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Archived Discussion WMG / SortingAlgorithmOfDeadness

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This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.


Lale: I don't think "number of applicable rows" is always 6 (or 7). For example, if someone doesn't fit any of the listed characterizations or causes of death, wouldn't you exclude those rows instead of dividing by 6 anyway?

Ry Senkari: I dunno about that, but you're no fun. I thought my addendum to the Jet entry was pretty amusing, but I guess one man's Made Of Win is another man's DO NOT WANT. Whatever.

Fast Eddie: Lale stop making arbitrary cuts. That's two. The pulled text ...

According to the Word of God, he's still pretty much dead, but this fairly low score means it's okay to write Fan Fic about him surviving without seeming TOO implausible. Just don't have your Mary Sue nurse him back to health just before aliens force both of them to mate continuously.
... for discussion.

Lale: What's the difference between an arbitrary cut and a cut?

Janitor: Pulling it out to the discussion page, rather than just zapping it.

Ry Senkari: I'm not in Sirius Denial. The Word of God said that Jet's dead, that's all I need, but I'm just surprised that they cheapened his death so much by leaving it open for speculation (and for crappy fanfics). I still maintain he should be below a three, because, you know, we got to see Zhao die. Also, this whole Tony Almeida thing has got me really pissed off >_<


Scrounge: So, what does it take for someone to get a 0? I'm looking at you, Optimus Prime.

Earnest: A zero? Well, there'd have to be a whole "zeroth column" made, or maybe a "go into negative numbers column" with things like Contractual Immortality, coming back from the dead repeatedly as a series premise, probably give them true immortality while keeping the character at Mary Sue level of Character Shields. Or, y'know, just liberally use the First Law of Resurrection. It's probably not only possible but can be commonplace... but I get the feeling these characters are probably cheesier than Munchkins unless done straight. Anyhoo, they're more the algorithm's exception than the rule.


Big T: I pulled this from the main page, because, either somebody doesn't know how to read a chart, or the chart has changed since it was posted.

I revised the scores based on the information given on the original page, and I get 2.86, which makes his score fit what happened, as he came back next season both in Torchwood and Doctor Who.

Cassius335: Actually he came back within 5 minutes ("I bring Life") and has been immortal (of the Infinite Resurrection/Highlander variety) ever since.

Big T: Yeah, so it doesn't quite fit. I keep forgetting that Doctor Who doesn't use the Season Cliffhanger, so I got mixed up on exactly when Jack came back.

Anyways, I originally thought that stranding Jack there effectively Put Him On A Bus, the same thing happens to Rose in Season 2. (I didn't watch them in order) In my Epilectic Tree theory, erasing the Daleks from existence would have effectively created a separate universe. Too bad I forgot about that personal time machine...

Silent Hunter: That part needs a major rewrite.

Big T: Yeah, don't trope at 3:00 AM. Got it. Tried to fix it, but, really, it doesn't make that much sense, anyways.


Citizen: Pulled the below because it didn't fit the format of the other examples.
Robin Hood. Marian- Da Pravda, With kind permission of Gizensha, who first posted this on The Doctor Who Forum on 30 December 2007. Minor editing done to get this coded properly:
Well, by my calculations she's only either a 2.67 or a 2.83 on the sorting algorithm of deadness, which is between back next episode and back next season, so there's a reasonable chance she'll be back. However, there are enough 4s in there that I wouldn't put much weight on the average.
(The values I used were Cause of Death: Sacrifice- 3, Genre: Killed off for real -3, Body Found: Deader than Dead- 4, Reaction: Montage -4, Characterisation: Protagonist -1, When did they die I couldn't decide weather it was Same Arc- 1 or Same Year -2. With Same Arc she's a 2.67, with Same Year she's a 2.83.)
Note by Silent Hunter to aid in comprehension: Marian was stabbed in the stomach by a rather large sword from Guy of Gisbourne. She did a full blown Final Speech, did Big Speech and got a Really Dead Montage.
Not touching the Song of Ice and Fire example, though, on the off-chance I might actually care about those spoilers at some later point.

Silent Hunter: I'll stick it back in properly.


Rhainor here, trying to figure up the level of probably deadness for Sergeant Johnson from the Halo games. I got an even 3, but I really doubt he'll be back, ever (unfortunately). Somebody wanna recalculate/double-check this one?


Earnest: I don't get the last one added ("Ok, so- the big question"). Who is it about, and how does it break the algorithm? (later) Pulling it.

OK, so - the big question:

  • Cause of death: Drug overdose on a toilet seat. 4.
  • Genre: Everyone Can Die, so far. 4.
  • Body Found?: Yep - and then plastered on the National Enquirer. 4.
  • Reaction: I think the media circus counts as a montage. 4.
  • Characterization: Uh huh huh. 1!
  • When did they die?: 30+ years ago. 4.
  • Died and come back? One comeback special in '68. 3.

Average: 3.43. I guess no algorithm is perfect.

Andyroid: I thought it was fairly obvious: Elvis Presley.


Morgan Wick: After reading the death of Therkla in Order Of The Stick, I have to ask: Where does Final Speech or Famous Last Words go? Cause, Genre, Reaction, Body, or do we need a new category for the depiction of the death itself? (I intend to add it to the algorithm after the next strip comes out and we have something for Reaction - she scores rather highly)

Earnest: Well, I'd argue it should get it's own category similar to Reaction. Maybe "Last Words"? I'm not sure what order, but it could include Oh, Crap!, Bond One-Liner, Famous Last Words and Final Speech.

Haven: That could work. A category about the character's reaction to their impending death. The most fatal would probably be where they don't get a chance to respond, or are Killed Mid-Sentence.

Earnest: It's been a while, but I went ahead and added the new row. Feel free to edit as appropriate (don't forget the copy in the main name space!)


Haven: Just read Shirley's algorithm, and seeing Code Geass referred to as Anyone Can Die is one hell of a Reverse Funny Aneurysm. Also, on the "Ultimatum" one I did, I really wanted to make the reaction a 5, because not only is there an upcoming montage, but the entire next issue of Ultimate Spider Man was a No-Dialogue Episode, and it was the last issue before the title relaunch. So, yeah. Maybe I'll make that a five, because that's quite weightful. Even though I doubt they'll keep that character dead.

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