Redshirt (character)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Redshirt is a slang term for a minor role stock character whose primary purpose in the plot of a story is to die soon after being introduced, thus demonstrating the dangerous circumstances faced by the main characters. The term originates from the science fiction television series Star Trek and is taken from the red shirts worn by security officers. On Star Trek, anonymous security officers often accompany main characters on dangerous missions where they meet their death.[1]
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[edit] Star Trek origins
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In the original 1966 Star Trek series, security officers, who wear red, meet tragic ends in many episodes. Typically, a landing party includes at least one red-shirted security officer accompanying the main characters. The officer is typically killed soon after the mission begins.[2]
In the Pocket Books Star Trek novel Killing Time, a time-tampering plot twist turns Captain James T. Kirk into an ensign. While he is dressing for duty, a fellow crew member says, "Let's just say that on this ship — or probably any other — you don't want to wear a red shirt on landing-party duty."[3] Similar sentiments are expressed by a security officer in the third issue of the Star Trek: Mission's End comic book series, when he confronts Doctor McCoy and Chekov over the perception that crew members wearing blue or gold seem to have a much higher probability of survival.
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 (who for some reason are called red-shirts even though they wear yellow): Rarely survive beyond the second act break".[4]
In the Family Guy episode "I Never Met the Dead Man", this concept is parodied with Ensign Ricky, the token redshirt. Kirk outlines that an upcoming mission is dangerous with a high probability of one of them dying. As such, his choice of landing party is himself, Mr. Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Ensign Ricky; Ricky, aware of the fate of redshirts, simply replies, "Aww crap." The viewer is then surprised when William Shatner, who plays Kirk, is run over by Meg in the family car. Ensign Ricky, among the spectators, comments, "Wow, did not see that coming."
In the South Park episode "City on the Edge of Forever", an unnamed kid in a red Starfleet uniform tries to leave a stranded school bus and is killed by a gigantic black monster.
A Robot Chicken episode parodies the concept in which the bridge crew, having abandoned ship without supplies, discusses the necessity of cannibalism while eyeing the redshirt ensign Toby, who says "On behalf of all the redshirts who fell before me, it makes me very, very proud to speak the following sentence: 'I'm the only one that brought a gun'".
In the 2009 Star Trek movie, the party of three (two of them being Kirk and Sulu) who dive onto an orbital drilling platform includes one member in a red suit, Chief Engineer Olsen, who recklessly waits until the last second to deploy his chute and falls into the drilling beam.
[edit] See also
- Cannon fodder
- Character shield
- Forlorn hope
- Greenshirts (G.I. Joe)
- Sacrificial lamb
- Stormtrooper effect
- Scapegoat
- Spear carrier
- Redshirt Blues
[edit] References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Bring Back...Star Trek. Channel 4. 26 May 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%5B%5BBring_Back...%23Bring_Back...Star_Trek%5D%5D.
- ^ Hise, Della Van (1985). Killing Time. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671524887.
- ^ Ira Steven Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Legends of the Ferengi, ISBN 0671007289
[edit] External links
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