# Lead Characters Who Commit Murder **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548 "2011-06-15T11:48:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/1 "2011-06-15T11:48:38Z")
Was thinking of the Magnum P. I. episode where Magnum kills Ivan, the Russian agent, in the final frame of the episode called (iirc) “Did You See The Sun Rise This Morning?”. Any more examples where the “good guy” kills the “bad guy” in cold blood, and at the film’s (or book’s) final scene? Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/2 "2011-06-15T11:53:31Z")
Killing in cold blood does not neccessarily constitute murder. That said, one of the best such scenes took place in the last episode of Season 5 of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. “She’s not like us.” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/3 "2011-06-15T12:01:11Z")
Lawrence Block has written a series of novels where the protagonist is a hit man. [Link](http://www.lawrenceblock.com/index_frameset.htm). Click on BOOKS, then KELLER. ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/4 "2011-06-15T12:05:10Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Lawrence Block has written a series of novels where the protagonist is a hit man. > > [Link](http://www.lawrenceblock.com/index_frameset.htm). Click on BOOKS, then KELLER. In a similar vein, [Barry Eisler’s books](http://barryeisler.com/books.php) are all about assassins of various stripes. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/5 "2011-06-15T12:07:34Z")
Well, there’s Dexter but… yeah 🙂 Similarly, the pilot episode of The Shield has Vic Mackey shoot a cop in the face as a character establishing moment, but then it’s the anvillicious way the writers were telling the viewers that “this is not the good guy”. OK, for a more straight example: James Bond does it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/6 "2011-06-15T12:13:10Z")
Here’s a very recent one [from The Mentalist](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=609216) spoiler warning if it’s not too late. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/7 "2011-06-15T12:14:35Z")
All good answers, but am really looking for other examples more like the Magnum ep, as opposed to hit men or James Bond types. The villain taunts Magnum along the lines of “You can’t do it. It’s not in your nature to shoot an unarmed man,” etc. And we believe it until the final frame where Magnum asks if he saw the sun rise, then raises his gun and fires, freeze-frame, end of episode. Sir Rhosis Posted before I saw “The Mentalist” link. Will rent that film and remain spoiler free. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/8 "2011-06-15T12:21:17Z")
Major Game of Thrones spoiler ahead: [book] Tyrion Lannister killing his father, Tywin. I don’t know if you consider Tyrion enough of a “good guy”, but the “you don’t have it in you” was definitely there. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/9 "2011-06-15T12:21:52Z")
There’s [this scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPRlHwwVIug)from _Firefly_. Do I need to describe it? ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/10 "2011-06-15T12:22:49Z")
**I The Jury** by Mickey Spillaine ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/11 "2011-06-15T12:24:18Z")
I’ll look at the latter links. Game of Thrones – he didn’t do it with a jagged bottle, did he? Sorry… at least he’s okay enough to order another drink, right? Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/12 "2011-06-15T12:33:40Z")
Ripley. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/13 "2011-06-15T12:35:20Z")
I’ve seen all the Alien films, but am drawing a blank on which one she killed someone in cold blood in… ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/14 "2011-06-15T12:53:14Z")
> [@Sir\_Rhosis](#): > > I’ve seen all the Alien films, but am drawing a blank on which one she killed someone in cold blood in… I believe **Son of a Rich** is referring to Tom Ripley from Patricia Highsmith’s novels, e.g. _The Talented Mr. Ripley_. Unless I’m being whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/15 "2011-06-15T12:54:45Z")
^^^ Duh me, you’re probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/16 "2011-06-15T13:03:14Z")
But by no definition is Ripley a hero. At best, he’s an anti-hero. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/17 "2011-06-15T13:03:56Z")
The MacManus brothers in _The Boondock Saints_. Of course, they’re killing scumbags, but it’s still murder. Detective Murtaugh in _Lethal Weapon II_, though Rudd did just shoot Riggs. Brad Pitt’s character in _Se7en_ executed his wife’s killer at the end. Jim Halsey kills John Ryder at the end of _The Hitcher_. It’s a fairly common trope in action movies, although they don’t usually put it in terms of cold-blooded murder. Usually it’s a guy who has been put through hell ending the life of his tormentor. But, it’s still murder. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/18 "2011-06-15T13:09:49Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > OK, for a more straight example: James Bond does it all the time. Yeah, but he’s got a license! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/19 "2011-06-15T13:12:33Z")
Han Solo…well, at least back in the 70s… ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548/20 "2011-06-15T13:35:27Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Han Solo…well, at least back in the 70s… Killing someone who is holding you at gunpoint and threatening to kill you is hardly “cold blooded murder.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-characters-who-commit-murder/585548.md?page=2)