History Main / SacrificialLion

* [[spoiler: Kamina]] from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
** [[spoiler: Kittan]] as well, along with all the minor pilots.

* ''OnePiece'': [[spoiler: Whitebeard]], whose death had a huge impact on the whole world and [[spoiler: Ace]], whose death had a huge impact on Luffy.

** In the SoOkayItsAverage sequel, DungeonsAndDragonsWrathOfTheDragonGod, [[spoiler: Dorian the Cleric bites the dust after getting frozen, eaten and then exploded by a White Dragon... interestingly, nearly everyone else in the party gets horribly wounded and maimed in every single scene after that, when having a Cleric would have been nice]].

* Damn near everyone in {{Supernatural}}. In particular, John Winchester in "In My Time Of Dying", Hendickson in "Jus In Bello" and Jo and Ellen in "Abandon All Hope". Another possible example is Kubrick is "Fresh Blood", as he seems to be getting set up as another recurring antagonist, only to be killed in his second episode. Not to mention Bella (to remind us what's about to happen to Dean) and [[spoiler: Anna (angels can stay dead)]].

* In ''{{Panthera}}'', the Sacrificial Lion (pun not intended) is [[spoiler: [[http://www.pantheracomic.com/?p=1334 Valeska Köhler]]]] when the BigBad demonstrates that this is a MatterOfLifeAndDeath.

* Kamina from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
** Kittan as well, along with all the minor pilots.

** Becomes more of a SacrificialLamb in ''[[FullmetalAlchemistBrotherhood Brotherhood]] due to the compression of the beginning of the story overlapping with the first anime.

** As does Emperor Gestahl, who finds out, to his dismay, that [[EvilerThanThou someone else]] gets to be the FinalBoss.

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* Most Triumphant Example: Gesicht,the main character of ''Pluto'',is murdered three-quarters of the way through.

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The SacrificialLion is a sympathetic character whose [[FriendlyTarget primary purpose is to die]] so that the audience knows that [[MatterOfLifeAndDeath the villain is playing for keeps, or that the situation really is as dangerous and desperate as it seems]].

The SacrificialLion, on the other hand, usually bites it about halfway through (usually at the hands of the KnightOfCerebus, if the story is shifting into high-drama mode). Because he lasts longer than the SacrificialLamb, he gets a good deal more CharacterDevelopment as a result, and his death is accordingly a bit more shocking (especially if the SacrificialLion has been presented as the DecoyProtagonist up until this point). The SacrificialLion might not be central to the plot, but they aren't throwaway; quite often, in fact, a SacrificialLion will be one of the second- or even first-tier characters. He dies specifically to bump the villain over the MoralEventHorizon.

Often found in AnyoneCanDie stories. A MauveShirt is frequently in danger of becoming a SacrificialLion, if the writers decide to kill him off for a cheap shock. Compare the KnightOfCerebus, who probably killed him. In a video game, his death is likely to be a PlayerPunch.

* Crowning example:Gesicht,the main character of ''Pluto'',is murdered three-quarters of the way through.

* [[MahouShoujoLyricalNanoha Signum]] can be considered this depending on [[spoiler: if she survives her recently NearDeathExperience in FORCE]].

* Damn near everyone in {{Supernatural}}. In particular, John Winchester in "In My Time Of Dying", Hendickson in "Jus In Bello" and Jo and Ellen in "Abandon All Hope". Another possible example is Kubrick is "Fresh Blood", as he seems to be getting set up as another recurring antagonist, only to be killed in his second episode.

* See the page quote, from ''HarryPotter''. He's introduced a book before, given loads of CharacterDevelopment, becomes Harry's friend in addition to his rival... and then is rather casually murdered, just to show what a ruthless bastard Voldemort is.

* Jenny Calendar is one of many examples from ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. She's specifically killed to convince the Scooby Gang that Angelus is an actual threat.

* Cedric Diggory, from ''HarryPotter''. He's introduced in Book 3, given loads of CharacterDevelopment in Book 4, becomes Harry's friend in addition to his rival... and then is rather casually murdered, just to show what a ruthless bastard Voldemort is.

** Naomi Misora is probably on the borderline between a Sacrificial Lion and a SacrificialLamb. She starts out as Reye Penbar's nameless fiance. After his death, she gets her own BackStory, the beginnings of CharacterDevelopment, and stars in the prequel novel. Her death reveals the series' AnyOneCanDie nature.
** The more straightforward ''Death Note'' example comes later. Poor Soichirou.

** In the SoOkayItsAverage sequel, Wrath of the Dragon God, [[spoiler: Dorian the Cleric bites the dust after getting frozen, eaten and then exploded by a White Dragon... interestingly, nearly everyone else in the party gets horribly wounded and maimed in every single scene after that, when having a Cleric would have been nice]].

* In ''{{Panthera}}'', the Sacrificial Lion is [[spoiler: [[http://www.pantheracomic.com/?p=1334 Valeska Köhler]]]] when the BigBad demonstrates that this is a MatterOfLifeAndDeath.

* Russel Franklin, SamuelLJackson's character in ''DeepBlueSea''. Most of the first half of the movie is character development for this man. You get to know him. Get to know how adventuresome and noble and kind-hearted but not naive he is. He even gets to give a moving speech about how they'll all get out of there alive if they just pull together! And then out of the blue, a shark eats him without warning.