Chekhov's Gun

A storytelling rule: every prominent element introduced in act one must matter by act three.

Origin

From a 1889 letter by Anton Chekhov: 'If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off.' The principle became central to screenwriting and game-design narratives.

Modern usage

Standard vocabulary in writing workshops. Often invoked humorously when an early prop or character resurfaces dramatically late in a film.

MacGuffin

An object the characters chase that drives the plot — whose actual nature barely matters.

concept

Literary Devices

Plot Armor

The invisible protection that keeps key characters alive because the story needs them.

concept

Literary Devices

Deus ex Machina

An external force that rescues the plot, usually too conveniently.

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