Editing Sacrificial lamb (section)

==In the arts==
In [[film|cinema]] and [[literature]], a "sacrificial lamb" is a [[character (arts)|supporting character]] who's murdered by a [[villain]], which prompts the protagonist to avenge them. The sacrificial lamb is often the protagonist's family member, partner, or friend. They can also be a defenceless stranger, such as an orphan. The virtuous hero mourns the sacrificial lamb's death, foiling the wicked villain who celebrates their enemy's defeat. The lamb's murder justifies the rivalry between the hero and the villain. Because no complex setup is needed to establish the trope, it is often criticised as a shallow way to create narrative conflict. A similar trope is the [[Women in Refrigerators]], where the male hero's girlfriend, sister, or mother gets murdered.

An example of this trope's use in early literature is [[Macaria (daughter of Heracles)|Macaria]] in ''[[Heracleidae (play)|Heracleidae]]'' by [[Euripides]]. The [[revenge tragedy]] theatrical genre is defined by this trope, coupled with the hero's own tragic death.

In modern media, examples include [[Anthony Edwards (actor)|Anthony Edwards]]' character Goose in ''[[Top Gun]]'', as well as [[Phil Coulson]] in ''[[The Avengers (2012 film)|The Avengers]]''.