Line #51 Literature/Savages


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3	Savages is a 2010 novel written by Don Winslow. The novel follows O, Ben, and Chon: three friends/lovers who live in California. Ben and Chon run a weed business together. The Baja Cartel begins to take an interest and wants to partner up. But when Ben and Chon refuse the cartel kidnaps O. Adapted into a 2012 [[Film/{{Savages}} film of the same name]], directed by Creator/OliverStone and starring Creator/AaronJohnson and Creator/TaylorKitsch as Ben and Chon, with Creator/BlakeLively as O, Creator/SalmaHayek as Elena, and Creator/BenicioDelToro as Lado.
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8	!! Tropes within the novel
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10	* ActualPacifist: Ben starts the novel out this way. He starts getting more violent once O is kidnapped.
11	* AffablyEvil: Elena, the leader of the Baja Cartel.
12	* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler:Every named character barring Magda is dead by the end.]]
13	* AxCrazy: Lado, Elena's right hand. More accurately, chainsaw-crazy, as that is his weapon of choice for beheadings.
14	* BackAlleyDoctor: Ken 'Doc' Lorenzen, a former medic from Chon's unit who helps out when Ben's hurt.
15	* BestedByTheInexperienced: Pacist turned badass Ben is able to kill numerous cartel soldiers only about two days after learning how to shoot properly.
16	* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[spoiler:O is a sweet California girl, but is also the one who kills Elena.]]
17	* BloodKnight: Chon, ex-Navy SEAL who will go to war in a heartbeat.
18	* BoomHeadshot: A common way characters go.
19	* {{BFG}}: Chon uses a .50 cal Barrett 90 towards the end of the novel.
20	* TheCartel: The main antagonists are cartel members, trying to move in on Ben and Chon's (relatively) small weed business.
21	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Chon is a former Navy SEAL who saw some bad things in the Middle East. Somewhat averted because Chon doesn't have PTSD, at least according to him.
22	* DirtyCop: DEA Agent Dennis Cain, who acts as Ben and Chon's inside man.
23	* DisappearedDad: Both Chon and O's dads left.
24	* DisproportionateRetribution: The cartel kidnaps O because Chon tells them Fuck You.
25	* TheDragon: Lado, who acts as Elena's top enforcer.
26	* EnemyCivilWar: The Baja Cartel is in the middle of one at the start of the novel.
27	* TheDon: Elena Sanchez Lauter of the Baja cartel.
28	* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Ben, Chon and O overdose on morphine together after being mortally wounded.]]
29	* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Dennis walks onto train tracks after he tells Ben and Chon he is into deep with the cartels.]]
30	* FunWithAcronyms: O calls her mother P.A.Q.U or Passive Aggressive Queen of the Universe.
31	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Ben and Chon. Cemented by the fact they romantically share O.
32	* ImmodestOrgasm: How O got her nickname.
33	* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: Ben is a pretty bad shot, he gets better as the story goes on.
34	* InstantDeathBullet: Averted, most characters need a couple shots before staying dead.
35	* LaserSight: [[spoiler:Lado gets to see about a dozen of these pointed at him before he is unloaded into.]]
36	* NeckSnap: [[spoiler:How Lado kills Estaben.]]
37	* NiceGuy: Estaben is genuinely friendly to O. He even convinces his cartel "buddies" to give her internet. [[spoiler:It doesn't save him in the end.]]
38	* OffWithHisHead: Decapitation is a favorite of the cartel.
39	* {{Polyamory}}: Ben and Chon share O in a romantic/sexually relationship.
40	* PrecisionFStrike: The whole plot kicks off because Chon said Fuck You to the cartel.
41	* PrisonerExchange: [[spoiler:Ben and Chon trade Elaine's daughter Magda for O. It doesn't end well for anyone.]]
42	* RedOniBlueOni: Chon is red, being stubborn and violent and Ben is blue, being a pacifist and much more mellow.
43	* RobbingTheMobBank: Ben and Chon start robbing the cartel towards the end of the novel as a message.
44	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Ben and Chon go on one to get O back.
45	* TheStarscream: El Azul, a former enforcer under Elena who wants the throne.
46	%%* TheStoic: Chon.
47	* TheSociopath:
48	** Chon again. He has no PTSD from Iraq and has no issue murdering people.
49	** On the other side of the border, Lado. He is involved in all of the murder and torture you'd expect from TheCartel.
50	* {{Turncoat}}: [[spoiler:Lado has been giving El Azul information.]]

Context Literature / Savages