Used for different meanings -- split?: Four Is Death

This trope has two distinct usages.

1) The number four and its superstitious treatment in media originating in areas where "four" is homophonous to "death." This Numerological Motif meaning is more intuitive in relation to the trope title.

2) 4-member teams that often, but not always, serve under the Big Bad. Generally referred to as the Shitennou, Four Heavenly Kings, Four Generals, Great Four, Big Four, etc. This meaning is worthy of a split, as it's not an intuitive extension of the title, and is about groups of characters rather than a numerological motif. "Great Four" teams are not necessarily evil or associated with killing and death, either, as seen in the F4 or the favorably-portrayed Big Four of Nanyou Academy. Examples of this usage are harder to find among all the "number four" examples, and are worthy of a split to a new trope with a more indicative name.

Yeah, I'd say the "group of four badasses" is definitely splittable from general "four is unlucky".

Well sort of, teams of four under the big bad are still intended to be this in japan (elsewhere not so much) while the may play they Four-Temperament Ensemble it's still this. They all really need to die though iirc.

I can see split but there will be overlap with the Kill Em All examples.

edited 29th Aug '11 8:50:08 AM by Raso

They're certainly related tropes, but "four is death" and "four heavenly kings" are definitely different concepts. I've seen enough examples of both that they could support separate articles.

I can see a split however there will be quite a bit of overlap with the "Four are marked for death" so they will share a lot of examples.

The Four Generals concept is related to The Four Gods. Bonus Points for using Directional Motifs and Four-Element Ensemble.

edited 29th Aug '11 9:06:58 AM by Raso