Do you prefer Sad, Melancholy, Good, or Happy endings?

[. Rarity .]

Which kind of endings do you like in novels, movies, anime, games, any kinda story format? (including songs). I know sometimes that it depends on the story, and how engaged you are. But what kinda ending do you like the best?

Sad: Brockback Mountain, Call me By Your Name (Almost every gay block buster ever). Stories that leave a feeling of sadness for characters. I do know some people who like this kind, and there are many great sad story titles . However there is good sadness that make you cry, but in a satisfied way. Like Coco, Angel Beats, and Your lie in april.

Edit: this might also be classified as *bad* in a game sense

Melancholy: Sad, but also happy to interpertation. Stories that leave you hanging, but in a way that doesnt feel happy, but still satisfied to a degree. No.6 manga, Akira, Happy Sugar Life, Penguin Drum, Danganronpa. This is personally my favorite kind. Not completely sad, but still interpretive. I find many horror movies end like this, and games like Until Dawn, or other titles in *Dark Picture Studios*.

Good: This is kinda like melechony but they end on a note that is happy, and everything turned out well. However there are a few things like characters didnt make it, strings were left untouched, a character has to go. Inside Out, Kyo Kara Maoh the manga, Lion King, Treasure Planet. Sometimes things even wrap up in the end and everyone comes together .

Happy: Sing, Rio, Road to Elderado, Spirit. Yeah this is pretty self explanatory. Kinda like most Disney, Dream Works, Blue Sky endings. No strings were left un touched, everyone lived. Everything turned out well, badically a *perfect world* story in a sense. Mostly stories targeted towards kids. But there are many good stories that end on a happy note for adults too.

So which kind do you prefer? Feel free to post your examples, but no disagreeing on other people's examples we all have our own opinions;

I like melancholy the best, what about you?

 

[Kitsuragi]

it really depends on the story itself, because sometimes a story can be unsatisfying if the ending sucks, depending on what characters did. sometimes melancholy or even "bad endings" can be satisfying based on how the player character/main character reacts. one of my favorite games has two endings that can both be seen as bad or at best neutral because the MC is a bad character, and i always liked the endings of that.

 

[. Rarity .]

it really depends on the story itself, because sometimes a story can be unsatisfying if the ending sucks, depending on what characters did. sometimes melancholy or even "bad endings" can be satisfying based on how the player character/main character reacts. one of my favorite games has two endings that can both be seen as bad or at best neutral because the MC is a bad character, and i always liked the endings of that.

Yeah I agree, I played alot of choice based games, and they end on that note. Until Dawn is my favorite choice based game, and it falls under that kinda category,

 

[princess.looking.for.frog]

sad endings are good for the right stories. some stories wouldn't be nice if they had a happy ending - they need sad/melancholy ones.

I do enjoy happy endings also, makes me super grateful for the characters and how they are happy now. but melancholy endings are amazing too.

 

[.: Meri :.]

Some of it depends on the genre for me, but I do strongly prefer good or happy endings. I don't even mind if it's a little silly/cheesy in how it gets to the happy ending (like, characters miraculously surviving something that really shouldn't have been survivable), as long as it's not totally contrived or forced.

Of course, sometimes melancholy or sad endings are what works best for a story, but I personally just don't gravitate towards those types of stories hardly at all. I can think of one or two exceptions, but even those I'd say were more bittersweet—so like, somewhere in-between good and melancholy on this scale. Emotionally-speaking, I tend to "carry" things with me, as I've heard it described, so anything that's too dark or sad generally isn't worth the distress for me.

 

[Croconaw]

It depends, but I much prefer happier endings. I’m not opposed to watching things with sad endings, though.

 

[LadyDestani]

As long as it works for the story and doesn't feel forced, then I can like any ending. But I do gravitate more towards things with sad or melancholic endings and also use a lot of those elements in stories that I write myself.

I don't know if it's because of my depression or if it's just a part of who I am, but too much happiness has the opposite effect on me. Too much cheerfulness, sunshine, and laughter actually make me feel more depressed, probably because those are very rare feelings for me. Sad and melancholic stories are more comforting for me because they make me feel like I'm not alone, I suppose.

I do like some happy or good endings, but I prefer it when the characters really have to put forth an effort to earn those types of endings.

 

[allainah]

I wouldn't say i'm too picky I kind of like them all. But prefer sad endings because I just love a good cry weather it's a good or bad one
example: my favorite movie ever "Interstellar" it's sad but both happy at the same time and that movie makes me cry SO MUCH

 

[Belle T]

The main thing with sadder endings is that even if the events are realistic, relatable, and well-written, it can easily feel unearned or simply gratuitous if done poorly. Sure, a happy ending can also feel rushed, haphazard, and unearned, but because people have been conditioned for centuries to expect a happy ending at all costs in 90% of cases, I don't feel nearly as cheated as I do when something ends in tragedy without proper buildup and resolution.

I think the best told and most highly remembered stories tend to go for what you described as the "good" ending, rather than the "happy" ending. That is, the ending is optimistic, but also reflective on the sacrifices and personal struggles that had to happen in order to achieve that ending. Outside of Disney movies and other movies aimed at children, the emotional impact of stories rarely land when the personal stakes are completely undermined in the end. It's not impossible, mind you. Disney movies are popular across all age groups for a reason. But I think it definitely loses its touch if it's not handled carefully.

For my own enjoyment, I think less important is the tone of the ending as much as how the ending reinforces the events leading up to it. I'm going to use my favorite episode of The Simpsons, season 2's Lisa's Substitute, as an example of... well, how not to do that. This is my favorite episode of the series, and even decades later, it still has a profound emotional impact on me. But it's also not perfect, and its flaws are indicative of not just my changing interests as an adult but the difference in writing standards from 1991 to the present day.

A quick summary for those who are unfamiliar: In Lisa's Substitute, eight-year-old Lisa Simpson's teacher falls ill and is temporarily replaced with Mr. Bergstrom, who she quickly takes a liking to when he expresses a sincere interest in her education, hobbies, and social and intellectual development. This is in stark contrast to her home life, where her mother is well meaning but complacent, her father is... well, literally Homer Simpson, and her brother isn't the most helpful, either. As a result, she grows attached to Mr. Bergstrom until eventually her regular teacher makes a full recovery and Bergstrom is about to leave town to work at another school. As Lisa sees Mr. Bergstrom off at the train station, he takes a piece of paper, writes something down, folds it up, and tells Lisa that whenever she's feeling alone and uncertain of what the future holds for her to read the words on that paper and take their words to heart. After Bergstrom leaves, in a scene that still chokes me to this day, Lisa unfolds the note, which simply reads, "You are Lisa Simpson."

The problem I have with this episode (aside from the fact that it feels the need to shove in a B-plot with Bart, which really breaks the pacing) is that in the end, there is a very quick resolution where Homer and Lisa mend their relationship and--despite the central focus of the episode's plot being on Lisa to the point where it's her name in the title--ends with Homer content with having done right by his children on that day. And I think that really undermines the point the story was to make. That is, the point that Lisa's life isn't going to be easy, that she may always be considered something of a black sheep, but that it doesn't mean she is destined for a life of unhappiness. I'm not saying she should hold a grudge against her family, or that it ought to have ended on her miserable, but that it feels so wrong that the final moments of the episode take a such a rapid shift to being almost exclusively being about Homer.

Granted, I understand the cultural context that led to this writing decision, and I'm sure there are people who are fond of this type of ending. But I think it makes the episode thematically weak as a result, and it severely diminishes the impact of the rest of the episode, especially so many years later.

Long story short, I suppose, is that your ending can be happy, sad, or anywhere in between, but it should reinforce the story you're attempting to tell.

 

[Midoriya]

I don't care as long as it's done well.

A lot of stories aren't.

 

[tiffanistarr]

It highly depends on the context of the content. Sometimes an ending needs to be sad to make the consumer feel what they should feel. Sometimes an ending needs to be happy because it’s what is fair for the character.

If a piece of content can convey the story that the writers are trying to tell, then I’m happy. I can say sometimes it sucks, in Little Women I still have heartache that Jo and Laurie didn’t end up together. However, I understood why it happened the way it happened.

I love a happy ending, but I still find the book and movie The Boy in the Striped Pajamas one of the best pieces of media. Terrible ending, sad, gut wrenching, unforgiving ending, but so damn good and poignant.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I mean I prefer not to be saddened by endings in general but some movies/shows do it well.. like the ending in the movie The Mist, yeah that was a sad ending but so good. A+ horror

I guess it really depends on the genre and how much I care about the main character(s)!

 

[-Blue-]

It really depends, I suppose. A downer, happy/good, and or neutral ending can be done well or poorly. For example Wreck it Ralph is great, but Ralph Breaks the Internet is hot garbage.

It's seen as bad when Turbo 'goes turbo' but when Vanellope does it in the 2nd film it's good? I just don't get it. Or how Ralph doesn't just break the internet, but his entire character. I didn't like how they had to sacrifice Ralph's character to make him look pathetic so that it made her look good. It's bad writing.

Cars 3 and Toy Story 4 had the same issues in a way.

 

[imorileo]

Hmmm, this is a hard one! I think it definitely depends on what media I'm consuming. However, I lean really heavily on open endings, because no matter how sad or happy, it'd be great to imagine what could happen further beyond the confines of the movie/book/series. ♡(੭´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭

 

[Romaki]

I'm a sucker for a happy ending, but I just want it to be well written in the end.

 

[Mr_Persona]

It all depends on the story. But I usually don't care which one i prefer over the other, like i said it all depends.

 

[Yanrima~]

When it comes to endings, I don't enjoy the abrupt sugar-coated endings. When it comes to happily ever afters, I prefer them to be a bit realistic or well-earned (moving on, getting better, etc.)

So it depends on the mood and tone of the story really. Personally, I enjoy both happy and sad endings equally (open to interpretation ending works too as it makes the viewer/reader/player think about what's going to happen.)

 

[Gem of Paradise]

Good happy endings, without a doubt.

 

[Xara]

it honestly does depend on the story and what type of ending would best stay true to it, but personally i prefer good/happy, or even melancholic, endings. to be honest, i’m kind of sensitive when it comes to sad endings, and they leave me feeling empty in a way that can easily bring on a depressive episode, so i try my best to avoid them haha. i don’t mind them if they best suit the story, and i won’t avoid a piece of media just because it has a sad ending, but i have to be in the right frame of mind for it. i especially don’t like sad endings that catch me off guard, though i admit they usually make the story more interesting.

that being said, i’m not super into cheesy or stereotypical good/happy endings, or ones that feel forced. i want them to feel natural, and for them to only happen if they best fit the story. i’m not familiar with all the examples you listed, but i thought inside out’s ending was well done. it was a realistic, sweet good ending.

one of my favourite series, the hunger games, has a lovely melancholic good ending. by the end of the series, the hunger games are no longer a danger to the children and families in panem, the tyrannical presidents have been assassinated, and 2 of the main characters have finally found peace in their lives and with each other — they’ve even had 2 children, something that would’ve never happened before with the hunger games and the fear of their children being reaped looming over them. but it’s still a melancholic ending, as so many lives were lost between the start of the hunger games and the end of the war, and the characters will have to live with severe trauma and flashbacks the rest of their lives. it’s a beautiful ending, though, as it doesn’t forget all the tragedies that occurred, but it still lets you know that everyone has finally found some form of peace, and leaves you (and them) optimistic that the future will be better than the past.

 

[Alienfish]

Depends heavily on the media and genre etc. I think the happy ending-ends are rather abused in a lot of them just to provide a trope or satisfier to the audience, though.