Deus ex Machina (literally "god out of a machine")) is an
improbable contrivance in a story. The phrase describes an artificial, or improbable,
character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a
situation or untangle a plot (such as an angel suddenly appearing to solve problems). The
term is a negative one, and it often implies a lack of skill on the part of the writer.[1]
from Wikipedia
from Dictionary.com 1. (in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements of the plot. 2. any artificial or improbable device resolving the difficulties of a plot.
Assisted by Leigh Averett