Hmm... on the one hand a part of me reacts strongly to the idea of dying for a cause, or having a character die to prove a point, and not in a very positive way. But on the other hand, it's often the case that it's one specific plot elements that allows the narrative's themes to be fully expressed, that enables it to do what it does. Things like, I don't know, two characters meeting, or a journey, or... something. I could list a few examples, but hopefully you know what I mean. So with that in mind, it feels a little arbitrary to say that using death to fulfil this role in a narrative* weakens or flaws it, but using any other specific element/event doesn't. Something like, say, Six Feet Under constantly uses death to heighten or express its themes - is it inherently flawed? I DO have feelings about the idea of martyrdom, but I'm trying to look at this aside from them. Does any of this make sense?


*Although I feel very differently about it if it's the lady dying, or the glbtq character, or the character of colour, because of the long history attached to these characters being sacrificed.