When To Kill Off A Character

Killing off a character is an important moment in a story, and the impact it has depends on how well it's done. Done well, it can be a shocking and emotional moment that can alter the story, but done poorly, it ends up being a cheap and emotionally manipulative stunt that reeks of wasted potential. The timing for killing off a character is one important aspect, so I will focus on the pros and cons of killing off characters near the beginning of the story, midway through it or near the end.

First, the beginning of a story. Killing off a character at the very beginning of the story can help set the plot in motion, especially if the story is about the consequences of the character's death. On the other hand, it's harder to care about a character whom you've only just gotten to know, although it can be possible to retroactively flesh out that character through flashbacks.

Now for the end of the story. Killing off a character near the end of the story can be a good way to deliver the most emotional impact by killing someone the audience has become invested in, although as a caveat, that is only if the character has been around for a long time. By this point, the character's arc and role in the story have likely concluded, and the creator won't need to worry about the character's absence having an impact on the narrative. The obvious downside is that the story has much less time to explore the consequences of the character's death, although this can be mitigated if the character dies at the start of the final act or arc, rather than at the very end, or if there is a sequel. That being said, it may make sense to kill off the character in the climactic battle, in which casualties are inevitable.

The middle of the story can be a happy medium between the two. It allows you to build up and develop a character before killing them off, then use the rest of the story to explore the impact their death has. Of course, the execution is most important, and there may be times when it makes off to kill off the character near the beginning or end of the story.

In conclusion, there are no clear-cut right or wrong answers to when to kill off a character; whether the timing is right depends on the story you want to tell, and how you go about doing it.

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