Redshirt (character)
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Redshirt is a slang term for a minor stock character of an adventure drama who dies violently soon after being introduced in order to dramatize the dangerous situation experienced by the main characters. The term originated with fans of the science fiction television series Star Trek, from the red shirts worn by Starfleet security officers, who frequently "beamed down" with a landing party, only to become the first, and sometimes only, victims of the party.[1]
[edit] Star Trek
In many episodes of the original 1966 Star Trek series, security officers, who wear uniforms incorporating red shirts, accompany the main characters on landing parties. The officers usually die violently soon after. Due to the brief nature of their appearances, they were rarely given a complete name, usually having only a rank and first name if not less.
In the Pocket Books Star Trek novel Killing Time, a crew member says, "you don't want to wear a red shirt on landing-party duty."[2] In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine book Legends of the Ferengi, an entry comparing the life-span of various beings with the shelf life of gold-pressed latinum includes the entry "Lifespan of a Federation hew-mon working for Starfleet security: Rarely survive beyond the second act break".[3]
[edit] In popular culture
- In the Family Guy episode I Never Met the Dead Man a brief scene from a Star Trek episode is depicted on their television. After warning that the away mission is dangerous and will likely result in a death, Kirk chooses Spock, McCoy and, the redshirt "Ensign Ricky" to accompany himself. Ensign Ricky responds with "Aww crap."
- Redshirt Blues is a fan-made film that directly satirizes Star Trek's redshirts.[4]
- In the movie Galaxy Quest, one of the characters had previously played "Crewman Number Six" in episode 81 of "Galaxy Quest" and was killed before the first commercial break. Throughout the movie as he finds himself in a real world recreation of the series, he becomes increasingly paranoid that he will meet the same fate as his television counterpart and makes references to the general attributes of redshirts as proof.
[edit] See also
- Cannon fodder
- Character shield
- Forlorn hope
- Greenshirts (G.I. Joe)
- Sacrificial lamb
- Stormtrooper effect
- Scapegoat
- Spear carrier
[edit] Notes
- ^ Robert W. Bly (1996). Why You Should Never Beam Down in a Red Shirt: And 749 More Answers to Questions About Star Trek. ISBN 0062733842.
- ^ Hise, Della Van (1985). Killing Time. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671524887.
- ^ Behr, Ira Steven; Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Legends of the Ferengi. ISBN 0671007289.
- ^ Ross, Dalton (2001-09-10). "What To Watch". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,254840,00.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
