Tuesday, July 27, 2010

"He knows, Doctor. He knows."

Day 30 - Saddest character death

Woops, just realized I never posted this last prompt before I went on vacation. A bit delayed, but...

I was dreading this prompt, because I don't really have one (though I'm tempted to say Tosh and Owen in Torchwood, even though I've never even seen one episode of the show... watching a ten minute clip of their deaths that tillane posted had me crying!).

This is going to sound weird, but character deaths aren't particularly sad when they work. My brain's been running around and around trying to find a death I was truly sad over, that broke my heart or whatever. I can name TV character deaths I cried over, but they weren't actually sad... which leaves me exactly nowhere. The closest I've been able to think of is Data's "daughter," Lal, in "The Offspring" (ST:TNG).

So, I'm changing the subject slightly to best character death instead of saddest. Which for me just has to be Edith Keeler in the original Star Trek episode, "City at the Edge of Forever." You know she has to die from early on in the ep. History must be set straight... but to watch Kirk let her die after we've had a whole episode to grow to like/love her, to watch Kirk and Spock and McCoy's reactions... it's one of the most powerful television deaths because of it's inevitability, the emotional toll on the characters, and the sort-of twist that a genuinely good person with visions for a peaceful future must die in order for the world to come out right. It's no wonder it's one of the best Star Trek episodes.

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