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I feel like almost every time the victim does have a gun, it just leads to Defensive Failure (which itself can be subverted). I think the greater narrative idea is that the bad guys pick out the victims who lack the confidence to carry and use any weapon. Proactive, alert, physically fit, mentally resolved people don't make for enticing targets.
Edited by KD
That, and... not all settings have that 2nd amendment thingy.
The victim having a gun and unafraid to use it is covered by Mugging the Monster. But generally - no, most people are not as badass as you are :) Also, as you said yourself - this would make for a pretty boring (and short) movie. See Anthropic Principle
And many victims are children, especially as you mention school bullies. I really don't think American media needs stories about kids shooting bullies at schools, my dude.
Anyway, I think the closest trope would be something like Bullying a Dragon or some sort of subverted murder scene
Currently Working On: Incorruptible Pure Pureness
To clarify - Mugging the Monster is when the perpetrators think the innocent little victim is oh, so defenseless - only for her to pull out a BFG or turn out to be an aikido champion (this, apparently, happened). Bullying the Dragon is when anyone with two brain cells can tell the "victim" is someone not to mess with, and the perpetrators still attack them.
^^^^^ I was not aware of Defensive Failure, I'll look at it. Good points in the rest of your comment. ^^^^ Point taken. ^^^ Thank you, I'll look at Mugging the Monster! ^^ Excellent points. Appreciate your perspective. ^ Thank you!
You're welcome :)
I know this is a case of being necessary for the plot, but while watching so many films of innocent people being stalked, terrorized, robbed, killed, etc. by the villain/gang member/serial killer/burglar/carjacker/stalker/crazed husband/crazed ex-husband/crazed boyfriend/crazed ex-boyfriend/crazed wife/crazed ex-wife/crazed girlfriend/crazed ex-girlfriend/territorial drug dealer/recently released ex-convict/psycho cop/creepy neighbor/school bully/stalker with a crush etc., I'd like to see more scenes of the small defenseless woman getting threatened by the serial killer and doing a "say hello to my little friend" while pulling a gun out of her purse and emptying the magazine into him. For films set in the US, we need a trope called No One Ever Heard Of The Second Amendment or something. I know much of this is due to this troper being an ex-cop and combat veteran who carries a gun everywhere, and that if we didn't have this than most of the movies I go to would be over before I took the first bite out of my popcorn. NOT trying to use this to start a debate on gun rights or gun control.