Line #27 PlayingWith/MacGuffin


1	'''Basic Trope''': An item that the story's players want to attain that doesn't actually do anything within the story, and could be replaced with a different item without altering the plot.
2	* '''Straight''': AliceAndBob are searching for The Magic Crystal Of Shadowland, and so is [[BigBad Emperor Evulz]]. It's never actually explained what the crystal does. In other words, the plot would be the same if the crystal were replaced with some other irrelevant PlotDevice, such as a spellbook or a grilled cheese sandwich.
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Alice and Bob are searching for an artifact that they don't even know the appearance or purpose of, just because someone told them it was important.
5	** There are several {{MacGuffin}}s which come up one by one.
6	** ''Every character in the work'' wants the crystal, including very minor and/or [[TheGhost unseen]] characters.
7	* '''Downplayed''': The Magic Crystal of Shadowland is shown to have healing power, but so do the Crystal of [[FluffyCloudHeaven Light]] and the Crystal of Nature.
8	* '''Justified''': The object in question is legendary for its power (or other reasons), explaining why everyone wants to get it no matter what it is.
9	* '''Inverted''':
10	** The Magic Crystal of Shadowland [[ClingyMacGuffin is irremovably attached to Bob]], much to his and Alice's annoyance.
11	** ''Every attribute'' of the PlotDevice is relevant to the plot. In other words, the plot would be completely different if even a minor detail about the item were rewritten.
12	* '''Subverted''':
13	** MockGuffin
14	** The crystal was never really a part of anything, but is merely an InUniverse excuse which those involved in the chase [[PretextForWar used to settle personal grudges with each other]].
15	** [[ChekhovsGun The crystal do get explained later, which contains ancient powers need to save the universe]]
16	** The Magic Crystal was a trap all along; it's an ArtifactOfDeath with little practical value, if not simply a kill-on-touch object (or a bomb in a more mundane setting), and one of the sides is merely pretending to want it so the other gets itself killed with it.
17	* '''Double Subverted''':
18	** This one was just [[FakinMacGuffin a fake]], and the real MacGuffin is still out there.
19	** A real MacGuffin is added to the plot later on.
20	* '''Parodied''': The driving force behind the plot is a [[LivingMacGuffin Scottish man]] actually named "MacGuffin".
21	* '''Zig Zagged''': The story concerns a "[[CaperCrew retrieval team]]" hunting after valuable artifacts. Sometimes the artifacts have useful properties that the team itself needs, and sometimes they're hunting after items of seemingly little value that their employers nontheless want.
22	* '''Averted''':
23	** The PlotDevice used in the story is actually relevant to what the heroes need.
24	** There is no PlotDevice.
25	* '''Enforced''':
26	** "Our plot seems too simple. Let's throw in an irrelevant PlotDevice. You know, a MacGuffin."
27	** Most ObjectShows feature {{MacGuffin}}s, since there needs to be a prize the characters all want to win.
28	* '''Lampshaded''':
29	** "Magic Crystal of Shadowland, hmmm? What does it actually do?" "Erm... I don't know."
30	** "This is the Magic Crystal of Shadowland, a highly sought-after item, as well as a pointless RunningGag on this show."
31	* '''Invoked''': Charles tells Alice and Bob that the Magic Crystal of Shadowland is useful.
32	* '''Exploited''':
33	** Alice and Bob use their search for the Magic Crystal of Shadowland as an excuse to avoid a dinner with Charles and Diane.
34	** MacGuffinDeliveryService
35	* '''Defied''': Diane tells Alice and Bob, "The Magic Crystal of Shadowland is useless against Emperor Evulz; Charles must have lied to you."
36	* '''Discussed''': "Why do we actually chase after this thing? Is it really that important to us, or to anyone?" "I'm sure it must have ''some'' use in the end, if all the boffins say it has one."
37	* '''Conversed''': "It doesn't make any sense for Alice and Bob from that show to chase that magical crystal or whatever. They don't even know what it does!"
38	* '''Played For Laughs''': Alice, Bob, and the others know that the MacGuffin is a smooth stone somewhere in the river. However, they cannot agree on which stone it is, leading to a hilarious argument. If it's just AliceAndBob, a DuckSeasonRabbitSeason routine is likely.
39	* '''Played For Drama''': Alice and Bob kill Charles and David over the MacGuffin.
40	* '''Untwisted''': At first, Alice and Bob think that the Magic Crystal of Shadowland will help them defeat Emperor Evulz. Even after they find out that the crystal is useless to them, they still want it for some unknown reason.
41	----
42	Back to MacGuffin
43	----
44	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
45	%%
46	%%* '''Implied''': ???
47	%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???
48	%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???

Context PlayingWith / MacGuffin