Yeah, you're right about it being poetic on that level, but on another level: Echo was so obsessed with saving the dolls the entire show, and then she turns this guy into a doll and utterly destroys him. That's messed up. And I can accept it as messed up if there was more time to let the messed up-ness sink in, you know?

Killing Melvemberline didn't put me off in itself, but as a Jossian trend of dead lovers, I agree the trope has gotten stale.
EXACTLY.