# Favorite personification of Death? (Fictional, one assumes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2003, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128 "2003-06-29T08:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/1 "2003-06-29T08:15:34Z")
This might fit better in Cafe Society. Or perhaps not. In any case… What’s your favorite Avatar, Incarnation, or Personification of **Death**? From a work of Art or Fiction, I’d assume. A couple of versions of the 'Reaper that are near the top of my “favorites” list are… • **The South Park Death** …Who looks pretty much like your standard “Grim Reaper” archetype. But, instead of being an icy, “suave” figure, the South Park Death is an inarticulate monster, not even capable of speech, who uses his Scythe to bash through doors more than to slice the Gordian Knot of the human soul. Plus, he rides a tricycle for some reason. But, I suppose if you’re Death Incarnate, you can ride whatever you _want_ without fear of criticism. •**The [Marvel Comics](http://thanos.crowfans.com/death.html) Death.** What I’ve heard of this Death is interesting…apparently, It usually manifests itself as being _female_. So…anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/2 "2003-06-29T10:00:20Z")
Neil Gaiman’s version of course: [http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1563893339.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1563893339.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/3 "2003-06-29T10:02:21Z")
Neil Gaiman’s Death (of the Endless) is also female…but she’s Life as well. If you haven’t read his Sandman comics, go out and do so. Terry Pratchett’s Death is also interesting. He (Death, not Pterry) rides a horse called Binky, has an ancient wizard as a houseboy, an (adopted) daughter, and simply hates for wizards to summon him. Pratchett’s Death DOES carry a scythe. He says that in his line of work, compassion (or mercy, I don’t remember exactly) is a SHARP edge. And this thread could go either way. It’s a poll about art. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/4 "2003-06-29T10:04:02Z")
I love Piers Anthony’s Death, Zane. The bit about the doorbell was hilarious. Plus it fits with my view of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/5 "2003-06-29T14:19:14Z")
Death’s appearance in _Family Guy_, along with Peter Griffin’s temporary assumption of the role, was funny. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/6 "2003-06-29T14:46:53Z")
Ok, I like the death that comes and lambadas with the Pope, plower, and pauper in Hans Holbein’s illustrations to the Dance of Death, Lyons 1538. For example, [the rich man and the Queen.](http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/h/holbein/hans_y/2drawing/woodcuts/3death1.html) ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/7 "2003-06-29T15:02:26Z")
I agree with **Fern Forest** , there’s no other death for me than Zane. Especially since he managed to get the job by accident. I also like that his horse turns into a car, and vice versa. Just way too cool. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/8 "2003-06-29T15:22:24Z")
The Grim Reaper in _Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey_. “They melvined me.” ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/9 "2003-06-29T16:00:14Z")
There was an issue of Marvel’s _Man-Thing_ from a million years ago that featured an “angel of death” named John something-or-other. Totally ordinary looking guy. He made a woman into another “angel of death” and she ended up looking very exotic. Long flowing hair, tight dress, etc. John explained that each person’s look as an “angel of death” was dictated by their own perceptions of death. Hers was more exotic and outre while his was more “death is no big deal.” I always thought that was pretty interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/10 "2003-06-29T16:49:16Z")
Another vote for the discworld’s Death here! > [@](#): > > Like all beekeepers, Death wore a veil. It wasn’t that he had anything to sting, but sometimes a bee would get inside his skull and buzz around and give him a headache. > [@](#): > > Undershaft: “But he just killed me! Strangled me with his bare hands!” > Death: YES. CHALK IT UP TO EXPERIENCE. > Undershaft: “You mean I can’t do anything about it?” > Death: LEAVE IT TO THE LIVING. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THEY GET UNEASY WHEN THE DECEASED TAKE A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN A MURDER INVESTIGATION. THEY TEND TO LOSE CONCENTRATION. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/11 "2003-06-29T18:22:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Little Nemo \* > \*\*Death’s appearance in _Family Guy_, along with Peter Griffin’s temporary assumption of the role, was funny. \*\* - Car stops shaking \* “Now I will never loose my virginity! Oh, wait a minute…” \* Car starts shaking again \* ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/12 "2003-06-29T18:44:53Z")
Yet another vote for the Discworld’s Death - mainly because he is a closet humanist. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/13 "2003-06-29T20:56:10Z")
_Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/14 "2003-06-29T21:15:02Z")
Other than Dream’s older sister in _Sandman_, and Pratchett’s Death, um… Yeah, well, you can’t beat Pratchett’s Death, can you? ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/15 "2003-06-29T21:40:16Z")
Death in Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal”. I have a fondness for Christopher Lee’s Death on SNL with the original cast. Not a great skit, but it had its moments. From memory: Lee: “I’LL COME FOR YOU ON YOUR 13TH BIRTHDAY!” Little girl (Laraine Newman): “What?” Lee: “Oh, never mind.” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/16 "2003-06-29T21:44:07Z")
Willie Walker, the Black Racer Robert Redford and Murray Hamilton in “The Twilight Zone” ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/17 "2003-06-29T22:02:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fern Forest \* > \*\*I love Piers Anthony’s Death, Zane. The bit about the doorbell was hilarious. Plus it fits with my view of the universe. \*\* The phone call bit was petty good too. “Hello, this is Death. May I speak to Ginny?” The cover art is my all-time favoite picture of death. It fits the atitude so well. ---
**Author:** ![Sikander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Sikander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sikander)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/18 "2003-06-29T22:34:04Z")
**Monty Python** ’s Grim Reaper from The Meaning of Life: **Shut up, you American! You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say “let me tell you something” and “I just wanna say.” Well, you’re dead now, so shut up!** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/19 "2003-06-30T00:29:16Z")
I’m evenly split between the Discworld Death and Death of the Endless. I wonder if they could hook up and have little Deathlings… ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128/20 "2003-06-30T00:43:29Z")
**Sikander** beat me to it. DANG! [Death from MP:TMOL] It was … the salmon mouse!! [/death from MP:TMOL] (I could bring up Brad Pitt’s death \ from ‘Meet Joe Black’ but why?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-personification-of-death-fictional-one-assumes/185128.md?page=2)