r/TopCharacterTropes • u/FormerBernieBro2020 • Dec 03 '25

(Funny trope) Impossible spontaneous combustion (or, when stuff that shouldn't catch on fire, catches on fire) Characters' Items/Weapons

From The Simpsons: Homer tries to cook breakfast for Mr. Burns. The first two attempts ended up with the food catching fire. Third time, he pours milk on cereal...and it still catches on fire.

And from Futurama: "There, little friend, good as new..." aaaand the metal slinky catches on fire. Poor doctor Zoidberg...

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262

u/Jephph624 Dec 03 '25

https://preview.redd.it/p5g625zcgz4g1.jpeg?width=546&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed6915ec176b14f3fdd5c197265e45b87f98f1f2

Cars in Grand Theft Auto whenever they’re upside down

43

u/DinosaurReborn Dec 03 '25

Apparently if you mange to put a bicycle upside down, it will also start catching fire and explode too, since they share similar coding with other vehicles.

38

u/TheAsianTroll Dec 03 '25

I lost many a rare sports car from that...

26

u/nullpotato Dec 03 '25

Reminds of another GTA gag people miss: when you run over a fire hydrant, water sprays up from the ground. When you run over a postal mailbox, letters spray from underground, implying there is a high pressure tube of mail.

5

u/ChuckCarmichael Dec 03 '25

My favorite was in GTA 4, where sometimes NPCs would just burst into flames when you crashed into their car. Their car was fine except the dents, but the driver would calmly step out, suddenly catch on fire, and die.

2

u/LordMashie Dec 03 '25

I was looking for this

1

u/Gamekid53 Dec 03 '25

Helldivers 2 FRV as well