Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20151130020049/@comment-6175354-20151201174346

Eskaver wrote: CadoDoan wrote: What does this "mcguffin" mean? Magic macguffin is just the random item they pull out of nowhere that gets focused in an episode.

MacGuffin (a.k.a. McGuffin or maguffin) is a term for a motivating element in a story that is used to drive the plot. It serves no further purpose.

TV tropes says best. Prime examples on OUaT, would be Pandora's box and Fergus' Helm.