Discussion of story elements: Deus ex Machina

[nintega137]

This thread isn't meant to ask what a deus ex machina is, rather I want to know, are they always as bad as people say? I mean yes I understand why they would annoy many people and how in many cases it comes across as an obvious cop out, but is it always a bad thing? Are there cases where it could be considered useful to the story?

[Salamander]

Is it always bad when an unforeshadowed plot element appears at the end of a work of fiction to easily resolve all problems without main character input?

 

Pretty much.  I can see that there might be times when it's meaningful to do so, though, like if it supports the themes of the work in question or something, but that'd be extremely unusual, and there'd probably be an argument about whether or not it's actually unforeshadowed.  I can't think of any endings I've ever seen that are genuine deus ex machinas, though a few come close.

[Emmett L. Brown]

I can only think of one show that does Deus Ex Machina regularly and does it well, and that's Doctor Who. And the reason it works so well is because the title character himself is explicitly presented as someone who always knows just a little bit more about what's going on and what's possible, and because the most enjoyable aspects of the show itself is watching the Doctor go into Let's Fix This Mess mode with all the excitement and energy of a child discovering a brand new toy. In fact, one of the main points of having a companion along is just to ask "What are you doing?" so the Doctor can explain what he's pulled out of his ass with all the flair of a show magician and how it's going to save the world from imminent doom.

 

Even the kind of Deus Ex Machina that isn't the Doctor's doing works well within the confines of the show, as we're constantly shown in each and every episode that there's always something more going on than we know about, and there's always a brand new mystical alien species about that the Doctor has known about all along but simply hasn't had an opportunity to mention until now.

[Burnt Ash]

Deus Ex Machinas aren't inherently bad, I think, but it's not a good idea rely on these too much to drive the plot. The reason I don't think it's inherently a bad idea is because it can be used effectively and it can be useful if trying to include stuff to elaborate on some commentary. There is this one use of deus ex machina near the end of Huck Finn, when the Phelps farm just so happens to belong to Tom Sawyer's relatives and Tom Sawyer just so happens to come over for a visit the exact day Huck arrives, and I think this becomes useful for demonstrating Huck's growth which is one of the big developments in the book.

I guess if it has to be used, it should be used for a larger purpose beyond plot.

[Solkia]

Deus ex Machinas are inherently bad plot devices. 

 

However it's an inherently bad plot device that can work if they get lucky.

 

Just look at Batman, the guy is a walking deus ex machina so much so that he gets made fun of constantly, and yet people love him. Why? Because it's Batman, he doesn't need logic, just an Ice Density Scanner.

[Chaos Warp]

I agree with Solkia. Sometimes they can work. I suppose Gurren Lagann is a great example: The show has asspulls, but it's okay because the entire show is about not making sense and "kicking logic to the curb" in order to be badass and hot-blooded so really that kind of thing is part of the nature of the show, and people (including me) love it anyway soooooooooo...

 

It sometimes working is an exception to the rule, generally they're bad storytelling. 

[Emmett L. Brown]

Just look at Batman, the guy is a walking deus ex machina so much so that he gets made fun of constantly, and yet people love him. Why? Because it's Batman, he doesn't need logic, just an Ice Density Scanner.

To be fair, Batman is almost consistently defeated whenever he encounters a completely new villain. There's a reason for the "prep time" caveat. But hey! Everybody loves a good comeback, Rocky-style!

[Solkia]

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the stuff he has built into his arsenal for arbitrarily situational uses, thus ice density scanner. (I know there's more, but Arkham City is the first thing that comes to mind)

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

To be fair, Batman is almost consistently defeated whenever he encounters a completely new villain. There's a reason for the "prep time" caveat. But hey! Everybody loves a good comeback, Rocky-style!

Not to mention that his familiar foes also frequently get the drop on him and that he survives through the sheer luck that they never to unmask or waste him when he's unconscious and down for the count.

[Diogenes]

I think the only way a Deus ex Machina can "help" a story is if you're making some kind of comment on either the concept of Deus ex Machinas, or on the specific Deus of the story. If it's just used straight, it's bound to come off as a cheat. If some outside force comes in and solves everything, it trivializes the actions of the characters, and that's (usually) not something you want to happen.

[Emmett L. Brown]

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the stuff he has built into his arsenal for arbitrarily situational uses, thus ice density scanner. (I know there's more, but Arkham City is the first thing that comes to mind)

Well, it's winter, and his main stealth schtick is going where people aren't supposed to be walking around. It's not that much of a stretch that he would find it useful to be able to gauge the density of a support.

 

He also demonstrated during the Mr Freeze fight that when he doesn't have the software he needs he can download it on the fly from the Batcave computer thanks to Oracle. With the sum total library of apps available to anybody with a phone and a stable internet connection these days it's borderline realistic.