I asked players in a challenge to write a short story that is a good example of an Idiot Plot using at least 3 characters from a well-known universe. Four players wrote a qualifying story, and I now need some people to rank them from best to worst idiot plot.

If you're not sure what an idiot plot is, please read this first: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IdiotPlot

But I'd like your rankings (from best to worst idiot plot) soon, so try not to get trapped on TV Tropes reading articles there for hours.

You can just reply with something like "1 > 2 > 3 > 4", "1 > 4 > 2 > 3", or "3 > 1 > 4 > 2" when you're done reading and considering them.

Thanks for your help!


~ Story 1 ~

Harry Potter and the Water Tap

Water poured from the faucet that Harry had just turned on. He threw water in the general direction of his face as he sleepily tried to recall his dream from last night. IT involved an obstacle of sorts but he couldn't quite seem to recall what it was. What Harry failed to notice in his half awake stupor was that the bathroom was beginning to flood. As water began splashing over the top of the sink and through the drain in the floor Harry began to panic.
"RON!! QUICK RON!! he screeched.
"What is it?" Ron replied frantically as he raced into the bathroom.
"The water. It's going everywhere. What can I do?" Harry wailed.
Ron pulled out his wand and pointed it nervously at the tap, remembering that Neviile had defeated Nagini by cutting off her head and surely a tap was easier to defeat than a horcrux.
"Bombarda Maxima!" Ron called out, blowing apart the the sink and half the bathroom wall.
Hermione was just arriving home when she heard the explosion, racing up the stairs she drew her wand fearing the worst.
Bursting into the bathroom Hermione was greeted by her best friends now soaked head to toe in water, a fountain of water spraying directly from the now exposed water pipe and a rather startled looking Mr Hughes from next door.
"What. An. Idiot." Hermione moaned rolling her eyes. "Let me guess. Ron left the faucet overflow again?" She said.
"It was Har.." Ron started sheepishly.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times Ronald. Fire gets rid of water." Hermione carried on confidently.
"Ohhh. That makes sense." Harry encouraged.
At this moment fiendfyre began to shoot from Hermione's wand and engulf first the bathroom, then the house and then the whole street. Burning for 14 hours before the Ministry of Magic were able to get it under control, the bodies of the 3 former heroes were never found.


~ Story 2 ~

With a final spark of electricity, the Grunt’s level 47 Zubat fainted. Pikachu hopped backwards onto Red’s shoulder, having bested his opponent.

“Grr…” grumbled the Grunt. “How did you ever get so strong? Regardless, you’re no match for what’s soon to come for you!” The grunt steps back, allowing Red to pass. The receptionist at Rocket Headquarters watches the fight, while proceeding to go back to his computer work. The calm doesn’t last long for Red, though, when the next Grunt approaches him, challenging him to another Pokemon Battle.

One after the other, Red is able to effortlessly make his way through the Headquarters, until he gets to the doors of Giovanni himself. Knowing this, Red walks back out the way he came, the dozens of disgruntled grunts he bested watch him leave to heal his Pokemon, with him returning minutes later. He enters Giovanni’s office, where he sits behind a desk with Proton, Petrel, Arianna, and Archer behind him. Giovanni stands up, a smirk on his face. “Stand down, admins, I will handle him alone.”

The battle lasts not long, but with a final Hydro Pump, Giovanni’s Nidoking topples backwards, while Red returns his Blastoise. Giovanni slams his fist on the desk, “How are you so strong? Not only me, but all my Grunts! Admins, get him!” Arianna steps up, challenging Red, who bests her as well, and the rest fall in succession as they are defeated. Giovanni roars in frustration. “Bah! Just take this Master Ball and get out of here! We’re off to Victory Road – don’t get in our way!”

Giovanni and his admins vacate the premises, leaving Red alone in the Headquarters.


~ Story 3 ~

Kylo Ren, General Hux, and Supreme Leader Snoke were bored with the usual grind. Killing Resistance scum and ruling the galaxy by an iron fist was normally very entertaining to them. But today was just one of those days the screams of their victims just wasn't satisfying enough. So they decided to make a bet over who could do simple chores on Snoke's ship the best.

After hours of dusting, vacuuming, and countless dishes washed, Ren and Snoke were tied in their quest for cleaning supremacy. Hux did not have the force as his cleaning buddy as the other two did, so he was in a distant third. But being the cool guys Ren and Snoke were, they let Hux participate in the tiebreaker round with them.

The trio came across a strange hole in the ship. It appeared to be a small exhaust port about the size of a womp rat. It had a brightly colored sign above it, urging people to stay away from it.

"My grandfather told me something about exhaust ports when we were talking about force choking the innocent one day. I think we should leave it alone, Supreme Leader!" urged Kylo Ren.

"Nonsense! Ren just doesn't have the skills to properly fix an exhaust port. I will handle this, Supreme Leader!" Hux boasted confidently.

"GENERAL!" Snoke bellowed.

But it was too late. Hux quickly sealed up the hole with a sealing foam. Ren and Snoke grimaced and braced themselves for disaster, but nothing happened.

"Looks like I win!" Hux exclaimed with a triumphant smile on his face.

Ren and Snoke looked at the exhaust port in disbelief. They learned the importance of covering up obvious glaring design flaws instead of allowing them to be wide open to attack. As for Hux, he claimed an important victory by using his brain instead of relying heavily on the force for everything.


~ Story 4 ~

"Come to the castle Wario, I've baked you a cake!"

Peach's ability to remember how to write a capital M never was the greatest unfortunately. The delivery toad did find it odd that Wario of all people was receiving a letter from the princess, but a job is a job and it must be delivered!

Even Wario did not believe that he was actually invited to the castle. He asked Bowser to check the invitation to see if it was legitimate. When Bowser saw that there was cake involved, he immediately charged in to attack.

"Oh no! Bowser's come to kidnap me again!" Peach exclaimed.

"Not this time, I'm here for something much sweeter!" Bowser replied as he stormed into the kitchen, snatched the cake and took off. "Sorry princess, but your cake is in another castle!"