Harry Turtledove has argued that we fell into a low-probability timeline when Reagan was shot but didn’t die. Is it likely that a well-established cycle, the deaths of presidents elected in years ending in 0, would just stop like that? No, it isn’t. And nothing has been very likely since then.
I once had a halfling ranger in the days of 1E... not allowed by the rules, but the DM let me go with it. He was so awesome on paper, that he needed a name that would do him justice. I called him Khorne (a Chaos God in 1E Warhammer... I guess I thought it was a cool name). Guess what the DM called me within seconds of me introducing my character at the table.
