History Main / StolenMacGuffinReveal

--> -- ''TheSoundOfMusic''

* In ''TheFifthElement'', the case carrying the four stones needed to stop The Evil is fought over intensely. After villain Zorg finally gets it, it's amusingly revealed to be empty, much to Zorg's frustration. Their guardian, Plavalaguna, showed how seriously she takes guarding them by revealing she [[spoiler:hid them in her stomach.]]
* ''HudsonHawk''. While Eddie is assembling the three parts of the da Vinci device that turns lead into gold, he secretly keeps one of the parts. When the {{villains}} try to use the incorrectly combined device, it explodes and kills them.

* In ''{{Sneakers}}'', it's revealed that the good guys win because Martin surreptitiously stole a piece of the McGuffin device in the end.

There's a MacGuffin everyone is after and the BigBad has just managed to snatch it right out of the Hero's hands and is [[EvilLaugh laughing]] as they make their escape, with TheHero left in a bit of a HeroicBSOD. But wait! The ComicRelief, team thief, or even a [[HiddenDepths less obviously sneaky]] character suddenly brightens the mood by revealing that they've just done the same -- stole the MacGuffin right out from under the villain's nose as he made his escape, too. Being a cheeky larcenist, the thief may even taunt the retreating villain with it, though they usually replace the stolen MacGuffin with a flawless decoy, worthless rock, mocking note, or other means of taunting the villain. If the MacGuffin is in a case, the thief may do a SatchelSwitcheroo.

* ''TheHobbit'', in which the last few chapters revolve around Bilbo having stolen the one specific piece of treasure that the increasingly cantankerous and misanthropic Thorin ''really'' wanted to find amongst the vast hoard of the defeated dragon Smaug. Bilbo uses it to convince Thorin to make peace with the humans.

* TerryPratchett's ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'' ends on this note. A small army of dwarfs and trolls are scouring a cavern for a MacGuffin, but Nobbes, with the infamous Nobbes' Sidle already snagged it.

* Played with in ''ANightInTheLonesomeOctober'': one of the supporting characters attempts one of these to give his side an advantage in the final showdown, but he misjudges it with the result that his side comes close to losing before he explains what he did.

* In one episode of [[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 TMNT: Fast Forward]], the MacGuffin in question is a piece of revolutionary technology that looks strangely like a coffee maker. Smuggler Torben Zixx enlists the turtles to help him steal it by claiming he wants to use it to destroy an asteroid which threatens earth. When he later reveals he only wants to sell it to the highest bidder and the disatser is a hoax, Donny reveals that he switched the device for an actual coffee maker when Torben wasn't looking. The episode ends with Torben trying to talk down an annoyed crimelord with the words 'You know, it really does make an excellent cup of coffee...'

* In one episode of TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesFastForward, the MacGuffin in question is a piece of revolutionary technology that looks strangely like a coffee maker. Smuggler Torben Zixx enlists the turtles to help him steal it by claiming he wants to use it to destroy an asteroid which threatens earth. When he later reveals he only wants to sell it to the highest bidder and the disatser is a hoax, Donny reveals that he switched the device for an actual coffee maker when Torben wasn't looking. The episode ends with Torben trying to talk down an annoyed crimelord with the words 'You know, it really does make an excellent cup of coffee...'

There's a MacGuffin everyone is after and the BigBad has just managed to snatch it right out of the Hero's hands and is [[EvilLaugh laughing]] as they make their escape, with TheHero left in a bit of a HeroicBSOD. But wait! The ComicRelief, team thief, or even a [[HiddenDepths less obviously sneaky]] character suddenly brightens the mood by revealing that they've just done the same -- stole the MacGuffin right out from under the villain's nose as he made his escape, too. Being a cheeky larcenist, the thief may even taunt the retreating villain with it, though they usually replace the stolen MacGuffin with a flawless decoy, worthless rock, mocking note, or other means of taunting the villain. If the MacGuffin is in a case, the thief may do a SatchelSwitcheroo.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* RoaldDahl's short story ''TheHitchhiker'' has the title character swipe a policeman's notebook after the protagonist gets a speeding ticket.

* TerryPratchett's ''{{Discworld/Thud}}'' ends on this note. A small army of dwarfs and trolls are scouring a cavern for a MacGuffin, but Nobbes, with the infamous Nobbes' Sidle already snagged it.

* In ''TheFifthElement'', the case carrying the four stones needed to stop The Evil is fought over intensely. After villain Zorg finally gets it, it's amusingly revealed to be empty, much to Zorg's frustration. Their guardian, Plava Lagoona, showed how seriously she takes guarding them by revealing she [[spoiler:hid them in her stomach.]]

* At one point in ''[[{{ptitle2re9wjml}} Schindler's List]],'' factory workers steal the firing mechanism from a pistol belonging to ThoseWackyNazis.

* ''StarTrekIII'' After Kirk and Co steal the Enterprise the [[SmugSnake Smug Captain of the Excelsior]] brags about how this will be the shortest hijack in history because his ship will quickly overhaul the old relic. Scotty, meanwhile, has nicked some rather important bits of it's engine, leaving the Excelsior floating helplessly in space.

* ''{{Aladdin}}'': Variation--immediately after thinking he'd escaped from the Cave of Wonders, Jafar discovered he no longer had the lamp; cue BigNo. ''Then'' it's revealed, when Aladdin thinks Jafar got away with it, that Abu had stolen it back from him.

* In ''MuppetsFromSpace'', {{MIB}} K. Edgar Singer threatens the aliens with a {{BFG}}, which then cheerily announces "[[ItWorksBetterWithBullets Please load weapon]]" in a ComputerVoice.

* ''DeathNote'', sort of. At the end, [[spoiler: N steals the Deathnote and replaces it with a fake]] to prove that Light is Kira.

There's a MacGuffin everyone is after and the BigBad has just managed to snatch it right out of the Hero's hands and is [[EvilLaugh laughing]] as they make their escape. Just as the the hero is about to cross the MoraleEventHorizon, the ComicRelief, team thief, or even a [[HiddenDepths less obviously sneaky]] character brightens the mood by revealing the MacGuffin they stole from under the villains nose. Being a cheeky larcenist, the thief may even taunt the retreating villain with it, though they usually replace the stolen MacGuffin with a flawless decoy, worthless rock, mocking note, or other means of taunting the villain. If the MacGuffin is in a case, the thief may do a SatchelSwitcheroo.

* ''TheHobbit'', in which the last few chapters revolve around Bilbo having stolen the one specific piece of treasure that the increasingly cantankerous and misanthropic Thorin ''really'' wanted to find amongst the vast horde of the defeated dragon Smaug. Bilbo uses it to convince Thorin to make peace with the humans.

* In ''TheSoundOfMusic'', the Von Trap family manages to escape pursuing Nazi's because the nun's at the convent they were hiding in "sinned" by removing engine components from their cars.

* In ''TheFifthElement'', the case carrying the four stones needed to stop The Evil is fought over intensely. After villain Zorg finally gets it it's amusingly revealed to be empty, much to Zorg's frustration. Their guardian, Plava Lagoona, showed how seriously she takes guarding them by revealing she [[spoiler:hid them in her stomach.]]

->'''Sister Margaretta:''' Reverend Mother, I have sinned.
->'''Sister Berthe:''' I, too, Reverend Mother.
->'''Reverend Mother''': What is this sin, my children?
->''[The nuns look at each other, then reveal from under their robes the distributor and coil they have removed from the Nazi's cars, stopping them from catching the Von Trapp family.]''
--> -- ''TheSoundOfMusic''

May or may not result in an EverybodyLaughsEnding.
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!!Examples:

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

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''TheFifthElement'', the case carrying the four stones needed to stop The Evil is fought over intensely. After villain Zorg finally gets it it's amusingly revealed to be empty, much to Zorg's frustration. Their guardian, Plava Lagoona, showed how seriously she takes guarding them by revealing she [[spoiler:hid them in her stomach.]]
* ''HudsonHawk''. While Eddie is assembling the three parts of the da Vinci device that turns lead into gold, he secretly keeps one of the parts. When the {{villains}} try to use the incorrectly combined device, it explodes and kills them.
-->'''Eddie:''' What would happen if I didn't put that crystal together exactly right? Let's say I left out this piece of mirror here. Would that be bad?
-->'''Anna:''' Real bad.
-->'''Eddie:''' Good.
* In ''MuppetsFromSpace'', {{MIB}} K. Edgar Singer threatens the aliens with a {{BFG}}, which then cheerily announces "[[ItWorksBetterWithBullets Please load weapon]]" in a ComputerVoice.
-->'''Kermit''': That was a close one.
-->'''Bobo the Bear''': Not as close as you think, my friend. ''(holds up futuristic gun clip)'' "Please load weapon"...
* In ''{{Sneakers}}'', it's revealed that the good guys win because Martin surreptitiously stole a piece of the McGuffin device in the end.
* In ''TheSoundOfMusic'', the Von Trap family manages to escape pursuing Nazi's because the nun's at the convent they were hiding in "sinned" by removing engine components from their cars.
* At one point in ''[[{{ptitle2re9wjml}} Schindler's List]],'' factory workers steal the firing mechanism from a pistol belonging to ThoseWackyNazis.
* ''StarTrekIII'' After Kirk and Co steal the Enterprise the [[SmugSnake Smug Captain of the Excelsior]] brags about how this will be the shortest hijack in history because his ship will quickly overhaul the old relic. Scotty, meanwhile, has nicked some rather important bits of it's engine, leaving the Excelsior floating haplessly in space.
-->'''Scotty''':''Here, Doctor, souvenirs from one surgeon to another. I took them out of her main transwarp computer drive.''
-->'''[=McCoy=]''':''Nice of you to tell me in advance.''

* RoaldDahl's short story ''TheHitchhiker'' has the title character swipe a policeman's notebook after the protagonist gets a speeding ticket.
* Played with in ''ANightInTheLonesomeOctober'': one of the supporting characters attempts one of these to give his side an advantage in the final showdown, but he misjudges it with the result that his side comes close to losing before he explains what he did.
* TerryPratchett's ''{{Discworld/Thud}}'' ends on this note. A small army of dwarfs and trolls are scouring a cavern for a MacGuffin, but Nobbes, with the infamous Nobbes' Sidle already snagged it.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''TheSimpsons'': Bart steals the keys to the Fighting Hellfish treasure from Mr. Burns while hugging him, asking to be brought along.

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* There's an early ''ElfQuest'' story where Cutter and Skywise get captured by Picknose the troll and his family because Picknose believes the pommel of Cutter's sword is the key to a treasure chamber. After escaping, Cutter is upset that the sword he got from his father is now ruined - until Skywise reveals that he stole back the pommel and hid it in his mouth (explaining why he seemed do tight-lipped during their escape).

* ''DeathNote'', sort of. At the end, [[spoiler: N steals the Deathnote and replaces it with a fake]] to prove that Light is Kira.