10 Recent Video Game Villain Deaths That Made Us Cry

Easily the most complex villain in the Mario franchise, Count Bleck is at first shown to be your typical over the top, wonderfully hammy Mario baddie. But over the course of the game, you get bits and pieces of the man behind the cape. Turns out Count Bleck was once a man of the tribe of darkness, who fell in love with an outsider named Timpani.

Obviously such a union was destined for tragedy, as Bleck's father banished Timpani to parts unknown out of a misguided bid to keep his son "strong".

Well, he got what he wanted, as Bleck proceeded to go mad with grief, take the dark tribe's most powerful weapon - The Dark Prognosticus - and use it to set about the end of all things. Because if he cannot live with the ones he loves, then no one gets to live at all.

Fortunately, however, Timpani survived the banishment, being reborn as Mario's moody companion throughout the game Tippi. Once she realizes her true identity, Tippi managed to talk Bleck down off the mountain enough for him to realize what he's done. Bleck and Tippi sacrifice their lives to undo what Bleck had set in motion.

It's a touching death and proof of what can be done with Mario when story is put first.