# Save the life of a movie character who didn't deserve to die the way they did. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125 "2012-08-10T21:14:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/101 "2012-08-16T04:08:28Z")
> [@Drum\_God](#): > > I would save [Ensign Sito Jaxa](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Sito_Jaxa)in the ST:TNG episode [_Lower Decks_](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Lower_Decks_%28episode%29). If you’ll remember, she was involved in the Nova Squadron incident at Starfleet Academy in 2368. After her eventual graduation from the Academy, Picard requested she be posted to the _Enterprise_. Supposedly, he wants her to have the opportunity to prove herself in actual duty after her scandal at the Academy. He then proceeds to be a real ass toward her. After treating her like crap, he then manipulates her into volunteering for a mission, that if it goes according to plan, will be incredibly painful and unpleasant for her. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well and she ends up getting killed. Jaxa is a flawed Bajoran, but she doesn’t deserve the crappy treatment she receives, nor being coerced to “volunteer” for a one-way mission just so she can impress Picard, who is being a real prick. > > I would save her by having Riker convince Picard that this is an awful idea and never going to work. Besides, we can’t just ship this girl off to be killed. I would examine the situation and come up with a better plan. Is she hot? How about Ryker gets her pregnant? That would be an interesting story line. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/102 "2012-08-16T04:34:36Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I’ll be damned. I’m not the only one. First time I saw that movie, I thought “Can you open _that_ door, bitch?!” but then I realized, slowly freezing to death while gorging on frozen steak is a sad fate. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/103 "2012-08-16T08:46:36Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > First time I saw that movie, I thought “Can you open _that_ door, bitch?!” but then I realized, slowly freezing to death while gorging on frozen steak is a sad fate. I’m pretty sure even a cold-blooded dinosaur would freeze to death way before they even begin to starve. Hypothermia is supposed to be a not unpleasant way to go. A few of the movies I thought of have already been mentioned in this thread, so I’m going to go with a movie I recently saw again on cable - that 90s classic cheesy awesome action movie, _Speed_. I thought it was unnecessary that Jeff Daniels’ character (Harry) died - he played Keanu Reeves’ (Jack’s) partner. First Harry was injured at the beginning of the movie (“Shoot the hostage!”), and then after discovering the identity of the bad guy (Dennis Hopper scenery-chewing awesomeness!) later in the movie, he went to his house and was killed by a booby-trap bomb. I think it was done to show just how holy-shit-crazy-and-personal the bad guy was. But he’d already amply proved that by holding a random elevator of people hostage, forcing Jack to shoot Harry in a hostage standoff, blowing up Jack’s bus-driver friend just to get his attention and picking another random bus to blow up and only telling Jack about it, blowing up the one lady who tried to get off the bus without permission, and later taking Annie (Sandra Bullock’s character) hostage with a bomb vest and a dead-man switch, and then trapping her on the train and then sabotaging it. So to prevent Harry’s death I would just go and tell him to be more cautious about going to the bad guy’s house. Seriously, if you’re a bomb squad expert going to the home of a known batshit-crazy former cop and bomb squad member who has a grudge against cops and is holding the city hostage with multiple bombs - perhaps you shouldn’t just enter his house through a window without even looking for booby-traps. So I guess you could make an argument Harry should die for being a bit of a dumb-ass, but I’d rather give him a warning and save him. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/104 "2012-08-16T14:52:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Since the TV precedent has been set: Fred, in Angel. I’d get someone else to open that box - Eve maybe, if she’s still around and alive by then, as it would be nice to have Illyria the Smurf show up anyway, but let’s not lose Fred for her ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/105 "2012-08-16T15:17:23Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Is she hot? How about Ryker gets her pregnant? That would be an interesting story line. Oh, like that would make Ryker want to keep her around? Heck, it would probably lead to Riker telling Picard “You know, that suicide mission solves both of our problems, doesn’t it?” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/106 "2012-08-16T15:21:02Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Oh, like that would make Ryker want to keep her around? Heck, it would probably lead to Riker telling Picard “You know, that suicide mission solves both of our problems, doesn’t it?” 😃 On second thought, you’re right, but at the time I was thinking both about medical issues and a treatment of how the Federation would treat, er, “fraternization” between senior and junior officers. Maybe there was such a storyline at some point – I haven’t seen the whole series. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/107 "2012-08-16T17:12:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > A base canard. That hack-wrttien travesty that shits on the good name of a great childrens fantasy has no part in the true History. I was not referring to _Wicked_ or anything else by Maguire. The book is a different story, but the Garland movie makes Glinda’s evil obvious, if unstated. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/108 "2012-08-16T17:13:26Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > In which bullet shot by Warren (boo hiss) is at a different enough angle to miss anything vital of Tara’s. But say it still wounds her and still sprays Willow’s white blouse with blood. While caring for wounded Tara (who gets better before long, as always), Willow then faces a starkly dichotomous question: Go Dark anyway (because Tara’s hurt and it pisses her the everloving hell off), or decide that the only way Tara can ever be healed is by completely giving up Witchcraft? > > Which way do you think that would go? Willow was evil long before Tara died. Long before season six, even. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/109 "2012-08-16T18:06:39Z")
Another _Star Trek: Generations_ recommendation, from me. This time, the character is…the _Enterprise-D_. Vessel/inanimate object, whatever. But you can’t say she wasn’t a character in her own right…who was killed off by the producers so she could make room for a [younger, skinnier, “prettier” replacement](http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(NCC-1701-E)). Gee, Hollywood, never heard _that_ story before. :mad: There are a number of ways you could do it—from killing the bad guy at the right time; to keeping Picard’s brother and nephew from getting killed (counting on a “butterfly effect” to result in things turning out differently enough so that Picard doesn’t make decisions that results in the loss of this ship—this one would require some simulations beforehand. And possibly voodoo.); to—hell, changing circumstances enough that only the stardrive section is destroyed, and the saucer survives to be re-mated to a new body for the sequels, thus satisfying the producers’ desire for a big-boom-action sequence, a spiffy new ship for the sequels (the new stardrive section presumably being an upgraded version of a standard _Galaxy_ class, or perhaps from a new class entirely but compatible with a _Galaxy_ saucer—a bit gruesome, admittedly), and keeping the fans happier. And, of course, saving the ship. I can think of a half-dozen different ways of accomplishing that, storywise. The most surefire way of accomplishing all this, however, would require little extra-dimensional travel, but time travel. And, knowing Hollywood, a map to Paramount’s studios, a convincing letter of introduction to get me through the door, a modified script, and several kilos of high-quality cocaine with a tasteful bow on top. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/110 "2012-08-16T18:58:35Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Willow was evil long before Tara died. Long before season six, even. How you figure, Skald? I thought her darkness didn’t start until she raised Buffy from the dead, which was the beginning of Season 6. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/111 "2012-08-16T19:49:29Z")
K’Ehleyr, from ST-TNG. I don’t remember the exact details of how she died, but if I tipped off Security or Data or Worf or SOMEBODY, she should be okay. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/112 "2012-08-16T19:57:27Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > K’Ehleyr, from ST-TNG. I don’t remember the exact details of how she died, but if I tipped off Security or Data or Worf or SOMEBODY, she should be okay. Duras murdered her in her quarters on the E-D because she had figured out that he framed Worf’s father for his own father’s crimes. I don’t think you need to tip off Security. Just tell her he’s coming in with murderous intent and make sure she has her own sword handy. The only way that poncy bastard managed to take her out was that she didn’t have a weapon at hand. I blame Starfleet. ---
**Author:** ![baka420](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@baka420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baka420)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/113 "2012-08-16T20:37:30Z")
Shoot Leatherface square in the head and stop him from putting Pam on that meat hook! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/114 "2012-08-16T21:19:18Z")
Padme Amidala dies of Vaders force choke, not of a broken heart. Danny Archer from Blood Diamond gets out in time. He does not die on some nameless hill. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/115 "2012-08-16T21:32:40Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Padme Amidala dies of Vaders force choke, not of a broken heart. If you think I’m financing such an expedition in which Padme is not saved outright, you have me confused with somebody else. Save her entirely, or you ain’t getting a ride home. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/116 "2012-08-16T23:42:51Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > If you think I’m financing such an expedition in which Padme is not saved outright, you have me confused with somebody else. Save her entirely, or you ain’t getting a ride home. Dude she survives, there is no original trilogy. Do you want to live in a world in which there is only one trilogy; the PT? And I say this as someone who really likes the Prequels. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/117 "2012-08-16T23:43:51Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Dude she survives, there is no original trilogy. Do you want to live in a world in which there is only one trilogy; the PT? And I say this as someone who really likes the Prequels. I find the prequels nearly unwatchable dreck, but Natalie Portman is too pretty to die. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/118 "2012-08-16T23:53:43Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I find the prequels nearly unwatchable dreck, but Natalie Portman is too pretty to die. Agreed. So get me a plan to save Padme and keep the OT. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/119 "2012-08-17T00:35:36Z")
I like the premise of the OP. I go to the movies to be entertained, not to be pulled into a blue funk. Here are sincere “keep em alive” re-shoots I recommend for a few iconic films: **Terms of Endearment** : there’s little entertainment value in a malignancy with a high mortality rate. I would certainly give Aurora’s daughter, Emma, something tough for her and her family to deal with, but stay shy of the grim finality of death. I’d make her an insulin-dependent diabetic with an infected ingrown toenail that goes sour. After weeks in the hospital, on heavy IV antibiosis and narcotic analgesia, the movie would climax with the amputation of her big toe and the family coming to grips with her painful ambulation. **Ordinary People** : This story needs lightening up in two area’s! First, I wouldn’t have older son, Buck, drown in a sailing accident. Why not have him, instead, fail to make the Olympic swim team because envious younger brother, Conrad, takes him to Burger King for a Bacon Double Cheeseburger just before his qualifying heat, causing Buck to cramp up midway through his 200-m butterfly race, losing his chance for Olympic glory? Second: of course we need to see Conrad racked with guilt over his negligent action toward his brother and also bear the icy scorn of his mother…but, instead of attempting suicide, give him an eating disorder, like binge eating, whereupon he expands his waistline to dangerous proportions. **Philadelphia** : AIDS = depressing subject = audience too bummed to buy popcorn. The movie would have garnered more concession sales if they gave Andrew some weight-wasting medical condition with a better prognosis than AIDS, like, say, a tapeworm. **The Godfather Part II** : Michael disowns his brother Fredo saying, _“you’re nothing to me now”_, then, after their mother dies, has assassin Al Neri plug him in the head on a fishing boat, while Michael watches from ashore with dead eyes. Let’s lighten that scene up a little by having Michael say, _“you’re starting to get my goat, bro”_, then, after their mother goes to the grocery store, have Neri take Fredo on the fishing boat and grip Fredo’s head in the crook of his arm and give him severe hair-disheveling noogies, as Michael watches from ashore with a bittersweet smile on his face. And, talk about an over-the-top dark theme, have you seen that **Zapruder** film? Man, I would totally re-shoot that gratuitously violent ending. A pie to the face would be considerably more entertaining than a bullet to the skull, don’t you think? Sure, keep in some controversy: _“a few witnesses claim to have seen two clowns behind the grassy knoll at the time of the throwing”; “ballistic experts claim there is no way a raspberry pie could bounce off Govenor Connally’s head, then hit Kennedy in the head at that trajectory”; “Bozo, the man who creamed Oswald as he was escorted from the police station, is suspected to have had nefarious ties with Barnum & Baily”_, etc… Hollywood, we demand lighter fare! ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125/120 "2012-08-17T00:41:23Z")
bring her back with you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/save-the-life-of-a-movie-character-who-didnt-deserve-to-die-the-way-they-did/631125.md?page=7)