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Deus ex machina in Euripides' Medea, performed in 2009 in Syracuse, Italy; the sun god sends a golden chariot to rescue Medea.. Deus ex machina (/ ˌ d eɪ ə s ɛ k s ˈ m æ k ɪ n ə, ˈ m ɑː k-/ DAY-əs ex-MA(H)K-in-ə, [1] Latin: [ˈdɛ.ʊs ɛks ˈmaːkʰɪnaː]; plural: dei ex machina; English "god from the machine") [2] [3] is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem in a ...
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A common misconception is that the reveal itself is a Chekhov's gun plot element. There are however exceptions in the James Bond films; in Licence to Kill for example, Bond gets an instant camera with a built-in laser gun that takes X-ray pictures, but is immediately used for comedic effect and makes no further appearance in the film.
Deus lux mea est: God is my light: The motto of The Catholic University of America. Deus meumque jus: God and my right: The principal motto of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. See also Dieu et mon droit. Deus nobis haec otia fecit: God has given us these days of leisure: Motto of the city of Liverpool, England. Deus nobiscum: God with us: Motto of ...
An example was certainly made for this article as it uses the actual phrase "deus ex machina": near the fin of the movie Dodgeball, the winning's from Peter's bet on the championship game are brought on court in a treasure chest bearing a plaque with the phrase "deus ex machina" on it. The money is, of course, probably the most perfect example ...
The Latin phrase "deus ex machina" has its origins in the conventions of Greek tragedy, and refers to situations in which a mechane (crane) was used to lower actors playing a god or gods onto the stage at the end of a play. The Greek tragedian Euripides is notorious for using this plot device as a means to resolve a hopeless situation.
The drama ends well, and Orgon announces the upcoming wedding of Valère and Mariane. The surprise twist ending, in which everything is set right by the unexpected benevolent intervention of the heretofore unseen king, is considered a notable modern-day example of the classical theatrical plot device deus ex machina.
It is often used as a means to create dramatic tension in the story and to have the villain reveal important information to the hero, confident that the hero will shortly not be able to use it. It may also be a means to show the hero's resourcefulness in escaping, or the writer's ingenuity at devising a last-minute rescue or deus ex machina.