Character Deaths Done Right (Prime+side+villain)

We all know that as horrid as character deaths are to our hearts, they really do add to the story extensively. Every good story is set up for a well-done character death that will kill its readers. I've come up with some helpful hints, or rules, as to how to have your characters death be so great and adding to the story, as well as tear your readers apart.
(Please take note of the fact that I kinda found a lot of this on Tumblr, so credits to the people I got the advice from)


RULE ONE: DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BRING BACK AN IRRELEVANT CHARACTER IN YOUR STORY!!!

People may have liked the character, but if you kill someone off, they need to stay dead. This comes with exceptions, of course, but as for irrelevant characters, they need to stay dead. Otherwise, it will look like you brought the character back for the crowds to enjoy and not to add to the plot or anything.




RULE TWO: DO NOT JUST KILL OFF A CHARACTER FOR A REACTION!!!


You should only kill off a character to progress the story or to make the point of one of your other characters are willing to kill. If you are killing off a character due to them being irrelevant, then they shouldn't be in the story in the first place, so DELETE THEM FROM THE STORYLINE :3


RULE THREE: YOUR READER NEEDS TO KNOW THE CHARACTER YOU'RE KILLING OFF

Before you kill off a character, make sure your reader gets to know them. They, your readers, need to feel like they've just lost an old or new friend, which requires giving your character a personality, habits, and emotions. This can be hard for some people, but trust me, the end results are worth it.


RULE FOUR: MAKE IT HORRIBLE

Killing off a character when they have dreams, ambitions, and plans makes everything worse. If they never accomplished something they clearly desired, it will leave a gaping hole where your reader's heart used to be.


Dying from old age isn't a great way to go out either (unless they're all alone and forgotten [BONUS IF EVERYONE THEY CARED ABOUT IS DEAD!]). This particular way of death isn't that dramatic and certainly isn't much motivation for a still alive character, so kill them off painfully and probably sacrificing themselves for the main character(s).
(An example of this is Yoda's death vs. Obi-wans death in StarWars)


Another way of death is to have your character really fight for their life, aka, GIVE THEM A HUGE WILL TO LIVE. Sometimes when doing this, you need to have them live for someone or something, or not at all, that works too.


They should get weaker and weaker the longer the battle goes on, maybe add some crying in when they know they're going to lose and be killed (TRY NOT TO HAVE TOO MANY FLASHBACKS AT THIS POINT).
(NOTE: This method of killing can also make your characters hate the killer(s))

Along with this method, you can make it impossible for them to call for help, have whoever their calling betray them or not understand that character is in danger, or have whoever they're calling for unable to help. This will frustrate the reader, as the character had absolutely no hope or a chance at ever fulfilling their dreams.


LAST IMPORTANT NOTE: HAVE YOUR CHARACTER FEAR DEATH.


The after effects of a character's death is just as important as how you kill the character and makes room for character building in the still alive characters, so keep that in mind.




~Rey Brooks