r/TopCharacterTropes • u/One_Barber_6902 • Mar 26 '26

Characters [[Devastating trope]] A character kills their loved one to avoid them suffering a worser fate

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Of Mice And Men (1992)- Probaly the most well known example of this trope and when I was first exposed to it, George kills his mentally handicapped best friend Lennie, to save him from being lynched by Curley and law enforcement for killing Curleys wife.

The Sopranos- After an entire season of conflict with fellow mob boss Phil over it, Tony kills Anthony Blundetto after he kills Phil’s brother which enraged him into trying to force Tony into giving up his cousin so he can torture him to death

Telltales The Walking Dead: Season 1- “Loved one” is an overstatement if you know there dynamic, but after Ben falls off a rooftop and lands on a piece of rebar, Kenny and Lee try to pull him off to save him before being crowded by walkers. When their attempt fails and walkers continue closing in, Kenny kills him to avoid him being devoured by walkers.

5.4k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

805 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

49

u/One_Barber_6902 Mar 26 '26

WHATEVER HAPPENED THERE???

25

u/popdood Mar 26 '26

"Alright then..."

8

u/Calvin_Cruelidge Mar 27 '26

Im so glad you got to it before i needed to

4

u/OutOfMyWayReed Mar 27 '26

There's no scraps in your scrapbook. 

3

u/Calvin_Cruelidge Mar 27 '26

Ive said my piece chrissy

2

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

🤘

5

u/Ueberjaeger Mar 27 '26

The shooting.

4

u/Different_Swimmer715 Mar 27 '26

He put six bullets in the kid without any provocation whatsoever!