Black Dude Dies First: Difference between revisions

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In the past this perception was because there were few black leads in big-budget films outside of those that focused specifically on race or used it to make a point. Historical moviemakers were generally writing to white audiences, so it was natural (at least in their opinion) for whites to get more screen time. And if the writers throw in a [[Token Minority]] to give the cast more believable racial balance, who do you think is going to die first, them or the folks who have a bigger role in the script?

A notable subversion of this trope came from the 1971 film ''[[Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song]]''. Nowadays the film is known more for popularizing [[Blaxploitation]] films, but most of those films were popular with audiences at the time for ignoring this trope ~~all together~~. As more black people with money to spend went to theaters, more and more prominent black characters and more big-name black actors emerged-none of which were likely to get killed off quietly. Studios had also finally accepted that white audiences are not generally as racist as was once assumed, and do not need to have a white protagonist. In other words, if you're gonna go after the black man nowadays, you might want to check the credits to see who's playing him. If it's no one you've actually heard of, they're probably fair game. Tony Todd? Go for it. [[Samuel L. Jackson]]? You can take your chances. [[Rosario Dawson]]? Yeah, good luck on that. [[Denzel Washington]]? Bad idea. [[Morgan Freeman]]? You should give up. [[Will Smith]]? Run away and hide.

A notable subversion of this trope came from the 1971 film ''[[Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song]]''. Nowadays the film is known more for popularizing [[Blaxploitation]] films, but most of those films were popular with audiences at the time for ignoring this trope altogether. As more black people with money to spend went to theaters, more and more prominent black characters and more big-name black actors emerged - none of which were likely to get killed off quietly. Studios had also finally accepted that white audiences are not generally as racist as was once assumed, and do not need to have a white protagonist. In other words, if you're gonna go after the black man nowadays, you might want to check the credits to see who's playing him. If it's no one you've actually heard of, they're probably fair game. Tony Todd? Go for it. [[Samuel L. Jackson]]? You can take your chances. [[Rosario Dawson]]? Yeah, good luck on that. [[Denzel Washington]]? Bad idea. [[Morgan Freeman]]? You should give up. [[Will Smith]]? Run away and hide.

As black actors became more common in significant roles, this trope found new ways to stay relevant. Films would take a [[Scary Black Man]], turn him into [[The Big Guy]], and kill him off to [[The Worf Effect|show how strong their monster is]]. In horror films, the afflicted main character might have a sassy [[Black Best Friend]] that gets killed off to show that [[Shoo Out the Clowns|this is no laughing matter]]. 80s horror shows were good at this, and film makers had growing backlash against all the exploitation films.

Compare [[Bury Your Gays]] as well as [[Red Shirt]].

{{noreallife|Real Life is not a movie, and does not conform to movie tropes.}}

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* This never factored into the ''[[Final Destination]]'' movies until the fifth, [[Inverted Trope|in which the very last scene drops a bridge on the sole surviving cast member, a black guy.]]

* [[Will Smith]] isn't even immune to this trope in a movie he's the lead in. Witness ''[[I Am Legend]]''. Sure, 99% of the population has died by the time the show starts, and various Dark Seekers and animals, but Robert Neville is the first immune [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|human]] to bite it. Admittedly, [[Taking You with Me|on his own terms]], but still...

** ~~{{spoiler|~~It is notable however that in the Alternate ending, he actually lives, but with a much bleaker look for mankind as a whole.}}

** It is notable however that in the Alternate ending, he actually lives, but with a much bleaker look for mankind as a whole.

* ''[[The Bucket List]]'', which is about two men who both realize that they are going to die, has [[Morgan Freeman]]'s character die first at the end.

* Both ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'' movies open with this trope; the rhinoceros characters are consistently played by black voice actors, most prominently [[Michael Clarke Duncan]], and they die (in the first movie, in droves) first.

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* ''[[A Christmas Story]]'': When Ralphie gets his BB gun and fantasizes about shooting the villains, the black guy gets shot first.

* [[Sanctum]] is a sort-of case; the first male character to die (a woman dies earlier) is a New Guinea native, dark-skinned but not African.

* ''[[Chronicle]]'', which otherwise does a pretty good job of averting or subverting most sci-fi/superhero tropes, plays this straight. The first character to die ~~{{spoiler|~~by [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds|Andrew's]] hands}} was Steve, the only black character with telekinesis.

* ''[[Chronicle]]'', which otherwise does a pretty good job of averting or subverting most sci-fi/superhero tropes, plays this straight. The first character to die by [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds|Andrew's]] hands was Steve, the only black character with telekinesis.

* Played straight after the opening scene in ''[[Friday the 13th]] Part 3''. The three bikers are all black, and they get killed off one by one.

* [[John Carpenter]]'s ''[[Ghosts of Mars]]'' has a triple-header: Braddock, the first of the main cast to die, is black, a woman, ''and'' a lesbian.

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* Averted in ''[[Captain America: The First Avenger]]''. Out of the military group that fights with Steve Rogers, his white best friend ends up dying first, not the black soldier who was equally in danger during the train scene.

* Averted in ''[[Battleship (film)|Battleship]]'', surprisingly enough, given that Cora Raikes is not only black, but a [[Vasquez Always Dies|gun toting weapons specialist]] and the only other female lead in this film.

* Averted in ''[[The Shining]]'' when the only black character leaves the hotel near the beginning of the story. ~~{{spoiler|~~[[Enforced Trope|Enforced]] when he returns to the hotel near the end of the movie - and is the first to die.}}

* Averted in ''[[The Shining]]'' when the only black character leaves the hotel near the beginning of the story. [[Enforced Trope|Enforced]] when he returns to the hotel near the end of the movie - and is the first to die.

=== Literature ===

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* [[Discussed]] in ''[[Everworld]]'', as a joke from Christopher to Jalil.

* ''[[In Death]]'': ''Judgment In Death'' has a black cop named Kohli be the first murder victim.

* ~~{{spoiler|~~Tiberius}} in ''[[Robopocalypse]]'', in what appears to be a trap set by the [[Big Bad]] to kill the rest of Brightboy squad as they march to Alaska. It slightly works.

* Tiberius in ''[[Robopocalypse]]'', in what appears to be a trap set by the [[Big Bad]] to kill the rest of Brightboy squad as they march to Alaska. It slightly works.

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=== Live-Action TV ===

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=== Live Action TV ===

* A ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' example - in "Where Silence Has Lease" an alien face on the viewscreen says that he wants to understand death by way of killing about half the crew and starts by killing the pilot, the spot normally manned by [[Creator's Pet|Wesley Crusher.]] But he's away from the post at the time, the only time in the whole episode, replaced by a [[Red Shirt]] black guy.

** In an alternate timeline of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' wherein the Xindi are successful in their genocidal bid to eradicate humanity, Travis Mayweather is the first of the main characters to die.

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* Lampshaded and subverted in ''[[South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut]]'', where Chef has joined the military, and is an all-black battalion - the only one there, in fact. The General wants to use them as "Operation: Human Shield" in conjunction with everyone else in "Operation: Get Behind The Darkies". Chef seems to be the only one to notice how much of a raw deal they're getting, and gets the rest of his group to abort the mission, leaving the soldiers behind to get blown up, though.

* Preacher of ''[[Deep Blue Sea]]'' is well aware of this trope, and records his legacy - the perfect omelet recipe - in anticipation of his death. ~~{{spoiler|~~He lives all the way to the end, although the other black character does die mid-way through the film}}.

* Preacher of ''[[Deep Blue Sea]]'' is well aware of this trope, and records his legacy - the perfect omelet recipe - in anticipation of his death. He lives all the way to the end, although the other black character does die mid-way through the film.

=== Live Action TV ===

=== Live-Action TV ===

* Wayne Brady on an episode of ''Whose Line is it Anyway'' during a game of Questions Only set at the [[Psycho|Bates Motel]], and also during a game of Themed Restaurant, with the theme being horror.

{{quote|Wayne: "Am I going to be the first one to die, like I always am?"}}

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* In ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' season 7, the following exchange occurs after some of the potential slayers (including Rona, who is black) are "killed" in a training exercise:

{{quote|'''Spike:''' OK, these two are dead. Why?

'''Rona:''' 'Cause the black chick always gets it first? }}

'''Rona:''' 'Cause the black chick always gets it first?}}

* In an episode of ''[[Married... with Children]]'', Al, Jefferson, and Griff join the National Guard and have to quell some kind of riot. They've holed up inside a truck and Jefferson orders Griff to get out and do something (I forget what). Griff flat-out refuses, not wanting to be the one black guy to get killed while the white guys go home to their wives. Al, being Al, replies with "Sounds like we all lose."

* Lampshaded by Turk in the ''[[Scrubs]]'' episode "My Long Goodbye"