Not Me This Time: Difference between revisions

 

{{examples}}

* ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'' has its share of villains that aren't Team Rocket, whether single-episode Pokemon menaces, thieves, the region's local villainous team, or [[My Name Is Not Durwood|Bill]] and Cassidy. As Jessie and James end up appearing in nearly every episode, they get more than their share of this trope.

* When Tohma of ''[[Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha Force]]'' gets captured by the Huckebein, an infamous family of killers, he accuses them of being the culprits behind the [[Doomed Hometown|destruction of his hometown]]. Not so, says Fortis. He double-checked, and they're not behind that particular massacre. After all, [[Sole Survivor|Tohma survived]], and if they were the ones responsible, [[If I Wanted You Dead...|they would have made sure to kill everyone.]]

* ''[[Keroro Gunsou]]'' has a rather sad example in one chapter. Keroro is expecting praise for doing a good job cleaning the house, but is instead met with furious accusations by Natsumi and Fuyuki of screwing with computer networks across the city, and has a nervous breakdown when they refuse to believe his pleas that he's not responsible. The real culprits turn out to be [[The Psycho Rangers|the Garuru Platoon]], as a prelude to taking over the invasion of Earth.

* Subverted in ''[[Naruto]]'', when Tobi claims that he was not behind {{spoiler|the Nine-Tailed Fox attacking Konoha}} despite confirming or expanding on much of what Sasuke was told about him, when a later flashback arc shows that he was.

 

== Comic Books ==

* In one of the children's book tie-ins of ''[[The Flash]]'', the Weather Wizard is released to a halfway house on the same day a tornado rips through the city; naturally, everyone assumes he did it, but the Flash uses his science skills to deduce that the tornado began before he could have regained access to his weather control wand. {{spoiler|In the end, it's suggested that--as per the comics--he no longer quite needs the wand.}}

* In ''[[Identity Crisis]]'', none of the supervillains had anything to do with Sue Dibny's death.

 

 

* In ''[[Apollo 13]]'', 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!"

* In ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' British Intelligence are at first concerned about who is behind the tracking and theft of their nuclear subs because they are worried that a foreign power is trying to undermine their nuclear defense strategy; Bond's original mission is to buy the plans for the tracking system from someone who had them stolen. Later the [[Big Bad]], who is behind the actual thefts, reveals that his plan is to fire nukes at New York and Moscow to trigger World War Three; Bond thinks that he's trying to hold the world hostage, but he really wants to devastate the world and build an [[Utopia Justifies the Means|underwater utopia]] for the survivors to start civilization anew.

 

== Literature ==

* In the second [[Goosebumps|Night of the Living Dummy]] book, the heroine, her sister, and her parents enter the sister's room to find that all her bedroom walls have been graffiti'd. The mother yells at the youngest brother, a notorious prankster, but he stops her by saying that ''this'' time he's innocent, and that [[Even Evil Has Standards|this is messed-up even for him.]] Of course it turns out that Slappy did it, but who'd believe ''that?''

* [[Harry Potter]]:

* Fainne says this exact line in ''Child of the Prophecy'', by Juliet Mariller. It's really {{spoiler|her grandmother who happens to have similar powers and much more motive...}}

* [[Destructive Savior|Hero version]]: ''"[[The Dresden Files|The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault]]."''

 

 

* ''[[Farscape]]'':

** John is thrown into what looks very much like Earth, and immediately suspects Scorpius of messing with his head. However, when he finds Scorpius in the simulacrum, he protests that he's not the one doing it this time.

** Happens a whole bunch in season 4 when Scorpius joins our heroes on ''Moya'' and then again in "The Peacekeeper Wars." To be fair, John has good reason not to trust Scorpius after everything he's put him through.

* Not a recurring [[Big Bad]], but in one episode of ''[[Columbo]]'' the killers try to make it look like a repeat offender did their murder. Columbo doesn't seem convinced but pays a visit to that offender to be sure.

{{quote|'''Offender:''' Who are you?

* The ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]'' episode "Exit Strategy" had the NCIS team thinking that the Sudanese dictator Khaled was responsible for the attempted assassination of Jada, his sister who had defected to America in his previous appearance, as he had the strong motive of keeping her silent in regards to his abuse of human rights in the region. However, when they contact him, he denies the attempt on his sister's life, citing that even he would not harm family, although the NCIS doesn't buy it. Turns out, the actual party responsible for the attempted assassination (or at least the one most directly responsible) was the CEO of an international French company that was also involved in Khaled's dictatorship, as Jada's exposure of Khaled's human rights abuses would also result in an investigation on their company and result in a tribunal against them, with France as a country also potentially getting into deep trouble.

* In the ''[[Smallville]]'' episode "Pariah", people start getting viciously assaulted from behind in locked rooms and other enclosed spaces. Everyone accuses Alicia Baker, as she can teleport and is a previously established psycho. Alicia protests that she has been cured of her insanity and was with her husband, Clark Kent, the whole time. {{spoiler|Eventually, Alicia gets assaulted and killed by the real culprit, Tim Westcott, a man with [[Super Strength]] and the ability to transform into living sand, which was how he entered those locked rooms. When Clark found out, he [[Unstoppable Rage|wasn't happy...]]}}

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

* In ''[[WWE Smackdown]]'':

** An early storyline in 2011 had Smackdown General Manager Teddy Long getting taken out. Since [[Wade Barrett]] had just formed [[The Corre]] on that episode, had done something similar to the [[Bret Hart|previous]] [[WWE Raw|Raw]] GM during his time as [[The Nexus]] leader, and Teddy had just [[Tempting Fate|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 [[Tyrant Takes the Helm|Vickie Guerrerro]] [[Unholy Matrimony|and]] [[Dolph Ziggler]] that did it.}}

 

== Web Comics ==

* ''[[Girl Genius]]'' got Bangladesh Dupree. If [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20050209 someone is killed] and Bang was around, she has to say it was not her ''this'' time. Or when [http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040126 a town is burned]...

* In ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'' [http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-03-15 Sarah] and [http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-03-16 Elliot] used to blame Tedd when someone is shapeshifted or [http://egscomics.com/?date=2003-05-07 appears to be]. Not without a reason.

* In ''Heroes-Inc.'', the first mission the titular agency partakes in is rescuing [[Super Mario Bros.|Princess Peach]]. They immediately consider Bowser as a prime subject, but quickly rule him out because of his [http://www.heroes-comic.com/?p=137 "air-tight alibi"]. {{spoiler|They later find out that Peach actually is in Bowser's castle, but it is a robot. The actual [[Big Bad]] planted the robot in the castle so that when the heroes rescued it, it would easily be in a position to assassinate Mario.}}

* In ''[[Homestuck]]'', Terezi automatically pins the murders of {{spoiler|Feferi and Kanaya}} on Vriska, although even she admits this doesn't make much sense and is largely due to her own [[Foe Yay|fixation]] on her. When she confronts Vriska, the latter is adamant that she is only guilty of {{spoiler|Tavros's}} death.

* In ''[[Order of the Stick]]'', [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0821.html Tarquin and Nale accuse each other of killing Tarquin's wife Penelope], and it becomes clear that neither of them was responsible. This becomes a [[Chekhov's Gun]] for the later reveal that it was caused, indirectly, by {{spoiler|Vaarsuvius}}.

 

== Web Original ==

* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'':

** Happens in episode "Lisa the Vegetarian," when it was Lisa who did something bad for a change:

'''Bart:''' (Standing beside her) "What?"

'''Marge:''' "Sorry, force of habit. Lisa, [[Big No|nooooo!]]" }}

{{quote|'''Bob:''' But I saved the children!

'''Cecil:''' [[Genre Savvy|Tell them they'll live to regret this]].

'''Bob:''' ''You'll all live to regret this!'' [[Sarcasm Mode|Oh, thanks a lot, now]] ''[[Sarcasm Mode|I]]'' [[Sarcasm Mode|look crazy]]! }}

* In the ''[[Sushi Pack]]'' episode "The Thing That Wasn't There," an electrical creature that [[By the Eyes of the Blind|only Maguro can see]] is causing havoc all over the city. Since the attacks all have to do with electricity, the rest of the Pack assume that Unagi, the electric eel member of [[Evil Counterpart|The Legion of Low Tide]] is up to no good. When they confront him, he denies having anything to do with it.

{{quote|'''Unagi''': "What'd I do? I didn't do anything!"

** In another episode, a hit to the head makes Bubbles believe she is Mojo Jojo, stealing his clothes to match. The other girls instantly assume the latter is responsible, which leads to the priceless line:

{{quote|'''Mojo Jojo:''' "You have got to be kidding. I'm ''wet,'' I'm ''naked,'' your sister is wearing my clothes, and this is all part of some evil plot '''TO RULE THE WORLD AS A SOGGY CHIMP IN MY BIRTHDAY SUIT?!'''"}}

* In ''[[Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?|Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego]]'', it often seems like the only time that the two protagonists Ivy and Zack actually do [[Series Goal|catch their nemesis Carmen]] [[Status Quo Is God|is when she didn't do]] [[Failure Is the Only Option|what they caught her for]].

* ''[[The Venture Brothers]]'':

'''Owen:''' ''(also grinning)''. An intriguing development, sir.

'''Brooklyn:''' [[Sarcasm Mode|Perfect]]. }}

* Inverted in one episode of ''[[A Pup Named Scooby-Doo]]'', where it turns out it really was [[Meaningful Name|Red Herring]] this time; naturally, it was the one episode where Freddie promised ''not'' to accuse of him of anything.

* ''[[Kim Possible]]'':

** When she finds out that her [[Arch Enemy]] Dr. Drakken has been broken out of prison by a woman with "green energy blasts", she naturally drops in on his [[Sidekick]] Shego, only to find out later that it was actually an alien who did it.

'''Ron:''' So, it ''wasn't'' you that busted out Drakken?

'''Shego:''' Who do you think I'm vacationing ''from?'' }}

* At the beginning of an episode of ''[[Buzz Lightyear of Star Command]]'', a bunch of important politicians are kidnapped. Buzz then videocalls Zurg to confront him. Not only does Zurg claim he has nothing to do with it (calling it too obvious), he steps aside to show that he was in a meeting with ''every other recurring villain on the show'' who deny it as well. However, Zurg also mentions his "great plans for the next fiscal year".

* One episode of ''[[Rugrats]]'' has Suzie blame Angelica for stealing her brand-new tricycle and punishes her by tying her doll to a balloon and letting it go. Despite the evidence against her, Angelica was ''completely innocent'' - Suzie's trike was under her porch, Angelica's trike was her own and Angelica's red hands (which Suzie thought was from opening her garage's painted doors) were actually from her finger painting an apology letter. Thankfully for Suzie, a miracle (or a low-flying plane) gets Angelica's doll back to her and everyone's happy again. Except for poor Chuckie, since it was ''his'' balloon tied to the doll. The lesson he learned that day was "Never let Suzie borrow your balloon".

* Hero example: in the ''[[Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes]]'' episode "Frightful", the Frightful Four are damaging the FF's reputation. Since Johnny's already known to be careless with his powers, it's very hard for him to convince anyone he wasn't responsible for burning down a building ... especially as he has to keep specifiying "I did not burn down ''that'' building".

* In an episode of ''[[American Dad]]'', Steve gets [[Mister Seahorse|pregnant]] after [[Face Full of Alien Wingwong|giving a choking Roger CPR]]. When Stan finds out, he turns to Hayley and starts yelling at her. She says she didn't do anything, and Stan responds that he always figured [[Teen Pregnancy|this sort of thing]] would happen to her so that's what he's prepared for.

* [[Recess|Randall]] also had this trope invoked on him twice: The first time, most of the secrets that TJ and the others held were exposed to the teachers and staff, to which they ended up busted. They initially think Randall was behind their being ratted out, but Randall (who was in the garbage can to listen in) insisted that he did not. A chase to the bathroom later, and they end up discovering that Randall really wasn't behind their being ratted out that time: It was the so-called "cool kid" Stone who joined up with their possie who was in fact an undercover department of education individual who disguised himself as a student so Superintendent Skinner could find out the going abouts by the school who did it. The second time was when Randall hired the Ashley's younger brothers to act as proxies for him for his snitching job due to his getting cold at his sleuthing skills. One day, a lot more kids were put in The Box, including King Bob, whom he blamed Randall for it. However, Randall mentioned that reporting higher authority figures was a low even he wouldn't go as low as, and immediately told off the Ashley's brothers for it, and attempted to put a stop to it, although they were one step ahead of him and reported him for it as well.

 

== [[Theme Park]] ==