Sad deaths of slightly significant characters.

All Hail Lelouch

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Feb 5, 2010
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Does anyone remember The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past? I'm sure you do.

Do you remember exploring Hyrule one day and finding a little grove near Kakariko Village where there was a boy playing a tune on his flute? Little animals were gathered around a tree stump in the center of the grove. The boy sat on the stump playing away on his flute, but when you tried to approach him, all of the animals scattered and the boy disappeared into the ether.

At first my reaction was "What the hell? Where did he go?" Later in the game, after I had completed all of the dungeons in the Light World, I was wandering through the dark world and happened to recognize where I was. I was at the same grove that was in the Light world, except, there was no music, there were no animals, there was only a lonely monster upon a stump in the center of the grove.

"Hello, I wandered into a portal and was quickly transformed into this state. When I was Human, I used to play my flute all the time here. Before I came to this world, I buried my flute with some flower seeds. would you mind finding it for me?" the boy hands me a shovel.

"Okay, so that explains the disappearing act."

I honor the boy's request and return to the light world. I find the flute and return the boy.

"Is that my flute? Ugh....My mind is feeling a bit hazy... I don't think I have much time left. Would you please let me hear the sound of my flute one last time before I lose my mind completely?"

I play the flute for him. And what happens next is what really got to me. The boy died by transforming into a tree.

The fact that the game tied the flute to the boy's death made the flute's song that much more sad.


See for yourself.

Why don't games make more moments like this? After all these years, this scene still stuck in my mind throughout my life. (Partly because I played this game religiously as a kid XD)

A character that is supposed to play an important role, such as giving you an important item or helping you move to the next area, should have more depth than a few lines of text and a little movement. If you make us form a small bond to these characters it makes the reward from them that much more enjoyable.

Does anyone agree with me?
 

Johnnyallstar

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Feb 22, 2009
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Ocarina of Time did something similar during the Biggoron Sword quest, where you reunited Cojiro, the blue Cuccoo with his master in the woods, who gives you a mushroom for medicine, but when you come back, there's a Kokiri girl who tells you he died and turned into a skullkid, then takes the medicine because it was made from the forest.

Link doesn't always save those he tries to help. Sometimes he just can't do enough.
 

AgentBJ09

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May 24, 2010
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I still recall that scene.

It may seem silly, but one scene like this that I found moving was the death of T.K. in Borderlands.

He was a character you met towards the beginning of the game, but once you got into New Haven, his brother asks you to check on him. When you find him, T.K. is hanging from his fan like a puppet on display.

I liked the guy, and I'm not looking forward to killing him myself in Zombie Island, but if that's what it takes.
 

MiracleOfSound

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All Hail Lelouch said:
The fact that the game tied the flute to the boy's death made the flute's song that much more sad.
Yet another reason why Link To The Past will always be my favorite Zelda and I still play it once a year.

Truly wonderful game.
 

Sephychu

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Luis Sera from Resident Evil 4 springs to mind. He's done some things wrong, he's trying to help;

Ooops.
 

Amethyst Wind

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Viola of the Guilty Roses Squadron on Project Sylpheed. They were the 3rd string badguy squad you had to fight, and you only ever saw their leader's face.

She was unquestioningly loyal to the big bad, to the point of possible love. Problem being her squad sucked so you kill her quite easily the second time, and all she does before dying is apologise to her mistress.

Her name was Viola, and I have no idea why I fixated on her so much when she was so unimportant.
 

KefkaCultist

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Even though she's more than slightly significant I have to go with Aerith from FF7. Thats my answer because as far as I know its the only time that a game has made me full on cry.

The only non-significant one is General Leo from FF3/6 (whatever you call it) because even though he fought for the bad guys he had morals and looked to be switching sides to fight for the good team until...
Kefka backstabs the emperor and kills Leo
 

Armored Prayer

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The Marines in Halo 2. Every time one died I'd revert to last save, thus making the levels 2 hours longer.
 

Sara Fontaine

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Sep 20, 2010
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Bill in Left 4 Dead 2's 'The Passing'. Not that I was attatched to him in any particular way, it was just a bit sad to see him slumped there.


EDIT: As i was reading it back I thought of a much better one that did nearly make me cry. Lirum in Lost Odyssey; damn that hurt.
 

MonocleClaire

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Sep 21, 2010
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My Dog - Fable 2. Rest in peace, O'Mighty Balljangles. :c (That wasn't actually what I called him. Didn't know you could name him until my second playthrough.)
 

IamSofaKingRaw

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Kefkacultist said:
Even though she's more than slightly significant I have to go with Aerith from FF7. Thats my answer because as far as I know its the only time that a game has made me full on cry.

The only non-significant one is General Leo from FF3/6 (whatever you call it) because even though he fought for the bad guys he had morals and looked to be switching sides to fight for the good team until...
Kefka backstabs the emperor and kills Leo
I don't understand why people gave a shit that she died. I personally thought she was a bit retarded the way she acted and when she died my reaction was "oh great now I have to use Cait Sith, F***"
 

Sara Fontaine

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IamSofaKingRaw said:
Kefkacultist said:
Even though she's more than slightly significant I have to go with Aerith from FF7. Thats my answer because as far as I know its the only time that a game has made me full on cry.

The only non-significant one is General Leo from FF3/6 (whatever you call it) because even though he fought for the bad guys he had morals and looked to be switching sides to fight for the good team until...
Kefka backstabs the emperor and kills Leo
I don't understand why people gave a shit that she died. I personally thought she was a bit retarded the way she acted and when she died my reaction was "oh great now I have to use Cait Sith, F***"

I actually laughed when she died. I could not stand her in any way. Besides, I never used her, so her death was of no real importance to me.