Plot Devices

Plot devices are everywhere. There are few texts that escape their use entirely. Television and movies are especially guilty of leaning on plot devices. Even well-respected texts like the Lord of the Rings makes use of them. The One Ring is Macguffin. Characters want it because it makes them want it. But really, in the hands of anyone but Sauron, the ring would do little good. The LOTR films and books also make use of dues ex machina as well. Just like the Hobbit, its Gandalf showing up to save the day at Helms Deep. Just as everything is about to fail, he shows up and saves them.

Other offenders are Agents of Shield and Supernatural. I cannot even count the amount of times someone has been about to die, when suddenly, out of nowhere, they are saved at the last second by their teammate or some unexpected outside force. A whole slew of Macguffins can be found, and caught, in Pokemon. Whether the games or the Anime, all we know is that we gotta catch em all. Why? Because you gotta catch em all, weren’t you listening? Toy Story 3 also offends as the toys are all about to be burned up in the trash incinerator but are rescued just in the nick of time by the little green men operating the claw. Toy Story does a much better job of not making this plot device feel cheesy. There is a real sense of tension and release in this moment. Of all the plot devices, dues ex machina is the most prevalent. While the last second rescue can create tension, it loses all its efficacy when used repeatedly throughout a text, as is the case in many television shows and superhero movies.