False Deaths: Should They Be Used?

Having characters fake their own death, actually "dying" and coming back, or any variation thereof is super common these days. Is it really a kids movie if a character doesn't "die" and then turn out to be okay?

I watched Rise of the Titans, the final installment in the Tales of Arcadia universe, the other day, and the ending made me think about this topic again. (We'll talk more about this movie in a minute.) Faux deaths are running rampant in our media, especially in movies, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. Allow me to explain why.

Death Is Not Trivial

I understand why faux death is so popular. We want to feel like these characters are in actual danger, and not protected by plot armor. What better way to make the conflict and danger feel real than killing of one of the major characters?

But, especially in kids movies, I feel like this can be more harmful than helpful. Kids need to understand that death is real, not something that can be fixed through magic or good thoughts. It's getting to the point where I see a character die and I count the seconds until they come back to life.

Death is a real, sad thing, brought on by the consequences of our sins. But if you believe in Jesus, then you also have a promise of living forever with him after death. Which brings me to my next point.

Death and Resurrection

I find it interesting that our films seem to be obsessed with coming back from death. Especially because that is such a big part of Christian faith. Even though the world might not see it, they're still reflecting the wonderful deeds that God has done.

Humans are afraid of death, because deep down they know they are sinful and in need of saving. I think that's why we strive so hard to live as long as possible, and make death seem like a bad thing. That is reflected time and time again in our stories.

What are stories but a reflection of the truth? They remind us of what's important in the world, or encourage us to be better. They bring light and truth. Even stories by worldly people can still speak the truth, whether they meant it or not.

So yes, it kind of amuses me that in a world that rejects God so often, they still fashion their stories after the greatest story of all.

The Big Problem

It all comes down to the fact that when you fake kill and bring back to life everyone in sight, it diminishes the power of death, which is an excellent story tool, as well as an important lesson. Death becomes nothing more than another punch to the face, that our characters can just shake off without lasting consequences.

Let's go back to Rise of the Titans. (Spoilers if you haven't seen it yet.) Throughout the film, a lot of major characters from the franchise die. The characters, and the audience, barely get a moment to mourn, which is a big indicator that this isn't how it's going to end.

Then we get to the last big battle, where Jim has to reclaim his power (it's complicated) and fight the final Titan alone. His best friend, Tobey, helps him in the last moments of the battle, giving him the edge he needs to win. The Titan collapses and everyone is "Oh no, where's Jim?". He comes out of the smoke and rubble, as heroes do. Whew. Until we realize Tobey is missing. Surprise, he sacrificed himself and now he's dead.

This may sound harsh, but if they had actually killed all those characters, even Tobey, and given them a noble death, and given us time to mourn their loss, then it would have been great. Their victory would have been sad, but earned. I mean, this is the one Tales of Arcadia thing where I felt like people actually died.

Instead, Jim decides to use the time stone thingy he got earlier in the movie to go back in time and do it all over again, but different. Oh, and he somehow made Tobey the Trollhunter, which is an issue for a completely different post. It triggers me to think about, so let's move on.

But because of that choice, all those deaths felt cheap. What was the point if they were all going to come back and do it again, the "right" way? Trollhunters has always been a franchise I felt like took things seriously, until this movie. Actions had consequences.

The same goes for any story where people are killed only to come back. When you take away the true harshness of death, then it makes the stakes of the story seem weak.

Kill Those Darlings

Literally. Kill them. And let them stay dead. If you do it thoughtfully, then it becomes a powerful and memorable part of your story. Look at Tadashi from Big Hero 6. His death hurts me to this day. But the fact that he died and stayed dead is what drives the plot and a lot of Hiro's actions. If he'd come back, the whole story would have weakened.

Remind us that death is real. That doesn't mean we let fear of it rule over us, but we can't deny it any more than we can deny that the sun comes up every day. If you use character deaths to mean something, not just for shock value, than you can bring depth to your story that many films are lacking today.

What are your thoughts on faux death? What's one that really irks you? Tell me in the comments!

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