To this end Tolkien’s description of the “eucatastrophe” may be of help … except the gods of wikipedia decree that eucatastrophe is often blithely interchanged with deus ex machina:
“"'Eucatastrophe'" is often confused with deus ex machina, in that they both serve to pull the protagonist out of the proverbial (or sometimes literal) fire. The key difference is that the eucatastrophe fits within the established framework of the story, whereas the deus ex machina, the "God from the machine", suddenly and inexplicably introduces a character, force, or event that has no pre-existing narrative reference.
jt
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From: Connie Price
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Sent: Friday, 4 April 2008 6:47 AM
Subject: Re: Last-minute rescue
Many of the founding narratives can be read and filmed and viewed this way. Maybe it depends on what kinds of rescue we are considering; religious people would perceive spiritual rescue in e.g. the story of Josiah, and the one that is celebrated at Purim...and the one at Easter! C.