'''Basic Trope''': The higher power(s) who created the universe are conspicuously absent, sometimes even in situations where [=His/Her/Their=] intervention would seem to be most urgently needed.
* '''Straight''': The Divine Ones are too lazy to help with anything, even when they're needed.
* '''Exaggerated''': The Divine Ones sleep through TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt
* '''Downplayed''': The Divine Ones step in if the threat is to the [[OmnicidalManiac universe as a whole]].
* '''Justified''':
** The Divine Ones live by self-imposed rules against meddling in the mortal realm any more than what is absolutely necessary.
** The Divine Ones don't want to babysit their creations.
** The Divine Ones personally involving themselves would result in MutuallyAssuredDestruction. So they act through proxies like in the UsefulNotes/ColdWar.
** The Divine Ones grew too powerful from millennia of worship. Any direct creation or destruction would include entire continents and any creation far enough away to send help would take millennia to actually show up.
** [[{{Gotterdammerung}} The Divine Ones are no more]]
* '''Inverted''': The Divine Ones are so effective at battling evil that the mortal heroes sit back and watch.
* '''Subverted''':
** They might seem lazy at first, but do something helpful later on.
** The gods do nothing to stop [[BigBad Emperor Evulz]]...for one episode. In Episode 2, [[TopGod Faye]] strikes him with a BoltOfDivineRetribution. Roll credits!
* '''Double Subverted''': This ''something'' is delivering a HolyHandGrenade. It's still up to the mortals to actually ''use'' it.
* '''Parodied''': The Divine Ones are sitting on couches and watch the PunyHumans fight from the sidelines, [[PassThePopcorn with popcorn]].
* '''Zig Zagged''': In one battle the Divine Ones help, but the next they don't, the following one they're more advisors then helpers but in the fourth they do everything.....
* '''Averted''':
** The gods get off their divine butts and do something helpful.
** The gods of the setting ''are'' helping out, only on cosmic levels of being, like revitalizing dying or ravaged dimensions, infusing them with new matter and energy, or fending off {{Eldritch Abomination}}s before they can threaten earth.
* '''Enforced''': JustForFun/HowToStopTheDeusExMachina
* '''Lampshaded''': "Why don't the gods ever help us when we need their help!?"
* '''Invoked''': ???
* '''Exploited''': The GenreSavvy BigBad launches his EvilPlan on the presumption that the Divine Ones will not interfere.
* '''Defied''': [[WrongGenreSavvy A villain that believes the Divine Ones will not stop him]] is struck by a BoltOfDivineRetribution.
* '''Discussed''': "Are you sure we won't get in trouble for us?" "Of course I am, the Divine Ones [[GodIsGood may be good]] but they're also lazy."
* '''Conversed''': "Here comes the handwave."
* '''Deconstructed''': The inactivity of the Divine Ones results in the worshipers gradually decreasing in number until, eventually, they are forgotten, and [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly they start starving]].
* '''Reconstructed''': The Divine Ones are inactive, but the {{Paladin}}s, {{White Mage}}s, {{Church Militant}}s, and [[EnlightenmentSuperpower enlightenment superheroes]], who are [[SuperEmpowering empowered by them]] are not.
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Implied''': ???
%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???