forum Could the Main Character be Killed at the End if Done Right?

Started March 07, 2018 by Anonymous author

tune

I want to kill off my main character. Should I do it, and how would I do it?

You definitely could if you wanted to. It's been done in many books before. However, unless you have a secondary character that could continue the plot, I don't recommend going on with it just yet.
Though, if you do have a character that can advance the plot, then the way your character should go out is up to you! It could be a dramatic and unexpected death, or a simple and foreshadowed death. (Example: Character is killed off by a beloved pet/friend/family member, nobody saw it coming.) (Example: Character is killed in a battle they knew they couldn't win.)
Hope this helped you! :)

Yeah, you just need to do it in a way that's meaningful, and makes the reader feel like it really means something. I agree with what Luminuus said, definitely.

FE4 did it. Sigurd died and then his son became the main character.
I am also doing it, but my main character gets revived by magic.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm planning on doing it at the end, the epilogue being the funeral (I know not to drag out the funeral, it wouldn't be that detailed). Also, I'm hoping to keep it open ended, so I could come back to it and have the character revived if I wanted to, and also give whoever is reading hope. Appreciate the responses, didn't think I'd get any

Killing a main character can certainly be done. However, it needs to further the plot of the story or else it might alienate readers. Anyone who is reading your story for the characters will feel cheated if the characters die. This is especially true for the main character. I'd suggest making their death a sacrifice to accomplish something grand or special. Dying from battle wounds fighting for something they believe in or saving someone they care about also works.

If you didn't have a secondary character to keep the story going, I'd say no. If you did, it would need to be done a certain way. But since it's just going to be the end of your story, I think that it would be okay. You need to be careful, however, we as readers often feel angry/sad or cheated when a main character dies. Just be aware that this will happen and I suggest having their death be for something worthy or something they believe in, like Enigmatic Wayfarer said. Definitely do not drag out the funeral, that'll kill the vibe (pun intended). I like how you're leaving it open ended, that'll definitely help ease the pain, so to speak, for the readers. Best of luck!!!