What happens when he won't die?

As most of you know, the first few rough drafts of my novel are done, and I'm still revising. My antagonist turn an unexpected turn for good, but with your help he managed to remain "the bad guy."

Now here's the new problem: He won't die.

He's supposed to die in the end, I want him to die in the end to avoid cheesy sequel follow-ups, but he just won't. Every time I try to write the scene where he dies, it ends up being incredibly stupid or just plain out of character.

I'm looking for opinions: Should I continue to try to kill him, or just let him live? If I let him live, how can I avoid cheesy sequel potential?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Avoiding cheesy sequel potential is entirely up to you. Just because he's still around, doesn't mean that you have to use him.

If he doesn't want to die, then don't make him.

He HAS to die. Really. Truly. Just like HP.

If he doesn;t, you'll always feel the temptation to come back to him.

-But how? Difficult question. Mellodramatics are often a problem in death scenes. I would have to read some of your stuff to give you any advice, though...

Yes - But not in a way that has not been over used.

if you find it is out of character for him to die then allow him to live.

Whats wrong with writing a sequel?

Im open to reading anyones manuscripts if you need general reading feedback by the way.

A sequel with the same bad guy just seems overused. Like Aladdin II: Return of Jafar. "I didn't want to kill him, so now he's developed superpowers and is coming back stronger than ever!"

Phorcys-- I'd love a crit! viewtopic.php?t=10910
I'll try to crit yours too.

More advice, anyone?

I told you, he's a Luthor. Give him his own TV show and be done with it.

Yes, I know that was unhelpful. sorry.

("Why don't we go out in the parking lot and you can run me over with your car.")

well, I had the same problem. Should he live or die? You choice. If your leaning twords death you should make end in his character. Have him die doing something he would die for, or die doing. That's the best way. At least in my oppinion. Duskglimmers right, if you let him live that doesn't mean you have to return. Hoped I helped.

I suppose it is very Disney like and overused.

I would try it both ways, Shafter. Write a concluding chapter where he dies - then turn around and write one where he lives. Let there be no restrictions and don't go into with any pre-planned course of events. It's just writing practice, so it doesn't exactly have to be good. ^_~

When you've finished that, look over both drafts and compare them. Which carries the tone of the character better? Which version better resolves the antagonism in the story? And is it absoutely vital for him to die? Could you get away with letting him live? Could you get away with letting him live and instead end it on a completely different note with a twist at the end? Or could you write it in sort of a vague, open-to-interpretation way, so that the reader doesn't really know whether the antagonist lives or is killed at the end?

Heh, and the only way the cheesy sequel comes out is if you actually write the cheesy sequel, which you seem dead set against.

If he's dead set on not dying, and you're dead set on not giving him the opportunity to come back as head honcho baddie (but with extra SUPERPOWERS!!! as seen in Aladin II!!!) then I see two options.

a) He turns good. Ok, it's a tad cliched, and you just may not want to do this. He may not want to do this. If he can't do it, then it's just not going to happen. If he can do it, and you think it might work, but you still want a big baddie battle thing at the end, you can always have it so that there was a SECOND big baddie the whole time and not even this guy knew about it. Although that could turn out pretty badly. So I don't know. Just have fun thinking of things maybe until you get something you think might work.

b) he does not die, BUT he does get his just deserts. Could be more punishing than death, anyway. And you'll just have to fight the urge to write a cheesy THE RETURN OF sequel.

Make him a zombie.





...what? You said he didn't want to die....

Hunter wrote:Make him a zombie.





...what? You said he didn't want to die....

lol yes - even in death there is temptation to bring him back, so alive or dead it doesnt matter.

You could have him sucked into some kind of black hole/portal of no return kind of thing. That way he wouldn't "die" in the steriotypical kind of way, but your readers would still know he's not coming back for a cheesy sequel. Unless you do want a sequel, in which case the option of the black hole/portal of no return spitting him out somewhere so you can have one of those 'return of' sequels is still open. I know, this comment probably isn't very helpful.

That's IT! I'll make him a zombie!! Thanks, Hunter, my problem is solved!!!!

Thanks for all the advice, guys, and I still welcome more! I'm probably going with DD's suggestion of writing two endings and seeing where it goes. Oh joy...
Merci beaucoup, one and all (except you, Sage; you're totally useless!).
Cheers! ~Shafter
P.S. For those of you who don't know, Sage is one of my best friends. So I can be mean to her if I want.

Your antagonist won't or didn't want to die? Mine just died. Yesterday.

Hehe, like 30 pages into the story and I already killed her off. In like 5 sentences. Oh, but I've said that already? I just can't get over it... =)

-elein

Wails*