Autophagy dependent cell death (ADCD) refers to cell elimination that requires autophagy. It is distinguished from mere autophagy-associated death by the strict demonstration that inhibiting autophagy blocks the death process. While autophagy often accompanies cell death induced by toxic insults, ADCD is highly context-dependent. One of the well-validated physiological examples of ADCD is the Drosophila larval midgut degradation during metamorphosis that can occur in the complete absence of caspase activity, even when active caspases are present. Other models of ADCD, such as autosis, have distinct ultrastructural features pointing to an absence of a single, unifying death pathway. I will discuss how distinct signals direct autophagy machinery toward lethal outcomes, and consider whether common regulatory themes exist across different contexts.