History Main / DeathbyNewberyMedal

[[folder:Western Animation]].

[[folder:Western Animation]]
%% * Parodied, along with other OscarBait-related tropes, with "Oscar Gold" in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''
%% ** Brian's death in another Creator/SethMacFarlane show, ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', specifically the episode "Life of Brian", this time plays the trope straight.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' episode titled "Squeaky," in which Smurfette finds and befriends a sick mouse. With the help of Papa Smurf, the mouse is nursed back to health, but dies later after being in a house fire.

* Carlos Ruiz Zafón's ''Literature/{{Marina}}'' is one of the most heartwrenching examples on Spanish modern literature. Despite the book is quite dark and depressing, you probably never figure what is going with Marina until the very end, when she is revealed to have the same illness which killed her mother. After the entire adventure, she dies and the protagonist loses the only light in his life.

* ''Literature/TheGathering'' by Isobelle Carmody [[spoiler: Towards the end the protagonist's dog is killed in a frankly [[TearJerker brutal fashion]] by being set on fire.]]

* Not a day after ''VideoGame/{{Stray}}'' was released, a suggested Google search was "does the cat die?" [[SubvertedTrope The answer is no]], incidentally, but [[spoiler:their robot companion ''does'']].

* ''ComicBook/TheSnowman'' ends with James running downstairs the morning after his magical adventure with the title character, eager to spend more time with him, only to find that the Snowman has melted. While it isn't spelled out, having [[SilenceIsGolden no dialogue]], it's easy to see this as symbolic of the fleeting nature of childhood and its special joys. ''Literature/FatherChristmas'' and ''The Snowman and the Snowdog'' reveal that he can be rebuilt and come back to life, but never permanently.

** [[[Literature/AmericanGirlsFelicity Felicity]]: In ''Changes for Felicity'', Felicity's beloved grandfather dies of a lung infection (or, in the film version, [[DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation a heart attack]]).

** Dana [[spoiler:sees her father Zander fall overboard while drunk and he drowns]]. She never forgives her mother for it, even though there was nothing any of them could have done about it, include Dana

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'' has two semi-examples that serve as turning points in ComicBook/MilesMorales' life. The first is the Spidey of his universe, [[MentorOccupationalHazard who was going to mentor Miles, but is unceremoniously killed by Kingpin before he can do so.]] Later, Miles' uncle Aaron is also killed by Kingpin, after which the other Spider-People relate loved ones they lost during their journeys.

** The sequel is about Miles attempting to avert this trope: Miguel O'Hara and the Spider-Society believe that there are canon events in each Spiderman's life that have to happen or the fabric of the multiverse might fall apart. Miles finds out [[spoiler: his father is supposed to die according to this belief, and is determined to find a way to save both the multiverse and his dad.]] The film ends on a cliffhanger, so as of now it's unknown whether this trope will be subverted or not, but [[spoiler: Gwen's father and Pavitr's girlfriend's father both seemingly aviod this fate, which indicates it's possible.]]

* Parodied in Creator/HarlanEllison's post-apocalyptic novel ''A Boy and His Dog'' (Nebula Award for Best Novella, 1969). The titular boy escapes with his new girlfriend to find that, in his absence, his telepathic, erudite dog has been beaten nearly to death. His girlfriend, who's kind of a jerk, makes clear that he can either save the dog, or save her. Cut to the next scene, with the dog's injuries wrapped in the girl's dress, both of them complaining about how full they are, and... [[ImAHumanitarian something]]... roasting over the remains of their fire.

* ''Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru'' ("Night on the Galactic Railroad") - a novel by Kenji Miyazawa, made into an anime film - although the death doesn't occur at the end of the story, only the reveal of it.

* ''VideoGame/OriAndTheWillOfTheWisps'' defies this with Ku, who would have KilledOffForReal [[WouldHurtAChild by Shriek]], but this [[ShootTheShaggyDog nullification of her mother's sacrifice]] in the prior game didn't sit well with focus groups, so it was changed to a DisneyDeath.

This trope is about a character's death as a critical aspect of the storyline they're in. Any instances where a character is killed with an ''actual'' Newbery Medal should go to ImprovisedWeapon (or OnceKilledAManWithANoodleImplement if it's not shown). Also, do not confuse with [[AchievementMockery a medal awarded for dying from a newbie ("newb") mistake]].

Compare DeathIsASadThing (where youngsters are taught about death), OscarBait (which often employs the same principle), TrueArtIsAngsty, ThePlotReaper, and ManicPixieDreamGirl (not a coming of age, but the character of spirit, spunk, and unconventional wisdom is very likely to die by the end). Contrast DogGotSentToAFarm, when adults avoid telling children the truth about death.

* The ''Anime/PokemonTheSunAndMoon'' episode "One Journey Ends, Another Begins", revolves around the dog-like Stoutland dying of old age, and Litten coming to grips with the loss.

* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}} Sun and Moon'' episode "One Journey Ends, Another Begins", revolves around the dog-like Stoutland dying of old age, and Litten coming to grips with the loss.

* Jean Craighead George's ''Literature/JulieOfTheWolves'' is a Newbery Medal winner (1973) that ends with Amaroq the Alpha wolf of the pack that adopted Julie getting shot and killed and the heroine turning her back on humanity, in part because it kills animals for sport.
* ''Literature/ATasteOfBlackberries'' (Newbery nominee, 1973). A boy and his pal pick blackberries: One will die from bee stings, the other will survive to eat delicious fresh berries and angst about the loss of his friend. Considered by many to be the children's book that firmly cemented the death-of-a-friend trope, it ironically did not receive a Newbery honor but was only nominated; the aforementioned Death by Newbery Medal selection ''Julie of the Wolves'' won for 1973.

* Thomas Sennett (Macaulay Culkin) in ''Film/MyGirl'' (1991). Which, by the way, has a [[RecycledPlot remarkably similar plot]] to the above-noted ''Literature/ATasteOfBlackberries''.
* Trevor getting killed by the bullies at the end of ''Film/PayItForward'' arguably counts as this. He didn't have a mean bone in his body and his titular idea made many people do good deeds, and made his civics professor [[DefrostingIceQueen find a reason to not push other humans away]].

* ''Literature/A TasteOfBlackberries'' (Newbery nominee, 1973). A boy and his pal pick blackberries: One will die from bee stings, the other will survive to eat delicious fresh berries and angst about the loss of his friend. Considered by many to be the children's book that firmly cemented the death-of-a-friend trope, it ironically did not receive a Newbery honor but was only nominated; the aforementioned Death by Newbery Medal selection ''Julie of the Wolves'' won for 1973.