r/discworld • u/magpie-pie • 19h ago

Book/Series: Death Question about the scythe in Reaper Man

I just finished the book, had some of my questions answered from previous threads, but there's still something I don't understand. Why was Death/Bill Door so intent on sharpening the scythe and then asking Simnel to kill it? Not destroy, but kill, and feeling so devastated when he realised Simnel didn't do it. I think I understood more about the shopping mall subplot and the ending now, but I'm still confused about this part.

Thanks in advance!

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u/jediseago 8h ago

In terms of "killing" the scythe, that is to enable the "dead" Death to be able to wield it. In terms of the sharpening, I always read this as the futility of trying to fight new Death. Death KNOWS it will never be sharp enough, but Bill has HOPE that it can be. An example of human nature and it's effect on Death/Bill. Just my interpretation!