I call this the “he’s got Obi Wan written all over him” rule. See also “Dumbledore.”
Or worse yet, it’s near the end of the movie, you’re the bad guy, and you appear to have won. You’re standing over the hero with a gun pointed at his head and you’re bragging about how you beat him.
You are seconds away from certain death.
If the hero contemplates shooting you while you are defenseless and is dissuaded by his friend because “you’re better than that”, just stay absolutely stock still because if you get up or make a threatening move you are deader than dead, and probably from some ironic self-inflicted wound.
Or from “the dead creature’s mate” leaping out and grabbing you. It snuck up while the two of you weren’t paying attention.
I can’t remember if this occurred before Meg Ryan appeared on the scene, but that made it pretty clear that his goose was cooked. Like passing round the sweetheart’s photograph.
I’ll admit to seeing Red Tails.
When our hero proposes to the Italian girl, and she accepts, my nine-year-old son looked up at me and said, “He’s done.”
It was that obvious.
That would work for me - (Dons well-worn “Tom Cruise Makes Me All Stabby” T-shirt).