Using a nonsensical plot device to get rid of any antagonistic character, generally when in heavy pursuit of the protagonist and or others on the protagonist’s side.

Origins: After Marion drives Indiana Jones and company off a cliff, they land on a conveniently placed tree that lowers down, dropping them somewhat gently into the river below. After losing the excess weight, the tree swings back up and smacks the Russians, now in heavy pursuit on the cliff face, knocking them off the cliff. Also known as the McCarthy Spank, as we jokingly said that McCarthy had trained those trees to treat Russians this way.

Usage: Boy, those Velociraptors sure got the Spielberg Spank when the T-Rex conveniently burst into the building and attacked them all, allowing the humans to escape!

First Used: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull