Robin Williams he just made so many people laugh

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Out of left field, and something I've posted online before: Arthur Tudor

Arthur was the older brother of the man who became Henry VIII. Like the curious echo in modern times, red-haired Harry was the spare.

Arthur's death, therefore, is the historical pivot that turns Britain Protestant, cutting ties with Rome, dissolving alliances with Europe and sending us off into doing everything in the way we did it, for better or worse, since Tudor times

Shakespeare? Might never have happened. Spanish armada? What armada? We might well have remained friends and there'd be no need for angry Spaniards in ships. Arthur was married to Catherine of Aragon. We might have been part of any armada.

Mary I was Henry and Catherine's child. With Arthur still alive, there's no Mary I.

In the timeline where Arthur lives, Henry's trajectory is completely different. Does he still marry Anne Boleyn and beget Elizabeth? Even if they do, she's very unlikely to become queen.

All of modern history, especially that of the USA, would be completely different were it not for that one unidentified and lethal malady.

Harambe.. RIP

Franz Ferdinand is the most correct answer in this comment thread.

David Bowie, pretty sure he was the last wizard keeping our reality on track and ever since he died it's been downhill to shitsville.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.

Literally the day the music died.

John Lennon - thus began the 80s

Hunter S. Thompson. We could really use some of that spirit in the media right now.

This one will make it sound like I'm a fan — I'm not — but I was a kid when Owen Hart entered the WWF and an adult when he died in the ring.

Wrestling had already lost its shine and appeal to me, early in the 90s. The characters, storylines, and action bled fake. And, as I grew up, I came to understand it was no different than any other staged play, entertainment, or storytelling. What really bothered me wasn't the fake drama, or the dumbing down of storytelling. It was serial betrayal, shameless advantage-taking, and the smooth-brained jingoism of it all. It became the refuge of every shameless American impulse.

Then Owen Hart died on camera. There was a brief reality check. Then, on with the show. The change, though was an acceptance that real death was no reason to stop, slow, or change directions on the machine. If anything, the show, the drama, the merch, and the culture became the basis for an entire political bloc.

Lest we forget: Linda McMahon is now Secretary of Education. Hard to think of a person worse than Betsy DeVos, but here we are.

Emperor Shōwa

All those poor souls in the World Trade Center.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Her death ended the rule of law in the usa.

I might be getting a little ahead of things here, but Donald Trump. When he finally croaks, MAGA will begin to unravel. All the racism and bigotry and stupidity and ignorance will still be, like, everywhere in the USA. But without Shithead, they will turn on each other. There is no successor, only a bunch a ghouls who are willing to do anything to take his crown. I look forward to watching them tear each other apart.