MacGuffin
A concept in storytelling, a MacGuffin is a motivator in a plot, often presented with minimal or no explanation in the narrative.

Although  science consultant David Krieger devised a pseudo-scientific explanation for what Krieger waves actually were (for the episode ), Krieger waves became a MacGuffin, in his own words, when the explanation he intended ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor. 

Ira Steven Behr referred to the Tox Uthat in  as a MacGuffin. (Star Trek: The Next Generation 365, p. 148)

John Logan referred to the cloning method used to create Shinzon, in , as "the MacGuffin of it, if you will." (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years, p. 392)

 Co-Writer Doug Jung termed the Abronath in that film a MacGuffin. ("Small World", Star Trek Beyond - Collector's Edition special features)

An article about this storytelling concept, in  (pp. 48-53), referred to the following items as MacGuffins:
V'ger ()
Genesis torpedo; Ceti eel ()
; Spock ()
Whales; time travel ()
Center of the universe; God ()
Planet goes kaboom; gravity boots; a ship that can fire while cloaked ()
The Nexus ()
Time travel; the Borg ()
Fountain of youth ()
Picard clone; radiation weapon ()

Cinefantastique referred to Pup in  as a MacGuffin. (Cinefantastique, Volume 24, Issue 1)

In the reference book Trek Navigator: The Ultimate Guide to the Entire Trek Saga (p. 32), Edward Gross referred to the concept of the  as a MacGuffin in .

While writing the  Home Is the Hunter, author Dana Kramer-Rolls limited herself to including no MacGuffins to return the crew of the  to their own time period. ()

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Plot devices