History Main / DoingInTheScientist

* ''Series/OnceUponATime'' is a predominantly {{Fantasy}}-based show, so characters that exhibit faith and association in science (or at least the ScienceFiction-based science native to alternate worlds) are few and far between. The biggest distinction (or rather, the lack thereof) made with science and magic in ''[=OUAT=]'' is that both science and magic have a give-and-take "PowerAtAPrice" law that predicates the universe. While magic users are fully aware of this principle, (with "magic comes at a price" being Rumpelstiltskin's CatchPhrase) and will either warn others of this or arrogantly try to have others pay that price, science-users like Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll believe in progress's inherent goodness and end up screwing themselves over in the process, not learning a thing. When this fallout inevitably happens, then they will reluctantly come to rely on magic, such as when Victor acquires a magically-removed heart to finish his experiments to resurrect his dead brother, and later asks Rumpelstiltskin to use his magic to reattach his severed arm.

* The AU miniseries ''ComicBook/Marvel1602'', which takes place in an Elizabethan version of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, does this for practically all of the Marvel superheroes' origins. The ComicBook/FantasticFour, for example, get their powers after wandering into a magical sea storm that turns them into [[FourElementEnsemble physical avatars of the four elements]]; this universe's Bruce Banner becomes the [[Characters/IncredibleHulkBruceBanner Hulk]] after being hit by a blast of mystical energy from a tear in the fabric of space; and this universe's Peter Parker gets his spider-based abilities after being bitten by a spider that's hit with the same blast of energy. Played with in the finale, which reveals this anomaly only exists in the first place due to a malfunctioning time machine, but the parallels are also due to the presence a time displaced [[spoiler: Steve Rogers]] shifting the universe to emulate his present by recreating the origins of his contemporaries.

* ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' leaves it ambiguous why the animatronics at the titular SuckECheeses want to kill you; Phone Guy says that it's a programming malfunction, but several easter eggs imply that the robots are actually haunted by the spirits of murdered children. The sequel makes it clear that the supernatural explanation is ''definitely'' correct, as the death minigames show the story of ''how'' the animatronics came to be haunted.
* ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV Grand Theft Auto Online]]'' has an example that drives home the CrapsackWorld nature of the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' universe. Starting with ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', the Epsilon Program, the series' [[ChurchOfHappyology stand-in for the Church of Scientology]], has been portrayed as a kooky, exploitative {{cult}} whose leader Cris Formage is a charlatan who's in it purely for the money and the women. In ''GTA Online'', however, the first time your character gets killed, Formage [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttp3Y6MXC5Y appears to you]] in spirit form, where he demonstrates that his powers are in fact ''real'' and that the Epsilon Program is in fact the way to salvation. (From a gameplay perspective, [[SlidingScaleOfGameplayAndStoryIntegration this explains how respawning and Passive Mode work]].) That's right. In the ''GTA'' universe, there is a One True Faith -- and it's a New Age UFO cult whose leader [[PowerPerversionPotential uses his powers to secretly stalk people]].

** The [[ForeignRemake Indian]] Spider-Man went with magic from the beginning. Pavitr gets his powers from a yogi, and his versions of the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Venom are demons that possess humans.

* The first episode of ''VideoGame/FaithTheUnholyTrinity'' leaves its [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane supernatural happenings ambiguous,]] with some hints that the girl the hero is trying to exorcise a demon from is just mentally ill [[spoiler: and one possible ending implying the main character himself is insane.]] The second episode completely discards any non-supernatural explanations, with the existence of demons and demonic possession being confirmed. The third episode outright murders the scientist by having a sorcerous cult, numerous [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils high-ranking demons]], [[spoiler: and God Himself]] getting involved in the plot.

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

* This trope is played in-universe in ''TableTopGame/{{MageTheAscension}}''. The Technocratic Union is a group of magical scientists who are attempting to [[DoingInTheWizard do in the Wizard]], while Traditions are more "wizard-like" and try to do in the Scientist. In short, the Technocrats (at their best) push for a scientific, rational worldview and the Traditionalists (again, at their best) push for a mystical, spiritual one. Both of the major factions are, to a great degree, trying to influence human society into accepting their point of view in order to solidify reality with their own vision. The irony in part stems from a serious case of GreyAndGrayMorality.

This is where a story element that was originally explained by 'science' is {{retcon}}ned into being [[FunctionalMagic due to magic]] or supernatural forces. This tends to be poorly received ([[Administrivia/TropesAreTools though not always]]) because it throws the established "rules of TheVerse" out of the window.

* In the comics, ComicBook/{{Rahan}} often exposed alleged magic as fraud or misunderstood natural phenomena. However the 2009 cartoon series is a full sword and sorcery work that gives Rahan a [[SidekickCreatureNuisance goblin-like sidekick]] and a legit witch as a nemesis.

* A weird case from ''WesternAnimationStarTrekLowerDecks'', in which the Hysperians (essentially RenaissanceFair geeks who colonized a planet with dragons on it) rename the usual ''Trek'' TechnoBabble to [[CallARabbitASmeerp make it sound like it's actually magic]] (much to Rutherford's confusion).

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' has gone into this full-force with ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureSteelBallRun'', 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'' travelling through a cursed, ever-changing-location, region in the United States. This is strange seeing that Stands received the opposite treatment in the previous continuity, although it should be noted that many of the Stand Users in both ''Stardust Crusaders'' and ''Diamond Is Unbreakable'' gained their Stand by [[SuperEmpowering being struck with a magic arrow]].

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': [[spoiler:Kyubey is a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien, not a magical creature, and he wants to prevent the universe's heat death by breaking the second law of thermodynamics. However, he does this by performing genuine miracles and drawing out real magical potential in human girls so he can collect energy generated by emotions; none of these are governed by thermodynamics or any kind of science and that's why they suit Kyubey's purpose.]]

* ''ComicBook/AlphaFlight'': Sasquatch originally had the same origin as the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]] (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 one of the Arctic demons Snowbird was born to fight, and that he wasn't shapeshifting as much as switching bodies. He later gained the ability to change under his own power, but this too was magical and explicitly so.

* ''Franchise/TheFlash'':

* The AU miniseries ''ComicBook/Marvel1602'', which takes place in an Elizabethan version of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, does this for practically all of the Marvel superheroes' origins. The ComicBook/FantasticFour, for example, get their powers after wandering into a magical sea storm that turns them into [[FourElementEnsemble physical avatars of the four elements]]; this universe's Bruce Banner becomes the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]] after being hit by a blast of mystical energy from a tear in the fabric of space; and this universe's Peter Parker gets his spider-based abilities after being bitten by a spider that's hit with the same blast of energy. Played with in the finale, which reveals this anomaly only exists in the first place due to a malfunctioning time machine, but the parallels are also due to the presence a time displaced [[spoiler: Steve Rogers]] shifting the universe to emulate his present by recreating the origins of his contemporaries.

* ComicBook/ScarletWitch was a character originally created with the same background as most of the ComicBook/XMen, she was a mutant. In her case, she could manipulate probability. As time went on, writers had her pick up magical training to make her code name more literal, and in a 1998 Avengers story, she discovered that her powers were never purely science-based, but an ability to manipulate "chaos magic." Though her powers and backstory have been {{retcon}}ned several more times, the comics have stuck to the idea that her powers are some form of magic, and the "chaos magic" explanation was eventually adopted by the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse as well.

* ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlBatgirlPlot'': As impersonating ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} -and later, Black Flame and Catwoman-, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Batmite must pretend their reality-warping powers have some scientifical basis, so that "Black Flame" claims she drank a super serum to gain powers and used a mind-control ring to confuse Superman, and "Catwoman" states Batman's weird behavior was induced by a special brand of catnip.

* Throughout ''Fanfic/KnowThyselfThePrelude'', a lot of the unusual circumstances surrounding Harry that were revealed to be magic in the ''Harry Potter'' canon are passed off as Harry being a ChildProdigy at manipulating the false reality of the Matrix just like every other redpill, [[spoiler:until Harry discovers that he can teleport in the Real World too, implying that it really ''is'' magic.]]

** After two films stating that the Asgardians are actually just {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s instead of gods, ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' contradicts this and establishes that no, they really ''are'' PhysicalGods, and Loki, Hela, and Thor are repeatedly addressed as God of Mischief, Goddess of Death, and God of Thunder, respectively. Thor realizing Mjölnir was only a conduit for his [[ShockAndAwe powers]] rather than their source is a major plot point. In ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'', the titular character's abilities don't work in the TVA's AntiMagic field, while advanced technology still does.

* The first ''Film/ScoobyDoo'' live-action film includes actual demonic creatures controlled by [[spoiler:the pissed-off Scrappy Doo]], rather than the [[StrictlyFormula typical]] ScoobyDooHoax.

* The episode "Dreams in the Witch House" of ''Series/GuillermoDelTorosCabinetOfCuriosities'', almost based InNameOnly on the short story ''Literature/TheDreamsInTheWitchHouse'' by Creator/HPLovecraft, changes Walter Gilman from a physics student who thinks the Witch's magic is some kind of undescribed science allowing her to travel within dimensions, to a believer in Spiritualism who wants to contact his dead twin sister, whom he saw die and rise as a ghost when he was a child. The episode also adds a MagicalNativeAmerican capable of taking people to the spirit world with a drug, and a prophet woman that can enter the spirit world on her own and has seen that Walter must die to allow the Witch back in the world of the living. Because the Witch is also said to be dead from the beginning and having been hanged in Salem, while in the story she vanished from gaol and it is not until much later that her skeleton is found. Finally, the episode ends with [[spoiler:Brown Jenkin assuming control of Walter's body after killing him, rather than just doing the latter.]]
* ''Series/LifeOnMars2006'' hints that the TimeTravel is just in Sam Tyler's head from the opening narration ("Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time?"), and the series strongly suggests that it is all AdventuresInComaLand as it progresses, with random bits of the modern day/real world slipping into Sam's [[TheSeventies '70s]] world. The scripted finale [[spoiler:confirmed this by having Sam wake up from said coma, finding his new life so empty that he decided to commit suicide, after which the screen switched to [[TheNothingAfterDeath black]].]] However, the aired finale turned this scene on its head by adding a scene after where [[spoiler:Sam meets his friends from the '70s, thus turning the coma dream into an AfterlifeAntechamber.]] Later on, the sequel ''Series/AshesToAshes'' had a new different character thrown in the same place, [[spoiler:and revealed that Nelson and ''Gene Hunt'', of all people, were spirit guides helping recently deceased cops.]]

** The first expansion, ''The [=WarChiefs=]'', addressed this criticism by having two more history-based campaigns (one set in the American Revolution and another in the Sioux Wars) and not mentioning the Circle of Ossus again, despite following other generations of the same family. However, the new [[MagicalNativeAmerican Native American]] civilizations also got bonuses from ritually dancing around firepits and could recruit wild animals into their forces, which [[AmericansHateTingle didn't sit well]] with some Native American groups.

* ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV Grand Theft Auto Online]]'' has an example that drives home the CrapsackWorld nature of the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' universe. Starting with ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', the Epsilon Program, the series' [[ChurchOfHappyology stand-in for the Church of Scientology]], has been portrayed as a kooky, exploitative {{cult}} whose leader Cris Formage is a charlatan who's in it purely for the money and the women. In ''GTA Online'', however, the first time your character gets killed, Formage [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttp3Y6MXC5Y appears to you]] in spirit form, where he demonstrates that his powers are in fact ''real'' and that the Epsilon Program is in fact the way to salvation. (From a gameplay perspective, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration this explains how respawning and Passive Mode work]].) That's right. In the ''GTA'' universe, there is a One True Faith -- and it's a New Age UFO cult whose leader [[PowerPerversionPotential uses his powers to secretly stalk people]].

* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'', it is shown that the {{Nigh Invulnerab|ility}}le Nova monsters can be harmed by [[LightEmUp a special kind of energy]] given off by Sophie. Later, it's revealed that Sophie is actually a RobotGirl created by the people of a different planet... and ''then'' it turns out that the thing that powers her mysterious attacks is actually the mystical energy of the planet. Similarly, the laws of the world of Fodra were thought to be entirely natural until [[EldritchAbomination Lambda]] was discovered in its core.

* ''Webcomic/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 labelled her "proof-positive paranormal" and stated "[[http://sluggy.com/daily.php?date=090608 nobody made Oasis into a weapon but God]]." Fantasy elements have been part of ''Sluggy Freelance'' since day one, so this revelation isn't as jarring as it might be in other series.
** [[DoingInTheWizard Subverted later]] when her "Pyrokinesis" and apparent immortality are explained as her being a satellite station housing her mind and being equipped with advanced weaponry.
* Webcomic/{{Spinnerette}} laughed at the idea of anyone using magic (especially the kind inspired by a tabletop game) and thought "Spirit of the Tiger" was an euphemism for steroids. Then Mecha Maid tells her that the latter is not an euphemism and Alexis performs the Ritual of Lolth for real.

* The Website/SCPFoundation has always concerned the paranormal. At some point in the site's history, the concept of a unit of "realness" called the Hume was introduced to explain how objects gain their paranormal properities. However, [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-3812 SCP-3812]] proved to be undetectable by use of Hume reading devices, which was variously theorized in-fiction to either be due to extremely high or low readings, or that its RealityWarper abilities are tied to an entirely different mechanism. This helped the writing community in general go back to treating the series as paranormal rather than high-concept science fiction.

* The main premise of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland'' is [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo the gang]]'s reaction to finally facing with the supernatural, after so many years spent debunking hauntings as [[ScoobyDooHoax hoaxes and criminal plots]].

* In the comics, ComicBook/{{Rahan}} often exposed alleged magic as fraud or misunderstood natural phenomena. However the 2009 cartoon series is a full sword and sorcery work that gives Rahan a [[SmallAnnoyingCreature goblin-like sidekick]] and a legit witch as a nemesis.

* The entirety of quantum physics has been a thorn in the side of individuals who want reality to follow a determinalist path and has long since proven non-intuitive paths like reality being a function of probability, reality being made of waves versus particles, and not really working within time.

* The theory of the evolution of species by natural selection was first formulated by UsefulNotes/CharlesDarwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. One reason you don't hear as much about Wallace these days is that he outlived Darwin for 30 years and bought hard on the Spiritualism fad of the Turn-of-the-Century, becoming a prominent advocate for it and the non-material origin of the human mind.

* In the comics, Franchise/SpiderMan's webs are made from an artificial chemical and Spidey fires them with a wrist device [[GadgeteerGenius of his own invention]]. However, in the Creator/SamRaimi films (and the [[OlderThanTheyThink earlier failed adaptation]] by Creator/JamesCameron), the web is naturally created and fired directly from Spidey's wrists as a result of a mutation caused by him being bitten by a [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke genetically-engineered]] spider. ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' and the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse return to the comics' mechanical device.

* The Wiki/SCPFoundation has always concerned the paranormal. At some point in the site's history, the concept of a unit of "realness" called the Hume was introduced to explain how objects gain their paranormal properities. However, [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-3812 SCP-3812]] proved to be undetectable by use of Hume reading devices, which was variously theorized in-fiction to either be due to extremely high or low readings, or that its RealityWarper abilities are tied to an entirely different mechanism. This helped the writing community in general go back to treating the series as paranormal rather than high-concept science fiction.

* In ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', Gastly and its evolutions, the first generation's only Ghost types, were said not to be real ghosts but rather lifeforms made of gas. Subsequent generations have abandoned this and feature things like the souls of dead children who starved to death in the forest and abandoned dolls animated by ThePowerOfHate.

* The episode "Dreams in the Witch House" of ''Series/GuillermoDelTorosCabinetOfCuriosities'', almost based InNameOnly on the short story ''Literature/TheDreamsInTheWitchHouse'' by Creator/HPLovecraft, changes Walter Gilman from a physics student who thinks the Witch's magic is some kind of undescribed science allowing her to travel within dimensions, to a believer in Spiritualism who wants to contact his dead twin sister, whom he saw die and rise as a ghost when he was a child. The episode also adds a MagicalNativeAmerican capable of taking people to the spirit world with a drug, and a prophet woman that can enter the spirit world on her own and has seen that Walter must die to allow the Witch back in the world of the living. Because the Witch is also said to be dead from the beginning and having been hanged in Salem, while in the story she vanished from gaol and it is not until later in the story that her skeleton is found. Finally, the episode ends with [[spoiler:Brown Jenkin assuming control of Walter's body after killing him.]]

* The episode "Dreams in the Witch House" of ''Series/GuillermoDelTorosCabinetOfCuriosities'', almost based InNameOnly on the short story ''Literature/TheDreamsInTheWitchHouse'' by Creator/HPLovecraft, changes Walter Gilman from a physics student who thinks the Witch's magic is some kind of undescribed science allowing her to travel within dimensions, to a believer in Spiritualism who wants to contact his dead twin sister, whom he saw die and rise as a ghost when he was a child. The episode also adds a MagicalNativeAmerican capable of taking people to the spirit world with a drug, and a prophet woman that can enter the spirit world on her own and has seen that Walter must die to allow the Witch back in the world of the living. Because the Witch is also said to be dead and having been hanged in Salem, while in the story she vanished from gaol and it is not until much later when her skeleton is found in the house. Finally, the episode ends with [[spoiler:Brown Jenkin assuming control of Walter's body after killing him.]]

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 bitten by]] and/or [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke spliced with]] a [[Franchise/SpiderMan radioactive spider]], sounded semi-plausible. Nobody thought it could work (hopefully...) but it sounded vaguely ''like'' something that could happen. However, ScienceMarchesOn and now there are some things that ''no'' scientific origin can plausibly excuse. Magic, on the other hand, can (by definition) [[HouseRules do anything the author wants it to]]. Sure, it loses a lot of realism but sometimes that's what you're after -- maintaining WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief through a simple handwave that doesn't try to be scientific is often less taxing than trying to swallow nonsense about something that really exists.

** The ''Fever'' mini-series said the radioactive spider was belonged to the race of extradimensional Arachnix that was sent to Earth by a wizard.

* ''ComicBook/AlphaFlight's'' Sasquatch originally had the same origin as the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk (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 one of the Arctic demons Snowbird was born to fight, and that he wasn't shapeshifting as much as switching bodies. He later gained the ability to change under his own power, but this too was magical and explicitly so.

* ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'' was originally a case of DoingInTheWizard; in the Dan Garrett stories, {{t|ransformationTrinket}}he [[EmpathicWeapon Scarab]] was magic, and [[LegacyCharacter his successor]] Jaime Reyes ''assumes'' that it's magic for a while, only to learn that it's actually alien technology tampered with by magic (or something). As of Comicbook/DCRebirth, however, [[FlipFlopOfGod they've flip-flopped again]], and now it's a magical artifact that ''tricked'' Jaime into thinking that it's alien technology.

* The AU miniseries ''ComicBook/Marvel1602'', which takes place in an Elizabethan version of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, does this for practically all of the Marvel superheroes' origins. The ComicBook/FantasticFour, for example, get their powers after wandering into a magical sea storm that turns them into [[FourElementEnsemble physical avatars of the four elements]]; this universe's Bruce Banner becomes [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the Hulk]] after being hit by a blast of mystical energy from a tear in the fabric of space; and this universe's Peter Parker gets his spider-based abilities after being bitten by a spider that's hit with the same blast of energy. Played with in the finale, which reveals this anomaly only exists in the first place due to a malfunctioning time machine, but the parallels are also due to the presence a time displaced [[spoiler: Steve Rogers]] shifting the universe to emulate his present by recreating the origins of his contemporaries.

** Certain characters in-series think there is some sort of scientific explanation for Robbie's Ghost Rider powers, either "enhanced" like Steve Rogers or Inhuman like Daisy. However, Robbie later claims that he literally sold his soul to the Devil and the show's creators have confirmed that he's explicitly supernatural.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Anything thought to be science ends up being magic or because of magical entities. The kicker for any fan of this trope is that science is also useless in the show itself (i.e. most monsters can only be killed in specific magical ways, if they can even be killed at all).

* ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlBatgirlPlot'': As impersonating ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and ComicBook/{{Batgirl} -and later, Black Flame and Catwoman-, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Batmite must pretend their reality-warping powers have some scientifical basis, so that "Black Flame" claims she drank a super serum to gain powers and used a mind-control ring to confuse Superman, and "Catwoman" states Batman's weird behavior was induced by a special brand of catnip.