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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a completely ad-hoc plot device"
Phlebotinum[1] is the versatile substance that may be rubbed on almost anything to cause an effect needed by a plot.
Some examples: nanotechnology, magic crystal emanations, pixie dust, a sonic screwdriver, or even just some Green Rocks. In essence, it is the stuff that makes the plot go. Without it, the story would grind to an abrupt halt. It's science, it's magic, it's strange things unknown to science or magic. The reader does not know how Phlebotinum would work and the creators hope nobody cares.
According to Joss Whedon, during the DVD commentary for the pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the term "phlebotinum" originates from Buffy writer (and Angel co-creator) David Greenwalt's sudden outburst: "Don't touch the phlebotinum!" apropos of nothing. [2]
If the phlebotinum in question is simply a physical substance with unusual/extreme properties you are almost certainly dealing with the element Unobtainium.
A.K.A. Handwavium. Compare MacGuffin, A Wizard Did It, Hand Wave, and Deus Ex Machina.
Applied Phlebotinum is among the Tropes of Legend.
Notes
All items (259)
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- Artifact of Doom
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- Blood Bath
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- Can't Have Sex Ever
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- Collapsing Lair
- Comm Links
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- Correspondence Course
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- Deflector Shields
- Depleted Phlebotinum Shells
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- Deus Ex Nukina
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- Do-Anything Robot
- Doomsday Device
- Duct Tape for Everything
- Electric Instant Gratification
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- Energy Absorption
- Every Car Is a Pinto
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- Exposition Beam
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- Fertile Feet
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- Functional Magic
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- Grappling Hook Pistol
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- Green Rocks
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- Hard Light
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- Helping Hands
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- Human Popsicle
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- Incredibly Obvious Bug
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- It Runs on Nonsensoleum
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- Ley Line
- Lightning Can Do Anything
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- Losing Your Head
- Lost Technology
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- Made of Explodium
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- Magic A Is Magic A
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- Make a Wish
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- Medieval Stasis
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- Mind Control Device
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- Misapplied Phlebotinum
- Mithril
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- My Car Hates Me
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- Override Command
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- Percussive Maintenance
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- Phlebotinum Breakdown
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- Phlebotinum Killed the Dinosaurs
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- Portal Book
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- Powered by a Forsaken Child
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- Rube Goldberg Device