Who Dies In Fairy Tail? Every Death, Ranked By Sadness (2024)

For an anime series that's run as long as Fairy Tail, death is an inevitability. No series can go on that long without losing heroes and villains, which might cause some fans to abandon the show. Some may even argue that the series should have had even more death scenes, such as Gajeel's moment with Bloodman during the final arc.

Despite some questionable decision-making here and there, quite a few of Fairy Tail's deaths were truly heartbreaking. Some deaths happened earlier in the series and were often forgotten when compared to what happened later during the Tartaros and Alvarez arcs. Regardless, fans felt the impact of each one, and even temporary or contrived deaths still meant something to the characters who survived, so even the silliest Fairy Tail deaths didn't feel wasted after all.

Updated on January 23, 2024, by Ajay Aravind: Plot armor can get annoying at times, but Shonen anime have used this trope in a way that doesn't really upset its target audience. Fairy Tail is particularly noted for having very few character deaths, but that doesn't mean everyone in this anime is safe. Every death in Fairy Tail has had some impact on the narrative, especially in terms of how they affect both the characters and the viewers. As such, we've updated this list with some more relevant information.

15 Kyoka Should Have Never Lost To Erza And Minerva

Episode 259: "00:00"

A member of Zeref's Etherious group, Kyoka was perhaps one of their most dangerous members. She successfully convinced Minerva to become a Demon like the rest of her group, and she even dealt a heavy blow to Fairy Tail's morale by kidnapping Erza. All things considered, Kyoka never should've lost to Erza, given both their standings at the time.

However, with a bit of plot armor, Erza overcame Kyoka and defeated her with her superior sword skills. Worse, Minerva finished Kyoka off seconds later, ensuring she would never be a problem for humanity again. Her death still ranks low among the saddest Fairy Tail deaths, though. Even in her loss, Kyoka knew they were successful in activating the Face bombs.

14 God Serena's Dreams Came Crashing Down Against Acnologia

Episode 297: "Until The Battle Is Done"

Not all deaths bring Fairy Tail fans to tears, and God Serena's demise might have come as a relief to many viewers in the crowded final story arc. What makes his death sad, however, is the fact that he may be the biggest victim of having too many bad guys in the Alvarez arc.

God Serena was built up as a god-level character, one who manhandled the wizard saints and planned to eradicate all dragons. However, those dreams came crashing down against Acnologia, when God Serena was treated like mere fodder. In fact, he was actually taken out in a flash when he got on Acnologia's bad side.

13 Larcade Dragneel Was Killed After Asking Zeref For Help

Episode 319: "Emotion"

Larcade was yet another member of the Spriggan 12, meant to be one of Zeref's strongest soldiers. A master of magic dealing with pleasure and excess, Larcade's spells toppled entire empires. Even the mighty Sabertooth guild struggled to manage in a fight against Larcade.

Larcade never really got the chance to express any emotions other than arrogance and disdain for anyone who wasn't his master. However, his death was somewhat tragic because he believed himself to be Zeref's family. When Larcade turned to Zeref for help, however, Zeref brutally killed him — revealing Zeref never believed in their connection as familial to begin with.

12 Hades Died With Regret In His Heart

Episode 120: "Daybreak At Tenrou Island"

Hades was the second guild leader of Fairy Tail who'd lost his way, after becoming consumed with the knowledge of the lost arts. Initially, on a journey to awaken Mavis, Hades became obsessed with Zeref's power. Before long, everything Hades did revolved around trying to awaken Zeref.

The sad part wasn't simply that Hades died, but that he was killed by the very person he was trying to awaken. Right before Hades' demise, he realized how wrong his actions were, but it was far too late to atone for them. Hades died with the regret of knowing he'd misjudged who Zeref was, not to mention what he was capable of.

11 Makarov Dreyar Sacrificed Himself To Help His Children

Episode 309: "The Broken Bond"

Makarov Deryar is a character who dies in Fairy Tail only temporarily, though his brief death still has a meaningful impact on his fellow Fairy Tail guild members. As with Gajeel, author Hiro Mashima struggled with ever letting characters meet their ultimate demise. Makarov risked death once by the powerful technique Fairy Law, but he survived.

Later, Makarov sacrificed himself again to help his children during the Alvarez Empire arc. Makarov's decision to give his life and protect the members he saw as children became one of the more emotional moments in Fairy Tail. That said, Makarov's death didn't hit fans as much as some of the others on this list.

10 Rita Dreyar's Death Set Many Narrative Events In Motion

Episode 289: "Mavis And Zeref"

Viewers didn't get to spend much time with Rita, but her death represented something heartbreaking. It also set many of the events of Fairy Tail in motion, as a character who dies in Fairy Tail during a lengthy flashback sequence. After surviving years of war, Mavis and the growing Fairy Tail guild finally welcomed someone new to their ranks — Yuri and Rita's child, Makarov.

The name came from Mavis herself, who finally learned how to value life again after years of war. The moment Mavis remembered the value of life, however, her curse reached out and took Rita's life. This incident not only destroyed Mavis, but cost Yuri his wife and Makarov his mother, without either of them ever understanding why.

9 Irene Belserion's Decision To Take Her Own Life Was Heartbreaking

Episode 315: "Dragon Or Demon"

Irene Belserion, Erza Scarlet's estranged mother, was an interesting member of the Spriggan 12. Irene was also one of the group's strongest members overall, and managed to go toe-to-toe with Acnologia himself. However, Irene was most compelling because of her personal arc, not her power levels. Her motherly connection was a big reason why her death was so sad.

As two of the strongest women in the series, both mother and daughter were in a heated battle, one where Irene had a slight edge. As it looked like she was going to land the final blow on Erza, Irene instead turned the blade on herself. Irene's inability to kill her own daughter was touching, but the fact she ended her life was heartbreaking.

8 Ur

Episode 15: "Eternal Magic"

Ur's death happened earlier in the series, in episode 15. She never got much development since she only appeared in flashbacks and briefly during the Alvarez arc. Still, Ur's death had a major impact on Fairy Tail, largely because of the outcome. Ur's death made Gray the way he was, leading him to blame himself for years.

Additionally, the event also led Gray to harbor a rivalry with fellow student Lyon and Ur's daughter. Ur's dying words hit fans right in the heart and served as proof that characters don't always need to be well-established to have a moving death. Then again, Ur's minimal presence in the story helps audiences get over her death.

7 Weisslogia & Skiadrum Were Forced To Say Goodbye To Their Children

Episode 265: "That Is The Power Of Life"

Originally, Sting and Rogue were introduced as the Dragon Slayers strong enough to have killed the Dragons that raised them. In that respect, they were supposedly the closest thing to "true" Dragon Slayers. The truth, however, turned out to be much more tragic. The White Dragon Weisslogia and the Shadow Dragon Skiadrum had rewritten their children's memories

This made Sting and Rogue believe they'd successfully killed them. In actuality, Weisslogia and Skiadrum had been hiding in Sting and Rogue's bodies, recovering from their fight with Acnologia. Unfortunately, neither of them could do it. After emerging from their hiding places to help save the continent, Weisslogia and Skiadrum were still forced to say goodbye to their children one last time.

6 Silver Fullbuster Pleaded With Gray To Kill Him

Episode 253: "Silver Memories"

No character has had it quite as rough as Gray, losing both his father and his mentor right before his eyes. It's what helped him become one of the more well-rounded characters among the main cast. Experiencing great sorrow and trauma is what makes an anime character stronger, and Gray proved that on numerous occasions.

Gray's battle with Silver during the Tartaros arc was excellent and one of the better ones featured in Fairy Tail. The end of the fight was perfectly executed, leaving fans on a bittersweet note as Silver pleaded with Gray to kill him. Furthermore, Silver said no true father would harm his son, fully repenting for what he'd done.

5 Zeref & Mavis Enjoyed A Special Moment Together Before Dying

Episode 324: "When The Flame Goes Out"

Zeref was unique compared to other anime shonen villains. It's rare to have an antagonist who only wants to die, even though they already wield such incredible power. The fact that his desire for death was so innately entwined with Mavis made events more interesting, making them one of the most complex pairings in Fairy Tail.

Fans knew Zeref's demise would be bittersweet, but they had no idea how heartbreaking it would be. When Zeref and Mavis admitted their love for one another, they lifted their curse in the process. Preparing to embrace death together, Zeref and Mavis enjoyed a special moment before their stories drew to a close with their dual Fairy Tail deaths.

4 August Disintegrated After Stopping A Dangerous Spell

Episode 319: "Emotion"

With how he was built up, fans had a sneaking suspicion there was more to August than what they were shown on the surface. He wasn't just going to be a generic villain for Fairy Tail to overcome, and that was eventually proven to be true. August had the most depth of the Spriggan 12 and a heart-wrenching death to go with it.

As the son of Zeref and Mavis, August went through his life neglected and never feeling the love a child needs. This desire for love ended up being his undoing. The moment he saw Mavis, August stopped a dangerous spell, leading to his prompt disintegration.

3 Simon Sacrificed Himself To Save The Woman He Loved

Episode 40: "Titania Falls"

Simon made a huge impact for the brief amount of time he was on-screen, making him one of the most inspirational anime characters. While Fairy Tail fans may argue that August and even Silver's deaths were more moving, Simon actually had one of the first sad deaths in the whole series.

Simon's sacrifice during the Tower of Heaven is part of the reason the arc is rightfully regarded as highly as it is. The fact he jumped in front of Jellal's spell to block an attack on Erza, the woman he loved, makes his death one of the most impactful in the whole anime.

2 Igneel Was Torn In Half After A Brief Battle With Acnologia

Episode 265: "That Is The Power Of Life"

As Ignia's father and Natsu's foster-father, Igneel's return was an exciting moment for all Fairy Tail fans. However, this event would immediately lead to a battle with Acnologia, which viewers had been waiting for. While the fight was short, the conflict solidified both of them as powerhouses and explained why they were so feared.

Igneel held his own for a time before quickly getting overwhelmed by the massive amount of power the black dragon had, ultimately being torn in half by the battle's end. That said, this didn't stop Igneel from having a teary-eyed reunion with Natsu Dragneel, where he told his son that he would be the one to defeat the black dragon.

1 Future Lucy Never Got To See The Brighter Future She Was Working For

Episode 195: "Man & Man, Dragon & Dragon, Man & Dragon"

In Fairy Tail, few characters have had an ending as sad as Future Lucy's. She traveled back to the past to prevent the Eclipse Gate from opening, only to watch her efforts fail. Despite fulfilling all her main missions, Future Lucy never got to see the brighter tomorrow she was working for, making her death the most tragic in Fairy Tail.

Future Lucy spent years in a timeline where all her friends had fallen to the Dragons that came through the Eclipse Gate. She worked alone, finally finding a way to go back in time — only to be slain by Future Rogue. Though Future Lucy's goals were noble and eventually successful, she deserved a better fate than the one she got.

Fairy Tail

TV-14

Lucy, an aspiring Celestial Wizard, becomes a friend and ally to powerful wizards Natsu, Gray, and Erza, who are part of the (in)famous wizard guild, Fairy Tail.

Release Date

October 12, 2009

Cast

Cherami Leigh , Todd Haberkorn , Tia Lynn Ballard , Colleen Clinkenbeard , Newton Pittman , Brittney Karbowski , Monical Rial , Brina Palencia

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

9