ASK ME ABOUT MY PLOT ARMOR

“Plot armor” is a colloquial term used to describe a phenomenon in literature, cinema, and other storytelling mediums where a character is seemingly invincible or exempt from harm or death, not due to an in-story reason, but because they are essential to the advancement of the plot. In essence, the story itself “protects” the character from facing the consequences or risks that other characters might encounter.

Plot armor is often cited as a storytelling weakness or flaw when it’s perceived to lower the stakes or reduce tension. Audiences may find it difficult to be genuinely concerned for a character if it seems like that character is artificially protected from harm. However, some stories manage to incorporate plot armor in a way that still keeps the audience engaged, either through clever writing or by making the characters so compelling that the audience is willing to overlook the convenience.

Here are 10 famous examples from cinema where characters are often said to have plot armor:

1. Indiana Jones (Indiana Jones series) – Despite facing impossible odds, dangerous traps, and numerous enemies, Indiana Jones always manages to survive.
2. James Bond (James Bond series) – Whether it’s dodging bullets, surviving explosions, or escaping elaborate traps, Bond’s plot armor is as iconic as his tuxedo.
3. John McClane (Die Hard series) – This NYPD officer survives situations that would have killed most other people, from walking on broken glass to dodging gunfire and explosions.
4. Harry Potter (Harry Potter series) – Protected by love and prophecy alike, Harry faces numerous life-threatening situations but always manages to survive.
5. Luke Skywalker (Star Wars series) – Despite being a novice in much of the series, Luke survives numerous situations that would likely kill less plot-essential characters.
6. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Marvel Cinematic Universe) – Although he is a human without superpowers, Tony Stark faces cosmic threats and superhuman foes and generally survives until his narrative arc is complete.
7. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean series) – Jack often escapes death and capture through a combination of luck and cleverness that goes beyond the realm of probability.
8. Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games series) – She survives numerous deadly situations, often because of interventions or convenient circumstances.
9. Neo (The Matrix series) – Neo survives a number of experiences that would be fatal to anyone else, justified partially by his role as “The One.”
10. Dom Toretto (Fast & Furious series) – The laws of physics seem to bend around Dom, allowing him to survive automotive stunts and fights that would be lethal to most people.

These are just examples, and the presence of plot armor can be a matter of interpretation. In some cases, what appears to be plot armor may be justified by the internal logic of the story or the abilities of the characters involved.

Plot armor becomes particularly noticeable—and often criticized—when it stretches credulity or when it appears to be a crutch that the writers rely on to avoid harming central characters. Some instances become infamous for how blatantly they protect characters from harm or death, leaving audiences and critics alike frustrated, confused, or incredulous. Here are some examples:

1. Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock” (BBC Series) – In the third season, Sherlock survives a fall off a building, and the explanation of how he did it left some fans unsatisfied and citing plot armor.
2. Arya Stark in “Game of Thrones” (Season 8) – Arya somehow survives the Battle of Winterfell, escaping situations that appear to be certain death, leading to criticisms that her survival was more due to plot necessity than believability.
3. Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible” Series – Ethan survives a variety of stunts and life-threatening situations that stretch belief, often without so much as a scratch, leading some to claim he’s wrapped in plot armor.
4. Captain Marvel in “Avengers: Endgame” – Despite being a late addition to the series, her incredible power level and ability to survive almost anything was viewed by some as a convenient way to solve otherwise unsolvable problems.
5. Alice in the “Resident Evil” Film Series – Despite being up against hordes of zombies and various other threats, Alice seems virtually invincible across multiple films, leading to accusations of plot armor.
6. Jack Bauer in “24” – Surviving numerous terrorist attacks, tortures, and betrayals over the course of a single day in multiple seasons, Jack Bauer’s ability to bounce back has often been cited as a prime example of plot armor.
7. Rey in the “Star Wars: Sequel Trilogy” – Critics and audiences alike have noted that Rey quickly masters abilities that took other Jedi years to learn, fueling debates about whether she is a “Mary Sue” character protected by plot armor.
8. Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield in “Resident Evil” Films – Much like Alice, these characters survive numerous encounters with deadly creatures that would have killed lesser characters, without much explanation beyond their importance to the plot.
9. Frodo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy – While Frodo does go through significant hardships, his survival against various kinds of evil forces—especially when other characters die or suffer—has been called into question.
10. Jason Bourne in “The Bourne Series” – While the character is highly trained, the extent to which he manages to escape death, often from trained assassins, is sometimes cited as an example of plot armor.

In each of these examples, the issue is not necessarily that the characters survive dangerous situations—that’s common in all kinds of stories—but that the manner of their survival is perceived to stretch belief, reduce tension, or rely on convenient narrative devices.

In the critically acclaimed television series “The Wire”, the fan favorite character, Omar Little, makes a daring ambush escape from a death squad that up until that point in the show, could not miss. There were several factors that might explain why audiences were willing to go along with this instance of plot armor. Omar’s literal leap of faith from a fifth story window has enormous consequences; the character is seen limping for the rest of the show – he’s never quite the same. The world and the other character’s acknowledge how preposterous what he did was so the writers hang a lantern on it, taking some of the disbelief off the audience’s shoulders. Lastly, this remarkable escape and the character of Omar Little was based on an actual person that show creator David Simon knew.

The effectiveness of plot armor, or lack thereof, often depends on the audience’s willingness to suspend disbelief. If the audience is too aware of the plot armor, it can become a distraction and a point of criticism.