History Main / SinglePhlebotinumLimit

* Pretty much everything in the {{Transformers}} {{Verse}} runs on Energon. The earliest Creator/MarvelComics stories avert this, having them use a liquid fuel that can be derived from oil, but the writers quickly adopted energon [[CanonImmigrant from the TV series]] and never looked back.

* ''Manga/GiantRobo:'' The Shizuma Drive, explained in that it's pretty much free unlimited cheap power and it's totally scalable, deconstructed in that it shows you shouldn't put all your eggs in one Phlebasket.

* ''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'' has nanomachines.
* As does ''VideoGame/MetalGear''.

* TruthInTelevision: back in the 1950s they thought everything in the future would be nuclear. Cars, planes, toasters, the ''water in your house''. [[VideoGame/{{Fallout}} All improved thanks to the power of your friend, the atom!]]

* Everything in the Franchise/StargateVerse runs on Naquadah or Naquadriah (which is really just a more potent variety of the former). The gates are made out of it, it enhances bombs, the starships run on it... If what you want to do can't be done with Naquadriah, then you don't have enough of it. ''Series/StargateUniverse'' kicks off the plot by using ''[[UpToEleven a planet which has its entire core]]'' made up of Naquadriah to reach the Destiny.

Related to, but not quite the same as MinovskyPhysics (In that it might not be heavily explained, and particles that follow MinovskyPhysics may be joined by other Phlebotinum) and GreenRocks (which vaguely defined enough to be used for everything, aren't necessarily always used as such). A PhlebotinumMuncher takes this to its logical conclusion by feeding on the phlebotinum.

* The eponymous ''VideoGame/{{Elebits}}''.

** Before that, at the turn of the century, science fiction writers tended to treat electricity as [[LightningCanDoAnything being essentially a magical force that could justify any sort of super-technology.]] And of course, these days just about everything smaller than a car ''does'' run on electricity, so they weren't far wrong.

* ''Literature/AnUnkindnessOfGhosts'': The knowledge has been lost, but the {{Generation Ship|s}} setting relies on ''siluminium'' to distort space and travel at relativistic speeds. The metal is liquid at room temperature and somehow lighter than water, and its anomalous properties are responsible for both a mysterious poisoning incident and several blackouts [[spoiler:when the ship is rerouted]].

* In ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', everything runs on Shinsoo.

Related to, but not quite the same as MinovskyPhysics (In that it might not be heavily explained, and particles that follow MinovskyPhysics may be joined by other Phlebotinum) and GreenRocks (which vaguely defined enough to be used for everything, aren't necessarily always used as such.) A PhlebotinumMuncher takes this to its logical conclusion by feeding on the phlebotinum.

* As does ''Franchise/MetalGear''.

* ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks:'' [[PowerCrystal Crystals.]] They even have ''flavoring'' crystals for making food, including one that ''turns things into cheese''.
* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': Protodermis in the Matoran Universe.

* Everything in the StargateVerse runs on Naquadah or Naquadriah (which is really just a more potent variety of the former). The gates are made out of it, it enhances bombs, the starships run on it... If what you want to do can't be done with Naquadriah, then you don't have enough of it. ''Series/StargateUniverse'' kicks off the plot by using ''[[UpToEleven a planet which has its entire core]]'' made up of Naquadriah to reach the Destiny.

* The eponymous ''{{Elebits}}''.

* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles'' series has magicite, which is used for everything from making fires to purifying water. Kinda justified though, as it does warp reality.

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* ''Franchise/MassEffect:'' Element Zero.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' is whale-punk: That is, whale oil (harvested from not-quite actual whales) is combustible enough to explode if you ''throw '' it, meaning it's used for everything from fuel to making slightly explosive bullets. No other energy source except electricity seems to exist, and even that seems to mostly come from whale oil tanks strapped into machinery like batteries (although in the [[VideoGame/Dishonored2 sequel]], wind-power seems to gradually phase out oil-based generators, at least in Karnaca).

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* ''TabletopGame/BladesInTheDark'': Every single fantastic element of the setting, from trains, industrial machinery, and alchemy to vampires, demons, and ghosts, is powered by electroplasm in one form or another.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dishonored}}'' is whale-punk: That is, whale oil (harvested from not-quite actual whales) is combustible enough to explode if you ''throw '' it, meaning it's used for everything from fuel to making slightly explosive bullets. No other energy source except electricity (itself likely a product of the oil) seems to exist.

* Everything in the StargateVerse runs on Naquadah or Naquadriah (which is really just a more potent variety of the former.) The gates are made out of it, bombs, the starships run on it, it's the core element in the Replicators... If what you want to do can't be done with Naquadriah, the you don't have enough of it. ''Series/StargateUniverse'' kicks off the plot by using ''[[UpToEleven a planet which has its entire core]]'' made up of Naquadriah to reach the Destiny.

* The Eastern Empire in MercedesLackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' books has become so dependent on magic for basic needs like heating that it nearly collapses when magic becomes unreliable.