Magic 8-Ball: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
A '''Magic 8-Ball''' is, in general, any tool that is used in order to gain advice or try to predict the future. It must be a prop or other physical object, since any characters would fall under [[Mentors]] or some other advice dispenser instead. It must be able to accept questions, and respond in turn.
In reality, a magic 8 ball is a classic toy. You would shake it and ask it a question, and a random response would come up in the window built into it. As a result, there are various uses of the possible responses involved, as well as of the 8 ball itself. [[wikipedia:Magic 8 ball|The details and phrases involved can be found on]] [[The Other Wiki]].
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{{examples}}
== [[Film]] ==
* The 8-ball from ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]''.
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' parody ''[[Bored of the Rings]]''. The mallomar (its version of the palantir) looks and acts like one of these, including giving the answer "Reply Hazy, Ask Again Later".
* The Spell of the Eighth Sphere in the ''[[Ethshar]]'' series: A literally magical 8-Ball.
* In the [[John Bellairs]] novel ''The House With a Clock In Its Walls'', the protagonists use a Magic 8-Ball to find the titular clock. Wizard Jonathan and Witch Mrs. Zimmerman both try to use the 8-Ball without success. Eventually, Jonathan's nephew Lewis is able to get the 8-Ball to display the message "Basement." (Like any magical object, the 8-Ball only works for its owner).
* In George Alec Effinger's short story "The Great God Quay" from the ''[[Star Wars]]'' anthology ''[[Tales From Jabba's Palace]]'', the Weequay all carry totems resembling the Magic 8-Ball, and firmly believe that their god Quay can communicate with them through it. They don't always get an answer, but assume that Quay must be busy with someone else's totem, and will happily keep shaking the thing until they get a response.
* Inspired by the then current Miss Cleo infotainment ads, ''[[The Funday Pawpet Show]]'''s Herbie started having interview guests "Ask a question of Magic 8-Ball" at the end of interviews.▼
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
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== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* A [[Bland-Name Product|''Magic
== [[Web Comics]] ==
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* An arc of ''[[Precocious (Webcomic)|Precocious]]'' parodied this with the "On Cue Ball," which didn't so much give advice as it [[Deadpan Snarker|ridiculed everything and everyone]].
* The Foolamancer from ''[[Erfworld]]'', Jack, wields a staff topped by a Magic 8-Ball, and occasionally consults it. He has also referenced the lines used by it when asked a question.
* ''[[Knights of the Dinner Table]]'' #170 had an ad on page 74 for "ThinkGeek's [http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/games/e1ee Magic d20 of Destiny]". It's shaped like a 20-sided die the size of your fist, and the messages it gives are appropriate for an RPG like ''[[Dungeons
* In [https://web.archive.org/web/20130927145154/http://adventurers.keenspot.com/d/0155.html this strip] of ''[[Adventurers!]]'', Karn obtains and consults a "Magic [[Final Fantasy VIII|Eight Squall]]."
* ''[[Penny Arcade (Webcomic)|Penny Arcade]]'' has an interesting subversion in the Magic Hate Ball. See it [http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2001/01/17/ here.]
== [[Web Original]] ==
▲* Inspired by the then current Miss Cleo infotainment ads, ''[[The Funday Pawpet Show]]'''s Herbie started having interview guests "Ask a question of Magic 8-Ball" at the end of interviews.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Fate and Prophecy Tropes]]
[[Category:
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