History Main / DiedHappilyEverAfter

* The finale of ''Series/Arrow'' sees [[spoiler: 2040 Felicity enter Oliver’s personal afterlife to be together for the rest of eternity.]]

* The finale of ''Arrow'’ sees [[spoiler: 2040 Felicity enter Oliver’s personal afterlife to be together for the rest of eternity.]]

* The finale of''Arrow'’ sees [[spoiler: 2040 Felicity enter Oliver’s personal afterlife to be together for the rest of eternity.]]

* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] and ultimately [[AvertedTrope averted]] in the Discworld novel ''{{Discworld/Hogfather}}''; Death runs across and {{Expy}} of The Little Match Girl and is horrified by the situation, not because of the fact of her death (that's [[AnthropomorphicPersonification his thing]], after all) but because it's supposedly sentimental and an integral part of the "Hogswatch spirit."
** For the most part, the eventual fate of those who die in Discworld novels is ambiguous, as Death accompanies them to a desert they must cross, and the readers never see what awaits them on the other side (though it's implied that it's whatever they ultimately expect/deserve). There is one exception; the golem Anghammarad in {{Discworld/Going Postal}} decides [[IChooseToStay not to cross it at all]], as he spent 19,000 years of his existence trying to deliver a message (and willing to wait for time to start over to complete his task), and having no further orders to follow is bliss.

* [[spoiler:Jin from ''VideoGame/{{Cyberbots}}'']] in his ending in ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsWhatever Marvel Vs. Capcom]]''.

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime]]

* ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles'', [[spoiler:Andre is shown coming to retrieve Oscar after she is fatally shot the day after he was. In the manga they are even shown retrieving Andre's grandmother.]]

* Seita and Setsuko in ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies''. At the start of the movie, we see Seita's soul taking a train ride (which may or may not be a reference to Chris [=DeBurgh=]'s ''Spanish Train''), and it ends with the now very long dead siblings going to sleep just outside modern-day Kobe. No explanation is offered as to what this final scene actually means, although it is implied that they're at peace.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* Mufasa in ''Disney/TheLionKing'' does this to Simba, albeit also to [[SpiritAdvisor give him counsel]] to face Scar.

* In ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', [[spoiler:Ray]]'s shockingly not a DisneyDeath is softened when it is revealed [[spoiler:that he became a star and is now united with Evangeline.]]

* [[spoiler:[[Creator/LeonardNimoy King Kashekhim Nedakh]]]], and to a much lesser extent, the former Queen of Atlantis from ''Disney/AtlantisTheLostEmpire''.

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Brave}}'' after [[spoiler:Mordu]] is killed in the climax, the spirit of his human self appears to bow to Merida before disappearing into the afterlife - implying the prince is at peace now.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* Parodied on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "'Round Springfield", where Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa in the clouds... followed by [[Disney/TheLionKing Mufasa]] asking [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion#The_Lion_King_controversy "Kimba - I mean, Simba"]] to avenge him, which is followed by [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] saying, "LukeIAmYourFather", and finally, Creator/JamesEarlJones saying "This is CNN."

--> '''Hero''': Who the hell is that asshole?!

** Similarly, in the Waking The Dragons arc, after Dartz is defeated and the evil leaves him, the spirit of his daughter, Chris, who was earlier killed in a HeroicSacrifice, comes to take him from the sinking ruins, telling him "Mother is waiting for us."

* Kikyou's death in ''Manga/InuYasha''. Kikyou is one of the few characters who proved to be an actual threat to Naraku, making her one his main targets. Unfortunately Naraku eventually gets the upper hand and drives her into a corner and finally deals a fatal blow to the priestess. During her final moments, she visited her sister, Kaede, in spirit form, and apologizes for the suffering she has caused her, and shares a final kiss with her former lover, Inuyasha. She then exclaims that she's finally become what she always wanted, an ordinary woman, and her soul leaves her fake body and embraces all present as if saying farewell.

* This seems to be the ultimate fate of the dead stitchpunks in ''WesternAnimation/{{Nine}}''.

** For the most part the eventual fate of those who die in Discworld novels is ambiguous, as Death accompanies them to a desert they must cross, and the readers never see what awaits them on the other side (though it's implied that it's whatever they ultimately expect/deserve). There is one exception; the golem Anghammarad in {{Discworld/Going Postal}} decides [[IChooseToStay not to cross it at all]], as he spent 19,000 years of his existence trying to deliver a message (and willing to wait for time to start over to complete his task), and having no further orders to follow is bliss.

* Parodied on ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja,'' at [[http://web.archive.org/web/20070316081126/http://drmcninja.com/page.php?pageNum=52&issue=5 the end of the D.A.R.E. arc]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'', after [[spoiler:Coraline retrieves the eyes of the kids the Other Mother ate, they are freed from their prison, and she later visits them in heaven]]

* The case for most heroes in the ''Manga/DragonBall'' series. Shining example is Goku's Grandpa Gohan who as we retroactively discover, was accidentally killed by Goku when he transformed into a giant ape, but later shows up just fine when he gets to spend one day back among the land of the living and [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments see his grandson again]]. There's also Goku himself when he died during the Cell Saga, who talked with the others via a telepathic message to let them know that even though he was dead he was perfectly okay. Of course in his case he (eventually) [[DeathIsCheap wound up coming back]].

Oh no! The LoveInterest, {{mentor|s}}, {{parent|alAbandonment}}s, little sister, or another emotionally significant character to the hero has been killed by the villain. [[EmotionalTorque Woe!]] However, it's okay. Because the BigBad has been defeated, and their [[OurSoulsAreDifferent souls]] can rest peacefully in FluffyCloudHeaven. To demonstrate this, their ashes, ectoplasm, or even (and this one's popular) the clouds themselves form into their faces, and smile serenely down at our (still living) heroes before [[EverythingFades fading away]] to their [[{{Heaven}} eternal reward]]. Typically a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}.

* Wanda, a transsexual woman with a crippling fear of sex change surgery in ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' graphic novel ''A Game of You'' is denied entrance to the dreamworld on the basis that for magical purposes, she's not a "real" woman, is killed ignobly, and her parents insist on burying her dressed as a man with her birth name "Alvin" on her gravestone and not acknowledge that she self-identified as female for most of her adult life. [[TraumaCongaLine Yikes]]. But when the main character Barbie sees her spirit enter the afterlife, it is as a woman, secure in her identity and no longer "camp or artificial" as she had appeared in life (as her facial features were too recognizably masculine for her to appear quite as feminine as she desired).
* Scrooge's parents in ''ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck''. His mother Downy O'Drake passes away sometime during the events of Chapter 8, and his father Fergus [=McDuck=] dies at the end of Chapter 9. However, the twos spirits are shown being reunited and bid one last farewell to their children as they take off for Duckburg, before departing to the afterlife.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Casper}}'', this is actually a plot point; in this film those who die only cross over to the afterlife if they pass on this fashion - in turn ghosts are those who die but leave "unfinished business" that ties them to the mortal world, though fulfilling whatever it was they never accomplished allows them to cross over when they do realize it. [[spoiler:When the ghost of the lead villain tries to intimidate Kat and Casper they remind her that she achieved what she wanted which instantly forces her to cross over, then at the end Kat's mother briefly returns from the afterlife to assure her father that she passed on happily which is why he'll never find her - and begs him to not let his search prevent him from crossing over when the time comes.]]
* Death leaves his human form, and takes Grazia with him in ''Film/DeathTakesAHoliday''. She's more than happy to go with him, because she's fallen in love with Death.

* Variation: Since [[spoiler:the wife is one of the trapped ghosts]] in the remake of ''Film/Thir13enGhosts'', she leaves the destroyed mansion with the others in the end. She's still quite a ragged sight from the "burned to death" thing, but becomes beautiful again [[EverythingFades as she fades away]].

* Depending of your interpretation of the ending, this seems to be the final fate of [[spoiler:Ofelia]] in ''Film/PansLabyrinth''. [[TearJerker It is still pretty sad to watch, though.]]

* In ''Film/LilyaFourEver'', after Lilya kills herself to escape a life of forced prostitution, her and her young friend Volodya (who committed suicide earlier in the film) appear as angels playing basketball.

* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' ends on this trope. In ''The Last Battle,''after finding themselves in a new, perfected version of Narnia, the heroes from all the previous books, [[spoiler:except Susan]], are informed that they are in fact dead, but they're happy with this. (They were afraid they would be sent back into their own world like they had after all their other adventures.)

* ''Series/CoronationStreet'' - when Jack Duckworth passes away, a vision of his long dead wife Vera appears and asks him for a dance before he goes.

* In season 5 in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Sam and Dean are sent to heaven. (They get better.) There, they find [[spoiler:Ash, who had died a few seasons earlier.]] He's quite happy to see them, and is enjoying himself living in his favorite place and getting to meet all kinds of other dead famous people.

** Cora dies with her heart being restored to her, realising that her love for Regina "would have been enough". She properly makes amends in the Underworld, and is rewarded with going to {{Heaven}}.
** [[spoiler: Belle]] dies of old age in the very last season, but got to live a full and happy life with Rumpelstiltskin. [[spoiler: When he dies in the final episode, she appears to welcome him into the afterlife with her]].

** Happens to [[spoiler:Mr. Kyokasho, who dies to take out one of Shugari's monsters. He visits the heartbroken Riley in a dream to make sure she knows he's okay, and does the same for the earthbound Miya.]]

* After his HeroicSacrifice the titular hero of ''Webcomic/ItsWalky'' has a joyful reunion in the afterlife with his old friends and comrades. [[spoiler:Even though he's just passing through.]] In fact more friends keep arriving all the time, signifying that the final battle against the Martians is still going on.

* In ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'', [[http://danielscreations.com/ola/comics/ep0192.html this is deduced rather than seen, the raise dead having not reason to fail except that Pauline is happy in the afterlife.]] Then [[http://danielscreations.com/ola/comics/ep0200.html confirmed]] with a PicnicEpisode.

* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' has a sort-of example: [[spoiler:When Spike dies after finally killing Vicious]], the final thing seen in the end credits is a falling star, playing this trope out against the audience.

* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] and ultimately [[AvertedTrope averted]] in the Discworld novel ''{{Literature/Hogfather}}''; Death runs across and {{Expy}} of The Little Match Girl and is horrified by the situation, not because of the fact of her death (that's [[AnthropomorphicPersonification his thing]], after all) but because it's supposedly sentimental and an integral part of the "Hogswatch spirit."

* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'': [[spoiler: Emeraude and Zagato are shown together and joyful in the afterlife. She even thanks the Magic Knights. The manga shows even more.]]
* ''Manga/RoseOfVersailles'', [[spoiler: Andre is shown coming to retrieve Oscar after she is fatally shot the day after he was. In the manga they are even shown retrieving Andre's grandmother.]]

** ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'' [[spoiler: defies this trope. In fact, Homura achieves an EveryoneLives ending...[[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain but at great cost.]]]]

* This is how the ''Anime/{{Witchblade}}'' anime ends. [[spoiler: The titular weapon ultimately claims Masane's life, but first she is able to tie up all the loose ends in her life and secure a safe and happy future for her daughter. Then she goes out in a blaze of glory destroying the I-weapons and the remaining Cloneblades, ensuring the villains will never be able to threaten her legacy.]]

* [[spoiler: Doc Hudson]] in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2''.
* [[spoiler: [[Creator/LeonardNimoy King Kashekhim Nedakh]]]], and to a much lesser extent, the former Queen of Atlantis from ''Disney/AtlantisTheLostEmpire''.

* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Brave}}'' after [[spoiler: Mordu]] is killed in the climax, the spirit of his human self appears to bow to Merida before disappearing into the afterlife - implying the prince is at peace now.

* In the movie ''Film/{{Casper}}'', this is actually a plot point; in this film those who die only cross over to the afterlife if they pass on this fashion - in turn ghosts are those who die but leave "unfinished business" that ties them to the mortal world, though fulfilling whatever it was they never accomplished allows them to cross over when they do realize it. [[spoiler: When the ghost of the lead villain tries to intimidate Kat and Casper they remind her that she achieved what she wanted which instantly forces her to cross over, then at the end Kat's mother briefly returns from the afterlife to assure her father that she passed on happily which is why he'll never find her - and begs him to not let his search prevent him from crossing over when the time comes.]]

* At the end of ''Film/TheAdventuresOfMarkTwain,'' Twain dies ''awesomely'' ever after by [[spoiler: first merging with his dark side, and then [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Ascending To A Higher Plane Of Existence]] by ''actually becoming part of Halley's Comet.'' His smiling face appears in its celestial ripples to bid the three {{Tag Along Kid}}s farewell.]]

* In an alternate ending to ''Film/FourteenOhEight'', [[spoiler: Mike dies burning down room 1408, but reunited with his dead daughter. The final version just has him getting back together with his estranged wife.]]
* The whole movie ''What Dreams May Come'' is a prime example of this trope: We follow the protagonist as he explores the afterlife and is ultimately [[spoiler: reunited with his deceased family, and decides to reincarnate with his wife after saving her from hell.]]

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has several variations; probably the one that fits the trope best is the portrait of [[spoiler: Dumbledore]] at the end of ''Deathly Hallows''. Since an exact replica of his consciousness now lies in a painting, he is, essentially, still alive.
* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' ends on this trope. In ''The Last Battle,''after finding themselves in a new, perfected version of Narnia, the heroes from all the previous books, [[spoiler: except Susan]], are informed that they are in fact dead, but they're happy with this. (They were afraid they would be sent back into their own world like they had after all their other adventures.)

* Common in the ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'' universe. That's because almost everyone who dies in that universe, with a few exceptions, becomes [[OurGhostsAreDifferent a ghost]]--and although there are a few hazards to that, including things that, yes, [[DeaderThanDead can kill a ghost]], the deceased can continue to have happy existences. The biggest example is probably [[spoiler: Alice Nettles]], who gets to be with [[TogetherInDeath her beloved]] after her death, in ghost-form.

* [[spoiler: This appears to have been the eventual fate of nearly all the major characters]] on ''Series/{{Lost}}''.
* [[spoiler: Samantha Mulder]] reassures Mulder that she is fine (but dead) with a hug during season 7 of ''Series/TheXFiles''.

-->Anyone can see the road that they walk on is paved in gold
-->It's always summer, they'll never get cold
-->They'll never get hungry, they'll never get old and gray
-->You can see their shadows wandering on somewhere
-->They won't make it home but they really don't care
-->They wanted the highway, they're happier there today, today

* The end of ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition'' shows that all of the murder victims [[spoiler: now reside peacefully in a "spiritual Greenvale", having [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence become Goddesses]]. Emily in particular, given that [[TogetherInDeath she has York.]]]]

--> '''Examine text:''' The graceful transition of a troubled spirit to a peaceful end.

** Oh, and [[spoiler: just because ''you'' died happily doesn't mean ''everyone'' did, and some of these angsty teens have been stewing in grudges and insanity for billions of years (see Damara, who wants to work with Lord English so she can watch her "friends" become DeaderThanDead (again (permanently)))]].

* Technically, he [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended to a higher plane of existence]], but the look of utter peace [[spoiler: WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic]] had in ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' as he [[spoiler: absorbed the PlotHole]] shows this is in effect. And really, [[spoiler: becoming the universe is a step up for a PsychopathicManchild who thought he was worthless his whole life.]]

* As he dies, humiliated, driven to almost kill the woman he loves, having failed to save the child for whom he entered the Holy Grail War, [[LightNovel/FateZero Kariya Matou]] hallucinates that he succeeded in saving both Tohsaka girls and has escaped with Aoi... as he's being devoured by his father's insect familiars.

* In the 1995 film ''Underground'' the various main characters fall victim to mostly violent deaths in either of the world wars or the Balkan conflicts. The final scene shows all the characters inexplicably alive and well in a bucolic feast.

* ''Anime/PokemonSunAndMoon'' Features an episode in which a Stoutland who had served as mentor to what would ultimately become [[TheWoobie Ash's Litten]], dies of old age. It simply disappears, leaving its pupil distraught and looking for it until they come to realize what has happened. Ash manages to snap Litten out of its depression and catches it. At the end of the episode, Stoutland is seen in the clouds walking beside a rainbow.

* [[spoiler:Namine and Roxas]] in ''Franchisee/KingdomHearts II''. Er, sort of.

* Implied for the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampiric]] Vyrewatch in VideoGame/{{Runescape}} when their corpses are [[DueToTheDead cremated]], freeing their spirits.

* Depending of your interpretation of the ending, this seems to be the final fate of [[spoiler:Ofelia]] in ''Film/PansLabyrinth''. [[TearJerker It is still pretty sad to watch, tough.]]

[[quoteright:338:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bleeding-gums-murphy_1129.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:338:Sometimes {{heaven}} has a [[MentorOccupationalHazard mentor]] surplus.]]