History Main / DoingInTheScientist

* ''QuantumLeap's'' series finale basically revealed that {{God}} was controlling Sam's actions and that there were other non-technological based Leapers who were guardian angels thought dead or disappeared and that most of the series viewers though ran on science actually ran on magical miracles.
** Well, they were sort-of saying all along that his constant leaping was not due to the machine he built but because of some other force.
* The reimagined ''BattlestarGalactica'' began as hard science fiction and slowly acquired more and more religious/fantastic elements. Precognition, incorporeal beings, restoration of destroyed objects and resurrection from the dead. Still though, many fans assumed that in the end everything would be explained away by some rational (or at least science fiction -al) explanation; initially, through the involvement of [[XanatosGambit the Cylons]] (particularly with regards to resurrection) then later [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens super-evolved extraterrestrials]], [[NeglectfulPrecursors lost technological civilizations]] etc. [[spoiler: No such revelation was forthcoming and the series ended with the characters, at least, putting the events of the series down to divine intervention,]] although strictly speaking the viewer is left to make up his own mind. ----
** Make up their own mind? The epilogue is delivered by [[spoiler: two angels who make direct reference to God and speculate on His plan for this next cycle.]] That's pretty definitive.
** Less so when you note that [[spoiler: the angels]] really don't agree on what to call their 'leader', going so far as to imply that [[spoiler: God doesn't like being 'mistaken' for a deity]].
*** Except for the part where Roslin mentions "...five priests, dedicated to '''He Who Must Not Be Named'''". Given events surrounding said priests, and the temple associated with them, it's pretty clear that [[spoiler: God doesn't like names, period]].
*** Oh, come on. The mysterious presence behind every weird, mystical or inexplicable event in the series? [[spoiler:He's named Ronald D. Moore.]]
** Jane Espenson, one of the main writers, says that she interprets the[[spoiler: "angels" as highly advanced aliens that are interested in humanity.]] Not quite Word of God, but Word of Demi-God, or Angel.
*** And [[{{Jossed}} contradicted]] by Moore himself, in ''The Last Frakking Special'', which aired right before the GrandFinale, where he outright says that [[SpiritAdvisor Head!Six]] is "an Angel of God."

** It's was never [[MindScrew clear about what going on with ANY of the explanations]]
** I think you're taking things a bit too literally.
** Not to mention the fact that the show has always played with the idea of science vs. faith, as epitomized by Jack and Locke respectively. There are scientific explanations for many of the things that happened in the show, such as why plane crashed, the time travel, etc. Jacob guided the events of the whole show, but that doesn't mean the actual events lack a logical reason as to how they happened. Put simply, the writers deliberately wrote the show so that most events were a blend of the scientific and the faith-oriented, and very few things were purely one or the other.
** Now that the series is over we know quite a bit better what was going on, and [[spoiler: most of it, including the island's seemingly mystical light, was electromagnetism--or at least involved it--but there are still clearly supernatural elements involved in being the island's protector for which no scientific explanation would be feasible, such as Jacob's ghost being unable to remain after the fire from his burning ashes goes out, or a symbolic drinking from a cup being an apparent necessary part of the torch-passing ritual.]]

* In ''YuGiOhGX'', after extended use of dueling using shock-collars, Kaiser develops heart problems. This was initially explained as overuse of the shock collars, but the reason was done away with in favor of the [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique dark power of his deck]], which [[DeceptiveDisciple he stole from his mentor]].
* ''JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has gone into this full-force with Steel Ball Run, where it is revealed that Stands, at least in ''that'' continuity, are caused either by coming into possession of the remains of a Saint's body [[spoiler: it's most likely Jesus's]] ''or'' traveling through a cursed, ever-changing-location, region in the United States.

* This is the reason [[YourMilleageMayVary some]] viewers see the ending to ChristopherNolan's ThePrestige as being something of a copout. The film spends three quarters running time obsessing over the details of making "magic" tricks through mundane means, with HughJackman travelling halfway across the world in order to work out the method behind his rival ChristianBale's grand finale. [[spoiler: Though Bale's secret is revealed to be a mundane one, we later find out that Jackman's imitation trick utilized a teleportation/cloning device secretly developed by NikolaTesla, shifting the film's setting from the real world to ScienceFiction.]] Though the film retains its most important theme - the character's dedication to their art taking precedence over everything, including their loved ones and even their own personal safety - many found the abrupt genre change to be a bit of a cheat.

* In ''SluggyFreelance'', it was originally implied that Oasis was the creation of MadScientist Dr. Steve, being either a robot he built or a human girl he {{Brainwashed}} and physically enhanced. Several years later, it's revealed that Dr. Steve didn't create Oasis at all; while exactly ''what'' she is remains unclear, researchers have labeled her "proof-positive paranormal" and stated "[[http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=090608 nobody made Oasis into a weapon but God]]."

* This is the reason [[YourMiIleageMayVary some]] viewers see the ending to ChristopherNolan's ThePrestige as being something of a copout. The film spends three quarters running time obsessing over the details of making "magic" tricks through mundane means, with HughJackman travelling halfway across the world in order to work out the method behind his rival ChristianBale's grand finale. [[spoiler: Though Bale's secret is revealed to be a mundane one, we later find out that Jackman's imitation trick utilized a teleportation/cloning device secretly developed by NikolaTesla, shifting the film's setting from the real world to ScienceFiction.]] Though the film retains its most important theme - the character's dedication to their art taking precedence over everything, including their loved ones and even their own personal safety - many found the abrupt genre change to be a bit of a cheat.

* Early on in ''TalesOfTheAbyss'', it's revealed that there's a kind of cloning technology called "fomicry". How it operates isn't explained, but it's assumed to be scientific. [[spoiler:Turns out that's only half right. The ''process'' by which it is done is technological, but the thing that ''allows'' it is actually magic: that thing being the power given off by the local CrystalDragonJesus.]] [[TropeAreNotBad It's a lot less jarring than most examples]], however, since in this world the resident wizard and most prominent scientist don't just get along: they are ''literally'' the same person.

** The Scientist actually gained ground on the Wizard recently, with the new RetCon that the Speed Force was actually ''created'' by the original FreakLabAccident, with Barry Allen generating its energies as he runs.
*** Although that's really more like [[NoConservationOfEnergy the Wizard beating the Scientist to death, then putting on a lab coat and a horribly fake German accent.]]

** Now that the series is over we know quite a bit better what was going on, and [[spoiler: most of it, including the island's seemingly mystical light, was electromagnetism--or at least involved it--but there are still clearly supernatural elements involved in being the island's protector for which scientific explanation would be feasible, such as Jacob's ghost being unable to remain after the fire from his burning ashes goes out, or a symbolic drinking from a cup being an apparent necessary part of the torch-passing ritual.]]

** Of course the original Marvel comic from TheEighties takes the cake by beginning with the explanation that Transformers ''evolved'' from ''[[WallBanger naturally occurring pullies, levers and gears]]''.

DoingInTheScientist is the "rational" counterpart of DoingInTheWizard -- this is where story element that was originally explained by 'science' is {{retcon}}ned into actually being [[AWizardDidIt due to magic]] or supernatural forces. This tends to be poorly received, because {{fantasy}} is [[ScifiGhetto even more stigmatised]] than ScienceFiction.

[[folder: {{Literature}}]]
* The ''{{Dexter}}'' novels, after a couple of books which appeared to be non-magical crime stories, suddenly threw in literal Christian demons and tried to claim that Dexter was demonically possessed. This did not go down well with many of the fans.

* This is the reason [[YourMiIleageMayVary some]] viewers see the ending to ChristopherNolan's ThePrestige as being something of a copout. The film spends three quarters running time obsessing over the details of making "magic" tricks through mundane means, with HughJackman travelling halfway across the world in order to work out the method behind his rival ChristianBale's grand finale. {{spoiler: Though Bale's secret is revealed to be a mundane one, we later find out that Jackman's imitation trick utilized a teleportation/cloning device secretly developed by NikolaTesla, shifting the film's setting from the real world to ScienceFiction.}} Though the film retains its most important theme - the character's dedication to their art taking precedence over everything, including their loved ones and even their own personal safety - many found the abrupt genre change to be a bit of a cheat.

* This is the reason [[YourMiIleageMayVary some]] viewers see the ending to ChristopherNolan's ThePrestige as being something of a copout. The film spends three quarters running time obsessing over the details of making "magic" tricks through mundane means, with HughJackman travelling halfway across the world in order to work out the method behind his rival ChristianBale's grand finale. {{Spoiler: Though Bale's secret is revealed to be a mundane one, we later find out that Jackman's imitation trick utilized a teleportation/cloning device secretly developed by NikolaTesla, shifting the film's setting from the real world to ScienceFiction.}} Though the film retains its most important theme - the character's dedication to their art taking precedence over everything, including their loved ones and even their own personal safety - many found the abrupt genre change to be a bit of a cheat.

* This is the reason [[YourMiIleageMayVary some]] viewers see the ending to ChristopherNolan's ThePrestige as being something of a copout. The film spends three quarters running time obsessing over the details of making "magic" tricks through mundane means, with HughJackman travelling halfway across the world in order to work out the method behind his rival ChristianBale's grand finale. [[Spoiler: Though Bale's secret is revealed to be a mundane one, we later find out that Jackman's imitation trick utilized a teleportation/cloning device secretly developed by NikolaTesla, shifting the film's setting from the real world to ScienceFiction.]] Though the film retains its most important theme - the character's dedication to their art taking precedence over everything, including their loved ones and even their own personal safety - many found the abrupt genre change to be a bit of a cheat.

* ''JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has gone into this full-force with Steel Ball Run, where it is revealed that Stands, at least in ''that'' continuity, are caused either by coming into possesion of the remains of a Saint's body [[spoiler: it's most likely Jesus's]] ''or'' traveling through a cursed, ever-changing-location, region in the United States.

** Not to mention the fact that the show has always played with the idea of science vs. faith, as epitomied by Jack and Locke respectively. There are scientific explanations for many of the things that happened in the show, such as why plane crashed, the time travel, etc. Jacob guided the events of the whole show, but that doesn't mean the actual events lack a logical reason as to how they happened. Put simply, the writers deliberately wrote the show so that most events were a blend of the scienctific and the faith-oriented, and very few things were purely one or the other.

** Many fans find the lack of ambiguity in ''The Lost Tales'' to be disappointing. However, B5 contains plenty of beings capable of pulling off similar effects (the Technomages, just to start with) so Lochley's TheReasonYouSuck speech at the end may be entirely wrong.

** It's questionable whether that is actually the case. Magic is established to be a form energy. Uryuom technology is simply putting it to use.

** Though [[{{Fantasy}} fantasy]] elements have been part of ''SluggyFreelance'' since day one, so this revelation isn't as jarring as it might be in other series.

** Of course the original Marvel comic from TheEighties takes the cake by beginning with the explaination that Transformers ''evolved'' from ''[[WallBanger naturally occuring pullies, levers and gears]]''.

* Done recently in ''ElGoonishShive''. "Take THAT Science Fiction!"
** ''ElGoonishShive'' has an odd progression. At first, Tedd was a TeenGenius who invented a TransformationRay. Then it was retconned to be Alien Technology, which was then retconned to be {{Magic}} manipulated by science.

*** Has anyone established why he bothered with that much of an explanation for the plot device that shoots story arcs?
*** CerebusSyndrome. It was originally just a plot device and the idea of Tedd inventing it fit with the feel of the strip. Then the Uryuoms came along and it was syncretised with their backstory. Now magic (previously a relatively unimportant story aspect involving Nanase) has become central to the plot and the transformation gun ''and'' the Uryuoms (and Anime-Style Martial Arts, to boot) are syncretised with that.

* ''AlphaFlight's'' Sasquatch originally had the same origin as TheIncredibleHulk (with a bit of babble about the aurora borealis to explain why he wasn't green). Then it turned out he actually gained his power from a fictional Canadian demon from "the Land of Great Beasts".

Just so we're clear, this trope is ''not'' about blatantly magical elements being explained by very [[MohsScaleOfScifiHardness soft science]]. This is about science being replaced by magic, regardless of how hard the science originally was.

* In Yugioh GX, after extended use of dueling using shock-collars, Kaiser develops heart problems. This was initially explained as overuse of the shock collars, but the reason was done away with in favor of the [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique dark power of his deck]], which [[DeceptiveDisciple he stole from his mentor]].
* JoJosBizarreAdventure has gone into this full-force with Steel Ball Run, where it is revealed that Stands, at least in ''that'' continuity, are caused either by coming into possesion of the remains of a Saint's body [[spoiler: it's most likely Jesus's]] ''or'' traveling through a cursed, ever-changing-location, region in the United States.

* {{Lost}} danced with a scientific explanation for everything in seasons 4 and 5. Season 6, meanwhile, reverts back to fantasy, focusing the plot around two people who seem to be immortal demi-gods (one of whom has even been theorized to be a outright ''genie'', since he claims to be able to grant wishes to his followers and whom is being kept on the Island like a cork keeps wine in a bottle) while introducing rules about not being able to kill somebody if they speak to you first, a healing spring that turns you evil when it's grimy and so on.

* ScoobyDoo has pulled this in some of its modern incarnations.

This is often seen in "updated" superhero origins. Once upon a time [[ILoveNuclearPower being on the range during a Gamma-bomb test]], or being [[MagicGenetics bit by]] and/or [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke spliced with]] a [[SpiderMan radioactive spider]], sounded semi-plausible. Nobody thought it could actually work (hopefully...) but it sounded vaguely ''like'' something that could happen. ScienceMarchesOn, however, and now there are some things that ''no'' scientific origin can plausibly excuse. Magic, on the other hand, can (by definition) do anything. Sure, it's technically even less plausible, but sometimes that's what you're after- maintaining WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief through a simple handwave that doesn't even try to be scientific is often much less taxing than trying to swallow nonsense about something that really exists.

This is often seen in "updated" superhero origins. Once upon a time [[ILoveNuclearPower being on the range during a Gamma-bomb test]], or being [[MagicGenetics bit by]] and/or [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke spliced with]] a radioactive spider, sounded semi-plausible. Nobody thought it could actually work (hopefully...) but it sounded vaguely ''like'' something that could happen. ScienceMarchesOn, however, and now there are some things that ''no'' scientific origin can plausibly excuse. Magic, on the other hand, can (by definition) do anything. Sure, it's technically even less plausible, but sometimes that's what you're after- maintaining WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief through a simple handwave that doesn't even try to be scientific is often much less taxing than trying to swallow nonsense about something that really exists.