Saw this in a discussion starting from Diablo 3 (about how Tyrael somehow decided it was better to fight evil as a mortal over an immortal), but this is obviously a pretty common plot device in all kinds of work. Ignoring the philosophical/religious aspect of it, and assuming you done your homework when you become an immortal so that you're also forever young, why do so many stories seems to assume this would lead to a very sucky existence? I guess the common stuff is about how your loved ones leave you too if you're immortal except they leave you too if you're a mortal too unless you plan on dying before they do. At any rate, there is also no shortage of story where the focus of some guy is to become a God, and last time I checked immortality is one of the trademark to become a God, so if it's such a bad idea, why is it also super common in the same stories to want to become a God (and hence become immortal by extension)? Heck, as we know, most guys who claim to have become God ends up getting killed, which means their immortality isn't as great as immortal as they thought, so you'd probably be better off than the average guy seeking to become God, assuming your immortality is the real kind.
Some particularly egregious example I can think of would be Suikoden 3 when Luc is complaining about how he's been an immortal for 30 years and clearly lived far too long, or Fate Stay Night's Saber who is unconditionally immortal and can give it up anytime she wanted to if she ever got tired of her immortality but for some reason still manages to find reason to cry about her eternal suffering. (that she can end anytime by quitting and go to her penthouse in Avalon). Or of course we got Diablo 3's Tyrael who has been fighting demons since the dawn of time as an immortal but apparently learns more about fighting when he is no longer immortal.
Some particularly egregious example I can think of would be Suikoden 3 when Luc is complaining about how he's been an immortal for 30 years and clearly lived far too long, or Fate Stay Night's Saber who is unconditionally immortal and can give it up anytime she wanted to if she ever got tired of her immortality but for some reason still manages to find reason to cry about her eternal suffering. (that she can end anytime by quitting and go to her penthouse in Avalon). Or of course we got Diablo 3's Tyrael who has been fighting demons since the dawn of time as an immortal but apparently learns more about fighting when he is no longer immortal.
