The $@ variable is only set by the eval code if it somehow fails. In your last example, you don't use eval to "catch" this die, so $@ will not be set.

However, even if you used eval, this will not work for your END-block. You might want to try to install a $SIG{__DIE__} handler instead. Using that to set a variable or something similar, so that you can access the information within the END-block.

$SIG{__DIE__} = sub { our @reason = @_ };

eval { die "Let's Try to die." };

END {
    our @reason;

    if (@reason) {
        print "We caught a call to die: @reason\n";
    }
}
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