History Literature / FirstBlood

%%* {{Expy}}: Following the release of ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', that bared plot similarities with both this book and its film adaptation, the book's depiction of Teasle can be seen by some as arguably an early prototype for [[DecompositeCharacter both]] [[Characters/MCUIronMan Tony Stark/Iron Man]] and [[Characters/MCUBlackPanther T'Challa/Black Panther]] in ''Civil War'' for their plot-specific HeroAntagonist roles they play in those respective aforementioned works (including [[YouKilledMyFather their personal motivations to avenge the deaths of their fathers/father figures in their lives]] against the fugitive WarHero vets whom they believed are responsible).

* SceneryDissonance: Filmed in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with sweeping Mountain vistas. All while a traumatized Vietnam Veteran is being pursued by a sadistic cop.

* DudeWheresMyRespect: Part of the reason Teasle is so hateful about Rambo is because of the Korean War (where he served) being pretty much forgotten by the American people while Rambo (a Vietnam War vet) is a symbol of the new, controversial thing.
%%* {{Expy}}: Following the release of ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', that bared plot similarities with both this book and its film adaptation, the book's depiction of Teasle can be seen by some as arguably an early prototype for [[DecompositeCharacter both]] [[Characters/MCUIronMan Tony Stark/Iron Man]] and [[Characters/MCUBlackPanther T'Challa/Black Panther]] in ''Civil War'' for their plot-specific HeroAntagonist roles they play in those respective aforementioned works (including their personal motivations to avenge the deaths of their fathers/father figures in their lives against the fugitive WarHero vets whom they believed are responsible).

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Teasle in the novel [[GoodIsNotNice may not be the nicest officer around]], but is none the less a sympathetic character.

A disturbed vagrant named Rambo walks into the town of Madison, Kentucky, and is soon driven off by Sheriff Teasle, who wants to keep the place clean from potential troublemakers. But Rambo keeps coming back, and Teasle has him arrested. Rambo manages to escape from him, killing one of his deputies in the process. This sets off a manhunt, where Teasle learns that he isn't up against any normal fugitive, but a PTSD-afflicted Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran who thrives in survival situations and killing the enemy.

* {{Expy}}: Following the release of ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', that bared plot similarities with both this book and its film adaptation, the book's depiction of Teasle can be seen by some as arguably an early prototype for [[DecompositeCharacter both]] [[Characters/MCUIronMan Tony Stark/Iron Man]] and [[Characters/MCUBlackPanther T'Challa/Black Panther]] in ''Civil War'' for their plot-specific HeroAntagonist roles they play in those respective aforementioned works (including their personal motivations to avenge the deaths of their fathers/father figures in their lives against the fugitive WarHero vets whom they believed are responsible).

* JerkassHasAPoint: Teasle may be trying to protect his town from troublemakers, but Rambo has as much right to be there as any other citizen.

* BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil: Whatever P.O.W. torture other other unspeakable horrors Rambo had to endure is what turned him into an AxCrazy CopKiller of a FallenHero.

* ProperlyParanoid: Teasle turns out to be correct to distrust Rambo's presence in the first place, especially after we learned Rambo is really a homicidal maniac then some drifter vagrant.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Teasle wanted Rambo out of Madison, but he did gave him several chances to leave peacefully and even allow him to order a meal as long he made it a take-out. It is only when Rambo deliberately returns when he no longer need to be after eating his lunch that he was after initially, Teasle finally loses his patience and arrest him.
* RunForTheBorder: Running from the law, Rambo initially decides to head toward the warm beaches of Mexico. But his anger gets better of him, and he tries to finish off Teasle and his men.

* TragicBigot: Teasle. He is divorced from his wife Anna, lost his father in a hunting trip and he himself is a Korean War vet whose service is forgotten and buried by the presence of Vietnam vets, which Teasle bares IrrationalHatred against in return right next to WWII vets for the same thing.
* VillainProtagonist: Unlike the film, where the deputies were abusive, DirtyCops, Rambo violently and ruthlessly kills them for doing their jobs. By the end of the book, Rambo has become the story's BigBad.

* ItsPersonal: At first Sheriff Teasle chases Rambo in the name of duty for killing one of his men. Once Rambo severely wounds Orval, who was Teasle's foster father after he was orphaned, Teasle wants to hunt Rambo down for vengeance. His personal hunt is then cut short when Rambo kills all his men, and he has to crawl his way back to civilization, where he has to remain in the sidelines because of his injuries.

A disturbed vagrant named Rambo walks into the town of Madison, Kentucky, and is soon driven off by Sheriff Teasle, who wants to keep the place clean from potential troublemakers. But Rambo keeps coming back, and Teasle has him arrested. Rambo manages to escape from him, killing one of his deputies in the process. This sets off a manhunt, where Teasle learns that he isn't up against any normal fugitive, but a PTSD-afflicted Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran who thrives in survival and killing the enemy.

* TragicBigot: Teasle in the book is a JerkassWoobie as he is divorced from his wife Anna, lost his father in a hunting trip and he himself is a Korean War vet whose service is forgotten and buried by the presence of Vietnam vets, which Teasle bares IrrationalHatred against in return right next to WWII vets for the same thing.

* Sole Survivor: Preston is the only officer who doesn't get killed, and only then because Rambo's blinding him during his escape leads to Preston being hospitalized and thus removed from danger.

* AntiHero: Teasle in the the book may have some downplayed traits of being a RabidCop at the beginning of the book, but eventually proves himself to be much nobler then the AxCrazy Rambo.

* BringMyBrownPants: One of Teasle's deputies is so frightened from a sudden ambush from Rambo that he soils his pants.

A thriller novel by David Morrell, published in 1972.

* MutualKill: Teasle and Rambo bleed out after trading fire. Rambo has his head blown off by Trautman to finish the job, but it's very clear that he was a dead man.

A disturbed vagrant named Rambo walks into the town of Madison, Kentucky, and is soon driven off by Sheriff Teasle, who wants keep the place clean from potential troublemakers. But Rambo keeps coming back, and Teasle has him arrested. Rambo manages to escape from him, killing one of his deputies in the process. This sets off a manhunt, where Teasle learns that he isn't up against any normal fugitive, but a PTSD-afflicted Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran who thrives in survival and killing the enemy.