History Main / DeathIsASadThing

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess. Then things get confusing when many people show up for the funeral, including high schoolers, college-aged people, adults, and even the town mayor. Especially when the natural lifespan of a hamster is only 2 to 3 years, and the Speedy they knew had wildly different appearances. It turns out that [[LegacyCharacter there's been many, many, grade 4 class Hamsters named "Speedy"]].

* Mr. Hooper's death in ''Series/SesameStreet''. It's not quite the same, as Mr. Hooper ''was'' a major character and Will Lee's death (from a heart attack) was a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot for the episode in which [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim his death]] was addressed. It was also a case of EnforcedMethodActing as the tears you see on camera are ''real'' -- something the single take bears out very clearly. That being said, it did teach little kids that it was okay to miss the deceased, and that adults also feel sad, cry and miss loved ones when they die.

* In ''{{Pippin}}'', Theo has a pet duck named Otto who gets sick and dies, despite Pippin doing all he can for it (which isn't very much). After the duck dies, Pippin tries repeatedly to cheer Theo up, to no avail.

* ''NiNoKuni'' has the protagonist dealing with the death of his mother.

* The ''PennyAndAggie'' {{Flashback}} arc "What You Can't Teach" shows Aggie, as a young girl, coming upon a dead bird and asking her mother Melody (since deceased herself) how God can let that happen. Melody's answer provides an important clue to the present-day Aggie's personality and motivation.

* B.B, the daughter of The Bride and Bill from ''Film/KillBill'', first finds out what death is when her fish dies.
** And in perfect [[Creator/QuentinTarantino Tarantino]] style, Bill explained this in one of the most awesome monologues in movie history.

* Mr. Hooper's death in ''Series/SesameStreet''.
** Not quite the same, as Mr. Hooper ''was'' a major character and Will Lee's death (from a heart attack) was a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot for the episode in which [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim his death]] was addressed. It was also a case of EnforcedMethodActing as the tears you see on camera are ''real'' -- something the single take bears out very clearly. That being said, it did teach little kids that it was okay to miss the deceased, and that adults also feel sad, cry and miss loved ones when they die.

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess. Then things get confusing when many people show up for the funeral, including high schoolers, college-aged people, adults and even the town mayor. Especially when the natural lifespan of a hamster is only 2 to 3 years, and the Speedy they knew had wildly different appearances. It turns out that [[LegacyCharacter there's been many, many, grade 4 class Hamsters named "Speedy"]].

* ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' has an episode in which Dave and the Chipmunks adopt a cat, Cookie Chomper III, which is subsequently run over on the road and killed. The episode shows how Alvin, Simon and Theodore cope with their loss and how Dave eventually encourages them to remember the happy times they had with Cookie. In the end, Dave persuades the Chipmunks that they can learn to love another pet just as much as they did Cookie, leading to them adopting a dog, Lily, from the animal shelter.

* In ''FindingNeverland'', the fictionalized Llewelyn Davies boys are introduced after having lost their father, which caused severe disillusionment especially in Peter, who continues to act like an adult through much of the film.

* An episode of ''FullHouse'' dealt with the grandfather's death.
* An early episode of ''TheCosbyShow'' featured Rudy dealing with the death of her goldfish, although this is clearly more comedy -- particularly in Cliff's attempts to think he's soothing Rudy's "grief" (when she was simply shurgging her shoulders).
* ''GrowingPains''

* In the first episode of ''FreaksAndGeeks'', Lindsay's new rebelliousness and questioning of her life is linked to the recent death of her grandmother.
* A ''KenanAndKel'' episode centered around Kenan's dad leaving him and Kel in charge of looking after his prized pet cockatoo and the bird dying in their care.

* The manga ''Manga/BunnyDrop'' opens with the death of six-year-old Rin's grandfather. By the chapter's end, Rin is able to acknowledge that the man won't wake up ever again. Though a later chapter touches on Rin becoming afraid of dying herself, and of her new guardian dying.

* In an episode of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' a little girls cat dies. She tries to get Izumi to fix it but she explains it's irreversible.

* Ellie's grandmother in ''HarvestMoon'' 64.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' episode "I Remember Melville", not only does Chuckie's pet pillbug die but the babies have a funeral for it. This may not entirely count as a DeathIsASadThing because Chuckie's mother has already died. Then again, this was never actually shown in the series, and Chuckie honestly had no idea who his mother was, just remembering her in dreams.

* In the ''{{Rugrats}}'' episode "I Remember Melville", not only does Chuckie's pet pillbug die but the babies have a funeral for it. This may not entirely count as a DeathIsASadThing because Chuckie's mother has already died. Then again, this was never actually shown in the series, and Chuckie honestly had no idea who his mother was, just remembering her in dreams.

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess.

* The manga ''BunnyDrop'' opens with the death of six-year-old Rin's grandfather. By the chapter's end, Rin is able to acknowledge that the man won't wake up ever again. Though a later chapter touches on Rin becoming afraid of dying herself, and of her new guardian dying.

* As a child, [[TheMaxx Julie Winters]] was marked by the maiming and eventual death of a rabbit (although she was equally troubled by the callous way her mother [[ShootTheDog put it out of its misery]].)
* At one point in ''{{Transmetropolitan}}'', Spider recalls when he first learned about death - when his grandfather died. This being ''Transmetropolitan'', he first has to be told that Grandpa's never coming back, and no, it's not like that time he beat up Grandma and then declared he wasn't coming home; once it sank in, instead of being sad, little Spider got ''angry''.

* In an early ''DickVanDykeShow'' episode "Never Love a Duck" this happened (partially offscreen). Rob brought home two baby ducks that were used in an "[[ShowWithinAShow Alan Brady Show]]" sketch and Richie raised them. Cut to a few months later - one is dead and the other is dying. Rob explains to Richie that no matter how much he loves it, it's not enough for it to survive. They have to release it into the wild. ([[FridgeLogic How a duck raised by humans will cope in the wild isn't discussed.]])

* The manga ''BunnyDrop'' opens with the death of six-year-old Rin's father. By the chapter's end, Rin is able to acknowledge that the man won't wake up ever again. Though a later chapter touches on Rin becoming afraid of dying herself, and of her new guardian dying.

* ''Shadowlands'': C.S. Lewis and his stepson deal with the death of Joy Grisham.

->''"These things are nothing for kids..."\\

And suddenly you have no grandma.''

* ''CalvinAndHobbes'' had the death of a raccoon that Calvin found. Watterson classified the two-week arc as C&H's GrowingTheBeard moment.

* Rather harshly subverted in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' - Regina Berri discusses when she first encountered death... and makes it clear she has ''no'' idea what it is.

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess. [[spoiler: Things get complicated when a whole bunch of adults from all over come to the funeral and Mrs. Grotke had to reveal that "Speedy" was constantly replaced with a different hamster whenever the old one died of old age.]]

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess.

* Rather harshly subverted in ''VisualNovel/AceAttorney'' - Regina Berri discusses when she first encountered death... and makes it clear she has ''no'' idea what it is.

* In a short sequence from Creator/GahanWilson's ''Nuts'', the Kid is puzzled that he can't cry when a favorite uncle dies. Then he imagines how he would feel if his dog died, and completely loses it. (Meanwhile the dog is very much alive, and straining at the leash because it wants to pee.)

'''As a DeathTrope, all Spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.'''

* ''{{Shadowlands}}''. C.S. Lewis and his stepson deal with the death of Joy Grisham.

* In an early ''DickVanDykeShow'' episode "Never Love a Duck" this happened (partially OffScreen). Rob brought home two baby ducks that were used in an "[[ShowWithinAShow Alan Brady Show]]" sketch and Richie raised them. Cut to a few months later - one is dead and the other is dying. Rob explains to Richie that no matter how much he loves it, it's not enough for it to survive. They have to release it into the wild. ([[FridgeLogic How a duck raised by humans will cope in the wild isn't discussed.]])

* Similar to the ''Rugrats'' example, its' SpiritualSuccessor ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had a similar case where the class hamster, Speedy, dies, and the kids decide to hold a funeral for him on the playground during recess.

** And in perfect [[{{QuentinTarantino}} Tarantino]] style, Bill explained this in one of the most awesome monologues in movie history.

* In a short sequence from GahanWilson's ''Nuts'', the Kid is puzzled that he can't cry when a favorite uncle dies. Then he imagines how he would feel if his dog died, and completely loses it. (Meanwhile the dog is very much alive, and straining at the leash because it wants to pee.)

* B.B, the daughter of The Bride and Bill from ''KillBill'', first finds out what death is when her fish dies.