alright so this almost pains me to write because we all know we love reading a book where all the heroes live.

but it's just not realistic all the time.

usually, if it's that much of a relief that everyone is still alive, then there was a big threat, and if there was a big threat that was defeated, then someone was going to die. probably more than one but let's say for now it's just one.

your readers will riot.

but theyll also thank you for realizing that life is not so common a thing and death is not something that can just be denied because the particular character was beloved and "couldn't" die because of his/her duty.

writing good fiction means realizing that real life is the best model for it. which means that you can't pick and choose which one you want to pick. you have to incorporate all of life into it.

to those who say "it's fiction the author can do whatever they want because it's not history"

yeah

you're right.

but you know who flies by those rules?

the authors of childrens books. where everyone can do everything and the baddie gets defeated and everyone can be a hero.

the great authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, William Shakespeare, O'Henry, Mark Twain, etc.

They wrote about life, and everything in it. death, life, pain, suffering, love, joy, happiness, fear, family.

and look how damn successful they were.

anyway, that's my rant.