History Main / MineralMacguffin

** ''Pokémon'', in general, has been using this one a lot lately. On top of the gems involves with Cyrus' plot (by the way, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina each have a plot-uniportant gem that boosts their power considerably), the bulk of ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'' was about trying to hunt down gems that woke up legendary Pokémon. In ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'', it's a similar situation, except the magic stones ARE the legendary Pokémon. It also introduced elemental gems that give an attack of the same type a huge power boost, but they're common enough to be junk items.

* The Red Stone of Aja from Part Two of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'' definitely counts, seeing as the Stone [[spoiler:serves as the catalyst for Kars' ascension to Ultimate Lifeform]], but also as the only thing potentially able to defeat the Aztec God of Fitness[[note]]while he technically isn't a god in the literal sense, it is true that he isn't human and that his race was once worshipped as supernatural deities in Central America[[/note]].

* The Red Stone of Aja from Part Two of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'' definitely counts, seeing as the Stone [[spoiler:serves as the catalyst for Kars' ascension to Ultimate Lifeform]], but also as the only thing potentially able to defeat the Aztec God of Fitness[[note]]while he technically isn't a god in the literal sense, it is true that he isn't human and that his race were once worshipped as supernatural deities in Central America[[/note]].

* The Red Stone of Aja from Part Two of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'' definitely counts, seeing as the Stone [[spoiler:serves as the catalyst for Kars' ascension to Ultimate Lifeform]], but also as the only thing potentially able to defeat the Aztec God of Fitness[[labelnote:note]]while he technically isn't a god in the literal sense, it is true that he isn't human and that his race were once worshipped as supernatural deities in Central America.

* The Red Stone of Aja from Part Two of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'' definitely counts, seeing as the Stone [[spoiler:serves as the catalyst for Kars' ascension to Ultimate Lifeform]], but also as the only thing potentially able to defeat the Aztec God of Fitness.

* Lampshaded brilliantly in the fantasy novel ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'', with the Spectrum Key: a spherical crystal worldgate broken into six identically-sized pieces in six different colors, each hidden in a different location by a different Hero and protected by a different clever trap. Several characters comment on the colors; one character is from a colorblind species and can't understand what they're blathering about.

* Starting with ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped'', the Crystals and Gems become this for many of the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' games, being sought after by the villains for their great power, or just being a collectible in general if the story isn't important as in ''VideoGame/CrashBash''.

%% ** The Master Emerald from ''[[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Sonic and Knuckles]]'' onwards.
%% ** The Sol Emeralds from the ''VideoGame/SonicRushSeries''.

* WebAnimation/WolfSongTheMovie has the Stone of Souls, a zircon gem housing the souls of deceased wolves, which the hero needs to activate an ultimate form and the villain covets in order to fulfill his quest. Also overlaps with DeadlyMaguffin as overuse will cause you to be consumed by the stone and die as a result.

See also {{Unobtanium}} and MysticalJade.

%%* Done in the FiveEpisodePilot of ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers''.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw Tooth and Claw]]", it's the ''good guys'' who want it, to create a moonlight laser to overload a werewolf. It being the very real [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor Koh-i-Noor diamond]].

* In ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'',they need a specific black diamond owned by the Yellow Ranger's family.

There's probably an entire subtrope one could write for plots in which it turns out the villain wants a jewel not for its monetary value, but because it's necessary to focus the beam of a giant [[EnergyWeapon frickin' laser.]] Such gems can even be plucked straight from a mine wall and put into said laser thanks to their AllNaturalGemPolish. Because Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible, anything that isn't ''strictly speaking'' [[ModernMajorGeneral mineral]] but looks like it may also qualify for this trope.

* The diamonds needed by Mr Freeze's for his frost-beam in the film ''Film/BatmanAndRobin''.
* Through the majority of ''Film/{{Congo}}'' the blue diamonds are wanted for laser communication with satellites. The last few minutes subvert this when [[spoiler:the main character destroys the satellite.]] This was a spur of the moment solution, thus the diamonds maintain their MacGuffin status up to that moment.

* The ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/DiamondsAreForever'', where the only reason Blofeld set up the diamond-smuggling pipeline in the first place was to snag enough gems to power his KillSat's [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]].
* One of ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' films used the eponymous Pink Panther diamond for this.

* In the [[Literature/TheStormlightArchive War Of Vengeance]], the battles between the humans and the Parshendi were driven by this trope. Each chasmfiend has an enormous gemstone within its body (about the size of a man's head, referred to as "gemhearts"). Both sides use gems as the focus for the Magitek that feeds their armies, and the larger the gem the better.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]], it's the ''good guys'' who want it, to create a moonlight laser to overload a werewolf. It being the very real [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor Koh-i-Noor diamond]].
%%** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E1HorrorOfFangRock "Horror of Fang Rock"]]: EXPLANATION, PLEASE! Oh, and uncomment, indent properly and place in the proper order once you've explained. Thank you!
* Done in the original ''Series/KnightRider'', where an experimental laser focused with a black crystal is stolen and weaponized. And it could've taken out KITT, except that Bonnie developed a spray-on deflective coating.
* Done in ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'', where they need a specific black diamond owned by the yellow ranger's family.

* Not dissimilarly, ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack'' sees Cortex trying to get his hands on 25 crystals to activate his brainwashing device, while Nitrus Brio wants the 42 gems to blow up the aforementioned device.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Strays}}'' [[http://www.straysonline.com/2010/04/page-130/ Meela finds one]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicRoundabout'': In the 2005 film, the plot is driven by the animals (plus Train) being on a quest to retrieve three magic diamonds from their (usually well-fortified) hiding places before the BigBad does: the heroes intend to use the diamonds' magic to reimprison the villain before he can freeze the world, whilst the villain intends to use them to further his plans.

[[folder: Fan Works]]

%% * ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog''

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': The above-mentioned Chaos Emeralds sometimes fulfill this subtrope in function (used for an EnergyWeapon device) if not in specific mechanical details (the Emeralds power the weapon rather than act as a tool for focusing the laser).

** In ''[[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Pokémon Platinum]]'', the Red Chain. Cyrus essentially [[spoiler:found three spirits that are considered mirages with how god damn rare they are, had them taken to a lab with their powers somehow being subdued (If Uxie opened its eyes, it would have mind wiped the people on board. Touching Mesprit would render one emotionless in three days (although that would likely suit Cyrus), and harming Azelf renders one [[AndIMustScream immobile for eternity within a scant five days.]]), RIPPING JEWELS OUT OF THEM, crafting the jewels into a chain, cloning the chain, then using both chains to drag [[OlympusMons Dialga and Palkia]] out of their dimensions, knowing that the pixies would come and neutralize the gods. However, he planned ahead, knowing that they could only contain one god, so he would be free to remake the universe by using the other.]] However, [[spoiler: Giratina came in and dragged him to the world's polar opposite to stop him]]. Man, [[spoiler: Arceus]] did a good job at setting up that failsafe.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'' had Tera Orbs, which were created using mysterious unnamed crystals found in Paldea's LostWorld known as Area Zero and allowed Pokémon to temporarily change their [[ElementalRockPaperScissors type]] while giving them a crystalline aura. [[spoiler:The crystals end up being vital to the plot, as TheProfessor used them to create their TimeMachine and it's heavily implied that they created the [[ParadoxPerson Paradox Pokémon]] instead of the machine.]]