Bad Character Deaths vs Good Character Deaths (Writing Advice)

Summary

In this video, author Brandon McNulty explores the art of character deaths in storytelling, emphasizing the difference between impactful and poorly executed ones. He discusses five key elements that make a death significant: emotional impact, story impact, relevance to character arcs, appropriate character reactions, and realism. Using examples from 'Psycho,' 'Man of Steel,' 'Attack on Titan,' and others, McNulty illustrates how some deaths enhance narratives while others, like those in 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Walking Dead,' fall short due to lack of buildup, anticlimactic moments, or cheap fake-outs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video discusses how to effectively and meaningfully kill off characters in stories.
• 😢 Emotional impact is crucial for a good character death; it should stir strong feelings in the audience.
• 🌟 A character's death should have a significant story impact, changing the narrative world.
• 🔄 Relevance to character arcs is important; death should mark the end of a character's journey and affect other characters' arcs.
• 🤔 Appropriate character reactions are necessary to add layers of emotion to a death.
• 🎭 Realism and believability are key; a death should make sense within the story's context.
• 🚫 'Killed by the writer' is a bad death type where a character's death feels unnatural or contrived.
• 🏆 'Anticlimactic death' is another bad type where a major confrontation fails to live up to expectations.
• 💥 'Cheap fake-out death' is a bad type where a character appears to die but returns later, manipulating audience emotions.
• 🚫 'Meaningless death' occurs when a character dies with minimal story impact, often for shock value.
• ✍️ The video encourages viewers to consider the worst or best character death they've witnessed.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed in the video script is the art of killing off characters in stories effectively and meaningfully. It explores what makes a character death good and provides examples of both good and bad character deaths.

What are the five elements that make a character death good according to the script?

The five elements that make a character death good are emotional impact, story impact, relevance to character arcs, appropriate character reactions, and realism and believability.

Can you provide an example of a character death that hits all five points mentioned in the script?

Yes, the script uses the example of Marion Crane's death in the movie 'Psycho'. It hits all five points by providing emotional impact, changing the story, marking the end of Marion's personal journey, eliciting appropriate reactions from other characters, and being realistic within the context of the story.

What is the first type of bad death discussed in the script?

The first type of bad death discussed is 'Killed by the Writer', where a character dies in a way that feels unnatural or contrived, often to force emotional impact or character motivation.

How does the script describe the death of Jonathan Kent in 'Man of Steel'?

The script describes the death of Jonathan Kent in 'Man of Steel' as a bad example of a 'Killed by the Writer' death. It is criticized for being contrived, with a conveniently timed tornado and illogical decisions that lead to an overly dramatic but unconvincing moment.

What is the second type of bad death mentioned in the script?

The second type of bad death mentioned is the 'Anticlimactic Death', where a deadly confrontation, usually involving the hero and villain, fails to live up to the hype.

How does the script analyze the death of the Night King in 'Game of Thrones'?

The script analyzes the death of the Night King in 'Game of Thrones' as an anticlimactic death. It points out that the death was unsatisfying because it was quick, easy, and lacked the personal connection and payoff that the audience expected after multiple seasons of buildup.

What is the third type of bad death discussed in the script?

The third type of bad death discussed is the 'Cheap Fake-Out Death', where a character appears to die but then returns later alive and well, often manipulating the audience's emotions and distracting from real story problems.

How does the script critique the 'fake-out' death of Glenn in 'The Walking Dead'?

The script critiques the 'fake-out' death of Glenn in 'The Walking Dead' as unconvincing and manipulative. It overshadows the real death of another character and feels like a cheap cliffhanger designed to keep viewers engaged, rather than serving the story.

What is the fourth type of bad death mentioned in the script?

The fourth type of bad death mentioned is the 'Meaningless Death', where a major character dies but has minimal story impact, often prioritized for shock value and involving a rushed or forced character arc.

How does the script describe the death of Curtis Manning in '24'?

The script describes the death of Curtis Manning in '24' as a meaningless death. It had minimal story impact and was overshadowed by another tragedy. The death was also criticized for having a rushed motivation, feeling forced, and minimizing a major character.

What question does the script pose to viewers at the end?

The script asks viewers to share their thoughts on the worst or best character death they've ever witnessed in the comments section.