Susan Sto Helit

The human granddaughter of Death who battles supernatural forces while trying to live a normal life as a teacher.

Susan Sto Helit (also spelled Sto-Helit), once referred to as Susan Death, is the granddaughter of Death, the Disc's Grim Reaper. She appears in three novels: Soul Music, Hogfather, and Thief of Time. Being both human and supernatural, she is frequently forced away from her attempts at normal life to battle malign forces or take on her grandfather's job. She has a number of his abilities but insists on being addressed as Miss Susan. As the series progresses, she takes on roles educating children, becoming what Pratchett calls 'a kind of Goth Mary Poppins'.

Quick Facts

Series

Discworld

First

Soul Music

Creator

Terry Pratchett

Family

Death (adoptive grandfather)
Death of Rats
Mort (father)
Ysabell (mother)

Species

Human

Gender

Female

Lore & Background

Susan is the daughter of Ysabell and Mort. At the end of Mort, her parents leave Death's domain to become Duke and Duchess of Sto Helit with the motto 'Non Temetis Messor' ('Don't Fear the Reaper'). Susan is their only child. She is introduced in Soul Music as a sixteen-year-old pupil at Quirm College for Young Ladies shortly after the deaths of her parents.

Initially blaming Death for not saving them, she accepts he can only grant an eternal moment, which they refused. After graduating, she begins a teaching career: first as a governess in Hogfather, then as a schoolteacher in Thief of Time. In Soul Music, when Death takes a holiday, Susan is forced to assume his role. She discovers the inevitability of death and destiny before being released upon her grandfather's return.

In Hogfather, she foils an Auditor plot involving Mr Teatime and the Tooth Fairy's castle, killing Teatime with a poker after saving the Hogfather from Auditors disguised as dogs. In Thief of Time, she finds the son of Time to stop the Auditors from halting time, aided by Lu-Tze (a sweeper and definitely not a Monk of Time) and Myria LeJean/Unity. Physically, she is a slightly built young woman with pure white hair featuring a black streak that rearranges itself based on her mood.

She has a birthmark on her cheek—three finger-like lines from Death slapping her father in Mort—that glows when she is angry. She possesses 'The Look', capable of turning her face into something skull-like. She inherited abilities such as walking through walls, living outside time, being immortal, sensing humanity, understanding the Death of Rats, and using Death's voice (indicated by small caps and quotation marks). Her mind represses much of her perfect memory to avoid insanity, though it manifests as premonitions.

She can make herself unnoticeable to ordinary people but remains visible to those who 'can see what's really there'. Unlike most humans, she cannot ignore things that don't fit a logical worldview and can see invisible entities like monsters or the Tooth Fairy. Her powers are nullified in the Tooth Fairy's castle (where children have no concept of death) or when time is held static by the History Monks' clock. Trained at Quirm College, she is skilled in Mathematics, Logic, languages, Discworld culture, and swimming (four strokes and lifesaving techniques).

She was conceived and born within Death's family line, inheriting traits 'through more than genetics... through the soul... in the bones'.

Reader's Guide

Susan Sto Helit represents the intersection of humanity and the cosmic force of Death. As the granddaughter of Death (via adoption) but born within his family line, she inherits abilities like walking through walls, sensing death, and seeing invisible entities, yet insists on living as 'Miss Susan', a schoolteacher. Her journey spans three novels: Soul Music, where she temporarily takes over her grandfather's duties; Hogfather, where she defeats an Assassin and Auditors in the Tooth Fairy's castle (a realm where her powers fail); and Thief of Time, where she helps restore time by finding the son of Time.

She is aided by figures like Lu-Tze (a sweeper) and Myria LeJean/Unity. Key traits include her 'Look' (which can appear skull-like), white hair with a black streak that changes style based on mood, and a birthmark that glows when angry. She possesses perfect memory but represses most of it to stay sane. While she can make herself unnoticeable to normal people, those who perceive reality clearly still see her.

Her powers are nullified in the Tooth Fairy's castle (due to children's lack of death concepts) or during time stasis. Educated at Quirm College for Young Ladies, she is proficient in Mathematics, Logic, languages, and swimming. She balances her supernatural heritage with a sensible human approach, eventually becoming a 'Goth Mary Poppins' who educates children while battling malign forces.

Did You Know?

Susan's hair is an inverted homage to Elsa Lanchester's appearance in Bride of Frankenstein, rearranging itself into a tight bun when she works.
In Hogfather, Susan loses all supernatural powers inside the Tooth Fairy's castle because its reality is based on children's beliefs, which exclude death.
She prides herself on mentally calculating the square root of 27.4 and is versed in four different swimming strokes.