The king's adviser is always evil and always planning to steal the throne. (See: Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings, The Chancellor in Chrono Trigger, Jaffar in Aladdin, Yzma in The Emperor's New Groove.)This was even in The Eyes of the Dragon.
Is this really that common? Anyway, there were at least two Stephen King books (Rage and The Drawing of the Three) in which someone's life was saved when a bullet hit something (not a medal or badge though). Also, there was an episode of The Simpsons when Flanders was shot by mobsters gunning for Homer who was dressed like Krusty (it was complicated) -- His life was saved by the Bible he kept in his pocket, and a piece of the "true cross" he wore around his neck.
If there is a scene in which someone is ceremoniously given a medal or badge, or some other metal keepsake of sentimental importance, there will be a scene later where their life is saved when it blocks a bullet.









