A hero’s sacrifice is considered one of the hardest-hitting storytelling devices a filmmaker could use. As true as this may be, audiences often know when a trope like this is being used to pull their heartstrings and make them feel sorry for a protagonist.When the hero’s sacrifice is done well, it’s applauded. When it’s done poorly, it throws the audience off, making it quite a polarizing trope.We will try to observe the power of the hero’s sacrifice trope and how this deliberate, earned tragedy can actually help your story honestly and emotionally, if you do it correctly.Let’s jump right in.What Is The Hero’s Sacrifice?Simply put, the hero’s sacrifice is a moment in a film, typically towards the end, when a protagonist willingly gives up their life or something almost as monumental and irreversible. It isn’t a suicide or martyrdom for the sake of ego. It isn’t just an on-screen death of a protagonist.A hero’s sacrifice has a larger and greater purpose for humanity, or a specific part of society that needs its hero to take the ultimate step. It is important to know that this sacrifice isn’t forced upon a protagonist, but it is a voluntary decision or a result of their efforts for the greater good.The best ones are foreshadowed and feel emotionally and logically unavoidable. Their root cause is buried deep into the protagonist’s story in a manner that makes the sacrifice “the painful but only solution.”A well-written hero’s sacrifice forces us to confront a harsh truth: Sometimes...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today