The events in a story ''ought'' to flow naturally as the consequences of prior events and the actions of the characters. However, sometimes the writer has an end result in mind, but no natural way of getting there. The writer has to kludge the story a bit to make it go where he wants to.

In other words: something exists or happens for no reason other than that the plot requires it to. See also IndExMachina, which is more about clumsy ways of resolving plots as a whole and tying up loose ends.

One of the most common TropesHiddenFromAudience, as the work tries to avoid pointing them out.
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[[index]]
!!Tropes:
[floatboxright:
Categories:
+ BallIndex
+ CharacterDerailment
+ ContrivedStupidityTropes
+ RuleOfDrama
* StatusQuoIsGod
+ SuspiciouslyConvenientIndex
]
* AsLethalAsItNeedsToBe (Effective Killing Power as the Plot Demands)
* BlamedForBeingRailroaded (The Plot demanded the player to do something heinous, and everyone hates their character for it)
* ConflictKiller (Ending of Conflict as the Plot Demands)
* ContextSensitiveButton (A video game control that does different things depending on the current situation)
* ContrivedCoincidence (The Plot demanded these things to happen)
* ConvenientPhotograph: (An event is captured via photograph to move the Plot)
* DramaPreservingHandicap (Implementing Power Limitations as the Plot Demands)
* EmergencyTaxi (Transportation as the Plot Demands)
* ForgotAboutHisPowers (Plot-Induced Stupidity)
* ForgotTheDisability (Moments to remind characters and the viewers that a character is disabled who would have otherwise forgotten)
* IdiotPlot (Plot Driven By Plot Mandated Stupidity)
* NarniaTime (Time Flows as the Plot Demands)
* NewJobAsThePlotDemands (When characters frequently change jobs to whatever is convenient for the Plot)
* NewNeighboursAsThePlotDemands (When you just need to copy/paste characters into Plot)
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands (When characters are ''finally'' able to do something as the Plot Demands)
* NewRulesAsThePlotDemands (When proper plotting isn't enough)
* PlotAllergy (A character has allergies as the Plot Demands)
* PlotInducedIllness (Sickness occurs as the Plot Demands)
* PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure (Plot makes people hate each other)
* PlotPoweredStamina (Energy as the Plot Demands)
* ThePlotReaper (Deaths occur as the Plot Demands)
* PlotSensitiveItems (When objects are powered by Plot)
* PlotSensitiveLatch (When locks open at the most inconvenient time)
* PlotSensitiveSnoopingSkills (When someone can Spy as the Plot Demands)
* {{Railroading}} (The Plot will proceed whether you want it to or not)
* ResolvedNoodleIncident (The Plot makes a FlashBack to an occurrence that, many episodes ago, was only brought up in conversation)
* ARottenTimeToRevert: A transformed character just happens to revert to their true form at a time that will cause the most trouble for the plot.
* ScienceAtTheSpeedOfPlot (Groundbreaking discoveries of the universe only occur cause Plot)
* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe (Effective Power as the Plot Demands)
* SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands (Spreading of Knowledge as the Plot Demands)
* TransformationAtTheSpeedOfPlot (When shape-shifting is powered by Plot)
* TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot (Plot as a Universal Speed Limit)
* UnscientificScience (Plot as the Only Universal Constant)
* WeaponRunningTime: A projectile's time to hit its target is long enough for things to happen.
* WithinArmsReach (A defensive weapon or ImprovisedWeapon is in arm's reach as the Plot Demands)
* YouCantThwartStageOne (Heroic Failure as the Plot Demands)
[[/index]]
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