<P> A "redshirt" is a stock character in fiction who dies soon after being introduced . The term originates from the original Star Trek (NBC, 1966--69) television series in which the red - shirted security personnel frequently die during episodes . Redshirt deaths are often used to dramatize the potential peril that the main characters face . </P> <P> In Star Trek, red - uniformed security officers and engineers who accompany the main characters on landing parties often suffer quick deaths . The trope first appears in the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" (1966). Of the 59 crew members killed in the series, 43 (73%) were wearing red shirts . The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine book Legends of the Ferengi says Starfleet security personnel "rarely survive beyond the second act break". An episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine titled "Valiant" (1998) also references red as a sort of bad luck omen, in which the plot centers around a group of cadets calling themselves "Red Squad", almost all of whom die in the episode . The cinematic reboot of the franchise features a character named Olson (portrayed by Greg Ellis) who dies early on during a mission; he wears a red uniform in homage to the trope from the original series . </P>

What is a red shirt in star trek
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