History Main / MoreExpendableThanYou

* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', this mentality towards [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark]] is so firmly ingrained into Chloe she must have a dozen of near-deaths (and [[ResurrectiveImmortality a handful of]] [[DeathIsCheap actual deaths]]) for him throughout the seasons.

* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', this mentality towards [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Clark]] is so firmly ingrained into [[PlatonicLifePartners Chloe]] she must have a dozen of near-deaths (and [[ResurrectiveImmortality a handful of]] [[DeathIsCheap actual deaths]]) for him throughout the seasons.

** ''Film/AntMan'': Why Hank wants Scott to pilot the Ant-Man suit instead of his more experienced daughter. It speaks of how distant they are that he never communicates it well. Scott, being a father himself, is quick to catch on.

* At the end of ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'', Bruce Willis' character tricks Ben Affleck's, and averts the disaster at the cost of his life.

* At the climax of Disney's ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron'', the Cauldron Born have been created and dispatched to conquer the world, and the only way to prevent them from doing this is that someone must jump into the titular cauldron, and thus, die. The hero, Taran, is ready to do so, until his ally Gurgi stops him. After explaining that "Taran has many friends, Gurgi has no friends", the furry guy makes his heroic leap, halting the [[DemBones undead warriors]] in their tracks. Even though this is a ''dark'' Disney animated film (arguably THE darkest), it is still a ''Disney'' animated film, [[DisneyDeath so Gurgi's life is brought back in trade for the Black Cauldron at the end of the movie]].

* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', if you reject Morrigan's proposal (which is also a proposition) and take [[spoiler:Alistair]] with you (and are [[spoiler:female and pursued a romance with him]]), [[spoiler:Alistair]] will sacrifice himself instead of you in order to kill the BigBad.

* In ''WesternAnimation/XMen'', Wolverine and Cyclops argue over who should sacrifice himself to resurrect Jean after her HeroicSacrifice. The Phoenix nips the argument in the bud by explaining that the lifeforce needed to save Jean can be taken from multiple donors without anyone immediately dying though all of their lives would be shortened.

* Double... no, triple... okay, [[ZigzaggingTrope multiply]] subverted in the end of ''Anime/GaoGaiGar''. The Mobile Unit enters the body of the Z-Master. One by one, each hero holds back an enemy so that Guy can reach the boss (straight). Then, when he gets there, they aren't dead and come back to join him in the final battle (subverted). Then he never even has the opportunity to offer to sacrifice himself, because King J-Der does it for him (double subverted). Then, the character gets better enough to return in ''FINAL''. Oh, and then the battle with Zonuda ''re''subverts with all the heroes getting absorbed one by one, then [=GaoGaiGar=] himself ''also'' getting absorbed and a surprise DeusExMachina saving the day.

Usually part of an OnlyICanKillHim scenario -- TheHero is too important to waste on this minor sacrifice preceding the big showdown. Alternatively, it could be needed to avert ShootTheMedicFirst. Puts the "Cannon Fodder" in WeAreTeamCannonFodder and is a standard Job requirement for the HeroSecretService. Contrast MartyrWithoutACause. See also TheNeedsOfTheMany. Compare MenAreTheExpendableGender when gender matters more than character importance. Can overlap with DeathSeeker, where characters are willing to die, but [[ICannotSelfTerminate they cannot take their lives]].

!!'''Examples:'''

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* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Daario is sent to fight Meereen's champion despite being the ''fourth'' to volunteer, after Dany declared Grey Worm, Barristan Selmy, and Jorah Mormont too important to risk.
* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', this mentality towards [[{{Superman}} Clark]] is so firmly ingrained into [[PlatonicLifePartners Chloe]] she must have a dozen of near-deaths (and [[ResurrectiveImmortality a handful of]] [[DeathIsCheap actual deaths]]) for him throughout the seasons.

* At the end of the second season of ''Series/{{Primeval}}'', Cutter attempts to stop the escape of several prehistoric beasties: but is only able to do this by sealing a door from their side. Stephen Hart, knocks him out and takes his place instead.
** In this case, Stephen atones for sleeping with Cutter's wife.
* A couple of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' examples:
** In "The Empath", aliens intend to use either Spock or [=McCoy=] for an experiment that is highly likely to cause death or permanent insanity. Spock declares that he is volunteering; [=McCoy=] overrules that decision by jabbing him with a hypo when he's not looking.
** Subverted in "Obsession", after [[RedShirt Ensign Garrovick]] tries to knock out Kirk to take his place as bait for a blood-draining MonsterOfTheWeek. Kirk points out he wasn't planning to stick around long enough to actually be dinner for the creature.
--> '''Kirk:''' Consider yourself on report. This is no time for heroics. I have no intention of sacrificing myself, at least not yet.
* In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Worf is about to sacrifice himself to delay a pursuing enemy. The aged and crafty [[OldMaster Dahar Master]] Kor knocks him out and takes his place piloting the damaged ship (Worf is a young warrior in his prime, with many battles left to fight in this war and others, while Kor's mind is starting to slip and he has no more chances for a glorious death). His last words to the unconscious Worf are a promise that when he gets to [[WarriorHeaven Sto'vo'kor]], he will tell Worf's dead wife of his bravery.
* When our heroes on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' find the [[EarthShatteringKaboom Xindi superweapon]], they come up with a plan to destroy it--but doing so would be a SuicideMission. Trip and Travis each argue to be the one to go on the mission, but Archer chooses himself, deciding that, after [[IDidWhatIHadToDo everything he's done in the Expanse]], he won't order anyone else to die.

** In "Forest of the Dead", the Tenth Doctor is saved from frying his brains out in order to save the day when [[TimeyWimeyBall an old friend he hasn't met yet]], River Song, handcuffs him to the wall and sacrifices herself instead.

** In the classic series, [[TheBrigadier Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] does this to the Doctor in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS26E1Battlefield Battlefield]]", punching him to the ground with the exact words "Sorry, Doctor, but I'm more expendable than you are."
** It was also averted in the classic series on occasion. One time, a UNIT AscendedExtra suggested he be the subject of a dangerous experiment instead of the Doctor, and the Doctor promptly refused.
** Another Classic Who example, this time played straight. In ''Ark in Space,'' minor character Rogin knocks the Doctor out and puts him a safe distance away from the ship, which would kill anyone underneath it once they released the locking mechanisms necessary to send the Wirrn out away from the Ark.
--> '''Rogin:''' You don't want trouble with the Space Technicians Union, Doctor.
--> '''Doctor:''' What?
--> '''Rogin:''' *punches the Doctor out* That's my job!
** An inversion occurs in "The End of Time" when the Doctor sacrifices himself for Wilf, a minor recurring character who happens to be pushing eighty. Wilf even begs him not to do it, basically citing this trope.
** In season 5's "The Almost People" it is the "gangers" (clones) who make the heroic sacrifice, including The Doctor's ganger.
** In the episode "The Time of Angels", Amy [[DiscussedTrope tries to tell the Doctor]] go on without her, thinking that she's about to die because she can't move. The Doctor, [[DefiedTrope has other ideas]], breaking the illusion that was keeping Amy in peril.

* Season 7 of [[Series/TwentyFour 24]]: Jack Bauer tries to [[HeroicSacrifice kill himself to save the president]], but Bill Buchanan points out the true masterminds of the day's events are still out there and only Jack can stop them and then sacrifices himself before Jack can argue.
** In season 2, George Mason, who was already almost dead from radiation poisoning, talked Jack into letting him make the HeroicSacrifice, giving Jack a parachute and letting him jump to safety while George piloted the plane (and the nuke onboard it) to detonate away from Los Angeles.
* At the end of season 3 of ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Charlie volunteers to swim to the Looking Glass, which Sayid had intended to do. Then Sayid convinces Jack to lead the group to the radio tower while Sayid takes on the invading Others, because Jack is the leader.
* This trope appears in the {{Miniseries}} [[FilmOfTheBook adaptation]] of ''Series/HoratioHornblower''; however, none of it happened in the books.
** Midshipman Clayton steps in in the first episode to get the title character out of a duel with a particularly violent bully.
** In the second series, Archie Kennedy, knowing he would die anyway, takes sole blame for a mutiny to save Horatio's life and career.
* A non-lethal example in ''Series/StargateSG1'', where the team finds a second [[{{Precursors}} Ancient]] [[ForgottenPhlebotinum database]], which can only be accessed by uploading it in its entirety into a brain. Unfortunately, modern humans haven't quite evolved to the point of surviving such an upload for long periods of time. [[AdventurerArchaeologist Daniel]] tries to use it on himself when they are attacked, but Jack, who previously had one in his head, tells him that Daniel is the only one who ''can't'' do it, since he's their only expert on the Ancient language and has to translate the ramblings of the "possessed" person. Jack then uses the device on himself again and ends up saving the Earth from an alien invasion. The two-parter ends in a sad moment when Jack has the team put him into a suspended animation chamber indefinitely in order to survive the sheer amount of knowledge.
** It is later revealed that no one else would've likely survived the upload, as Jack actually ''is'' the most advanced human on Earth, from an evolutionary point of view, possessing the Ancient gene and having intuitive control over their technology.
* A very sad occurs in ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' when someone has to initiate a process that will separate Moya from another ship and save the lives of everyone aboard her. The catch is that the person who starts the process has to do so from the other ship, which will be ripped apart. Both Crichton and Aeryn try to intervene, but Zhaan (who is already dying from having saved Aeryn's life earlier in the season) insists on doing it and is killed in the process.
** This HeroicSacrifice was made [[RealLifeWritesThePlot for production reasons]]. Actress Virginia Hey, who played Zhaan, had been suffering allergic reactions to her extensive makeup. For some time, she was given limited face time to limit her exposure to the irritating cosmetics, but ultimately they decided to write her out of the show and chose this as the point to let her go out heroically.

* A common theme in ''Series/{{Chuck}}''. Since the eponymous character [[ItMakesSenseInContext has all the government's secrets in a computer in his brain]], his handlers Sarah and Casey often tell him that his life is worth more than theirs when he objects to them risking their lives to protect him.
* An accidental version in the mini-series ''[[Literature/BernardSamsonSeries Game, Set & Match]]''. Bernard Samson is sent to do a black bag operation. It's pointed out that if Bernard is caught there will be questions in the House of Parliament, so one of his men offers to do the job instead as he's a nobody. Which is just as well for Bernard as a BoobyTrap kills the safe-cracking team.

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** In a flashback, Hiashi Hyuuga kills a Cloud ninja who'd tried to kidnap Hinata, resulting in the Cloud village demanding his death to appease them. The elders of the clan propose passing off Hiashi's twin brother Hizashi as him, since Hiashi is the head of the clan, while Hizashi is part of the branch family (i.e. more or less a servant to the clan). Hizashi himself approves of this plan, and knocks Hiashi down with a blow to the solar plexus when Hiashi objects.

* ''Film/GranTorino'' contains an excellent example. The protagonist locks the kid in his basement, then goes out to the gangsters' place and intentionally gets murdered in front of many witnesses, getting the gangsters put in jail. He was dying of cancer and did not want the kid to destroy his future by trying to get revenge on the gangsters.

* ''Film/AirForceOne'' plays this straight, inverts it and then subverts it. The Secret Service agents on board the plane perform {{Heroic Sacrifice}}s to get the President to safety but in the end it is the President who stays on board to fight the terrorists after the rest of his (expendable) staff are evacuated. It's played straight again at the end of the movie where the damaged plane is about to crash and the remaining military personnel on board insist that the President evacuate the plane before them. However, TheMole is not willing to die for the President and fights him for the last evacuation slot. The President wanted to get his family off and MEDIVAC a wounded staff member before saving his own life.
* ''Film/AntMan'': Why Hank wants Scott to pilot the Ant-Man suit instead of his more experienced daughter. It speaks of how distant they are that he never communicates it well. Scott, being a father himself, is quick to catch on.
* In ''Film/TheYoungVictoria'', Albert takes a bullet that was meant for Victoria. When she later asks him why he did it, he says "I am replaceable and you are not".

* Played with in ''VideoGame/HaloWars''. The BadassNormal [[TheHero Hero]] Sergeant Forge is rightfully far more expendable than the three Spartan-II {{Super Soldier}}s under his command, which comes into play for the final mission; when SomeoneHasToDie, one of said Spartans volunteers to sacrifice himself, but Forge decides to do it himself, citing this very trope:
-->'''Forge:''' Son, I've a feeling before this is over, we'll need every last Spartan in the fight. I can do this. Report back to the ship.

* In the first ''Franchise/MassEffect'' game, on Virmire, [[spoiler: Ashley will try to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this trope by telling Shepard to save Kaidan over her because he outranks her. Unfortunately, [[SadisticChoice Kaiden makes the same plea]], not wanting one of his soldiers to die because of him. It's up to Shepard whether to decide who to agree with, but [[MortonsFork neither is a desirable choice]].]]

Usually part of an OnlyICanKillHim scenario -- TheHero is too important to waste on this minor sacrifice preceding the big showdown. Alternatively, it could be needed to avert ShootTheMedicFirst. Puts the "Cannon Fodder" in WeAreTeamCannonFodder and is a standard Job requirement for the HeroSecretService. Contrast MartyrWithoutACause. See also TheNeedsOfTheMany. Compare MenAreTheExpendableGender. Can overlap with DeathSeeker, where characters are willing to die, but they could not take their lives.

* In the ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' series 1 finale this happens twice, first with Merlin declaring that Arthur's life is worth a hundred of his own and then - when it becomes clear that the deal was for ''a'' life, not necessarily Merlin's, and his mother becomes dangerously ill - Gaius sacrifices himself in Merlin's place. [[DisneyDeath It doesn't last,]] as Merlin realizes that killing the witch who cast spell in the first place also worked and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard used her as the sacrifice.]]
** Happens again in the fourth series premiere. They need to sacrifice someone to heal the veil between the worlds, and Arthur thinks it should be him. Merlin wants to take his place, since, as a servant, his life is more expendable. When the time comes to sacrifice someone, Merlin knocks Arthur out, and offers himself to the gatekeeper of the spirit world. [[spoiler: As they're talking, Lancelot sneaks behind him and walks through, providing the necessary sacrifice]].

* In a {{Naruto}} flashback, Hiashi Hyuuga kills a Cloud ninja who'd tried to kidnap Hinata, resulting in the Cloud village demanding his death to appease them. The elders of the clan propose passing off Hiashi's twin brother Hizashi as him, since Hiashi is the head of the clan, while Hizashi is part of the branch family (i.e. more or less a servant to the clan). Hizashi himself approves of this plan, and knocks Hiashi down with a blow to the solar plexus when Hiashi objects.

* MagnificentBastard Cao Cao is saved by Cao Hong's HeroicSacrifice in the RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms. Cao Hong's final words to Cao Cao roughly translate to, "The world can do without me, but not without you!"

* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', entire squads of soldiers are tasked with throwing their lives away if it means keeping Eren safe, because of how valuable his special abilities are.

* In a {{Naruto}} flashback, Hyuuga Hiashi's twin brother Hizashi knocks him out with a punch to the solar plexus in order to take his place as a human sacrifice.

** In season 2, George Mason, who was already almost dead from radiation poisoning, talked Jack into letting him make the HeroicSacrifice.

* In the mini-series ''[[Literature/BernardSamsonSeries Game, Set & Match]]'', Bernard Samson is sent to do a black bag operation. It's pointed out that if Bernard is caught there will be questions in the House of Parliament, so one of his men offers to do the job instead, as he's no-one important. Which is just as well for Bernard as a BoobyTrap kills the safe-cracking team.

* This is pulled off twice in a row in ''Fanfic/MGLNCrisis''. Chrono plans on staying on board the Claudia to fire off the Arc-en-ciel one more time but Griffith punches him in the face. Then when he's getting an unconscious Chrono into the last escape pod, Lucino pushes Griffith in as well. [[spoiler: It later turns out that she survives.]] Both cases were preceded by the words ItHasBeenAnHonor.

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Vegeta knocks Goku, Trunks, and Goten out in succession before using his suicide attack against Buu.