This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Pepinson: Replaced the note on Mayfly–December Romance with the "immortality sour grapes" comment that started this whole entry.
- This trope on the downsides of immortality gave this troper (sabrina_diamond) a nightmare involving an odd couple owning otherworldly beach-house which renders everyone immortal as the age they were when they first entered. Old ladies were complaining that they were screwed because they were Age Without Youth... Whereas the children in there had all the games, DVDs and tv shows in the world (and nice tropical fish aquariums) and yet they were very bored of their items - all because they had been living for eternity. Nightmare Fuel!!
Solandra: IMHO, I don't believe that all writers who write immortality as a curse do so out of sour grapes; there are some valid reasons for immortality not being so wonderful. I'll just add in there that this appears to be the case when the portrayal is melodramatic.
s5555: Might I add Mega Man Zero 4's Dr. Weil to the example, when he reveals he is a human cursed with immortality by being turned into a reploid hybrid and casted into space at the End of the Elf Wars.
Solandra: If said character views his immortality as a curse, then yes.
Shiralee: I don't know if it ever comes up but has anyone finished Phantom Brave's post game? I just got by Sienna. I'm wondering if they keep the saccharine sweet theme or explore the possibility of what happens afterwards, since Ash is technically immortal but Marona isn't. He feels he's cursed during a few certain plot points, but it's only short-term until he remembers he has to protect Marona. But what about when she's gone, I wonder? Anyway getting the last few extra scenes is a big grind and calls for extensive dedication (phooey on you, NIS), so it'll be awhile until I get there.
Chuckg: Took out the Belmakor and Belsambar mention from the Belgariad entry — they killed themselves for reasons unrelated to being tired of living forever.
Qit el-Remel: Gulliver's Travels is mentioned twice.
arromdee: Took out the line about Child of all Aghes. The way I remember it, she points out that she isn't a virgin because in pre-modern societies, she didn't have pockmarks and was healthy, so would make prime wife material in societies where they married young.
Shy-One Strangely echoed by the title of the movie Stalingrad - Dogs, do you want to live forever? - no, this goes back to Frederick the Great. When soldiers were deserting from the lost battle of Kolin, he shouted "you cursed rascals, do you want to liver forever?" With dogs instead of cursed rascals, it became a standard saying in German. They may not been the first one in the book, yet it looks like the blueprint for Dan Daley.
Lord Seth: Idea: This is about the "bad" aspects of immortality. I was thinking having a page on simple Immortality would be nice, at least partially to discuss the different kinds of immortality. For example, if you live forever, can you still be killed? (for example, vampires are usually portrayed as immortal, but one stake through the heart finishes them) Are you invulnerable while immortal? Or are you unlucky enough to not only be able to die, but to not be invulnerable (which of course brings up the ugly possibility of you being chopped into pieces or such a similar fate) Or is there already one?
Sluimers: Question, why is Queen's song Who Wants To Live Forever not in the examples? Too obvious?
- Red Wren: It is, kinda. It's mentioned under film, the montage using the song. Also, what is the song, out of context? "We can have forever/And we can love forever..." Though the beginning and end fall solidly in this... Double Subverted?
