Breaking the fourth wall: Difference between revisions

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"Breaking the fourth wall" is a term that refers to a point where a character acknowledges that he or she is in a cartoon or TV Show. This term is different from an aside, where a character will seemingly detach for a moment to say something to the audience, then continue on as if nothing had happened. Common ways of breaking the fourth wall include:

• Refering to events that happened in "that episode."
• Stopping someone from performing an act of violence/swearing, with a comment along the lines of "This is a kids show."
• Responding to a character who is not there, e.g. the Narrator.

These are the three most common events, but others may include something to do with getting people to buy mercandise of the subject in question. Breaking the fourth wall is often used as a comedic element in parodies.

Team Rocket are usually the ones who break the fourth wall in the show.

Episodes where the fourth wall is broken

• In Pokemon Scent-sation Meowth complains that Gloom's horrible stench must've melted his nose from his face. Jessie then points out he never had a nose causing Meowth to remember that the cartoonists never gave him one.
• Hypno's Naptime: Jessie remarks their early arrival in the episode is based on the half hour time constraint involving the show.
• The Crystal Onix: Jessie acknowledges the writers' existence.
• Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?: Team Rocket acknowledges the narrator's existence.
• As Clear as Crystal: Jessie tells James to explain their mecha to the "viewing audience."
• The Power of One: Slowking told Team Rocket that lots of people saw them risk their lives to save the world, then all four of them look at the audience and say hi.
• Spell of the Unown: Team Rocket mentions being in show business near the end of the movie. Meowth also asks Jessie earlier in the movie whether or not she thinks they will get a bigger part in the next one.
• Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
• Gathering The Gang of Four
• Two Degrees of Separation