MacGuffin Title: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
[[File:macguffintitle 9315.jpg|link=The Maltese Falcon|right]]
[[File:macguffintitle 9315.jpg|link=The Maltese Falcon|frame]]

{{quote|''There once was a man named Gold Roger, who was king of the pirates! He had fame, wealth, and power beyond your wildest dreams! Before they hung him from the gallows, these were the final words he said:''

''"My fortune is yours for the taking. But you'll have to find it first. I left everything I own... in [[Discussed Trope| One Piece.]]"''

''Ever since, pirates from all over the world set sail for the Grand Line, searching for One Piece, the treasure that would make their dreams come true!''}} -from the 4Kids opening of ''[[One Piece]]''


A work has a title that refers to a specific object. Because the object is so specific in the title, you know without knowing anything else about the story, that, obviously, the heroes will have to quest to find this object, or protect it from the bad guys, or recover it from the forces of evil, or destroy it somehow. This often leads to a [[Title Drop]].
A work has a title that refers to a specific object. Because the object is so specific in the title, you know without knowing anything else about the story, that, obviously, the heroes will have to quest to find this object, or protect it from the bad guys, or recover it from the forces of evil, or destroy it somehow. This often leads to a [[Title Drop]].
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A Subtrope of [[Mad Lib Fantasy Title]] and [[Super-Trope]] of [[Character Name and the Noun Phrase]].
A Subtrope of [[Mad Lib Fantasy Title]] and [[Super-Trope]] of [[Character Name and the Noun Phrase]].

{{examples}}
{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==
== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' has some of this, since the main character has to capture cards.
* ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' has some of this, since the main character has to capture cards.
* ''[[Dragon Ball]]''
* ''[[Dragon Ball]]''
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== Film ==
== Film ==

* ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]'' says almost nothing about the movie, [[It Was His Sled|but we kinda know what it's talking about]].
* ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]'' says almost nothing about the movie, [[It Was His Sled|but we kinda know what it's talking about]].
* ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' and ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'' qualify. ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]'' doesn't.
* ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' and ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'' qualify. ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]'' doesn't.
** The title was going to be ''Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail'', but director Steven Spielberg didn't want people to confuse it with ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'' (which, coincidentally, fits this trope to a T).
** The title was going to be ''Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail'', but director Steven Spielberg didn't want people to confuse it with ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]'' (which, coincidentally, fits this trope to a T).
* ''[[Monty Python and the Holy Grail]]''. What, weren't you reading the previous example?
* ''[[The Pink Panther]]'' is, in universe, named for the valuable gem in the heist, and not for the cartoon feline that appears in the credits.
* ''[[The Pink Panther]]'' is, in universe, named for the valuable gem in the heist, and not for the cartoon feline that appears in the credits.


== Literature ==
== Literature ==

* Phillip Pullman's ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' is a trilogy of [[MacGuffin]] titles. ''The Subtle Knife'' is a particularly good case of this.
* Phillip Pullman's ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' is a trilogy of [[MacGuffin]] titles. ''The Subtle Knife'' is a particularly good case of this.
** Not in the UK, however, where the first book is titled ''Northern Lights''.
** Not in the UK, however, where the first book is titled ''Northern Lights''.
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* ''The Drawing of the Dark'' by [[Tim Powers]] references not one but two MacGuffins.
* ''The Drawing of the Dark'' by [[Tim Powers]] references not one but two MacGuffins.
* ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]'' has ''The Silver Chair'', which doesn't turn up until quite late in the book, but still counts.
* ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]'' has ''The Silver Chair'', which doesn't turn up until quite late in the book, but still counts.
* The ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series includes the titular [[Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone|Philosopher's Stone]], [[Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire|Goblet of Fire]], and [[Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows|Deathly Hallows]], though the Goblet is a plot starter, not a [[Plot Coupon]]. The [[Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets|Chamber of Secrets]] also counts, as it is a [[MacGuffin Location]].
* The ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series includes the titular [[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (novel)|Philosopher's Stone]], [[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (novel)|Goblet of Fire]], and [[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (novel)|Deathly Hallows]], though the Goblet is a plot starter, not a [[Plot Coupon]]. The [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (novel)|Chamber of Secrets]] also counts, as it is a [[MacGuffin Location]].
* ''[[The Sword of Shannara]]''.
* ''[[The Sword of Shannara]]''.
* ''[[Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn]]'' does this recursively: Not only does the series-name refer to the three MacGuffins, but the titles for individual books (''The Dragonbone Chair'', ''The Stone of Farewell'' and ''To Green Angel Tower'') all refer to various important objects.
* ''[[Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn]]'' does this recursively: Not only does the series-name refer to the three MacGuffins, but the titles for individual books (''The Dragonbone Chair'', ''The Stone of Farewell'' and ''To Green Angel Tower'') all refer to various important objects.
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* [[Alexandre Dumas]] père's ''The Black Tulip''.
* [[Alexandre Dumas]] père's ''The Black Tulip''.
* ''[[Deltora Quest]]'' by Emily Rodda.
* ''[[Deltora Quest]]'' by Emily Rodda.
* The [[Chronicles of Prydain]] include ''The Book of Three'' and ''The Black Cauldron'', and also the [[MacGuffin Location]] ''The Castle of Llyr''.
* The ''[[Chronicles of Prydain]]'' include ''The Book of Three'' and ''The Black Cauldron'', and also the [[MacGuffin Location]] ''The Castle of Llyr''.
* The books in the [[Elenium]] trilogy by [[David Eddings]] sound like they're this trope, but only the third book in the trilogy - ''The Sapphire Rose'' - actually fits the bill.
* The books in the ''[[Elenium]]'' trilogy by [[David Eddings]] sound like they're this trope, but only the third book in the trilogy - ''The Sapphire Rose'' - actually fits the bill.
* [[The Silmarillion]] is Quenya for "of the Silmarils," an abbreviation of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'', the Story of the Silmarils.
* ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' is Quenya for "of the Silmarils," an abbreviation of the full title ''Quenta Silmarillion'', "The Story of the Silmarils".
* The first book in the ''[[Chaos Walking]]'' trilogy, ''The Knife Of Never Letting Go''.
* The first book in the ''[[Chaos Walking]]'' trilogy, ''The Knife Of Never Letting Go''.
* ''[[The Moonstone]]''.
* ''[[The Moonstone]]''.


== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
⚫
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' is full of this trope: ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass|Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap|The Minish Cap]]'', and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords]]'', to various extents.

⚫
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' is full of this trope: ''[[Ocarina of Time]]'', ''[[Majoras Mask]]'', ''[[The Wind Waker]]'', ''[[Phantom Hourglass]]'', ''[[The Minish Cap]]'', and ''[[The Legend of Zelda Four Swords]]'', to various extents.
* The ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' series as a whole is a case of this, as the titular object is almost ''always'' a plot-important item in the games; the only time it isn't important to the plot is in [[Fire Emblem Jugdral]], where it is only mentioned off-hand by a certain character.
* The ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' series as a whole is a case of this, as the titular object is almost ''always'' a plot-important item in the games; the only time it isn't important to the plot is in [[Fire Emblem Jugdral]], where it is only mentioned off-hand by a certain character.
* ''[[Metal Gear]]''
* ''[[Metal Gear]]''
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* ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]''
* ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]''
* ''[[Geneforge]]''
* ''[[Geneforge]]''
* Several titles in the ''[[Professor Layton]]'' series, such as ''[[Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box|The Diabolical Box]]'', ''[[Professor Layton and The Specters Flute|The Specter's Flute]]'', and ''[[Professor Layton and The Mask of Miracle|The Mask of Miracle]]''.
* Several titles in the ''[[Professor Layton]]'' series, such as ''[[Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box|The Diabolical Box]]'', ''[[Professor Layton and the Last Specter|The Last Specter]]'', and ''[[Professor Layton and The Mask of Miracle|The Mask of Miracle]]''.


== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==

* ''[[Bionicle]]: Mask of Light''.
* ''[[Bionicle]]: Mask of Light''.
* ''[[The Sword in the Stone]]''.
* ''[[The Sword in the Stone]]''.

Latest revision as of 19:41, 12 August 2023

A work has a title that refers to a specific object. Because the object is so specific in the title, you know without knowing anything else about the story, that, obviously, the heroes will have to quest to find this object, or protect it from the bad guys, or recover it from the forces of evil, or destroy it somehow. This often leads to a Title Drop.

Something of a pet trope for fantasy novels and video games, (especially those with Mad Lib Fantasy Titles, but can occur elsewhere. Sometimes results in an Artifact Title if the series moves on. Can involve a Character Name and the Noun Phrase title, especially if the Noun Phrase in question is nothing more than a MacGuffin itself.

A Subtrope of Mad Lib Fantasy Title and Super-Trope of Character Name and the Noun Phrase.

Examples of MacGuffin Title include:

Anime and Manga

Film

Literature

  • Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials is a trilogy of MacGuffin titles. The Subtle Knife is a particularly good case of this.
    • Not in the UK, however, where the first book is titled Northern Lights.
  • Crops up in The Wheel of Time. The first book is definitely one, but the best example is A Crown of Swords for combining this with Prophecy Twist - even some of the Title Drops seem to be symbolic.
  • Jack Vance's The Eyes Of The Overworld.
  • The Drawing of the Dark by Tim Powers references not one but two MacGuffins.
  • The Chronicles of Narnia has The Silver Chair, which doesn't turn up until quite late in the book, but still counts.
  • The Harry Potter series includes the titular Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire, and Deathly Hallows, though the Goblet is a plot starter, not a Plot Coupon. The Chamber of Secrets also counts, as it is a MacGuffin Location.
  • The Sword of Shannara.
  • Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn does this recursively: Not only does the series-name refer to the three MacGuffins, but the titles for individual books (The Dragonbone Chair, The Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower) all refer to various important objects.
  • Maggie Furey's Artifacts Of Power series has titles like "The Harp of Winds" and "The Sword of Flame".
  • Keeper of the Swords by Nick Perumov is kinda like that. It sounds like a word salad at first, but later you learn that the titular Swords are the McGuffin. The first book in this series, Diamond Sword, Wooden Sword plays the trope completely straight.
  • The Dark Sword Trilogy centers around the forging and use of a powerful anti-magic sword In a World of magic users.
  • The Eye of Argon.
  • Alexandre Dumas père's The Black Tulip.
  • Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda.
  • The Chronicles of Prydain include The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron, and also the MacGuffin Location The Castle of Llyr.
  • The books in the Elenium trilogy by David Eddings sound like they're this trope, but only the third book in the trilogy - The Sapphire Rose - actually fits the bill.
  • The Silmarillion is Quenya for "of the Silmarils," an abbreviation of the full title Quenta Silmarillion, "The Story of the Silmarils".
  • The first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy, The Knife Of Never Letting Go.
  • The Moonstone.

Video Games

Western Animation

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