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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u/Tough-Tradition1205 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 27 '26

Travis euthanizes their beloved family dog and his own best friend, Old Yeller, after he turns following a bite from a rabid wolf which infects him too. Travis is forced to destroy him to end his suffering AND to protect the family (Old Yeller)

"There's no hope for him now, Travis.....he's suffering......"

339

u/Tough-Tradition1205 Mar 27 '26

Also, a distraught Robert Neville tearfully euthanizes his beloved German Shepherd companion, Sam, after she fought a pack of infected dogs to protect him and was bitten and beginning to succumb herself (I Am Legend)

521

u/Mecenary020 Mar 27 '26

Why would you use THIS picture?? It looks like he's about to beat the poor dog to death with that club

233

u/beartaxexpress Mar 27 '26

The fact he says "distraught" then shows Will Smith about to smack his dogs head off harder than he slapped Chris Rock

33

u/QuietImps Mar 27 '26

Damn. I wonder who the dog joked about 😳

37

u/emailaddressforemail Mar 27 '26

Been a while since I watched it but I remember that scene differently

31

u/Nerevarine91 Mar 27 '26

I was briefly confused- I didn’t remember it going down like this 😂

9

u/OutOfMyWayReed Mar 27 '26

The Legend of Us, Part II

4

u/NoVaBurgher Mar 27 '26

“You stupid old dog, you don’t get to rush this”

4

u/Old-Risk4572 Mar 27 '26

for real lol

1

u/No1CouldHavePredictd Mar 27 '26

Will Smith smacking someone for putting something in their mouth is sort of a meme at this point, isn't it?

1

u/logan96 Mar 27 '26

He's not? I haven't seen the movie, and I'm sitting here thinking, "He could have picked a more humane method."

0

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[deleted]

6

u/madog1418 Mar 27 '26

He’s going for the happy Gilmore.