Thomas of Woodstock (play) is alive again at the beginning of "Richard II" until his execution is ordered by Bolingbroke in Act III. There is no instance of a character dying twice in the validated works of Shakespeare. There are, however, inconsistencies in Shakespeare, such as the claim at the end of "Henry IV, Part 2" that Falstaff will be seen again in "Henry V", a promise which is not kept. Furthermore, the character of Falstaff is arguably a different one in the history plays than the character encountered in "The Merry Wives of Windsor", not to mention the apparent setting of that play
Richard III (play) the antagonist. Shakespeare scholar Stephen Greenblatt notes how Richard even refers to himself as "the formal Vice, Iniquity" (3.1.82), which informs the audience that he knows what his function is; but also like Vice in the morality plays, the fates will turn and get Richard in the end, which Elizabethan audiences would have recognised. In addition, the character of Richmond enters into the play in Act V to overthrow Richard and save the state from his tyranny, effectively being the instantaneous new protagonist. Richmond is a clear contrast to Richard's evil character, which makes the audience see him as such.