I was a rather literal child and was often frustrated by adults' use of such euphemisms for death ("in a better place", "passed on", "asleep forever", etc.) as I considered it deceitful and patronizing. It's nice to know that there are children's shows that deal with such an uncomfortable fact of existence with plain language and dignity.
"Why isn't he moving?"
--"Well, he's in the sky." (One way we say "in heaven" in my native language.)
"But he's right there."
--"Well, his soul is in the sky."
"..."
--"..."
"And why isn't his tail in the sky?"
I avoided the rookie mistake of telling him that the dog went ‘to sleep’ (because then he might worry that he’ll die if he goes to sleep too). But there were a dozen other considerations that I also had to make, up to the point of changing our wording when batteries or electronics ‘die’ from now on.
> "Big bird, it has to be this way--because."
>> "Because?"
> "Just... because"
Goodness those hit me hard.
But it's a messed up thing when you're a kid. You're thrust into the world, and some people around you make everything alright. Then one of those people leave, forever. As I'm sure many others can attest to, even as an adult, that frustration doesn't go away. I accept that it can be explained as deterioration of the cells, or maybe general entropy, but there's an emotional aspect to it nevertheless.
Somehow, it's comforting for me to remember that it happens "just because."