User blog comment:Zathronas/Analysis by an author: Volume 2 episode 12: Breach/@comment-5217560-20141031031903/@comment-173.58.251.107-20141031061421

Characters in plots are separated into two groups, ones who need to live because of the plot and ones who could go either way. If the character isn't named, shown for more than ten seconds, they probably are in the second category.

In the case of the White Fang, Perry or whatever his name is is fairly plot important, the idiots who got thrown off the train aren't, obviously, and now they're probably dead.

Torchwick, on the other hand, is plot important, and nothing short of character death will kill him.