On Fridging
I think it is inaccurate and dangerous to use the term "fridged" for a male character death unless that male character death is done in a way that mimicks/comments on/subverts the trope. Just because a male character has died, or that he died to motivate other characters, that doesn't constitute a fridging. The whole concept of "fridging" comes from a FEMALE character being killed SPECIFICALLY to motivate a MALE character's storyline, and that male character frequently being the dead female character's significant other (though not always).
I would go so far as to say that it's OFFENSIVE to say that a male character has been "fridged" when his death only motivates other male characters. Way to miss the whole point of that term. Technically speaking, I don't believe a male character CAN be fridged because there is no historical and ongoing trend that devalues male characters and uses them only as plot devices in service of female characters, but I use the term because I find it fascinating whenever there IS an instance of a male character used in service of a female character's story and I want to highlight that distinction. In those cases, "fridging" is used by me without its inherent critical value.
[spoilery examples from The Avengers, Salt, Legend of the Seeker, Criminal Minds, Person of Interest, Supernatural]
Bobby dying? Not a fridging. His death only motivated Dean and Sam.
Coulson dying? Not a fridging. His death only motivated a bunch of male characters.*
Jessica (from PoI) is the DEFINITION of a fridging. There is absolutely nothing to her character except that she is dead and that because she is dead, Reese is Very Very Sad. Another Jessica, from Supernatural, is also the definition of a fridging.
Haley only shows up to give Hotch grief. Then she is killed to give Hotch Epic Manpain. That's a fridging.
The circumstances under which a male character can be considered as fridged? Salt, when Salt's husband is killed. There is basically nothing to his character other than: 1) he is Salt's husband; 2) he studies spiders; 3) when he is killed, Salt goes on vengeance rampage. His death motivates Salt's actions.
Leo's death also can be considered a male fridging. His death gave Cara some chickpain, and she grew emotionally because his death made her realize that she did have feelings for him. He died to give her emotional growth.
DO WE GET THE DIFFERENCE HERE?
* This one really annoys me, and I've seen it in a couple of places already where people say that Coulson has been "fridged." And it's like a giant HELL TO THE FUCK NO. His death provided motivation, yes, but he only motivated a bunch of MEN. It's about as far from a fridging as you can get. This example is especially egregious since the term "fridging" originated from comics fandom, and Avengers is, you know, sourced from comics.
I would go so far as to say that it's OFFENSIVE to say that a male character has been "fridged" when his death only motivates other male characters. Way to miss the whole point of that term. Technically speaking, I don't believe a male character CAN be fridged because there is no historical and ongoing trend that devalues male characters and uses them only as plot devices in service of female characters, but I use the term because I find it fascinating whenever there IS an instance of a male character used in service of a female character's story and I want to highlight that distinction. In those cases, "fridging" is used by me without its inherent critical value.
[spoilery examples from The Avengers, Salt, Legend of the Seeker, Criminal Minds, Person of Interest, Supernatural]
Bobby dying? Not a fridging. His death only motivated Dean and Sam.
Coulson dying? Not a fridging. His death only motivated a bunch of male characters.*
Jessica (from PoI) is the DEFINITION of a fridging. There is absolutely nothing to her character except that she is dead and that because she is dead, Reese is Very Very Sad. Another Jessica, from Supernatural, is also the definition of a fridging.
Haley only shows up to give Hotch grief. Then she is killed to give Hotch Epic Manpain. That's a fridging.
The circumstances under which a male character can be considered as fridged? Salt, when Salt's husband is killed. There is basically nothing to his character other than: 1) he is Salt's husband; 2) he studies spiders; 3) when he is killed, Salt goes on vengeance rampage. His death motivates Salt's actions.
Leo's death also can be considered a male fridging. His death gave Cara some chickpain, and she grew emotionally because his death made her realize that she did have feelings for him. He died to give her emotional growth.
DO WE GET THE DIFFERENCE HERE?
* This one really annoys me, and I've seen it in a couple of places already where people say that Coulson has been "fridged." And it's like a giant HELL TO THE FUCK NO. His death provided motivation, yes, but he only motivated a bunch of MEN. It's about as far from a fridging as you can get. This example is especially egregious since the term "fridging" originated from comics fandom, and Avengers is, you know, sourced from comics.