Eye of Newt: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|"Fillet of a fenny snake,

{{quote|''"Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the cauldron boil and bake;

''In the cauldron boil and bake;

[[Trope Namer|Eye of newt]] and toe of frog,

''[[Trope Namer|Eye of newt]] and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

''Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,

''Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,

''Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

''For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

''Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."''|'''The Three Witches''', ''[[Macbeth]]''}}

|'''The Three Witches''', ''[[Macbeth]]''}}

The [[Spell Construction|material (or immaterial) component]] you [[Ritual Magic|need to call forth a spell]] or activate a superpower. It's not as simple as just spending [[Mana]], though. You may need to burn a pinch of sulphur, or to sacrifice the soul of your first born child. Either way, you've got to pay the price before you can throw lightning from your fingertips. If the value of what's sacrificed ''has'' to equal the value of what's gained, it's [[Equivalent Exchange]].

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Sometimes this trope is used to justify [[Plot Coupons]] as necessary ingredients. Improbably specific requirements can be used to set up impossible challenges. If one of the 'ingredients' happens to be the caster's immortal soul, then it's a [[Deal with the Devil]]. A reusable ingredient is a specialised form of [[Magic Wand]].

Compare with the [[Magical Incantation|actual words of the spell]], and associated [[Magical Gesture~~|Magical Gestures~~]].

Compare with the [[Magical Incantation|actual words of the spell]], and associated [[Magical Gesture]]s.

A subtrope of [[Functional Magic]].

== Anime and Manga ==

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* In the ''[[Ranma ½]]'' manga spell components are sometimes needed by the magic users. For example, Happosai needed the tears of a creature both male and female for a rejuvenation potion.

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** Happens once or twice in the anime, too. In "The Last Days of Happosai...?", [[Lethal Chef|Akane Tendo]] tries to prepare a magical elixir that will revitalize the dying pervert -- it's implied her usual lack of skill in the kitchen is the source of the potion's nauseating stink, which eventually renders all of the others in the house bedridden with sickness. Eye of newt and toe of frog are even actual ingredients.

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* In the ''[[Ranma ½]]'' manga ~~sometimes~~ spell components are needed by the magic users, ~~for~~ example, Happosai needed the tears of a creature both male and female for a rejuvenation potion.

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* In ''[[Great Teacher Onizuka]]'', one member of a trio of witch-wannabes drinks a [[Love Potion]] and accidentally sees Onizuka first. They try to use black magic to negate the power of the spell. Ingredients include bat wings (procured from the science department), toad warts (ditto), and ''Onizuka's pubic hair'' (uh...).

⚫

** Happens once or twice in the anime, too. In "The Last Days of Happosai...?", [[Lethal Chef|Akane Tendo]] tries to prepare a magical elixir that will revitalize the dying pervert- it's implied her usual lack of skill in the kitchen is the source of the potion's nauseating stink, which eventually renders all of the others in the house bedridden with sickness. Eye of newt and toe of frog are even actual ingredients.

⚫

* In [[Great Teacher Onizuka]], one member of a trio of witch-wannabes drinks a [[Love Potion]] and accidentally sees Onizuka first. They try to use black magic to negate the power of the spell. Ingredients include bat wings (procured from the science department), toad warts (ditto), and ''Onizuka's pubic hair'' (uh...).

== Film ==

* Parodied in the movie ''[[Robin Hood: Men in Tights]]'', where Latrine is apparently putting together a scrying spell with all sorts of gooey ingredients, including "eyeballs of a crocodile". A moment later we learn she's not a witch at all; [[Squick|she's the cook]].

* ''[[Warlock]]'' used the body fat of a non-baptised child as a levitation potion. Baptise your children, people!

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* Ingredients in ''[[Harry Potter]]'' potions include a bezoar and bicorn horn, and the brewing of Polyjuice Potion involved particular parts of a lunar cycle.

* ''[[The Dresden Files]]'' sometimes uses non-physical components gathered under specific conditions. E.g Harry had to be truly happy in order to gather sunlight into a handkerchief.

** Potions specifically need 8 ingredients. A base liquid, one for each sense as well as the spirit and the mind. A love potion, for example used tequila as a base, money for the mind, chocolate for taste, perfume for smell, lace for touch, a sigh for sound, candlelight for sight, and the ashes of a romance novel for spirit (though it probably would have worked a little less ''sleazily'' if they hadn't used substitutes for the original base, mind and spirit ingredients - champagne, powdered diamond and the ashes of a love letter.)

** Potions specifically need 8 ingredients. A base liquid, one ingredient for each sense as well as one each for the spirit and the mind. A love potion, for example used tequila as a base, money for the mind, chocolate for taste, perfume for smell, lace for touch, a sigh for sound, candlelight for sight, and the ashes of a romance novel for spirit (though it probably would have worked a little less ''sleazily'' if they hadn't used substitutes for the original base, mind and spirit ingredients -- champagne, powdered diamond and the ashes of a love letter.)

** Ordinary magic can be done without physical ingredients or foci, but no-one does it that way. You can just create the things you need in your mind, but if your mental image slips just a little, your spell will fail. Trying to do it that way, rather than with a physical object, is much more difficult and makes no difference in effect, so no-one bothers unless the midden hath hit the windmill, big time.

* [[Ethshar~~|Ethsharian~~]] wizardry uses ~~ingredient~~ like this - a raindrop caught in midair, the blood of an unborn child.

* [[Ethshar]]ian wizardry uses ingredients like this - a raindrop caught in midair, the blood of an unborn child.

* One of the characters in ''[[Iron Council]]'' is a monk from a special order that discovers secrets. To do so, however, the monk has to sacrifice one of his/her own memories or abilities each time he digs up new info.

* In ''[[The Neverending Story (novel)|The Neverending Story]]'', Bastian discovers that every time he uses his amulet to "change" things, he sacrifices one of his own memories. Eventually, he develops full amnesia. {{spoiler|He gets better.}}