History Main / SerendipityShock

* In the ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' fan fic, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6811061/1/When_In_Rome When In Rome]]'', Hiccup has been captured by the Romans (specifically Alvin the Trecherous and Agrippina, Nero's mother) and forced to help them train dragons for military use. After escaping with help from Nero's half-brother Britannicus, Hiccup, thinking he's helped destroy Berk, stumbles through the streets of UsefulNotes/{{Rome}} in a grief induced daze. When several of his fellow Berkians find him, he's convinced that they're guilt-induced hallucinations, until Astrid places his hand on her (pregnant) belly.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': Princess Jasmine is bound by a law in Agrabah that she must be married to a prince by her next birthday, and she only has 3 more days left. However, Jasmine wants to marry out of love, not out of tradition or law. By the end of the movie, the previously-oblivious Sultan has been shown the error of his old ways, and [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem in a positive variety of changing the rules, he changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry anyone she wishes]]; of course, she is estatic, and picks Aladdin.

This isn't just an "I got what I wanted for Christmas" moment. No, this is something that falls in the lap of an unlucky character that shakes them or changes them down to their very core, but in a positive way. Usually, and naturally, they will be extremely shocked.

Please note that this isn't ThrowTheDogABone. In that case, the joy and surprise may be temporary, at whatever level it is. This is when a character finds or receives the joy and surprise of the plot element PERMANENTLY.

This isn't just an "I got what I wanted for Christmas" moment. No, this is something that falls in the lap of an unlucky character that shakes them or changes them down to their very core, but in a positive way. Usually, and naturally, they will be extremely shocked. Think of it being a WhamLine / WhamShot of ecstasy. Sometimes this trope may be used at the end of a series or medium to create a HappyEnding. If done wrong, it can seem like an AssPull.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'': Princess Jasmine is bound by a law in Agrabah that she must be married to a prince by her next birthday, and she only has 3 more days left. However, Jasmine wants to marry out of love, not out of tradition or law. By the end of the movie, the previously-oblivious Sultan has been shown the error of his old ways, and [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem in a positive variety of changing the rules, he changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry anyone she wishes]]; of course, she picks Aladdin.

* ''WesternAnimation/Aladdin'': Princess Jasmine is bound by a law in Agrabah that she must be married to a prince by her next birthday, and she only has 3 more days left. However, Jasmine wants to marry out of love, not out of tradition or law. By the end of the movie, the previously-oblivious Sultan has been shown the error of his old ways, and [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem in a positive variety of changing the rules, he changes the law to allow Jasmine to marry anyone she wishes]]; of course, she picks Aladdin.

[[folder:Live Action Film]]

[[/folder]]

!!Examples

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Fan Works]]

[[AC:Live Action Film]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

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* In the ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' fan fic, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6811061/1/When_In_Rome When In Rome]]'', Hiccup has been captured by the Romans (specifically Alvin the Trecherous and Agrippina, Nero's mother) and forced to help them train dragons for military use. After escaping with help from Nero's half-brother Britannicus, Hiccup, thinking he's helped destroy Berk, stumbles through the streets of Rome ina grief induced daze. When several of his fellow Berkians find him, he's convinced their guilt-induced hallucinations, until Astrid places his hand on her (pregnant) belly.

** Subverted in "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E18ASinglePaleRose A Single Pale Rose]]". For the show's majority, Pink Diamond was known as one of the antagonists, wanting to conquer Earth as a Gem Colony. Rose Quartz, wanting to save Earth and its life (instead of blindly following orders), rebelled against Pink's court, expanding into a planet-wide war. Later, in desperation, Rose shattered Pink to end the war, which brought disaster. Steven had to live with the knowledge that his mother was seemingly a murderer, until memory-based dreams implied Pearl was the true culprit. Questioning Pearl, Steven is brought into her memories, to find out it '''''was''''' Rose Quartz, except it was '''''PEARL's''''' shapeshifted form, and that Pink was only "poofed" (her holographic body disintegrated), with her essence safe in her intact gem; in actuality, Pink ''was'' Rose Quartz, with Pink faking her failures, and "Rose Quartz" acting as the rebel, to drive her 'sisters', the Diamond Authority, off-world. Steven is understandably overwhelmed, but relieved at the revelation that Pink Diamond was not murdered, but now must contend with the idea that his mother was still not so innocent as everyone made her out to be.

** [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E37AloneTogether Alone Together]]: At this point in the show, Steven has been considered a child with no valid use to the Crystal Gem team, although he's learning. One of his desires is to learn how to fuse, since he's half-gem, and one of the fusion-triggering components is dancing. When he fails at the episode's start, he becomes disappointed, and confides in Connie. She's surprised he can dance, as she doesn't like to dance in public. Steven encourages her, and by complete accident, they fuse into Stevonnie. They (that is, the 'Steven' half of the fusion) are overjoyed at this, and go to show the Gems. All are struck dumbfounded, but Garnet is even more, as she [[NotSoStoic drops her normally stoic demeanor]], smiling like an idiot from ear-to-ear. We later learn why: because she's a fusion herself.
** Subverted in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E18ASinglePaleRose A Single Pale Rose]]. For the show's majority, Pink Diamond was known as one of the antagonists, wanting to conquer Earth as a Gem Colony. Rose Quartz, wanting to save Earth and its life (instead of blindly following orders), rebelled against Pink's court, expanding into a planet-wide war. Later, in desperation, Rose shattered Pink to end the war, which brought disaster. Steven had to live with the knowledge that his mother was seemingly a murderer, until memory-based dreams implied Pearl was the true culprit. Questioning Pearl, Steven is brought into her memories, to find out it '''''was''''' Rose Quartz, except it was '''''PEARL's''''' shapeshifted form, and that Pink was only "poofed" (her holographic body disintegrated), with her essence safe in her intact gem; in actuality, Pink ''was'' Rose Quartz, with Pink faking her failures, and "Rose Quartz" acting as the rebel, to drive her 'sisters', the Diamond Authority, off-world. Steven is understandably overwhelmed, but relieved at the revelation that Pink Diamond was not murdered, but now must contend with the idea that his mother was still not so innocent as everyone made her out to be.

* In ''Film/{{Paterson}}'', Paterson seems to despair and loses all hope or interest in writing after Laura's dog Marvin rips up his notebook, destroying all his poems. However, while on a depressed walk the next day, he meets a Japanese poet who is reading ''Paterson'' by William Carlos Williams and has always wanted to come to Paterson in New Jersey. As if that wasn't serendipitous enough, Paterson denies being a poet, but the Japanese man seems to recognize that he is one and gives him a new notebook. The experience causes the film to end with Paterson writing a poem in the new notebook.

* ''Manga/VideoGirlAi'': Similarly, Youta Moteuchi has had bad luck in love. Despondent, he goes to a video store later revealed to be supernatural. Here, the cassettes contain video girls, entities which [[TelevisionPortal come out of the renter's TV to comfort them]]. He selects one containing a girl named "Ai Amano", but Yota's broken VCR changes Ai, giving her feelings and desires, and Youta falls in love with her. Unfortunately, there are two catches: In one month, Ai will cease to exist due to the videotape reaching its run time, and the video company's CEO attempting a recall [[note]]read: stop her tape playing, to kill her[[/note]] because she's faulty. In the finale, Ai's videotape is almost over, Youta confronts the CEO, and thanks to sabotage by the video store clerk, defeats him by [[MercyKill smashing the VCR]] to [[DyingAsYourself free Ai]], [[DiedInYourArmsTonight causing her to fade away]]. Ai seems to be gone for good, but from a DeusExMachina, [[DisneyDeath her essence returns as]] [[BecomeARealBoy a permanent human being]], with both Youta and Ai being joyously astonished at the occurrence.