History Main / JustEatTheMacguffin

* In the first ''TombRaider'' movie, the Illuminati want to assemble the [=MacGuffin=] to take over the world. Lara just happens to find a part and, despite knowing what he wants with it, ''assists'' the BigBad in finding the other. All because she wanted to use it herself, just to get closure on the fate of her father. That's right, she risked ''the entire world'' on a personal issue that was resolved in half a minute, and then destroyed the [=MacGuffin=] anyway.

* In [[KnownSpace ''World of Ptavvs'']], the characters are chasing after a powerful alien MindControl device. The Earth and Belter agents trying to get to it before its alien owner do have a mutual understanding that it must be destroyed because neither trusts the other with [[JustThinkOfThePotential something that dangerous]].

* In ''TheMoonstone'', the heroine inherits an enormously valuable diamond from her uncle. She soon learns that he had stolen it from an Indian cult, murdering several cultists in the process, and that three cult members are in England trying to get it back. Given that they were the stone's rightful owners, if she had just given it to them (or sold it to them for a penny to make everything legal), this could have saved everyone a lot of trouble.

* In the original ''Manga/DragonBall'' manga and anime, [[SealedEvilInACan Piccolo]] [[CardCarryingVillain Daimao]] actually swallows two of the titular [[MacGuffin Mac Guffins]] to prevent the heroes for stealing them, though he's able to spit them back up with ease.

* The whole plot of ''HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' wouldn't have happened if Dumbledore had just destroyed the stone in the first place ''like he did at the end''.

->'''Shadi''': And so, with the help of gypsy woman Ishizu, Pegasus hid the [[ArtifactofDoom Egyptian God Cards]] where even the craftiest of Jews would not be able to find them.

->'''Shadi''': As I was saying—

* Part of what ''makes'' the [[spoiler:Winslow]] the [=MacGuffin=] in the Gallimaufry arc of BuckGodotZapGunForHire is the fact that it's explicitly indestructible. Even the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Prime Movers]] don't seem to have found any better way to deal with it than to hand it to some promising species or other and let ''them'' hide it.

* Subverted in Lloyd Alexander's The Black Cauldron, where the good guys would like nothing better than to eat the titular MacGuffin, and half of the plot of the book is them trying to figure out how to destroy the damned thing. As it turns out, [[spoiler: to destroy the Cauldron, you have to willingly jump into it, sacrificing yourself in the process.]] The climax of the book is the good guys [[spoiler: all running for the Cauldron, attempting to throw themselves in it before the bad guys can get it, or before [[ItGotWorse one of their friends jumps in]], instead.]] It also includes a {{Tearjerker}} and CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, when [[spoiler: one of their former foes reaches the Cauldron first]].

If there are sound reasons given within the work for why the "single simple action" can't be taken, or won't work, ''it's not this trope. Don't add it as an example.'' If the characters do try the single simple solution and it doesn't work, it's ''also not this trope. Again, don't add it as an example.'' This trope is not just eating the MacGuffin in the literal sense; this trope is asking the question why not just destroy the damn MacGuffin.

** The film plays with the idea. Gimli just decides to deal with the One Ring right ''now'' and takes his axe to it. His ''axe'' is the one to get shattered to bitty pieces.

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* In the movie ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'', Film/JamesBond is ordered to obtain the [=MacGuffin=] if he can and destroy it if he must. He has to do the second.
** By throwing said [=MacGuffin=] off the top of a giant cliff. Good work, Bond.

** Has it ever been stated just how important the Tablets were in and of themselves? Not having read the actual novels, I was always operating under the assumption that Ao ''intended'' them to be PlotCoupons and that it was their return that was important, not the objects themselves.
*** The Tablets of Fate listed each of the gods and their duties. They didn't have any signifigance in and of themselves, being true [=MacGuffins=], and their theft was merely a large scale act of [[CoolPeopleRebelAgainstAuthority rebellion]] by [[spoiler:Myrkul and Bane]] and their return was a condition of ending the [[DisproportionateRetribution Time of Troubles]] by Ao. Basically, the Godly equivalent of clean your room or no supper.

** Said stone was [[spoiler:keeping Flamel alive]], though. It was only at the end that [[spoiler:Flamel decided to die]].
** Also, it can be argued that much of what occurred was actually set up by Dumbledore as part of Harry's TrainingFromHell. How else could you explain the stupidity of sending Hagrid on the "secret" mission to retrieve the stone, when he knew Harry would be with him.
** In fact, with Dumbledore's use of the Mirror of Erised, it was basically ''impossible'' for Voldemort to get the Stone, so no destruction was necessary. Its could be interpreted that it was destroyed as an effect of Harry's fight with Quirrell, rather than a conscious decision of Dumbledore's. Alternately, it may be that he decided Voldemort could find a way through that particular defense in the future, and so there was no longer a truly safe place for the Stone.
*** There's even an interesting theory proposing that the Mirror of Erised was actually a trap for Voldemort. If true, justified because the MacGuffin was actually a bait. [[http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=94246]]

** The film hilariously averts this. Gimli just decides to deal with the One Ring right ''now'' and takes his axe to it. His ''axe'' is the one to get shattered to bitty pieces.

So, the BigBad plans on grabbing the MacGuffin to take over the world, and BlahBlahBlah, whatever. Sheesh. You can't help but wonder just what the deal is here. If it weren't for the [=MacGuffin=], [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo would reign]] and most of the conflict in the plot would vanish. Everyone would be happy. In light of the inconvenience the [=MacGuffin=] is causing the universe, you really have to wonder why nobody decides to go ahead and JustEatTheMacGuffin.

* The ending to ''{{Titanic}}'' involves this. Not for any reason, mind you. [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotSymbolic She just destroys it for the symbolism.]] And she doesn't really "destroy" it so much as "put it in a place where absolutely no one will find it and didn't tell anyone." [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Or maybe she wanted the guy who had spent his life sifting through stuff to find something interesting in the Titanic wreck, and gave what she could.]]

* Part of what ''makes'' the [[spoiler:Winslow]] the [=MacGuffin=] in the Gallimaufry arc of BuckGodotZapGunForHire is the fact that it's explicitly indestructible. Even the Prime Movers don't seem to have found any better way to deal with it than to hand it to some promising species or other and let ''them'' hide it.

** There is actually a reason why the protagonists didn't just destroy them. Fina was under explicit orders to retrieve them, not destroy them.

*** Considering that said Macguffin and any of the wu are simply stolen by the villains every few episodes or so, this may be somewhat justified. Plus at the time Omi had no knowledge of such a shen gong wu.

So, the BigBad plans on grabbing the {{MacGuffin}} to take over the world, and BlahBlahBlah, whatever. Sheesh. You can't help but wonder just what the deal is here. If it weren't for the [=MacGuffin=], [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo would reign]] and most of the conflict in the plot would vanish. Everyone would be happy. In light of the inconvenience the [=MacGuffin=] is causing the universe, you really have to wonder why nobody decides to go ahead and {{Just Eat The MacGuffin}}.

Another excuse is to JustThinkOfThePotential. Also compare WeWinBecauseYouDidNot and NoMacGuffinNoWinner.

If there are sound reasons given within the work for why the "single simple action" can't be taken, or won't work, ''it's not this trope. Don't add it as an example.'' If the characters do try the single simple solution and it doesn't work, it's ''also not this trope. Again, don't add it as an example.'' This trope is not just eating the MacGuffin in the literal sense; this trope is asking the question why not just destroy the damn MacGuffin.

[[AC:{{Anime and Manga}}]]

* In ''{{Kyou Kara Maou}}'', there are four keys needed to unlock the SealedEvilInACan, which can bring about [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the end of the worlds as we know them]]. Four easily destroyed keys. Of course, there are [[MacGuffinGirl several]] good reasons not to...

[[AC:Comics]]

* In the live-action ''[[TransformersFilmSeries Transformers]]'' film, Optimus Prime says that if there's no other way to keep the Allspark out of Megatron's hands, he'll shove it into his own [[OurSoulsAreDifferent spark]] to destroy it. This option is a last resort because it would also kill Optimus. [[spoiler:In the end, Sam shoves it into ''Megatron's'' instead]]. But as the sequel shows, turns out that doesn't ''quite'' work.

** By throwing said [=MacGuffin=] off the top of a giant cliff. Good work, Bond.

* It's not exactly a world-threatening example, and happens before the start of the book, but the 'Gonne' (gun) in the {{Discworld}} novel ''{{Discworld/Men at Arms}}''. Lord Vetinari gave specific instructions to the Assassins that it be destroyed to prevent its use. They put it in a museum instead. [[spoiler:Even Sam Vimes doesn't destroy it at the end of the book, though Carrot does finally smash it to bits. And buries the bits in a coffin.]]

* Subverted in Lloyd Alexander's The Black Cauldron, where the good guys would like nothing better than to eat the titular {{MacGuffin}}, and half of the plot of the book is them trying to figure out how to destroy the damned thing. As it turns out, [[spoiler: to destroy the Cauldron, you have to willingly jump into it, sacrificing yourself in the process.]] The climax of the book is the good guys [[spoiler: all running for the Cauldron, attempting to throw themselves in it before the bad guys can get it, or before [[ItGotWorse one of their friends jumps in]], instead.]] It also includes a {{Tearjerker}} and {{Crowning Moment of Heartwarming}}, when [[spoiler: one of their former foes reaches the Cauldron first]].

* Played with (lampshaded, averted, subverted, or any combination of the above) in the first season finale of ''KrodMandoonAndTheFlamingSwordOfFire'', when Krod attempts to swallow the {{MacGuffin}}, which is a vial of pagan tears (just go with it), rather than hand it over to the BigBad. He then proceeds to choke on it and eventually cough it up. His cohorts mock him and offer alternative solutions: he could have crushed the vial, or opened it and swallowed just the tears. The Big Bad then laments that he was rather looking forward to dissecting Krod to get the vial.

* Part of what ''makes'' the [[spoiler:Winslow]] the [=MacGuffin=] in the Gallimaufry arc of [[BuckGodotZapGunForHire Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire]] is the fact that it's explicitly indestructible. Even the Prime Movers don't seem to have found any better way to deal with it than to hand it to some promising species or other and let ''them'' hide it.

<<|ContrivedStupidityTropes|>>

->'''Yugi''': ''[coughs]'' Bullcrap! ''[coughs]''

[[quoteright:300:[[Anime/DragonBallGT http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/JustEattheMacGuffin2_7904.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[DontTryThisAtHome Warning: Choking hazard]]]]So, the BigBad plans on grabbing the {{MacGuffin}} to take over the world, and BlahBlahBlah, whatever. Sheesh. You can't help but wonder just what the deal is here. If it weren't for the [=MacGuffin=], [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo would reign]] and most of the conflict in the plot would vanish. Everyone would be happy. In light of the inconvenience the [=MacGuffin=] is causing the universe, you really have to wonder why nobody decides to go ahead and {{Just Eat The MacGuffin}}.

* [[DoubleSubversion Double Subverted]] in ''[[IndianaJones Raiders Of The Lost Ark]]'' when Indy threatens to destroy the Ark, but Belloq calls his bluff.