16 Movie Characters Who Were Killed For Being Clichés

14. Everyone, But ESPECIALLY The Captain - Das Boot

The Cliche: The captain plans on rewarding his crew with beer when their mission is over. Because, he's never seen an action film before. Some might suggest that the writing was on the wall for the U-Boat crew long before their vessel limped into dock, because they were the bad guys, and everyone knows that none of the baddies in World War II got away with anything, but then the film sets itself up as a knowing subversion of expectations. The crew look forward to going home, but are ordered on another, seemingly impossible mission, and you can almost hear the reaper sharpening his scythe, until the submarine miraculously survives almost inevitable destruction to make it back home. Someone clearly took notes in order to make the story of the Memphis Belle more interesting... And as they reach port the audience sighs with relief, and you think they survived the fact that their clearly not savvy captain offered every man "half a bottle of beer for each" if they make it back safely. And just as you remember that cliche-making moment, the Allied forces arrive and kill pretty much everyone.