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The trope of black characters being
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killed first in horror movies didn't
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emerge in a vacuum. It stems from a long
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history of marginalization in Hollywood,
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where black actors were historically
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excluded from major roles, let alone
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heroic leads. When black characters
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began appearing in horror films, they
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were rarely central to the plot.
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Instead, they were often added as
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sidekicks, stereotypes, or at worst,
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expendable plot devices. Their death
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served to heighten the stakes for the
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white protagonist or underscore the
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danger of the antagonist. Rarely were
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their lives portrayed as valuable in and
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of themselves. The black guy dies first
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storyline became so pervasive that it
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began to shape audience expectations.
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Horror fans learn to watch for the token
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black character and brace for their
