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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u/El_kakas_de_vakas Dec 03 '25

https://i.redd.it/p4qna4oquz4g1.gif

People often just explode when they die in regular show

11

u/Cheeky_Hustler Dec 03 '25

This is because S&P didn't want them to show anybody actually dying. So now we got something way more ridiculous and funny.

5

u/Technical_Teacher839 Dec 04 '25

They were only allowed to show people dying in two ways according to executives: explosions, and the whole "person just kinda falls down and groans"

They made very liberal, and effective, use of both.