Your opinion after investing your feelings to a character and the author just end up killing them

[Katako]

If that is the case, then the character's story should be about how they deal with their 'inevitable' death. So, it depends on the character arc more than anything else.


Now this is just a gag story.

Although, yes, it really pains me if a character dies in an accident/unexpected way. Especially if they die before being able to fulfill their goal/dreams. For me, it's about how the characters around them react to it that either make or break this for me.

A good example for both of these points would be the movie "I want to eat your Pancreas". Just watch it, it's great.
Yep, nothing sad happens at the ending, not at all.

I've watched it. Yeah, basically that. A sudden death of a character that left the reader/watcher on great despair.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Depending on the character, how long they've been around, and how much growth they've had the it can be beneficial to kill off a character. Some characters shouldn't be killed off for many reasons including being a fan favorite, they haven't finished their arc yet, or killing them wouldn't fit with the story at the moment. Deaths have to be done at a time where the reader least expects it while also staying consistent to the plot and characters. No one's gonna like reading that a character was just stabbed and is now bleeding to death. However, if the character dies for another character and/or is killed because of something related to their character (honor, desire for redemption, revenge, it's the final step of their arc, etc.) Then the readers have something to grasp at. It becomes personal and relatable, making their death all the more impactful.

 

[Ssthat]

the fools reading my novel don't know what's in store for them

 

[Nyctophobia]

Depending on the character, how long they've been around, and how much growth they've had the it can be beneficial to kill off a character. Some characters shouldn't be killed off for many reasons including being a fan favorite, they haven't finished their arc yet, or killing them wouldn't fit with the story at the moment. Deaths have to be done at a time where the reader least expects it while also staying consistent to the plot and characters. No one's gonna like reading that a character was just stabbed and is now bleeding to death. However, if the character dies for another character and/or is killed because of something related to their character (honor, desire for redemption, revenge, it's the final step of their arc, etc.) Then the readers have something to grasp at. It becomes personal and relatable, making their death all the more impactful.

Just don't resurrect the character after that. It makes their death less impactful.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I don't remember the last time I was invested in a character\story.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Just don't resurrect the character after that. It makes their death less impactful.

Agreed.

 

[Zinless]

Just don't resurrect the character after that. It makes their death less impactful.

A certain game series did this.

The character has been set up for two whole games, with them dying on the second one. It was such a good scene that it immediately hooked me into playing the 5+ games that acts as its prequel. Then, comes the third game where, lo and behold, they're back?! Wearing a mask? With the other characters not noticing the obvious hairstyle similarities??? Yeah, they weren't dead and was just brainwashed, cool.

Sure, the story wouldn't progress so well if they weren't there, but I kinda felt cheated after crying at the credits of the second game.

(This also happens by the ending of the third game and in the middle of the fourth one.)

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

Im traumatized in my childhood because of it. The MC just died, self sacrifice herself and the person MC saves will never know that he's saved by MC.

The person MC saved were at loss and sad forever, never going to know what happened to MC, whether he Will be forgiven by MC or not, or will MC accept his confession.

Im just a children back then, so i only cartoon movies like Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks. So i always think that all ending needs to be good/happy ending, or it wouldn't be an ending at all.

At least I never see important character died without good reason, let alone the death of main character of the whole story.

That movie is one of the reason I'm heavily saddened, depressed and delusional for years in my childhood years, since I'm just stunned and in full denial that MC dies like that, even tho everything is inevitable since everything in the show slowly going wore and worse. And being socially isolated from friends isn't helping at all.

 

[Bobple]

Honestly depends on the story, plot, characters... well honestly too many factors. But I do like characters being alive. I really enjoy happy endings.

... anyway I've always had this idea in back my mind, evilly giggling that one of the characters would just die due to an accident. A kind of the 'the world is really fucking unfair' type situation. It would really depend on the type of story, and none of the stories I'm writing would work for it. And I don't really like killing off characters when not required or apart of the story. So I probably would never implement the idea.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

I read spoilers so I don’t get attached.

 

[BearlyAlive]

A certain game series did this.
The character has been set up for two whole games, with them dying on the second one. It was such a good scene that it immediately hooked me into playing the 5+ games that acts as its prequel. Then, comes the third game where, lo and behold, they're back?! Wearing a mask? With the other characters not noticing the obvious hairstyle similarities??? Yeah, they weren't dead and was just brainwashed, cool.

Not sure if Cold Steel or Kingdom Hearts, but both series seem to pull at least a 3/4 one of those each game, sometimes even two or three of those.

I hate it when that happens. Even worse if they revive character that got closure just to turn them into a villain for no reason. Pretty much my number one reason for droping any series and at least a dozen shounen series.

If my favorite dies, it sucks. Unless it's a harem series then I rejoice because they avoided a fate worse than a dragon's. Otherwise it depends, some can be glorious, some for shock value, or just because there's no other way to give them closure.

To quote the less known and less braindead predecessor of a certain ginger bladeworker: "Dead people can't be alive."

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

Personally, I see killing off a character (or otherwise removing them from the story) who has served their narrative purpose as sort of the author's job. What I don't like, is if a character's death drags on for several chapters. Even if the character in question is sick with "cancer" or maybe "Victorian Novel Disease" for like a hundred chapters, they are only "sick". I dislike "dying" characters; their death should only take one chapter. Being sudden doesn't bother me; rather it is easier to read a character I like dying in a quick accident than lingering in phantasmagoria at the edge of death for extended suffering. I also prefer deaths that occur in comedically unlikely manners. "The hero Tom Aoto and the evil dragon Dragonite, after an epic battle, struck each other down," is fine, but it can be fun to read "after slaying the evil dragon Dragonite, the hero Tom Aoto hiccoughed while drinking his ale at the village tavern and drowned."

 

[bokhi]

What's your opinion about that kind of stuff? It doesn't matter if the character doesn't have any regrets when he/she died. Its your feelings towards that character dying is what I would want to know.

Personally, I kinda like them? I'm into heartbreaking and sad moments that can move my heart. When a character I like die and I actually got carried by that moment, it just proves that the writer can actually make the character likeable, to me of course.

It's fine as long as it's handled well and is a logical or coherent outcome.

I don't like it if there's obviously no motive for it other than to distress readers. That's just bad writing.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I'm mostly just annoyed. I know it's just pretend and I can do my own pretending if I want more of that character.

 

[Rezcore]

One of my favorite books had a seemingly out of place death, literally mentioned in passing, a few chapters later that death was a key point for the story. It reinforced my idea that all characters should have weight

 

[Shard]

As a reader, I hate characters dying, and have dropped a few novels due to it, though I do acknowledge that it has its place. For writing, not a fan of it either, but I just watch what happens and record it, so if it happens, it happens. Though I'll admit I'd be willing to twist things if one of my favorites did something dumb and died.

 

[Notadate]

Do it again

 

[Dearest_Violet]

I feel as though for stories there are certain characters that simply keep me reading. For these characters I find it really hard to continue if the author makes it clear that they won't be coming back unless they truly give their death meaning and lasting impact.

Otherwise fair game I suppose.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

As long as it's justified. I hate authors who kill their characters just because they like to. At least give proper reasons for their deaths.

I think it's justified for my story... though I will admit I have made a surprising amount of readers sad by killing one of the characters off. The main character is dying of corruption, and their idiotically heroic friend desperately tries to save them from an entity far above them in terms of power (which helps show how Magical Guardians are in terms of personality; i.e. how they are chosen to defend humanity). Idiotically heroic friend dies! But her sacrifice is not in vain, for the Magic in her flesh combats the corruption and brings the main character from the brink of death!

...In other words, cannibalism saves their sorry life.

I don't remember the last time I was invested in a character\story.

You're a writer, aren't you? Are you not even invested in your own story? Sad.

Personally, I see killing off a character (or otherwise removing them from the story) who has served their narrative purpose as sort of the author's job. What I don't like, is if a character's death drags on for several chapters. Even if the character in question is sick with "cancer" or maybe "Victorian Novel Disease" for like a hundred chapters, they are only "sick". I dislike "dying" characters; their death should only take one chapter. Being sudden doesn't bother me; rather it is easier to read a character I like dying in a quick accident than lingering in phantasmagoria at the edge of death for extended suffering. I also prefer deaths that occur in comedically unlikely manners. "The hero Tom Aoto and the evil dragon Dragonite, after an epic battle, struck each other down," is fine, but it can be fun to read "after slaying the evil dragon Dragonite, the hero Tom Aoto hiccoughed while drinking his ale at the village tavern and drowned."

Speaking of a dying character, I have one that has been sick (prior to the start of the story) with cancer that has gained a System Class of its own, which is why he cannot fight it off with his System Class. I am planning on zombifying him, but I don't know if I should jury-rig a solution (hopefully I'll refine it) to keep him alive, or not, and leave only the cancer that is gaining sentience.