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REV6Pilot
Since: Jan, 2011
12th Apr, 2011 05:33:36 PM
I think this is only an example of Deus ex Machina, but I'm not sure. Tried my hand at searching and got nothing, too.
Dec
Since: Aug, 2009
12th Apr, 2011 06:59:13 PM
It sounds like the Anthropic Principle at work.
Nemo enim fere saltat sobrius, nisi forte insanit Deviantart.
In which taking a shortcut exposes the protagonist to something amazing and thus includes them in the plot. For example: Alice took a shortcut on her way home, and it was on the "shortcut path" that she saw a random cute animal who makes her a magical girl, and the audience can't help but think "Wow, and if you HADN'T taken the shortcut, it never would have happened."