What if Death was a Person?

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We're all familiar with death as an icon, a figure, a personification of a natural force... but what about as a character? An individual, with thoughts, and feelings, and desires? What would that death look like?
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[@TheTaleFoundry]

80,000 HOURS ➤ 80000hours.org/talefoundry Please, please take this opportunity to check out 80,000 Hours. They exist PURELY to help you find a job that will enable you to change the world, and they're offering all their resources to you entirely for free! At the very least, it's certainly worth giving a look!

[@Aislinsweetdreams]

Straight lied about Hades, his name is Thanatos in Greek myth

[@FizzleFX]

For all his sadism and joy in the hunt - the death in *Puss* DOES treasure lifes! He does all of this to puss becaues *puss does not value it- throws away his own lifes!* and this grinds deaths gears. He even does not take the last one as soon as puss starts appreciating the one he got. Thats all he ever wanted. So he isnt even cruel at all

[@kharijordan6426]

I couldn't help but think of the completionist iconic "COMPLET IT!" when you said death is a completion of the human experience.

[@draconity]

Holy cow! Thank you for 80,000 hours. I'm trying to find a job and dreading the drudgery. This could be what helps me take off.

[@Grim-Reaper...]

*It's quite impressive what quality of content you provide for the mortals.*

[@LivingFire_BurningFlame]

I actually think the reason why Death is a wolf is because wolves are known being endurance hunters -- they basically run their prey to exhaustion. I think that serves as a parallel to the concept of Death -- No one can outrun Death, because Death never stops chasing.

[@andrecarpenter2432]

Also, the big bad wolf has been associated with death for centuries

[@MathasiaJ]

El Lobo in Puss in Boots explicitly says "no one's escaped me yet" in the beginning of the movie

[@Loromir17]

That being said, it does inspire me for a character in some kind non-human-centic setting, to make Death human specifically. Humans are the most notorious persistence hunters known.

[@Aislinsweetdreams]

Actually they're coordinating pack hunters

[@verzule1544]

​@@Loromir17my brain started spitting randomness because of you so now you have to read it: Non human: hey are you death? Human posing as death in that world: No, no I'm Jeff you just heard it wrong, but at this point I don't think it matters...

[@Saffi____]

"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know in a universe so full of wonders they have managed to invent boredom? Quite astonishing." - Death, Sir Terry Pratchett

[@warrenbradford2597]

Is boredom created to appreciate things that is fascinating? If everything is fascinating, then nothing is.🤔

[@erikbuchanan4648]

Just one example of Sir Pratchett's amazing way with words and his unique view on life.

[@originalprecursor]

@@warrenbradford2597 OR! Everything is indeed fascinating, thus the 'nothing' in the equation is unrelated to its fascination.

[@giladpellaeon1691]

A favorite quote in my favorite Discworld novel from my favorite Discworld character, Bill Door.

[@tntguy7915]

best iterations of death ever

[@midnightdoggo]

"And I don't mean it metaphorically, or rhetorically, or poetically, or theoretically, or any other fancy way. I'm Death. Straight. Up." best quote in the movie right there

[@WilliamWizer]

at least, it's the one everybody has learned. but, personally, I would go with "I know I can't defeat you Lobo, but I will never stop fighting for THIS life" although "live your life Puss in boots. live it well" is also quite a quote if you can read what Lobo is truly saying.

[@michaeljcaboose1152]

Can’t lie, I thought that quote was incredibly corny and single-handedly ruined his entire character. He was threatening, and used that to great advantage, but that quote was so out of left field that it made me question wether or not I was meant to take death seriously. That one line turned him from an incarnation of death, to a joke. Nothing more than a metaphor in a kids show that needed to be explained.

[@the_king_of_kings_3413]

I know it’s the best line, however the way his mouth moves when he says the last word is just funny to me.

[@justinalicea1590]

​@@michaeljcaboose1152...did you, skip the rest of the movie or something? While I can agree that that line can be subjective in whether it is weird or creepily funny, it passes on and Death continues with the same terror as when he first fought with Puss with just his words.

[@beterotato6757]

​@@michaeljcaboose1152dude, the entire point of the Shrek franchise was to subvert fairytales. In fairy tales, usually there's a character that's a metaphor for death or destruction or something. Here, they reject that idea. He's literally just death.

[@Kemot300]

"LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?” ― Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

[@keeper_of_the_nerd_herd]

Sir Terry Pratchett *

[@Yal_Rathol]

YES.

[@giladpellaeon1691]

The late GREAT Sir Terry Pratchett. GNU

[@GoranXII]

@@keeper_of_the_nerd_herdThe book came out 18 years before he was knighted.

[@Karldin83]

I hope Death is like sir Terry described him. What a wonderful character. Neil Gaiman's version in Sandman is a good second “I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.”

[@0XBlondie96X0]

Having literally been raised a cat person, I relate so hard

[@giladpellaeon1691]

"Cats were once worshiped as gods, they have not forgotten."

[@aceundead4750]

Cats are contradictions. They're nice yet want your soul, they're cuddly but steal babies breaths, funny and at the same time more stubborn than a pack of mules.

[@user-jy8np7zx3z]

everything is nice, my dear collection of stuff that is gonna disperse once you die. No soul needed, and you would like dissolving, like I once did

[@reaganmonkey8]

I like the depiction in The Book Thief, where Death is the narrator and is just tired of his job where he gets no vacation. He uses color to break up the monotony.

[@wjpjr7854]

I was looking for this. This version of Death looks feels like one that would've been sympathetic and caring in his work, but has been traumatized by the sudden and sustained bloodshed of the world wars and can hardly take time to focus on any particular person.

[@alexkaen1701]

I'd call Discworld's Death as not only Benevolent, but Heroic. Heroic Death takes care with every life he harvests, down to the smallest flower for which he has a special scythe. When Eldritch horrors rise up to shatter reality, he may take up his scythe to defend reality. When reality grows too austere, he challenges the universe itself to set things right.

[@matthewstarkie4254]

IT IS SAID THAT WHEN THE WORLD COMES TO AN END, WE FOUR WILL RISE UP AND FIGHT.....IT DOES NOT SAY ON WHO'S SIDE. Paraphrased from Thief of Time, I think.

[@G3HP]

To throw a benevolent version of Death out there - While mostly centred around animals, the web-comic "Loving Reaper" by Jenny Jinya depicts a version of death that is very compassionate, almost sorrowful of the job they know needs to be done

[@invertedghostgames9899]

This is arguably the best version of Benevolent Death, imo.

[@flarethedragonlord7470]

Best death imo

[@dj_4point084]

It's so sad yet so comforting this version of death.

[@brianh746]

Was just about to comment this myself but decided to check and ofcourse someone already mentioned it haha

[@dyciefisk2535]

Not so much cutting you down, or even simply coming to collect. But someone who is there to guide you, so you don't have to be alone. Also reminds me of this one SCP. I don't remember the number, but it was Someone To Watch Over Us. Someone who comes to those on the verge of death that have nobody else. Anyone who would have otherwise would have died alone and forgotten to comfort them in their past moments. To know that they aren't forgotten, not by everyone.

[@onegingerjournal6179]

Shout out Sir Terry Pratchett, his version of death is beautiful

[@Saffi____]

Hell ya brother!

[@MadameRaven1]

GNU Sir Pterry

[@toppersundquist]

Er, I believe you mean good ol' Bill Door. Heck of a nice guy.

[@giladpellaeon1691]

GNU

[@mantarariana64]

Fun fact, he’s received letters from fans saying that they hope they meet his version of death

[@nanisaldana2064]

One webtoon that I really enjoy, is called Loving Reaper. It shows Death in the traditional sense of s skeleton in a cloak, but showing such empathy snd kindness to the souls who died. Its usually woth animals, but it really does give a sense of relief and comfort that when the people or animals inevitably go. I love it.

[@Wolven6]

That one has had me in tears more than a few times.

[@Leijinga]

That comic is so pretty and so poignant.

[@Harleopet]

Love that one, was gonna comment on it, but you already did, so have a comment and a like.

[@odeofdespair]

I was looking through the comments to see if anyone else was going to mention the Loving Reaper. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.

[@aberniteliner]

Death from Puss in Boots is the best depiction of this character concept in an animation movie.

[@daisyphinney1038]

Agreed

[@protovision7040]

(and the hottest)

[@andistansbury4366]

What

[@botehredb]

@@protovision7040I’m sorry, it seems like you said ‘the hottest’?

[@The_Average_Enjoyer]

@@botehredbdid he stutter?

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

The first time I read a Terry Pratchett novel, my mother had just died after a long struggle with brain cancer and I was not taking things well. A friend gave me a copy of Reaper Man and he said reading it would help. I still have that copy and you can still see where I cried all over certain pages of it, but it really did help me come to terms with a lot of things. I've since read through the whole series, but Death remains my favorite of the Discworld characters. And now my therapist lends copies of Reaper Man to clients struggling with loss. It's amazing how the right portrayal of a concept as scary and painful as "death" can offer so much comfort and hope.

[@BemusedOwl]

Its pretty insane that Sir Terry narrated his own death scene with Death, if you havent read it its worth a look, just be ready to cry

[@MinisDunyasi5]

I love the way Charles Dickens wrote death in A Christmas Carol. Death is presented by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The character doesn’t say a word and doesn’t show its face, along with the atmosphere of the chapter, it successfully created darkness and mystery. Its not the Grim Reaper, but it cleverly represented death.

[@valutaatoaofunknownelement197]

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come probably didn't need to speak because his appearance and the tomb of Scrooge tell Scrooge his fate if he doesn't change: Death. But more specifically, dead and forgotten.

[@MinisDunyasi5]

@@valutaatoaofunknownelement197 The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come not speaking could’ve also represented uncertainty. Because Scrooge was uncertain about his future. The future wasn’t set in set in stone, and Scrooge did change the future as its stated at the end of the novella “Tiny Tim did not die” and Scrooge celebrated Christmas with happiness.

[@valutaatoaofunknownelement197]

@@MinisDunyasi5 I've never heard of that novella, but I can see that being part of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Comes' symbolism.

[@MinisDunyasi5]

@@valutaatoaofunknownelement197 A Christmas Carol is a novella. It is longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel.

[@jasonjasso666]

Everyone hypes up the wolf from Puss in Boots, but true Dreamworks enthusiasts know of Death, for he is Mort the lemur, the true reaper of souls.

[@LoreFinder-li3jp]

Theorizer? That guy made a long theory about mort and death yknow

[@jasonjasso666]

@@LoreFinder-li3jp I’m aware, that’s what I’m referencing.

[@thomashaeyen6942]

There are many morts, for he is legion. Wait no wrong reference-

[@the_black_fox9136]

Ah, a fellow enlightened one.

[@quoccuongtran724]

so Mort means "Death" in Latin. A HA!

[@theblackwithin3457]

"what can the harvest hope for if not the care of the reaper man?" - one of my favourite quotes ever.

[@earlmartinvalencia]

While it's not specifically a personification of death, I think that SCP-4999 is a beautiful example of a Death-related character. The concept of someone that will stand beside you as you pass away, keeping you company in your final moments, has a hidden beauty.

[@godrickstockwell1505]

I almost wonder if this is a sort of nod or reference to Dr. Sleep the sequel to The Shining. In the book Danny is all grown up and uses his gift to ease the journey of those dying in the hospital he works at.

[@kylenaspecials]

My personal favorite characterization of death is in the webtoon loving reaper. He is kind and always tries to fulfill his victim’s requests before sending them off to the afterlife. When bad things happen to kill them he is compassionate and always ensures them that everything will be okay.

[@TechtonixZi]

Jenny Jinya's "Loving Reaper" is a beautiful take on Death.

[@savakirilov5263]

There's a character in league of legends, or two characters actually. They're kindred , the death of that world , one lamb , who puts down those that accept death and a wolf that chases those that run from it and eventually eats them. They speak in rhymes and mysterious quotes and I really find that an interesting character , one of my favourite depictions of death

[@ashwinhalepet7487]

I also like that kindred is both benevolent death (lamb, who will spare you from suffering too long) and malevolent death (wolf, who loves chasing those who think they can fight or run)

[@savakirilov5263]

@@ashwinhalepet7487 Exactly , that's why I'm mentioning them , because they're both. It's such a cool idea as well , I haven't played the game in years and I still keep up with the lore , they are my favourite character

[@xavierburval4128]

I’m surprised more comments haven’t mentioned them. They’re the only characterization of death with two different characters, and in my opinion easily take the spot for most unique. Lamb and Wolf, by design, are polar opposites of each other, residing on opposite ends of whatever spectrum you put them on. What’s interesting, though, is that they aren’t exactly “consistent” with it. Lamb is the merciful one, but she experiences no emotions whatsoever, and is completely indifferent to her work. Wolf is savage and malevolent, but you can kind of empathize with him and how he feels, and he’s the one who enjoys his hunts. Ironically, lamb is compassionate but experiences no emotion, yet has perfect understanding of all of them. On the other hand is Wolf who, despite being the “evil” one, sees and experiences lots of emotions, but doesn’t understand any of them. The examples just go on and on, even gameplay-wise they’re opposites although that’s not as important. Theres another reason I like them so much, and it’s perfectly summarized in one of Lamb’s quotes: “those who fear us grant us the most power.” It’s the idea that Death gets its power from mortals’ fear of it, but Legends of Runeterra explores this even further, creating even more characterizations of Death. The common theme with all of them is that they only exist as long as people believe in them, and actually die themselves when they are forgotten. In a way, death is reliant on the living, to the point where one of the characters will literally beg souls to remember them. It’s a very empowering message: You ultimately control how much power death has over you, regardless of what that death is like. There’s a lower bound, yes, but the choice is still yours. That’s something worth remembering. P.S. There’s also a theme with masks going on, but I’d need someone else to explain that.

[@GlitchBoy-ws5in]

What do you expected G*mer who degraded them into just another rule 34 characters, They're really great Representation of death IMO

[@Veldazandtea]

There's a good youtube vid about that. Where they make short yet powerful statements to each other. Look up "Lamb and Wolf". The wolf is toying with his prey. Tells his victims to "Run if you can". He'll want to see courage, but most don't have that.

[@LightCat22]

the best death in fiction is the one that SPEAKS IN ALL CAPS. You know the one.

[@MathasiaJ]

LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?

[@Roxor128]

He even has serifs on his handwriting.

[@MathasiaJ]

Overly Sarcastic Productions covered a similar topic really well for their Halloween special Trope Talk and it Is so cool to see you covering it from your own perspective!!

[@MathasiaJ]

I am also of the belief that Discworld's Death is the best. Even just the texture of his dialogue is so good. He speaks in plain facts and his voice carries so much authority that he doesn't even use quotation marks, he just speaks statements into existence in capital letters. And above all, he just *cares*. He takes life after life forever and he cares about every single one. When he becomes a farmer he reaps the grain stalk by stalk with a hand-sharpened scythe, because "what can the harvest hope for if not for the care of the reaper man?"

[@panizshariat7892]

YES two of my favorite channels since I love writing and world building

[@daisyphinney1038]

Glad someone mentioned them here! OSP and Tale gotta be my two favorite places for tropes and talks

[@RickReasonnz]

@@daisyphinney1038 I'd bet large that the cross over of people subbed to both channels is rather high. Both excellent channels!

[@Acacius1992]

Never liked OSP. They are so unsympathetic for me.

[@jerrickothomas8345]

Another great example of benevolent death is "Loving Reaper " a webtoon by Jenny Jinya. Always gentle always understanding and just trying to help.

[@Dreamfox-df6bg]

The thought that no matter how long you lived, how you died or if you were lonely that at the end you will meet someone who cares is comforting. In that regard I remember something I discovered not so long ago, season 3 episode 81 of the show 'The Twilight Zone' titled 'Nothing in the Dark' that had a very caring Death.

[@azraelimmortal972]

There were 2 iterations of Death I was hoping would appear I was almost certain the version of Death from The Book Thief would be mentioned as one of the more apathetic versions of Death. They have some interesting commentary on the nature of death, like comparing War to an overbearing boss, as well as a dry and subtle sense of humour that makes them enjoyable as the narrator. I knew this wouldn't be mentioned, but I really want to mention my favourite characterization of Death. The one from the extremely underrated game Have a Nice Death. He's basically just the boss of a giant company suffering from burnout. After hearing there's a bunch of problems occurring within Death Inc. He decides to do a form of employee check-up to overcome his burnout. The game is similar to Hollow Knight, which might be why I enjoyed it, but Death in it is just a lovable guy who desperately just wants a vacation

[@darth_olomew]

"O, death. Become my blade once more"-Maliketh, the Black Blade. I'm now realizing Maliketh was a wolf and probably himself an extension of the rune of death.

[@farfa2937]

You're probably right that FromSoft intended that symbolism, but Maliketh existed before he was charged by Marika to hold the rune of death. As another youtuber said, he is Marika's Nintendog.

[@Kos1256]

I always assumed he had some control over death cause he has the rune of death

[@Mae_Dastardly]

I thought he was a lion tho

[@shagarumedic]

Maliketh took on the rune of death and swore to protect it following the GEQ’s defeat, he’s not an extension of it at all

[@Veldazandtea]

@@Mae_Dastardly How is a grey looking canine a lion?

[@giladpellaeon1691]

Interesting that the two most beloved characters of Death were both created by two authors who were such good close friends.

[@mollywantshugs5944]

Death in Puss in Boots isn’t so much malicious in general as he resents Puss for taking his lives for granted. 9 lives is way more than most get, and Puss treats such a wonderful gift as something he’s entitled to.

[@cruxnajii2056]

My favorite interpretation of death as a person is Kindred from League of Legends. Kindred is actually two characters (Wolf and Lamb) who act as one. They represent the two faces of death, Lamb is kind and grants a peaceful passing for those who accept death, while Wolf is savige and violently devoures those who run from them.

[@Mt12490]

I was looking for this

[@SyntheticWitch]

as one who has flirted with Death in the past, I can't see her as anything but benevolent. Hers is the quiet voice that says "not yet".

[@keddakedda7939]

Wow sound like a poem I love it

[@rudelwolf1591]

trudging through the ice and snow, cold's fingers in my spine, i hear the fire crackling, and know it's not my time. in dark street the shadow creeps, slowly coming closer, i see the light in front of me, and know that it's not over. for every night i lie in bed, and feel my beating heart, and every beat is the pledge of death, made at my life's start: "not yet, not yet, it's not your time, not yet not yet, you are still fine, not yet, not yet, my oldest friend, not yet, you are not dead"

[@kittypeanut4102]

I see death as cruel as it has not claimed me yet

[@zombieslayer2016]

Honestly not sure if I would actually describe death from puss in Boots as cruel to me at least he comes across as more angry at puss for wasting so many of his lives he even lets him go with the end once puts starts fighting for his life and shows appreciation for it Telling him to "live your life"

[@jeremyrotenberg8426]

Fun coincidence, Overly Sarcastic Productions just released a trope talk on the different roles death personified can play in stories. Great animated literature channels think alike I guess

[@pahnazd]

I attended a funeral yesterday so this hits very differently. Beautiful video.

[@madmanwithacookie]

An online short comic I'm quite fond of with a kind death is "Loving Reaper" by Jenny-Jinya, a death that comes to guide every soul, no matter how small with compassion

[@tarvoc746]

Terry Pratchett's Death I think is unique because he's actually a subversion of the apathetic and indifferent death figure. His entire character arc is that he starts out really wanting to play the part of the apathetic and indifferent death figure, but over time realizes more and more that he can't actually play that part, because he's too emotionally attached to the wonderful madness of life, so he comes to embrace that attachment more and more.

[@Nephanor]

If you want to see the most caring and heartwarming death, Jenny Jinya's comic of the Loving Reaper. So many of her comics bring tears to my eyes. She usually only focusses on Death and animals, but lately has also had him talking to the avatar of life, and it's wonderful. I highly recommend it, and I am a little sad you didn't mention it.

[@Molech996]

I wish you would’ve mentioned Death from Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio,but this was an amazing video as always,nonetheless .

[@JackDesert]

I'd love for "Loving Reaper" from the web comics got a mention under 'benevolent' section.

[@spamuel98]

My personal favorite depiction of death is on the SCP wiki; an anomalous man in a suit who appears at the deathbeds of those with nobody else to accompany them. He says nothing, just offers a cigarette, and stays with them until they pass on. Some take the smoke, others don't, but he stays with them all the same, a hand on their shoulder just so they don't have to be alone.

[@andistansbury4366]

SCP-4999 Someone To Watch Over Us.

[@LockytheLimeHare]

I think it would be interesting if a story of death as a character had Death reluctantly make some beings immortal after a deal. Like if Death lost the chess game, the man would live forever.

[@meep_cubed170]

The Magnus Archives did that, but, being the Magnus Archives, even if they won they were still in for a horrible time

[@kaidenmuhly2408]

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is one of the best examples of benevolent Death. A modern classic.

[@kamb]

I found the most beautiful description of death in Kindred (one of the League of Legends characters). Kindred is a Lamb and a Wolf who hunt for eternity. If a dying person accepts death, they will be taken away by the gentle Lamb. If someone doesn't accept death and tries to escape, the Wolf will hunt them down. I like the fact that Kindred doesn't kill people whose time has come to an end, but rather depicts the way someone parts with life.

[@theriguyayylmao3761]

It may be predictable but I have to say my favorite imagining of Death has to be the one in The Sandman comic series. It’s nice seeing a version of Death who sees her job as an important part of a cycle rather than relishing in some sort of power over “lesser beings”. It’s also great how she comforts the souls she takes before bringing them to the other side

[@vytrixstudios2184]

Soneone told me that, in the Bible, there was a character called The Angle of Death and they were said to be actually very beautiful.

[@godleveleldritchblast5257]

Hey, be careful what you say, death may actually be listen when you call it beautiful, though I would say more so handsome then beautiful as azrael is a guy. 😂😂😂😂

[@andistansbury4366]

Asriel I believe.

[@carlosalbuquerque22]

Must be a 40º

[@valutaatoaofunknownelement197]

Azrael. If I recall correctly, he's one of the main archangels of heaven.

[@secrab3012]

I think that death from the game (slay the princess) is interesting because it shows death as just another name and part of change

[@godleveleldritchblast5257]

Oh, death is actually the lord of change, you will run into him a few times in you life. He is like a kind father.

[@jefftheevilpotato]

0:30 slight correction, in this you mention hades, which while you are correct in him not being death, in greek myths death is actually a god named thanatos.

[@TheTaleFoundry]

Thanatos is an personification of the concept of death. At the start of the video we're talking about psychopomps and and facilitators of death, like Charon and Hades. -Benji, showrunner

[@rhyshow3462]

I know that it very much depends on the version you read and the interpretation, but I feel that Hades is more the overseer, the one that looks over those that have died. This is in contrast to Thanatos, who while is the personification of death, is also the chief psycopomp which takes those that have died to the underworld (I think that Thanatos is specifically the personification of peaceful death and that there are others who oversee the other forms of death, and I know that Hermes is a psycopomp in some way)@@TheTaleFoundry

[@horsefuntinitan8274]

That is not correct😅😅

[@jefftheevilpotato]

@@TheTaleFoundry Apologies, I misunderstood the intent at the start there.

[@jefftheevilpotato]

@@TheTaleFoundry In the versions I’ve read it’s mostly that thanatos takes all death and guides them, but at some points hermes has helped out.

[@lybula]

Few things: I love the care that you use when talking! Depicting different opinions on matters and not falling into a pessimistic hole when talking about death. That sponsor sounds amazing, I’ll actually check it out and I’m happy you got this opportunity to promote them!

[@sumrandomstuff]

I know this isn't death itself, but the loving reaper is just such an amazing depiction of a benevolent death

[@jeremy1860]

I find it fascinating that we, as a species, have personified the concept of death as much as we have. Out of all the things we know about, death is, by far, the most difficult thing for us to think about or talk about. We usually tend to avoid the topic like a plague, and yet, it is a concept that has been given a face in fiction probably more than any other 🤔

[@Alex_in_Wonderland111]

Would you consider looking at Coraline? There’s a lot of interesting stuff to be found there

[@KaosNoKamisama]

It's really interesting that both, Gaiman's and Pratchett's Deaths, become as kind as they are after a long process. In the case of the Discworld we get to see a lot of Death's develloping fondeness for life and humanity in several stories. As you said, Reaper Man is probably one of the most important ones in that sense. In the case of Gaiman's, she tells us (in Endless Nights) how long ago she became bitter and resentfull of her role since everyone rejected, avoided and feared her, but that after her crisis she came to re-discover herself and the value of her role and relationship to the living (that's where her "walk one day among them in mortal form" tradition comes from). It's interesting, because for both authors it seems like death teaches us, but we, the living, also have something to teach. Theres is no one without the other and most of the terror comes, not from death itself, but from our inhabilty to cope with it in a natural way.

[@connorkelly331]

I get the point about death being indifferent to mortal life since it takes so much of it. But I think that is what makes puss so unique in the story he is the only one death can not catch which gives death a reason to live in a way. Causes him to feel emotion and to care, an enigma in a way.

[@ag79tmpak47]

I think one of the best depictions of death is the character death from darksiders 2, he was human and caring, not just cold and calculating, he had regrets, and he cared for the other horsemen of the apocalypse like his actual siblings even though he technically isn't even related to them, and he is also very sassy, and despite the fact that he acts like a jerk to everyone, he's actually pretty kind.

[@ChinoWantan]

look into Death in the League of Legends universe. it's called Kindred

[@valentinkambushev4968]

There was once a lonely man. He was lonely because everyone has to meet him, yet they all try to avoid him. So he took an axe and cut himself right through the middle, so he would always have a friend.

[@asadalishah8574]

It's death, and they don't mean it metaphorically, or, rhetorically, or poetically, or theoretically, or in anyother fancy way, they're death straight up

[@rishikracha8213]

Your channel is truly amazing in every aspect, the animation, the topics, ideas, voiceover, analysis, everything!

[@Alex_in_Wonderland111]

Early crowd lesssssgoooooo Hoping to see Sandman mentioned. It has my favorite iteration and honestly made it so I don’t fear death anymore Edit: THERE SHE IS!!! Always so happy to see her. Tbh I aspire to be like her in real life

[@caleb1rshelton]

I've always imagined Death as a kind and empathetic psychopomp.

[@xpendabull]

I believe Death comes and greets you as an old friend, or at least a friendly stranger, kind of like meeting a nice person on the bus or in the store. Even if you are afraid of him he reassures you that this must happen and takes you where you need to go.

[@Fearoq]

The recent attention on Terry Pratchett Death is awesome, first saw animated Discworld movie then Hogfather. Personally love them and Christopher Lee voice solidified Death wise, human but absolute nature.

[@Eluthane]

I feel like Death wolf had the goal of making people care about life. He wanted Puss to stand up an fight to live since he had been so recless with his other lives

[@nuridenizdurucu1249]

SCP-1440 does a pretty similar thing with this "up close and personal" version of death. You can see that especially if you read 1440's backstory (a tale called Thrice), and also the fact that death made 032 for the sole purpose of tormenting him further and make him go mad. It also touches the whole "you shouldn't gamble with death" thing (literally).

[@calebmorris7981]

Another fantastic characterization of death comes from Supergiant Games’ “Hades,” which features Thanatos as a moody, hot goth guy who can become romantically involved with the player character, leading to some really interesting dialogue.

[@happyhippoeaters4261]

To understand death, you must appreciate Life. To Appropriate Life, you must understand Death. You can't have one without the other

[@musicandboxing7370]

The death in puss In boots is the most well written. A direct force of fear to the fearless. ❤first here. Love from Nigeria 🇳🇬

[@mathianpfister5414]

There is a web comic that I absolutely love called Loving Reaper, that has a fantastic version of the benevolent death

[@limpfall13]

15:26 jeez that mentioning of the terminals I’ll people sending messages hoping that the dipiction of death by the author is right made me have to hold back tears before I start crying. It’s both wholesome….but also somber…to think about. I adore the benevolent depiction of death simply because it makes death…more aproachable…is it painful still when love one’s pass on? Yes but it brings comfort even if I’m not one to be spiritual…it makes death softer…like meeting a friend. And I find that helps cope with the fact we will all pass away eventually…even if it’s just a depiction/characterization in my mind

[@T4N7]

I love how I came to watch this just after listening to Sickle and Peace by Mastodon where the chorus says “Death comes with sickle n peace”. Appropriate media transition

[@xanderwhitt9580]

Personally, I love the death from the webcomic or whatever it is called " the loving reaper " I think it's called that or something similar, and he is indeed death, he's even friends with life, he takes his job seriously, and guides the souls of the dead to the realm of the dead, or let's them stay for a little bit if they want to wait for someone, it's a beautiful series, i suggest it to anyone wanting to see a kind caring and gentle death

[@crimsonhowell7776]

Man I think I've seen that intro around a hundred times and yet it still feels and looks so good, amazing talent behind it.

[@The-Coven-Guard]

Thank you for posting this on KZbin. 🙂

[@user-be7ut1bt6u]

The depiction of the angel of death, Azrael, in Lucifer, played by Charlyne Yi, is a great version of a caring death.

[@dragonplaysminecraft3170]

My favorite death as character is from a comic "Loving Reaper" and I think the title says everything. It's really wholesome and sad at the same time

[@carrot6316]

This episode gave me the inspiration I just needed

[@Guhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

I definitely think his character is a great metaphor, it’s quite poetic

[@jamesvivian2855]

Death in Puss in Boots has a personal grudge against Puss because of how he wasted all his lives and when Puss proves he’s learned his lesson and finally truly values his last life Death let’s him go. Puss doesn’t beat Death, straight up admitting he can never defeat Death and they’ll meet again when his time is up.

[@rin_ren4398]

When I think of a death that cares my mind always wanders to "The Loving Reaper' comics. Death comes like an old friend and knows that some even at the end have unfinished buisness and those still walking the land of the living.

[@Mrdragonjack]

Jenny Jinya has my favorite characterization of Death, the dog Death and Cat Death are a bit goofy but I still like it a lot

[@aaronramirez4287]

SPOILERS BELOW Notice in The Last Wish how death never introduced himself to Puss as a bounty hunter. He didn't introduce himself until the end of the movie in which he did introduce himself as death. Puss meerly assumed he was a bounty hunter which was enough to convince the audience it was the truth until the big reveal. That was mind blowing to me. Also notice how death only chased Puss while he was being reckless and going on adventures. Death never found Puss while he was at the safe house as a house cat named Pickles. Eventually death would have found him, but it would've taken much longer. But what made the character, in my opinion, truely frightening was one line, "pick it up." The movie does an excellent job at framing Puss as an untouchable hero then suddenly he gets struck by a blade and disarmed. What does death do? He could've killed him, but no, it wasn't time for Puss to die yet. Instead, death makes Puss fear him by making Puss not want to do the one thing he loves most. Being a sword fighting hero. "Pick it up." Such a powerful, yet simple line. And that whistle! Such a good character design. New theory: the wolf from little red riding hood was the same personification of death come to claim a grandmother at the end of her years, just had the misfortune of encountering little red by mistake.

[@MrocnyZbik]

I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.” ― Terry Pratchett, Sourcery

[@beastwriter3915]

Idk the name of the artist, but there's an online comic strip series with Death as a character, interacting with Life and the souls of the animals, particularly cats, that they take. And they genuinely care for these souls. So a Death that loves each and every one of the souls they take is so endearing.

[@UXMetalVTuber]

A thing that we've seen far too much is to always make them the villain of the story. It's not necessarily a bad idea. I believe that when it comes to portraying death as a character that is actively part of the story the author really needs to know what kind of purpose they must fulfill from a narrative standpoint. Are they just an eldritch horror beyond our comprehension? A nuanced being that has emotions and layers to them? An enemy to beat? Are they here to convey a message to the audience and the protagonist? Does their presence teach us anything at all? Really interesting to think about. Each approach brings its own set of advantages and challenges, but all can be exciting if pulled off correctly.

[@Broomer52]

I’ve floated an idea in my mind for a while that’s a personal answer to the Metaphorical short story The Dragon Tyrant. The story idea I had was that civilizations managed to beat Death, they’re eternal living, and in that existence managed to create the perfect civilization. However in the process they’ve ravaged nature and twisted the world into something that would kill if death wasn’t beaten. Death finds this perversion of life offensive and so devises a plan, her creation the Orcs are powerful and taint the land to create more of themselves from their victims. A near perfect incarnation of death but they’re directionless unable to truly overpower this new paradigm. So she creates a Dragon using the soul of a man out of time, a man of self righteous pride and zeal. This Dragon of arrogance and Pride will bring balance to the world, he’ll shatter this perverse monolith to life so that things can once again truly live.

[@cjmurphy7967]

Years ago when I was still in school I had a prompt from my creative writing class to personify death. What started as an assignment turned into one of my favorite and deepest characters I've ever written. His name is Az, short for Azreal. Not because it is his real name, but because it's what the people around him took to calling him in absence of anything else. Through the ages he was that apathetic type of death, simply because that's who he thought he was supposed to be. The issue was that wasn't how he actually felt, he held a lot of care for people and it secretly pained him to tear them away from their lives. In appearance, he's very imposing. An old blind man with a trenchcoat and a worn flat brimmed stetson. He's followed by murders of crows everywhere he travels and leaves a sense of fear in those who talk to him. Yet again this appearance is merely his own manifestation of how he thinks people view death, and is so disillusioned and pessimistic that he refuses to believe he can truly be a force of good if only he tried.

[@analyticsystem4094]

I made a death god for one of my DnD campaigns. The Death god named Dryas was a benevolent god, it treated every life with respect. To Dryas, death wasn’t the end but a new start. Whenever Dryas went to harvest a life, it would sit with them for a while and just talk. Whatever the life needed to talk about, Dryas would listen. Dryas treated its job with care as it loved its job. Dryas was even willing to grant a life a second chance if enough people connected to that life were willing to help the soul back to material plane. (Dryas took souls to purgatory before sending them to the afterlife or back to life in the material plane). My favorite part about Dryas is that it had infinite memory so it stored the memories and feeling of every life that it harvested and cherished those memories. When a soul was saved Dryas would return the soul’s memories before sending them off with a sweet goodbye

[@javidking63]

glad to see the channel is growing.

[@TheMaryWriter]

The Book Thief has probably my favorite version of Death. He's very tender, fascinated by humans, very matter-of-fact about his work, and yet goes on about the colors of the sky and bits of beautiy in the world.

[@flargensnarf6500]

It’s criminal that Jenny Jinya’s the loving reaper wasn’t mentioned here. Seriously, it’s to die for.

[@sanewitch8036]

I think that the Death in the last "Puss in boots" is an amalgam of the traditional Grim Reaper and another folklore figure - El Silbon.

[@BoxDemon9656]

Mate really said “guts death is poggers”

[@princequincy5421]

15:18 well that instantly made me start crying. Insanely amazing video

[@adeadphish7931]

I have been thinking about this topic a huge amount recently. During the late summer, three significant deaths happened in my life: the death of my grandfather, the death of my long time friend and housemate and finally, the death of my father. It has been a lot to process and I have downs myself seeing elements of all of these characterizations in how I view it. I want to believe in a kind death because I want there to be some peace for those who passed that I loved, but it is hard not to see something apathetic or even malicious in all of it. Shows how wide a net our perception and anthropomorphism of the concept can be and this captures that range very well

[@trinityriordan2943]

What I really like about death from puss in boots, is that his colors represent death in a subtle way. He's white, red, and black, the white represents heaven, the red, hell, and the black, the nothing after death.

[@vectormanforever]

I think my favourite version of Death has to be from a very small Twitter Artist I found a few years ago. In their story death is kind, but only to those that never got a chance to have a fulfilling life, taking restless souls out of the river of Styx and letting them have a second chance in purgatory. But what really makes me loves this version of that in this story, everything finds its way into Death's hands eventually. Mortals from all worlds, all planes of existence, immortals that met their match, bacteria, plants, inanimate objects, thoughts and dreams, literal concepts and laws of the universe. As an example the horseman of War found himself talking to death after the population of his world dwindled enough that war stopped happening and peace was instated for the sake of survival, starving war, and Death gives him a second chance. I don't know much about the story so far, nor if it will ever actually become anything. But I just love the idea that there is a group of characters all saved by Death, and that some of them are concepts, myths, dreams or aspirations while the rest could be deleted code, a black hole, and just some guy who slipped and fell down the stairs.

[@Blackhart-7]

No matter what Death will be in the end, I think, even if I will still grieve, i will (as said in Three Brothers from HP) greet it as an old friend. My personal favourite representation of Death must be Kindred from League of Legends. Kind, swift, ruthless enduring and so very melancholic. Lamb: "And everywhere Lamb went..." Wolf: "...Wolf was sure to follow." "Never one..." "Without the other."

[@klaraclaesson3491]

Great video! I’ve been thinking about the topic of death as a character for a while and this was an interesting take on it, especially what you said at the end. I really like the way Markus Zusak portrays death in his novel “the book thief”. There, death is not “just” a character but actually the narrator.

[@dudarafa-]

Although I am not a fan of dying, it brings me comfort to think that, in the end, even if you have nothing and no one, death is the only friend that will wait for you and take you.

[@dragonlordblazer13]

Reminds me of Aurelio Voltaire's description of death as seen in his song "Come Sweet Death" : You come to me In my darkest moment I've no regrets Nothing left to lament No eerie skull No scary scythe You're a pretty face And a warm embrace I never dreamed Death could be so sweet 'Til she came for me

[@TheCyanideStorm]

I know it's a lot heavier, but I really feel like Markus Zusak's Death in The Book Thief deserves a mention in the conversation of Benevolent Deaths. The narrator who is haunted by humans, gives us spoilers to lighten blows, but doesn't pull his punches, either, at one point remarking that we've had it too easy for too long. Ends up at the top of my personal favorite list just for the moment where he remarks that he loved being fought off in a dusty basement, in those horrible years

[@Drayghon]

I think Death should be personified as a friendly, almost motherly, caretaker. She expresses sadness as she ends your pain.

[@mrgrimm-od5bt]

One death I’m a bit sad you missed is the one from the game “have a nice death” where reaping souls is a literal job to him, that he manages, has departments of death for, and doesn’t care for any individual soul. However, after working for so long he became less powerful and his company started caring less about him, until death had enough and started reaping his staff. It is definitely the ambivalent death to the extreme, mixed in with just a bit of office job burnout