Basic Trope: The author or narrator tells you that a character will die.
- Straight: In a book called Alice and Bob, the author says "Alice and Bob were off to meet their friend Charles, who, unfortunately, will die in Chapter Five."
- Exaggerated:
- The book's first sentence is "Charles dies".
- The book lets you know early on that everyone is going to die by the end of the story.
- The book tells you the details of Charles's death first.
- The book constantly reminds you that Charles will die at one point.
- Downplayed:
- Charles doesn't die but the narration lets you know that something bad will happen to him and that he may almost die.
- The narration says that Charles "will go away" or "might die".
- The story says that a character will die, but it isn't specified as to which one.
- The story tells you early on that Charles will get injured.
- Justified: If the narrator is a character, they can see the future and are warning you.
- Inverted:
- "Alice and Bob were off to meet their friend Charles, who, I am glad to say, doesn't die, even though he appears dead once."
- The book is about The Undead. The author lets you know that one character will be resurrected.
- The narrator somehow tells you that a character will be born later in the story.
- Subverted:
- The narrator then says "Just joking."
- In Chapter Five, Charles dies in a video game he’s playing.
- It's Who Ling that dies.note
- Double Subverted:
- "… About them being friends."
- Charles actually dies later in the chapter.
- Parodied:
- Charles dies before the author says "Charles dies."
- The author attempts to invoke this... The author does not realize that Charles is immortal.
- Averted: The narrator doesn't tell you who, if anyone, dies.
- Zig-zagged: "Charles dies. Nah, just kidding. Although, you might never know."
- Enforced: The writer wants to get the readers' attention, or avoid shocking them with suddenly killing off Charles.
- Lampshaded: The book is written in the first person from Alice's perspective and Bob hears her narrating and says "Wait, what?".
- Invoked: The author knows that Charles will commit suicide, and the exact date when.
- Exploited: One of Charle's enemies (or the Big Bad) knows that Charles has something he wants and then makes a raid on Charle's house after Charles is dead.
- Defied: Charles takes an immortality potion in order to prevent his death.
- Discussed: "Charles- what?!"
- Conversed: "The narrator told me Charles dies, and I don't like sad stories, so I won't read it."
- Played for Laughs: "Alice and Bob were walking along and saw an ant, who, I am afraid, will get squished."
- Played for Drama: Charles is Bob's brother.
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