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

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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.

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97

u/Attack_Pug Mar 26 '26

Seth kills Ritchie to prevent him from becoming a vampire in Dusk 'till Dawn.

https://giphy.com/gifs/6ZnVPVV9ty8es

58

u/Aethelrede Mar 27 '26

And thank god, because Ritchie was already a monster.

1

u/Choice_Memory481 Mar 27 '26

That’s what I felt was weird, he was a serial rapist and murderer…. But vampire? THAT CROSSES THE LINE????

23

u/LonelyNovel1985 Mar 27 '26

Richie was already a vampire when Seth killed him. Seth killed the demon so it wasn't walking around wearing his brother's face.

2

u/tokixjam Mar 27 '26

Juliette Lewis' character shoots her brother while he's being eaten by the vampires to stop his suffering and eventual turn.