# You can't make a Sequel -- You killed off the Character! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670 "2020-11-03T19:56:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/1 "2020-11-03T19:56:54Z")
Authors and filmmakers have proven incredibly capable of resurrecting characters that were apparently “undeniably and reliably dead.” Sometimes it’s public clamor for the character, and sometimes it’s a desire or a need for money the poster child for this is _Sherlock Holmes._. Doyle wasn’t really very fond of his most famous creation, so he killed him off in the aptly-named story _The Final Problem._. But the public wanted more Holmes. Doyle wrote _The Hound of the Baskervilles_, which was supposed to be Watson’s memoirs of a case before Holmes’ demise. But it wasn’t enough. So he resurrected Holmes in _The Adventure of the Empty House._. Holmes wasn’t _really_ dead – he faked his own demise. And Doyle was saddled with him for a few more decades. H. Rider Haggard killed off his favorite character, the femme fatale Ayesha at the end of _She: A History of Adventure_ in 1887. She is definitely dead, being burned to a crisp in the Pillar of Fire. But she was Haggard’s favorite creation, and he kept tinkering with the text over the next fifteen years. I suspect he liked writing her too much, and eighteen years after the first appearance, she returned in a sequel _Ayesha: The Return of She_. She basically gets re-incarnated, then gets restored to her original appearance. As far as I know, this is the first complete Return From The Dead of a beloved character, at least the first with an explanation. Haggard went on to write two more books with her, in one pairing her with his other creation, Allan Quatermain. Ygor, the evil shepherd/hunchbacked assistant to Frankenstein (played by Bela Lugosi) in the Universal film _Son of Frankenstein_, gets shot and apparently killed at the end. But he’s back in _Ghost of Frankenstein_, without even a token explanation. I guess he just Got Better. This is the most common way of treating inconvenient deaths and continuity problems – just Don’t Explain. John Carradine as Dracula gets killed in _House of Frankenstein_, but he’s back in _House of Dracula_ the next year. And, despite being killed again, he’s back in _Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein_ (but played by Bela Lugosi). Larry Talbot as The Wolf Man got killed at the end, of the first movie, and get buried. But, wouldn’t you know it, moonlight on his corpse brings him back to life in _Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman_. The biggest change in a movie series came when they ended _Beneath the Planet of the Apes_ by blowing up the entire earth. It’s pretty hard to talk your way out of that. (“I got better…”), but darned if they didn’t do that. For the sequel, _Escape from the Planet of the Apes_ they had three apes using the spaceship from one of the previous movie to go into space. they travel back not only to Earth, but also through time. This requires monumental suspension of disbelief – the ships weren’t in any shape to take off. They had no support facilities or fuel. The technology was way ahead of what the apes were shown to have. In the original two films the astronauts basically slept through the voyage, so no time travel was involved – but here you had to believe in it. And the apes’ ship had to somehow go through its gyrations and end up on Earth. But if you can buy all of that, it works. Don’t get me talking about Spock and his damned _katra_. What are your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/2 "2020-11-03T20:08:43Z")
Spock died in the second Star Trek movie, _The Wrath of Khan_, as Leonard Nimoy had tired of playing the character with which he was so much identified. Dying in self-sacrifice to save everybody else, a memorable death scene with quotable farewell words to Kirk (“I have been, and always shall be, your friend”), the whole nine yards. And then… They brought him back from the dead! Vulcans have a transferrable soul, or spirit, and Spock’s had taken refuge with McCoy, and somehow I don’t remember now, his body hadn’t decayed and could be reunited with it via some dangerous Vulcan ritual that pretty much never works, except it did this time, and voila, Spock is back with only some memory fragmentation. Hey, did you edit your post to say NOT to talk about Spock and his “katra”? Ooops 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/3 "2020-11-03T20:35:24Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > Spock died in the second Star Trek movie, _The Wrath of Khan_ , as Leonard Nimoy had tired of playing the character with which he was so much identified. Dying in self-sacrifice to save everybody else, a memorable death scene with quotable farewell words to Kirk (“I have been, and always shall be, your friend”), the whole nine yards. Preceded by Spock’s hasty mind-meld with McCoy (“Remember!”) before entering the compartment. So the writers at least left themselves an “out”. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/4 "2020-11-03T20:48:01Z")
City Slickers had Curly (Jack Palance) as a memorable character, but he died (of old age?) in the movie. So in City Slicker 2, his twin was introduced. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/5 "2020-11-03T20:49:03Z")
There was DC Comics and “[The Death of Superman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Superman)” story arc… ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/6 "2020-11-03T20:51:50Z")
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) died in the Alien franchise–but then came back. > **[Alien (franchise)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(franchise))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Alien is a science-fiction horror and action media franchise centered on the film series which depicts warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her battles with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien" or Xenomorph. > Produced and distributed by 20th Century Studios, the series began with Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, and was followed by three sequels: Aliens (1986), directed by James Cameron; Alien ... ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/7 "2020-11-03T21:03:03Z")
IIRC, the late Sir Sean Connery’s character reappeared in the second _ **Highlander** _ movie after being beheaded in the first. The only explanation offered was a toast: “Here’s to magic!” About 20 years ago, there was an abortive attempt to revive _ **Hawaii Five-O** _ with Stephen J. Cannell (of _ **A-Team** _ fame) producing. (Those who saw the pilot said it resembled the latter more than it did the former.) When his people were putting the show together, they called actor Kam Fong and asked him if he’d like to reprise the role of Chin Ho Kelly. He said he’d be happy to, without reminding them Chin Ho had been bumped off toward the end of the original series. Oops! 😖 The winner in thsi category has to be _ **Dallas** _, where Bobby Ewing wasn’t really resurrected because he’d never been killed: the entire (awful) 1985-86 season had been a dream. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/8 "2020-11-03T21:06:44Z")
Laura Palmer, played by Sheryl Lee, was already dead in the first episode of _Twin Peaks_. But in the fourth episode, Lee returned as Maddy Ferguson, Laura’s identical cousin. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/9 "2020-11-03T21:07:13Z")
How many of those were there, anyway? I remember having a _ **Superman** _ comic like that sometime around 1964, and another where he was going to be cremated in **_Inferno_, the hottest sun in the Universe** , a few years later. (I never did find out how that story arc ended. ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/10 "2020-11-03T21:08:10Z")
Universal’s mummy movies were pretty wild with this. The Mummy’s Hand (1940) high priest Andoheb shot to death mummy Kharis destroyed by fire Heroine (reincarnation of Ananka) marries hero The Mummy’s Tomb (1942, though it allegedly takes place 30 years after previous movie.) Andoheb still alive, and played by George Zucco Kharis back in his coffin in Egypt. At the end, he gets destroyed by fire (again). Hero (son of previous hero) and heroine (another reincarnation of Ananka) marry, and hero gets drafted into World War II. The Mummy’s Ghost (1943) Andoheb finally retires. New high priest takes over. Kharis is in rough shape, but still in one piece. This time Kharis ends up with (another) reincarnation of Ananka. As they sink into a swamp together, she transforms into Ananka’s mummy. The Mummy’s Curse (1944) Many years after the previous movie, the swamp has somehow moved from New England to Louisiana. When the swamp is drained, the mummies are unearthed. Ananka’s mummy washes the mud off, and becomes a hot young babe, played by a completely different actress. When Kharis is unearthed, he is still a mummy. The Mummy (1999, set in 1923) and The Mummy Returns (2001, set in 1933) Ardeth Bey blows himself up with dynamite in the first movie. In the second movie, he is alive and well, with absolutely no explanation. Imhotep’s body and soul are both dragged to Hell at the end of the first movie, but are intact, and buried in a pile of resin at the beginning of the second movie. Ankh-su-Namun’s soul went back to the afterlife in the first movie. Although only ten years have passed in the second movie, she has been reincarnated and grown to adulthood. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/11 "2020-11-03T21:12:35Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > There was DC Comics and “[The Death of Superman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Superman)” story arc… If you want to go into comic book superheroes, they’re dying and returning constantly–Jason Bard/Robin, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Barry Allen/Flash, etc., etc., etc. … I have a feeling that Marvel does it even more often. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/12 "2020-11-03T21:16:11Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > somehow I don’t remember now, his body hadn’t decayed It was the genesis wave. His body was dead but the genesis wave forced some of his cells into life and accelerated the new body’s aging. You get to see at least one younger version of him. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/13 "2020-11-03T21:17:39Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > IIRC, the late Sir Sean Connery’s character reappeared in the second _ **Highlander** _ movie after being beheaded in the first. The only explanation offered was a toast: “Here’s to magic!” To be fair, every damn thing about _Highlander II: The Quickening_ was deeply stupid, and the return of Ramirez was the least objectionable thing. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/14 "2020-11-03T21:18:23Z")
Fortunately, his cells weren’t made of proto-matter. That would have been nasty. 😖 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/15 "2020-11-03T21:19:56Z")
Remember what it did to the bacteria on the outside of the capsule? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/16 "2020-11-03T21:20:10Z")
I think I turned it off right after the toast. My brain had started to hurt. 😖 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/17 "2020-11-03T21:23:13Z")
Yep. Nasty! 🤮 ---
**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:** [November 3, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/18 "2020-11-03T21:28:12Z")
Am I the first to mention Phil Coulson? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/19 "2020-11-03T21:30:58Z")
Tim Dorsey killed off Coleman in the first Serge Storms book ( **Florida Roadkill** ), then realized his mistake. After a couple of prequels and some lame attempts at replacing him, Coleman shows up again a couple of books later. Seems the whole “dead” thing was a case of mistaken identity. Even the characters commented on how lame it was and how dumb the author had to be. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670/20 "2020-11-03T21:32:50Z")
One of my favorites was the series _Sledge Hammer!_ where, as Wiki describes it " Because ABC intended to cancel the series, the last episode of the first season ends with Hammer accidentally destroying the city when he attempts to disarm a stolen nuclear warhead. Just before the explosion Hammer embarks on his infamous catchphrase “Trust Me…”. The last scene shows the “Beneath the Planet of the Apes”-style ruins of the city with Trunk’s voice screaming “HAMMMMMMMER!”. However, this episode got much better than expected ratings, in large part because the network had moved the show to a better time slot. ABC changed its mind and renewed the show for a second season. The second-season premiere perfunctorily explained that it and following episodes were set “five years before” the explosion, though Doreau is Sledge’s partner in the second season, despite being introduced to him in the pilot, and despite the presence of references to contemporary events, rather than those of five years earlier." Lovin’ it. 😁 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cant-make-a-sequel-you-killed-off-the-character/924670.md?page=2)