Elf Sternberg

I suppose there's cases when an undeserved fate is necessary for the story. Look at "The Grapes of Wrath" or "A;; Quiet on the Western Front". But that undeserved fate is the reason for the story. It is part of the futility of war.

If you're not writing that sort of story I suppose it helps that the characters deserve, in some sense, what happens to them. It's comforting for the reader. The murderer is exposed. The lovers are reunited. It's a valid story structure; just not a universal.

And, even if they don't deserve a failure ending, there can be a satisfaction for the reader in seeing what the dumb mistake was. Or maybe it's a tragedy, and we don't, today, easily see why Romeo and Juliet couldn't just elope.

Although I'd worry about a porn tragedy. Just think of the know-nothings who'd gleefully tell everyone that just having sexual fun is reason enough for a dreadful fate.