#ice melts fire

[bonefall]

Hey, what makes a character a 'plot device but not a character'? And how do you not do that? I'm trying to do it on purpose but also I need to still make them interesting because it's on purpose, yknow?

A good skill to pick up is to learn to criticise criticism itself. A "plot device" is simply a thing that moves the plot along, it's a neutral literary analysis term! Usually, when people are angry that "a character has been used as a plot device," it doesn't mean they hate plot devices. It means they're gesturing at something deeper.

Runningwind and Bumble are equally plot devices in their deaths. They are both killed by the antagonist to escalate political tension. Runningwind is rarely "accused" of just being a plot device, and yet, we're talking about Bumble for the same thing.

So, why?

Well, Runningwind is just a background character, but in life, he was a part of the community. He was characterized as impatient but responsible. Yet, he wasn't SO important that he died with a bunch of unresolved plot threads.

He is mostly an extension of the entity of ThunderClan. His killing by Tigerstar, and the fear and paranoia that settles on the group after this, feel like a progression of the story insteas of something forced.

Bumble, on the other hand...

Is hated immediately by Gray Wing, when she's established as Turtle Tail's friend. Bumble's abuse at Tom the Wifebeater's hands invites even MORE investment. The rejection is shocking and upsetting. There's a story there about our main characters being imperfect; jealous, bigoted, and judgemental.

But, she is simply killed off. Everything they set up for this character is gone with little personalized fanfare. It's not a tragedy with a lesson about cruelty, or something anyone regrets.

It's just... plot. Gray Wing whinging that no one will like his shitty brother now that his body count is 2.

More than that, in the discussion of women in particular, "Fridging" was coined to give a name to the way women characters often don't get their stories told at all. There is a CULTURAL trend of female characters facing disproportionate violence, for the sake of advancing male plots.

Bumble has a lot going for her. Petal had a lot going for her. Turtle Tail had a lot going for her. Bright Stream had a lot going for her. When they died, they took their potential with them.

It's not always wrong to kill off a character of high potential, mind you. In Gurren Lagann, Kamina's death is sudden and shocking, leaving a massive hole in the hearts of the cast that never heals. Grappling with that loss, but also letting his memory fuel them, is a major theme of that story.

All that to say... there's no formula for avoiding it. You've gotta identify what the deeper issue is, in your specific narrative.

I can't say for certain what that will look like for your story, but here's some things I keep in mind;

When you make characters who exist to die, make sure they're people before you axe them.

Ask yourself; what about them does the cast miss?

If they just miss them because they were (pre-existing relationship), go back to the drawing board.

Fluttering Bird as an example. Who was she? Dead sister. Why do they miss her? Dead sister. No traits until after her death.

Runningwind was short-tempered and helpful. Kamina was a valuable leader who made people believe in a brighter future. Swiftpaw was fiesty and desperate to prove himself. The better characterized, the more profound the loss usually is.

If this is a female character who is dying just to serve the plot, be aware of cultural bias and tropes. How is the gender ratio looking in your cast? Is this happening disproportionately with your girls?

Note how Quiet Rain's litter had both a boy and a girl, but the girl was chosen to be "weaker" and wither away.

And how most of the time in DOTC, whenever a man had to be upset, a girl would get killed for it.

If you ever feel like the character on the chopping block is NOT a full character, ask yourself why it needs to be a character at all. You don't need to spend narrative time building out someone when a literal object of high value might suffice.

"My sister died when I swore to protect her and I can't face my family" = Old. Tired. Ive seen this.

"I lost my heirloom sword when I swore to protect it and I can't face my family." = Fascinating. Why was the sword so valuable? Will they really not take you back? How did you lose it?

When you do kill off "high value" characters, try to make sure you're not leaving too many plot threads hanging. Or at least make a point of how they will never get closure.

[cchanticleer]

intsys said 'yeah sorry about all those plot threads we dropped and never picked back up. have some acres of flesh as compensation'

in my heart f!shez also gets to have the sick circle shades

[duchess-of-oldtown]

The more we get of season 2 of House of the Dragon, the more convinced I am that Ryan Condal just read a synopsis on the ASOIAF wiki.

[barbreypilled]

can I say she’s the Prim of The Dragon Books or will y’all put me to the sword

don’t tag as racebending

[shmowder]

me looking at the tomato and cucumber slices pressed together in my burger: It's so Burakhovsky-esque

[morismentos]

What’s your favorite Have a Nice Death character? Any headcanons for them?

it feels like every other day another character becomes my favorite, they’re all so good. but i do have to say i enjoy Life a lot. we see her through mostly mentions, it’s just so interesting!! (also again her similarities to death)

she is also the character i have the most headcanons about! because there’s not much we know about her like. personally

anyhow here’s the list there’s probably sooome stuff i forgot if but this is the maiiin jist

- i like to think she has a snake collection, along with various bugs. she likes lavender condas

- despite the quite chaotic nature of life i like to think her personal living space is quite organized, think like those minimalism houses cause i think it’s funny

-she’s also a huge nerd just about different things (i think she would be into like. miniatures, and also wood carving)

- her food pallet is a lot larger than deaths but she is very particular about texture (ex: she cannot stand the mushy texture of oatmeal, the opposite goes for death ofc)

- she’s trans (i want to make a comic about this at sooome point)

- mythology enjoyer but like. animal mythology, it inspires her. fairies centaurs ectect

- ‘has’ a movie collection. it mostly if not all consists of movies death brought that he just never took back. and mostly ones that he would rant about the whole time. sometimes she would as well. now she doesn’t really watch movies anymore, too busy. (she can’t watch them because they just remind her of him)

- loooves the cold, and ice skating, death would say he hasn’t ever skated in his vast life. but he has. he’s just not great at it.

- they gave each other nicknames, death would shorten her name to nat (though he did this very Very rarely), and life would use variations of moris, mori, mors

[myimaginationplain]

AI art has thoroughly infested the ASOIAF/GOT/HOTD fandom(s) & I hate it so so much

[jakeroo123]

Ice Luigi is a being of ultimate power.

... I've been playing Mario & Luigi: Brothership a lot.

And the way the Ice Flower is introduced is ridiculously over-the-top and, in my opionion, quite funny.

[melonthesprigatito]

A while ago I saw a post that was essentially "Who would win if your latest blorbo got into a fight with your first ever blorbo?"

I dunno, that would be an interesting match up actually.

[casser-starkling]

obsessed with how wet robb stark always is

[lorcas-painter]

‘Enduring fire burns, everlasting frost melting, the sand and earth weep’

[comfied-chriterature]

SHY episode 10 had me bawling so hard I am in tears I am a mess it is 5 AM and I'm sobbing

The way we watched this impoverished single mother convince herself that her child hated her because she thought she could never make her happy I'm so broken

[yourdrugisafartbreaker]

How the hell did blud get up there in the tree

[cherryistired]

🖥️🧁☄️ pls! :D

for you, a supervillain! specifially an ai baking assistant that went rogue and decided to get revenge on the stupid confectioneries that put an ai in charge of a facility with functional oversized baking equipment!

[faaun]

she says my heart is yours, from the caspian shores.

[kiestrokes]

me: attends raging new girl 29th birthday party with a lot of friends excited for their kid free weekend

me the next day: extremely puffy eyed at my desk because I signed up for overtime