The death of Jesus was a true death. This was not a trick or some sort of half-death. He really and truly died. In that moment, everything changed. His death allowed Him to conquer death and paved the way for all of His people to share in that victory.
His death came at noon, the point when the sun was highest in the sky. Before sunset, His body had been taken down from the cross, hastily prepared, and taken to the tomb. There it sat through the Sabbath, the day of rest. The sun that rose on Sunday brought light to the first Easter morning.
The story is one of hope; that things, no matter how bad they seem, can get better even if that seemed impossible before.