Passing quietly away from sheer heartbreak is a trope that pops up in myth and fantasy. In the Star Wars universe, Padmé Amidala may have died of a broken heart after her husband turned to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader, and she gave birth to Luke and Leia. Shakespeare’s King Lear succumbs to heartbreak after hearing of the demise of his precious Cordelia.
Drama aside, it’s possible these characters fell to takotsubo syndrome — a short, intense dysfunction in the heart’s left ventricle. It can occur after extreme emotional or physical stress, making “heartbreak” both real and potentially deadly.
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