Deus ex machina (pronounced DAY-us ex MACK-in-uh) is Latin for “a god from the machine.” It’s when some new character, force, or event suddenly shows up to solve a seemingly hopeless situation. The effect is usually unexpected, and it’s often disappointing for audiences. It’s as if the author has brought us to the climactic moment of tension and suspense, and then simply said, “But then everything was suddenly OK.”
