Sorting Algorithm of Deadness/Myth, Legend and Folklore

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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 Myth and Religion examples only. Please ensure that you put new examples in the correct Sorting Algorithm of Deadness sub-page.

  • Jesus, after the Crucifixion.
  • Cause: Heroic Sacrifice - 3
  • Genre: Killed Off for Real. (The Bible has a handful of resurrections or miraculous recoveries over the course of the story, but for the most part is pretty realistic about death.) - 3
  • Body: Found. Buried. - 4
  • Reaction: His mother, the Virgin Mary is deeply saddened, as is the only disciple who actually attended (Ten of them had fled for parts unknown fearing for their lives, one committed suicide due to having betrayed Him. He's Dead, Jim - 3
  • Last Words: Famous, and essentially a Dying Speech[1] - 3
  • Characterization: The Messiah. - 1
  • How long ago: less than a week. - 1
  • Died and came back: Not yet. 4
    • It's probably worth pointing out that while he himself hadn't died previously, 3 earlier resurrections are attributed to him directly: the widow's son, Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus. So, heavy foreshadowing on the back-from-the-dead thing, even if this is a Killed Off for Real kinda world.
  • Total: 22/8 = 2.75 - Dead, but likely back sometime soon. in three days.
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  1. ↑ "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." "Amen, amen, I say to you, this day you shall be with me in Paradise." "Mother, behold your son. Son, behold your mother." "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" "I thirst." "It is finished!" "Into your hands, father, I commend my spirit."
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