self_fix.py

def print_fifth_element(iterable):
    passed = False
    try:
        print(iterable[4])
        passed = True
    except IndexError:
        iterable.append(iterable[-1])
    except TypeError:
        iterable = [iterable]
    except KeyError as e:
        iterable[e.args[0]] = e.args[0]
    finally:
        if passed:
            return iterable[4]
        return print_fifth_element(iterable)


print_fifth_element('Hipopotam')
print_fifth_element([1,2,3])
print_fifth_element(None)
print_fifth_element({})

"""
p
3
None
4
"""

def print_fifth_element(iterable):
    passed = False
    try:
        print(iterable[4])
        passed = True
    except IndexError:
        missing = 5-len(iterable)
        iterable.extend([iterable[-1]]*missing)
    except TypeError:
        iterable = [iterable]*5
    except KeyError as e:
        iterable[e.args[0]] = e.args[0]
    finally:
        if not passed:
            print(iterable[4])


print_fifth_element('Hipopotam')
print_fifth_element([1,2,3])
print_fifth_element(None)
print_fifth_element({})

"""
p
3
None
4
"""