Immortal Life Is Cheap: Difference between revisions

It's worth noting that this trope is often applied on targets that can bleed and feel pain. No [[Bloodless Carnage]] here. The trope [[Rule of Drama|provides interesting opportunities]] mostly because it allows more drastic violence against important characters that has [[Gorn|tangible results]] while avoiding the usual [[Unfortunate Implications]] for both attacker and victim.

 

 

 

== Anime and Manga ==

* Simon R. Green's novel ''Hellworld'' features the protagonists being dropped onto a planet to determine its potential for colonization. They find the planet apparently devoid of most animal life, with large pools of what can be described as greyish, primordial goo. Then, they discover that {{spoiler|the advanced alien race that lived there constructed a machine that made them immortal and protean, able to take on any shape they willed and unable to die.}} The psychic member of the group discovers that {{spoiler|the aliens had eventually become violent sociopaths, fighting endlessly until the machine grew bored and turned them into said goo.}} To make matters worse, {{spoiler|that machine? It's still around. And insane. And starting to affect mutations within our heroes.}}

* In a story ''Distant Rainbow'' by Strugatski Brothers, Camillo is a cyborg whose machine part (and that includes brain) is virtually indestructible (can sustain nukes without any damage) and can regenerate the living part of his body even from nothing, using raw materials. So of course Camillo dies thrice in the course of just one day and is going to die a '''fourth''' time when {{spoiler|the Wave kills everybody}} and he will regenerate afterwards, too.

** That said, most of the time he can only kill their construct. Harry has only killed a few otherwise-immortal beings {{spoiler|the Summer Lady, Aurora; the entire Red Court (one shot), Corpsetaker's ghost, the Ikk (it was actually in the Nevernever), Shadowman's ghost, a couple of Black Court, and several others.}}

 

* The crew on ''[[Farscape (TV)|Farscape]]'' once ganged up on Pilot and forcibly amputated one of his arms, so they could sell it to a scientist. They rationalized this action because Pilot's species can regrow lost limbs. Another member of his species on a different ship was actually used as a replenishable food source for this reason.

* The immortal heroine in ''[[Painkiller Jane]]'' was repeatedly shot by her friends for very little reason. Examples include being in the way, to convince someone else they were bad-ass or just for a cheap trick. Incidentally she was called "Painkiller Jane" because she had to eat a lot of them. Because she was repeatedly shot. By her friends.

** It should be noted that she can die given sufficient damage. In one episode, her body is pulverized by a claymore mine. Luckily, this episode has a [[Groundhog Day Loop]], and she is fine in the next cycle.

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'': In the first season, Darla at one point shot Angel. She told Buffy, "Don't worry, guns can't kill vampires. Hurts like hell, though."

* ''[[Angel (TV)|Angel]]'': Played increasingly for comedy, to the point where Angel will walk around with a sword through his chest, looking only slightly miffed.

* ''[[Red Dwarf (TV)|Red Dwarf]]'': The crew discovers that all (except one) of them are destined to survive the accident they are stuck in. Kryten proves this by shooting his gun at each of them. It jams each time. The Cat joins in by hitting Lister over the head with an iron bar, since he can't die. Lister is not amused and points out that he can still feel pain.

* The writers of ''[[Misfits]]'' seem to gain some kind of sadistic pleasure out of killing the immortal character {{spoiler|Nathan Young}} week after week in ways so gory and painful that it [[Crosses the Line Twice|quickly becomes hilarious]]. The fact that he's a total [[Jerkass]] might have something to do with it.

** And then there's the Practical Incarnation's 'tomb', an elaborate deathtrap for his enemies where the only way to navigate it is to die. Repeatedly.

*** And then there's the general quests and power up that take advantage of the attendant [[Healing Factor]], which generally make the ''player'' [[Good Thing You Can Heal|glad the Nameless One can regenerate]].

** Mokou actually endorses this on herself as a way to toughen up her body against attacks, in Inaba of the Moon and Inaba of the earth. Amusingly, this is with Reisen, probably the only person in the series who wouldn't be looking for an excuse to get in a fight.

* As they're more or less human souls encased in cheap penguin suits, Prinnies of the ''[[Disgaea]]'' universe are infinitely revivable (slap on another suit and they're good as new), and thus infinitely ''expendable''. Invoking this trope quite literally, it only costs 1 HL to revive a Prinny at any level, so their bosses will kill them for just about any reason.