Plot armor is a

plot device A plot device or plot mechanism is any technique in a narrative used to move the plot forward. A clichéd plot device may annoy the reader and a contrived or arbitrary device may confuse the reader, causing a loss of the suspension of disbelief ...

wherein a fictional character is preserved from harm due to their necessity for the

plot Plot or Plotting may refer to: Art, media and entertainment * Plot (narrative), the story of a piece of fiction Music * ''The Plot'' (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava * The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003 Other * ''Plot ...

to proceed. The ''

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...

'' identified the term as originating in the 2000s, with its first reported use on the Usenet forum alt.games.dur-trs-trap. While

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

s and heroes within fictional works are often shielded from destruction by plot armor, their deaths in certain works function as a

plot twist A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending. It may change the aud ...

. Within certain works of fiction, elements of the story can provide an explanation for why the protagonist is protected. Various iterations of

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 19 ...

have been cited as defining examples of plot armor. Other works eschew plot armor for main characters. The deaths of

Ned Stark Eddard "Ned" Stark is a fictional character in the 1996 fantasy novel '' A Game of Thrones'' by George R. R. Martin, and '' Game of Thrones'', HBO's adaptation of Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series. In the storyline, Ned is the lord of ...

and other main characters within ''

A Game of Thrones ''A Game of Thrones'' is the first novel in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both ...

'' and its

television adaptation An adaptation is a transfer of a work of art from one style, culture or medium to another. Some common examples are: * Film adaptation, a story from another work, adapted into a film (it may be a novel, non-fiction like journalism, autobiography, ...

have been considered examples of protagonists defying expectations that their role in the plot protected them from harm; a battle where many main characters escaped harm within the same series has also been cited as examples of plot armor.

References

Literary concepts Plot (narrative) {{Lit-stub

See also

References