History Main / NoMacGuffinNoWinner

* ''Film/Titanic1997'' initially revolved around the search for a half-billion dollar diamond, which Rose ultimately throws into the ocean out of HonorBeforeReason.
* The 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers|2007}}'' film has [[spoiler:Sam thrusting the [=AllSpark=] into Megatron's spark, destroying the cube and killing the villain at the same time.]]
** Though in [[Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen the sequel]] [[spoiler:the remains still have some power, and put the plot into motion (one piece teaches Sam about Cybertron and reactivates Jetfire, and another resurrects Megatron)]].

Note that invoking this can be [[TooDumbToLive a very bad idea]], doing this for children in petty squabbles is one thing, but if you do it in a more serious situation on hardened Badasses... [[EnemyMine They might turn their weapons on]] ''[[OhCrap you]]''.

* ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'': Film/JamesBond chooses to chuck the stolen ATAC off a cliff to prevent the Russians from getting their hands on it, [[WeWinBecauseYouDidnt which was enough to accomplish Bond's mission]] (in fact, that was what was ''supposed'' to happen to it in the first place, but the operator drowned before he could hit the self-destruct). Gogol has just wasted a considerable amount of resources on something he hasn't acquired, as well as losing several operatives. The British still have lost a spy trawler, at least three agents, one Lotus Espirit, and the ATAC, but have denied the Russians the ability to turn their own missiles against them. Notably, Gogol apparently finds the whole thing rather amusing as well, especially after Bond invoked the trope:

* The Encryptor Chip from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}''. Because the original Chip has been destroyed by The Hacker's virus on Motherboard, Dr. Marbles has since been desperate in search for a new one. Unfortunately, whenever a new Encryptor Chip shows up, it's always either stolen, lost, or even destroyed in the end. [[spoiler:During the most notable of these times, Marbles had to destroy the Chip himself in order to return Motherboard to her rightful place and oust The Hacker's own A.I. from her mainframe.]]

* The 2007 ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' film has [[spoiler:Sam thrusting the [=AllSpark=] into Megatron's spark, destroying the cube and killing the villain at the same time.]]
** Though in the sequel [[spoiler:the remains still have some power, and put the plot into motion (one piece teaches Sam about Cybertron and reactivates Jetfire, and another resurrects Megatron).]]

* Done in ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' episode "The Golden Lagoon". The MacGuffin is a lake that makes any Transformer who bathes in it temporarily invincible. Megatron tries to seize it, but is beaten back by the Autobots, and declares "If we can't have it, ''NOBODY CAN!!''" and begins firing his cannon into the lagoon. By the time the Autobots and Decepticons finish battling over it, both the lake and the entire area in which the lake is located have been destroyed. Beachcomber, who had originally found the lake, looks at the devastation and [[PyrrhicVictory bitterly declares that they had won]].
* Attempted by MECH in the ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' episode "Convoy". Unable to secure the DNGS device they were attempting to steal, Silas uses a rocket launcher to destroy the train tracks it was being transported on. MECH was perfectly aware that the DNGS was volatile enough to cause a nuclear meltdown if the train crashed, [[MoralEventHorizon and were perfectly content to let it]]. Thankfully, Optimus intervenes in time to [[TrainStopping stop the train]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' episode "Old Friends, New Planets", Mariner steals the Ferengi-made Genesis Device that Locarno was using as a DoomsdayWeapon bargaining chip to prevent the other Alpha Quadrant powers from going after [[NGOSuperpower Nova Fleet]]. When Mariner is on the verge of being captured, she decides to activate the device.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' story ''[[Recap/TintinTheBrokenEar The Broken Ear]]'', it's revealed that what Alonzo and Ramon are after is not just the titular MacGuffin, an Arumbayan fetish, but a MineralMacGuffin stashed inside it. The villains finally get their hands on the real fetish on a ship heading back to Europe but are surprised by Tintin on the deck. The fetish drops from Alonzo's hands, breaks open and the diamond falls into the sea, followed after a brief struggle between the bodies of Tintin, Alonzo, and Ramon (of whom only the first emerges alive).

!!As this is a VictoryAndDefeat Trope, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].

!!As this is frequently an {{Ending Trope|s}}, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].