Sorting Algorithm of Deadness/Fan Works

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Sorting Algorithm of Deadness

Using the scientifically Infallible power of the Sorting Algorithm of Deadness, who do you think is the next in line for being brought back from the great Bus in the sky?

To use the Algorithm, simply add the Column's "Death Value", and divide by the number of applicable rows.


Relative deadness factor Deader Than Dead Maybe Back Later Be Back Soon Death? What's That?
Death Value 4 3 2 1
Cause of death Irony, Bridge Drop, Overkill, Stuffed in The Fridge, Ret-Gone Redemption, Sacrifice, Bus Crash, Mortal Wound Reveal No One Could Survive That, just plain killed in battle Jumping
Audience Expectation Anyone Can Die, Kill'Em All Killed Off for Real, Tonight Someone Dies Disney Death Back from the Dead, Death Is Cheap, Nobody Can Die
Body Found? Dead and Buried
Only Bits And Pieces
At The Morgue Never Found, Frozen, Petrified Left for Dead
Reaction Montage, Bond One-Liner He's Dead, Jim It's Personal Faux Death
Last Words Crap, Killed Mid-Sentence, Carry on men, His Name Is-- Catch Phrase, Famous Last Words, Final Speech, Obi-Wan Moment "Fly, you fools!" "Piece of cake" "My Death Is Just the Beginning"
Characterization Red Shirt, Loved One, Mauve Shirt Recurring Character, C-List Fodder Regular Protagonist, Archvillain
When did they die? 10+ years ago, Series Finale 5–10 years ago Same year Same arc
"Died" and come back? Not yet Died once, but got better Twice I've lost count

If the character hasn't died yet (but seems likely to), see Sorting Algorithm of Mortality. All of this is trumped by the First Law of Resurrection.

Currently, Shirley from Code Geass and the real Caulder from Advance Wars: Days of Ruin have scored 4, the highest possible. The latter is more notable by having 4 in every category instead of getting the CLAMP bonus that the former got. No characters have got the lowest possible score of 1 yet, but Davros and The Master are joint leaders in the death defying derby at 1.75, even beating South Park's Kenny.


Baseline Example: The death of Superman.

  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice, so he's not coming back from that too quickly, or the sacrifice will be cheapened. 3.
  • Genre: It's a comic book, so Death Is Cheap. 1.
  • The Body: Deader Than Dead, a Pietà Plagiarism too for supes sake! So no chance of Faking the Dead. 4.
  • Reaction: Really Dead Montage, uh-oh. 4.
  • Characterization: Protagonist. 1.
  • When did he die: Same year, so 2.
  • Come Back?: This was a first, so 4.
  • Average: So add it up... we get a pretty high score, 19! Since it's not a videogame, divide by 7, and we get... 19/7 = 2.7, meaning supes isn't coming back for at least a few months, maybe even years. In actuality the Death Of Superman happened in January 1993 and he came back some time before May 1994.

Now let's make a prediction with the recent[when?] death of Batman in Final Crisis.

  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice, give or take. 3.
  • Genre: Comic book, so Death Is Cheap. 1.
  • The Body: Dead and buried, but it's a little more complicated. Still, it's a 4.
  • Reaction: He's Dead Clark, plus "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" probably counts as a Really Dead Montage. 3.5.
  • Last Words: "Try Me." 3.
  • Characterization: It's The Goddamn Batman, people. 1.
  • When did he die: Same year, so 2.
  • Come Back?: This would be the first time, so 4.
  • Average: 21.5/8= 2.7. A semi-high score, and DC seems to be sticking to this one for a while. Still, he'll definitely be back, likely before the end of 2010 at the latest. CORRECT!


Note: This sub-page is for Fan Fiction examples only. Please ensure that you put new examples in the correct Sorting Algorithm of Deadness sub-page.


L from Light and Dark - The Adventures of Dark Yagami

  • Cause: Bridge Drop (comes rather quickly) - 4
  • Body: Inapplicable
  • Reaction: Everyone celebrates his death - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Characterization: Main antagonist - 1
  • Last Words: Final speech ("You kiillled me!") - 3
  • When: End of the previous arc - 2 (L's resurrection would be part of a new arc if this story had a plot)
  • Died and came back: Once - 3
  • Average: 17/7 = 2.42. He could come back with God's help.

Teru Mikami

  • Cause: Bridge Drop - 4
  • Body: Presumably left at the scene - 4
  • Reaction: L gets frustrated - 2
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Characterization: C List Fodder - 3
  • Last Words: Killed Mid Sentence - 4
  • When: Previous arc - 2
  • Died and came back: No - 4
  • Average: 24/8 = 3. He apparently came back to life, presumably because the author forgot he was supposed to be dead.

Mello

  • Cause: Bridge Drop (sudden betrayal by Dark) - 4
  • Body: Present- 4
  • Reaction: None
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Last Words: Oh Crap - 4
  • Characterization: Minor antagonist - 3
  • When: Previous arc - 3
  • Died and came back: Once - 3
  • 22/7 = 3.14.

Near

  • Cause: Deader Than Dead (killed with the Death Note, and prevented from coming back with the Anti Life Note) - 4
  • Body: Present - 4
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap -1
  • Last Words: Oh Crap - 4
  • Characterization: Recurring/regular character: 2.5
  • Died and came back: Technically did so once, since Dark appears to kill him twice: 3.5
  • When: Last arc: - 2
  • 24/8 = 3. While his resurrection is theoretically impossible, it's not completely out of the question.

Night Yagami

  • Cause: Bridge Drop (Impaled with a sword and falls to her death) -4
  • Reaction: He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: Present at the bottom of the cliff - 4
  • Last Words: Oh Crap ("WHAT THE F-CK?") - 4
  • Characterization: Recurring character - 3
  • Died and came back: No. - 4
  • When: Current arc - 1
  • Average: 3. The author may very well mean to kill her off.

The scores seem fairly high, especially given the number of resurrections (Watari, Mello, L, "Yotsuba", Light, Dark, Blud and technically Near), but then again, the fic doesn't exactly follow the rules of logic very well.

L (again)

  • Cause: Bridgedrop (he and Light kill each other) - 4
  • Reaction: None, Dark seems more preoccupied with the next stage of his plans.
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: Lying in a pool of his own blood - 4
  • Last Words: Final Speech admitting defeat- 3
  • Characterization: Main antagonist - 1
  • Died and came back: Twice. - 2
  • When: Current arc- 1
  • Average: 2.28.

Light Yagami

  • Cause: Bridge drop (he and L kill each other) - 4
  • Reaction: None, Dark seems more preoccupied with the next stage of his plans.
  • Genre: Death Is Cheap - 1
  • Body: Lying in a pool of his own blood - 4
  • Last Words: Final Speech admitting defeat- 3
  • Characterization: Recurring character - 2
  • Died and came back: Twice. - 2
  • When: Current arc- 1
  • Average: 2.42

Mia Kerrigan in Morphic