Well, the thing is that if I want to use the lovely background info they supply, I have to reduce Syndrome's deathtoll, or 90% of those backgrounds are toast. We SEE them listed as terminated in the KRONOS files.

Sure, but maybe they faked their deaths. For some of them this might almost be reflexive.

"Hmm, some unknown villain is trying to kill me after all these years. I'll let him think he succeeded then lay low and see what happens next."