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Q&A Deus Ex Machina -- How to identify?

I got a critique today from someone and they told me I was using a "Deus Ex Machina". I did some poking around on here, and I question if it really is one. I found a link -- and it says within th...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Sierra‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T09:53:50Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/39237
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Sierra‭ · 2019-12-08T09:53:50Z (over 4 years ago)
I got a critique today from someone and they told me I was using a "Deus Ex Machina". I did some poking around on here, and I question if it really is one.

I found a [link](https://writing.stackexchange.com/questions/17780/is-the-following-deus-ex-machina-if-so-should-i-remove-it) -- and it says within the first 20-25% I can get away with it. But does that mean for 20-22% of the chapter or the novel? Mine happens in the middle of the second chapter.

**My Possible Deus Ex Machina:**

> My character is searching for something. When she finds what she's looking for, it's pretty clear that she's waiting on someone. She finally gets fed-up and carries on without him only to find herself in a spot of trouble. He arrives in the nick of time to help her.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-10-05T17:03:46Z (over 5 years ago)
Original score: 13