Just as planned!

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

So I've been browsing TV Tropes (http://tvtropes.org/) recently, and thoroughly enjoying myself. So, my question to you all is, what's your favorite tired old trope that gets used in whatever series?

Personally, I favor the Xanatos Roulette (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/XanatosRoulette), as immortalized in the series Death Note (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.DeathNote).

[JKTrix]

Chekov's Gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun) is probably my favourite--where an element is introduced early in the story, and its importance (often huge importance) isn't revealed until much later.

TVTrope link (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.ChekhovsGun)