# Examples of this cliche - how you know a character is doomed! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411 "2012-03-10T22:12:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/41 "2012-03-11T22:49:22Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > IF your are the old mentor to the hero, your days are numbered. You will get to give one last piece of advice, while giving your last breath. Especially if other characters mention (over and over again) how lost the cause would be if it lost you. CF. Dumbledore, Albus. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/42 "2012-03-11T23:24:06Z")
In the original stories, any friend of Conan. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/43 "2012-03-12T00:59:25Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In the original stories, any friend of Conan. Also any friend of Elric. Come to think of it, Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser’s friends didn’t generally fare very well, either. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/44 "2012-03-12T01:01:43Z")
Mendoza! ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/45 "2012-03-12T01:04:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Old war movies: showing photos of your girl back home. Or talking about what you plan to do when the war ends A la Platoon. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/46 "2012-03-12T02:26:12Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > IF your are the old mentor to the hero, your days are numbered. You will get to give one last piece of advice, while giving your last breath. [“Will I ever see you again?” “Well, as an older mentor figure, the most likely scenario is that I’d return only to be randomly killed by an enemy of yours so that you can cradle my dying body while swearing revenge - so don’t take it personally if I say that I sincerely hope we never cross paths again.”](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0392.html) ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/47 "2012-03-12T02:36:59Z")
- Your story arc is complete - You’ve done something heinous, but mostly reprieved yourself with good acts, so you can’t exactly be “punished” by the law. Cue poetic death. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/48 "2012-03-12T02:40:28Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In the original stories, any friend of Conan. Males, yes. The girlfriend/Ms. MacGuffin/wench o’ the day usually did fine. Valeria in _Red Nails_, for example. She didn’t do so well in the Arnold version, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/49 "2012-03-12T02:46:07Z")
“You know, I think it’s like this: if it’s your time, it’s your time. The bullet has your name on it. If it ain’t, well, then” KAPOW This guy in Downton Abbey lived a good four or five seconds after we were both “WAIT FOR IT…” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/50 "2012-03-12T03:07:39Z")
Being Clint Eastwood’s partner. Taking off your top in a Jamie Lee Curtis movie. ---
**Author:** ![Renifer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Renifer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renifer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/51 "2012-03-12T03:29:26Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > So true. I read enough mysteries that I’ve gotten rather tired of this one. The person will usually say “I can’t tell you over the phone”, but there’s almost never any clear reason why they couldn’t. When this person turns up dead I always think “If you’d just said ‘Mr. Smith is the killer!’ when you had the chance, you might be alive now.” Also, don’t blackmail the killer. Any character who learns who the killer is and tries to blackmail him or her into keeping it a secret ends up dead. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/52 "2012-03-12T03:30:28Z")
The old farmer on an isolated farm, or the hermit in a cabin deep in the woods, goes outside at night with a shotgun, a lantern and his dog to investigate the strange light/noise: “Who’s out there!? Show yourself!” Dog starts whining or growling. “What’s that boy? You smell something?” 50/50 odds between either the human later bringing the carcass of his dog into the sheriff’s office weeping and saying that something “got him”, or the human disappearing and the dog being found by the heros who surmise that his owner is missing. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/53 "2012-03-12T12:57:09Z")
In an old war movie, being named “Kansas” or “Tex” because you’re from Kansas or Texas. You’ll die a hero, but you’ll die. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/54 "2012-03-12T14:24:08Z")
If they’re dating Samantha Carter. If they are young, female and wandering around in their underwear for no good reason. Anyone who hears a chainsaw The city boys mocking the hicks out in the sticks The person starts telling their back story, but they have to leave to deal with whatever, they can finish it when they get back. Jessica Fletcher is in town. Their doctor is Gregory House. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/55 "2012-03-12T14:56:02Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > In the original stories, any friend of Conan. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > Being Clint Eastwood’s partner. Taking off your top in a Jamie Lee Curtis movie. Josey Wales: When I get to likin’ someone, they ain’t around long. Lone Watie: I notice when you get to DIS-likin’ someone they ain’t around for long neither. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/56 "2012-03-12T16:39:08Z")
Never take a shower if you’re not a lead character. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/57 "2012-03-12T18:27:55Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Being in a dangerous situation, especially a fight and [not having any name](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0472.html). Jason Nesmith: You’re not gonna die on the planet, Guy. Guy Fleegman: I’m not? Then what’s my last name? Jason Nesmith: It’s, uh, uh - -I don’t know. Guy Fleegman: Nobody knows. Do you know why? Because my character isn’t important enough for a last name, because I’m gonna die five minutes in. Gwen DeMarco: Guy, you have a last name. Guy Fleegman: DO I? DO I? > [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > In the original stories, any friend of Conan. > > Also any friend of Elric. Come to think of it, Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser’s friends didn’t generally fare very well, either. Basically just knowing John Constantine (unless you’re Chas) is fatal. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/58 "2012-03-12T18:29:53Z")
You’d not want to be the sickly child of a poor down trodden farmer. Being the ineffectual, yet seemingly powerful sidekick if the main eeeeeevil villain. The eeeevil villain might kill you out of impatience, or the hero or hero’s girl will get you. Don’t be the person who disagrees with the seemingly insane advice of the hero =- “Look, we’ve got to attack 10thousand baddies and blow up their ammo dump” Its always a bad idea to owe money to bad guys in tall buildings. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/59 "2012-03-12T21:28:51Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Basically just knowing John Constantine (unless you’re Chas) is fatal. Unless it’s the movie, then it’s still fatal even if you’re Chas. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411/60 "2012-03-12T22:36:09Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Being called **Disposable Hero** would be a pretty hefty clue. 😃 Didn’t think this through very well did I! :eek: 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-this-cliche-how-you-know-a-character-is-doomed/615411.md?page=4)