History Main / ImpossiblyAwesomeMagicTrick

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3kLvz1w7MU David Blaine Street Magic]] video series, a parody of David Blaine's magic style, shows "David Blaine" performing increasingly improbable magic tricks on a duo such as having their selected card appear not only underneath one of their shirts, but also on their driver's license, the soles of their shoes, and [[AssShove up their asses]].

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* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}: [[UpdatedRerelease Golden]]'', the added S.link plotline with the main character's uncle's BumblingSidekick Adachi includes a scene where he demonstrates a magic trick that involves transporting a coin from his hand to the main character's pocket (from across a table they're sitting at opposite sides of). [[spoiler: Which subtly foreshadows his [[EvilAllAlong true nature]] as a CorruptCop who's been committing the murders mainly ForTheEvulz.]]
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* In ''Series/{{House}}'', a stage magician manages to pull off some amazing tricks, that impressed and stumped even House himself. One such trick was a simple "pick a card" trick. Then he threw the deck at a window, where a card stuck to the glass. When House took the card and told him it wasn't his card... he found his card, stuck to the ''other side'' of the glass.
** Even better, that card was actually sealed '''[[UpToEleven between]]''' the glass panes of a [[RefugeInAudacity double-glazed window]].

--> '''Raven:''' ''I wouldn't try this if I were you.''
--> '''Robin:''' ''I know what I'm doing, Raven. I [[BlatantLies saw it on the internet.]] ''
* Parodied with David Blaine in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', whose magic tricks depicted in "The Super Best Friends" include eating his own head, transporting a playing card into someone's anus, and bringing the Lincoln Memorial to life.

Compare ImpossibleTheft which is a similar idea applied to the field of thievery instead of stage magic. Contrast MagiciansAreWizards, in which a character is explicitly in-universe camouflaging real magic as stage magic.

Note that this trope is about explicitly non-magical tricks; using real magic in a magic show would not be an example.

Compare ImpossibleTheft which is a similar idea applied to the field of thievery instead of stage magic. Contrast MagiciansAreWizards.

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The episode "Riva Ras Regas" centers on the ghost of the recently deceased stage magician Rufus Raucous, who turns out to have faked his death to get out of the spotlight and retire. He was last seen [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill in a straitjacket nailed to a spinning wheel inside a building being demolishing by a wrecking ball]], yet no explanation is given for how he survived other than "he's just that good", apparently. Later, when Rufus is encouraged by the gang to hold one more show to lure out the ghost, he perfoms tricks like being able to sprout new disembodied hands out of his sleeves, which walk around with a life of their own. How he does that isn't explained either, unless he invested thousands of dollars in animatronics.[[note]]Of course, this 'is'' the ''Scooby-Doo'' universe, where any disgruntled crook can build a monster mecha on a whim.[[/note]] His "ghost" can also fly, which turns out to be by magnets in its shoes, far more powerful than any real world magnet.

* David Copperfield, in ''Film/TerrorTrain'' does a few of these, including a disappearing act which would require exiting the moving train and re-entering to wind up where he does.

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The episode "Riva Ras Regas" centers on the ghost of the recently deceased stage magician Rufus Raucous, who turns out to have faked his death to get out of the spotlight and retire. He was last seen [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill in a straitjacket nailed to a spinning wheel inside a building being demolishing by a wrecking ball]], yet no explanation is given for how he survived other than "he's just that good", apparently. Later, when Rufus is encouraged by the gang to hold one more show to lure out the ghost, he perfoms tricks like being able to sprout new disembodied hands out of his sleeves, which walk around with a life of their own. How he does that isn't explained either, unless he invested thousands of dollars in animatronics.[[note]]Though this ''IS'' the ''Scooby-Doo'' universe, where any disgruntled crook can build a monster mecha on a whim.[[/note]] His "ghost" can also fly, which turns out to be by magnets in its shoes, far more powerful than any real world magnet.

* In ''Manga/KaitouSaintTail'', the main character is the daughter of a GentlemanThief and StageMagician. Of course this trope gets involved. Despite being a MagicalGirl, her "magic" is explicitly all stage magic, but she routinely pulls off impossible feats, such as being carried off by just a [[{{Balloonacy}} a handful of balloons]].

* Such tricks are the abundant in ''Film/NowYouSeeMe''. Several of them are analyzed and explained but a lot of them are not, [[spoiler:and the ending makes it a case of MaybeMagicMaybeMundane]].

* Parodied in ''Teen Titans Go!'' episode Magic, where Robin is performing tricks that the team all consider ridiculously amazing, but Raven is not convinced.
** Brought UpToEleven when [[spoiler: Robin tries to be a young Houdini by escaping a tank full of water while tied up. '''It doesn't work.''']] Before the latter, we get this little gem:

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}: [[UpdatedRerelease Golden]]'', the added S.link plotline with the main character's uncle's BumblingSidekick Adachi includes a scene where he demonstrates a magic trick that involves transporting a coin from his hand to the main character's pocket (from across a table they're sitting at opposite sides of).

Compare ImpossibleTheftImpossibleTheft which is a similar idea applied to the field of thievery instead of stage magic. Contrast MagiciansAreWizards.

Compare ImpossibleThief which is a similar idea applied to the field of thievery instead of stage magic. Contrast MagiciansAreWizards.

* In ''Manga/KaitouSaintTail'', the main character is the daughter of an ImpossibleThief and a StageMagician. Of course this trope gets involved. Despite being a MagicalGirl, her "magic" is explicitly all stage magic, but she routinely pulls off impossible feats, such as being carried off by just a [[{{Balloonacy}} a handful of balloons]].
* Kaitou Kid (who started in ''Manga/MagicKaito'' but later became a regular character in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'') often does this in a similar manner, overlapping with ImpossibleThief. In his solo episode when first introduced, and before even becoming Kaitou Kid, he manages to use a lifelike dummy that isn't noticed until its head screws off, and a giant monster-shaped balloon operated by a crane outside his ''school window'', all as part of a prank.

* Kaitou Kid (who started in ''Manga/MagicKaito'' but later became a regular character in ''Anime/DetectiveConan'') often does this in a similar manner, overlapping with ImpossibleThief. In his solo episode when first introduced, and before even becoming Kaitou Kid, he manages to use a lifelike dummy that isn't noticed until its head screws off, and a giant monster-shaped balloon operated by a crane outside his ''school window'', all as part of a prank.

* Kaitou Kid (who started in ''Anime/MagicKaito'' but later became a regular character in ''Anime/DetectiveConan'') often does this in a similar manner, overlapping with ImpossibleThief. In his solo episode when first introduced, and before even becoming Kaitou Kid, he manages to use a lifelike dummy that isn't noticed until its head screws off, and a giant monster-shaped balloon operated by a crane outside his ''school window'', all as part of a prank.

* Inadvertently done in a short story-turned film by [[PennAndTeller Penn Jillette]]. In "Invisible Thread", a magic store owner sells a copy of the "invisible thread" card trick to a kid. After making the sale, the storekeeper explains how it works. The thing is though that it's not really possible. When Jillette wrote the story, he just used [[DanBrowned a more or less plausible explanation]]; but when it became a film [[AdaptationInducedPlothole they had to figure out how to make it work using camera tricks and elaborate mechanical devices]].
* Oscar, the title character of the recent ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'', knows tricks that could put David Copperfield to shame, despite being much more small time and living decades earlier.

* In the episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'' "The Amazing Maleeni", the stage magician Maleeni has a magic trick where he rotates his head 360 degrees. Every other trick performed in the episode is possible in real life.

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The episode "Riva Ras Regas" centers on the ghost of the recently deceased stage magician Rufus Raucous, who turns out to have faked his death to get out of the spotlight and retire. He was last seen in a straitjacket nailed to a spinning wheel inside a building being demolishing by a wrecking ball, yet no explanation is given for how he survived other than "he's just that good", apparently. Later, when Rufus is encouraged by the gang to hold one more show to lure out the ghost, he perfoms tricks like being able to sprout new disembodied hands out of his sleeves, which walk around with a life of their own. How he does that isn't explained either, unless he invested millions in animatronics. His "ghost" can also fly, which turns out to be by magnets in its shoes, far more powerful than any real world magnet.

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Magic tricks are difficult. Audiences are cynical, and people want to know how to do them. However, in TV Shows, a StageMagician can do amazing things, completely impossible in real life. They don't even have to bother with an explanation, "magicians never reveal their tricks" is an ideal {{handwave}} for forgoing any explanation.

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* Kaitou Kid (who started in ''MagicKaito'' but later became a regular character in ''DetectiveConan'') often does this in a similar manner, overlapping with ImpossibleThief. In his solo episode when first introduced, and before even becoming Kaitou Kid, he manages to use a lifelike dummy that isn't noticed until its head screws off, and a giant monster-shaped balloon operated by a crane outside his ''school window'', all as part of a prank.

* In a {{Biopic}} of HarryHoudini starring TonyCurtis there are several magic tricks which are presented with absolutely no explanation. Two that come to mind are, he and his wife-to-be MeetCute while he's doing a street performance & he makes her name "magically" appear on his arm (which in reality needs a ringer and some rubber cement), and late one night he brings home a SawAWomanInHalf box and makes her get in so he can saw her in half right there & then.
* Inadvertently done in a short story-turned film by [[PennAndTeller Penn Jillette]]. In "Invisible Thread" a magic store owner sells a copy of the "invisible thread" card trick to a kid. After he makes the sale he explains how it works. The thing is though that it's not really possible. When he wrote the story he just used [[DanBrowned a more or less plausible explanation]]; but when it became a film [[AdaptationInducedPlothole they had to figure out how to make it work using camera tricks and elaborate mechanical devices]].
* Oscar, the title character of the recent ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' knows tricks that could put DavidCopperfield to shame, despite being much more small time and living decades earlier.
* Such tricks are the abundant in ''Film/NowYouSeeMe''. Several of them are analyzed and explained but a lot of them are not, [[spoiler: and the ending makes it a case of MaybeMagicMaybeMundane]].
* Being a movie about magicians, common in ''Film/TheIncredibleBurtWonderstone''. Even tricks that were explained still [[ItrunsOnNonsenseoleum didn't make any sense]].
* Mostly averted in ''Film/ThePrestige'', where the tricks's explanations are shown and discussed, and are easily attemptable by real illusionists. However, the greatest trick of the film, Angier's "The Transported Man" turns out to be done by [[spoiler:a cloning machine built by Nikola Tesla.]]

* In Terry Pratchett's ''{{Discworld}}'', the Wizards of Unseen University, who ''can'' do real magic, are utterly disgruntled at the given fact that people will ''still'' pay real hard-earned money to see a stage magic act where everyone knows it's done by sleight-of-hand, mirrors and misdirection. This trope comes into play when the audiences think this is better than anything the wizards are capable of.

* In ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', Barney's role as am amateur magician leads to many instances of this. Notably the trick the TSA agent performs in "Magician's Code," although [[UnreliableNarrator it may have been a simple card trick.]] Not to mention Barney's trick itself, which involves a broadsword (that he somehow pulled out of a 1 foot by 1 foot box... that had just been scanned by airport security).

* In ''DrakeAndJosh'', a magician is actually able to somehow make the titular characters' father's hair disappear and stuff a girl into a large popcorn holder (without anyone even noticing).

* In the episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'' "The Amazing Maleeni", the stage magician Maleeni has a magic trick where he rotates his head 360 degrees around. Every other trick performed in the episode is possible in real life.
* In an episode of ''Series/TheMentalist'' Jane entertains some local kids with a magic trick: he makes a coin disappear from his hand and appear in the pocket of a boy standing in front of him, without having had an opportunity to touch or otherwise sneak a coin into his pocket.

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* ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja''. There's a flashback to Gordito's father, the Great Flying Shooting Juan (a sharpshooting trapeze artist magician) performing a card trick. The volunteer chooses a card, places it back in the deck, and throws the entire deck into the air. Juan shoots the card in midair... but the volunteer can't find the card afterwards. Then he gets a call on his cell phone...

* ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'': The episode "Riva Ras Regas" centers around the ghost of the recently deceased stage magician Rufus Raucous, who turns out to have faked his death to get out of the spotlight and retire. He was last seen in a straitjacket nailed to a spinning wheel inside a building being demolishing by a wrecking ball, yet no explanation is given for how he survived other than "he's just that good", apparently. Later, when Rufus is encouraged by the gang to hold one more show to lure out the ghost, he perfoms tricks like being able to sprout new disembodied hands out of his sleeves, which walk around with a life of their own. How he does that isn't explained either, unless he invested millions in animatronics. The "ghost" of him can also fly, which turns out to be by magnets in its shoes, far more powerful than any real world magnet.

* Stage magician DavidCopperfield tried to prove that these were possible. He once did a show (on TV, but with a live audience) in which he made a running gag of complaining about how people always ask him if his illusions are done with camera tricks. He insisted that they were not, and he wound up the show by doing a "real" camera trick, namely, he rolled a television camera onto the stage and made it disappear.