My personal view of death in Piercing the Heavens is... rather negative. I honestly don't think death fits the overall tone of the Wonderverse, seeing as how Head in the Clouds felt like an actual episode of MLP in some parts. I won't say exactly who has been killed off to avoid spoilers, but I just wanted to post this and get a gauge on what people think.

So as I said, I don't think death really has a place in the Wonderverse. But it's here, so we have to deal with it I suppose . However, the fact that only background characters have been killed off is... rather underwhelming. You can't expect me to believe the stakes are high if it's cannon fodder that are being killed. That's why I believe a named, major character needs to be killed off for me to really believe that there's any real danger to this conflict. Obviously there is, I can see that in the writing... but I don't feel it. After the shock had worn off from the other deaths... I didn't really feel anything after that. Worse still, I couldn't see any semblance of caring for these deaths a few chapters after the fact.

My point? I think the only to truly get people to believe this conflict truly is deadly is through the death of a named, and possibly beloved, character. I just don't think cannon fodder is the way to go with raising the stakes. Because after so much of the same thing... it can get predictable if it doesn't change. And predictability would an extreme detriment to this story.

The only way to drive the plot forward in a meaningful way is through the death of a major character.

But what do you think? If you agree with my thoughts, click the like button. If you disagree, click the dislike button. And I encourage you to share your thoughts in this thread.

death in Piercing the Heavens is... rather negative but Silver is so close that if this is handled properly this can be turned it to a driving force for the wonderbolts.

6242927
True

If it doesn't have a place or fit the tone of the story then how would it have a meaningful impact 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

The only thing killing off a major character would achieve at this point is being as unnecessary and disjointed as this post.

6242941
At this point? Probably so, but if a major battle were to happen, I think a major character death would be necessary to get the point across that this is war, and people you care about will die.

But that's just me.

It’s a fine line to toe. Death is something that should be used sparingly in this type of story (PTH specifically, and really all of the Wonderverse) because if characters were to die all the time, it’s not as shocking or meaningful. However, if no one ever dies, a bit of the seriousness is lost. Calm, I think, handles this extremely well: we all knew they were in danger, with Wave being afflicted by the crystal disease (that quite possibly could kill him, knowing what happened to the Commanders), and Silver’s heart problems (before chapter 130, of course.)

We got pulled into a false(?) sense of security— which is why when we all thought silver was going to die, the reaction was so emotional, and all of us had very strong opinions on Silver Surviving. Based on how far in advance Calm has planned this story, characters are still around because they have a purpose, not because he’s simply too attached to them.

So, Silver obviously still has a role to play in Dash’s character arc. I’m pretty sure that at some point, he’s gonna die, which will be even more emotional, knowing he’s already survived so much. Most likely, I see him sacrificing himself for his student (Classic Hero’s Journey cycle— by the time the final challenge happens, our hero is alone, without his/her beloved mentor), perhaps giving her that final push over the edge. Which edge? Depends on a whole lot, so I’m not going to theorize how exactly it could happen.

TLDR: death of main characters in PTH should be used sparingly, only where it leaves an impact on our heroes and furthers the plot. At the same time, don’t let them live if you want that impact on the other characters, because it won’t mean as much.

I actually got pissed when silver survived

It’s almost surefire Silver will die at this point, wouldn’t be surprised if Calm had Misty Fly die, which would turn Fire Streak into a raging beast

6243019
I agree wholeheartedly. If Calm is going to kill off a main character, of course it should be in a situation that actually calls for it. But if it's not in the outline, perhaps after Piercing the Heavens he could learn from this. Who knows.

6243025
Unfortunately, I looked into the comments of chapter 129 and I spoiled myself so... yeah. XD

6243112
Hm, I kinda had it the other way, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fire died, making Misty go berserk and making Lightning break down or something .

6243112
I think misty dying would be more appropriate.
6243245

The fact of who dies in the story is something sometimes hard to write. I did that myself a don I can tell it's hard not only for me. But what kind of character is the one that dies has nothing to do with the conflict. In a story like Piercing the Heavens, even one of the members of the staff could have died in many occasions and their roles aren't action ones, like the Wonderbolt's. Now, if one of them had died, it wouldn't make the conflict any less dangerous, would it? How dangerous a situation is doesn't depends on who dies or how important or relevant they are in the story, but the point the death tries to reach. Be it that it wants to leave the reader shocked, scared or intrigued even, a death is a death. Now, it's true that if, for example, Silver Lining or Misty Fly died, readers would be saddened, even angered, for that, but eventually they will become something else: A martyr. And we have to consider too the impact the death would have in the other characters, for example, if Silver died, Rainbow Dash would be devastated and Spitfire even angered for letting that happen, Misty would suffer a lot for her old friend, his squad would be totally lost and we can go on and on.

So, in conclusion: A death has to be well handled by the author, and who dies doesn't necessarily makes a problem any different from before, not more dangerous or less dangerous. The deaths in a story aren't something easy.

6243590
Interesting

6243149
I agree but it should also be a death that makes a wider impact as so far as the exception of the Wonderbolts and Renegades the rest of the story’s characters are thinking unrealistically. What we need is something that will tip ponies in particularly Rainbow Dash into standing up and openly defying the “status norm” that others willingly embrace simply because the alternative is too unpredictable and dangerous for them to acknowledge.

6243949
Exactly man, that's what I was thinking. Because cannon fodder doesn't really make you think that hard, does it?

6242916
I think the death of a main character is not something to be handled lightly, or thrown in just to spice things up a little. I agree that the death of a main character should have a specific purpose and plot to drive the story forward, either emotionally, or leading to a decision which pushes the plot forward. Alternatively, the death of a main character can suspend the story- it can leave the other characters reeling and having no sense of direction, and the villain wondering if they went too far. Killing a main character simply to elicit shock is a bad way to lose the interest of readers, but I think that the severity of the situation had already been conveyed with the numerous near-death experiences nearly all of the main characters have experienced. For example, when Wave got kidnapped, or when Silver was beaten to a bloody pulp by Nightshade, or when Soarin got thrown into the mountain. Side characters and supporting characters deaths add elements of gravity and importance to the story, without weighing it down and making the light-hearted elements of writing style inappropriate.

While yes, I agree that the death of a main character would drive the plot forward, I disagree that it's the only way to do it, especially with a writer as talented as Calm Wind. A death has to be handled very carefully, and not just an 'Oh crap, Little Star died, well i guess we better get our act together'. It should be considered how the death will affect each of the other main characters, and in the decisions they make or don't make that propels the story forward- a premise with a promise, if you will.

However, although it obviously depends on the author to kill off characters, I have a feeling that the wonderbolts might not all make it through to the other other, as every great story has at least one great death- for example, in Harry Potter it was Dumbledore, in the Hunger Games it was Prim, in Titanic, it was Jack. I don't know though, and I can't wait to find out. Thank you for the interesting discussion

7510518
I'm gonna be straight with you, I had written this when I was 16 and I'm 20 now, and I had completely forgotten that this post even existed lmao.

But hey, thanks for taking the time to respond to a four year old post. Nice to know people still come to this forum :)