When a hapless character becomes the next victim in a horror movie or novel, it’s easy for readers or viewers to roll their eyes and say: “Here we go again.” The “innocent victim” trope—someone blameless and helpless, whose only role is to get scared and die—is common enough that it has become predictable. But you don’t have to lean into it. With some intention, you can build horror characters who feel real, whose vulnerability is meaningful, and whose fate isn’t pre‑written.
Here’s how to craft horror characters that avoid being clichés.
1. Know the trope—and why it feels tired
In horror, character clichés creep in when writers rely on simplified patterns instead of real human depth. This blogger says, horror often becomes “one great big stinking cliché” when it recycles the same types of victims and scenarios.
For example: the pure‑innocent teen who doesn’t deserve what happens but has no inner conflict. Or the “last person alive” who emerges only because everyone else made dumb choices.The “Last Man/Woman Standing” is one of the most over‑used horror clichés.
Understanding what you’re up against helps you avoid falling into that trap.
2. Make the “innocent victim” into a real person
Rather than saying, “She is innocent,” and leaving it at that, build a character who has desires, flaws, history, and stakes.
- Give them agency. They should make choices—even bad ones—rather than passively waiting for the monster/doom to hit.
- Establish why they matter. What have they lost? What do they want? What are they scared of beyond “getting killed?”
- Let them have contradictions. Innocence doesn’t mean flawless. A character who is kind but naive, brave but uncertain, trusting but aware—these layers make them human.
When characters are merely victims, we see them as objects in motion. But when we feel them as people, we invest in them.
3. Subvert expectations by giving the victim complexity
Clichés thrive when expectations are predictable. You know the innocent one will be the first to go (or the one who has to sacrifice). To avoid that:
- Let the “innocent” question things. Maybe they refuse the role of victim.
- Introduce moral complexity. They may have done something questionable before the horror hit. That nuance keeps us engaged.
- Offer growth or change. Maybe they begin powerless but learn to fight back. Or maybe they get saved by someone unexpected, not just heroically die.
One writing guide suggests that to steer clear of clichés in horror you should “change direction” when you sense you’re heading down a familiar path.
In short: make the innocent victim a surprising, strong, or at least memorable character.
4. Avoid the “pure goodness = safe until threatened” mindset
Too many horror stories rely on a stiff moral equation: “Good person = safe until monster shows.” Then everything goes to hell, the good person suffers because they’re too good. That’s a cliché.
Instead:
- Let your character’s virtue be both strength and weakness. Maybe their kindness makes them vulnerable. Maybe their trust gets betrayed.
- Don’t punish them simply for being good. Let the threat come because of who they are, not despite it.
- Resist the temptation to make them flawless. Perfection is boring. Give them mistakes, regrets, fears.
Reed Alexander from Madness Heart Press points out: “If we draw our characters fully rather than rely on stereotypes, we’re already half‑way there.”
So draw your victim as full‑blooded, not just the damsel/innocent waiting to be saved or slaughtered.
5. Make the stakes personal—even for the “typical victim”
Why does this character matter? Often horror makes characters matter simply because they’re present, like chess pieces. That makes it easy for readers/viewers to detach.
To avoid that:
- Anchor the horror in something personal for the character: a fear, a loss, a promise.
- Let the character’s relationships matter: friends, family, love, betrayal. If the victim is just “friend #3,” they disappear without a ripple.
- Show the impact: what happens after the scream, the chaos, the escape? How does that change the victim (if they survive) or their absence (if they don’t)?
According to one writing guide on avoiding horror clichés: being true to your own horrors—meaning giving the story your own emotional stake—makes the characters richer.
When the stakes are personal, the “innocent victim” becomes someone we care about—not just someone to watch meet doom.
6. Give your victim a role in the story arc—not just “shock fodder”
Horror often uses victims for shock value. They appear, scream, die. That role is predictable. To break the mould:
- Let the victim’s experience matter to the story’s resolution.
- Maybe their apparent death or trauma becomes a turning point.
- Maybe they survive and become something else: the one who fights, or becomes haunted forever.
Using tropes is okay—but only if you are aware and twist them. One article points out that tropes (and clichés) become tired when the audience “can figure out the whole story the moment they appear.”
Your victim should contribute to story momentum—not just be a statistic.
7. Watch out for other cliché traps around victims
Here are common pitfalls when building horror victims:
- Ignorance for convenience: Characters always ignore warnings, go into the woods, uncheck the door. That’s lazy. (See “The mysterious warning” trope).
- Helplessness as personality: If the character never acts until it’s too late, they’re boring.
- ‘Good’ faces that fend for us: The victim placed to be purely sympathetic (“Oh how tragic!”) with no inner life.
- Token innocence: The one “pure” character among a group of flawed ones—set up only to be sacrificed.
Identifying these traps helps you steer away.
8. Practical steps for rewriting or creating your horror character
Here’s a mini checklist you can use:
Write a short paragraph: Who is the victim before the horror hits? Include ordinary life, hopes, fears.
What does the character want? What do they fear losing?
What mistake or flaw do they have (even a small one)?
How does the horror event impact them personally (not just physically)?
How will they respond? Passively, fighting back, or something in between?
What happens after the terror? Do they survive? Change? Become haunted?
Go through these for each “victim” you create and you’ll avoid a flat, cliché approach.
9. Why it matters for your audience (and for word‑of‑mouth)
When horror characters feel real, audiences stay invested. They remember the victim who fought back, the one whose fall broke your heart, the one whose escape left you haunted.
If instead your: “innocent victim” is just there to scream and drop dead—they’re forgettable.
In an age where people talk about media online, part of the success of horror is how much the audience talks about it. Character depth fuels discussion, sharing, and loyalty. So clever victims help your story stand out.
10. You can still use innocence—but make it meaningful
I’m not saying you can’t have a genuinely innocent victim. What I mean is: make sure their innocence is earned, explored, and complicated.
Let their good point of view be tested by horror. Let them surprise you or the reader. Let their story be more than the scream scene.
When that happens, the “innocent victim” becomes not a cliché, but a memorable character in the horror story world.
Give your horror characters the breathing room they need. Let them be more than “the next to die.” Let them be someone your readers remember.
Sources:
Horror Clichés and How to Avoid Them
Most Overused Horror Clichés-Top 10
How to Avoid Clichés When Writing Horror
Writing Horror While Trying to Avoid Stereotypes
Should You Avoid Tropes in Horror?
