History Main / ItMayHelpYouOnYourQuest

* That innocent little cookie that the Oracle offers to Neo in ''Film/TheMatrix'' might not have been so innocuous. If a piece of cake [[ImmodestOrgasm causes great excitement in a young woman in the Merovingian's club in ''The Matrix Reloaded'']], then the Oracle can bake a little programming for Neo into her own batch. [[FridgeBrilliance What are cookies known for in computer jargon, huh?]]

An unusual variant is when the giving character says, '''''"You'll need this more than I do."''''' -- common amongst [[{{Mentors}} elders]] who have [[ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacGuffin advanced beyond the need for an item]]. Compare GrailInTheGarbage. Not to be confused with VendorTrash, which is only valuable in large quantities. If the item turns out to have sentimental value, it is a MementoMacGuffin.

* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Lance gives Gold's Togepi a Shiny Stone, which seems of no use to it. [[spoiler: However, it lets it double-evolve into Togekiss once Gold forges a strong bond with it.]]

* In ''VideoGame/AstekaIITemploDelSol'' (a.k.a. ''Tombs and Treasure''), you get the lighter from the first room in the game, and it can't be used for anything until the last room in the game, where it's necessary to complete the game.

Common enough that subversions are notable when the item will in fact turn out to be [[RedHerring useless junk]]. Or [[TheCallTwinksYou immediately useful]].

->'''Jack:''' Is the jar of dirt going to help?\\

'''Jack:''' No.\\

--> '''Tia Dalma:''' Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land wit' you.\\

'''Jack:''' No!
-->''' Tia Dalma:''' Then it helps.

* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'': Ford Prefect's penchant for towels. He insists to Arthur that they are useful in all kinds of situations.

* "That thing your aunt gave you which you don't know what it is," from ''VideoGame/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' the [[InteractiveFiction Text Adventure]] game. The thing in question is a ClingyMacGuffin which doubles as a BagOfHolding. You can't get rid of it permanently, no matter how hard you try, and you can store things in it as well. It's very useful, but these miraculous properties [[GuideDangIt are never hinted at in the game itself]] -- [[TrialAndErrorGameplay you have to discover them for yourself.]]

* On ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'', Presto's [[BagOfHolding magic hat]] had a habit of [[RummageFail never producing what Presto wanted]], but instead producing something that was only useful with a bit of lateral thinking.

* Played with a bit in ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' 's first campaign, which has protagonists [[TheHero Jim Raynor]] and [[TheLancer Tychus Findlay]] (along with their army) gathering seemingly benign [[ThePrecursors Xel'naga]] artifacts for the [[ArtifactCollectionAgency Moebius Foundation]] early on in the plot. While the fanatic [[TheFundamentalist Tel'darim]] put up quite a fight for it, and the [[CoolStarship Hyperion's]] resident scientist [[TheSmartGuy Egan Stettman]] detects some weird readings from them, none of them suspected that the artifacts were actually the [[spoiler: [[DismantledMacGuffin pieces]] of a LostSuperweapon]]

* ''VideoGame/MysteryCaseFiles'': ''Return to Ravenhearst, ''very'' early in the game you get a damp rag. And you're carrying it. And you're carrying it. It's long moved up to the head of your inventory. Turns out, about three-fourths of the way through the game, [[spoiler:you need it to wipe dirty off the glass of a picture frame to get a necessary code.]]

** The above example later leads to a subversion of this trope, when we learn that at the time Roy had in his possession two potions, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html Shillelagh Oil and Delay Poison]], which were exactly what he would have needed to escape the situation ''without'' having to don the belt of gender change, but he didn't think of it.

** Galadriel's little phial, too. The movie version implies that Galadriel knows it will be useful against Shelob, but the book, less so.

* In C.S. Lewis's ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'' the four main characters are each given a special object by none other than Father Christmas.

** In the short story it's based on, it's revealed that the machine wasn't just a viewer, it allowed one to extend a mechanical grasping arm through time to obtain objects. The protagonist uses it to grab the final MacGuffin out of the villain's hand at the climax, then his future-self pulls it out of his pocket.

** In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', [[PowerTrio each child]] gets a pleasant but seemingly useless gift (a Snitch, his Put-Outer, and a book of fairy tales) from Dumbledore [[spoiler:by his estate's executor]] with cryptic hints. [[TheChessmaster Each proves critical to their quest]]. Justified because [[spoiler:Dumbledore is dead and since the executor takes anything he deems "suspicious"]] he can't outright ''tell'' them. For a similar scenario on film, see ''Film/{{Paycheck}}''.

* Galadriel's little phial (see literature below), moreso in the animated ''WesternAnimation/TheReturnOfTheKing'', where the phial just ''shows up in Sam's pocket'' -- due to rights issues preventing them from telling anything set up in the first two books, which Creator/RalphBakshi had the rights to.

** Earlier in the game, you get the FRYING PAN OF LOVE, no mere spoon, which is also [[spoiler:a ridiculously strong throwing weapon. You're supposed to use the frying pan on Yang, and she'll give you the Spoon]], which is an even better throwing weapon (the spoon is in later versions replaced with a knife).

* Everything about Marle's pendant in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger''. It starts out as a {{macguffin}}, but once you go to Zeal, it's ''very'' important.

** ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIIThePrincelessBride'': A rubber chicken, an ear of corn, and a hair comb (Valanice) An old sock, [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers a severed foot]], and a sweet-smelling flower. (Rosella)

->'''Jack:''' Is the... jar of dirt going to help?\\

'''Jack:''' ''[tentatively]'' No...\\

[[caption-width-right:240:[-What, you mean I can't do that with my hands?-]]]

** ''Space Quest 2'': a silly puzzle and, again, a rock
** ''Space Quest 3'': the orat-on-a-stick, and a cereal decoder ring
** ''Space Quest 4'': an energizer bunny
** ''Space Quest 5'': a banana and a packet of space monkeys

** ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry1InTheLandOfTheLoungeLizards'': a glass of whiskey
** ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry2LookingForLoveInSeveralWrongPlaces'': a flower
** ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry3PassionatePattiInPursuitOfThePulsatingPectorals'': soap-on-a-rope...

* In the penultimate episode of ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'' Boss gives Kouji a resistance bar. [[SubvertedTrope Kouji uses it immediately to smack an Iron Mask Soldier]]. Then in final episode Mazinkaiser's control stick breaks and Kouji [[DoubleSubversion uses the bar to replace the broken part]], letting him pilot Mazinkaiser again.

--> ''' Tia Dalma:''' Then it helps.

--> '''Pintel:''' "Those are nine pieces of ''junk''!"

* The everyday items in ''Film/{{Paycheck}}''. Rare film example of a plot setup involving the character collecting otherwise useless everyday items, {{justified|Trope}} in that the character knew exactly [[NoteToSelf what was going to happen]] in the future and when. Although why such a security conscious company would allow him, with their knowledge, to take a key card with him is anybody's guess.
** In the short story it's based on, its revealed that the machine wasn't just a viewer, it allowed one to extend a mechanical grasping arm through time to obtain objects. The protagonist uses it to grab the final MacGuffin out of the villain's hand at the climax, then his future-self pulls it out of his pocket.

* Another iffy example happens in ''Film/VanHelsing'', when the monk-inventor sidekick introduces the hero to a seemingly vulgar stone that can produce a sudden burst of solar-like light. The monk-inventor insists he doesn't know why it could be helpful, despite knowing that they are going to travel to Transylvania to fight vampires who are vulnerable to daylight, then says he is going to take it anyway. Three guesses about what specific item they use to escape a palace filled with vampires at night later on.

* Subverted in the ''Film/{{Cube}}'' films. Those imprisoned in the Cube have their memories wiped on HowWeGotHere, yet are often left personal items that help them (Leaven's reading glasses in ''Film/{{Cube}}'', so she can read the numbers on the rooms) or hinder them (Simon's knife in ''Film/Cube2Hypercube'', which makes him a threat to the others) or simply taunt them (Simon has a photo of the woman he was hired to find who has also been dumped in there, and a colonel is left with an empty HandcuffedBriefcase whose only use is to help him commit suicide). This is neither a ContrivedCoincidence or an attempt to help them succeed but something to do with the unknown purpose of the Cube.

'''Merlin:''' So might a gold braid, a joke book and a xylophone. ''Anything'' might come in handy in an adventure like this.

** Also Bilbo's gift of mithril armor to Frodo. Bilbo comments that it may be useful as armor, and it is. [[spoiler:But it's greatest usefulness comes when Frodo is captured. The orcs kill each other off fighting over it, clearing the way for Sam to rescue Frodo.]]

* As she leaves for a boat trip, Martine of ''Dolphin Song'' is given a plant by the old woman who's been teaching her about bush magic. Everyone teases her about it, until it proves to be the cure (the only cure on hand) for Man o' War stings. The best part is, the woman told her later that she just wanted it out of her garden.

* ''Literature/TheSirensOfTitan'' features an interesting twist. The main character's son picks up a random piece of scrap metal during a factory tour on Mars. It becomes his lucky piece and he carries it with him everywhere for the rest of the book until they arrive on Titan itself. Turns out, this little piece of scrap is the replacement part the alien observer has been sitting around waiting for since before the dawn of humanity. It seems all of human history was guided (and perhaps even BEGUN) by his species remotely just to bring him this small piece of metal so he could continue his mission (which it turns out is just to say "Hi" to whoever lives on the far side of the universe). It's a bit of a downer realization, until one considers that with this delivery/quest complete, perhaps humanity will be free to pursue its own destiny.

* ''Literature/TheMagicalMonarchOfMo'', Chapter 9 "The Wizard and the Princess". Princess Truella goes to the sorceress Maetta for help in retrieving her stolen big toe from the Wicked Wizard. The sorceress gives her a collection of items: a magical umbrella, a lump of putty, an iron ball, a mirror, a pack of chewing gum, a magical veil and a winged dagger. All of these items turn out to be very useful to the Princess on her quest.

* ''Series/EstateOfPanic'': The most successful contestant in the second of three rooms usually received an item that might have helped them in the third. For example, in the first episode a contestant was given a screwdriver, but had to figure out where to use it (on the A/C vents) to earn the extra money.

* Happens on ''Series/{{Tracker}}'' when Mel finds both her grandmother's diary and the strange triangular object. She finds it a bit odd but dismisses it and nails it up as a decoration, and it's only later that the writing on it is ID'd as Vardian and they learn that it's the key to the underground vault, and that the diary's poetry was another key clue.

-->'''Grytpype-Thynne:''' Now, here's a screwdriver, a blindfold and a cucumber.\\

* There are items like this all over the place in ''Videogame/AloneInTheDark1992'', e.g. an Indian cover, a heavy statuette and others whose use isn't quite obvious at the beginning.

** The trend in the series, since at least the second game ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', is that you will always get what you need to complete the next dungeon either in that dungeon, or right before it. This can become JustForFun/{{egregious}} at some points, like the trope picture. How lucky is it that you found that item right before flipping over blocks and pots from a short distance away became a vitality important ability? It's sometimes justified by the dungeons being carefully laid out trials, but just as often it isn't brought up. Did whoever designed the fire-temple in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' know that the switches would become rusted over, and that's why they left a hammer capable of pressing them for you to find, or was it just a [[ContrivedCoincidence coincidence?]]

* In ''VideoGame/LunarSilverStarStoryComplete'', you have Alex's ocarina from the beginning. You won't really need it until the very end, when you have to[[spoiler: save Luna from her self-imposed HeroicSacrifice]].

** The "Wand of Nagamar" in has no combat or utility value (though the combat messages could be entertaining). However it's required on the final Council Quest [[spoiler:to provide an absurdly unlikely finale to The Naughty Sorceress.]]

* Every game of ''VideoGame/IndianaJonesAndHisDesktopAdventures'' (an adventure game where the world and puzzles are randomly generated each time) should begin with Marcus giving you a briefing and giving you "something to get you going" -- usually a priceless ancient artifact which inevitably turns out to be just the thing a NPC needs.

* ''Green Moon'' is full of items which seem initially useless but turn out to be necessary for spells or potions.

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}''. In the end of Ruins you recieve Butterscotch-cinnamon pie, which is already TooAwesomeToUse since it always heals you fully. However, if you decide to keep it through the Neutral or Pacifist Run, it [[spoiler: reduces Asgore's ATK and DEF,]] or [[spoiler: causes both Asgore and Toriel remember you as Lost Souls]].

-->'''Uncle Sparky:''' I shall give you a half empty pizza box and a bag of garbage to take to the curb. May they be of aid to you on your journey.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'': "The Wrath of Guitierrez" had the eponymous hero needing a MacGuffin to detach himself from a device on time to avoid [[NeverSayDie deletion]] after an enemy sucked him into an AdventureGame. He needed certain items to help through his quest, and lampshades the usual pixel-hunting with things like a soup bowl he finds behind a suit of armor ("I found a bowl, good for me!"). He also lacks the usual invisible inventory, and towards the end of the game is carrying a huge armload of stuff.

* The fourth season of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' consists of a StoryArc which involves a mysterious six-locked chest. Over the course of the season, each pony is given an item which gives off a rainbow shimmer. The finale reveals they're the keys in disguise; when coming into contact with one of the locks, they turn into their true forms.

* In ''Literature/NightWatch'', Anton is savvy enough to know that any amulet [[TheArchmage Geser]] gives him will most likely be useful in the near future. Even a low-level Other is able to view his own probability lines. An old and powerful Great Other like Geser can do it a lot better. Why would you need an enchanted SIM card in Uzbekistan? Well, to block GPS tracking on your phone, of course, in case someone decides to cause an avalanche at your location. Why would battle mages like Anton and Alisher need rings that protect against fire, ice, poison, and vacuum when they can just use the Mage's Shield spell? Because those will happen to be the spells that their enemy will use, and the battle mages will have TheLoad to protect.

** The above example later leads to a subversion of this trope, when we learn that at the time Roy had in his possession two potions, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html Shillelagh Oil and Delay Poison]], which were exactly what he would have needed to escape the situation ''without'' having to done the belt of gender change, but he didn't think of it.

* In a fairy tale about a boy cursed to never grow taller until he finds Bargaglina, the boy is given a magic stone, a magic comb, and a bag of fog by the people he meets on his journey, who all tell him that these objects may help him. When he steals the magical fruit containing Bargaglina, the witch that guards the fruit magically summons armies of horsemen to chase after him. He remembers the objects he was given and uses them to escape. The stone turns into a mountain, which stops the first army, the comb turns into a giant mirror which scares away the second army, and the bag of fogs floods the entire area in fog so the last army cannot find him.

%% ** In [[Film/ReadyPlayerOne the movie]], another character casually flips the coin to him as a reward for winning a bet. Although Parzival thinks it's rather odd, hindsight shows that the one giving it to him certainly knew its value.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Uninvited}}'', picking up a certain seemingly important gem results in being demonically possessed about three turns later. Whoops.

* In ''VideoGame/BrainDead13'', both times while trying to get away from the [[PaletteSwap witches]], Lance picks up an eyeball hanging on a rack for no discernible reason whatsoever. At the end of the game, he gets the idea to tie the two eyeballs together like a bola in order to stop a boss, but that still doesn't answer the question of why he picked up the eyeballs in the first place.