Magic by Any Other Name/Playing With

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.



Basic Trope: A system is obviously supposed to be the in universe equivalent of magic, but isn't called 'magic'.

  • Straight: In the world of Tropelandia, the magic system is called Casting.
  • Exaggerated: In Tropelandia, there are a hundred spellcasting systems and none of them are called magic.
  • Downplayed: In Tropelandia, there are two magic systems: the regular magic and Casting.
  • Justified: Magic is the first iteration of the system in Tropelandia, and Casting was created to polish the existing system.
  • Inverted: Everything is called magic regardless of its function.
  • Subverted: Bob the Wizard, while creating his spell casting system, calls it a number of different things like Mana, Abilities, and Gifts, before finally settling on... magic.
  • Double Subverted: ...Then Bob settled on the name Casting.
  • Parodied: Genre Savvy Alice keeps calling the system magic, but Bob insists that it's called Casting.
    • Mentioning the word 'magic' anywhere in public results in jail time and a $500 fine.
  • Zig Zagged: There are ten different systems in Tropelandia which can qualify as magic. Three of them are straight up called magic, one is called Casting, another one Projection.
    • Bob decides to call his new system magic, then Gifts, then magic again, then Casting, then magic...
  • Averted: The system in Tropelandia is simply called magic.
  • Enforced: "Magic is such a lame word. Let's try something new!"
  • Lampshaded: "Why do we have so many confusing names for our spells?"
  • Invoked: Bob, while creating his latest magic system, decides to name it Casting.
  • Exploited: Knowing Bob's intentions, Big Bad Emperor Evulz puts a curse on the word Casting.
  • Defied: While Bob is creating his system, Alice bursts into his room and demands that he call his system Magic so she won't be confused about all the systems.
  • Discussed: "Magic is such a boring phrase and I'll come up with a much more creative word"
  • Conversed: "Why can't just these guys call their system Casting for simplicity's sake?"
  • Deconstructed: Genre Savvy Alice, while making a Show Within a Show, discuss the connotations of the word "magic", revealing that it has become an overused word to her. In order to for the show to avoid feeling like a Cliché Storm, she must choose a new word.
  • Reconstructed: A subplot of the work revolves around Alice and Bob choosing an alternative word to "magic" for their show, as they try to keep the spellcasting system feeling original.
  • Played For Drama: The system originally called magic was invented by a tribe who is slowly being oppressed. The new system, Casting, created by the oppressors, is gradually taking over the old magic system.
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