Game Mechanics Have Santa leave Christmas in a non-violent way

[TheGoomba98]

I know this is a weird time to say something Christmas-related, but I know a new update is coming soon, and I've had this on my mind for a while.

As you may know, Santa Claus can only exist in your world during the Christmas season, and when it's over, he dies like any NPC (except for the Angler and Princess) where he bursts into gore, and the chat broadcasts "Santa Claus was slain..."

However, that has always seemed weird to me. I think he should really just disappear in a puff of smoke when that happens, like when the aforementioned kid NPCs "die" (although he should still be able to die the normal way when his health reaches 0), and the chat would instead broadcast "Santa Claus has departed" like when the Traveling Merchant leaves.

I know this might be intentional, since his Bestiary entry says that he makes "an even bigger, rather explosive exit", but that might also be a recently-devised lore fact in response to this long-standing thing. I really don't think it should've been standing that long, though - why do you still have Santa leave in this way when the game has since added more peaceful ways to have an NPC leave?

 

[TheChopster]

Yeah this seems... right.
It also makes no sense when he respawns next Christmas. Did they just get replacement Santa?

 

[Yenrand]

It saddens me that he has to go. After all, we can defeat Frost Moon and get Christmas, so why kill him. Santa appears in the credits so why can't he be a permanent NPC.

 

[OlleWernersson]

I would much prefer if Santa flew away or even teleported.

 

[Meowlegend]

why do you still have Santa leave in this way when the game has since added more peaceful ways to have an NPC leave?

Because the game does not need to be merciful or peaceful to every NPC. the "more peaceful ways" in question are just made for child characters so that the game doesn't get higher age rating.

 

[random terraria fan]

Because the game does not need to be merciful or peaceful to every NPC. the "more peaceful ways" in question are just made for child characters so that the game doesn't get higher age rating.

i dont think the merchant is a child

 

[Meowlegend]

i dont think the merchant is a child

Traveling Merchant doesn't die, he leaves. There is a difference.

 

[random terraria fan]

yes so have santa leave

 

[Mille Marteaux]

Traveling Merchant doesn't die, he leaves. There is a difference.

Yeah, that's basically the point. People (including me) would like it if, when Santa is present in the world when the season ends, he is allowed to simply depart instead of dying, similar to the Traveling Merchant. It'd admittedly be nice if Santa Claus was granted the "x has left!" treatment that the Angler/Princess have as well, but I'm more pressed about how he just explodes when the Christmas season ends.

If anything, I consider a change like this to be more in line with how the Zenith seed's password was changed to "get fixed boi" late in development to discourage children from using swear words[*] more than anything else. There are fairly young children playing this game, so it'd probably be best if little Bimmy didn't see Santa Claus explode in a shower of pixel blood and gore shortly after getting Terraria for Christmas just because the season ended.


e: can i stop editing this post send help i think i'm done lmao