You know exactly what Im talking about.
Key stories are almost notorious for their magical elements. In many of their earlier titles, this magic is often only hinted at for most of the story, and is then revealed in full at the climax. However, in recent titles, such as Angel Beats!, Rewrite, and Charlotte, the supernatural elements are not only evident, but are defining characteristics of the story, from the very beginning.
Because of the manner in which they have been employed, many people have likened Keyâs use of magical elements to the literary trope âDeus ex Machinaâ, a plot development in which a seemingly unsolvable problem suddenly is solved through some source external to the characters. This label is arguably the most common criticism against Key stories, as Deus ex Machina are seen usually seen as lazy writing or as forcing a âhappily-ever-after.â
The purpose of this topic is the discuss the use of âmagicâ in Key stories as it relates to the plot, characters, and setting. Discussion is not limited to supernatural elements that are employed at the climax/end of the stories, even though that is commonly what âKey Magicâ refers to.
Points to address could include (but are not limited to):
- Does âKey Magicâ in fact fit under the label of Deus ex Machina?
- If yes, do you consider this to be a necessarily negative aspect? Why/why not?
- Discuss foreshadowing and its importance in reference to supernatural elements.
- What are the pros/cons of introducing âmagicâ from the start of the story vs. at the climax?
- Et cetera!
Of course, the most essential aspect of this topic will be providing examples from Key stories and explaining them. Thus, this is going to be an extremely spoiler heavy topic.
Please do not forget [spoiler] tags, providing adequate context in (parenthesis).