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Plot-Sensitive Items

37 statements
6 feature instances
3 referencing feature instances

Plot-Sensitive Items	type	FeatureClass
Plot-Sensitive Items	label	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items	page	PlotSensitiveItems
Plot-Sensitive Items	comment	In most fictional universes (and Real Life), things tend to function in a particular, expected way, and perform that function consistently. Phasers have settings, guns will go off when the trigger is pulled (and sometimes when it isn't), healing potions will heal, and cars will ignite as they fly through the air. But sometimes the plot calls for an item to operate in ways that weren't previously established. This effect is unexpected, or even inconsistent with its previous known functions. But it'll get you through to the next plot point, and that's all that counts. Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })When a writer attempts to explain the sudden change of behavior, he/she will frequently invoke Phlebotinum Breakdown, or Retcon the function into the item's repertoire. The way to tell, frequently, is watching to see whether this new old function appears again. If the change of function is not merely a handy means to an end, you may instead have Chekhov's Gun—particularly if the characters notice or should have noticed. My Car Hates Me is a vehicle-specific subtrope, as Context-Sensitive Button is for control panels, and Super Cell Reception is a phone-specific subtrope. The superhero version is New Powers as the Plot Demands. Compare Suddenly Always Knew That. Not to be confused with Magic Tool and Green Rocks, both of which are known from the outset to have multiple and possibly unknown functions, or the Green Lantern Ring which can explicitly do just about anything if you know how to use it. Remember, this is about a specific "normal" item acting strangely; do not add examples of all-purpose phlebotinum like Star Trek's "reverse shield polarity" and "deflector pulse" or Doctor Who's sonic screwdriver. Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Examples
Plot-Sensitive Items	fetched	2020-04-17T20:59:36Z
Plot-Sensitive Items	parsed	2020-06-24T21:12:51Z
Plot-Sensitive Items	isPartOf	DBTropes
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_605dd875	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_605dd875	comment	The Stargate in the various Stargate series. Sometimes it closes just before someone "unwanted" is about to enter it and sometimes it allows them to go into the orifice. Sometimes it just stays on or closes for no apparent reason. It's a complete mess in what's otherwise a decent universe. The zat guns too, although in this case it may be a subversion since they just kind of lost an ability. The rule at the beginning of the TV series was: first hit stuns, second hit kills, third hit disintegrates. It was an excuse to get rid of any inconvenient bodies that they didn't want to keep track of. The creative team eventually decided it was stupid and the ability just kind of vanished. This was lampshaded in 100th episode Wormhole X-Treme!.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_605dd875	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_605dd875	featureConfidence	1.0
Stargate-verse (Franchise)	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_605dd875
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_81692f99	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_81692f99	comment	Star Trek's automatic doors will always open (when not locked) when a person approaches, and shut as the person moves away—unless the door NEEDS to be wide open, in which case... More to the point, the Main Deflector Array has been used to do just about everything. It's even the go to choice when you want to do a one shot overloaded weapon attack. It does more damage than the actual weapons would.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_81692f99	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_81692f99	featureConfidence	1.0
Star Trek (Franchise)	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_81692f99
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_996edf24	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_996edf24	comment	Wonder Woman: During the Golden Age of Comics the abilities of Diana's lasso were subject to change to make a story work, but this was fixed in Wonder Woman (1987) where the lasso's abilities were clearly defined and kept to for decades, until the '90s wanted things darker and edgier. Its first and second shown abilities in the Post-Crisis continuity went absent without explanation causing Diana to have to kill Maxwell Lord, when wrapping him in the thing should have caused him to drop his flawed plan instantly (if not necessarily permanently) like it had done previously to gods.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_996edf24	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_996edf24	featureConfidence	1.0
Wonder Woman (Franchise)	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_996edf24
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_9ef055f4	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_9ef055f4	comment	Many of the gadgets in the Ratchet & Clank fit the bill. The Hypershot from Up Your Arsenal in particular can not only make solid platforms, but can also create a swing rope to use to jump between. The Electrolizer from Going Commando can fix nigh anything, with any technical fault, just by spinning a few dials to allow a current through. Anything from a hoverbike, to a computer terminal, to a Broken Bridge.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_9ef055f4	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_9ef055f4	featureConfidence	1.0
Ratchet & Clank (Franchise)	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_9ef055f4
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_aa790591	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_aa790591	comment	In the 1979 TV series Salvage 1, monohydrazine was used to solve any number of problems, from fueling a rocket to restarting oil wells.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_aa790591	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_aa790591	featureConfidence	1.0
Salvage 1	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_aa790591
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_e293455a	type	Plot-Sensitive Items
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_e293455a	comment	Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sunlight burns nameless mook vampires faster then the recurring ones. For that matter, Buffy can hit a Mook vampire anywhere in the torso and he'll turn to dust, staked through the heart. It's a plot point in Season 2 when a named vampire is shot with a crossbow bolt barely missing the heart, and it's much closer than it normally takes for Buffy to kill anyone.
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_e293455a	featureApplicability	1.0
Plot-Sensitive Items / int_e293455a	featureConfidence	1.0
BuffyTheVampireSlayer	hasFeature	Plot-Sensitive Items / int_e293455a

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

CanYouHearMeNow	seeAlso	Plot-Sensitive Items
Teleporters and Transporters	seeAlso	Plot-Sensitive Items
Viper / int_c44314b0	type	Plot-Sensitive Items

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