Tropescilloscope: Sacrificial Lion

Significant character is killed to show that death really is a threat. (read more at tvtropes.org)

More Tropes Decoy Protagonist Only in It for the Money Double-Meaning Title Parental Neglect Driven to Suicide Bring My Brown Pants Mistaken for Gay Screw the Money, I Have Rules! Darkest Hour Beware the Nice Ones In Name Only Dirty Coward Agony of the Feet Does This Remind You of Anything? Token Minority Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! Outrun the Fireball Bar Brawl Broken Bird Bowdlerise Gory Discretion Shot Daylight Horror She Cleans Up Nicely La Résistance Berserk Button Leitmotif Flashback Once More, with Clarity! Eureka Moment My Beloved Smother Only a Flesh Wound Make It Look Like an Accident Never Found the Body Cat Scare Never Trust a Trailer aka: Trailers Always Lie Too Dumb to Live Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds Author Avatar Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism Five-Man Band The Dreaded Meaningful Background Event Only One Name Big Damn Heroes Dwindling Party Disney Death Translation Convention Drives Like Crazy Red Eyes, Take Warning The Un-Reveal How We Got Here Demoted to Extra Freudian Excuse Better to Die than Be Killed Cluster F-Bomb Yandere Bond Villain Stupidity Made of Iron Ugly Guy, Hot Wife Meet Cute Credits Gag Antagonist Title Hollywood Darkness Creepy Child Book-Ends Older Than They Look "Well Done, Son!" Guy Oh, Crap! Villainous Breakdown Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer Have a Gay Old Time Loophole Abuse Mood Whiplash Bilingual Bonus Affectionate Parody Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas Serious Business Corpsing Artistic License – Biology One Steve Limit Star-Crossed Lovers Crucified Hero Shot Unwitting Instigator of Doom Our Zombies Are Different Improbable Aiming Skills Ambiguous Ending Woman Scorned Author Appeal All There in the Manual Anguished Declaration of Love The Place Put on a Bus Redshirt Army Science Fiction Films Artistic License – Military Only Sane Man Attempted Rape Your Head A-Splode Cloudcuckoolander Rasputinian Death Training Montage Manic Pixie Dream Girl Not So Above It All Advertised Extra Humiliation Conga Department of Redundancy Department Stalker with a Crush Everyone Has Standards Visual Pun Cool Guns Evil Cannot Comprehend Good The Stoner Bloodless Carnage Big Bad The Sociopath Central Theme Sequel Hook Genre Throwback Accidental Misnaming Straight Gay Protagonist Title Annoying Younger Sibling He Knows Too Much Knight Templar Authority Equals Asskicking Bloodier and Gorier Major Injury Underreaction Shower Scene Horror Films No OSHA Compliance Laser-Guided Karma Never My Fault Running Gag Real Life Market-Based Title MacGuffin As the Good Book Says... Light Is Not Good Wham Shot Punny Name Take a Third Option Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil Ghost Fiction Faux Affably Evil Fire-Forged Friends Back from the Dead Intrepid Reporter Casting Gag N-Word Privileges The Alleged Car Historical Villain Upgrade Crapsack World The Chick Papa Wolf Even Evil Has Loved Ones Spiritual Successor Karmic Death Country Matters Gender Flip An Axe to Grind Shout-Out Beard of Evil Match Cut Thriller Ass Shove Cool Car Blatant Lies Mr. Fanservice Television Movie Index Canon Foreigner Obfuscating Stupidity An Aesop Action Survivor Did Not Get the Girl Names to Run Away from Really Fast Heroic BSoD Earn Your Happy Ending The Load It Can Think All Men Are Perverts Cassandra Truth Red Shirt Last-Name Basis Break the Cutie The End... Or Is It? Roger Ebert: Great Movies List Dumb Blonde Film Series Pimped-Out Dress Adaptation Name Change Not What It Looks Like Needs Wiki Magic Love Historical-Domain Character Enemy Mine Gone Horribly Right Continuity Nod Film Noir Index Blackmail Deconstruction Self-Deprecation Heel Realization Shoot the Shaggy Dog Peek-a-Boo Corpse Dying Moment of Awesome Public Domain Feature Films Bottomless Magazines Sci-Fi Horror Disguised in Drag Black Comedy Good Is Not Nice Slap-Slap-Kiss Russian Films Stealth Pun Calling the Old Man Out Fanservice The Smurfette Principle Mythology Gag Action Genre Australian Movies Hollywood Law Taking You with Me Morality Pet Vacation Films Not Even Bothering with the Accent And I Must Scream Bait-and-Switch The Big Guy Parental Abandonment Beta Couple Victoria's Secret Compartment Call-Back Shown Their Work From Nobody to Nightmare Facial Horror Kick the Dog No Antagonist Let's Get Dangerous! Character Development Blonde, Brunette, Redhead Dressing as the Enemy Line-of-Sight Name Distracted by the Sexy Air-Vent Passageway Fatal Flaw Setting Update Dropped a Bridge on Him Adaptation Dye-Job The Musical Bunny-Ears Lawyer Anyone Can Die Twist Ending Artistic License – Physics The Reveal Adaptational Attractiveness Mad Scientist Malevolent Masked Men Action Prologue Dirty Old Man The Quiet One Nice Job Fixing It, Villain! Evil vs. Evil Captain Ersatz Pet the Dog The '70s Eldritch Abomination Butt-Monkey Expository Hairstyle Change Covers Always Lie Serial Killer Black and Gray Morality Random Events Plot As Long as It Sounds Foreign Slasher Smile Children Are Innocent Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right! Dark Reprise Mooks Deus ex Machina Badass Bookworm All There in the Script Faking the Dead Disproportionate Retribution Hidden Depths Alas, Poor Villain Call-Forward Evil Plan I Just Shot Marvin in the Face folderlabel Police are Useless Guns Akimbo Early Installment Weirdness Neck Snap Pragmatic Adaptation Early-Bird Cameo Body Horror The Chessmaster Toilet Humour aka: Toilet Humor Awesome, but Impractical Car Fu Red Herring The Film of the Book Badass Longcoat Meaningful Echo The Un-Favourite aka: The Un Favorite Demonic Possession Idiot Ball The Starscream Villain Song Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking B-Movie Frame-Up Maybe Ever After Diabolus ex Machina Rich Bitch Stealth Hi/Bye Downer Ending Blood Knight Artistic License – History Pre-Mortem One-Liner Documentary My Greatest Failure Fantastic Racism Dutch Angle Adaptation Distillation Only Known by Their Nickname Kill 'em All Girl-on-Girl Is Hot A.I. Is a Crapshoot Vomit Indiscretion Shot Ascended Extra Determinator aka: The Determinator Your Cheating Heart Jerk with a Heart of Gold Mundane Made Awesome I Want My Beloved to Be Happy Bond One-Liner Really Gets Around Red Right Hand My God, What Have I Done? Historical In-Joke Belligerent Sexual Tension Villain with Good Publicity Here We Go Again! Creator Cameo Comically Missing the Point The Smart Guy Improbable Infant Survival aka: Infant Immortality Playing Gertrude Framing Device Those Wacky Nazis Pretty Little Headshots Killed Mid-Sentence Abusive Parents O.O.C. Is Serious Business The Mole Men Are the Expendable Gender Artistic License – Geography True Companions Boom, Headshot! Ungrateful Bastard Greater-Scope Villain Age Lift Whole Plot Reference Drowning My Sorrows Epic Movie Grey and Gray Morality Adult Fear Damsel in Distress Auto Erotica Flipping the Bird Martial Arts Movie Destination Defenestration Stock Footage Narrator Take That! Bad "Bad Acting" It's Personal Henpecked Husband Fainting Brainless Beauty '80s Hair Villain Ball Fatal Family Photo He Who Fights Monsters Parental Incest Jerkass Has a Point Word of God Humans Are Bastards Homage Dual Wielding Spanner in the Works The Stoic Small Name, Big Ego Amoral Attorney Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass Together in Death May–December Romance Sacrificial Lion What You Are in the Dark The Hero Wrong Genre Savvy Animal Motifs Contrived Coincidence Amusing Injuries No Celebrities Were Harmed Gratuitous English Scenery Gorn Say My Name Epic Fail "Shaggy Dog" Story Rule of Cool Totally Radical Japanese Films Bavarian Fire Drill Off-into-the-Distance Ending Trailers Always Spoil Expy Silent Movie Kick the Son of a Bitch Dramedy Drill Sergeant Nasty From Bad to Worse Film Noir Get Out! Wicked Cultured Taking the Bullet Screw This, I'm Outta Here! Moment Killer Music Stories In Medias Res Interrupted Suicide Eiffel Tower Effect The Casanova Military and Warfare Films You Have Failed Me Chiaroscuro Up to Eleven Stepford Smiler Dark Action Girl Shirtless Scene Evil Counterpart A Father to His Men Dirty Cop Those Two Guys Wretched Hive Camp Gay Slashed Throat The '90s Eyepatch of Power Psychological Thriller French Films Informed Ability One-Word Title Fanservice Extra I Need a Freaking Drink Screw the Rules, I Have Money! A Minor Kidroduction Disappeared Dad Unusually Uninteresting Sight Monumental Damage Badass in a Nice Suit Left the Background Music On Batman Gambit Ambiguously Gay Politically Incorrect Villain Exact Words Celebrity Paradox The Brute Instant Death Bullet Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other Dies Wide Open Foil An Arm and a Leg Ragtag Bunch of Misfits Took a Level in Jerkass Big "NO!" Important Haircut Horror Comedy Rated M for Manly Depraved Bisexual Fourth Date Marriage Abhorrent Admirer The Lancer Catapult Nightmare Aside Glance Never Trust a Trailer Pun aka: Incredibly Lame Pun Retirony Nothing Is Scarier Tap on the Head Sole Survivor Pre-Asskicking One-Liner Shut Up, Hannibal! Imagine Spot Offscreen Teleportation Properly Paranoid Manipulative Bastard The Dog Bites Back Hoist by His Own Petard Green-Eyed Monster Suspiciously Similar Substitute Big Eater The '60s Karma Houdini Slasher Movie Alliterative Name Big Fancy House Cold-Blooded Torture Toplessness from the Back Rule of Three Jerkass Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping Almost Kiss The Hero Dies Death of a Child Roaring Rampage of Revenge The Remake Half the Man He Used to Be Those Two Bad Guys Romantic Comedy Adaptation Expansion Fiery Redhead Fantasy Films Wham Line Due to the Dead The Alcoholic Mind Screw You Killed My Father Woman in White The Cameo Getting Crap Past the Radar Red Oni, Blue Oni Bullying a Dragon Suddenly SHOUTING! Riddle for the Ages Race Against the Clock Tranquil Fury No-Sell Worthy Opponent Big Brother Instinct Disney Villain Death World of Ham "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue Plucky Comic Relief Fingore Sassy Black Woman Our Vampires Are Different Fate Worse than Death Loads and Loads of Characters Recap / RiffTrax aka: Riff Trax Movies Not Using the "Z" Word There Is No Kill Like Overkill Sadistic Choice Recycled IN SPACE! Psychopathic Manchild Sinister Minister Blood from the Mouth Mugging the Monster Rousing Speech Not Quite Dead Zombie Stories Ominous Latin Chanting Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome Empathic Environment The Atoner Cool Shades Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? Double Entendre Mercy Kill Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep" Villain Opening Scene Unreliable Narrator What the Hell, Hero? Actually Pretty Funny Canadian Movies Bolivian Army Ending Honor Before Reason The Vamp Hell Is That Noise Award-Bait Song Hero Antagonist Death Seeker Genre Shift Psycho for Hire Gorn NO INDOOR VOICE Break the Haughty Truth in Television Fake Shemp Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene Gainax Ending Hooker with a Heart of Gold Mexican Standoff Not So Different Overly Long Gag Tagline Pyrrhic Victory Unusual Euphemism Heterosexual Life-Partners Not So Stoic Adaptational Heroism Ship Tease Sports Stories Dark and Troubled Past Brick Joke Rule of Symbolism Evil-Detecting Dog The '50s Evil Is Petty The Ace Smug Snake Arc Words Took a Level in Badass Shell-Shocked Veteran Anti-Villain A God Am I No-Holds-Barred Beatdown Implacable Man Domestic Abuse Actor Allusion Refuge in Audacity Spared by the Adaptation Would Hit a Girl Darker and Edgier Why Don't You Just Shoot Him? Very Loosely Based on a True Story Hate Sink Face–Heel Turn Aluminum Christmas Trees Naked People Are Funny All for Nothing Love Triangle Reasonable Authority Figure Composite Character Determinator Sir Swears-a-Lot Dull Surprise Even Evil Has Standards Apocalypse How The Bad Guy Wins Pay Evil unto Evil Motor Mouth Danny Peary Cult Movies List Babies Ever After Eye Scream Affably Evil Romantic False Lead Reality Is Unrealistic Bitch in Sheep's Clothing Gold Digger Unspoken Plan Guarantee Scenery Porn Undying Loyalty Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy Anachronism Stew The Power of Love Funny Foreigner All Girls Want Bad Boys British Films Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold Card-Carrying Villain Friend to All Children Chewing the Scenery Unresolved Sexual Tension Hero of Another Story Reckless Gun Usage Brutal Honesty Hair-Trigger Temper Kill It with Fire Immune to Bullets "Awesome McCool" Name Brother–Sister Incest And the Adventure Continues Creative Closing Credits Cruel and Unusual Death Overprotective Dad War Is Hell Manly Tears Deadpan Snarker You Have Outlived Your Usefulness Police Brutality Fan Disservice Groin Attack 20 Minutes into the Future German Films Accidental Murder Male Frontal Nudity BFG Race Lift Kids Are Cruel Irony Arranged Marriage Anachronic Order Dogged Nice Guy A Date with Rosie Palms Christmas Movies Index Smoking Is Cool Leave the Camera Running Lampshade Hanging Beauty Is Never Tarnished Heroic Sacrifice Punctuated! For! Emphasis! Broken Pedestal Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane Lighter and Softer Improvised Weapon Grievous Bottley Harm Storming the Castle More Dakka Evil Sounds Deep Insult Backfire Soundtrack Dissonance No Ending The Ghost Bare Your Midriff Wounded Gazelle Gambit Superhero I Did What I Had to Do Sealed Evil in a Can Alpha Bitch The Great Depression Curb-Stomp Battle Animal Title Index Genre Savvy Adaptational Villainy Poor Communication Kills Hope Spot Defiant to the End Bi the Way Costume Porn Madness Mantra And Starring Hypocrite Catch-Phrase Famous Last Words Foreshadowing Noodle Incident Does Not Like Shoes Made of Explodium No Good Deed Goes Unpunished Naïve Newcomer Impaled with Extreme Prejudice Shipper on Deck Soft Glass Based on a True Story Video Credits Sequel Escalation Mr. Exposition Villain Protagonist Crazy-Prepared Dissonant Serenity What Happened to the Mouse? Married to the Job Closed Circle Silence Is Golden Face Death with Dignity Missing Mom Neck Lift Jitter Cam Re-Cut Fat Bastard Deliberate Values Dissonance The X of Y Cool Old Lady timeperiod Four-Temperament Ensemble As Himself Stuff Blowing Up Freeze-Frame Bonus Evil Laugh The Cavalry Easily Forgiven Eagleland Badass Grandpa Historical Hero Upgrade Hong Kong Films Ax-Crazy The Bully Happily Married Corrupt Corporate Executive You Have Got to Be Kidding Me! Femme Fatale Breaking the Fourth Wall Fun with Acronyms Handicapped Badass Death by Adaptation Sanity Slippage Failed a Spot Check Colour-Coded for Your Convenience aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience Animated Credits Opening Cat Fight Nice Hat Parental Substitute Nice Guy Badass Boast Suspiciously Specific Denial Black Best Friend Posthumous Character Chase Scene Obstructive Bureaucrat Deliberately Monochrome Ms. Fanservice Exactly What It Says on the Tin Spell My Name with an "S" Evil Is Hammy It's All About Me Be Careful What You Wish For Establishing Character Moment Plot Hole Insane Troll Logic Big-Bad Ensemble Scare Chord Didn't Think This Through Intergenerational Friendship Broken Aesop Gilligan Cut Reality Has No Subtitles For the Evulz Well-Intentioned Extremist Man on Fire Same Language Dub It Will Never Catch On Index of Film Westerns Bound and Gagged Bland-Name Product Paper-Thin Disguise Retired Badass Black Dude Dies First Funny Background Event Chekhov's Skill Vampire Fiction Leaning on the Fourth Wall Laughing Mad Spiteful Spit Rewatch Bonus Revenge Bald of Evil Love at First Sight The Dragon Dark Is Not Evil Precision F-Strike Mama Bear Bury Your Gays Knife Nut Cool Old Guy Asshole Victim Fish out of Water Improbable Weapon User Curse Cut Short Vomit Discretion Shot All Just a Dream Product Placement Deal with the Devil Conspicuous CG Obviously Evil The Mafia Big Applesauce Guile Hero Pretty in Mink Skewed Priorities Heel–Face Turn Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique Title Drop This Is Gonna Suck Logo Joke The Ditz Dramatic Gun Cock Retcon Jump Scare Black Comedy Rape Manchild Every Car Is a Pinto Non-Indicative Name Chuck Cunningham Syndrome Captain Obvious The '80s Rape as Drama Foregone Conclusion The Lost Lenore No Name Given Coming-of-Age Story One-Man Army Mighty Whitey Defrosting Ice Queen Arch-Enemy Combat Pragmatist Vitriolic Best Buds Chekhov's Gun I'm a Humanitarian Stylistic Suck Pragmatic Villainy Extremely Short Timespan Adapted Out Badass Normal Offscreen Moment of Awesome Evil Brit Scary Black Man Artistic License – Law Punch-Clock Villain Heroes Want Redheads Lock and Load Montage Death by Irony Works Set in World War II Bittersweet Ending After the End The Stinger Redemption Equals Death Male Gaze Daddy's Girl Jerk Jock Big Bad Duumvirate The Faceless Becoming the Mask Adults Are Useless As You Know Ironic Echo In the Back Hypocritical Humor Cain and Abel Bloody Hilarious Cowboy Cop Time Skip Insistent Terminology Large Ham Extreme Doormat Death Glare Anti-Hero Ambiguous Disorder Dramatic Irony Drugs Are Bad The Oner Chekhov's Gunman Rule of Funny Death by Sex She's Got Legs I Have Your Wife Adorkable Armor-Piercing Question Bad Boss Camera Abuse Show Within a Show Mystery and Detective Films Biopic Developing Doomed Characters Off with His Head! Super Strength Throwing Your Sword Always Works Kubrick Stare For Want of a Nail Sexy Discretion Shot Crazy Jealous Guy Final Girl Action Girl Artistic License – Gun Safety Would Hurt a Child Betty and Veronica Reality Ensues Italian Films Tempting Fate Novelization Ripped from the Headlines Meaningful Name Adaptational Badass Real Life Writes the Plot "The Reason You Suck" Speech Despair Event Horizon The Voiceless Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday Room Full of Crazy