Line #26 Main/DeadSerious


1	A bad guy cruises along for a few episodes, or sometimes a few seasons, and isn't really taken seriously. Maybe a huge war is on and you know the good guys are going to win, because of ContractualImmortality. Suddenly [[SacrificialLion a main character or a fan favorite brutally dies]]. This shows that this threat is Dead Serious.
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3	This can be done either to get the audience off on the "right" foot with a new villain, or to beef up a previously unimpressive one. It can also be used after a FaceHeelTurn to spur the villain's former comrades into finally acting against him instead of trying to get him back on their side. Such moments also might be used for a TonightSomeoneDies rating stunt.
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5	This trope is basically TheWorfEffect pushed to its logical conclusion, a subset of AnyoneCanDie, and/or one of the effects of KnightOfCerebus. If the character who is killed has a name and a well-developed background, he's a SacrificialLion. If he has a name, but his background is fuzzy to non-existent, he's a SacrificialLamb. If the dead guy has no name and no background, he's just a RedShirt.
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7	Compare NotSoHarmlessVillain, HeroKiller and ShooOutTheClowns.
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9	!!As this is a {{Death Trope\|s}}, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].
10	----
11	!!Examples:
12	[[foldercontrol]]
13	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
14	* Hughes' death at the hands of Envy in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', made more tragic because Hughes was a FamilyMan and one of the most notable comic relief characters in the series. His death was also a turning point in the shaping of the resolve of various characters.
15	* In ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02,'' when Myotismon returns as [[OneWingedAngel MaloMyotismon]], the writers do a great job of making you really, ''really'' wanna see the bastard get what's coming to him by having him [[BadBoss brutally slaughter his two lovable minions.]] Sad that after that, he [[AnticlimaxBoss proves to be]] [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath all talk.]]
16	* ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' has Beelzebumon, who after his debut spends some time cruising around and slaying a few powerful monsters in the wild before properly confronting the Tamers and killing Leomon, which traumatizes the kids and introduces a grim ToneShift just in time for the GenreShift to CosmicHorror.
17	* Krillin's death (the first time it happens!) in ''Manga/DragonBall'' is an example of this. It showed that Piccolo Daimou was no joke and marked the first death of a main character.
18	** [[TheHeroDies Goku's death]] early on in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' while fighting his evil brother Raditz is the indication that [[SerialEscalation that stakes have been raised tremendously]].
19	* ''Manga/OnePiece'' fans all figured that Ace would be rescued, since 'no one ever dies in One Piece, except in flashbacks' is a common mantra among the fandom. They were wrong, and shortly afterward, Whitebeard also died.
20	* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', Kamina spends all his time rampaging around the landscape with his brother [[CowardlyLion Simon]] and the [[TrueCompanions Dai-Gurren Brigade]] before they decide to take a ridiculously huge mobile battleship as their base by stealing it. Owing to Simon freaking out over seeing a kiss between his crush [[ActionGirl Yoko Littner]] and Kamina, his big bro punches some sense into him; opening him up to a fatal strike from Thymilph. He's still so badass that he gets back up and avenges himself, pulling off the series' first [[ThisIsADrill Giga Drill Breaker]], but dies immediately afterward. Cue Simon's HeroicBSOD.
21	* The first sign of how utterly dark a MagicalGirl series we're dealing with in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' comes in the climax of the third episode, where [[CoolBigSis Mami]] gets EatenAlive by Charlotte, the episode's [[MonsterOfTheWeek Witch of the Week]]. Though Charlotte herself is killed almost immediately afterwards, the Witches as a whole go from Monster Of The Week to genuinely terrifying threat, as it has been established that ''{{anyone\|CanDie}}'' can fall victim to them.
22	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' had never killed a named character among the good guys - of course if we're talking about the manga, and not filler/movie material. Then, in the last arc of the manga (announced by the chapter title [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Final Arc - The Thousand-Year Blood War"]]), after the enemies just showed up, they killed Sasakibe Chojiro, vice-captain of the 1st Division. Well, his name is actually the only thing we really knew about him, but during his funeral, it was established that [[InformedAbility he was actually]] a [[StrongerThanTheyLook much stronger warrior than he appeared to be]], and thus the new enemies are to be taken [[TheWorfEffect very seriously]].
23	** Gets played with much more severity when the current BigBad successfully kills Captain-Commander Yamamoto. After the reader finally gets to ''see'' the terrifying things Yamamoto can do with his Bankai.
24	* ''Anime/ReCreators'': Despite its focus on action and drama, the series was still willing to treat the idea of fictional characters coming to the real world with some degree of levity. [[KillTheCutie Mamika's death]] in episode 8 swiftly puts an end to that.
25	* Vreveil from ''Manga/SandsOfDestruction'' is always regarded as a credible threat, but really shows just how dangerous he is when he revokes Kyrie's powers and kills Morte for daring to interfere.
26	* In the season 1 finale of ''Anime/SailorMoon'', the DD Girls subvert being a QuirkyMinibossSquad by successfully killing off Sailor Jupiter. The remaining Sailor soldiers are taken out in various battles with the DD Girls ([[TakingYouWithMe successfully evening the numbers mind you]]) -- all to make it more poignant that Usagi face Queen Beryl alone in the second part.
27	[[/folder]]
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29	[[folder:Comic Books]]
30	* Creator/DCComics have been using this trope repeatedly in their CrisisCrossover storylines. The best example might be Dr. Light, who suffered from VillainDecay to the point that he was a joke among Franchise/TheDCU, and returned to true villainy in ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis2004''.
31	* The ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' franchise presents several examples:
32	** Mister Mxyzptlk was generally regarded as [[GreatGazoo an unimaginably powerful but mostly harmless nuisance]]... until ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow'', in which he decides to destroy the Man of Steel's life. By the end of the story, he has caused the deaths of Jimmy Olsen, Lana Lang, Pete Ross, Krypto, Bizarro... and very nearly kills Superman off, forcing him to break his vow and kill Mxyzptlk because there was no other way to stop him.
33	** Similarly, Toyman was somewhat of an idiot who used mechanical toys to antagonize Superman... until [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks a 1990s storyline]] (later {{retcon}}ned) in which he [[WouldHurtAChild murders Cat Grant's son]].
34	** ComicBook/PostCrisis Reactron was easily overpowered by ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} in [[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 his first appearance]]. Several months later, he got himself a DeadlyUpgrade, murdered Supergirl's father, spent most of ''ComicBook/NewKrypton'' arc hounding her, and was ultimate responsible for the demise of the Kryptonian race.
35	* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Di's early villains were considerably less threatening than they would later become due to the fact that any time anyone actually died they'd just get tossed on a slab in Paula's laboratory and brought right back to life. Then Dr. Psycho escaped from prison and blew up Lila Brown, one of the very few recurring characters, and basically obliterated everything above the knees making it clear that even Di's friends and allies could be killed off for real and establishing Dr. Psycho as a legitimate threat.
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Fan Works]]
39	* Invoked in Franchise/{{Superman}} story [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/989732/1/Hanging-the-Drapes "Hanging the Drapes"]] when Mister Mxyzptlk, after spending decades bugging the Supers with stupid pranks, decides to challenge them to stop him from destroy Earth. A character complains he was supposed to be just an annoying prankster.
40	-->Trickster. Prankster. More a nuisance than anything else. Nothing Superman had said before he took off for space had prepared her for this; the earlier stories were at least by comparison innocent.\
41	Make Earth like Krypton.\
42	That was no prank.\
43	''This wasn't funny!''
44	* ''Fanfic/JauneArcLordOfHunger'': Qrow dies a few chapters before the FinalBattle is to take place, showing that AnyoneCanDie and establishing that the heroes are no longer being protected by PlotArmor.
45	* An in-universe version in ''Fanfic/TheMountainAndTheWolf'': The Wolf is viewed as dangerous in combat but his repeated claims of trying to conquer Westeros for the Chaos gods aren't taken seriously (the man himself states that he doesn't know why it hasn't happened yet and is waiting for the gods to send him another vision so he knows what to do). After King's Landing is taken, [[spoiler:the Wolf tries to steal the Iron Throne, is caught by Daenerys, and she's killed in the ensuing battle,]] and the Wolf is believed to have drowned. Then some time later he reappears, and the Chaos Gods are confirmed as a real threat by priests of R'hllor.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
49	* Scar from ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 The Lion King]]'' may be scheming to usurp the throne by offing his brother Mufasa and nephew Simba, but he doesn't seem that impressive when his best minions are some comically inept hyenas. Then, to illustrate that he is indeed a serious threat, he murders his brother by throwing him into a herd of stampeding wildebeest to be trampled to death.
50	[[/folder]]
51
52	[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
53	* Wash was killed off in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' purely so that the audience would spend the rest of the battle freaking out every time a character was injured. And earlier in the same movie, Book's death, along with the destruction of every single safe haven the crew's ever had is the main impetus for the crew to actually deal with the Operative.
54	* ''Film/AnimalHouse'': Most of the antagonists of the film spend the climactic parade riot in various states of HeroicBSOD, except for SociopathicSoldier Neidermeyer, who after a few moments yelling to his fellow ROTC members to man up and fight, grabs one of the rifles the squad brought along, loads it with live ammunition that he was carrying in a pocket [[GiveMeAReason for some reason,]] and starts looking for someone to shoot. If not for a Deus ex Machina, Flounder would have been the only Delta to ''get killed''.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Literature]]
58	* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
59	** Cedric Diggory's death in the fourth book is to show that CerebusSyndrome is really about to set in as Voldemort is restored.
60	** Sirius Black's death at the end of the fifth comes right before Harry is told about his destiny, and that no one can protect him.
61	** Snape kills Dumbledore at the end of the penultimate book, showing that AnyoneCanDie in the finale.
62	* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse novels:
63	** The ''Literature/NewJediOrder'' series began by killing off Chewbacca in the first novel. They had actually planned to kill ''Luke'' -- but Creator/GeorgeLucas nuked this plan.
64	** Later, Jacen Solo's murder of Mara Jade-Skywalker rounded off his FaceHeelTurn.
65	* Gandalf and Boromir in ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', facilitating the GenreShift of the story.
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
69	* Dr Heightmeyer in ''Series/StargateAtlantis''.
70	* From ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
71	** Up until Jenny Calendar's death in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E17Passion Passion]]", the Scoobies had been more concerned with restoring Angel's soul than actually stopping him, but killing her off apparently [[MoralEventHorizon crossed a line]] that let everyone know he was serious. [[WordOfGod Joss Whedon]] confirms that that was the point he wanted to make. [[AnyoneCanDie No one is safe as of this episode]], and Angel is not "just a little evil," he's not "grouchy," he's truly evil and Buffy ''has'' to do something about it.
72	** In Season 6, Warren initially seems like a HarmlessVillain, and is dismissed by Buffy as a "pain in my ass"... until "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E13DeadThings Dead Things]]", where he uses a MindControlDevice to brainwash his ex-girlfriend Katrina Silber, nearly rapes her before it wears off, and then kills her to prevent her from escaping. The icing on the cake is when he uses magic and time-distorting demons to convince Buffy ''she'' had accidentally killed Katrina, though Buffy realizes the truth just before she turns herself in. From here on out, Buffy realizes [[NotSoHarmlessVillain how dangerous Warren really is]] and swears to bring him to justice.
73	** Also when Jonathan died in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E7ConversationsWithDeadPeople Conversations With Dead People]]".
74	* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' is a mostly light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek show about spies. Following his FaceHeelTurn, Daniel Shaw cements himself as the show's KnightOfCerebus the moment he guns down [[spoiler:Orion aka Stephen Bartowski]] in cold-blood. From then on, he's the one villain in the show never played for laughs.
75	* Edward Kerr wanted out of his contract for ''Series/SeaQuestDSV'' season 3. The powers that be forced him to stick around for the first few episodes so as to unexpectedly kill him off midseason, underlining the show's DarkerAndEdgier ReTool.
76	* You wouldn't call the first season of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' cheery, exactly, but the death of John Winchester in season two is what marks the show's sharp descent into complete misery for all major characters.
77	* In season 2 of ''{{Series/Justified}}'' Dickie Bennett does not appear to be much of a serious threat compared to his mother Mags or his older brother Doyle. His attempt at a solo criminal career is easily thwarted by Boyd Crowder. Then he kills Aunt Helen and thus causes all the bloodshed that ends the season.
78	* An alien terrorist proves his seriousness by killing engineering crew member Lt. Joseph Carey on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''.
79	* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': New BigBad Negan makes his debut at the end of season 6 brutally murdering [[spoiler: Glenn '''and''' Abraham]]. This serves as a reality check for [[TheHero Rick]], as he'd grown a bit of an ego after taking out [[TheSocialDarwinist the Claimers]], [[ImAHumanitarian Terminus]], and [[RapePillageAndBurn the Wolves]] with minimal losses, and initially did not view Negan as a serious threat.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Theater]]
83	* OlderThanSteam: ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'': Though neither side is presented as inherently more evil than the others, the death of the formally comical Mercutio as a result of the Capulet/Montague feud lets everyone know things are about to go straight to hell.
84	* In ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' the murder of Lady Macduff, her son and the rest of the family marks the point where it's clear there's no coming back for Macbeth himself; his wife kills herself with guilt shortly after, and this act urges Macduff to join Malcolm in the resistance - and be [[NoManOfWomanBorn the one to stop him]].
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Webcomics]]
88	* Protagonists start dying left and right in late Act 5 Act 2 in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''. Interestingly, there are no fewer than 6 killers and most of them end up dying themselves or are protagonists forced to ShootTheDog.
89	** The first few times qualify, but afterwards, what with the various dreamselves, alternate timeline clones, dreambubble dwellers and what not, KilledOffForReal gets kind of hard to define. Plus, since the number of characters who haven't been killed at least once by now can be counted on one hand, it's questionable whether or not deaths are truly serious anymore.
90	--> '''Hussiebot''': Oh god, you're right! There are still a few characters I haven't killed yet. I almost forgot about them.
91	* Reka's death in ''Webcomic/RPGWorld''.
92	* The Head Alien of ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'' proves himself a true threat instead of a comedic one when he captures all abductees and starts executing them, one by one.
93	* Intentionally invoked in ''[[{{Webcomic/Morphe}} morphE]]'' the sweet and charismatic villain has had time to earn the favor and forgiveness of most of the cast and many of the readers. In chapter 4 he reminds us that he is quick to kill for petty reasons by executing main character Billy Thatcher for attempting to harm one of his portraits. This reason it is intentionally invoked is that Amical used magic to move back in time a few seconds to shoot Billy in the shoulder instead. The killing was purely for the audience to see that he would kill them and wonder if he has done this to anyone else at any other time.
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:Western Animation]]
97	* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeResolute'': Cobra Commander sets out to prove to the world that he is no longer a cowardly idiot he has Storm Shadow kill Bazooka and he blows up Moscow. He also kills Major Bludd in front of his troops to show he's not taking anymore crap from them.
98	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Invincible\|2021}}'': [[spoiler:Omni-Man kills the original Guardians of the Globe in the end of the first episode of Invincible. Before Omni-Man killed the them all, the series is first thought to be a lighthearted superhero show before its tone is truly established by the end of the first episode.]]
99	* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'': Airachnid's sudden and brutal murder of Breakdown serves to illustrate that this homicidal, AxeCrazy villainess was no longer content just standing around the bridge of the ''Nemesis'' and taking orders.
100	[[/folder]]

Context Main / DeadSerious