History Main / HollywoodMagnetism

* In the 1974-74 ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' episode "[[PunBasedTitle The Shamon U]]", a MadScientist creates small asteroids of gold out of space dust, and draws them to Earth using a "special gold-attracting magnet".

In RealLife, the strength of a magnet's pull decreases over distance, much like radio waves, sound, and (for astronomical distances) gravity. This is frequently forgotten in fiction; not only are [[SelectiveMagnetism magnets selective]] in ''what'' they attract, they're also selective in ''how'' they attract it: They have effectively unlimited range, and can attract metal with the same force from any distance.

Another thing to note is that objects under a magnetic pull tend to close in on the magnet at a constant rate of speed, rather than accelerating over time as they move.

* ''OnePiece'' may have an aversion in the person of [[ChaoticEvil Eustace Kidd]], who has magnetism powers; the main way he uses them is magnetizing multiple objects together in chains (like you can do at home with paper clips) to give himself CombatTentacles. It's played straight when he uses his power to wrest guns from peoples hands.
* Played for RuleOfFunny and cartoon physics in the ''LupinIII'' episode "Vault Assault".
* In ''{{NEEDLESS}}'', Solva's Needless ability is "Magnetic World," which can be used to attract or repel objects and people alike.

* ''TopSecret'': Dr. Flammond develops the Polaris magnetic mine. Instead of being attracted to ships and blowing them up like a regular magnetic mine, it's so powerful it drags ships to itself from hundreds of miles away.

* ''TheSimpsons'': One prank Bart pulls involves two pieces of metal in the bottom of Principal Skinner's shoes and a pair of horseshoe magnets under the stage, which Bart manipulates to make Skinner do a wild dance. In reality, the magnetic field wouldn't be strong enough to pass through that much wood.

* Wile E. Coyote got bitten by this once. In his attempt to catch Bugs Bunny with an iron carrot, his super-magnet ended up attracting all sorts of metal junk instead, including the Eiffel Tower, an ocean liner and finally a ballistic missile, which blew him to kingdom come.

* In the 1974-74 ''SuperFriends'' episode "[[PunBasedTitle The Shamon U]]", a MadScientist creates small asteroids of gold out of space dust, and draws them to Earth using a "special gold-attracting magnet".
* In the pilot episode of ''PhineasAndFerb'', [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr.]] [[FailOSuckyName Doof]][[HerrDoktor enshmirtz]] builds a magnet so strong it even attracts ''aluminum'', a metal not normally known to react to magnetism.

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[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

* Another ''LooneyTunes'' short, "Bugsy and Mugsy", culminates with Bugs putting roller skates on a tied-up Mugsy, then using a magnet under the floor to move Mugsy around...and slam him repeatedly into Rocky. This, of course, won't work for the same reasons ''The Simpsons'' example above won't work.

* Parodied in ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', where Eddie uses a large toon magnet to try and wrest a sword off Judge Doom's hands, the magnetic force depicted as lightning bolts that literally grab the sword and pull it.

* Justified in ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork 2''. As this takes place in the cyber world, where the rules of physics are constructed of data and are therefore artificial. There's a chip called [=MagLine=] which pulls you to the panel(s). If the panels are in the lower row, the staying in the upper row will prevent it from dragging you to that panel and visa-versa.

* In the ''TomAndJerry'' episode ''The Framed Cat'', Jerry gets Tom to swallow a magnet and then drills a screw into Spike the bulldog's bone, so the bone flies at Tom from clear across the yard to make it look as if Tom's trying to steal it.

* On ''GetSmart'' Sigfried used a giant magnet to pull the entire Seventh Fleet to his island.

* The magnet gloves in the gameboy color ''LegendOfZelda'' games. All objects which you can attract towards you/pull yourself towards are not only magnets, but monopolar magnets (the gloves switch between a north and south magnetic charge so you can push and pull). Nothing else is affected by them.
** The gimmick for the Goron Mines in ''TwilightPrincess'' revolves around using the Iron Boots to walk around on areas of magnetic ore in the walls. That's plausible enough. What's ''not'' is that fact that in some places the ore emits some kind of superstrong column of magnetism that will pull you onto the wall if you fall into the beam with the boots on.

* In ''IndianaJones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'', when Indy needed to find the location of a magnetic crate, he threw gunpowder in the air and watched which way it moved. Later on, this trope is lampshaded when an object attracts gold coins.

* In the 1974-74 ''SuperFriends'' episode "[[PunBasedTitle The Shamon U]]", a MadScientist creates small asteroids of gold out of space dust, and draws them to Earth using a giant magnet.

* In the ''SuperFriends'' episode "[[PunBasedTitle The Shamon U]]", a MadScientist creates small asteroids out of space dust, and draws them to Earth using a giant magnet.

* ''OnePiece'' may have an aversion in the person of [[ChaoticEvil Eustace Kidd]], who has magnetism-powers; the main way he uses them is magnetizing multiple objects together in chains (like you can do at home with paper clips) to give himself CombatTentacles. It's played straight when he uses his power to wrest guns from peoples hands.

* In the British newspaper comic ''ComicStrip/ThePerishers'' there's a strip where Wellington is demonstrating a magnet to Marlon, and he turns it backward so it will repel things. In reality magnets will only repel other magnets, and only when their like poles are facing each other.

** Also the Battle Chip of Magnetman EXE uses his North-South Tackle, and will not work if there is no room to summon South.

* ''TheSimpsons'': One prank Bart pulls involves two pieces of metal in the bottom of Principal Skinner's shoes and a pair of horseshoe magnets under the stage, which Bart manipulates to make Skinner do a wild dance. In reality the magnetic field wouldn't be strong enough to pass through that much wood.

* Wile E. Coyote got bitten by this once-trying to catch Bugs Bunny with an iron carrot, his super-magnet ended up attracting all sorts of metal junk instead, including the Eiffel Tower, an ocean liner, and finally a ballistic missile, which blew him to kingdom come.
* Another ''LooneyTunes'' short, "Bugsy and Mugsy", culminates with Bugs putting rollerskates on a tied-up Mugsy, then using a magnet under the floor to move Mugsy around...and slam him repeatedly into Rocky. This, of course, won't work for the same reasons ''The Simpsons'' example above won't work.
* In the ''{{Superman}}'' (1940's) episode "The Magnetic Telescope". The title device is used to drag comets in space down to Earth.
* In the ''SuperFriends'' episode "[[JustForPun The Shamon U]]", A MadScientist creates small asteroids out of space dust, and draws them to Earth using a giant magnet.

* In the ''TomAndJerry'' episode ''The Framed Cat'', Jerry gets Tom to swallow a magnet and then drills a screw into Spike the bulldog's bone, so the bone flies at Tom from clear across the yard to make it look like Tom's trying to steal it.

* In ''MegaMan'', Magnet Man is able to pull Mega Man in towards himself whenever he activates his magnetic field. It'll pull Mega Man in at the same speed regardless of your location on the screen.
* Justified in ''MegaManBattleNetwork 2''. As this takes place in the cyber world, where the rules of physics are constructed of data and are therefore artificial. There's a chip called [=MagLine=] which pulls you to the panel(s). If the panels are in the lower row, the staying in the upper row will prevent it from dragging you to that panel and visa-versa.

* Another ''LoonyTunes'' short, "Bugsy and Mugsy", culminates with Bugs putting rollerskates on a tied-up Mugsy, then using a magnet under the floor to move Mugsy around...and slam him repeatedly into Rocky. This, of course, won't work for the same reasons ''The Simpsons'' example above won't work.

* In an episode of ''PhineasAndFerb'', Perry the Platypus is given a magnet so strong it even attracts ''aluminum'', a metal not normally known to react to magnetism.

* In the British newspaper comic ''ThePerishers'' there's a strip where Wellington is demonstrating a magnet to Marlon, and he turns it backward so it will repel things. In reality magnets will only repel other magnets, and only when their like poles are facing each other.

* Justified in ''MegaManBattleNetwork 2''. As this takes place in the cyber world, where the rules of physics are constructed of data and are therefore artificial. There's a chip called MagLine which pulls you to the panel(s). If the panels are in the lower row, the staying in the upper row will prevent it from dragging you to that panel and visa-versa.

* Justified in MegaManBattleNetwork 2. As this takes place in the cyber world, where the rules of physics are constructed of data and are therefore artificial. There's a chip called MagLine which pulls you to the panel(s). If the panels are in the lower row, the staying in the upper row will prevent it from dragging you to that panel and visa-versa.

* Justified in Megaman Battle Network 2. As this takes place in the cyber world, where the rules of physics are constructed of data and are therefore artificial. There's a chip called MagLine which pulls you to the panel(s). If the panels are in the lower row, the staying in the upper row will prevent it from dragging you to that panel and visa-versa.

* ''TopSecret'' Dr. Flammond develops the Polaris magnetic mine. Instead of being attracted to ships and blowing them up like a regular magnetic mine, it's so powerful it drags ships to itself from hundreds of miles away.

!Examples

* ''TopSecret!'' Dr. Flammond develops the Polaris magnetic mine. Instead of being attracted to ships and blowing them up like a regular magnetic mine, it's so powerful it drags ships to itself from hundreds of miles away.
* Possibily as a parody, In ''WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', Eddie uses a large toon magnet to try and wrest a sword off Judge Doom's hands, the magnetic force depicted as lightning bolts that literally grab the sword and pull it.
* PlayedStriaght in ''IndianaJones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''. When Indy needed to find the location of a magnetic crate, he threw gunpowder in the air and watched which way it moved.
** Later on, this trope is lampshaded when an object attracts gold coins.

* In an episode of ''PhineasAndFerb'', Perry the Platypus is given a magnet so strong it even attracts ''aluminum'', a metal not normally known to react to magnetism.