Written by Mr. Mouseburger 8th Apr 2006
Kindly submitted by Kooshmeister
Hans is one of the henchmen that work for the South African consulate. His job was to transport a carload of Krugerands from Point A to Point B, but he gets embroiled in a high-octane car chase in the film's opening sequence with Riggs and Murtaugh. Even though he totals his red BMW by flips it upside-down, Hans manages to not only survive the crash but also give Riggs and Murtaugh the slip in the time it takes them to run ten feet...
Not that escaping the police does him any good, as he forgot to take the Krugerands with him. Like a fool, Hans returns to the consulate to report his dismal failure to his boss, Arjen Rudd (q.v.). Hans finds himself standing on a large plastic tarp before Rudd's desk, apparently laid out in preparation for his arrival, despite Rudd's explanation that he's having painting done.
Hans tries to explain himself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Rudd," he apologises. "These things happen." Rudd agrees, and then asks his right-hand man Pieter Vorstedt (q.v.) what HE thinks. Pieter responds by producing a silenced pistol and shooting Hans square in the forehead. Hans falls backwards onto the convenient plastic tarp, whereupon Pieter hastily wraps him up so blood will not get on the carpet.
You should have a category for minor baddies getting killed by major ones to make the latter seem more badass. This happens in most of the Lethal Weapons, if memory serves.
There is - it's called Betrayal and probably needs to be added to this write-up.
The only Lethal Weapon this doesn't happen in is the first one. Neither General McCallister or Mr. Joshua execute any henchmen. (There was Michael Hunsacker but he wasn't a 'henchman' just a corrupt banker.)