Would you continue to read a story if your favorite character died? (POLL)

[TheOne]

Before I started sharing sketches and information about my story and characters. I already decided on who was going to die. But here's the problem, two of the characters that is going to die ended up becoming fan favorites. So if I kill them off, I'm afraid that it's going to turn people off and stop them from continuing the story.

Would you continue to read a story if your favorite character died?

• Yes
• No
• It Depends

Show results

[Cronaj]

It depends a lot on how tasteful the death is, and if it works in the story. For example, if your favorite character is the protagonist, and they up and DIE, and then the story continues with a new protagonist, I would feel a bit betrayed.

Or if a character's death is teased several times, and then they get out of it every time, except the last.... -_-

It really just depends on the situation. There were a lot of GoT characters who died that were my favorites at the time, but most of the time, their death made sense and was tasteful to the character and circumstances.

[HGohwell]

Entirely depends on the show and the death. As long as it matches the tone of the show and makes sense and isn't gratuitous, it's fine. I'm upset, but it's fine.

On the ok end:

Some of my favourite characters have died within fifteen minutes of the first episode and I scold myself for missing the obvious death flags.

Lots of shonen and magical girl anime will kill off, or something equivalent too, a lot of the cast in the run up to the final battle, which is predictable and you know will come back so that never bothers me, if just more annoying that it's ridiculously predictable and rarely done well.

On the not ok end:

Certain other shows will rarely kill a character, but fake it constantly to the point where I don't actually believe them anymore when a named characters falls to certain death or is blown up or even cut in half on national television in a hostage situation. No one dies, And so if then my favourite character ends up being one of the few who actually dies and isn't a fake out, I'll be pissed.

Another certain show killed off my favourite character in a heart wrenching way, a lost student looking to his teacher for guidance was shrugged off and basically told "this is why I could never teach you you're just not right" and the student ended up committing suicide in front of his teacher. You'd expect this to be some impactful moment when he realised he needed to change and wasn't perfect but instead the very next episode it was like it never happened and he was still the best teacher in the world. I dropped it then and there.

And finally, the most annoying that I would have dropped were it not the finale episode anyway: there was a popularity pole take between seasons. Coincidentally, the characters who died in the finale were all the main or secondary characters outside the top 5. Fine, this would be fine, if the show had made certain characters to be popular and it worked. The problem came when we realised not only were they just the characters outside the top 5 most popular, the died in order of their ranking on the pole. The only exception was a character ranked about 7th who died in episode 6 of season 2 at the start of an aborted arc, making it very clear this finale was rushed and not planned at all.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

As with all things, it depends...but I voted 'Yes' because it takes more than one really good character to make me stay with a story. There are plenty of books, shows, and animes I've consumed that contained characters I liked a lot, and yet I will never go back to them because the rest was just way too much garbage.

Simply put, I wouldn't drop a story just because my fave character died. I'd drop it because my fave character died and the plot became muddled as soon as they weren't there to prop it up. Or because they died in a way that they logically shouldn't have, which makes it clear that the author was just using their death for shock value/a plot device. Basically, if the character's death proves that that character was the only good thing you had to offer. ^^;

Some people might be immature enough to drop you out of spite for killing their favorite character off, even if you do it well...but then, do you really want that kind of fan to stick around? I say good riddance...

[Jenny-Toons]

I've dropped stories because of the plot going sour rather than favorite characters dying. And for me, I have to like a story enough for me to get a favorite character. So if the plot is still good, even without my fav, of course I'm still gonna read it.

Also -- that's why you have multiple favorite characters.

[ar-ninetysix]

Man, if the story is that easy to stop reading just bc of one character dying.. that's not a very good story or cast, now is it? If you have the nerve to kill off a favorite character, you better be ready to provide some good content afterwards!

[IndigoShirtProd]

I think how the death is handled by the author and the other character matters and also if the quality of the story is maintained after the character death. And here's the thing about the question, it's not asking about the main character, it's asking about any character. Usually, readers have a better connection with the MC, so when they die, it's a bigger blow. However when other characters die, sometimes it's not that painful but it can be. The story won't stop if a side character dies, it might if the MC dies. And even if your fav character dies and they're not not the MC, odds are you're there mostly to see the MC's story, not just the story of a side character.

[CarltonIsaac]

Story First.
Characters journey through the story and serve their purpose, endearing themselves in the context of the story. And when they (pro or anti) die serving their purpose, they enrich the story.

[indagold]

Yeah, I would even if the protagonist dies. You gotta be ballsy to kill off your main and I like that. There would have to be a myriad of factors that make me stop reading, even if the death was uncalled for.

[DiegoPalacios]

I think the most optimal way to decide who to kill of is to check how these deaths affect the story for better and for worse in the short and long term.

A common mistake is to kill an interesting character to move a plot without considerning how this takes away many chances to explore said character.

[Iris-Grimoire]

It really depends. Kill the only character holding the story together and I can't enjoy anyone else? Dropped(almost did that with Indivisible recently, but thankfully the other characters are BARELY holding my interest). I loved that character but liked the others, and their death changed up the entire dynamic, with their suffering bringing even more fun/"fun" situations? Put that directly on my veins.

Angst is good but don't treat angst likely. You're better off giving a character harrowing breakdowns because they can't cope instead of removing someone for being too competent or a cheap tear jerker.

[awesomefeelsman]

I still want to see how the story goes after the death and how it would affect the other characters. For me I'd rather see how much the event would affect the other characters and how they would use this tragedy to help them move forward so regardless if I've grown attached to a certain character yes I'd still read it till the end.

[Lummy]

I stopped watching reign the moment I discovered (spoiler ahead!)! that almost every character dies in the show, still one of my favourites shows though

[BlueWorldComics]

If my favorite character is the only thing keeping the story together, which isn't really a good thing for the story, then probably not...

But if the story is pretty good (at least) and I just so happen to really really like one of the characters, than sure, I'll stick around begrudgingly...

[Rhonder]

Voted "it depends" with the main stipulations being:

• they weren't the only character I liked. If I disliked the rest of the cast then... ehh might drop. But it's pretty rare to find a story like that. Usually a death, even of a favorite character, won't be a total turn off.

• Depending on how invested in the story I am in general. If I'm deep enough in to the series where I'm invested anyways, a single death won't be likely to stop me. But if I'm not invested anyways and only there for the particular character... then maybe?

I honestly don't know if I've encountered this situation though, where a death was such a big deal that i dropped a story over it. Usually there are other underlying issues. Maybe I'll change my answer to "yes" after all.

[amortelito]

Not gonna lie, I tend to lose interest if my favorite character dies, I'm usually more invested on the characters than in the narrative.

[mariusthered]

I almost stopped reading interview with a vampire after lastat died ( or should i say died again!) but they are such good books you just have to read the end.

[rmdooley]

I have stopped reading stories because my favorite character died and that caused me to lose interest. I have kept reading stories because my favorite character was no the main attraction to the the story and wanted to see how it ended despite their absence.

It really depends, it's harder for character driven stories to keep interest once a favorite is gone.

[TheOne]

It was interesting to read all of these different responses and turn offs. So if my readers are anything like y'all, I have nothin to worry about.

[MK_Wizard]

Definitely and I have been in that situation many times. Tragedy is a part of good storytelling.