fate worse than death
A Fate worse than Death
This tag can be used to describe images where a character, or characters, are subject to some act, effect, or consequence where they are not immediately killed, but instead persist despite being changed, imprisoned, or affected in some way that could be seen as, implied to be, or is clearly a worse fate than if they had simply died.
Characters in this position could be implied to eventually, or imminently die, as a fate worse than death can be a temporary, or semi-permanent measure as a prelude to death.
An example of a "Fate worse than Death" could be something where a non-consensual character is forcibly, uncomfortably, and irrevocably altered from a state of nominal living to a state of living in an undesired, or otherwise torturous position, stuff like non-fatal vore, absorption, and transformation, where it's clear a characters consciousness persists, but there mortal or material form is destroyed, and it's implied or made clear said absorbed or transformed character is unhappy or suffering as a result.
A bad example would be a situation where a character willingly volunteers to be altered, and is shown, or implied to be content with the results afterwards, such as voluntary vore leading to sentient fat. That character chose to be consumed, and exist and self-aware fat on the body of another character, so not a fate worse than death.
This tag, like most, is subjective, and may not apply based on the artist's intent, but ambiguity may result in this tag being applied anyway.