What Is The Deus Ex Machina, Really? When They Work vs When They Break The Story, Explained

Uncover the truth about deus ex machina in movies & tv. In this video, we deep dive into this narrative device to figure out why it sometimes works well but other times totally breaks a story...

Deus ex machina is a plot device that’s been confusing (and annoying) audiences for centuries. Picture any time your favorite characters are at their lowest and all seems lost… until something miraculous occurs to turn the tide, like an unexpected savior, a convenient ability, or even literal divine intervention. Deus ex machina can be a good thing, or it can feel unsatisfying and cheap, leaving viewers underwhelmed and disappointed. Today, we’re diving into all things deus ex machina: when and how it was used well, when it was ineffective, and some of the most famous (or, perhaps, infamous?) examples that use this double-edged device.

Films & shows mentioned/shown in this video:
Avengers: Endgame, Jurassic Park, Toy Story 3, War of the Worlds, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Superman: The Movie, Star Wars: Part VII - The Force Awakens, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Matrix Revolutions, Jurassic World, The Simpsons, Batman (1989), The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, all Harry Potter movies, Star Trek Into Darkness, Deadpool 2, George of the Jungle 2, The Wizard of Oz


CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:14 Spoiler warning!
01:19 Where deus ex machina actually comes from
02:06 People have complained about deus ex machina for a loooong time
03:18 The surprise savior out of nowhere
07:05 A tool or ability that changes everything
11:27 When the rules get broken to fix things
14:31 Deus ex machina aren't always a problem!
15:53 The 3 things needed for a well done deus ex machina

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The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was written by Paige Ringelberg, narrated by Charly Bivona, and edited by Travis Martin