Tropescilloscope: Deus ex Machina
A miracle that saves the heroes at the last minute. (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Politically Incorrect Villain
Anti-Hero
Tap on the Head
Same Language Dub
Cain and Abel
Drives Like Crazy
Amusing Injuries
Fanservice Extra
Slashed Throat
Victoria's Secret Compartment
Nice Guy
The Dragon
Broken Pedestal
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Gold Digger
The Bad Guy Wins
Only a Flesh Wound
Training Montage
Artistic License Physics
Rewatch Bonus
Truth in Television
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Brutal Honesty
Dark Action Girl
Immune to Bullets
Papa Wolf
Anachronism Stew
Science Fiction Films
No Antagonist
Blood Knight
Sequel Escalation
Pet the Dog
Darker and Edgier
Animal Motifs
Insult Backfire
Broken Bird
Ambiguous Disorder
The Chick
Central Theme
Sole Survivor
Parental Abandonment
Visual Pun
Those Two Bad Guys
Madness Mantra
Death Glare
Off with His Head!
Soundtrack Dissonance
Good Is Not Nice
Domestic Abuse
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Be Careful What You Wish For
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Setting Update
Never Trust a Trailer
Credits Gag
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Bad Boss
Curse Cut Short
Interrupted Suicide
Super Strength
Historical In-Joke
Comically Missing the Point
Expy
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Self-Deprecation
Hong Kong Films
Here We Go Again!
Skewed Priorities
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Card-Carrying Villain
Curb-Stomp Battle
The Film of the Book
Reality Has No Subtitles
Missing Mom
Spared by the Adaptation
Dumb Blonde
A Minor Kidroduction
Creative Closing Credits
Major Injury Underreaction
Affably Evil
Kids Are Cruel
Fatal Family Photo
Batman Gambit
Male Frontal Nudity
Disappeared Dad
Disney Villain Death
Wicked Cultured
Retcon
Narrator
Cloudcuckoolander
Retired Badass
Badass Bookworm
Jerk Jock
Manchild
Heroic Sacrifice
Epic Fail
Every Car Is a Pinto
Arc Words
Defiant to the End
The Un-Reveal
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
For Want of a Nail
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
World of Ham
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Kill It with Fire
Framing Device
Fainting
Action Genre
The Cameo
Light Is Not Good
Gender Flip
The Remake
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
You Killed My Father
Gainax Ending
Reckless Gun Usage
Scenery Gorn
She Cleans Up Nicely
All Men Are Perverts
Neck Lift
Empathic Environment
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Creepy Child
Those Two Guys
The End... Or Is It?
Fat Bastard
Gratuitous English
Vomit Discretion Shot
Bloody Hilarious
Contrived Coincidence
Bald of Evil
The Bully
The Starscream
Reality Is Unrealistic
Lock and Load Montage
Pragmatic Adaptation
Taking You with Me
Expository Hairstyle Change
Real Life
Villainous Breakdown
Awesome, but Impractical
Friend to All Children
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Accidental Misnaming
Beard of Evil
Recycled IN SPACE!
Sexy Discretion Shot
It Will Never Catch On
Gory Discretion Shot
Calling the Old Man Out
Kick the Dog
Stuff Blowing Up
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Annoying Younger Sibling
Everyone Has Standards
Canon Foreigner
Amoral Attorney
Chiaroscuro
Brainless Beauty
Sports Stories
Never My Fault
Camera Abuse
Older Than They Look
FaceHeel Turn
Facial Horror
Our Zombies Are Different
The Smurfette Principle
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
Canadian Movies
Obviously Evil
Face Death with Dignity
Documentary
Combat Pragmatist
Japanese Films
Due to the Dead
Blatant Lies
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
From Nobody to Nightmare
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Easily Forgiven
Whole Plot Reference
Bilingual Bonus
This Is Gonna Suck
Funny Background Event
Killed Mid-Sentence
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
All There in the Manual
Irony
Gone Horribly Right
Karma Houdini
Playing Gertrude
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Together in Death
Plot Hole
The Vamp
Even Evil Has Standards
Kubrick Stare
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Enemy Mine
Composite Character
Alas, Poor Villain
Aside Glance
Romantic Comedy
Failed a Spot Check
Alpha Bitch
Real Life Writes the Plot
An Aesop
Hero Antagonist
Ambiguous Ending
Badass Normal
Your Cheating Heart
Developing Doomed Characters
Badass Boast
The Lancer
The Alleged Car
Mind Screw
Mood Whiplash
Chekhov's Gun
You Have Failed Me
Manly Tears
Military and Warfare Films
Let's Get Dangerous!
Suddenly SHOUTING!
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Captain Obvious
Hope Spot
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
Nothing Is Scarier
Rule of Funny
Gorn
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
MayDecember Romance
Bare Your Midriff
The Mafia
Early-Bird Cameo
Serious Business
Faux Affably Evil
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Bound and Gagged
Refuge in Audacity
Closed Circle
Bait-and-Switch
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Rule of Cool
Man on Fire
Mr. Exposition
Undying Loyalty
Genre Savvy
A God Am I
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Wham Shot
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
Black Comedy
The '80s
Parental Neglect
Italian Films
Spiritual Successor
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Love at First Sight
Bring My Brown Pants
Genre Shift
Hypocritical Humor
Wrong Genre Savvy
The Place
Implacable Man
Poor Communication Kills
Accidental Murder
Stealth Hi/Bye
Music Stories
Dramatic Irony
Paper-Thin Disguise
I Did What I Had to Do
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
Christmas Movies Index
The Casanova
Smug Snake
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Not Quite Dead
Bad "Bad Acting"
Insistent Terminology
Laser-Guided Karma
Not Using the "Z" Word
Fan Disservice
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Death by Irony
Only One Name
Thriller
Big Eater
Protagonist Title
Wham Line
Dressing as the Enemy
Dirty Cop
Gilligan Cut
Film Noir Index
Punny Name
Rasputinian Death
The Voiceless
Adaptational Villainy
Film Series
Artistic License Military
Does Not Like Shoes
Shut Up, Hannibal!
Deus ex Machina
Adaptation Name Change
The Sociopath
Yandere
HeelFace Turn
Properly Paranoid
Ominous Latin Chanting
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
Black Comedy Rape
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Artistic License Gun Safety
Parental Incest
Cat Scare
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Big Damn Heroes
Deconstruction
Not So Stoic
Decoy Protagonist
Covers Always Lie
Well-Intentioned Extremist
After the End
Mighty Whitey
Genre Throwback
Evil Sounds Deep
Did Not Get the Girl
Mistaken for Gay
The Big Guy
Cluster F-Bomb
Unresolved Sexual Tension
War Is Hell
Bland-Name Product
It's All About Me
In Medias Res
Vitriolic Best Buds
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Fantastic Racism
Sacrificial Lion
Dramedy
Foreshadowing
She's Got Legs
Take a Third Option
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Stylistic Suck
Abusive Parents
Love Triangle
Tranquil Fury
Bolivian Army Ending
Obfuscating Stupidity
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Demonic Possession
Adaptational Heroism
Cat Fight
Armor-Piercing Question
The Quiet One
Green-Eyed Monster
Death by Adaptation
Creator Cameo
Dissonant Serenity
Made of Explodium
Blood from the Mouth
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Depraved Bisexual
Meaningful Background Event
Stock Footage
Knife Nut
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
Bar Brawl
Downer Ending
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Chekhov's Gunman
Rated M for Manly
Actually Pretty Funny
Abhorrent Admirer
Antagonist Title
Rule of Three
Jump Scare
How We Got Here
Animal Title Index
Ax-Crazy
Never Found the Body
The Hero Dies
Car Fu
Riddle for the Ages
The Smart Guy
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Guns Akimbo
Historical Villain Upgrade
Show Within a Show
Camp Gay
Chase Scene
La Résistance
Badass Longcoat
Disguised in Drag
Shown Their Work
Auto Erotica
Becoming the Mask
Bi the Way
Ship Tease
Final Girl
Henpecked Husband
Really Gets Around
Break the Cutie
Evil Is Petty
Last-Name Basis
Crapsack World
Villain with Good Publicity
Psycho for Hire
Big Applesauce
Adaptational Badass
Hero of Another Story
Karmic Death
The '60s
Children Are Innocent
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Age Lift
Adaptation Distillation
The Ditz
Evil Laugh
N-Word Privileges
Pimped-Out Dress
The Faceless
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Mythology Gag
What You Are in the Dark
Public Domain Feature Films
Chewing the Scenery
Serial Killer
Break the Haughty
Cool Old Lady
Make It Look Like an Accident
Frame-Up
Shout-Out
The Oner
I Have Your Wife
Drugs Are Bad
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Humiliation Conga
Unreliable Narrator
timeperiod
Red Herring
Meet Cute
Mama Bear
As the Good Book Says...
Eureka Moment
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Death by Sex
Hoist by His Own Petard
Your Head A-Splode
Mercy Kill
Russian Films
Big-Bad Ensemble
The Lost Lenore
Rule of Symbolism
Oh, Crap!
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Those Wacky Nazis
Fish out of Water
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Only Known by Their Nickname
Ironic Echo
Evil Counterpart
Corpsing
Race Against the Clock
Mystery and Detective Films
Big Bad
Fingore
Spiteful Spit
Would Hurt a Child
Brick Joke
Extremely Short Timespan
Cold-Blooded Torture
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Jerkass Has a Point
Animated Credits Opening
Toplessness from the Back
My God, What Have I Done?
Mundane Made Awesome
Non-Indicative Name
Artistic License Biology
20 Minutes into the Future
Artistic License History
Artistic License Geography
Authority Equals Asskicking
Dying Moment of Awesome
Heroic BSoD
One-Man Army
Anachronic Order
Flashback
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
Police Brutality
Betty and Veronica
Scenery Porn
Cool Shades
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Demoted to Extra
No Ending
Disproportionate Retribution
Stepford Smiler
Affectionate Parody
What Happened to the Mouse?
My Beloved Smother
Monumental Damage
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
Reality Ensues
Babies Ever After
Morality Pet
Not What It Looks Like
Martial Arts Movie
In Name Only
Redemption Equals Death
German Films
Only Sane Man
The Stoic
Scary Black Man
Establishing Character Moment
Sir Swears-a-Lot
The '90s
Twist Ending
MacGuffin
Rousing Speech
Call-Forward
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Dwindling Party
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Epic Movie
Adult Fear
Back from the Dead
One Steve Limit
Imagine Spot
Casting Gag
Early Installment Weirdness
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Eldritch Abomination
Cruel and Unusual Death
Plucky Comic Relief
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Cool Old Guy
More Dakka
Romantic False Lead
Red Oni, Blue Oni
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
Bloodless Carnage
Five-Man Band
Wretched Hive
Police are Useless
All Just a Dream
Fire-Forged Friends
The Power of Love
From Bad to Worse
Based on a True Story
Red Right Hand
The Reveal
Slasher Movie
Silence Is Golden
Cool Guns
Married to the Job
Driven to Suicide
Reasonable Authority Figure
Anguished Declaration of Love
Crucified Hero Shot
Word of God
Ass Shove
Badass in a Nice Suit
Eyepatch of Power
Works Set in World War II
Deliberately Monochrome
Berserk Button
A Date with Rosie Palms
Line-of-Sight Name
Manipulative Bastard
Shower Scene
Intrepid Reporter
Neck Snap
The Hero
Translation Convention
No OSHA Compliance
Small Name, Big Ego
Important Haircut
Butt-Monkey
Hair-Trigger Temper
Funny Foreigner
Fiery Redhead
Mad Scientist
Parental Substitute
Defrosting Ice Queen
The Ghost
Beware the Nice Ones
Evil-Detecting Dog
Market-Based Title
Attempted Rape
Noodle Incident
Action Girl
'80s Hair
Eiffel Tower Effect
Black and Gray Morality
Psychological Thriller
Dirty Coward
Novelization
Mooks
Dark Reprise
Woman Scorned
Dutch Angle
Overly Long Gag
Almost Kiss
Costume Porn
Dull Surprise
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Mexican Standoff
Horror Comedy
The '70s
A Father to His Men
Dual Wielding
Historical Hero Upgrade
Pretty in Mink
Bond Villain Stupidity
Famous Last Words
Up to Eleven
Take That!
Redshirt Army
Male Gaze
Honor Before Reason
Video Credits
Say My Name
It Can Think
Lighter and Softer
Country Matters
Sequel Hook
Hell Is That Noise
Dirty Old Man
Left the Background Music On
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Leitmotif
An Axe to Grind
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Meaningful Echo
I'm a Humanitarian
Maybe Ever After
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
Author Avatar
Match Cut
The Stoner
Get Out!
Rich Bitch
Hollywood Law
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Large Ham
Sanity Slippage
Naïve Newcomer
Random Events Plot
Author Appeal
Instant Death Bullet
Celebrity Paradox
Worthy Opponent
And Starring
Shipper on Deck
Kill 'em All
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Cassandra Truth
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
"Awesome McCool" Name
Flipping the Bird
Exact Words
Pyrrhic Victory
Our Vampires Are Different
Jerkass
Character Development
Faking the Dead
Heel Realization
Too Dumb to Live
Red Eyes, Take Warning
Broken Aesop
Insane Troll Logic
Heroes Want Redheads
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
Evil vs. Evil
Conspicuous CG
Bond One-Liner
Dies Wide Open
Handicapped Badass
Vacation Films
Call-Back
BFG
The Mole
Intergenerational Friendship
French Films
Fanservice
Fake Shemp
Grey and Gray Morality
Diabolus ex Machina
Fourth Date Marriage
Naked People Are Funny
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
The Stinger
Put on a Bus
Despair Event Horizon
Sassy Black Woman
Straight Gay
Malevolent Masked Men
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
Time Skip
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Woman in White
Laughing Mad
Stealth Pun
Sci-Fi Horror
Crazy-Prepared
No Name Given
Dramatic Gun Cock
Posthumous Character
Evil Brit
Big "NO!"
An Arm and a Leg
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Distracted by the Sexy
Big Bad Duumvirate
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Big Brother Instinct
Didn't Think This Through
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
Disney Death
Evil Is Hammy
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
The Cavalry
One-Word Title
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Arch-Enemy
Action Survivor
Adults Are Useless
Slasher Smile
Anyone Can Die
Mugging the Monster
No-Sell
Informed Ability
The Brute
Not So Above It All
Destination Defenestration
Anti-Villain
Hidden Depths
Coming-of-Age Story
Bowdlerise
It's Personal
Apocalypse How
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Deal with the Devil
Big Fancy House
Fate Worse than Death
All for Nothing
Re-Cut
Only in It for the Money
Rape as Drama
Bittersweet Ending
Badass Grandpa
Ripped from the Headlines
Logo Joke
Room Full of Crazy
Not So Different
And the Adventure Continues
Daylight Horror
Psychopathic Manchild
Sadistic Choice
Red Shirt
Scare Chord
Australian Movies
Totally Radical
Double-Meaning Title
Ambiguously Gay
And I Must Scream
Greater-Scope Villain
Took a Level in Jerkass
Pretty Little Headshots
Loads and Loads of Characters
Product Placement
Adaptation Dye-Job
He Who Fights Monsters
The Alcoholic
Air-Vent Passageway
Vampire Fiction
Moment Killer
Beta Couple
Artistic License Law
Improvised Weapon
Cowboy Cop
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
Spanner in the Works
Earn Your Happy Ending
Made of Iron
Agony of the Feet
Bavarian Fire Drill
Meaningful Name
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
In the Back
Fun with Acronyms
Breaking the Fourth Wall
The Load
Stalker with a Crush
Drowning My Sorrows
Foregone Conclusion
BrotherSister Incest
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Bloodier and Gorier
Catapult Nightmare
Sealed Evil in a Can
Homage
Freudian Excuse
Storming the Castle
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Silent Movie
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Cool Car
Index of Film Westerns
Adapted Out
Book-Ends
Took a Level in Badass
Villain Song
Have a Gay Old Time
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Title Drop
The Dog Bites Back
Smoking Is Cool
Film Noir
As Himself
Villain Ball
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Sinister Minister
He Knows Too Much
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Ascended Extra
Femme Fatale
What the Hell, Hero?
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Taking the Bullet
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Adaptational Attractiveness
Tempting Fate
Knight Templar
Fatal Flaw
Chekhov's Skill
Spell My Name with an "S"
Action Prologue
Idiot Ball
Double Entendre
Dark Is Not Evil
Advertised Extra
Outrun the Fireball
Retirony
Arranged Marriage
Loophole Abuse
Crazy Jealous Guy
Dogged Nice Guy
Fantasy Films
The X of Y
Horror Films
Darkest Hour
Foil
Humans Are Bastards
I Need a Freaking Drink
Hate Sink
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
Catch-Phrase
Dropped a Bridge on Him
Alliterative Name
Improbable Aiming Skills
Unusual Euphemism
Villain Opening Scene
Trailers Always Spoil
Actor Allusion
Superhero
True Companions
Improbable Weapon User
Eye Scream
Once More, with Clarity!
Blackmail
Biopic
Bottomless Magazines
Overprotective Dad
Half the Man He Used to Be
Determinator
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
The Chessmaster
Tagline
The '50s
Nice Hat
Better to Die than Be Killed
Captain Ersatz
Guile Hero
Asshole Victim
Boom, Headshot!
The Musical
Soft Glass
Black Dude Dies First
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Hollywood Darkness
Offscreen Teleportation
Star-Crossed Lovers
Death Seeker
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Award-Bait Song
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
NO INDOOR VOICE
Leave the Camera Running
Death of a Child
The Dreaded
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Revenge
Zombie Stories
Body Horror
Television Movie Index
Jitter Cam
Shirtless Scene
The Atoner
Extreme Doormat
Adorkable
Daddy's Girl
Ms. Fanservice
Would Hit a Girl
Mr. Fanservice
Ghost Fiction
Punch-Clock Villain
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Groin Attack
Deadpan Snarker
Continuity Nod
Bury Your Gays
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Bullying a Dragon
Damsel in Distress
Happily Married
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
Adaptation Expansion
Motor Mouth
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
All There in the Script
Grievous Bottley Harm
B-Movie
Precision F-Strike
The Ace
As You Know
Evil Plan
Pragmatic Villainy
Hypocrite
Department of Redundancy Department
Pay Evil unto Evil
For the Evulz
Eagleland
Race Lift
Black Best Friend
Running Gag
Token Minority
Lampshade Hanging
Dark and Troubled Past
British Films
Ungrateful Bastard
Historical-Domain Character
My Greatest Failure
The Great Depression
Villain Protagonist