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KD
Since: May, 2009
27th May, 2022 05:12:23 PM
Some of these probably fall under either Death by Newbery Medal or Too Cool to Live.
Your examples for Iron Giant and A-X-L have been added by others under Death by Newbery Medal since they did actually die (or close enough), whereas Creech, E.T., and Mr. Friendly Giant just left.
Edited by KD
Anytime a person, usually child or teen, finds a mysterious person, creature, or robot that they usually live with, have an adventure where someone tries to obtain or kill the mysterious being, and then at the end the two are separated, despite victory, by a sacrifice, someone going to live elsewhere, or legal red tape.
Examples: The Giant in Iron Giant sacrifices itself for everyone else. Creech in Monster Trucks is alive but moved to a protected, isolated habitat with others of its kind. BFG in The BFG goes home to his isolated island while Sophie gets adopted. In E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, E.T. leaves on a spaceship back home with his family. The robot dog in A-X-L self destructs to keep the military from capturing it.