Aw, okay. I understand better now. I feel that some things are easier to write out than others. That is why the "my parents are dead" trope is so easy to do and so common. It's an immediate tragedy that doesn't need much depth in thinking for it to be convincingly tragic, in and of itself.
Not only that, but it solves a VERY major purpose when it comes to adolescent characters: "where are the parents?"
As in, the RP setting is one of heros vs. villains where we have a bunch of super powered youths running about. Why is the mother not around to scold her child?
Wait, what if this is actually some mafia or gangland type of thing? WITH powers....why is the dad not telling his daughter to "stop hanging with those hoodlums?" Why is this 14 yr old doing things like roaming the streets alone or acting like there's nothing holding them back? Killing off the parents frees certain characters from boundaries and limits placed on them from having an actual family. Family can keep a character from acting independently because they have to keep these other people's safety in mind.
When you kill the family, you are also killing off the potential need of having to bring up side/background characters. While they don't always have to appear, they're more likely to be brought up or showcased if the character hasn't ran off from home or is old enough to naturally move out. Like Ekko. Sure, Ekko does crazy things, but what limits him is the fact that he still has his mom and dad. He has an emotional tie to them that causes him to be selective with certain actions or things he say. For example, he doesn't want to go to Piltover for school. He had a huge hang up about going off there and wanting to stay in Zaun, but how could he tell them? It was his name-day, and they care to deeply.
But his parents are around! True, but they're kept distant by saying they're always working to the point where Ekko is basically alone most of the day. That is how he's able to do things in his story. Now, what about Zac's parents? They use to be alive. RITO, y u keel dem? Well, story wise, I rather they be dead. It's not he's Batman now. Someone said so himself, he's now Spiderman. When Batman's parents died, it only left him with pain and a need for vengeance. When Uncle Ben died (because Peter's parents were already gone), he did get a bit of pain and a desire for revenge, but that's not all. What Peter received was a lesson. He took that lesson and made it his motto. Zac's parents taught him how to feel emotions and to be human. They taught him that there are things to live for. That their is beauty in the world. And, most of all, he is not meant for destruction. When his parents died...Zac could have went on a rampage...but he didn't. He took what his parents taught him and became a vigilante.
But, they could have just lived, right? Well, sure. That is, if you want to rehash the story again and again. The chem baron after Zac already attacked the scientists. Why? He discovered their location. Guess what will happen if they stay in Zaun? He will come after them again...and again...and again. Not only did their deaths give Zac a purpose and free up his responsibilities, he also doesn't have to save them 24/7 or have said Chem Baron be a cartoon villain attacking the exact same person over and over and failing miserably. Come on now, they're humans without special powers. Their survival would be a mixture of Zac's competance, Chem-baron's incompetence, and a lot of plot armor.
But what about Annie? Well, the thing is, my assumption is that she was always meant to be alone, right? You have this girl with the lampshade saying that she is a scary ass pyromaniac who has both of her parents and COULD burn you alive and murderize you, but doesn't. Okay, cool. She's not tragic. ... Why is her mom not teaching her how to control or strengthen her powers? Why is her father not teaching her proper etiquette and how to behave in front of others? Why is there no mentor around to show her some path or act as caretaker when mom and dad are working on business? I can get that her parents are important people, but someone has to watch her. If nobody is watching her, hen how is she living on her own? Does she have a nanny that checks in every day? Does she get an allowance? She's only 8-12. She can't possibly have a job to sustain herself.
So, now what? If all potential caretakers are out of the picture, then they need a reason to not be there. That is why mom and dad died, and Riot lampshade a lampshade. Not having her parents around just because could create a plothole. That is why they died. It is to fix loose ends. Not only that, but it was to attempt to explain her current personality. Not everyone responds to tragedy the same way. I have one friend whose mom died to cancer. This man is GOD awful at math and writing, but he works 110% to try and succeed. He currently sales shirts and hoodies with his own brand "Ambition over Money" and is pretty much an entrepreneur because his mother's death spoke to him on so many levels. Now you have others who, if that would happen...they won't try to strive for success. They'll curse the doctor, their parent for leaving them, and the heavens themselves for forsaking him.
For Annie...she was mentally broken. She's doing now what she had to do when her step-mom was still around: smile and act like a child having fun. Unfortunately, she's now full of pain and possibly malice. She doesn't trust people anymore. The only person she ever trusted is now dead because of her. Now all she has is her bear Tibbers. Woe be to anyone stupid enough to separate a child from the one thing that helps them feel safe. No, seriously. Try snatching a 2 yr old's security blanket. They'll cry and cry and won't stop.
