History Main / MagneticPlotDevice

** On one ordinary day while Rand is in the city, a baby falls out of a high window onto cobblestones and crawls away unhurt; a freak wind blows a tiny feather into a man's open mouth and suffocates him to death; and a basket of roof tiles falls off a t ower, shatters into a million pieces, and its shards happen to randomly (but perfectly!) form the image on the city's new flag.

** ''Film/{{Thor}}'' has thr Tesseract in TheStinger of [[AnachronicOrder this chronologically later film]].

A normal person living a normal life will likely ''not'' get involved with adventures week after week. Why doesn't fate just leave this guy alone? We need a storytelling device to make this happen, one attracting weirdness to the heroes. Without this magnet, FridgeLogic will start to kick in with viewers, creating suspicions of ContrivedCoincidence.

** The storyline of the Infinity Stones will reach their apex in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''.

A normal person living a normal life will likely ''not'' get involved with adventures week after week. A storytelling device is needed to make this happen, one attracting weirdness to the heroes. Without this item FridgeLogic will start to kick in with viewers, mostly in the realm of a ContrivedCoincidence. Why doesn't fate just leave this guy alone?

* The CityOfAdventure is home to the [[{{Hellgate}} gates of hell.]]
* The protagonist is an InsufferableGenius and no one [[TheWormGuy has a clue without his/her expertise]].
* The SuperHero brings out the {{Super Villain}}s hiding around, creating a SuperheroParadox. Likewise may he end up [[CreateYourOwnVillain creating his own villain.]]
* The CardboardPrison.
* A MetaOrigin that explains ''everything.''

It can be considered a standing, perpetual ChekhovsGun, PlotCoupon or MacGuffin. Usually a [[JustifiedTrope good excuse]] for why they have a CityOfAdventure. Compare closely the RegularCaller, which in many cases is the individual and repeated methods of utilizing the Magnetic Plot Device. The [[JustifiedTrope justification]] of the WeirdnessMagnet. Compare GreenRocks.

* The main character himself in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', who attracts the enemies he fights due to his exceptionally strong spiritual presence, as well as [[spoiler: Karakura City itself, which for whatever reason has an unusually high concentration of spiritual energy]].
** It also helps that Ichigo does such a bad job of containing said spiritual power that he ends up SuperEmpowering a lot of the people who hang out around him.
* The Dragon Balls in ''Franchise/DragonBall'' always draw a lot of characters essential to the plot together, especially near the beginning of the series. For example, Bulma first meets Goku, because she is searching for a Dragon Ball that he owns. This also works especially well as a Magnetic Plot Device, because there is more than one Dragon Ball, which allows for a more seamless move together of a higher variety of characters.
** It wasn't until the Android Saga, mid-way through ''DBZ'', that they had a BigBad whose plans did not involve the Dragon Balls in any way. (Tenshinhan was never a true "BigBad", only a {{rival}}, and the Piccolo Jr. Saga flowed directly from the King Piccolo Saga, which did involve the Dragon Balls.)

* In the ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'', the Allspark takes on this role. In the first ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' film it was an object that both Autobot and Decepticon wanted and would cause unpredictable things to happen around it (mostly creating mini-robots from nearby mechanical devices). ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' used leftover fragments of the Allspark to cause more chaos, the big one being that it downloads a Cybertronian database into Sam's head. While Sam says IJustWantToBeNormal, TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive and this is the only reason why he is involved with the events of the movie at all.
** Supplimentary Material suggests that the [=AllSpark=] was attracted to Earth because of the Solar Harvester, and that the [[spoiler: meeting between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, both of whom get sidelined]] in DOTM was to take place on Earth also because of Earth's previous history with the Cybertronians.
* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse introduces the Infinity Stones, which has an impact on ''at least'' half the films. ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' has the Tesseract fuel the MadScience of the BigBad (and hints suggests the new element Tony created in ''Film/IronMan2'' is based on it), which previously appeared in TheStinger of [[AnachronicOrder the chronologically later]] ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and becomes the MacGuffin for ''Film/TheAvengers2012''. ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' reveals a new Stone in the Aether and ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' makes the connection between the Orb, Aether and Tesseract. It takes until Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron and the discovery of the Mind Stone within the Scepter ([[ChekhovsGun previously an artifact in the first Avengers]]) for the characters to start recognizing the pattern and theorize someone, which the audience knows is ComicBook/{{Thanos}}, has been playing [[TheChessmaster a long form game with them]]. The storyline of the Infinity Stones will reach their apex in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''.

** On one ordinary day while Rand is in the city, a baby falls out of a high window onto cobblestones and crawls away unhurt; a freak wind blows a tiny feather into a man's open mouth and suffocates him to death; and a basket of roof tiles falls off a tower, shatters into a million pieces, and its shards happen to randomly (but perfectly!) form the image on the city's new flag.

It can be considered a standing, perpetual ChekhovsGun, PlotCoupon or MacGuffin. Usually a [[JustifiedTrope good excuse]] for why they have a CityOfAdventure. Compare closely the RegularCaller, which in many cases is the individual and repeated methods of utilizing the Magnetic Plot Device. The [[JustifiedTrope justification]] of the WeirdnessMagnet.

Compare GreenRocks.

The [[JustifiedTrope justification]] of the WeirdnessMagnet. A normal person living a normal life will likely not get involved with adventures unless it comes upon them. To explain why these things happen week after week a storytelling device will be created, often multiple devices, with the sole purpose of polarizing the weirdness in the direction of the heroes.

Many times the device is uncontrollable, or the hero acts as a guardian of it, protecting it from misuse or limiting the damage it can do. Often it is an obscurely defined and rarely actually seen or used, but whose presence permeates the entirety of the saga.

Without this item FridgeLogic will start to kick in with viewers, mostly in the realm of a ContrivedCoincidence. Why doesn't fate just leave this guy alone?

It can be considered a standing, perpetual ChekhovsGun, PlotCoupon or MacGuffin. Usually a [[JustifiedTrope good excuse]] for why they have a CityOfAdventure. Compare closely the RegularCaller, which in many cases is the individual and repeated methods of utilizing the Magnetic Plot Device.

* ''Series/{{Merlin}}'''s two main characters are examples of this -- Arthur, being Crown Prince of Camelot, is the target of numerous assassination plots and is expected to go forth and smite various evil creatures with mighty smitage; Merlin is an incredibly powerful sorcerer, which in itself attracts some opposition.

* The Nexus in ''Series/{{Charmed}}''.

* Season 5 of WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic introduces the "Cutie Map", first shown in the episode of the same name, which is an offshoot of the [[WorldTree Tree of Harmony]]. It can summon all -- or any -- of the Mane Six to deal with friendship crises anywhere in Equestria by making their cutie marks shimmer and vibrate[[note]]at least two {{Stealth Pun}}s have been noted in this, one of which is related to WatchItForTheMeme[[/note]] and pointing out their destination on the map, and it sends a different signal to their marks when [[ButNowIMustGo they've solved the problem]].

* The Dragon Balls in ''DragonBall'' always draw a lot of characters essential to the plot together, especially near the beginning of the series. For example, Bulma first meets Goku, because she is searching for a Dragon Ball that he owns. This also works especially well as a Magnetic Plot Device, because there is more than one Dragon Ball, which allows for a more seamless move together of a higher variety of characters.

* In the ''EternalChampion'' series, Elric (in his various incarnations) is always being summoned to do battle in various worlds without rest. So he is always in an AdventureTown.

* The Caves in the ''{{Quentaris}}'' series. They connect the CityOfAdventure to alternate universes, and are a large source of profit as well as danger as adventurers go questing for treasures or [[MonsterOfTheWeek random monsters]] come and attack the place.

* The protagonist of DC's short-lived ''ComicBook/MajorBummer'' is a slacker who received super-powers when aliens sent him an "Extreme Enhancement Module" by mistake. The EEM ends up attracting trouble (and other EEM-enhanced supers), much to the protagonist's annoyance.

* The "Extreme Enhancement Modules" that give superpowers to the protagonists of ''ComicBook/MajorBummer'' also serve to attract superpowered individuals to each other and to trouble and weirdness in general -- so that superheroes won't run out of villains to fight or crises to avert.

* The protagonist of DC's short-lived ''Major Bummer'' is a slacker who received super-powers when aliens sent him an "Extreme Enhancement Module" by mistake. The EEM ends up attracting trouble (and other EEM-enhanced supers), much to the protagonist's annoyance.

* The main character himself in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', who attracts the demons he fights due to his exceptionally strong spiritual presence, as well as [[spoiler: Karakura City itself, which for whatever reason has an unusually high concentration of spiritual energy]].

** This becomes really important in Mat Cauthon's development, once he becomes GenreSavvy. Since he's aware his presence skews probability, Mat takes bets on being able to do impossible things, and then does them-- such as when he throws a knife into a tiny block of wood in midair, a long distance away, while blindfolded.

* In ''Series/Class2016'', a ''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff, the Doctor explains that Coal Hill Academy is now a target due to time having worn thin at that location; the teenaged students present immediately [[{{LampshadeHanging}} recognize]] this as similar to the premise of multiple television shows, starting the list with BuffyTheVampireSlayer's Hellmouth.

* In the ''Franchise/TransformersFilmSeries'', the Allspark takes on this role. In the first ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' film it was an object that both Autobot and Decepticon wanted and would cause unpredictable things to happen around it (mostly creating mini-robots from nearby mechanical devices). ''Film/TransformersRevengeOfTheFallen'' used leftover fragments of the Allspark to cause more chaos, the big one being that it downloads a Cybertronian database into Sam's head. While Sam says IJustWantToBeNormal, TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive and this is the only reason why he is involved with the events of the movie at all.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' has an inversion of this during the World Tour arc. According to Tom, the magical island of Avalon does not take you where you want to go, it sends you where you ''need'' to go. Thus Goliath, Eliza, Bronx, and Angela travel all over the world saving the day. At one point they are even sent right back to Avalon. Even when they finally return to New York, it's only because Avalon knew they would be needed there.

* In ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse,'' the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Crystal Gems]] go on missions all over the world (and sometimes beyond), but [[TheSmartGuy Pearl]] mentioned in "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS2E10RisingTidesCrashingSkies]]" that the Temple attracts [[MonsterOfTheWeek Gem monsters]], which is why so many show up around Beach City.

** And justifiably so, as it shoots out enough evil-ness to attract demons from miles around. Plus, the town being built expressly for demons to come and eat the squishy humans.

* {{Discussed}} in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls,'' when [[ScienceHero Ford]] shows [[SeekerArchetype Dipper]] [[spoiler:the massive alien ship under Gravity Falls]]. He admit that he isn't sure if it's what attracts all the weirdness in the town or if it showed up because it was drawn there itself. WordOfGod says it's been there for millions of years, though.

** [[VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame The 2009 video game]] also does this as it's revealed [[spoiler:Ivo Shandor, the cult leader/architect who rigged the apartment building, also rigged the library and hotel from the first film, and the museum from the second, as nodes for this city wide apparatus meant to fuel Gozer's Destructor form, with the apartment building being the door. His old estate was a castle/laboratory where the slime river was first made before it was pumped into the sewer. Also it was revealed one of Ivo's henchmen killed Eleanor Twitty, who became the librarian ghost.]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* The Brand of Sacrifice borne by Guts in ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'' draws demons to him like a lightning rod, making his life (and the life of his lover Casca, who also bears the Brand) a literal living Hell. The two of them are only alive because Guts is an unstoppable demonslaying {{Badass}} (and because [[spoiler:the Skull Knight has a vested interest in making sure they live to oppose the Godhand]]).

The TARDIS was ancient and obsolete even back when the Doctor stole it in his first incarnation, so it doesn't always land where it is supposed to land. Naturally, it sometimes lands in the middle of trouble.\\
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Also, the TARDIS is stated multiple times to be alive and can sense things in the timeline. In "The Doctor's Wife", [[spoiler:the TARDIS herself]] claims that she lands wherever the Doctor needs to go.