packs, as it could potentially kill them all and cause massive destruction. However, at the end of the movie, they do it anyway [[spoiler:in order to defeat the BigBad. They survive]].

* Played with in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', as immediately after the 'two victor' rule is revoked, Katniss and Peeta still manage to get around the rule by threatening a TagTeamSuicide. Katniss, as the instigator, spends a majority of the next two books dealing of the consequences of her actions, as President Snow is angry that she broke the rules and showed the Capitol up, and also the fact that [[spoiler:her actions helped to spark the rebellion.]]
* In ''Literature/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'', Pa tells a story about his childhood and how he was told never to "play by the way". Guess what he was doing when he met wild animals?.
* Central to the plot of ''[[Literature/TheFionavarTapestry The Summer Tree]]''. The land of Fionavar is dying because the High King will not fulfill his duty and hang on the Summer Tree, which is supposed to be inevitably fatal, nor allow his son to take his place. Then Paul, a visitor from our world chooses to hang upon the Summer Tree for the required 3 days, and apparently [[spoiler: God Himself is in a good mood and decides to let Paul live while still saving Fionavar]].

--> '''Magrat:''' I said, what about this rule about not meddling?
--> '''Nanny Ogg:''' Ah, the thing is, as you progress in the Craft, you'll learn there is another rule. Esme obeyed it all her life.
--> '''Magrat:''' And what's that?
--> '''Nanny Ogg:''' When you break rules, break 'em good and hard.

--> My memories of that night are foggy... sometimes I think to myself that it must have been a dream. But...
--> [[gold:"Don't go out at night when the moon is red, or the witch will curse you forevermore!"]]
--> They told us that old fairy tale so often...
--> And on the night of the red moon, five years ago, we went outside. It felt like we were being called.
* VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth: The Gentlemen's Code, which is constantly restated throughout the game, is "never fart on someone's balls." [[spoiler:Cartman tells the New Kid to break the rule in order to defeat Nazi Zombie Princess Kenny]].

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Jimmy gets into these situations quite often, such as when he experiments on his Grandmother (effectively turning her into a baby) after his mother makes a rule against it.
* In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'', Rufus is shown the title stone during his first day of employment under the Dream Maker, with explicit warning not to reveal it to anyone. As the Dream Maker sleeps later that day, Rufus quickly shows Amberley the stone in order to impress her, [[CantGetAwayWithNuthin at which point Zordrak's minions immediately invade the place and take it from him]]. After collecting it back from the villains, Rufus promises to the Dream Maker that he will not make the same mistake again, [[AesopAmnesia at least until the next episode where the Dream Maker sets a rule]].

* VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth: The Gentlemen's Code that is constantly restated throughout the game is "never fart on someone's balls." [[spoiler:Cartman tells the New Kid to break the rule in order to defeat Nazi Zombie Princess Kenny]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'': Jimmy gets into these situations quite often, such as when he experimented on his Grandmother (effectively turning her into a baby) after his mother makes a rule against it.
* In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheDreamstone'' Rufus is shown the title stone during his first day of employment under the Dream Maker, with explicit warning not to reveal it to anyone. As the Dream Maker sleeps later that day, Rufus quickly shows Amberley the stone in order to impress her, [[CantGetAwayWithNuthin at which point Zordrak's minions immediately invade the place and take it from him]]. After collecting it back from the villains, Rufus promises to the Dream Maker that he will not make the same mistake again, [[AesopAmnesia at least until the next episode where the Dream Maker sets a rule]].

* The Warrior Code, In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', is a collection of rules that all clan cats must follow. Yet almost all of these rules have been broken at least once:

The above is another expression of the same principle that guides tropes like ChekovsGun and TheLawOfConservationOfDetail: everything mentioned in a story must have some kind of ''purpose''. The existence of an important rule in a story ''necessitates'' that someone will eventually break it, or come close to doing so. If no one ever breaks this rule or has to worry about breaking it, then the rule has no payoff, and therefore no purpose. A story element with no payoff, unless it's deliberately being used to [[RedHerring distract or redirect the audience]], is a waste of time for both author and audience.