Writers create worlds that build upon our own, using their imagination to deliver us fantastic stories that are only possible in our dreams.

One of the devices they often use to keep us enthralled is death. They use our fear of death and the attraction of immortality to draw us in. Characters, especially in science-fiction, fantasy and horror genres, routinely die and come back to life again. It is a feat unproven in reality, but is more common than going to the bathroom in the fictional universe.

Writers kill-off characters to create drama. Oddly enough, it also gives stories a sense of reality. If the main characters in a TV show or movie never died, we would lose interest. What’s the point in watching if the characters are undefeatable?

But, if they never brought characters back, they would either run out of characters or they would have to recast a lot. Characters are also brought back because an actor decided to return to a show.

Different genres use different techniques for achieving this. The Feature Page: Science-Fiction vs Fantasy discusses these differences.