Best examples of plot armor - (for fun)

[BFG]

So, I've just been looking through the Great Hunt and come across this:

 

He stood there with his sword over his head and all his weight on the foot on Min's back ... and he did not move.
   "This peasant is your friend?" Suroth said.
   Egwene started to rise, but at a surprised arching of Suroth's eyebrow, she remained lying where she was and only raised her head. She had to save Min. If it means groveling ... She parted her lips and hoped her gritted teeth would pass for a smile. "Yes, High Lady."
   "And if I spare her, if I allow her to visit you occasionally, you will work hard and learn as you are taught?"
   "I will, High Lady." She would have promised much more to keep that sword from splitting Min's skull. I'll even keep it, she thought sourly, as long as I have to.
   "Put the girl on her horse, Elbar," Suroth said. "Tie her on, if she cannot sit her saddle. If this damane proves a disappointment, perhaps then I will let you have the head of the girl." She was already moving toward her palanquin.

 

There is absolutely no point in Suroth allowing Min to live here, Egwene has no choice but to do exactly as she's told - we see later how good they are at breaking people.  So I'd say this qualifies as plot armor. (follow link at your own risk :) )

[Barid Bel Medar]

The most amusing plot armour is when people don't want to kill Rand.... because they want him to die saving the world. 

 

"I want you dead...but at the right time, while you save all of us." 

[David Selig]

 There was really no reason for Suroth to kill Min. Apparently she and her masters had no idea about her talent or her future relationship with Rand. Even if the value of keeping her alive is really small, it's better than nothing.

 

 One of the most blatant examples of plot armor is when Moggy is trying to kill Nynaeve with balefire in ACOS but was distracted by pigeons in just the right moment. Nyn doesn't even have the ta'veren excuse for this, it was just luck.

[Balefire to da face!]

Aginor and Moi at the end of EotW.

 

From what we know of later OP duels there was absolutely no reason for Aginor not to kill her. Once he overpowered her, it would have been as quick and easy to leave her dead as with just a headache.

[Whizbang]

Speaking of Moir getting killed by one of the Forsaken.

 

Be'lal

 

Moir calmy walks up to him and blasts him with Balefire. Uh... the dud even had time to tell her how weak she was. She walked calmy up to him and weave balefire. There was even an instant where he was able to say "No!". If Be'lal had time to say "No", then he had time to weave a simple fireball, or even a club of air, to throw at Moir while she wove Balefire, taking her out before the balefire was finished. We've seen some quick weaving by people in this series. Rand created a shield that even stopped light and air through when Dashiva and company attacked him in Cairhein. An entire body shield has got to take longer than a simple fireball. Mogi has embraced the source, cut a weave and shielded Laindrin in the time it took for Laindrin to weave a "whip crack" weave of minor compulsion.

 

Hell, he could have simply shielded her as soon as he saw her. Rand was right there, full of Saidin and in a fighting mood. Be'lal may have thought (and rightly so) that he can handle a "half trained" Aes Sedai and an ignorant Dragon, but letting them both face you at the same time is just silly. As soon as he sees Moir, he should have just blasted her, or at least shielded her. He had the strength. Before Rand had time to say "wha...?" he'd be back facing Rand, taunting him to take Callandor. Maybe even use Moir as a prod. "See how much she suffers? Take Callandor and save her!" etc.

 

Just, really. C'mon. That scene has never sat well with me. I am glad the Forsaken fights after that have been more strike and counter-strike style battles. The whole "I am totally awesome and powerful, so I will not defend myself in any way and only use a bare fraction of my power when I attack you" was a bit too much to stomach in the first three books.

 

Another scene like this is in Ebu Dar, when Lan lunges at one of the Black Ajah. She channels something at him, probably a fist of air or something, and he somehow keeps coming and knocks her down. Uh, for someone who can toss people about, cut people up, burn them to ash in moments, or even just bash in a skull with a club of Air, she didn't really put much effort into it.

[Maleshub]

Many of Min's viewings are plot armor to indicate a certain course of action regardless of details; like her viewing of Elayne having two healthy babies.

 

Gawyn Trakand's Younglings surviving Dumai Wells. All of them should have been killed or taken prisoner in that battle, Gawyn included.

 

Dumbing of Shaido in Dumai Wells and having them throw their screens in the battle only to stand twiddling their thumbs on the outside perimeter to allow Perrin to arrive in time for the rescue attempt.

[Entreri]

Biggest plot armor is on Rand, of course. 

 

All the Forsaken at times were trying to kill him, and he escapes and defeats them.  Not even half trained until FoH and nowhere near his full strength until LoC.  If it was Rand Sedai, sure. 

 

As for Lan lunging at the BA, the BA was probably 5-10 feet away, someone like Lan can cover that distance within a second.  BA first instinct was probably to shield herself with air. 

 

An example of an ultra fast takedown, MMA great GSP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2B0-Mi37PE

 

The BA never had a chance.