History Main / GoOutWithASmile

* Surprisingly this happens thrice in ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' where the losing combatant does this just before they die, specifically [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Edward Elric]] before being vaporised by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar State Aang]] due to taking solace in the fact that the former was taller, [[Film/StarWars Yoda]] in [[FaceDeathWithDignity acceptance]] of his imminent demise before being hit with [[Franchise/KingdomHearts King Mickey's]] Ultima and [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Deku]] smiling as he [[HeroicRROD dies of overexertion]], thinking that he beat [[Manga/BlackClover Asta]]. It happens again with [[Anime/DragonBallZ Gogeta Vs. Vegito]], where Gogeta, after using a CastFromLifeforce Dragon Fist and failing to avoid the Final Kamehameha and getting TakenForGranite, is stuck in mid air with a visible smile on his face, implying he enjoyed his bout with the Potaran fusion.

* In ''Film/FieldOfDreams,'' Dr. "Moonlight" Graham smiles twice for Ray's benefit, along with saying a CatchPhrase. There is one twist: he's already dead.

* In ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'', volume three (chronologically) the finale of the ''Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy'' trilogy we meet Montolio "Mooshie" Debrouchee a [[HemitGuru hermit who teaches protagonist Drizzt common and how to be a ranger]] who is also [[BlindWeaponmaster blind but can fight with various weapons]] even bow and arrow (thanks to help from his companion owl Hooter). A year after meeting Drizzt he dies of old age, Drizzt finds him lying peacefully in his bed in his woodland home with a smile on his face knowing that Drizzt will carry on in his footsteps as a ranger.

** River Song's final words to the Doctor in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E9ForestOfTheDead "Forest of the Dead"]] are a tearful, smiling "[[CatchPhrase Spoilers]]."

** [[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy Thrawn]], after he is finally defeated and then [[BodyguardBetrayal stabbed by his bodyguard]], smiles and tells Pellaeon "But... it was so artistically done," before [[EyeLightsOut his eyes go out]].

* In ''Fanfic/{{Fractured}}'', Lilith dies happy -- [[BeautyEqualsGoodness her horrible looks gone]] and her [[HeroicSacrifice last act]] ending the Reaper War.

* Surprisingly this happens thrice in ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' where the losing combatant does this just before they die, specifically [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Edward Elric]] before being vaporised by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar State Aang]] due to taking solace in the fact that the former was taller, [[Film/StarWars Yoda]] in [[FaceDeathWithDignity acceptance]] of his imminent demise before being hit with [[Franchise/KingdomHearts King Mickey's]] Ultima and [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Deku]] smiling as he [[HeroicRROD dies of overexertion]], thinking that he beat [[Manga/BlackClover Asta]].

* The Purifier in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'' cheerfully commits suicide by strolling into the lethal sunlight of Crematoria with a faint but noticeable smile on his face. Even [[SociopathicHero Riddick]] was shocked.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

* Surprisingly this happens twice in ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' where the losing combatant does this just before they die, specifically [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Edward Elric]] before being vaporised by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar State Aang]] due to taking solace in the fact that the former was taller and [[Film/StarWars Yoda]] in [[FaceDeathWithDignity acceptance]] of his imminent demise before being hit with [[Franchise/KingdomHearts King Mickey's]] Ultima.

* Music/{{Queen}}:
** "The Show Must Go On".

** The video to "These are the Days of Our Lives" was filmed in black-and-white to detract from Freddie's illness. At the end, he looks directly at the camera and says 'I still love you', his last recorded words.

* Surprisingly this happens twice in ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' where the losing combatant does this just before they die, specifically [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist Edward Elric]] before being vaporised by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar State Aang]] due to taking solace in the fact that the former was taller and [[Film/StarWars Yoda]] in [[FaceDeathWithDignity acceptance]] of his imminent demise before being hit with [[Franchise/KingdomHearts King Mickey's]] Ultima.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Home}}'': Oh [[TearfulSmile tearfully]] smiles at Tip just as he's about to be seemingly crushed by the Gorg mothership's foot.

* In a short story by Creator/RobertSheckley, a planet has a civilization of {{Death Seeker}}s, who believe that the only way to heaven is violent death, the more painful, the better (with every person having his own death, so wars are nonexistent). Naturally, whenever that is achieved (whether by real accident, through priests' decision, or by self arranged "accidents"), the trope is followed most literally, including with one guy who sawed a thorny bush until it fell on him (took him an hour to die).

* In ''Extremis'', Japanese powermonger [[BigBad Yamaoto]] smiles when he discovers that Literature/JohnRain is in his hospital room and about to kill him because he's just sent assassins to kill his ex-girlfriend and their son, so he'll get revenge from beyond the grave.

** Lancelot gives a final ''[[UpToEleven dying smile]]'' in Lancelot du Lac. After spending most of the episode as a SoullessShell, Merlin frees him at the end. He thanks him and smiles, and Merlin gives him a VikingFuneral on the waters of Avalon.

* In ''[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 The Death of The Incredible Hulk]]'' David has a smile on his face while dying as himself after a fall out of a helicopter because the pain of his dual existence is finally over.

* From Music/{{Nightwish}}:

*** Justitified later in Chapter 6, After Shuichi lets out a LONG hell-bent persuasion to the audience as revenge, he just stands there in silence with a smile. Even after Tsumugi abstained from voting in hopes of keeping the Killing Game going, Shuichi just still stands there with a smile and with his eyes closed, because he somehow has confidence in the literal impossibility he just pulled off. And miraculously, it wasn't in vain. The audience also abstains from voting, ending ''Danganronpa'' for good.

*** Justitified later in Chapter 6, After Shuichi lets out a LONG hell-bent persuasion to the audience as revenge, he just stands there in silence with a smile. Even after Tsumugi abstained from voting in hopes of keeping the Killing Game going, Shuichi just still stands there with a smile and with his eyes closed, because he somehow has confidence in the literal impossibility he just pulled off. And miraculously, it wasn't in vain. The audience also abstains from voting, ending Danganronpa for good.

** In [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc the first game]], [[spoiler:Sakura Ogami commits suicide to save her family's dojo by fulfilling Monokuma's order to kill someone, and to restore trust among the remaining students. So confident is she that this was the right choice that]] there's a smile on [[spoiler:her]] lips when the others discover the body. The pose is a direct ShoutOut to the ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe'' example above.
** [[spoiler:Junko Enoshima, or actually her body double, Mukuro Ikusaba]] has a confused and terrified smile when she realizes she's been impaled several times over by the mastermind, [[spoiler:the real Junko. Speaking of which, Junko herself is cheerfully [[CheshireCatGrin grinning from ear to ear]] while waving at the heroes right before being crushed by a giant block]].
** In the sequel, ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'', [[spoiler:Gundham Tanaka]] smiles [[spoiler:to his four hamsters as he lays dying following his execution]].
** From ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'', [[spoiler:Kaito Momota dies in the middle of his execution thanks to his illness. His body has a smile when we receive a glimpse of it, fulfilling his dream of visiting space and having saved Maki from dying herself.]]
** Justitified later in Chapter 6, After Shuichi lets out a LONG hell-bent persuasion to the audience as revenge, he just stands there in silence with a smile. Even after Tsumugi abstained from voting in hopes of keeping the Killing Game going, Shuichi just still stands there with a smile and with his eyes closed, because he somehow has confidence in the literal impossibility he just pulled off. And miraculously, it wasn't in vain. The audience also abstains from voting, ending Danganronpa for good.

** [[spoiler:Saber]] gets one on every route effectively. On Fate [[spoiler:she dies peacefully while reminiscing on the moments she spent with Shirou like they were a lost dream]]. On Unlimited Blade Works' True End [[spoiler:she does it as she's consumed by the backlash of her destruction of the Holy Grail with Excalibur, knowing Shirou and Rin will be alright and triumphant.]] Even on Heaven's Feel [[spoiler:her corrupted self Saber Alter gives Shirou a last genuine smile as he's [[MercyKill forced to finish her off]].]]
** [[spoiler:Archer]]'s death in UBW is perhaps made more poignant by the fact that [[spoiler:he knows very well that he's going back to his own Special Hell where he'll see the evils of humanity over and over again]], but still smiles and reassures his ex-partner that he'll be fine.
** [[spoiler:Caster's Master Kuzuki]] in the anime storyline assured her as she was fading away that he was fine; so she could return to the throne happy. [[spoiler:After she's gone, he dies.]]
** While [[spoiler:being devoured from the inside by True Assassin]], Assassin is rather calm despite [[spoiler:apparent limb removal and said devouring thing]] and is chatting fairly casually through the whole thing, ''probably'' not losing his smile because it is all the dignity he can still really spare here.
** Even [[spoiler:Gilgamesh]] gets one in the Fate route; as he lies dying from [[spoiler:a direct hit from Excalibur]], his last act is to smile, compliment [[spoiler:his killer]] Saber on her beauty, and say that his interactions with her were 'truly fun'.
** In the True Ending of Heaven's Feel, the last glimpse of [[spoiler:Ilya as she makes her HeroicSacrifice]] reveals that she is smiling at Shirou.
* In ''VisualNovel/RibbonOfGreen'', the Good ending has [[spoiler:Hanyuan fade away with a smile]]. Subverted as she is DeadAllAlong.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' plays it straight in [[spoiler:Hisui's True Ending with Akiha]]. It then completely subverts this when [[spoiler:Kohaku [[DrivenToSuicide kills herself]]; Kohaku dies smiling, but she just revealed that [[EmotionlessGirl she can't feel anything]]]].
* In ''VisualNovel/YuminaTheEthereal'', [[spoiler:Zieda dies like this]] -- only in Kirara's route, though.

** In one of the possible routes for Chapter 2-1, [[spoiler: Alice]] dies with a smile after [[spoiler: seeing his sister Reko is still alive and hearing her say she wants them to be a family again.]]
** In one of the possible routes for Chapter 2-2, [[spoiler:Sou]] bleeds out with a smile while [[spoiler: limping his way to a computer in order to activate his [[VillainsDyingGrace "final present"]], knowing that he has managed to save [[MoralityChain Kanna's]] life.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{TP}}'': After escaping from the DisgustingPublicToilet, the toilet paper roll [[spoiler:is found by a young girl who throws him through the air. He smiles as he sails through the sky and [[RapidAging ages to near-death]] as his paper unravels, and dies happily smiling up at the sun from in a flowerbed.]]

* [[spoiler:King Radical]] in ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' starts with BigNo upon realizing he's about to die from a very creative double GrievousHarmWithABody ([[spoiler:first having Dracula thrown at him mouth-first to vampirize him, then Pope Francis as the ultimate holy weapon]]). But then his expression changes into a content smile, happy that he gets to die such a [[spoiler:radical]] death.
* [[spoiler:RED Spy]] in ''Webcomic/CuantaVida'', after he [[spoiler:[[TakingTheBullet takes a bullet]] for BLU Sniper]].

** [[spoiler:In the final arc, Quilt smiles as he dies sacrificing himself to MercyKill Rillian and stop the Infernomancer.]]
* [[spoiler:[[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061215 Lars]]]] from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. Although she wasn't in love with him, Agatha did not [[HeroicBSOD take it]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge well.]]
* In ''Webcomic/GuildedAge'', when [[spoiler:Rachel saves Frigg from the cultists' monster at the cost of being caught by it herself, she]] smiles as it's about to kill her.
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': [[spoiler:Equius]] grins while he's being strangled to death. It's incredibly creepy.
** It's difficult to tell if it's because [[spoiler:he's glad that Gamzee is finally taking his place in the hemospectrum]], or [[spoiler:his submission fetish]] or just that [[TechnicallyASmile his facial muscles are]] tensing due to asphyxiation. [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant It's probably all three.]]
** Additional creepiness added from a previous comic, wherein [[spoiler:Equius' killer, Gamzee, mentions (before he went insane) that if he could make Equius smile, it would be the best miracle he was ever part of. He got his miracle]].
** Later on, [[spoiler:Terezi offers John a weak, tired smile and a [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay Terminator-style thumbs up]] before succumbing to the catastrophic injuries she sustained during [S] Game Over]].

** [[spoiler:Therkla. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html Here.]]]]
** [[spoiler:Durkon, with a TearfulSmile. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html ...I get ta go home.]]]]
** [[spoiler:Durkon's father, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1129.html as shown in a flashback]].]]

* [[spoiler:Irv]] in ''Literature/TheKingdom'' AU ''Shadows Prove the Sunshine''

* In ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'', [[spoiler:Penny]] dies with a slight smile on her face while attempting to reassure Billy that "Captain Hammer will save us."
* ''Series/{{Noob}}'' is set in a {{M|assivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame}}MORPG and its finale includes a high-stakes battle between the three UltimateGamer386 characters. One of the two that lost and hence [[DeathIsCheap "died"]] [[spoiler:had never been beaten by another player before, had hinted to having a BlessedWithSuck view on this]] and reacted to the loss by having his avatar smile before it got destroyed.
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic [[spoiler:consuming the PlotHole]] with a look of happy relief on his face in ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee''. Cue the audience sobbing.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Rapture's Delight" [[spoiler:Stan]] takes a shot meant for [[spoiler:Jesus]] and also sets off a time bomb meant to destroy the lair of the Anti-Christ. While he is offered the chance of being raptured to Heaven [[spoiler:Stan]] turns it down because the bomb will go off before [[spoiler:Jesus]] can perform the spell. After kissing Francine [[spoiler:Stan]] is left alone with a cigar and a grin just as the bomb goes off, promptly killing him.

** The last we see of [[spoiler:Jet]] in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is him smiling at the Gaang (mainly Katara) and assuring them that "I'll be fine." [[spoiler:He's lying.]]
** In the SequelSeries, ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', mixed with a SingleTear, [[spoiler:[[AlasPoorVillain there]]'s [[BigBad Amon]]]]. Subverted in that he loses the smile just before the end; it seems that the tragedy of the situation got even to him.
* ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' in Season 3 had [[spoiler:Sarah Lynn]]. After winning an Oscar and deciding to leave the fame to go to college and follow a childhood dream, [=BoJack=] takes them to the planetarium and cradles them until [[spoiler:she [[BigSleep dies in her sleep]]]]. Doubles as HopeSpot.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': [[spoiler:Brian]] does this in "Life of Brian", saying goodbye to the family before he succumbs to his injuries and dies.
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has [[spoiler:Grunkle Stan]], who tricks the dream demon BigBad into going into his mind and then has said demon erased... along with all of his memories as collateral damage. As the metaphorical representation of his mind burns to nothing around him, he simply cradles a photo of his happy memories with a smile, happy that he did something worthwhile.
-->[[spoiler:'''Grunkle Stan:''']] Heh...guess I ''was'' good for something after all.

** [[spoiler:Orko himself]] after a lifetime of failures, gives his life into a HeroicSacrifice, smiling at [[spoiler:Evil-Lyn and telling her she]] was right at believing in him, because he died as the hero he wanted to be.
** [[spoiler:Roboto gives his life to reforge the Sword of Power]]. In his dying moments, he confesses he's gripped with fear, but he's actually happy at being so scared. Because his fear was the ultimate proof he needed of his humanity.
* [[spoiler:Antauri]] from ''WesternAnimation/SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperforceGo'' who sacrificed himself with the most adorable little smile so that [[spoiler:he could stop the Dark One Worm from destroying everything and everyone. Sure he came back two episodes later, but he didn't know he would at the time]].

** When ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' [[spoiler:Starscream]] does his death monologue with a sword through his chest, he's got a heartbreakingly peaceful smile on his face -- the first he's had in the entire series.
** Similar thing happens with [[spoiler:Prowl]] in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. Cue crying fangirls.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'': [[spoiler:Tristepin.]] "I'm not dying, [[spoiler:Evangelyne]]. I'm entering the legend."

* In ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', before [[spoiler:Nabu]] died after sealing the Wizards of the Black Circle's chasm, he smiled at [[spoiler:Aisha]] while telling her that he would always be with her and that he loved her.

* In Season 7 Episode 50 of ''Animation/HappyHeroes'', a close-up of [[spoiler:Kalo]]'s mouth shows he's clearly smiling as he says his goodbye and explodes to defeat an army of spaceships attemping to attack Planet Xing.
* In ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf: Rescue Across Time'' episode 42, [[spoiler:Weslie]] perpetually smiles as he is slowly dying in a containment chamber. The smile remains on his face once he's fully dead.

%% * In ''ComicBook/CableAndDeadpool'', this is how [[spoiler:Cable]] goes out.

* Creator/DCComics

* In ''ComicBook/ZombiesChristmasCarol'', [[spoiler:Scrooge dies happy and content, having learned how wonderful doing good is, knowing he's saved his friends, family, and the world, and undone the plague he caused]].

* In ''Fanfic/AceCombatTheEquestrianWar'', Derpy's best friend, [[spoiler:Carrot Top]], kept smiling during her last moments. It's particularly heart-wrenching when [[spoiler:Carrot]] asks Derpy to smile as well, but isn't satisfied at first.
-->[[spoiler:'''Carrot Top:''']] Smile, Derpy... I don’t want... to see... to remember your face... being sad... when I will sleep... Please... smile.
* ''Fanfic/TheBridge'': Grand King Ghidorah smiles right before he is finally killed by [[spoiler:Godzilla Junior, Xenilla, and [[BackupFromOtherworld Godzilla Senior]]]], as he believes he has finally achieved his dream of [[spoiler:finding beings who are powerful enough to kill his enemy Bagan.]]
* In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', this is how [[spoiler:Shizuka Matsuki]] dies during her execution. Justified in the fact that [[spoiler:she wanted to be caught for her crime and die. Especially after some of her memories returned and she remembered someone who she had a close bond with. She's told that said person is already dead, leaving her no regrets. Upon realizing she murdered, she accepted her fate and decided to go willingly]].
* In ''Fanfic/{{Eugenesis}}'', this is how Doubleheader dies, [[spoiler:as he blows himself up in an attempt to kill Rodimus Prime]].
* In ''Fanfic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]'']] [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]], Lilith dies happy -- [[BeautyEqualsGoodness her horrible looks gone]] and her [[HeroicSacrifice last act]] ending the Reaper War.
* In ''Fanfic/FrostbittenFlower'', Jack died suddenly when [[spoiler:a tree fell on him]]. He was still smiling when his wife found him,

* This is what happens to [[spoiler:[[WebVideo/BadMovieBeatdown Film Brain]]]] in ''[[Fanfic/ThatGuyWithTheGlassesInSpace I Have Heard the Voices Dying]]''.

* Inn ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'', just before [[spoiler:Alex Shepherd plunges himself and Henry Townshend into Toluca Lake to drown, he smiles at Hop.]]

* In ''Fanfic/TheLegacyOfTheBloodRavens'', the [[spoiler:Force Commander Aramus]] dies smiling at the night sky in a rare moment of peace in his violent life. He had just singlehandedly defeated the Greater Daemon Ulkair and was left dying from his wounds and the Unclean One's Curse.
* In ''Fanfic/NationalAnthem'', [[spoiler:Pit gives Toon Link a dying smile]] to try to make his victory in the DeadlyGame version of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' easier on him.
* Claire's mother in ''Fanfic/TheNewRetcons'' died like this, found dead with a smile on her face when waiting to go Christmas shopping with Claire. Particularly heartbreaking in that [[spoiler:having found her biological mother Elly Patterson and finding out how dysfunctional her half-siblings are, she was going to make sure the mother that raised her knew how much Claire appreciated it]]

* [[spoiler:Viral]] in ''Fanfic/TengenToppaGurrenSolvernia'', after [[spoiler:Tsuuma]] smiles for him one last time, knowing she was safe.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'', when [[spoiler:Xibalba kills him. Manolo has a smile on his face, while he silently said Maria's name]].
* ''WesternAnimation/TheDeathOfSuperman'': [[spoiler:How Superman goes out]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Lois:''' You did it. You saved everyone.]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Superman:''' Good. It's all I ever wanted. Except for you. ''[smiles]'' What a lucky man I was...]]
* In Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut,'' in the mind of Riley, [[spoiler:Bing Bong, Riley's imaginary friend, sacrifices himself to ensure that Joy lives to help Riley. When Joy discovers that Bing Bong is left behind, she's heartbroken but Bing Bong cheerfully waves at her, knowing that this was all for the better]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MaryAndMax'' ends with [[spoiler: Mary entering Max's apartment to find that he'd passed away that morning, staring at the ceiling with a contented smile. Turns out that he'd kept ''all'' of the letters she'd sent by laminating them and plastering them up there]].
* [[spoiler:Ray the firefly]] in ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'', this happens to [[spoiler:[=SpongeBob=] and Patrick when they [[DisneyDeath dry out]], knowing that even though they didn't get Neptune's crown, they at least made it to Shell City]]. They later come back to life.

%% * ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'': [[spoiler:Talia. "My... father's... work... is complete."]]

* In ''Film/FieldOfDreams,'' Dr. "Moonlight" Graham smiles twice for Ray's benefit, along with saying a CatchPhrase. There is one twist: [[spoiler:he's already dead]].

* In ''Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai'', [[spoiler:the titular character Ghost Dog, having already stoically [[FaceDeathWithDignity Faced Death With Dignity]] is lying in the street after having been shot several times. One of his trained pigeons flies down next to him, which causes him to smile in simple pleasure just before he dies]].
* In ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'', Sandra Brody goes out with a tear-stained and strained smile.

* In ''Film/HeWhoGetsSlapped'' the title character, a clown who is slapped as part of his routine, smiles while dying in the arms of a woman he loves.

%% * In ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', [[spoiler:the Vuvalini elder]] does this after getting mortally wounded, but realizing that their [[{{Pun}} mad plan]] will succeed.

** In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', [[spoiler:Vision gives Wanda a small smile when she's forced to destroy him to stop Thanos from getting the Mind Stone. Thanos undoes this with the Time Stone and kills Vision in brutal fashion to get the stone. Later, Wanda falls victim to Thanos's snap and is turned to dust, but unlike everyone else who dies, she smiles peacefully when she notices her body falling apart]].
** In ''Film/CaptainMarvel2019'', [[spoiler:Talos's "science guy" Norex stays back at Maria's property to distract Yon-Rogg so the others can fly to Mar-Vell's ship without interference. After his disguise is blown and he's fatally shot by Yon-Rogg, he smiles while taunting Yon-Rogg that he's too late]].
* [[spoiler:Mr. Dawes Sr]] at the end of ''Film/MaryPoppins''. After exposure to the Man-With-A-Wooden-Leg-Named-Smith joke, he spends a few minutes mulling the punchline over before starting to laugh riotously. While his son was initially shocked, he would later admit it was a GreatWayToGo. "Never seen him happier in his life."

* ''Film/NineDead'': [[spoiler:Sully]] dies with a big smile on his face after [[IRegretNothing refusing any offer of redemption]] from the captor for the crimes that brought him there.
-->[[spoiler:'''Sully:''']] I'd rather go out in style.
* ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'': [[spoiler:Captain Kirk]] goes out talking after literally getting a bridge dropped on him.
-->[[spoiler:'''Captain Kirk:''']] It was... ''fun.'' Oh my...

** At the end of ''Film/StarWarsTheRiseOfSkywalker'', [[spoiler:Ben Solo gives his life for Rey]] and gives a warm, genuine, practically ecstatic smile after receiving a [[LastKiss kiss in return]]. Cue keeling over.
* In ''Film/TheTallBlondManWithOneBlackShoe'', government intelligence high-up Bernard Milan gets shot along with a bunch of operatives -- when he finds out the title character everyone was shooting each other over was [[spoiler:just a decoy set up by his long-time agency rival]], he manages to laugh about it as he's dying.

* The ending of ''Film/TrainToBusan'' has [[spoiler:a partially zombified Seok-woo smiling one last time as he thinks of his daughter's birth, just before he throws himself off a moving train]].

* At the end of ''Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes'', [[spoiler:Caesar smiles as he succumbs to his wounds, knowing that he had brought his brethren to a bountiful new home, with Maurice assuring him that his son Cornelius will remember him and all that he stood for]].

%%* [[spoiler:Rachel]] in the final ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' book.
%%* [[spoiler:Julius Root]] in ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'''': The Opal Deception''

* In Creator/GrahamMcNeill's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/{{Ultramarines}} novel ''Dead Sky Black Sun'', Larana Utorian, dying and deranged by her suffering at the hands of the Chaos forces, nevertheless manages to collect her wits and smile at the dying [[spoiler:Leonid]], thus giving him the courage to [[spoiler:set off a grenade, [[HeroicSacrifice killing them]] and the Chaos forces that could have pursued those of their party who could escape]].
* In ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'', every vampire that gets killed leaves a smiling corpse, with the implication that their vampiric nature was a curse they're glad to be free of. Even Dracula himself, in the moment between his death and his body crumbling to dust. Van Helsing stated that this was the main reason he was able to keep executing the helpless brides -- because he was saving their souls by doing so. [[spoiler:Quincy Morris died this way as well after taking down Dracula and saving Mina's soul from his taint.]]
-->[[spoiler:"And, to our bitter grief, with a smile and in silence, he died, a gallant gentleman."]]

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', [[spoiler:Shiro]] dies with a smile on his face. He was old, kind, and sacrificed himself for Harry. It is quite possible that Harry never entirely gets over it.
** He is cited as a reason by Harry, with Sanya's support, to go out and kill the Denarians as fast as possible. When another of his friends, [[spoiler:Michael]], is severely injured, Harry loses it. Spectacularly.
** Back in ''Literature/FoolMoon'', [[spoiler:[=MacFinn=]]] does this after Harry puts him down.
** In ''Literature/SmallFavor'', [[spoiler:Magog's host]] dies, not precisely smiling, but with a relaxed, almost beatific expression, as though he had simply lain down to rest. Harry is left with the distinct impression that Elder Gruff's killing spell was painless, because [[NobleDemon it was the sort of thing the Summer enforcer would do]]. [[spoiler:The host [[IDieFree being free]] of [[FallenAngel his Fallen]] for the first time in Lord knows how long probably helped.]]
* In ''Extremis'', Japanese powermonger [[BigBad Yamaoto]] smiles when he discovers that Literature/JohnRain is in his hospital room and about to kill him [[spoiler:because he's just sent assassins to kill his ex-girlfriend and their son, so he'll get revenge from beyond the grave.]]

** In the last book, [[spoiler:Fred]] is crushed in a bomb-like explosion laughing.
** [[spoiler:Sirius]], whose laughter "Had not quite died from his face" before falling through the veil.

* Rue from ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. [[spoiler:Katniss sings to her as she dies, and she smiles at Katniss.]]
* In ''Franchise/JurassicPark'', Malcolm, after chapter upon chapter of getting angry at Hammond's ignorance and scientists in general, dies with a smile. [[spoiler:He gets better, though.]]

* In ''Literature/TheNeverwinterSaga'', [[spoiler:Bruenor]] dies peacefully and happily in the final battle of ''Gauntlgrym'' after a long, fulfilled life, having rediscovered ''two'' mythic ancestral homelands and saving the continent from [[spoiler:further destruction by a fire primordial]].

* [[spoiler:Silena Beauregard]] in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''.

* Felldoh the squirrel from the ''{{Literature/Redwall}}'' book ''Martin The Warrior'' dies this way.

* In ''Literature/SmallerAndSmallerCircles'', [[spoiler:Alex Carlos manages this as the police mow him down, perhaps the only time in his sad life he could afford one.]]

** [[spoiler:Jedi Knight Jai Maruk]] in ''Yoda: Literature/DarkRendezvous''. Frustrated by how his skill and the light side of the Force are not enough to overcome Asajj Ventress, he nearly gives in to the dark side, but resists, and finds it within himself to redouble his efforts, holding his foe off for that much longer. It's enough to put a smile on his grim face when he finally falls.

* In ''Literature/TheyShootHorsesDontThey'', Gloria often tells her only friend, Robert that she wishes she were dead, and finally [[ICannotSelfTerminate asks him to shoot her because she doesn't have the courage to kill herself]]. He obliges, and [[InMediasRes at the beginning of the book]], recalls her expression as she died: "She was relaxed and comfortable and she was smiling. It was the first time I had ever seen her smile." (She is similarly serene in death in the [[Film/TheyShootHorsesDontThey 1969 film adaptation.]])
* [[spoiler:Jim Gardener]] in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/TheTommyknockers'' dies smiling, because, as he lays dying, he has a happy dream.

%% * ''Series/OneThousandWaysToDie'': Both "Ichiboned" and "Premature Endings" are this, both for being this trope]] [[BookEnds and for being both numbers 1 and 1000.]]

* [[spoiler:Walter White]] of ''Series/BreakingBad'' [[spoiler:dies of a gunshot wound from his M60 after using it, and some ricin, to wipe out all of his enemies, getting Skyler a deal for the DEA, leaving money behind for his children and, unexpectedly even to him, eventually saving Jesse, all in one final, brilliant gambit. The final scene has him walking through the meth lab, nostalgically and lovingly before dying while Badfinger's "Baby Blue" plays in the background, signifying he's dying alongside his greatest love, his blue meth]].

** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E12BadWolf "Bad Wolf"]]: The Controller of the Gamestation goes out this way after she tells her masters ([[spoiler:the Daleks]]) that she has "brought their destruction" (the Doctor).

* [[spoiler:Nathan Stark]] in ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' smiles as he sacrifices his life to save the universe. He's frozen in that position for a second before disintegrating.

* [[spoiler:Henrietta "Etta" Bishop]] in Season 5 of ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' when Olivia tells her that she loves her.

* ''Series/{{Justified}}'' has [[spoiler:Johnny Crowder]]. About to be executed by his cousin, he lives long enough to watch the latter's goons screw up a drug transaction and dies laughing about it.

* [[spoiler:Philip]] in ''Series/KamenRiderDouble''. Large portions of the episode are devoted to the characters wanting to make sure he does so, rather than go out in pain.

** And in the finale [[spoiler:Jack smiles as he lies dying and watches the plane carrying the remaining survivors fly overhead]].
** In "This Place is Death", [[spoiler:a seriously ill Charlotte smiles as she regresses back to her childhood before suddenly dying seconds later]].

%% ** Sir Leon tries in the Season 3 finale, but [[spoiler:Morgana]] doesn't kill him and the other knights; she has innocent townspeople slaughtered, instead.
%% ** [[spoiler:Arthur does this in the GrandFinale as Camelot has won the battle of Camlann and the threat of Morgana is eliminated, courtesy of Merlin]].

* In ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'' [[spoiler:s05e03 Opie, just before receiving a fatal blow to the head from a lead pipe, delivered by a member of a rival gang]]. Also, [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]].

** In "Nepenthe", as [[spoiler:Hugh's]] life is slipping away, he smiles at Elnor because he's grateful to the young man for giving him hope again. [[spoiler:[[WordOfSaintPaul Jonathan Del Arco]]]] also elaborates that [[spoiler:Hugh]] is content to die in Elnor's arms because [[https://twitter.com/JonathanDelArco/status/1250830661994156033 he's in love with him.]]
--->[[spoiler:'''Del Arco''']]: [...] we shot the [[spoiler:death scene]] last (same day) at that point it was about [[[spoiler:Hugh's]]] love for Elnor and letting go.
** In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", as [[spoiler:Picard is dying]], he grins at Soji because he's glad that she made the right choice, and he affectionately smiles at Elnor, who's the closest thing he has to a son.

** [[spoiler:Castiel. [[DyingDeclarationOfLove After telling Dean that he's in love with him]], Cas experiences a moment of true happiness, and [[TheNothingAfterDeath the Empty]] drags him to his final death with a tearful but serene smile on his face.]]
* In the second season finale of ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', [[spoiler:Tosh has been gut-shot by Jack's brother. As she's lying on the floor, bleeding out, Jack and Gwen find her. You think for a second that they made it just in time to save her, but when Tosh looks at Jack with a smile on her face, Jack gives her a pained smile back and she dies looking at him]].
%% * [[spoiler:H.G. Wells]] in ''Series/Warehouse13'' does this for [[spoiler:Myka after safely sealing her and Pete and Artie in a force field to protect them from an impending explosion but leaves her unprotected to be hit full force by the blast]].
* In ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "The Unnatural", Josh Exley is a gray alien shapeshifter who has disguised himself as an African-American minor league baseball player in the 1940s. When his secret is discovered, he explains that his race doesn't understand fun and don't have a word for laughter, and he needed to pretend to be human for that. [[spoiler:When he is ultimately killed by the relentless alien bounty hunter, [[BecomeARealBoy he inexplicably bleeds red human blood]]. He stares at it in surprise for a moment, then smiles, laughs, and dies.]]

!!NOTICE: It is possible that simply reading through the examples will be a TearJerker for the reader. It is recommended for those that easily get emotional that a box of tissues be handy. And it should go without saying that, being a {{Death Trope|s}}, ''THERE WILL BE SPOILERS''.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars: Dual Strike]]'' has a minor one with [[spoiler:Andy's clone]] near the end of the game. [[spoiler:All of the clones in this game apparently suffer from rapid degeneration that causes them to die after their featured mission. However, the Andy clone hangs on long enough to ask everyone what the real Andy is like, and hearing them praise his original allows him to die happy.]]
* Several of the major assassination targets in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' deliver their final words with smiles at Altaïr, usually because they're convinced that even in death their plans are still going to be completed. Robert de Sable's smile is a bit crueler; he delivers it firm in the belief that Altaïr will be killed by his own master, al-Mualim, and that all of Altaïr's work will be for nothing now that he's delivered the Holy Land into his hands.
* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'':
** After an [[AwesomeBosses/AsurasWrath epic battle]] with his pupil, [[spoiler:[[OldMaster Aug]][[BloodKnight us]] dies smiling, content that his last battle was as exhilarating as he had hoped, even [[GracefulLoser giving Asura his blessing]]]].
** [[spoiler:Yasha dies smiling after his last battle with Asura, in hope that the now powered up Asura can save the world.]]
** [[spoiler:And finally, in the DLC ending, Asura himself [[TheHeroDies dies]] after destroying Chakravartin and removes Mantra from the universe. As he fades away, he [[FaceDeathWithDignity accepts his death]] and gives his sobbing daughter one last smile, [[CursedWithAwesome finally free of his wrath]].]]
* In ''VideoGame/BackToTheFutureTheGame'', after [[spoiler:Citizen Brown was run over by Edna Strickland, he asks Marty to see the 1986 newspaper -- and sees that their changes to the timeline have resulted in him becoming a respected scientist like he dreamed when he was younger. He smiles as he fades out of the restored timeline]].
* [[spoiler:The Joker, true to form till the end,]] in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity''.
* In ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' against the [[MirrorMatch Isaac]] boss, the third form has him smile widely as he grows angelic wings. What this means in conjunction with the fact that by this point [[spoiler:Isaac himself is slowly dying]] is left to interpretation.
* From ''Franchise/BlazBlue'':
** In the True Ending of ''VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift'', [[spoiler:just as Hazama is about to deliver the killing blow to Ragna, Lambda teleports in front of Ragna and [[TakingTheBullet takes the blow for him]]. She dies peacefully in Ragna's arms while telling him how much she loves him and how happy she was to sacrifice herself for him]].
** And the last game ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction Central Fiction]]'' is full of these.
*** [[spoiler:Hazama jumps into the cauldron with a smile. Subverted, as the assumption is he'll end up in Naoto's world]].
*** [[spoiler:Terumi dies laughing and cursing Ragna after Ragna delivered the final blow]].
*** [[spoiler:Ragna smiles just before he erases himself. Possibly subverted, as we don't know his true final fate.]]
* In ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', Tyalie is last seen smiling brightly and waving at the camera during the True Ending. She’s alive and well at the time, so it’s not an example of this trope… [[spoiler:unless you watched her final support scene, in which she explains to the player that she knows she’s fictional, and that she’ll [[CessationOfExistence cease to exist]] as soon as the game ends and the credits roll.]]
* ''VideoGame/CryptOfTheNecrodancer'': [[spoiler:After Aria destroys the Golden Lute, she is seen smiling as she slumps to the ground, knowing she's put an end to the Lute's curse.]]
* Although he doesn't die, Sergeant Cyrus from ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' believes in this. As he knows that he will die one day in battle, regardless of his skill or experience, he's come to realize that death is not exactly the best thing to do. When Sergeant Thaddeus asks him, Cyrus merely tells him to save some of the victory feelings he gets when he has beaten a very tough opponent, so that when the end does come, you can remember the feeling you got when you won and not have bad things to consider.
* In ''VideoGame/DisneyPrincessEnchantedJourney'', after her plans have been foiled, Zara starts to cry... until the player character offers to hold her hand. Zara smiles peacefully and takes her hand, and disappears.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' [[spoiler:Leandra, [[PlayerCharacter Hawke]]'s mother, dies smiling in her child's arms after telling him/her [[SoProudOfYou how proud she is of him/her]]]].
* Considering he's a flaming skeleton, you better believe Xan of ''VideoGame/DragonFable'' did this... but then he got better.
* Used cynically by Geese Howard at Terry or Andy's ending of ''Real Bout VideoGame/FatalFury''. As he pushes himself out of either Bogard's grip, Geese Howard grins and laughs maniacally during the fall to his death, saddling Terry (if you play with him) with the guilt of having orphaned Geese's son Rock (much the same way he orphaned Terry and Andy).
* Several examples in ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** Though it probably wasn't intentional (as WordOfGod states she was ''not'' making a HeroicSacrifice) Aerith's final sweet smile before her death in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' broke the hearts of thousands of gamers.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' [[spoiler:Judge Drace]] smiles as Gabranth kills her because he's promised to take care of Larsa in her stead.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'', [[spoiler:the Yeul of [=200AF=] (the one who likes to pick flowers)]] dies smiling after seeing a vision of [[spoiler:a happy version of Academia in 400AF, where there is no proto Fal'cie]].
** As did Zack in the ending of ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'', even though [[ForegoneConclusion everyone already knew he]] [[DoomedByCanon was going to die]].
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' [[spoiler:Louisoix Leveilleur dies saving the player character's life. Once the heroes are safely away, the old elezen looks at the ultimate attack Bahamut sends at him and [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/b/b4/FFXIV_Lousioix_Death.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130915202028 is content]].]]
*** Later on, in ''Heavensward'', [[spoiler:Haurchefant Greystone]] serves as both an example and an inversion. [[spoiler:His last words are asking [[PlayerCharacter the Warrior of Light]] to smile, as it "better suits a hero". They oblige, and he smiles in return before dying.]]
* From ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** Used in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade''. In the last chapter, you have to [[BossRush fight the morphs of major bosses]] from earlier in the game. Their faces relax into relieved smiles as you kill them.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'', Volke tells Ike his mother died smiling as she freed Greil from his [[PowerIncontinence berserker rage]]. From the same game, this is also how Rajaion dies.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' does this [[spoiler:with your avatar should you choose to deal the finishing blow to Grima. Before your avatar fades away, s/he turns to Chrom and bids him farewell with a final wave. Along with a unique voice clip, your avatar is seen with a cheerful expression. (Subverted in that the Avatar is later found, alive.)]]
--->'''[[spoiler:Robin]]:''' [[spoiler:May we meet again, in a better life...]]
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'':
*** There's a potential example with [[spoiler:Kaze]] in the ''Birthright'' route. [[spoiler:Should you not get him up to an A-Support with Corrin before Chapter 15, Kaze will save them from falling off a cliff, only to end up falling off it himself. His final line features him smiling in relief that he was able to save them.]]
*** There's also something of an ''inverted'' example at the very end of ''Birthright''. [[spoiler:Azura's the one dying, and she asks Corrin to smile for her, so the last thing she can see is them smiling instead of crying.]]
*** Meanwhile, in the ''Conquest'' route, both [[spoiler:Ryoma]] and [[spoiler:Takumi ([[CameBackWrong the second time]])]] give you reassuring smiles right before dying.
* In the finale of ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'', when King [[AFatherToHisMen Volechek]] [[HeroicSacrifice gives his life]] to end the Grave Eclipse, the player is treated to one final look at his character portrait, closing its eyes with a smile as the screen [[FadeToWhite fades to white.]]
* [[spoiler:Daniella]] from ''VideoGame/HauntingGround'' smiles [[spoiler:after a shard of glass impales her from above. When you examine her body, Fiona mentions that, after [[DissonantSerenity she had shown no emotions]] [[SlasherSmile save for]] [[AxCrazy homicidal fury]], she was now grinning from ear to ear]]. Although there's no direct explanation given, fans speculate that either [[spoiler:Daniella felt the sensation of pain for the first time, something that she (being a [[ArtificialHuman homunculus]]) could not ordinarily experience, or that she hated herself and that dying was a relief]].
* From ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
** Sora from ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'' smiled, before he stabbed himself with Xehanort's dark keyblade to free Kairi. [[spoiler:It just turns him into a Heartless]].
** After spending his entire life angsting at how he is just an imitation of the real one, Riku Replica does this in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' where after the real Riku comfort him in his dying moments, Repliku goes out with a smile on his face.
--->'''Repliku:''' A faithful Replica until the very end. That's... okay.
** Axel smiles before fading away into nothingness after his suicide attack on the Dusks in the sequel, ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''.
** And in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]'', [[spoiler:after Roxas defeats Xion in a boss battle, Xion smiles at Roxas one last time in his arms as she fades away]].
** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', [[spoiler:nearly every single defeated Organization member (save for Terra-Xehanort, who just transforms back into Terra) fades away with a peaceful smile. Some of them know they will be recompleted as humans afterward, but even characters like Vanitas, Ansem Seeker of Darkness, and Xemnas manage to give one last smile--culminating in Master Xehanort finally giving up and moving on with his best friend Eraqus at his side, both smiling.]]
* Just before being [[RetGone erased out of existence]], [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Ash Crimson]] smiles one last time for his childhood friend Elizabeth.
-->'''Ash:''' Sorry Betty. I'm out of ti--
* ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'': [[spoiler:After defeating [[TrueFinalBoss Void]] in Soul Melter EX, he gives off ''Kirby's'' smile as he explodes with stars flying out of his body.]]
* ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'':
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky SC'', Loewe dies smiling after he manages to rescue his little brother and finally understood what it was like for Karin -- his dead girlfriend and Joshua's older sister -- to sacrifice her life to save her little brother.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel III'' has [[spoiler:Millium dying with a smile on her face, content that she managed to save Rean and Altina from the Nameless One.]] Its sequel, ''Cold Steel IV'' has [[spoiler:Rean, Crow, and Millium dying in the normal ending with smiles to their faces as they disperse the curse of Erebonia for good.]]
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' has [[TheStarscream Byrne/Staven]] who, in the final battle against [[BigBad Malladus]] and [[TheDragon Chancellor Cole]], his former masters, conjures a forcefield that lets Zelda reclaim her body. As a result of this, he is killed with a spell that ''completely and utterly destroys him''. His last words to Zelda are a laugh with "Didn't you say you wanted words with me?"
** ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': Another variation is made with [[spoiler:Zelda. A variation in the fact that she doesn't die, but she locks herself in a crystal to fall into a deep sleep for thousands of years, to keep [[BigBad Demise]] at bay -- which could be considered similar to death. After Link promises to wake her up, you can see her [[TearfulSmile tearfully smile]] behind the crystal just before she falls asleep.]] [[spoiler:She does, however, wake up later in the game]].
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'':
*** Several people go out like this: If you convince [[spoiler:Saren]] to off himself, [[spoiler:he whispers "thank you,"]] and his face looks, if not smiling, then at least calm [[spoiler:(he is a turian, whose facial anatomy doesn't exactly make smiling like a human particularly easy or obvious)]].
*** Several of [[spoiler:your squadmates]] do something like this if [[spoiler:they die during the suicide mission]].
** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'':
*** This exchange:
---->'''Shepard:''' I'm sorry.\\
'''[[spoiler:Mordin:]]''' I'm not. Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.
*** [[spoiler:Anderson dies with a peaceful smile after telling Shepard how proud he is of her/him. Shepard seems ready to do the same before a call from Hackett and an intervention from the Catalyst pull her/him out of it]].
*** While he can't physically smile, Legion's dialogue gives this vibe if peace is achieved between the geth and quarians.
---->'''Tali:''' The answer to your question[[note]][[ArmorPiercingQuestion Does this unit have a soul?]][[/note]], is yes.\\
'''Legion:''' I know Tali, but thank you. Keelah se'lai.
* Iris in ''VideoGame/MegaManX4''. Unfortunately, in the US version, this is also one of the most infamous {{Narm}} moments.
* Holly Summers in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' goes out this way before she [[spoiler:bites down on one of her greandes to kill herself, much to Travis's horror.]]
* ''VideoGame/Persona3'':
** The Main Character reaches up to dry [[spoiler:Aigis]]'s tears and gives her a heartfelt smile before falling asleep for eternity.
** In the final scenes of the game, [[spoiler:the sociopath Takaya limps up to the top of Tartarus to laugh in the party's face as, despite all their efforts, Nyx is still coming to end all life. Even though the heroes ''hadn't'' injured him fatally, he collapses on his back and smiles to welcome the end, thinking of his (dead) partner Jin, implying that he ''willed'' himself to die as reward for fulfilling their plans]].
* Queen Frieda does this in ''VideoGame/OneWayHeroics'', during the epilogue. The spell animating her body [[UndeathAlwaysEnds wears off]] as she is happily enjoying a parade.
* The final stages of both ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'' games are both a world-threatening disaster -- a meteorite in the first, and the Sun freezing over in the second. Unlike most continue screens in the game, which show the person you were helping on a PoseOfSupplication over their failure, the screens for these stages show the Ouendan cheerleaders smiling together, having failed to stop the world ending. To make it even more pronounced, in the first game the lighting on this screen creates the strong impression that this was the moment before they themselves were about to die.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'', Alice hides the fact that she will soon die from a curse from Yuri and goes on cheerfully, dying in her sleep with a smile in the bad ending. In Covenant, when the attempt to resurrect her fails, she opens her eyes, smiles, and tells Yuri she loves him right before her body disintegrates.
* The ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series has [[spoiler:Dimentio]] and [[spoiler:Fawful]], from ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' and ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi'', respectively, as each [[spoiler:has a final plan to eliminate the Mario Bros]].
* The opening of ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Dark]] [[DownloadableContent Prison]]'' shows [[Characters/MasouKishin Shu Shirakawa]] smiling inside his Neo Granzon when Masaki in his Cybuster impales him, at the climax of ''Original Generation Gaiden''.
* In ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Gaiden]]'', this is the expression of the FinalBoss, [[Characters/MasouKishin Shu Shirakawa]], makes after the playable characters defeat him. How he looks like in his final moments before coming BackFromTheDead is shown in detail during the prologue of ''[[GaidenGame Dark Prison]]'' where Shu Shirakawa is the headlining protagonist.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', when Colette is sacrificing herself as part of the World Regeneration, just before her soul would [[AndIMustScream be sealed into her Cruxis Crystal]], so her body could be used for Martel Yggdrasill's resurrection, she smiles and tells her beloved Lloyd how happy he made her then after a goodbye, her soul is lost. However, Colette doesn't actually die and is restored to her normal, non-dog-kicking, non-horrific-eyed self not too long after this event.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' has a subtle version after [[spoiler:Asch's]] YouShallNotPass moment turns into a HeroicSacrifice. [[spoiler:He has a ''very'' faint smile on his face as he entrusts the future to Luke and passes on his own power to him to aid in that.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'':
** Sans literally [[PerpetualSmiler never stops smiling]] the entire game, even as he bleeds to death at the end of the [[KillEmAll Genocide]] route. It's plausible the reason is that [[spoiler:he's aware of the player's ability to reset the game]], meaning nothing that happens, good or bad, is necessarily permanent and everything will most likely return to normal.
** Papyrus, like Sans, is a [[DemBones perpetually grinning skeleton]], but his fixed grin does fit the tone of both ways he can be killed -- on a Neutral run, he'll pipe that at least his head's still intact after the body the player cuts it off of disintegrates (his head, too, [[BlackComedy disintegrates right afterwards]]); and on a No Mercy run, he'll assure the player that he knows there's still good in them despite the situation.
** Undyne, [[spoiler:after assuming her [[HeroicSecondWind Undying]] [[OneWingedAngel form]]]] in the Genocide route. [[DefiantToTheEnd She grins proudly as she tells the protagonist that she won't give up hope.]]
** Mettaton does this if he's killed on any playthrough -- he goes out with a bittersweet smile and a surprisingly graceful losing speech on a Neutral run, and he smirks through his pain to give either a last dry one-liner or a KirkSummation on a No Mercy run.
** [[spoiler:[[{{Jerkass}} Flowey]] flashes a triumphant SlasherSmile should you kill him at the end of your first run as you, by doing so, have validated his ideology: In this world, it's KILL or BE KILLED.]] It's ''very'' effective at [[YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame making the bile rise in your throat.]]
** A small one for Toriel -- if you kill her during a Neutral run, she implores you to keep going and not let your SOUL be claimed by Asgore. She then dies with a small smile and a final MeaningfulEcho:
--->'''Toriel:'''...Be good, won't you?\\
'''Toriel:''' ''My child''.
* From ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'':
** The first game has Isara Gunther getting shot down, out of the blue, by an Imperial sniper. As she lies dying, she says that she failed to make her brother's dream (to fly) a reality. When Welkin says that she, in fact, has made it such, she dies with a smile.
** Your comrade-turned-traitor Gusurg dies smiling in your arms after you kill him in battle.
** BigBad Dahau smiles and dies at the end of ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIII'' with the soul of his wife, or a hallucination of her, telling him that now he can rest.
* At the end of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadSeasonOne'', if the player chooses to have Clementine shoot Lee to prevent him from turning, he will turn to her and smile before he goes limp and Clementine fires her gun.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III'', Grom Hellscream suffers mortal injuries slaying the demon that corrupted him and his entire race via a DealWithTheDevil. As he lies dying, he offers Thrall a smile and tells him that he can feel the corruption leaving his body (shown by his eyes no longer glowing with demonic flame), and dies satisfied that he freed himself. Thrall's response to him.
--> '''Thrall:''' No, old friend. You've freed us all.
* In ''VideoGame/AWayOut'', this happens to [[spoiler:either Leo or Vincent, should you choose to fatally shoot one of them]] in the climactic battle. [[spoiler:If Vincent is shot, he requests that Leo give his wife Carol his apology letter; Leo agrees, and Vincent dies smiling. If Leo is shot, Vincent takes pity on him and decides to stay by Leo's side and hold his hand, out of respect towards their former friendship, which comforts Leo enough that he dies with a smile on his face]].
* [[spoiler:Sota]] from ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' appears to smile, before [[spoiler:he is erased, shortly after Nao's erasure]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' plays it straight with [[spoiler:[[StoicWoobie Jin]]]] as he finds peace in his final moments saying: [[spoiler:"''It's quiet now. I don't think it's ever been this quiet before in my whole life. [[TheAtoner This is what I sought]]. And yet, now that the time has finally come, I long for the noise of the past. I long for those hectic and chaotic days that once were. But this too,[[PeacefulInDeath is pleasant, in an odd sort of way"]]'']]
* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 2}}'': [[spoiler: As he lays dying from a gunshot wound to the stomach and shoulder, Ryuji asks his half-sister Kaoru to smile for him as it reminds him of his late mother. Kaoru complies, and Ryuji gives a smile of his own before he bleeds out]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/SevenSeeds'':
** In the Team Winter flashback, it turns out that Fuyuhi died while last smiling at Aramaki. [[spoiler:The Fuyuhi that had been following Aramaki since Mitsuru's death was a grieving delusion of his, where he projected his lost friend onto a dog that he had rescued earlier. Nonetheless, the dog-Fuyuhi-illusion smiles before Aramaki realizes what was going on.]]
** During the ''Hail of Corn'' arc, [[spoiler:Mayu and Hyo]] manage to have a dying-with-a-smile moment. Despite being trapped under rocks from a cave-in and slowly dying from their sustained injuries, they both smile when realizing that, while they aren't going to make it to the future, Koruri will make it just as they hoped she would.
** The ''Ryugu Shelter'' arc reveals that Hana's mother, Miho, died while smiling. A bout of attempted sabotage in the food storage results in the area beginning to be flooded and Miho notices that one of the doors is not shutting properly, so she [[HeroicSacrifice chooses to push the door closed, to save the rest of the shelter inhabitants]]. She is last seen smiling at her husband on the other side, while drowning in the flooded storage.
%% * This is how Iason dies in ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi'' after his feelings were finally reciprocated.
%% * The final episode of ''[[Anime/AnoHanaTheFlowerWeSawThatDay Ano-Hana]]'' has Meiko Honma aka "Menma" doing this during their final goodbyes. More exactly, she's already dead and a CuteGhostGirl, but stuck around due to having GhostlyGoals and these only were fulfilled by said final episode.
* In ''Manga/BananaFish'', [[spoiler:Ash Lynx]] was apparently smiling as he lay dying in the library, reading a letter from his soulmate and best friend Eiji.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** In Rukia's flashback, Kaien smiles in her arms after being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice run through by her sword]], saying that he's glad that he can leave his heart there with her.
** Despite hating her, Loly turns to Orihime and gives her a warm smile right before Yammy smashes her.
** In his last moments, Ulquiorra, who didn't so much as [[TheStoic crack an expression]] during the whole arc he appeared in, gives a tiny smile to Orihime when she tries to reach his hand as he disintegrates.
** [[spoiler:Unohana]] smiles as she dies, having fought the greatest battle in her life and pleased that [[spoiler:Kenpachi is finally worthy of his title]].
%% ** In the Bount filler arc of the anime, both [[spoiler:Yoshino and Kariya]] smile before they die.
%% * In ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' [[spoiler:Julia and Spike, although Spike's may be a dubious example as he [[DyingAlone dies alone]]]].
%% -->Bang. [[spoiler:Then again, given that Vicious, the man who'd been tormenting his past, is now dead, that last word implies he's going without regrets and could well be smiling.]]
%% ** [[spoiler:And because he may or may not be dead. Word Of God is even he's not sure.]]
* ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'':
** In the manga [[spoiler:Rosette gives Chrono a smile as she tries to reattach his horns with her last breath. But later she [[NotQuiteDead comes back to life]] through sheer force of will.]] The scene is particularly haunting because [[spoiler:Mary Magdalene smiled at the same character before her death, as well]].
** Although it's not shown, [[spoiler:Rosette's later death]] is implied to have happened with a smile: one of the characters say she looked "peaceful" when they found her.
** In the anime, they use this for their sad ending: Chrono and Rosette are found dead, sitting together on a bench swing with their hands clasped, smiling peacefully.
* In ''Anime/CodeGeass'', both [[spoiler:Euphemia li Britannia, Lelouch's loving, sweet half-sister]], and [[spoiler:Shirley Fenette, his head-over-heels in love primary romance interest]] die with smiles on their faces.
** Slightly subverted in the GrandFinale: [[spoiler:Right before Lelouch is stabbed by the new Zero (Suzaku), he smiles. But when he's actually dying in Nunally's arms, he has no expression on his face at all (he probably didn't want to look like he planned anything)]].
** Also mentioned (but not actually performed) [[spoiler:when C.C. tells Lelouch that her wish is to die. Charles is about to steal her "code", making her mortal again, but when Lelouch sees the worried look on her face he yells at her that she should at least die with a smile if this was really what she wanted]]. In the end, it wasn't.
* Keisei in ''Manga/CorpsePrincess''; if he didn't, he'd have turned into an undead monster.
* Misty Honey from ''Anime/CuteyHoney'' dies after delivering a cheering speech to the main heroine.
* In ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'', [[spoiler:Wizardmon may always have his mouth covered, but while he's dying after taking a fatal attack for Gatomon, it's very obvious he's smiling up at her behind his cloak as he thanks her for her friendship]].
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' has a lot of those:
*** Goku faces death with a smile every time for the people he loves.
*** Goku's father, Bardock, who tried to kill Frieza to save the Saiyan race. He failed, and just as he was about to die, he saw a vision of his son fighting Frieza and avenging the deaths of their race.
*** Piccolo smiles after his HeroicSacrifice to save Gohan from Nappa.
*** Vegeta smiles just before his SenselessSacrifice against Majin Buu.
*** Android 16's death. His last words were to encourage one of his creator's nemeses to protect the planet, something which he had grown to love of his own volition. Of all the deaths in the series, his stands alone, as he was purely mechanical and thus had no afterlife to go to/return from. Poignantly, in a series where DeathIsCheap, Android 16's is one of the few [[KilledOffForReal which stuck]]. Still he died smiling.
** In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', everyone from Universe 2 not only accepts their death with dignity but they do so with a great smile on their faces while preaching about love at the same time.
* In ''Manga/FairyTail'', [[spoiler:Future Lucy Heartfillia]] gets shot by [[spoiler:Future Rouge after taking the hit for Present Lucy.]] She asks [[spoiler:Lucy to show her Fairy Tail mark (as Future Lucy had lost hers [[AnArmAndALeg along with the hand it belonged to]]) as she comforts her past friends, telling them that their adventure is still going and to save the future before smiling at them and passing away.]]
* ''Franchise/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** This happens near the end with [[spoiler:Buccaneer]].
** [[spoiler:King Bradley/Wrath]] plays this trope very well in [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist the manga]], admitting aloud that he's lead a long, pleasant life as he is dying. This is almost ironic, as this man is singlehandedly responsible for the genocide of a race of people, as well as the death of 3 main characters, the slaughter of a slew of supporting characters, and the horrific crippling of another. With all this blood on his hands, and without sounding the slightest bit evil or sadistic, he goes out genuinely happy for the fulfilling life he's had.
--->'''Greedling:''' That's [[spoiler:Wrath!]] ...I see, so we finally got him...''[sigh]'' Bastard dies with that peaceful look on his face... pisses me off.
*** Later played again by [[spoiler:the second Greed when Father destroys him]]. As he dissolves into air and sees [[spoiler:that all of his comrades truly were his friends, he realizes his desires are finally complete]]. His last expression before dying is a small, content smile.
** Then we have [[spoiler:shadow Kimblee]], who fades into nothingness after [[spoiler:helping Edward, laying the verbal smackdown on Pride, smiling, and doffing his cap one final time]].
** Also, [[spoiler:Hohenheim returns to Resembool after the final battle with Father and dies kneeling in front of Trisha's grave]].
*** Pinako outright says so.
---->'''Pinako:''' Spotting him at [[spoiler:Trisha]]'s grave. [[spoiler:"...Silly old fool. Well, at least you died with a smile on your face, my friend."]]
** Lust also [[DyingMomentOfAwesome goes out with this way]].
** Played with in [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]] with [[spoiler:Greed]]. After committing SuicideByCop, he smiles with a peaceful expression. However, [[spoiler:his body then contorts in agony before dissolving]].
* In ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic''... well, it's not so much touching, but [[spoiler:Gauron]] did die with a ''very'' happy smile on his face. It was actually genuine, though, and [[SlasherSmile not very pretty]]. Apparently his happiness came from causing as much pain as he could to [[TheMasochismTango the one he loves]].
* In flashbacks, Shoyou-sensei in ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' smiles his calm, warm smile at Gintoki right before [[spoiler:Gintoki is forced to behead his beloved teacher in exchange for his friends' lives]].
** [[spoiler:She did technically smile before, but that was because she covered her face in glue, fixing the expression in place.]]
* Even for a trope noted for being sad, ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies'' manages to put out a particularly gut-wrenching example with Setsuko's death. She died with a smile on her face... because by that point she was suffering from such horrible malnutrition that she was delirious and reduced to eating dirt, thinking it was food.
* From ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
** In the 40th Episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'', [[spoiler:King Izumi Athha detonated his Country's Military Silo to preserve his country's neutrality in a genocidal race war and to buy his daughter, [[RebelliousPrincess Princess Cagalli]], time to escape to space. The trouble is, he has to be there to throw the switch himself. Even after he reveals to her that she is in fact adopted, he tells her with a warm and loving smile ''"I'm so glad to have been your father"'' before closing the airlock and spiriting her off to freedom]]. There was not one dry eye, man or woman, at that Anime Screening in 2003.
*** Immediately following him, [[spoiler:Natarle Badgiruel]] smiles serenely as [[spoiler:the Archangel destroys the Dominion, content in the knowledge that she's taking Azrael out with her]].
*** [[spoiler:[[BigBad Rau Le Creuset]]]] is the creepier version of this, dying with a smile after [[TheHero Kira]] impales him, due to his belief that [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds the entire world]] will be following him. It's both chilling, and kind of sad at the same time, as you realize what a wreck the man's life truly was.
** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'' ,[[spoiler:[[{{Tykebomb}} Stellar]] smiling sweetly and telling Shinn she loves him right before she dies...]]
** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'' did the same kind of thing with [[spoiler:Ginias Sakhalin, who goes out with a particularly creepy and detached PsychoticSmirk]].
** In ''Gundam SEED C.E 73 Stargazer'', [[spoiler:after ignoring orders to return and exhausting all his Gundam's energy, Shams Couza smiles before he get shot to death by [[MechaMook DSSD Astrays]]]].
** In ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'', Schwarz Brudder and [[spoiler:Domon's brother Kyouji, who he is robot replica of,]] smile as Domon destroys the core of the Devil Gundam.
** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'', [[spoiler:Daguza Mackle enacts a plan that traps the Sinanju and gives Banagher an opportunity to activate the [=NT-D=]. After successfully trapping it in with Banagher (if only for a short while) and damaging its Search Eye, Full Frontal retaliates with a his shield-mounted beam saber, and Daguza uses what time he has left to turn to Banagher with a salute and a smile]].
** In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamAge'', [[spoiler:Yurin]] bears a heartbreaking smile as she died.
%% ** [[spoiler:Woolf]] in the Second Generation and [[spoiler:Lu]] in the Third Generation did this as well.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Gungrave}}'' anime [[spoiler:Brandon/Grave and Harry [=McDowell=] both die with a smile. Mika doesn't get to Grave in time to see him die, but she realizes that although Grave is gone from her life, her memory of him and the thought that they'll always be "family" no matter what allows her to smile because she realized that Grave finally found his peace]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Grave:''' ''[to Harry]'']] Let's go home.\\
[[spoiler:'''Mika:''']] ''[smiling through [[spoiler:her]] tears]'' I know now...that we're a family...and always will be, forever, and ever.
* A chilling version in ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. Brainwashed cyborg [[spoiler:Henrietta]] has a smile on her face as she's lying dead after carrying out her SuicidePact with her beloved handler [[spoiler:Jose]].
* [[spoiler:Ryoko Asakura]] of ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', who despite her [[spoiler:evil intentions of slicing Kyon to bits with a knife]] maintains a smile throughout most of her battle with Yuki and keeps a smiling face as she is being dissolved by Yuki. That just makes her ''more'' frightening. She doesn't really see the importance of death. In her ImageSong, she even states that ''heartbeats are nothing more than trivial, wave-like patterns''.
* At the end of ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty'' [[spoiler:Ikaros dies due to a self-destruct sequence. Moments before her body completely disintegrates, she realises that she loves Tomoki and shows him her true smile for the first time in the series]].
* Most of the characters in ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' die smiling; this is explained by the fact that all vampires (and a werewolf), as immortal beings, held only one desire: to die.
** [[spoiler:Alucard]] gives his sanest, most sincere smile in the entire series [[spoiler:as he fades away after absorbing Schrodinger]].
** [[spoiler:The Major]] dies this way as well, [[spoiler:believing that, even though he ultimately lost in the end, [[BloodKnight he had made his dream of the ultimate war a reality]]]].
** [[spoiler:Human Pip Bernadotte]], who is teasing Seras as he's [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in her arms]]. Which promptly turns into a moment of awesome, as [[spoiler:Pip freely offers his blood and soul, thus enabling Seras to TakeALevelInBadass. Also, he gets to live on as Seras' familiar.]]
* In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', this is both played straight and subverted:
** [[spoiler:Shion]] smiles (a sad one albeit) in ''Meakashi-hen'' when she is falling to her death and mentally promising to not repeat her mistakes; however, it quickly turned into shock when she neared the ground.
** Played straight with [[spoiler:Rena]] in ''Onikakushi-hen''. She tries to give a delusional and paranoid [[spoiler:Keiichi]] a [[CooldownHug hug]], but is beaten to death.
* ''[[Anime/TheIdolMaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' -- Parodied by Ami when she has to leave for an interview and left her sister to take care of finding out who stole the [[ItMakesSenseInContext pudding from the freezer.]]
* In ''Manga/InuYasha'', a fatally wounded [[spoiler:Kagura]] smiles at Sesshomaru as she dissolves into wind. Same goes to [[spoiler:Kikyou]], dying in [[spoiler:Inuyasha's]] arms as he kisses her for the last time.
* The head of an orphanage in ''Manga/{{Itsuwaribito}}'' dies smiling after hearing all the orphans had survived the attack by bandits.[[spoiler:This is sadly a LetThemDieHappy invoked by the main character, who couldn't stand telling the man all the orphans had in fact been killed in the attack, because doing so would have made the head die experiencing soul-crushing regret.]]
* ''Manhwa/IWish'' has Jay. He's part of a race that dies when they become too happy... as K points out, this is good as they would die happy and with a smile on their face.
* From ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies Jonathan Joestar]]]] from ''Manga/PhantomBlood'' goes out with triple sadness: [[spoiler:his serene smile is intended for his wife, the audience, and ''the villain'', his adopted brother Dio Brando]].
** [[spoiler:[[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Wamuu]]]] from ''Manga/BattleTendency'' dies with a smile [[spoiler:knowing [[TheHero Joseph]] was a WorthyOpponent]].
** [[spoiler:[[TeamPet Iggy]]]] from ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'' gives a small smile after [[spoiler:rescuing Polnareff, right before succumbing to his injuries]].
** [[spoiler:[[TheHeroDies Jolyne Cujoh]]]] from ''Manga/StoneOcean'' smiles at Emporio before she faces off against [[BigBad Pucci]] one last time so Emporio can escape. [[spoiler:Then a page and a half later, [[CurbStompBattle you see her getting ripped apart like tissue paper by Pucci's]] [[FightingSpirit Stand]]. All that remains is her Stand's sunglasses, which quickly disintegrate under accelerated time]].
* In ''Anime/{{K}}'', Totsuka smiles while dying [[DiedInYourArmsTonight in Misaki's arms]].
-->'''Totsuka:''' Don't... sweat it... It'll all... work out in the end.
** Later [[spoiler:the Red King [[DeathSeeker Mikoto]] holds out his arms and smiles as [[FoeRomanceSubtext Munakata]] is forced to run him through to prevent his powers from destroying everything around them]].
* In ''Manga/{{Kekkaishi}}'', [[spoiler:Gen]] dies like this after realizing [[spoiler:Kaguro's swords suppressed his regeneration]]. [[spoiler:It was the only time Yoshimori and Tokine saw him smile.]]
* Creator/KeyVisualArts loves this stuff.
** [[spoiler:Misuzu Kamio]] of ''VisualNovel/{{AIR}}''. Her final smile [[spoiler:for her true mother Haruko]] is so full of love and so darned ''adorable''.
** [[spoiler:Nagisa]]'s farewell to [[spoiler:Tomoya]] in the ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad}}'' movie and the Bad Ending route of the original visual novel, dying after giving birth, was a heartwarming smile of how glad she was to meet her daughter and to have met the love of her life.
%% ** It also occurs in the [[Creator/KyotoAnimation Kyo Ani]] adaptation, only subtler.
%% ** [[spoiler:Makoto]] in ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}'', as well as [[spoiler:Ayu]], although the latter was NotQuiteDead after all. [[spoiler:Neither is Makoto]], though only in the 2006 anime.
%% * ''Anime/KowarekakeNoOrgel'': Flower goes out with a song.
* In the final episode of ''Anime/LastExile'', [[spoiler:Alex Rowe dies with a smile after finally carrying out his long-sought vengeance against Maestro Delphine]].
* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', [[spoiler:Walter von Schönkopf]] passed away with a smile after being fatally wounded during [[spoiler:the boarding operation against the Imperial supreme flagship ''Brünhild'' in episode 108]].
* Izumi Kanata, Konata's mother in ''Manga/LuckyStar'', is shown in the manga to bear an angelic smile when she passed on to the next world.
* ''Anime/LupinIIIIslandOfAssassins'': Done by both Bomber and [[spoiler:[[GirlOfTheWeek Ellen]]]]:
** After being [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice fatally wounded]] by Gordeau, Bomber manages to flash a grin at Jigen and gives him a thumbs up, before activating the bomb he had hidden under his vest in an attempt to [[TakingYouWithMe take Gordeau with him.]]
** [[spoiler:Ellen]]'s comes near the end, after [[TakingTheBullet taking a bullet]] to save Lupin, who cradles her during her LastWords. She thanks him for the brief moment they shared off the island and said she'd never forget it... then goes limp in his arms, with a faint smile.
* [[spoiler:Princess Emeraude]] in the finale of the first season of ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth''. [[spoiler:She]] even gets to ''thank'' the Knights for killing [[spoiler:her]], which means [[spoiler:she's free from the curse that her life as the [[BarrierMaiden Pillar]] was]].
* [[spoiler:The first Reinforce]] in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'', who smiles at the crying [[spoiler:Hayate]] and tries to comfort her before finishing her HeroicSacrifice.
** [[spoiler:Zest also does this for Agito]] in ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]'', smiling and telling her that their time together was enjoyable before passing away.
* ''Manga/MajinTanteiNougamiNeuro'''s [[spoiler:Sasazuka]], is fatally shot in the face by the series's latest BigBad. Before he goes, he catches sight of the heroine, Yako, and smiles peacefully to her before the gun goes off.
* [[spoiler:Gai Daigouji]] from ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'' is shot just as he's about to put stickers from his favorite cartoon on his HumongousMecha to celebrate his victory from earlier in the episode... which in [[FridgeHorror hindsight]] is really, heartbreakingly sad.
* ''Manga/MedakaBox'': Though he doesn't actually die, [[spoiler:Zenkichi]] manages to meet each near death instance with a smile. Naturally, this ends up setting off Medaka.
* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', the very serious and moody-looking Sir Nighteye suffers fatal wounds beyond anyone's ability to heal. As he's dying in his hospital bed, he encourages everyone present to inspire laughter and positive energy in the people they're sworn to protect. He then gives the first real smile he's been seen to make as he passes away.
** When [[spoiler:the upgraded Shigaraki]] attacks with [[spoiler:his decay wave]], Aizawa is being held in place by a Nomu and thus can't get away. Crust, [[RedBaron the Shield Hero]], stops and [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks throws a shield]] to cut the Nomu's arm off to let Aizawa escape, but this delay means he gets caught in the [[spoiler:decay wave]] himself. Even in the midst of what's a presumably painful death, Crust gives a big smile and thumbs-up to Aizawa as he escapes.
* In ''Anime/MyHime'', [[spoiler:Takumi Tokiha, Haruka Suzushiro and Yuuichi Tate]] smile as they die as results of the [[ThereCanBeOnlyOne HiME Carnival]].
** [[spoiler: Shizuru is also smiling as she and Natsuki vanish together. Given that her most precious person had just kissed her and said she truly loved her, even if not romantically, it wasn't a bad way to go.]]
* From ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Done by Kakashi before being sliced up, only to reveal that it was just [[NinjaLog a log he substituted in place of himself]].
** The same thing happened when Naruto took out Itachi with a giant Rasengan, but he smiled because that wasn't Itachi, just a duplicate with a fraction of his power.
** Played straight then with [[spoiler:Itachi's actual]] death. As he smiles at Sasuke following their fight he says that there won't be a next time and collapses. When it happened, viewers didn't have the context to understand it, and had to join Sasuke in feeling that something, somewhere had GoneHorriblyWrong.
** [[spoiler:The Third Hokage dies with a smile on his face]], because he believes despite his death, Konoha will be fine as long as the villagers have the 'Will of Fire'.
** [[spoiler:Jiraiya and Nagato]] died smiling. Kishimoto likes to have the good guys deaths softened in the knowledge they died at peace, most bad guys don't get such a luxury.
*** [[spoiler:Kisame]] is also an exception, as he [[FakingTheDead appeared to die]] then he [[AlasPoorVillain really died]] sporting a psychopathic grin ''both'' times (especially the second).
** In [[AdaptationExpansion the anime]], Hinata, after being [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beaten up and thrown around by Pain]], gives one last smile to Naruto before the fatal blow is dealt. [[spoiler:Sakura heals her after Pain and the [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge now-Kyuubified]] Naruto leave the village though. Naruto also gets better.]]
** The Fourth Hokage [[spoiler:Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, die smiling. It's more bittersweet than usual in that they know they've basically doomed their son to a life of pain and woe, but are comforted in the fact that they'll be able to help him when the time comes, and have given him the means to overcome the trials that lie ahead]].
** In Chapter 614, [[spoiler:Neji]] smiles as he [[TakingTheBullet takes a fatal attack meant for Naruto]], in order to save Naruto and [[spoiler:his cousin Hinata]] (who had the same idea as [[spoiler:Neji]]) and thinks that he finally understands why [[spoiler:his father]] willingly sacrificed himself in the past.
%% ** In Chapter 687, [[spoiler:Obito]] goes out with a smile.
* In Chapter 278 of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', [[spoiler:[[SuccessThroughInsanity Jack Rakan]], after delivering a powerful blow to Fate, begins to dissolve into sakura petals just like everyone else hit by Fate's attacks, and he, of all people, combines this with [[ObiWanMoment a rather calm, relaxed attitude]] as he passes on his last words]].
-->[[spoiler:'''Rakan:''' ''[to Negi]'' So... yeah. I wanted to take responsibility for my generation and clean up these last bits of shit for you...but I guess you're gonna have to deal with it after all.]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Negi:''' Ra...kan...san?]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Rakan:''' Sorry. ''[a few panels later]'' Ah, well. I'm sure you'll be able to handle it.]]
** And then he revives for a moment and does it again.
--->[[spoiler:'''Rakan:''' ''[to Negi]'' Heh... See ya around, kid. Don't get consumed by the darkness.]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Negi:''' Rakan-san!]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Rakan:''' Don't look back. Keep on moving forward. When a guy keeps his gaze fixed right in front of him...]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Negi:''' RAKAN-SAN!]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Rakan:''' The world smiles on him...]]\\
[[spoiler:'''Negi:''' Raka...n...san...]]
** [[spoiler:Tosaka]] did it too, after taking a hit meant for Ako Izumi.
--->[[spoiler:'''Tosaka:''' ...Hah... Are you kidding me? Am I dying to protect some useless little former slave of a girl? I guess I really goddamn well am just... a side character... to the end...]]
* From ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'':
** [[spoiler:Misato]] does this. Whilst she actually dies alone, bleeding out on the floor until someone blows up the level she's on, she sends off the last person to see her alive by pushing him into an elevator, with her giving him a genuinely loving smile before the doors shut between them and she collapses to the floor.
** Done with a different yet slightly more badass approach in the manga. After [[spoiler:sending Shinji off, two soldiers find Misato waiting with a smile and live grenade]].
** [[spoiler:Kaji]] went out much the same, but with an added [[spoiler:[[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner "What took you so long?"]]]].
%% ** GN Rei in ''End of Evangelion'' does this.
** [[spoiler:Rei 2]] in the series. Just as [[spoiler:her Eva]] is about to detonate, she hallucinates a smiling Gendo and tearfully smiles back before the kaboom.
** [[spoiler:[[WomanScorned Ritsuko]]]], whose plan to commit a murder-suicide with Gendo goes up in smoke when [[AIIsACrapshoot Casper disobeys her]]. Gendo pulls a gun on her and tells her [[TheUnreveal something we don't get to hear]]. Her response is a bitter smile and calling him a liar before he pulls the trigger.
** The last shot of Kaworu in the anime is of him smiling and thanking the boy who both gave his life meaning and must kill him.
* [[spoiler:Kagero]] of ''Anime/NinjaScroll'' smiled with warm happiness as [[spoiler:Jubei let her experience True Love at last... before expiring from the treacherous wounds inflicted by Genma]].
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Dying happy with a tearful smile can almost be considered as a trademark of the manga.
** It seems that the main reason for this concerning those with the 'Will of D.', is that they live their lives with absolutely no regrets, and most times die for what they lived for. When you lived your entire life as you wanted, at the end, what is there left to do but smile? The fact that Marshal D. Teach/Blackbeard averts this by pleading and blubbering when he thinks he's going to be killed is stated to indicate that he's not a true carrier of this will, despite bearing the initial.
** The King of the Pirates himself, Gol D. Roger, constantly seen in the series wearing a wide grin, smiles for the last time in his life (moments before he is executed) when announcing to the world that his greatest treasure, the One Piece, is awarded to whoever finds it.
*** It is implied that he was smiling at the fact that he reignited the age of pirates because of his announcement and knowing his legacy will live on because of it. Plus the fact that the Marines' intentions for his public execution (which was to deter piratism across the world) wounded up backfiring in the worst way possible for them.
*** Only a couple chapters/episodes later, when Buggy is about to lop off Monkey D. Luffy's head, he calls out to his crew with a gigantic smile on his face:[[note]]This was stopped by a lightning bolt amidst the storm, drawn to Buggy's metal sword he was using to execute Luffy.[[/note]]
---->'''Luffy:''' Sorry! I'm dead!
** Ace's mother, Portgas D. Rouge, died giving birth while smiling like his father and entrusting her child to Garp.
** Jaguar D. Saul tells a young, terrified Nico Robin to smile and laugh no matter how grim things get, just before Aokiji freezes him solid; the last thing we see before the ice statue of him is shattered is his still-beaming face.
** During Ace's fight with Blackbeard, he gets close to death, but on his last attempt at overcoming Blackbeard, he smirks and calmly states his intents to make Whitebeard the Pirate King. While he didn't actually die, he showed the D.'s willingness to smile at death.
** [[spoiler:Ace fit in naturally during his ''actual'' death, when he dies from his injuries from TakingTheBullet to protect Luffy, and after his FinalSpeech to those around him, he collapses with a smile knowing that despite having the blood of a "demon" in his veins, despite being a "good-for-nothing," he was truly loved.]]
** [[spoiler:The newly revealed addition to the 'Will of D', Trafalgar D. Water Law,]] gets a non-fatal one when Doflamingo, rather than killing him outright, [[SarcasmMode graciously offers to make his death worth something]] and offers to fulfill one last wish in exchange for [[spoiler:having the ultimate ability of Law's Op-Op Fruit performed on him: immortality]]. He agrees, but only if Doflamingo brings Corazon back to life and licks the ass of every Dressrosan citizen he's wronged. He flips him off with a huge grin on his face, taunting him even ''further'', before finally being shot.
** Aside from the D. family, there is also the death of Belle-mere, and especially her last words to Nojiko and Nami.
** Dr. Hiriluk toasted to his wonderful life before drinking a concoction that blew himself up. He also got a great speech about how he would never truly die as long as his dream was seen through.
** Averted with Montblanc Noland. History depicts Noland as giving a big goofy grin at his execution, as portrayed in the book "Noland the Liar". The reality is that he was sobbing hard, not knowing what happened to his new friends on the land of Shandora.
** Later on, in Brook's flashback, we see the final on-screen moments of Captain Yorki of the Rumbar Pirates. It was only briefly implied in the manga, but the anime version of that scene went for the gold. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IihaX89WUUA His crew soon follows suit]], when they [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htF1kxwdez4 play their favorite song as they die from poison]], so that a recording of it could reach their beloved TeamPet.
** Fisher Tiger died with a smile after being reassured that after he had freed the slaves from Mariejois and the legends of his adventures, he was a hero of the Fishman Island.
** Also Queen Otohime after her oldest son Fukaboshi promises her that they will protect Shirahoshi and collect all the signatures that she had long fought for to get from her people so that her dream of co-existing peacefully with humans can be fulfilled.
** Until the very end, the smile doesn't burn off the face of the Going Merry. [[spoiler:Her last words are thanking the crew for taking care of her, and that no matter what, she was happy during her time with them.]]
** The aforementioned Corazon died smiling [[spoiler:knowing that Law would be free of Doflamingo]].
** All the G5 Marines who are trapped inside a hallway filled with deadly gas are seen by their comrades striking various thumbs-up poses, content that they managed to save [[SubordinateExcuse Tashigi]]. [[spoiler:Though it's ultimately subverted since they're all saved at the end of the arc.]]
** Kozuki Oden went out smiling after enduring an hour of boiling oil while carrying his 9 vassals, followed by Kaido putting him out of his misery with a bullet to the head, knowing full well that his dream of an open Wano will come to pass.
** Yasu dies with a smile on his face, content that his sacrifice will protect the rebellion. An interesting example, since [[spoiler: he can't ''not'' smile and laugh after having been fed failed SMILE Fruits, yet it's clear that he would have done so anyway.]]
%% * [[spoiler:Ambertwo]]'s death in ''Radio/PokemonTheBirthOfMewtwo''.
* In ''Anime/PrincessTutu'''s first season finale, a ghostly form of [[spoiler:Edel]] smiles and requests a couple to dance together for her one last time, [[spoiler:even as ''her body is burning as a fire to warm someone back to life'']]. Ouch.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Before Akane's eyes close completely, signifying her death, she smiles at Ranma, then lets herself go. It's followed shortly by an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove from Ranma. [[DisneyDeath She wakes up 5 minutes later, but...]]
* ''Manga/SailorMoon'': At the end of Season 1 of the anime, [[spoiler:Sailor Jupiter gives Moon a comforting smile as she dies]], telling her not to be sad.
* ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'': Kanan smiles as she kills herself in front of Gonou (Hakkai), she was trying to smile for his benefit presumably. Yaone would have done exactly the same thing if she'd gone through with it. Hakkai himself when he thinks he's going to be killed smiles, very creepily, as he [[EyeScream pulls out his own eye]]
* [[spoiler:Mamiina]] in ''Anime/{{Simoun}}''.
* In ''Manga/SomedaysDreamersIISora'', Sora dies smiling in the arms of her mother, after finally fulfilling her late father's request.
* ''Anime/SonicX'':
** The revolutionary Molly does this, smiling at Shadow through her windshield before piloting her ship directly into the Metarex fleet.
** Cosmo also smiles throughout her death scene in the Metarex arc, performing a HeroicSacrifice by turning herself into a gigantic tree to immobilize the arc's BigBad so Tails could shoot him, knowing that she'll be taken as well.
** Maria Robotnik in ''X'''s adaptation of ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' is shown smiling after being shot by G.U.N.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'':
** Near the end of the anime, [[spoiler:Crona]], after TakingTheBullet for Maka, dies smiling in her arms, glad that they were finally able to help her. [[spoiler:They came back later, but it's the thought that counts.]]
** At the end of the manga, [[spoiler:Crona seals away Asura on the moon, but Asura keeps a tremendous SlasherSmile the whole time, as he remained confident he'll get out again]].
** Subverted/played with in the very next scene: [[spoiler:[[BumblingDad Spirit]], who seems doomed to be killed by the sealing because he was also on the moon, just looks up at Maka and grins while giving her a thumbs-up.]] He was actually saved at the last second and, more to the point, it's made clear that once [[spoiler:Maka couldn't see him]] but he still thought he was going to die, he ''stopped smiling'' and started recoiling in fear and regret.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'',
** Sachi does this right before she's killed. Her death really troubles Kirito, as he was unable to save his four guild members from the obvious trap/ambush room they entered. And even when he found an item to resurrect players, it was useless to him, as it had to be used within ten seconds of a player's death, but by the time he got the item, Sachi had already been dead for six months.
** Yui smiles sweetly as she gets deleted by Cardinal, telling Asuna to smile too and continue inspiring hope for all the other players. Fortunately, she isn't gone for good thanks to Kirito using his hacking skills save her data as an in-game item.
** Asuna does this as she pulls a BeyondTheImpossible HeroicSacrifice, [[TakingTheBullet jumping in the path of a blade meant for]] Kirito. She smiles sweetly as she fades away in Kirito's arms and a player's death animation plays. Granted Asuna [[NotQuiteDead didn't actually die]] thanks to Kirito clearing the game before her real-life body was killed by the Nerve Gear, but everyone (herself included) thought she had passed away so the tropes still comes into play.
** Yuuki, having finally succumbed to her [=AIDs=], in her final moments [[PassingTheTorch passes on her OSS to Asuna]], tells Asuna that she loved her, and that in the virtual world she truly lived. She then dies peacefully in Asuna's arms, smiling as she does so.
* Luo Lang from ''Anime/SwordOfTheStranger'' after being fatally wounded by Nanashi following their duel, because he had finally found a worthy opponent who could match his skill in swordsmanship.
* This happens in the anime version of ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' with [[spoiler:Arietta the Wild. Whereas in the game, she just dies miserably, saying "it hurts" and asking where Ion is, in the anime the spirits of her family and Ion appear to personally take her to the afterlife with them. She cries TearsOfJoy and reaches to take Ion's hand, and then dies with a content smile on her face.]]
* [[spoiler:Nia]]'s death in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
** Same for [[spoiler:Kamina]], though true to his values and personality, his dying smile is manly and powerful rather than sweet and cute. And hence, the phrase 'Manly tears were shed.'
** As a member of Team Dai-Gurren, Kittan grinned at how awesome his final act was.
* ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe'' is one of the most famous examples in the anime genre: [[spoiler: Joe makes a victory in a finale match against boxing champion Jose Mendoza... but it also ends up as his ''final'' match too, as he is last seen in the corner of the ring still and quiet, but with a contented smile on his face. WordofGod said he has unsure if he was dead or alive, and improvised that image.]]
* In ''Manga/TowardTheTerra'', [[spoiler:Jonah Matsuka]] initially seems to have died with a look of numb, [[DiesWideOpen wide-eyed]] surprise, but actually manages to cling to life long enough to [[spoiler:telepathically draw Keith, who he was protecting, back from the brink of death]] before finally expiring with a {{Tender Tear|s}} and a peaceful smile.
* One of the few instances of actual facial expression in ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' comes in the form of Vector Prime's final smile as he sacrifices himself to save his friends.
* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'':
** [[spoiler:Legato Bluesummers]] is seen smiling when he dies, both because he caused [[spoiler:Vash]] (his killer) to experience "eternal pain and suffering" by [[spoiler:making him break his [[TechnicalPacifist code of pacifism]], and because he died for the sake of his master, Knives (Vash's brother)]].
** Both versions of [[spoiler:Wolfwood]] apparently do this, although he has the variation of taking battle damage and then expiring slowly. The anime version goes out kneeling in a church and thinking about his friends. The manga version is sitting on a sofa in a trashed orphanage while the kids he grew up with throw confetti out of an airship to show that they care, and he and Vash share a final drink. The smile doesn't help much with the frustration about his death, since in both cases it could have been avoided.
* Ikuya Asano in ''Literature/TheTwelveKingdoms''. His childhood friend Youko visits his bier to confirm this after seeing a vision of it in her sword, having feared the smile was just her own wishful thinking. Youko is calmed by the sight, though Asano's smile is probably ironic -- he spent the entire series [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife trying to find a purpose to play in the plot]], [[ShaggyDogStory only to die before completing the one important task he was given.]]
* Subverted in ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'', when TheStoic Meia performs her HeroicSacrifice to save Ezra's baby daughter, she smiles (a very rare event!) as she throws herself out of an airlock into space. It turns out, however, that their escape pod has just been picked up by the ship, but she didn't know that.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Following her HeroicSacrifice, Kisara smiles as she [[DiedInYourArmsTonight is cradled in Seto's arms]] and reaches up to tenderly touch his face, just before falling limp.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'':
** [[spoiler:Carly, after her transformation to a Dark Signer]], loses the Duel of Darkness against [[spoiler:Jack Atlas. She charges him to save the world, smiling as she tells him she'll be cheering for him, and confesses her love as she crumbles into dust. Fortunately, [[BackFromTheDead she gets better]] due to a DeusExMachina at the end of the season]].
** [[spoiler:Bruno isn't so lucky. Having declared that the loser of his duel against Yusei will disappear, he pushes his Delta Eagle to its limits just to get Yusei out the Black Hole they're in and back to the Arc Cradle. While Yusei calls out to him and reaches out, Bruno just smiles in the last shot we get of him.]]
* In ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'', [[spoiler:the last thing Yusho does before he is carded by Yuri is to smile to Yuya, hoping he'll be able to smile in the face of adversity. This is deconstructed; Yusho's carding results in Yuya going into a [[UnstoppableRage blinding rage]], breaking free from the Swords of Binding Impact, and angrily confront Yuri in a Duel]].
* [[spoiler:Lulu]] dies like this in ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'', smiling happily in [[DiedInYourArmsTonight Ginko's arms]] after [[TakingTheBullet taking the bullet]] for her.
* [[spoiler:Yusuke's second death]] in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''. It was more than touching...
* ''Anime/ZombieLandSaga:'' [[spoiler:In [[ZombieLandSagaRevengeE09 episode 9 of ''Revenge'']], both Itou and Yugiri when they each die respectively.]]
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