plot armor

American  

[plot ahr-mer] / ˈplɒt ˌɑr mər /

especially British, plot armour

noun

1. a character’s indispensability to the plot of a novel, game, movie, etc., making the character impossible to kill or eliminate.

   Without the constant protection of plot armor, our trusty Z warriors would’ve been dead long ago.

---

Etymology

Origin of plot armor

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

Unarmed and protected only by plot armor, Schofield runs across an open battlefield, dodging bombs, bullets, and his fellow British soldiers as they go over the top.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2020

He’s a Stark, and his proximity to the other main characters might give him plot armor so he isn’t killed off.

From The Verge • Apr. 30, 2019

The plot armor is down and the plot trap is set.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2019

I really hope for the final season, the plot armor drops.

From The Verge • Aug. 28, 2017

The amount of plot armor being slathered onto Maeve makes me want to roll my eyes - she's turning into an Android Mary Sue.

From New York Times • Nov. 28, 2016