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Mami Tomoe: Canaries in a Coal Mine

Spoilers for Madoka Magica

The saying "Canaries in a Coal Mine" refers to how miners used to send canaries to test for carbon monoxide and other toxic gasses in underground mines. The canaries would sing and if they stopped it indicated the presence of carbon monoxide because if they stopped it meant they died. This led to the saying to symbolize an early warning of danger. Mami Tomoe is a character who dies in episode 3, a death that makes audiences realize that Madoka Magica is not just some silly little magical girl anime. A death that started the descent of horror that the characters will have to face. A warning to both Madoka and Sayaka that being a magical girl is not all sunshine and rainbows, but a dangerous job that will most certainly end in death. An early warning of danger.