History Main / WordsDoNotMakeTheMagic

* In ''FistOfTheNorthStar'', a mook tries the Hokuto Shinken on [[TheHero Kenshiro]], of all people, even daring to tell him [[CatchPhrase "You're already dead"]] and count down the seconds to Kenshiro's death. Of course, the mook was the one [[YourHeadASplode who was already dead]]. It can be sumrised that it was Kenshiro's doing that killed the mook but it wasn't likely the mook had any idea where to hit and how hard to kill a master of style.

* In ''FistOfTheNorthStar'', a mook tries the Hokuto Shinken on [[TheHero Kenshiro]], of all people, even daring to tell him [[CatchPhrase "You're already dead"]] and count down the seconds to Kenshiro's death. Of course, the mook was the one [[YourHeadASplode who was already dead]].

** With Gehn, it's also a literal case. Gehn tries to treat the Art as a science, and tries to use "formulae" of specific words, and delete "unnecessary" ones from the Ages that he links to in his writing (in order to save his ink). Unfortunately for Gehn, deleting "unnecessary" words tends to make his Ages dangerously unstable. His son Atrus understands the Art far better, and is able to not only produce stable Ages as a result, but can even use his writing to slow the decay of unstable Ages like Riven.

* Verbal spell components spoken by {{Muggles}} have no effect in ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension''.

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* Mentl in ''Webcomic/TheChallengesOfZona'', when he arrives in Erogenia, begins to learn about his own innate magical abilities, which are tied to his abilities as a musician. As a result, he is able to use [[ThePowerOfRock lyrics to his favorite rock-and-roll songs]] as powerful spells; he once incinerated an attacker by singing "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and a counterpart of his from the future incorporated the lyrics to [[Music/TheBeatles "Get Back"]] as a time-travel spell.
* Played with in ''[[{{Webcomic/Morphe}} morphE]]''. All of the spells in the series are standard and can be taught or read about in books. However casting is tied closely to how the mage views reality and magic. Tyler can only cast by comparing what he is doing to fictional precedent. Billy can only cast by exerting his will over reality. Curio "codes" his spells using a mentality of adjusting the attributes and statistics of the world around him. Despite this, they are all learning the same school of magic. Tyler and Amical even use the exact same spells, though Tyler does not need to physically touch people like Amical does.
* Parodied in [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3#comic this]] ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' comic.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'': Gehn believes that this is the case, thinking that only those with D'ni blood can use The Art. The people of Terahnee believe the same thing, that Ahrotahntee (book-worlders, people native to an age) cannot use the Art. They're wrong; it's proven time and again that what matters are the books, ink, and words used, not the nature of the person writing them. Indeed for Gehn, it's something he should have known, since his mother was a full-blooded Ahrotahntee (native to Earth in fact) and she was perfectly capable of the art. Then again, cognitive dissonance is pretty much Gehn's stock in trade.

** The reason Wizards use dead languages and nonsense words for their spells is that the incantation becomes linked with the spell in their mind, so if they use a word from a language they speak regularly, they could burn their house down whenever they say "fire."

* In HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality, Harry assumes this is the case:

* The Thu'um in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim''. It is possible for ordinary mortals to learn it, though it takes a lifetime of training and effort to master it. Anyone without that training would not be able to make the Shouts do anything. The Dragonborn can take shortcuts because he/she has the soul of a Dragon, and even the Dragonborn has to study the words of power and absorb the souls of other Dragons first.

* In ''Literature/{{Ra}}'', it's not enough to speak a spell. The mage must think through and understand it as well. #

* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode "[[Recap/SupernaturalS05E07TheCuriousCaseOfDeanWinchester The Curious Case Of Dean Winchester]]", the Winchesters run into an Irish warlock called Patrick who takes years from people's lives with a deck of enchanted magic cards, and uses it to [[LifeDrinker extend his own life indefinately]] [[spoiler:and that of his lover.]] When Dean loses 50 years in a gamble, he tries to reverse the process by breaking into Patrick's safe and stealing the cards. The warlock interrupts them and tells them not to bother.

* In TheDCU, Johnny Quick's sidekick Tubby Watts tried reciting Johnny's [[FormulaicMagic magical formula]] of [[EEqualsMCHAmmer ("3X2(9YZ)4A")]] [[note]]It is a nonsense formula, do not bother searching for it.[[/note]] in order to give himself SuperSpeed like Johnny's. It failed. A later {{Retcon}} established that the 'formula' was actually a personal mantra that would only work for Johnny (and eventually his daughter).

* Parodied in [[http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3#comic this]] SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal comic.

* ''Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks'', the [[ConArtist man]] who [[AchievementsInIgnorance invented the spells from what he thought was a nonsense book]] could not use them, but [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast Angela]] [[Film/NannyMcPhee Lans]][[Series/MurderSheWrote bury's]] character, Miss Eglantine Price, could because she actually believed in magic. It took a great deal of concentration before he could finally get one to work after being shown numerous times that magic existed.
** Later, Angela Landsbury gets a hold of the magic words on the [=MacGuffin=] that she had been searching for throughout the film...and they do not work. The man then explains that ''none'' of the magic words she had been using for her spells were the "real" words or preparations; he had found them, but spiced them up a bit before selling them on. He suggests she tries the same (read: they all sing a song)- and it works.

** Same thing in ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'' as the names of instruments of demon summoning are immaterial as long as the general sound and intent is there.

** Also, the actual chanting done by the Wizards in the {{Necromancy}} department is meaningless, any old chanting will do as long as it sounds the part.

* Present in ''TheDresdenFiles'', but the words are still an important ''part'' of the spell. The incantation is as much a part of the spell as pointing and drawing up power, so wizards will use nonsense--but consistent--words rather than real ones, to avoid the risk of accidentally misfiring.

** Harry at one point in ''Fool Moon'' uses a completely non-verbal spell, but isn't able to do much more than the minimum necessary to not die at the moment (something big and nasty had its hands around his neck), and he nearly died from the after-effects of the spell anyway.

* Shown from a mage's perspective in Creator/RogerZelazny's second part of ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfAmber'' and in ''Changing Land''. Words are not the whole spell--they are just the trigger part, and without a properly readied magic they are meaningless.

* ''Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks'', the [[ConArtist man]] who [[AchievementsInIgnorance invented the spells from what he thought was a nonsense book]] could not use them, but [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast Angela]] [[Film/NannyMcPhee Lans]][[MurderSheWrote bury's]] character, Miss Eglantine Price, could because she actually believed in magic. It took a great deal of concentration before he could finally get one to work after being shown numerous times that magic existed.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series, it's repeatedly noted that magic lies in the user's attitude and determination - chants, cauldrons and blood offerings are generally their because of the RuleOfCool.

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series

** Same thing in ''Wyrd Sisters'' as the names of instruments of demon summoning are immaterial as long as the general sound and intent is there.
** In ''Discworld/IShallWearMidnight''; a very powerful but untrained witch casts a spell that ''other witches'' think is nonsense, overlapping with AchievementsInIgnorance.

* ''AWizardInRhyme'' plays with this. Magic is treated as a neutral force that responds to any kind of symbol as a vehicle for the user's intent. Words aren't strictly necessary, but happen to be the most accessible, convenient, and reliable symbols to use, especially when arranged in verse. Thus, the use of verse is so prevalent that most spellcasters never bother with any other method.

* Verbal spell components spoken by {{Muggles}} have no effect in ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}''.

* In the "Irredeemable" StoryArc in ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', DoctorDoom defeats the Four using [[TheMagicVersusTechnologyWar magic]] (and a DealWithTheDevil). He even [[LockingMacGyverInTheStoreCupboard locks Richards in his own spellbook library]], [[EvilGloating secure in the knowledge that Mr. Fantastic cannot manage even the apprentice-level spell that would unlock the door]]. And he's right. Comicbook/DoctorStrange has to show Reed that magic requires admitting something about the self and one's relationship to higher powers, not just saying the right words.

* In the second ''RiversOfLondon'' book, Lindsey tries to copy one of Peter's spells, and he explains to her that you can't just say the words, you need intense practice and an innate ability. [[spoiler: Which she does.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'': Gehn tries to use the D'ni art of writing linking books without really understanding the full effects of the phrases that he uses to write them, resulting in links to unstable worlds. This causes the conflict in the novel ''Myst: The Book of Atrus'' as well as the game ''VideoGame/{{Riven}}'': in the latter, it is the threat looming over the player's rescue attempt of Catherine.

** In another episode, [[BaldOfAwesome Captain Black]] once read Uncle's books and in trying to perform a spell turned himself into a [[FrogsAndToads frog]].