History Main / VasquezAlwaysDies

** Inverted in the first ''Film/{{Alien}}''. While Ripley isn't an ActionSurvivor yet, she might as well be a superhero compared to Lambert. Ripley lives while Lambert...[[NothingIsScarier well, let's just say it still gives people nightmares]].
** The {{Trope Namer|s}} is from ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', in which the chinup-pulling, [[SmallGirlBigGun smartgun-wielding]] Colonial Marine Vasquez dies, as opposed to the maternal civilian, Ripley. Now you could excuse Ripley surviving since she's the star, but the film gives the impression that Vasquez is simply ''too'' badass to live. It's also an UnbuiltTrope as [[AnyoneCanDie most of the cast dies in this film]] and Vasquez is one of the ''last'' to die (there is at least one other female Marine who bites it when the xenomorphs first show up, and the female dropship pilot also is killed halfway through the movie) along with the fact "feminine girl" Ripley is not your traditional untrained civilian as she's proven to be a sarcastic hard ass both in this and the original film. In addition, Ripley herself puts herself in the front row of the action as opposed to most examples of this trope, taking charge of the marines as the leader and planner when the officer is knocked out and the team is panicking from the catastrophe. Prior to any of the violence, Ripley is also shown doing traditionally male jobs such as piloting and dock work thus also subverting the trope in that the "less masculine survivor" isn't necessarily a feminine preppy girl.

* In ''Film/Annihilation2018'', the ButchLesbian medic gets the most gruesome death by far -- on the other hand, everyone else in her all-female team ''also'' gets killed except for the [[FinalGirl main character]], and even her apparent survival is [[TheEndingChangesEverything cast in a dubious light by]] [[AmbiguousEnding the final shot.]]

* ''Film/{{Carnosaur 3}}'' does this to both a female Army soldier and a Marine, while the more feminine lady scientist survives. Notably, that makes this the first ''Carnosaur'' film that doesn't kill off all of its women.

* In ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'', AmazonianBeauty Dorio ends up being the [[ShooOutTheClowns second]] of the crew to die. The other muscle, GunNut [[SmallGirlBigGun Rebecca]], doesn't make it to the end either while FinalGirl Lucy does.

* Many times the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' protagonists fell in love with female {{Ace Pilot}}s only to invoke the LoveHurts trope to Earth-shattering levels. However, this is not always the case. For example [[spoiler: Shinn's first love is dress-wearing, dance-loving, sweet-tempered Stella. She dies and his second love is his fellow soldier Lunamaria]].

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has the death of Naomi Misora, the cool BikerBabe UsefulNotes/{{FBI}} agent and the most badass female character on the show who was literally killed off for being too competent. [[WordOfGod The author said in an interview]] that if she hadn't been [[DroppedABridgeOnHim written out]] she would have solved the case and the manga would have ended after only three volumes.

* Many times the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' protagonists fell in love with female {{Ace Pilot}}s only to invoke the LoveHurts trope to Earth-shattering levels. However, this is not always the case. For example [[spoiler: Shinn's first love is dress wearing, dance loving, sweet-tempered Stella. She dies and his second love is his fellow soldier Lunamaria]].

* ''WebAnimation/{{Cupcakes}}'', an animation based on ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' in which Pinkie Pie is depicted as a serial killer who mutilates her victims and bakes them into cupcakes, has Rainbow Dash, the most tomboyish pony, as the first pony victim. She presumably kills the other ponies afterward.

Compare BuryYourGays, FauxActionGirl, FinalGirl (the weakest and most innocent girl is the only one to live, but the final girl is often counted as androgynous in the context that she [[HollywoodHomely isn't usually stunningly girly beautiful]]), BlackDudeDiesFirst, TheWorfEffect, DeathByPragmatism. Contrast RealWomenDontWearDresses (in which the less feminine woman will survive for being less feminine). Also compare and contrast GirlyBruiser (the most feminine female survives because she can kick ass in addition to being feminine, depending on her role and her comparison between other girls in the team) and LadyOfWar (in which case elegant and graceful fighting counts as feminine). This trope overlaps with TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled, where the most qualified person in the whole cast, male or female, is killed early on and often with ease, to ratchet up tension and danger.

In some flicks, especially horror, this is inverted as the Vasquez lives while the MsFanservice frequently suffers DeathBySex, or if there is a third girl in the cast, both the Vasquez (often a BrawnHilda) and the MsFanservice get axed while the timid and androgynous FinalGirl makes it.

Compare BuryYourGays, FauxActionGirl, FinalGirl (the weakest and most innocent girl is the only one to live, but take note that like the Vasquez, the final girl is often androgynous in that she isn't usually stunningly beautiful nor does she take part in traditionally feminine activities too much), BlackDudeDiesFirst, TheWorfEffect, DeathByPragmatism. Contrast RealWomenDontWearDresses (in which the less feminine woman will survive for being less feminine). Also contrast GirlyBruiser (the most feminine female survives because she can kick ass in addition to being feminine) and LadyOfWar (in which case elegant and graceful fighting counts as feminine). This trope overlaps with TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled, where the most qualified person in the whole cast, male or female, is killed early on and often with ease, to ratchet up tension and danger.

** The {{Trope Namer|s}} is from ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', in which the chinup-pulling, [[SmallGirlBigGun smartgun-wielding]] Colonial Marine Vasquez dies, as opposed to the maternal civilian, Ripley. Now you could excuse Ripley surviving since she's the star, but the film gives the impression that Vasquez is simply ''too'' badass to live. It's also an UnbuiltTrope as [[KillEmAll most of the cast dies in this film]] and Vasquez is one of the ''last'' to die (there is at least one other female Marine who bites it when the xenomorphs first show up, and the female dropship pilot also is killed halfway through the movie) along with the fact "feminine girl" Ripley is not your traditional untrained civilian as she's proven to be a sarcastic hard ass both in this and the original film. In addition, Ripley herself puts herself in the front row of the action as opposed to most examples of this trope, taking charge of the marines as the leader and planner when the officer is knocked out and the team is panicking from the catastrophe. Prior to any of the violence, Ripley is also shown doing traditionally male jobs such as piloting and dock work thus also subverting the trope in that the "less masculine survivor" isn't necessarily a feminine preppy girl.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E6Dalek "Dalek"]] has paramilitary guard [=DiMaggio=] (complete with [[BaldWoman shaved head]]), who is killed trying to hold off the Dalek with a handgun so civilians Rose and Adam can escape.

One of the reasons is the belief that the femininity and sex appeal of a female character determines their usefulness as {{Love Interest|s}} or FanService or, in the most insulting cases, their reason to be in the story at all. In some flicks, especially horror, this is inverted as the Vasquez lives while the MsFanservice frequently suffers DeathBySex, or if there is a third girl in the cast, both the Vasquez (often a BrawnHilda) and the MsFanservice get axed while the timid and androgynous FinalGirl makes it.

A more charitable explanation would be that there's much more shock value in killing [[BrawnHilda the tough, competent warrior]]; leaving the [[WeakButSkilled less warrior like]] one around thus increases suspense, since her survival isn't as assured, especially if AnyoneCanDie. It's easier for an audience to feel fear if the FinalGirl is less battle savvy and thus more vulnerable -- a hardened Vasquez left alone wouldn't be as terrifying. The death of the Vasquez character is thus a form of TheWorfEffect or SacrificialLion.

** ''Film/ResidentEvil''. The [=SWAT=] team member Rain Ocampo (Rodriguez) becomes a ZombieInfectee a third of the way through, survives almost all the way through the rest of the film, and then dies on a tram a few minutes away from a cure. Blonde, minidress-wearing Alice (Creator/MillaJovovich) becomes the FinalGirl. Much like the [[Film/{{Aliens}} trope namer]], however, Rain outlives nearly everyone else, and Alice's survival skills are plenty justified as an undercover security agent. The Resident Evil franchise lasted long enough that they brought Rain back via cloning for [[Film/ResidentEvilRetribution the fifth film]], only to die again...twice!

* Snoop in ''Series/TheWire'', is the only high ranking member of Marlo's gang who gets killed in the series, the rest go to prison. She is a murdering street enforcer who enjoys her job and it [[HairTriggerTemper doesn't take much to set her off]], unlike her partner Micheal who sees killing as part of the game and just business. There is also the fact that she is a ButchLesbian who can easily pass for a guy when seen from a distance.

* ''Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby'' -- There are two female leads representing Hansel and Gretel. Gretel is a more demure, confidence scheme criminal. Hansel is a brute. Guess who lives.

* Played straight in ''Operation Chromite'', where the unnamed female operative who assists the protagonists on their mission in North Korea, dresses in men's clothing, and actively participates in shooting mooks is killed while the feminine nurse love interest, Chae-seon, survives to the end.

* In ''Film/SmokinAces'', there's Sharice Watters (Taraji P. Henson) the mentionably more badass and aggressive partner of Georgia Sykes (Alicia Keys), is gunned down by the FBI from behind while her more feminine counterpart is literally carried away to safety by a handsome "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_%28artist%29 prince]]."

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1617309834081175600&page=1#comment-1 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

** Inverted in ''Literature/TheCaliforniaVoodooGame''. Mary-Em makes it out alive and with a massive experience boost, while Acacia's character suffers CharacterDeath, causing her to go through a HeroicBSOD.

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1617309834081175600&page=1#comment-1 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13222107430A61495000&page=1#1 Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1617309834081175600&page=1#comment-1 under discussion]] in the [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13222107430A61495000&page=1#1 Trope Repair Shop]].]]]]]]
%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1553815874062006300
%% Previous thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1326766655085160100
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/StarshipTroopers https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dizzy_dies.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:If Dizzy had watched ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', she'd've seen this coming.]]

%% Caption selected per above IP thread. Please do not replace or remove without discussion in the Caption Repair thread:
%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1404492079030138900

A more charitable explanation would be that there's much more shock value in killing [[BrawnHilda the tough, competent warrior]]; leaving the [[WeakButSkilled less warrior like]] one around thus increases suspense, since her survival isn't as assured, especially if AnyoneCanDie. It's easier for an audience to feel fear if the FinalGirl is less battle savvy and thus more vulnerable - a hardened Vasquez left alone wouldn't be as terrifying. The death of the Vasquez character is thus a form of TheWorfEffect or SacrificialLion.

* Played with in ''Anime/{{Godannar}}'', where the rather tomboyish action girl Shadow is almost killed by ''TheVirus'' BECAUSE she's not feminine.

* ''Anime/{{Vexille}}'' has two ActionGirl leads and the more badass one is the one invoking DiabolusExMachina in the end.

* ''Manga/GiantRobo: The Day The Earth Stood Still'': out of the two female members of Experts of Justice, Yoshi, the blue-skinned, muscular one dies halfway through the series, while the very feminine Ginrei survives to the last episode - [[SubvertedTrope and dies too.]]
* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has the death of Naomi Misora, the cool BikerBabe UsefulNotes/{{FBI}} agent and the most badass female character on the show who was literally killed off for being too competent. [[WordOfGod The author said in an interview]] that if she hadn't been [[DroppedABridgeOnHim written out]] she would have solved the case and the manga would have ended after only three volumes.
* In ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', a bright female pilot is introduced as a replacement for Akito after he's unjustly blamed for a failed mission and removed from military service. Despite her having a spotless record as an experienced ace pilot, she quickly dies within the same episode during her first mission on the Nadesico.
* In the original anime adaptation of ''Anime/SailorMoon'', the most tomboyish amongst the Inner Senshi, Sailor Jupiter, is the first to kick the bucket when they storm the Dark Kingdom towards the end of the first season. Also to be noted that all in all, the girls die out in order of usefulness. Jupiter was the strongest, so she died first. Mercury's analysis capabilities were too useful when the enemy was unknown, so she died second. Venus was the most experienced and competent so she died third. Mars was ostensibly the least suited to the situation, so she died last. And Sailor Moon was the most feminine (sort of, or at least the least competent) so she survived (again, sort of).
* ''Manga/{{Aruosumente}}'': Lamia, the more tomboyish of the female characters, dies when she tries to save Lante and Dante from the attacking Finfield army.
* ''Anime/DivergenceEve'': Luxandra Frail, the tough, {{scar|sAreForever}}red SpicyLatina of the core cast, is the only character to die in combat in the first series, EatenAlive by a Ghoul.

* In the comic book ''Film/{{Aliens}}: Colonial Marines'', we are introduced to Carmen Vasquez, sister to the character we met in the movie. [[spoiler: Living up to her namesake, she makes it to the last issue before going down swinging.]]
* "Monster Island," a story first published in ''ComicBook/DarkHorsePresents'' and then later ''ComicBook/DarkHorseMonsters'', features a badass female soldier with a red headband named Vasquez. She gets unceremoniously eaten by a cyclops at the end.
* ''Skull Island: The Birth of Kong'' has the decidedly more masculine-looking [[TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled survival expert]] of the group die long before the slightly mousier-looking MD/[=PhD=].

%%* ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'', with Noomi Rapace's Shaw outliving Charlize Theron's Vickers.
* Inverted in ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'': the somewhat more feminine foster mom, Janelle, played by Jenette Goldstein (the actress who played Vasquez), dies while the ripped and gun-toting Sarah Connor does not.
* Creator/MichelleRodriguez has made a career out of the trope.
** ''Film/ResidentEvil''. The [=SWAT=] team member Rain Ocampo (Rodriguez) becomes a ZombieInfectee a third of the way through, survives almost all the way through the rest of the film, and then dies on a tram a few minutes away from a cure. Blonde, minidress-wearing Alice (Creator/MillaJovovich) becomes the FinalGirl. Much like the [[Film/{{Aliens}} trope namer]], however, Rain outlives nearly everyone else, and Alice's survival skills are plenty justified as an undercover security agent. The Resident Evil franchise lasted long enough that they brought Rain back via cloning for [[Film/ResidentEvilRetribution the fifth film]], only to die again...twice!
** Subverted in ''Film/{{Machete}}'': we're meant to think her character dies when she's shot through the eye, but she reappears at the climax of the movie with an EyepatchOfPower.
** Subverted again and played for laughs in ''Film/MacheteKills'', where her character is shot through the other eye, blinding her, but she still survives.
** Seemingly happened off screen in ''Film/FastAndFurious''. [[spoiler: Turns out she just had LaserGuidedAmnesia and shows up in the stinger of ''Film/FastFive'' and working for the BigBad in ''Film/FastAndFurious6''. ]]
** In ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', she is a gruff gunship pilot who dons warpaint and dies in the final battle (interestingly, she managed to live longer than the Sigourney Weaver character--who also dies). The [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe Blue-Skinned Space Babe]] NubileSavage love interest lives.
** Zig-zagged with the film ''{{Film/SWAT}}''. She gets shot in the finale but survives thanks to her Kevlar.

* ''Franchise/StarshipTroopers'':
** ''Film/StarshipTroopers'':
*** Dizzy Flores, the QB of the football team and tough marine, dies while the feminine starship pilot survives.
*** Applies to the Roughnecks' original Corporal, who gets her arm fried by the gigantic lava-spewing bug before Rico grenades it. However, it is implied that she lives as Rasczak orders a call for evac, and will probably just get it replaced with an {{Artificial Limb|s}}.
** ''Film/StarshipTroopers2HeroOfTheFederation'': The only person to get off the planet alive is a pregnant woman. Must be all those maternal instincts keeping the bugs away.
** ''Film/StarshipTroopers3Marauder'': Unlike the previous movies, this one ultimately subverts it: of the entire squad crash-landed on OM-1, only the two female members survive to the final scene, and when it looks like the badass Captain Beck is about to be devoured by a giant bug, [[spoiler:both she and Holly are rescued by the BigDamnHeroes in the film's eponymous mechs]].
* Japanese ActionGirl icon, Creator/YukariOshima, often shows up alongside other action-actresses, and she often plays the Vasquez, biting it in ''Film/DreamingTheReality'', ''Film/IronAngels'', ''Film/FatalChase'', ''Film/AngelTerminators'' 2, ''Film/TheAvengingQuartet'' and several other film roles, allowing her more feminine co-stars to outlive the credits
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Played with in ''Film/RogueOne''. Aloof, independent ActionGirl Jyn Erso doesn't survive the Battle of Scarif, but the other primary female characters (Mon Mothma and [[spoiler: Princess Leia]]) survive only because they're SavedByCanon. Jyn's mother [[WeHardlyKnewYe doesn't last long enough]] for us to learn much about her, but she doesn't appear to have had much military experience. Also, a rare instance where the Vasquez in question is the ''[[TheHeroDies main character.]]''
** ''Film/{{Solo}}'' also plays with this a little. Hardened criminal Val and sarcastic, impassioned female-programmed droid L3-37 both die, while the elegant and feminine gangster's moll Qi'ra survives. On the other hand, so do does the badass, battle-hardened LadyOfWar [[spoiler: Enfys Nest.]]

* Holly from ''Film/TheDescent'' is a curious example. While she fits the "least feminine" part of the description, she was an impulsive and reckless amateur who obviously [[MilesGloriosus saw herself]] as an ActionGirl but ended up getting herself injured through her carelessness. It was this that led to her getting killed off first.
* In ''Film/TheDescentPart2'', which has four Action Girls, the trained cave diver Cath is killed first, the average outdoor enthusiasts Juno and Sarah die last, and the cop Rios is left alive.
* ''Film/{{Carnosaur 2}}'' features a tough female clearly modeled on Vasquez who is killed pretty gruesomely during the finale.
* ''Film/{{Carnosaur 3}}'' does this to both a female Army soldier and a Marine, while the more feminine lady scientist survives. Notably, that makes this the first ''Carnosaur'' film that doesn't kill off all of its women.
* Justified in ''Film/LakePlacid3'', where Yancy Butler's character takes down ''two'' giant crocodiles with a ''hunting knife'' after being both ''bitten and shot''. Naturally, the injuries catch up with her. Or not...she turns up alive and well in ''Film/LakePlacidTheFinalChapter''...[[spoiler: and survives that film.]]
* In ''Film/TwentyEightWeeksLater'', Scarlet is killed by Dom, and that leaves Tammy to take Doyle's rifle and become the new ActionGirl.
* The ActionGirl is the first contestant killed in ''Slashers'' and just after she had killed one the eponymous psychos.
* In ''Film/RamboFirstBloodPartII'' this trope is averted. Co-Bau the machine gun Asian girl is shot dead by Captain Vinh, just after she rescues Rambo. Ironically, she was wearing a lovely red dress as part of the rescue (it was a DirtyHarriet) and looking very much like a GirlyGirl.
* Inverted in ''Film/{{Leviathan 1989}}'' which has two women on the team. Ditzy and more feminine Bowman dies (she kills herself when she finds out she has the parasite inside her) while the no-nonsense Olympic runner Williams is one of two survivors.
* Played absolutely straight in the GirlsWithGuns action film, ''Film/KillerAngels''. There are four female characters - GirlyBruiser Yau-lin, {{Meganekko}} Rosa, brutish and buff Amy, and DarkActionGirl Fujimi. The former two survives, the latter two dies.

* Characteristic of vintage movies which often featured two female love interests; one passive and conventional and the other an action girl. The feisty girl usually ended up giving her life to save the hero's. One rare inversion of the rule was ''Film/TheBuccaneer'' in which Yul Brynner played Jean Lafitte. The passive blond wimped out and the tough girl got Yul.

%%%%* Cybil in ''Film/SilentHill'' suffers this fate, which is the opposite of the game's outcome (if you save her from being possessed).

* In ''Film/Annihilation2018'', the ButchLesbian medic gets the most gruesome death by far - on the other hand, everyone else in her all-female team ''also'' gets killed except for the [[FinalGirl main character]], and even her apparent survival is [[TheEndingChangesEverything cast in a dubious light by]] [[AmbiguousEnding the final shot.]]
* Zig-zagged in ''{{Film/Sharknado}}'', in which tough barmaid Nova is swallowed by a shark while Fin's non-action ex-wife April escapes ingestion, only to have Fin cut open the shark and pull Nova out alive.
* Played straight (seemingly) in the Irish horror film, ''Film/RedMist''. Harriet, the tough, goth-dressing AlphaBitch (played by Creator/KatieMcGrath) dies about three quarters into the film while her NiceGirl counterpart, Katherine survives...[[spoiler: if one can call being incarcerated in the psych ward while possessed by a vengeful bodysurfer surviving]].
* Inverted with Katie [=McGrath=]'s role in ''Film/JurassicWorld''. Her character, Zara, a personal assistant [[spoiler:dies a horrible and tragic death]] while Meyers, a containment worker and soldier who gets even less screentime than her, [[spoiler: gets mauled by the ''I. Rex'' but lives]].
* In ''Film/TheCave'' we have demure British scientist Catherine contrasted with brash rock climber Charlie. Three guesses which one dies. [[spoiler:However, the TwistEnding reveals Catherine to be infected with the virus, meaning she'll turn into another cave-creature eventually.]]
* ''Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby'' - There are two female leads representing Hansel and Gretel. Gretel is a more demure, confidence scheme criminal. Hansel is a brute. Guess who lives.
* [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] in ''Film/HaloNightfall''. Macer is a pilot and scientist more than a field soldier and wears a more fanservice-y tank top when everyone is forced to strip off their gear, while Wisner is an expert markswoman who keeps her jacket on. Of course, Wisner is the one who bites it. However, their backstories invert this a bit; Macer is a FormerTeenRebel and MilitaryBrat who is shown to be interested in full military career, while Wisner had a relatively privileged upbringing and has no intent for any further involvement in the military or law enforcement after her short contract with the Sedran Colonial Guard is over.
* In ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjay'' ''- Part 2'' Lieutenant Jackson only makes it to the halfway point before she is killed by mutations, while the more feminine Katniss and Cressida survive the film.
* Inverted in ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad''. The ActionGirl Furiosa survives her injuries, including getting stabbed in the lungs. Meanwhile, the feminine Angharad, one of the Five Wives and heavily pregnant, is killed halfway through the film. However, the majority of the heroic casualties are [[NeverMessWithGranny the warrior Vuvalini]], while the rest of the non-combatant Wives survive.
* Played straight in ''Operation Chromite'', where the unnamed female operative who assists the protagonists on their mission in North Korea, dresses in men's clothing, and actively participates in shooting mooks is killed while the feminine nurse love interest, Chae-seon, survives to the end.
* None heroic example in ''Film/NewJackCity''. Kesha is a tough as nails member of Nino Brown's gang and won't [[DarkActionGirl hesitate to kill]] anyone who crosses them, no matter how minor. She is also the first one in his gang to die during a shootout when an assassination attempt is made against Nino Brown by the Italian Mob during a wedding he was sponsoring.
* ''Film/GhostsOfMars'': There are three {{Action Girl}}s in a uni-sex team sent to retrieve a dangerous criminal. The toughest one, a butch middle-aged woman, is killed off first, and then followed by the boyish-looking one. The sole survivor is the drop-dead gorgeous Natasha Henstridge. All the men are killed off as well, save for the aforementioned criminal.
* In ''Film/ArmyOfTheDead'', there are five women in the CaperCrew: the action girls Chambers, Cruz, and Lilly, the butch helicopter pilot Peters... and Kate Ward, the daughter of the crew’s leader Scott, who was only brought along because Scott wanted to prevent her from getting herself killed by venturing into the walled-off Vegas Strip alone with no way to defend herself. Kate winds up as one of only two survivors, with the other one being a ZombieInfectee, making her the FinalGirl.

* Non-death example: the short story ''[[http://theopinionguy.com/OG25.pdf Assumption]]'' (scroll down) by Desmond Warzel. Belasco proves to be more effective in combat than the men or the unnamed female narrator and is the only one seriously injured.
* In the ''Shane Schofield'' series of novels by Creator/MatthewReilly, there are two women who fit the Vasquez model, one more than the other. First, there's Mother (short for [[OneBadMother motherfucker]]), who is over six feet tall, shaven-headed, gets a bionic leg following an incident with a killer whale, and can kill several men with her bare hands. Then there's Elizabeth 'Fox' Gant, who is slightly more ladylike but has the short hair and the ass-kicking ability. This trope is averted -- but not for lack of the universe trying, as Mother apparently dying only to turn up alive is a RunningGag -- up until ''Scarecrow'', [[InvertedTrope where Gant (by then Schofield's girlfriend) is beheaded by the asshole of the novel]].

* ''Literature/SpyHigh''. While the heroines are all {{Action Girl}}s, it's [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Jennifer]] who dies in the third book, with Lori (the most stereotypically feminine) and Cally (the least focused and devoted to her training) who survive. Inverted in the final book, ''Agent Orange'', where Jen's [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute replacement]] Bex survives while [[spoiler: the rest of the team are "killed" in a mission to defeat Prof Devereaux, although they return]].
* In the penultimate ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'' book, pretty-yet-[[DarkActionGirl Rachel]] agrees to go on a suicide mission against the [[PuppeteerParasite Yeerks]] and is ultimately killed. Fashion-challenged-[[TheConscience Cassie]] not only survives that battle but in the last book, she stays on Earth while her male teammates are [[BolivianArmyEnding implied to die]] battling a DiabolusExNihilo.

* In ''Literature/TheSouthernReachTrilogy'', the surveyor is the toughest and most aggressive member of the twelfth expedition, being ex-military; however, she ends up being shot to death in a gunfight against the less intimidating, more feminine biologist.

* ''Series/ChoudenshiBioman'': In this case RealLifeWritesThePlot. Mika dies in episode 10 because her actress quit. She is, however, eventually replaced by another ActionGirl

* Inverted in ''Series/ChicagoPD''. Both [[ActionGirl Detective Erin Lindsay]] and her former prostitute friend, [[GirlyGirl Nadia Decottis]], end up [[AloneWithThePsycho alone]] with serial killer Greg Yates at different points throughout season 3. [[spoiler: Decottis is murdered. Lindsay isn't--and manages to avenge Decottis]].
** A later episode, "Last Minute Resistance" from season 4 subverts this trope on a sliding scale involving a date rapist on the loose. Burgess gets drugged and cornered by him and narrowly fights him off. Her more feminine sister and her sister's equally feminine friend aren't so lucky and [[spoiler: the friend is the one who does the dying]]. Lindsay, meanwhile, [[spoiler: isn't even touched.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Cafe Nordo's ''Smoked!'' has Maddie Withers, a hard-drinking, masculinely dressed [[TheLadette Ladette]], who is gunned down in the final showdown, opposite Clara Still, the prim and proper saloon keeper.

* In ''VideoGame/RedFaction 2'', the team's sexual-innuendo-dropping stealth operative in a SpyCatsuit not only survives the game but is your main ally for the 2nd half. The tough redhead sniper with an Amazonian build and butch haircut is the first of TheSquad to die.
* In ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'', Alys is built up as the best action girl. She is very popular in the game, because of her fighting ability and beauty. However, [[DecoyProtagonist she dies off early]] and other action girls later reveal themselves.
* Played straight in the ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' mod ''VideoGame/TheBastardOfKosigan'', in which (as far as the story has been written, at least) the only female character who doesn't disappear after the OptionalSexualEncounter or die automatically is Ernie, who is much more feminine than Alex, whose PlotlineDeath was very frustrating.
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'': Played with in regards to Ashley Williams, the competent career soldier reminiscent of Vasquez in several ways, who may or may not [[spoiler: be left to die on Virmire - [[SadisticChoice unless the player saves her and leaves Kaidan instead.]] According to the developers, the latter option is overwhelmingly more popular]].
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': During the game's suicide run, it's far more likely for the tough, angry Jack to die than TheBaroness Miranda, and [[DroppedABridgeOnHim in a rather ignominious fashion]] at that, as the time Jack is most likely to die is when she's [[spoiler: standing in the least shielded portion of the ship]] while Miranda is [[spoiler: in the most shielded portion]].

* In the first ''VideoGame/ClockTower'' game, playable character Jennifer's friends Ann and Laura have a chance of surviving to the end, depending on your actions. Her best friend, the tomboyish Lotte, has no such chance.
* ''VideoGame/TheOrionConspiracy''. Brooks, who is definitely the Vasquez in this game, gets killed off trying to stop Ward after he had gone berserk. [=LaPaz=], who is easily more feminine compared to Brooks, survives.
* In ''[[VideoGame/SASZombieAssault SAS: Zombie Assault 3]]'' players who aren't logged in are given somewhat degrading names, one of which is Anonymous Vaskes.
* ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' can play this straight or completely invert it. [[ActionGirl SIE]] (think a female Duke Nukem) can be killed same as the rest of your love interests, but you have to do it yourself after you select her as your handler in the penultimate mission in Russia. Otherwise, she will survive the game, whereas for [[TheChick Madison St. James]] and [[VoiceWithAnInternetConnection Mina Tang]] just don't have to be rescued when they get captured, and Scarlett Lake can be shot in the last decision you make in the game.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Galerians}} Galerians: Ash]]'' is never subtle about its references. Cas, the game's tough and tatted military woman, may as well be Vasquez. The only notable difference is that Cas is more level-headed. The outcome is the same though - a self-sacrificing last stand against monstrous creatures.

* Heavily and deliberately played with in ''Webcomic/BloodIsMine''. Michelle is confirmed by the author to be named after Michelle Rodriguez. She's a large, muscular Hispanic woman genetically engineered to fight and to be expendable, working for a company called Vasquez Law Enforcement. She not only survives, but has a relatively happy ending while the fate of the (blonde, pink-wearing, stuffed-animal-collecting) main protagonist is left up in the air.

* Played with in ''Anime/ShinkonGattaiGodannar'', where the rather tomboyish action girl Shadow is almost killed by ''TheVirus'' BECAUSE she's not feminine.

* ''Comicbook/YTheLastMan'': [[spoiler:Agent 355, short-haired action girl dies at the end, while Dr. Allison Mann survives the comic]].

** ''[[VideoGame/MassEffect1 Mass Effect 1]]'': Played with in regards to Ashley Williams, the competent career soldier reminiscent of Vasquez in several ways, who may or may not [[spoiler: be left to die on Virmire - [[SadisticChoice unless the player saves her and leaves Kaidan instead.]] According to the developers, the latter option is overwhelmingly more popular]].