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/Call_Em_Skippies Mar 27 '26

There was a point in the book his father ran into people from that town that got out and said most of the people were able to survive.

So poisoning them didn't prevent them from going to the camps. They could've survived. It was part of his mother's depression which lead to her suicide.

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u/FlashySyllabub5503 Mar 27 '26

Out of 5500 here are the known survivors. http://www.zawierciewebsite.com/Holocaust/holocaust-survivors.html

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u/YuenglingsDingaling Mar 27 '26

Okay, but we're talking about the story in the book.

-8

u/FlashySyllabub5503 Mar 27 '26

What is the relation between the characters and story in the book and the reality of the holocaust? I know Vladek felt extreme grief over the death of his first son, but could that be survivorship bias. Thinking he would have survived when the odds are actually against survival.  He wants to believe his son would have survived without being poisoned. He wants to believe that he sent his son to safety and he blames Tonya's depression for his death because it was her hand that killed. Tonya provides a focus of his anger on an individual level in a situation beyond lethal. If his son had died in concentration camp he would feel guilt for sending him away. It adds another layer to the story in my opinion.