[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.06,0:00:01.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This video was sponsored by World Anvil!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.88,0:00:06.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,100% guaranteed to not do terrible things\Nto supporting characters.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.16,0:00:10.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’ve talked about this before in its own\Ntrope talk, but character deaths are a big
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.61,0:00:11.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deal.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.61,0:00:14.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They’re momentous occasions both in-story\Nand out because not only is the character
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.66,0:00:18.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dead, which is obviously a bummer on its own,\Nbut it also means the total loss of all future
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.56,0:00:20.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,potential for a given character.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.21,0:00:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All their arcs, dynamics, relationships, everything\N- all lost in exchange for a one-shot gutpunch.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.42,0:00:29.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now most authors recognize that this is a\Nhefty loss for their story, so they make damn
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.41,0:00:31.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sure the impact is worth the price.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.37,0:00:35.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,True non-fakeout main character deaths are\Noften heroic sacrifices, protracted tragedies,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.70,0:00:39.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or carefully-woven resolutions to their arcs\Nafter all the loose ends have been tied up.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.28,0:00:42.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They’re usually given time and narrative\Nweight to reflect this cost.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.48,0:00:46.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The surviving characters will process their\Ngrief, reflect on what the loss means to them,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.00,0:00:50.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and are often fundamentally changed by the\Nexperience - maybe carrying on their legacy,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.11,0:00:53.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,setting off on a lengthy quest for vengeance\Nor viewing their layered and complex life
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.46,0:00:55.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a personal inspiration to guide their way\Nforward.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.82,0:00:57.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is not that trope.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.35,0:01:00.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Fridging” is the cute shortened form\Nof the full name of this trope, “stuffed
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.89,0:01:04.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the fridge”, named for a now-infamous\Nissue of a Green Lantern comic where green
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.48,0:01:08.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lantern Kyle Rayner’s girlfriend is murdered\Nby the villain Major Force and stuffed in
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.37,0:01:12.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fridge for him to find when he gets home.“Fridging”\Nis the very specific subset of character deaths
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.78,0:01:17.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wherein a character is unceremoniously and\Nbrutally killed specifically and solely for
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.42,0:01:20.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the narrative purpose of hurting another,\Nmore important character.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.68,0:01:24.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This motivation can be watsonian or doylist\N- as in, an in-universe villain motivation
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.46,0:01:26.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or out-of-universe authorial intent.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.38,0:01:30.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In watsonian cases, the killer is specifically\Nmotivated to kill the fridge-ee because it’ll
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.51,0:01:31.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hurt the character who cares about them.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.87,0:01:35.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In doylist cases, the killer might have all\Nkinds of personal reasons to want to unceremoniously
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.93,0:01:39.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,brutalize this character, but the author’s\Nmotivation in killing this character is only
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.63,0:01:41.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make the more important character upset.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.57,0:01:45.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only narrative role this death plays in-story\Nis hurting a different character, and it’s
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.36,0:01:47.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,still framed as unceremonious and brisk.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.68,0:01:51.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fridging almost always refers to character\Ndeaths, but sometimes the character is instead
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.29,0:01:55.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,subjected to some kind of horrible torture\Nor fate worse than death with the same overall
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.12,0:01:58.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impact - the character that really matters\Nisn’t the one targeted for the horror, but
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.72,0:02:02.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the hero who’s reacting to it, and the fridge-ee’s\Npersonal reaction to their awful situation
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.51,0:02:06.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is usually glossed over in favor of how much\Nthat focus character suffers by proxy.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.97,0:02:10.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because of Reasons, fridging disproportionately\Naffects female characters, often barely-developed
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.79,0:02:14.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,moms or love interests whose only salient\Ncharacter traits are “the hero likes them”,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.58,0:02:18.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so when they’re brutalized or murdered,\Noften offscreen, their more nuanced male hero
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.26,0:02:21.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fam slash love interests can become deeply\Nunhappy about it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.22,0:02:25.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, there’s a very easy litmus test\Nto help determine if a character death constitutes
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.26,0:02:29.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“fridging” or not: if it could happen\Nentirely offscreen and have just as much impact
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.11,0:02:32.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the story - especially if it does happen\Noffscreen - it’s probably fridging.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.95,0:02:37.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Its only narrative impact is how it bums out\Nthe more important characters with no exploration
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.09,0:02:40.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of how it affects the character actually being\Nbrutalized or killed.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.07,0:02:42.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Getting killed offscreen is such a dismissive\Nf*ck-you to a character.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.93,0:02:46.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s no sendoff, no admission of tragedy\N- the character becomes nothing more than
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.27,0:02:48.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a plot device for someone else’s angst.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.26,0:02:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Side character or not, nobody deserves that.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.35,0:02:53.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now the “offscreen” test isn’t quite\Nenough to say if a death is fridging or not.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.68,0:02:57.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,See, while fridging is intended solely to\Nupset another character, well-written character
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.64,0:03:00.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deaths almost always upset the other characters\Ntoo - and since the character themself is
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.88,0:03:04.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,usually too dead to care, most of the lingering\Nramifications of their death only affect the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.82,0:03:06.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,other characters, typically by… upsetting\Nthem.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.97,0:03:10.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the distinction between a fridging death\Nand a non-fridging death isn’t immediately
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.19,0:03:12.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,obvious from just this definition.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.18,0:03:16.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The key difference is a fridging usually makes\Nthe other characters upset briefly and shallowly,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.59,0:03:19.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while a solid character death makes the other\Ncharacters grieve.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.34,0:03:23.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Frequently, fridged characters are never spoken\Nof again after the arc they died in is resolved,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.48,0:03:24.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even before it’s resolved.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.97,0:03:28.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Try and convince me that Luke Skywalker was\Nstill bummed about Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.39,0:03:29.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ten minutes later.)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.39,0:03:32.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as a second fridging litmus test I’d\Nlike to propose a corollary of the iconic
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.89,0:03:36.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sexy Lamp Test, which explores if a story\Nwould meaningfully change if a character was
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.63,0:03:37.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,replaced with a sexy lamp.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.66,0:03:39.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the property damage test.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.44,0:03:43.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If a dead character could be replaced by someone’s\Nprized pokemon card collection and their loss
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.16,0:03:47.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would have the same or more emotional impact\Non the plot, that character was probably fridged.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.64,0:03:51.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is kind of a rarity for this show\N- but Fridging is a bad trope.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.43,0:03:56.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s not a frequently misused trope or a\Nhard to handle trope, it’s bad writing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.14,0:03:59.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Character deaths are not bad trope-wise, but\Nfridging specifically indicates a lack of
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.72,0:04:02.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,respect for the fridged character and their\Nnarrative potential.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.66,0:04:05.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fridging weighs a character’s potential\Nworth to the story and concludes that all
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.52,0:04:09.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their future potential and growth and dynamics\Nin the narrative are worth less than another
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.07,0:04:11.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,character feeling kinda bad for a little while.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.78,0:04:15.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is reflected both outside of the story\Nand in the story, since this character’s
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.58,0:04:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,killer - be it the character who kills them\Nor the author who makes the call - demonstrably
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.18,0:04:22.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,couldn’t give a sh*t about them in their\Nown right, instead choosing to focus entirely
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.42,0:04:26.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on how ending this character’s life will\Nmake another character upset for an arc or
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.21,0:04:27.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,two.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.21,0:04:30.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their own life and death isn’t as important\Nor deserving of focus as hurting the hero
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.24,0:04:31.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by proxy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.24,0:04:34.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This successfully indicates that the killer\Nis a terrible person, but it also reflects
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.42,0:04:36.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a level of dismissiveness from the author.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.68,0:04:41.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A love interest/beloved character can be killed\N(or deeply, deeply hurt) in a way that predominantly
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.04,0:04:44.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,affects the plot by hurting another character\N- without it feeling like fridging.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.59,0:04:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is largely a matter of the execution,\Npun intended.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.80,0:04:51.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the death is unceremonious and quick (and\Noffscreen), that’s a pretty bad sign, since
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.02,0:04:54.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it doesn’t really give the character their\Ndue - it doesn’t highlight the tragedy of
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.47,0:04:58.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their life and potential lost, it just focuses\Non why and how this makes the main character
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.95,0:04:59.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sad.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.95,0:05:03.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every character is the hero of their own story,\Nand if they die just to further someone else’s,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.82,0:05:07.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it denies that character the basic dignity\Nof being their own person, who exists as more
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.67,0:05:09.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than just a prop in someone else’s life.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.50,0:05:13.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It takes their death and the loss of their\Nentire future life and minimizes it down into
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.62,0:05:16.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a short, brief emotional impact on another\Ncharacter.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.56,0:05:17.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's dismissive.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:17.56,0:05:21.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now we’re about to enter the Spicy Take\NZone, because you know the MCU is my old favorite
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.30,0:05:25.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,punching bag, but personally this is how I\Nfelt about most of the major character permadeaths
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.81,0:05:28.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Infinity War and Endgame, especially Gamora\Nand Black Widow.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.99,0:05:32.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Loki and Vision do die fairly quickly and\Nunceremoniously primarily to hurt the characters
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.85,0:05:36.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,invested in them, but they’re given narrative\Nweight and some dignity in the process - it
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.88,0:05:40.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,feels unfair and tragic in-universe that they\Ncouldn’t be saved, rather than feeling like
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.71,0:05:41.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bad writing.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.71,0:05:44.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Gamora… well, it’s actually kinda\Nfascinating.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.29,0:05:48.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the two movies she’d been in, her entire\Narc had centered on escaping Thanos and his
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.08,0:05:51.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deeply fucked-up abusive parenting situation,\Nhealing and growing as a person and learning
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.94,0:05:53.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to trust and even love her new friends.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.88,0:05:57.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Her dynamic with Nebula was following that\Nsame track - realizing they weren’t enemies,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.69,0:06:01.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but victims of the same terrible situation\Nand the same manipulative, tortuous narcissist.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.83,0:06:05.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanos’s shadow looms large over Gamora’s\Narc as the root cause of all the pain and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.73,0:06:09.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,suffering in her life and the thing that scares\Nher most that she’s constantly fighting
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.07,0:06:10.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to escape.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.07,0:06:13.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Infinity War, Thanos is told by Red Skull\Nthat in order to get the soul stone he has
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.68,0:06:15.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to sacrifice something he loves.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.26,0:06:16.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So he kills Gamora.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.29,0:06:17.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, permanently.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.29,0:06:18.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She's dead.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.29,0:06:19.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now that’s bad enough.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.29,0:06:20.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s worse that it works.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.54,0:06:24.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gamora believes that Thanos is incapable of\Nlove - and quite frankly, by every indication,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.39,0:06:25.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she’s right.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.39,0:06:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He’s a raging narcissist who can’t see\Npast his own chins and this should have been
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.50,0:06:30.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the test of character that screwed him over.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.46,0:06:34.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(And, also, like… “you must kill your\Nloved one to get this powerful macguffin and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.54,0:06:39.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,become strong” is like, baby’s first obvious\Nsecret test of moral character, and it’s
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.18,0:06:43.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,frankly criminal that killing your loved ones\Nwas actually the only way to get the stone.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.62,0:06:45.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's just lazy writing!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.13,0:06:49.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, you- you had the grimdark option and\Nyou had the actually interesting option and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.01,0:06:52.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you picked grimdark cuz you thought grimdark\Nwas AUTOMATICALLY more interesting.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.65,0:06:53.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's just disappointing.)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.78,0:06:57.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Anyway - but it’d be bad enough if they\Njust undercut Gamora’s whole personal arc
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.49,0:07:00.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by saying that the irredeemably evil overarching\Nsupervillain who slaughtered her people and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.77,0:07:04.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tortured her and Nebula for decades actually\Ntruly loved her all along.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.46,0:07:09.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It crosses the line twice by having him prove\Nthat he loved her by murdering her.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.81,0:07:13.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gamora’s entire arc and place in the narrative\Nis undercut and sacrificed to give Thanos
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.73,0:07:17.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a character trait that makes no sense for\Nhim and to make Starlord sad so he acts dumb
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.82,0:07:22.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the finale - oh, and to make Thanos sad,\Nwhich is given more focus and weight than
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.32,0:07:23.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Starlord being sad.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.82,0:07:28.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because obviously making the pure evil villain\Nkinda bummed out was worth the cost of one
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.39,0:07:30.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of Marvel’s most interesting heroines.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.11,0:07:34.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like, I see what they were going for, but\Nit… it didn't work well, it was a bad idea,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.90,0:07:38.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it completely undercut everything Gamora\Nhad had in the previous movies, which is very
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.98,0:07:39.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,disappointing.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.98,0:07:44.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meanwhile, Black Widow’s death is similar\Nto Gamora’s but is bad for different reasons
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.01,0:07:47.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- because unlike Gamora, who had too much\Ncharacter weight and potential to warrant
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.34,0:07:52.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,her unceremonious death, Black Widow was completely\Nunderutilized by every other movie she’d
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.04,0:07:54.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been in with the arguable exception of Winter\NSoldier.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.28,0:07:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We had this franchise for a decade and we\Nnever got an arc for Widow that was deeper
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.28,0:08:00.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than "she's hot" or "she's boning the Hulk".
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.70,0:08:04.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This made her narratively disposable, but\Nyou can tell that the writers realized she
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.50,0:08:08.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was too disposable for it to be impactful,\Nbecause for the first half of Endgame they
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.23,0:08:12.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,speedrun the whole characterization process\Nby suddenly giving her some character focus,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.64,0:08:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a dynamic with the other heroes and an alleged\Npersonal arc about treasuring the avengers
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.06,0:08:17.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a found family all along.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.54,0:08:20.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was an attempt to make up for lost time\Nso we’d be sold on her Heroic Sacrifice,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.84,0:08:22.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it was clearly token.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.53,0:08:25.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The fact that the movie completely stopped\Nacknowledging her death five minutes after
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.44,0:08:29.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they got back is really just kind of indicative\Nof how little she actually mattered.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.10,0:08:33.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tony’s heroic sacrifice got every hero in\Nthe MCU paying their respects, a protracted
Dialogue: 0,0:08:33.17,0:08:36.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,funeral scene and an entire movie about how\Nhard it is for the MCU to move on without
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.98,0:08:40.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,him - Tasha got a bench in a lake and a solo\Nmovie a year and a half after she died.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.67,0:08:43.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we were supposed to believe she really\Nmattered, the story should’ve acted like
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.48,0:08:44.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:44.48,0:08:47.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it should've acted like it for longer\Nthan just, like, the hour long windup to her…
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.62,0:08:48.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dying.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.62,0:08:49.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To advance the plot.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.62,0:08:51.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For stupid, contrived reasons.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.64,0:08:53.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Was she just getting to expensive?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.06,0:08:54.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is that what the problem was?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.35,0:08:55.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, come on, guys.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.35,0:08:59.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it’s kind of telling that the MCU has\Nrolled back or undercut all four of those
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.83,0:09:01.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deaths in one way or another.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.34,0:09:04.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Loki and Gamora have time-displaced versions\Nwith zero character development running around
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.89,0:09:09.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to replace their more interesting dead versions,\NVision got an actual proper sendoff in Wandavision
Dialogue: 0,0:09:09.32,0:09:12.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Wanda got to actually grieve, plus he’s\Ngot his own not-quite-the-same copy running
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.62,0:09:16.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,around now for future appearances, and of\Ncourse Black Widow is finally getting that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.03,0:09:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,solo movie we were promised, which is a damn\Nhard sell at this point now that she’s already
Dialogue: 0,0:09:20.50,0:09:22.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dead and thus, frankly, irrelevant.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.50,0:09:26.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the deaths had been properly impactful\Nand narratively worth the cost, none of this
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.70,0:09:28.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rollback would have been necessary.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:28.36,0:09:32.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now in fairness, the fact of the matter is\Nthat characters are not… real people.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.94,0:09:36.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Characters are parts of a story and they exist\Nto further a narrative, and some of them really
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.64,0:09:39.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are just props in other character’s lives.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.28,0:09:41.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's not a morally bad thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.58,0:09:44.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the story probably shouldn’t make you\Nthink that!
Dialogue: 0,0:09:44.04,0:09:47.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sure, we the audience may be able to guess\Nthat the hero’s small peaceful town and
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.07,0:09:50.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stern but fair father figure just exist to\Nget torched by the dark lord in episode one
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.99,0:09:54.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to set up the inciting incident and set them\Non the hero’s journey, but the hero doesn’t
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.13,0:09:57.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,know that, and that's what's supposed to be\Nimportant about this!
Dialogue: 0,0:09:57.04,0:09:59.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To the hero that’s their whole world!
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.31,0:10:02.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Torching that town and icing that father figure\Noffscreen just tells the audience that the
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.80,0:10:06.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hero might theoretically care, but we don’t\Nhave to and the story won't really convince
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.66,0:10:08.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you that the hero DOES care.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.32,0:10:12.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It disconnects us from someone we’re supposed\Nto be relating to, and it undercuts the emotional
Dialogue: 0,0:10:12.53,0:10:15.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impact of the death when the emotional impact\Nof the death is the only thing this trope
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.73,0:10:16.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:16.73,0:10:20.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now if the father figure had been with us\Nfor, say, two seasons or the first act or
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.22,0:10:23.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,two of a movie - serving as a mentor figure,\Nfor instance - we’d expect him to die with
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.95,0:10:26.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,some fanfare, and we'd be weirded out and\Nupset if he didn't.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.75,0:10:30.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A heroic sacrifice, a dying monologue, an\Nadmission that the hero made him a better
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.25,0:10:33.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,man and so very proud, several references\Nto him after he dies so we remember how he
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.54,0:10:36.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,affected the hero’s journey - if we didn’t\Nget that kinda thing we’d feel cheated.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.95,0:10:41.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But just because we the audience haven’t\Nseen the chapter 1 dead dad for very long,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.10,0:10:44.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the author feels comfortable torching the\Nplace offscreen after a single expository
Dialogue: 0,0:10:44.70,0:10:48.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,line of dialogue and then expects us to feel\Nfor the hero when the story hasn’t made
Dialogue: 0,0:10:48.17,0:10:49.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this death feel meaningful!
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.59,0:10:52.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this structure, the amount of weight a\Ncharacter death is given is not proportionate
Dialogue: 0,0:10:52.27,0:10:57.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to how important the character is, it's proportional\Nto how much screentime the character was given,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.31,0:11:01.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which has nothing to do with how the characters\Nshould be reacting to this loss.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.03,0:11:03.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fridging is a very disliked trope for several\Nreasons.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.69,0:11:07.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one thing, you’ll be hard-pressed to\Nfind a heroic death trope people that like.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:07.10,0:11:10.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Heroic sacrifices are basically the only one\Nthat’s even halfway appreciated, since for
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.26,0:11:12.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the most part killing a character is gonna\Nfeel bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.82,0:11:16.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But more importantly, fridging lacks the counterbalancing\Nqualities that can make a character death
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.86,0:11:18.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,feel satisfying or earned.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.41,0:11:22.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A hero might die gallantly defending their\Nloved ones, which is heartwarmingly heroic,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:22.10,0:11:25.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with an element of free will and choice - or\Nfully at peace with their fate, making their
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.56,0:11:29.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,death a natural conclusion to their arc - or\Nwith some other caveat that makes the audience
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.25,0:11:31.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,believe that their death works to end their\Npersonal arc.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.59,0:11:35.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if their death is tragic and unfair, it’ll\Noften be tortuously prolonged to really drive
Dialogue: 0,0:11:35.74,0:11:40.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,home to the audience that, yeah, sorry, it’s\Nnot a fluke or a fakeout, this character isn’t
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.00,0:11:41.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,making it through this one.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:41.00,0:11:44.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a classic Fullmetal Alchemist example\N- spoiler alert - Maes Hughes, professional
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.39,0:11:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,funnyman and sweetheart, is unexpectedly killed\Nfairly early in the series because he figured
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.43,0:11:51.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out the overarching plot way too early so\Nthe villains needed him out of the way.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:51.69,0:11:55.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His death serves as a major motivation for\Nmost of the heroes, most notably Roy Mustang
Dialogue: 0,0:11:55.29,0:11:59.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- but it’s not just a token heroic motivator\Nto get the protagonists in gear.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.27,0:12:00.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It feels awful.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:00.33,0:12:04.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s tragic, it’s unfair, he fights very\Nhard to stop it from happening, his wife and
Dialogue: 0,0:12:04.83,0:12:08.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,daughter are devastated, and the ramifications\Nare felt all the way up to the finale.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.04,0:12:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This death would not work the same if it happened\Noffscreen and could not be replaced by a binder
Dialogue: 0,0:12:12.48,0:12:13.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of pokemon cards.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.58,0:12:16.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It means too much to the story, so it’s\Nnot fridging.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:16.39,0:12:19.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fridged characters do not get this kind of\Ntreatment - and frankly they’re lucky if
Dialogue: 0,0:12:19.62,0:12:20.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they get personal arcs at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:20.95,0:12:24.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They die only to make another, more important\Ncharacter feel sad or mad.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:24.96,0:12:28.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s not a heroic sacrifice, they have no\Nagency in it, they’re not at peace with
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.31,0:12:32.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it and their personal arcs (if they get them)\Naren’t neatly resolved in time for it.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:32.24,0:12:36.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their death or brutalization is cruel and\Nunfair because it’s designed to feel cruel
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.05,0:12:39.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and unfair to the character they’re supposed\Nto hurt or motivate, but as a result it undercuts
Dialogue: 0,0:12:39.71,0:12:43.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the only semi-okay parts of character deaths\Nand just makes the experience relentlessly
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.81,0:12:46.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,unpleasant and catharsis-free for the audience.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:46.12,0:12:49.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is not a mistake - this is an intentional\Npart of the trope, because it essentially
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.88,0:12:53.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sets up an unstable narrative situation the\Nprotagonist must now work to stabilize and
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.76,0:12:56.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,resolve - usually by hunting down and stopping\Nthe killer.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.45,0:13:00.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a motivation that starts an arc, so\Nit’s not meant to feel like an arc resolution,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:00.34,0:13:03.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is often the only part of a character\Ndeath the audience halfway appreciates.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:03.50,0:13:07.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it betrays a fundamental dismissal of\Nthe fridged character, which undercuts the
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.06,0:13:09.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very emotional impact they’re trying to\Ninvoke.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.04,0:13:13.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As an example, when Alan Moore wrote the Killing\NJoke, Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, is shot,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:13.85,0:13:18.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,paralyzed and brutalized by The Joker - entirely\Nto upset Jim Gordon and Batman and kick off
Dialogue: 0,0:13:18.23,0:13:19.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one last terrible joke.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.45,0:13:24.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She’s not even killed, but how this traumatic\Nevent affects her is… entirely glossed over
Dialogue: 0,0:13:24.42,0:13:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in-story.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:25.42,0:13:28.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, all she says to Batman afterwards,\Nfrom her hospital bed, is how worried she
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.29,0:13:30.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is about what the joker’s gonna do to her\Ndad.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:30.21,0:13:34.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's heroic of her to be concerned, but that’s\Nnot why her reaction was written that way.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:34.46,0:13:36.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Barbara didn’t matter to this story.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:36.22,0:13:39.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Alan Moore has actually said he kinda regrets\Ntreating her that way - he thinks his editor
Dialogue: 0,0:13:39.75,0:13:43.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,probably should’ve reined him in instead\Nof responding with, and I am apparently quoting,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:43.33,0:13:45.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“yeah, okay, cripple the bitch.”
Dialogue: 0,0:13:45.14,0:13:48.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That fundamental dismissiveness on the part\Nof the creator really does drive home that
Dialogue: 0,0:13:48.76,0:13:51.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fridging is a fundamentally broken trope.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:51.12,0:13:54.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the author doesn’t care about the character\Nenough to give their pain narrative weight,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:54.13,0:13:57.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they’ll have a very hard time convincing\Nthe audience to care when they suffer.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:57.50,0:14:01.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The only way the author can make the audience\Ncare in this situation is by making this unimportant
Dialogue: 0,0:14:01.27,0:14:04.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,death hurt another, more important character\N- but since the author doesn’t care about
Dialogue: 0,0:14:04.88,0:14:08.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the fridged character, they’ll have a hard\Ntime writing the more important character’s
Dialogue: 0,0:14:08.17,0:14:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reaction to their fridging!
Dialogue: 0,0:14:09.17,0:14:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The more important character cares more about\Nthe fridged character than the author does,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:12.48,0:14:16.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so how is the author supposed to write their\Ngrief when they clearly can’t even imagine
Dialogue: 0,0:14:16.48,0:14:17.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:17.48,0:14:20.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It comes across as shallow and hollow because,\Non a very real level, it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:20.06,0:14:24.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A fridging isn’t just lacking in resolution\N- it’s usually lacking in real emotional
Dialogue: 0,0:14:24.19,0:14:25.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,weight.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:25.19,0:14:28.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re lucky if we really know the character\Nwho dies, and if we don’t, then killing
Dialogue: 0,0:14:28.26,0:14:31.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,them only affects us by how it affects the\Ncharacters who care about them, and only if
Dialogue: 0,0:14:31.44,0:14:33.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we care about those characters in turn.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:33.56,0:14:36.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Killing off a character we’re not invested\Nin tells us that character was never going
Dialogue: 0,0:14:36.77,0:14:40.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to matter on their own merit, which can disengage\Nthe audience from the story as a whole.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:40.16,0:14:43.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So opening a story by fridging someone sends\Na pretty clear message to the audience that
Dialogue: 0,0:14:43.90,0:14:47.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most characters don’t matter, which speedruns\Nthe “disengaged audience” problem right
Dialogue: 0,0:14:47.98,0:14:48.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out the gate.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:48.98,0:14:51.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fun fact, this is how Supernatural begins.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:51.10,0:14:54.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I tried watching it way back when and lost\Ninterest after the first season or so, but
Dialogue: 0,0:14:54.65,0:14:57.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I remember the pilot cuz it’s burned into\Nmy brain.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:57.25,0:14:59.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even at the time I could kinda tell the writing\Nwasn’t working.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:59.67,0:15:03.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First scene: we meet our protagonists as young\Nchildren in an idyllic home with their father
Dialogue: 0,0:15:03.08,0:15:04.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and mother.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:04.08,0:15:06.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Smash cut to the night, their father wakes\Nup to see his wife stuck to the ceiling with
Dialogue: 0,0:15:06.21,0:15:07.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a horrified expression.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:07.21,0:15:09.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then she explodes and the house burns down.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:09.17,0:15:12.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Smash cut to the main plot: it's a couple\Ndecades later, brother #1 is in college and
Dialogue: 0,0:15:12.20,0:15:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has a girlfriend, brother #2 shows up and\Ntries to give him a call to adventure to make
Dialogue: 0,0:15:14.98,0:15:16.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the actual plot happen.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:16.22,0:15:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Brother #1 refuses because he’s got so much\Ngoing for him in his personal life right now.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:19.73,0:15:22.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then brother #1's girlfriend gets stuck to\Nthe ceiling and explodes so it's time for
Dialogue: 0,0:15:22.77,0:15:23.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a road trip!
Dialogue: 0,0:15:23.77,0:15:25.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first time it happened it was kinda spooky.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.84,0:15:28.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second time it happened I actually laughed.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:28.47,0:15:31.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I looked this up to make sure I was remembering\Nthe details right, and apparently in the plot
Dialogue: 0,0:15:31.86,0:15:35.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both of these women were killed specifically\Nbecause the bad guy had plans for the protagonist
Dialogue: 0,0:15:35.44,0:15:38.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- and in the case of the girlfriend, he’s\Nthe one who introduced them in the first place
Dialogue: 0,0:15:38.18,0:15:40.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,specifically so he could manipulate the protagonist\Nby killing her.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:40.57,0:15:41.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s just…
Dialogue: 0,0:15:41.57,0:15:42.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, god.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:42.57,0:15:43.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s so funny.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:43.57,0:15:44.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the PILOT.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:44.57,0:15:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No wonder death is meaningless in this show.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:46.06,0:15:48.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So fridging tries to have things both ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:48.67,0:15:51.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It gives us a character who clearly doesn’t\Nmatter on their own and then kills them in
Dialogue: 0,0:15:51.98,0:15:55.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a way that highlights that they didn’t matter\Nto the story by their own merit, but then
Dialogue: 0,0:15:55.05,0:15:58.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tries to tell us that their death really really\Nmattered to the character we’re supposed
Dialogue: 0,0:15:58.72,0:16:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to sympathize with.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:00.00,0:16:03.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s like the worst kind of damsel in distress\N- a character in trouble whose only trait
Dialogue: 0,0:16:03.84,0:16:05.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we’re given to care about is that they’re\Nin trouble.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.75,0:16:07.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s almost the epitome of tell don’t\Nshow.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:07.57,0:16:10.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we don’t care about the character and\Nthey die quickly and unceremoniously, we never
Dialogue: 0,0:16:10.87,0:16:11.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a reason to care.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:11.94,0:16:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we do care about the character and they\Ndie quickly and unceremoniously and all we
Dialogue: 0,0:16:15.00,0:16:18.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,focus on is how bad it makes someone else\Nfeel, it feels like a bad use of their potential
Dialogue: 0,0:16:18.96,0:16:21.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and makes us aware of the hand of the author,\Nwhich is never a good thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:21.97,0:16:26.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now some authors recognize this without really\Nrecognizing the problem, and will try to play
Dialogue: 0,0:16:26.40,0:16:27.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it one of two ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:27.47,0:16:30.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In one school of thought, the soon-to-be-fridged\Ncharacter will suddenly be given an unprecedented
Dialogue: 0,0:16:30.78,0:16:34.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,amount of onscreen focus and a handful of\Npurposefully heartwarming or cute character
Dialogue: 0,0:16:34.18,0:16:37.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,traits to quickly get the audience invested\Nin this hitherto non-character so it feels
Dialogue: 0,0:16:37.88,0:16:39.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,halfway momentous when they die.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:39.51,0:16:42.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I like to call this the Whedon School Of Fridging,\Nor the Coulson Effect.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:42.79,0:16:45.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the author’s attempt to speedrun\Nthe Getting The Audience Invested process
Dialogue: 0,0:16:45.72,0:16:50.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without having to actually make the character\Nstand on their own, or, like… matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:50.34,0:16:54.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And on the flipside, sometimes a fridged character\Nwill give some kind of token justification
Dialogue: 0,0:16:54.09,0:16:58.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for why their death is Okay Actually, usually\Nalong the lines of “I’m at peace now”
Dialogue: 0,0:16:58.04,0:17:01.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or “I already have everything I wanted”\Nor “the real treasure was our friendship”
Dialogue: 0,0:17:01.45,0:17:02.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or something.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:02.45,0:17:05.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is an attempt to kludge together a “satisfying\Ncharacter resolution” so it doesn’t feel
Dialogue: 0,0:17:05.80,0:17:10.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,completely unceremonious, but it suffers from\Nthe fact that the fridged character definitely
Dialogue: 0,0:17:10.37,0:17:11.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,didn’t have an arc leading up to it.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:11.76,0:17:15.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It doesn’t fully counterbalance the disengaging\Ngutpunch of an unceremonious character death
Dialogue: 0,0:17:15.17,0:17:17.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it feels token and disconnected.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:17.28,0:17:20.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the character’s arc was really resolved,\Nwe probably shouldn’t need to hear them
Dialogue: 0,0:17:20.80,0:17:24.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,say it out loud seconds before they die - it’s\Nlike how we shouldn’t need to hear the characters
Dialogue: 0,0:17:24.86,0:17:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,say “I love you” to know they’re in\Nlove, you know?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:27.62,0:17:29.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I love you” shouldn’t be a surprise\Nto the audience and neither should “I’m
Dialogue: 0,0:17:29.96,0:17:33.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,totes cool with death now” - both just end\Nup feeling like a way to compensate for inadequate
Dialogue: 0,0:17:33.74,0:17:34.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,writing last-minute.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:34.74,0:17:38.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You may recall, Black Widow’s death in Endgame\Ndid both of these things, and it was bad,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:38.64,0:17:41.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because neither of these writing tricks make\Nup for wasted character potential.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:41.48,0:17:44.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Avoiding fridging is a matter of giving the\Ncharacter their narrative due.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:44.31,0:17:47.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s about treating them like they really\Nare the hero of their own story and writing
Dialogue: 0,0:17:47.80,0:17:51.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their death or brutalization as if that’s\Nwhere the story actually ends.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:51.57,0:17:54.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How much more impactful would a fridging be\Nif the story actually acted like an important
Dialogue: 0,0:17:54.98,0:17:56.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,story was ending with their death?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:56.59,0:18:01.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And how many riots would there be if an actually\Nimportant main character was iced as unceremoniously
Dialogue: 0,0:18:01.12,0:18:02.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as these fridging victims are?
Dialogue: 0,0:18:02.53,0:18:05.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If Captain America had gone over that cliff\Nwith a token little half-smile and an "I'm
Dialogue: 0,0:18:05.85,0:18:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at peace now" there would've been f*ckin'\Nriots in the streets and you know it.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:09.12,0:18:13.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I guess this is another trope that just boils\Ndown to “it’s better to write actual characters
Dialogue: 0,0:18:13.71,0:18:17.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with agency and personal goals instead of\Npeople-shaped plot devices.”
Dialogue: 0,0:18:17.12,0:18:19.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's funny how often that happens.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:19.15,0:18:20.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So… yeah?
Dialogue: 0,0:18:20.15,0:18:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And thanks again to World Anvil for sponsoring\Nthis video!
Dialogue: 0,0:18:22.00,0:18:25.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you may know, World Anvil is designed to\Nhelp organize your worldbuilding, making the
Dialogue: 0,0:18:25.13,0:18:28.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whole process easier for writers, gamers and\Ncreators of all stripes!
Dialogue: 0,0:18:28.17,0:18:31.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s a browser-based worldbuilding and novel\Nwriting software with interactive worldmaps,
Dialogue: 0,0:18:31.63,0:18:35.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,family trees, a fully customizable calendar,\Ncustom wikis you can use for your characters
Dialogue: 0,0:18:35.30,0:18:38.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and events, a built-in word processor with\Na scrivener-like layout, and plot and story
Dialogue: 0,0:18:38.81,0:18:39.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,timelines.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:39.81,0:18:42.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They also recently added a new tool called\N“Chronos” that lets you create multiple
Dialogue: 0,0:18:42.85,0:18:46.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,visual timelines, which also connects to a\Nmap view - or more than one map view - to
Dialogue: 0,0:18:46.30,0:18:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,show how things change in your story over\Ntime.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:48.43,0:18:52.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can use it to navigate events, wars, character\Nlives, the spread of a religion - pretty much
Dialogue: 0,0:18:52.45,0:18:53.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anything that happens in spacetime.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:53.92,0:18:57.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also make them public so other people\Ncan use them to track your story and world!
Dialogue: 0,0:18:57.40,0:19:00.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if all that sounds interesting, check out\Nthe link in the description for more details,
Dialogue: 0,0:19:00.35,0:19:03.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if you wanna spring for an annual membership,\Nyou can now get 30% off with the promo code
Dialogue: 0,0:19:03.82,0:19:04.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,OVERLYSARCASTIC!