History Main / HesJustHiding

*** Of course, he was then replaced in the second season with his twin brother who takes on the same code name. Though he doesn't mirror his brother's motivations and (while still a sniper) has a different fighting style.

*** The fandom's view, in general, is that [[SchrodingersCast Amuro and Char are dead until Sunrise says otherwise, generally believed to be whenever they think the franchise needs a massive shot in the arm]].
*** Of course, the inclusion of Full Frontal in Gundam Unicorn makes some people wonder if Char survived since they look very similar and sound exactly the same. It turns out that Full Frontal was genetically altered to remember Char and programmed with his memories, though. Making him instead a more literal version of the CharClone archetype.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': Even after [[LudicrousGibs V2 was splattered to oblivion]] following its second defeat in the Greed layer, many people in the fandom still theorize it will return in Act III. Adding to the sheer ridiculousness of the thing is that V2's death was explicitly made to be gory as hell to [[KilledOffForReal make it abundantly clear that it wasn't coming back this time]]. When it was pointed out to [[WordOfGod Hakita]] in a stream tthat V2 was ''still'' expected to somehow reconstruct itself, [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe his response was succinct]]:

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': Even after [[LudicrousGibs V2 was splattered to oblivion]] following its second defeat in the Greed layer, many people in the fandom still theorize it will return in Act III. When this was pointed out to [[WordOfGod Hakita]] in a stream, [[YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe his response was succinct]]:

** Since almost every single''Zelda'' game ends with the EnsembleDarkhorse ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg or]] [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Navi]]) somehow being irreversibly separated from the main characters, naturally fans keep coming up with the weirdest WildMassGuessing, about how "Character X will return, because he/she is awesome enough to open the portal sealed by the gods/come BackFromTheDead!!" Common targets of this brand of ''Zelda'' WMG are Midna from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', Linebeck from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' (who actually came back, sort of, in form of an IdenticalGrandson) and, the newest and yet ''worst'' offender, Byrne from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks''. A group of fans on a ''Zelda'' forum created an entire website dedicated to bringing Midna back in a future game -- [=WantMidnaBack.com=]. Too bad it'll never happen. [[VideoGame/HyruleWarriors Not in canon, at least.]] Read this little tidbit of info: When asked if Midna would return for a future game or not in an interview with Game Informer, Eiji Aonuma stated: "Because of the way Twilight Princess ended, I don't see her making a reappearance, but who knows? If we hear enough voices for her to come back, how can we not?"

* Many people believe [[Characters/GravityFallsBillCipher Bill Cipher]] is still alive at the end of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', with the fact that Stan regained his memory possibly being a sign that the mind-wipe wasn't entirely effective. Additionally, Bill's final words, when played in reverse, are "MY TIME HAS COME TO BURN, I INVOKE THE ANCIENT POWER THAT I MAY RETURN".

* Perhaps the biggest example from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is Ulquiorra. Fans saw his body disintegrate, but they still cling to the hope that he'll come back. The fact that his death was so [[AlasPoorVillain touching and poignant]] doesn't help matters. Other notable cases include Szayel (he is just that CrazyPrepared), Starrk (NeverFoundTheBody + capacity for a SoulJar). and Harribel (negates the [[DroppedABridgeOnHim bridge drop]]). Some would be tempted to put Grimmjow on here as well, but [[InferredSurvival he wasn't exactly dead the last time we saw him.]]

*** Szayel in a separate chapter was shown to be in hell. Ulquiorra and Starrk were confirmed as dead in [[AllThereInTheManual Unmasked]], which is considered pretty definitive. Gin was later confirmed as dead in the Germany Interview.

* Gai Daigouji from ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico''; lampshaded with both an IdenticalStranger[[note]]Tsukumo Shiratori, [[spoiler:a Jovian ace who also dies tragically.]][[/note]] and a subversion of BackFromTheDead.[[note]]In the last TV episode, the reveal that a much less popular character -- [[spoiler:the Admiral who sacrificed himself so the Nadesico could escape Mars]] -- had miraculously survived, instead of Gai.[[/note]] Naturally, in many ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games he really ''is''.

* Pokémon Hunter J and her crew from ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'', as they NeverFoundTheBody. Then again, they probably won't, since they all blew up.
* Alto Saotome, the hero from ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'', in the movie adaptations. The ending never directly states whether he survived or not, but Ranka tells a comatose Sheryl that she will wake up when Alto comes back. At that very moment, Sheryl's mouth twitched and her earrings glinted. WordOfGod has stated that this is indeed the case.
* Gai Daigouji from ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico''; lampshaded with both an IdenticalStranger[[note]]Tsukumo Shiratori, [[spoiler:a Jovian ace who also dies tragically.]][[/note]] and a subversion of BackFromTheDead.[[note]]In the last TV episode, the reveal that a much less popular character -- [[spoiler:the Admiral who sacrificed himself so the Nadesico could escape Mars]] -- had miraculously survived, instead of Gai.[[/note]] Naturally, in many ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games he really ''is''.

* Lockon Stratos in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00''. While the way he died made it [[NeverFoundTheBody impossible to recover the body]], WordOfGod has confirmed it -- as if the [[ReallyDeadMontage 5-minute montage and monologue sequence]] wasn't enough. The Platform/{{P|layStation2}}S2 game ''Gundam Meisters'' made Lockon's Death even more explicit, showing Lockon's faceplate crack off, a scene added to the special edition release to further solidify his death as final.
** Of course, he was then replaced in the second season with his twin brother who takes on the same code name. Though he doesn't mirror his brother's motivations and (while still a sniper) has a different fighting style.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' had the planned death of Mu la Fraga, at the end of a season. Anyway, since fans were revolting, he was decided to be brought back, with amnesia. Even his lone helmet in space which was originally shown, was removed, to make his survival possible. The fans did it! (In 00 it didn't work, though.) Whether this was actually a good idea, given that Mu's original death scene was a contender for the best HeroicSacrifice in all of Gundam, is one of the many [[BrokenBase base-breaking]] aspects of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny''.
* The fate of Amuro Ray and Char Aznable at the end of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamCharsCounterattack'' has become a somewhat legendary topic of debate among certain fans of the ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' franchise. The intentional lack of a definitive WordOfGod doesn't help to settle this, and whenever the story appears in a crossover game, such as ''Another Century's Episode 3'', the hero Amuro always survives one way or another. Char's fate is often sealed.
** The fandom's view, in general, is that [[SchrodingersCast Amuro and Char are dead until Sunrise says otherwise, generally believed to be whenever they think the franchise needs a massive shot in the arm]].
** Of course, the inclusion of Full Frontal in Gundam Unicorn makes some people wonder if Char survived since they look very similar and sound exactly the same. It turns out that Full Frontal was genetically altered to remember Char and programmed with his memories, though. Making him instead a more literal version of the CharClone archetype.
* From ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', fans of Spike will swear up and down that the character is just hiding, despite having suffered fatal injuries from a personal nemesis, being surrounded by {{Mooks}} from the Syndicate (while ''in'' the Syndicate Headquarters), collapsing in a pool of his own blood, and ''the entire series leading up to exactly that climax''.
** Notable in that the guy writing the stuff [[ShrugOfGod isn't entirely sure if he's dead or alive, either.]] Some fans have interpreted this as a way of the writer saying it ''doesn't matter'' if he lived or died; Spike's story, and by extension the story of ''Cowboy Bebop'', has ended, and whatever happens afterwards, if anything, isn't for us to know.
** Given the nature of the Syndicate in question, Spike would ''be made its new leader'' if he survived, since he had just killed the previous leader, Vicious, who in turn had assumed power by killing his own predecessors. Spike would be eligible to take command in this manner because he was previously a member of the Syndicate and despite his own best efforts [[ResignationsNotAccepted you never leave the Syndicate]].
** It really doesn't help that the ''entire situation'' (apart from the fight itself, funnily enough) is completely ambiguous, with Laughing Bull's description of a warrior dying being applicable to either Spike ''or'' Vicious, and Spike himself having survived a similar scenario (specifically being, shot, skewered, and jumping off of a four-story building), albeit barely, leaving the entire situation completely valid for either side to make a case.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
** Despite seemingly overwhelming evidence, many fans refused to accept the deaths of Euphemia, Jeremiah, Shirley, and Nunnally. Interestingly, Jeremiah and Nunnally actually ''were'' FakingTheDead, and show up later in the series.
** WordOfGod has repeatedly stated that Lelouch is truly dead, they said so in [[https://forums.animesuki.com/group.php?do=discuss&gmid=38473 interviews]] (e.g. [[https://imgur.com/a/do0fiOb Animage 10 and 11]], [[https://www.retromags.com/galleryimgs/monthly_2017_10/small.59f05755697f9_ContinueVol.42(October2008).jpg.f9ec262ce76541c515b3ea32e65060c8.jpg Continue Vol.42]], etc), [[https://imgur.com/a/2dxGMFX tweets]] by the director ([[https://imgur.com/a/HoF6xhX translation]]), the [[https://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/c/a/code-geass-lelouch-of-the-rebellion-r2-official-guide-book-japan-anime-free-s-h-3dd125709d6de684a48b26ffff07f459.jpg official guide book,]] ..., and Lelouch is listed among the dead in [[https://imgur.com/a/GdjEhBD the Death List for R2.]] C.C. even explicitly says Lelouch is dead in [[https://streamable.com/d8dji the new epilogue]] (from 2009). ([[https://www.reddit.com/user/GeassedbyLelouch/comments/8hklfr/evaluating_code_theory_main_body_index/ database with official statements]]) And yet, some fans refused to believe WordOfGod that Lelouch is truly dead and clung to the belief that Lelouch survived his ThanatosGambit in the GrandFinale of the series, either by [[FakingTheDead faking his own death]] or accidentally absorbing the BigBad's CompleteImmortality in an earlier episode. The series writer stated the ending was made to be a ReallyDeadMontage for Lelouch, however a possibly deliberately misunderstood interview by the series director saying that "the happy or sad nature of the ending is up to the fans" was misrepresented as a ShrugOfGod, claiming that it meant that Lelouch's death was up to personal interpretation, while in truth what was really said was that Lelouch's death was free to interpret as a happy or a sad ending, but Lelouch's death itself was never open for interpretation. A {{Broken Base}}s inside the fandom ensued and often erroneous DeathOfTheAuthor arguments were used because the anime's lore itself made it impossible for Lelouch to have the code. 10 years later, a sequel was announced with the real Lelouch being confirmed as the protagonist and the official title of the sequel being "Lelouch of the Resurrection". This made it certain that Lelouch was truly dead, as WordOfGod always stated, and will be resurrected.

* Perhaps the biggest example from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is Ulquiorra. Fans saw his body disintegrate, but they still cling to the hope that he'll come back. The fact that his death was so [[AlasPoorVillain touching and poignant]] doesn't help matters. Other notable cases include Szayel (he is just that CrazyPrepared), Starrk (NeverFoundTheBody + capacity for a SoulJar). and Harribel (negates the [[DroppedABridgeOnHim bridge drop]]). Some would be tempted to put Grimmjow on here as well, but [[InferredSurvival he wasn't exactly dead the last time we saw him.]]
** Fans of Ulquiorra have even more to be worked up about now. WordOfGod pointed out in an interview how surprised he was by the worldwide [[AlasPoorVillain response to Ulquiorra's death.]] He refused to confirm whether that was the last of Ulquiorra.
** Gin Ichimaru is theorized to be alive by some based on his fan-favorite status, the fact that he was still alive when he was last seen (his last words in his head were "great, now I know I can leave things to him," but it's not made clear if he means he can trust Ichigo to take down Aizen after his death or after he's no longer in any condition to fight), and the fact that Orihime showed up just a few chapters after his apparent death. There's also the fact that after the saga is over, Rangiku laments that Gin is gone, but never mentions if he's dead or if Orihime ''did'' heal him and he just took off somewhere.
** Recently, Kaname has been added, with some fans suggesting that Mayuri is working on reviving him for...some reason.
** [[spoiler: Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.]] There are numerous theories about how he could have "faked it," including reviving himself as a zombie, being stored in his Zanpakuto somehow, and collaborating with AIZEN, of all people. All of these ignore that, even if he was just hiding, Soul Society really, REALLY needs him, and he's not there. The Kyoka Suigetsu theory sometimes counters this with Aizen is doing it as a practical joke. Yeah. One other thing that often gets cited is the statement that "no body was found," but this is because it was vaporized onscreen.
*** Szayel in a separate chapter was shown to be in hell. Ulquiorra and Starrk were confirmed as dead in [[AllThereInTheManual Unmasked]], which is considered pretty definitive. Gin was later confirmed as dead in the Germany Interview.
*** But it turns out that Harribel really ''was'' Just Hiding - Orihime healed her (and her Fraccion) off-screen, and she's mentioned after the TimeSkip. Guess Creator/TiteKubo realised how stupid killing her off so anti-climactically was...
** As of the latest arc, Byakuya Kuchiki can be added to that list. Ever since his apparent death, many people have denied it. Granted the chapter where he apparently died just came out so this might be a little premature, it still counts.
*** Nope, Byakuya as of the latest chapter did in fact survive. Though it also has people rolling their eyes at Kubo since it's just another example of him refusing to kill off his dear soul reapers. Kenpachi survived the ordeal too, but his survival is at least somewhat justified due to the guy beating him turning out to be a complete fake of the BigBad.
*** What was so aggravating about Byakuya surviving was that there were multiple points where it was indicated that he had died (i.e. Haschwald saying he'd died, Byakuya giving a farewell speech to a murderous Ichigo and finally his Zanpaktou falling down and breaking with a shot of him having so-called "final thoughts"). It's jarring to see it was just cheap drama.
*** On the other hand, all of this is pretty standard for a fake-out death in Bleach. The things we've seen that generally confirm a character's death are the destruction of the body, decapitation, and/or not appearing again for many chapters after being declared dead.
* ''Franchise/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Maria Ross in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' turned out true in one series, but false in another. The least spoilery way to put it.
** The fandom for ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemistTheConquerorOfShamballa'' has an actual ''holiday'' for when Alphons (Heidrich) dies. He gets shot in the back, but we don't see the shot actually hit him. They call it Denial Day, and it's November 8th (or 9th).
** There are a number of fans who don't want to believe that [[spoiler:Pride]] killed [[spoiler:his son Selim]] at the end of the 2003 anime. It's cited that he just strangled him, though a cracking sound can be heard that implies his neck was broken.
* NeverFoundTheBody covers a multitude of sins. In the case of the ''Manga/DGrayMan'' fandom and General Cross, this includes disappearing from a room several stories above a lot of sharp rocks, leaving behind the cracked, bloody remains of his CoolMask, his EmpathicWeapon (which is no longer attuned to him), and more blood than a human can lose and survive, all of which was confirmed to be his. That said, there's still one hell of a lot of mystery surrounding his death/disappearance, since, well, they NeverFoundTheBody.
* ''Manga/{{Guyver}}'' fans keep hoping very much that Purgstall will come back from the dead. He was a commonly suggested suspect of Appolyon's identity.
* Akai Shuuichi from ''Manga/CaseClosed'' is an interesting example. Immediately after his death, people declared him to be alive, due to the numerous inconsistencies around his death, as well as some notable differences between two shots of the body. Even though that, due to this, there was never much of a doubt in the community that he wasn't dead at all, there are a lot of arguments on ''who'' he is - is he Scar Akai, who looks just like his mirror image, but seems to have lost his memory? Or is he, in fact, the scary Subaru Okiya, who displays a lot of [[RedHerring non-obvious similarities]] to Akai? Or is he even someone else? Only time will tell.
** A later Mystery Train arc pretty much settles this dispute; answering who's who as clear as day. [[spoiler: Tooru Amuro is confirmed as the real Bourbon, Vermouth and Tooru conspired the creation of Scar Akai to confirm the FBI's reaction to a living Akai and Subaru Okiya is in fact Akai-in-hiding.]]

* Many fans theorized this was the fate of Shiro after the last episode of ''Anime/ProjectK''. Turns out they were right as the movie went on to show.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'':
** For some, [[spoiler: Simon]] has a following for not being truly dead due to the NobodyCanDie nature of this manga, and that because his corpse ends up falling into a dark abyss the last time we see him, someone will make the claim that he [[NeverFoundTheBody never got a proper burial]] to truly be considered dead. Eventually, though, [[spoiler:Simon reappeared as one of the Historias, magically conjured dead people who are turned against those who killed them]], something that would only be possible if the character was dead.
** Some fans are speculating that [[spoiler:Juvia]] is not dead, despite the character having performed a HeroicSuicide to save [[spoiler:Gray, the man she loved]], and then used the last of her strength to give the person a blood transfusion. This may have to do with how, not long before that, [[spoiler:Gajeel]] similarly appeared to die, but turned out to have survived. Turns out [[spoiler: they were right]].
* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'': The {{Filler}} second-season finale most importantly brings the death of main character Kaneki's best friend Hideyoshi Nagachika (more commonly known as Hide). Although Hide is ''shown'' to be bleeding out and [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in Kaneki's arms]], the fandom went ''straight into denial mode'', saying "he's just sleeping", referring to how Kaneki covered him with a sheet and [[BridalCarry bridal carried]] his body back to the base. Retconned when the third season chose to continue from where the manga ended of from season one, wherein Hide is still alive even at the epilouge
* ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'':
** Juzo's got a fair amount of fans claiming this for him. They feel that if he could survive being impaled through the stomach and cutting his own arm off, he could survive the blood loss and just passed out in his last scene. The fact that Kyosuke gets a DownerEnding ''unless'' Juzo's alive helps contribute to this.
** There's a fairly large section of the fanbase that does ''not'' want Chiaki to be dead, feeling that she deserved a happy ending. Those fans point out that [[TheAce Izuru]] was right there and could have pulled off a miracle to save her, supported by the fact that [[NeverFoundTheBody it's never shown what became of her body]].
* ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' got a few examples with the Tournament of Power:
** Hit and Tien had fan theories surrounding them about how they weren't really eliminated, via explanations involving Tien's clone technique and Hit's time-skip ability. These theories were widely mocked due to the fact that they didn't really make any sense, given how they were shown on the spectator's stand.
** [[spoiler: Android 17's HeroicSacrifice]] also got hit with this and was also widely mocked...[[TheCuckoolanderWasRight only for it to turn out that they had indeed survived.]]
* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'': Since [[spoiler:F.F. is the only one missing from the universe post-reset]], many fans did not like the fact [[spoiler:they could be RetGone from that universe]], and would like to think that another version of them is just not present in the epilogue. The anime adaptation sways a bit on this direction, as unlike the manga, they do get to appear in the last shot alongside everyone else.

* Many people believe Bill Cipher is still alive at the end of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', with the fact that Stan regained his memory possibly being a sign that the mind-wipe wasn't entirely effective. Additionally, Bill's final words, when played in reverse, are "MY TIME HAS COME TO BURN, I INVOKE THE ANCIENT POWER THAT I MAY RETURN".

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''. Let's face it, there are probably going to be a lot more of these. Starting with [[spoiler: Amon, lots of speculation has been that he could somehow have survived his boat exploding in the middle of the ocean & return as the main antagonist, in spite of the fact that this was explicitly done to ensure that he couldn't restart the Equalists]]. No word on why there doesn't seem to be much speculation about [[spoiler: Tarrlok]]. People also argue over whether or not the Lieutenant died, which is pretty ambiguous at the moment.

* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries'': The highly popular villain [[spoiler: [[BigBad Obake]]]] died in what was essentially an [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids assisted suicide]] by way of CollapsingLair. All we were given was a shot of [[spoiler: his chip]] in the rubble to indicate his [[VillainousLegacy legacy]] could live on if nothing else, but it doesn't stop fans yearning for a genuine reappearance by the man himself. [[spoiler: The fact that [[DaddysLittleVillain Trina]] searched the wreckage of the base and only found the chip, as well as the fact that she tells Hiro that her father is dead, makes it HIGHLY unlikely he will come back.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': Kenny, of course, [[TheyKilledKennyAgain died all the time]] until it was decided that it should be played straight and he would be KilledOffForReal... Until he came back in "Red Sleigh Down" and said he'd just been "hanging out over there" and pointing offscreen. A CerebusRetcon revealed Kenny has superpowers. Every time he dies, he is literally reborn. Thank his parents for [[spoiler: being Cthulhu cultists]].

** Batman seems to be the in-universe version of this trope in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague''. After Superman is apparently vaporized by a massive energy blast, Batman is the only member of the League that seems openly resistant to the conclusion that Superman's dead. He searches for evidence to disprove it and even forgoes the funeral "because he's not dead." However, it's later shown that he was apparently just in denial, and in a heartwrenching scene, he finally comes to accept it. Of course, it turns out he had it right the first time.
** Batman (Terry [=McGinnis=]) also invoked the trope twice in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' in regards to various villains "deaths," especially towards their treacherous relatives. The first time was in "Ascension". Shortly after Paxton is nominated to succeed his father after Derek Powers tried to sink the submarine with Paxton Powers, Batman, and himself still inside, Batman tells Paxton that he "made a really big enemy" that day, in reference to Derek Powers. Powers bluntly says that his father died. After Batman responds, "Sure he did," and walks away, a news report comes up that has the news crew revealing that [[NeverFoundTheBody they never found Derek Powers' body]] in the sunken submarine. The second time was in "Inqueling", where Inque's daughter stabs her in the back by giving her a solvent-laced cure to dissolve Inque. Batman then meets up with the daughter, and she mentions that Inque's dead, and Batman merely replies that "[Inque's] been dead before" prior to leaving. The shadows shift and become heavily inked as she draws her knees to her chest and hugs her legs. [[spoiler: Inque]] is seen again in the FullyAbsorbedFinale episode of ''Justice League'', but [[spoiler: Powers]] only appears in unrelated comics. No word on what happened to their children.

** [[spoiler: After "Life of Brian", a lot of people thought this about Brian after he was fatally run over by a car. He actually did die, [[DeusExMachina but was brought back 2 episodes later]] via TimeTravel.]]

* From ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Some fans believe that [[spoiler:King Sombra, the villain of the season 3 two-part premiere, isn't really dead. This is grounded in the fact that even though his death is actually on-screen, his horn is prominently seen flying away intact, and earlier it was shown that even a small piece of his horn can spread his [[TheCorruption Corruption.]] Part of it stems from disappointment in how [[GenericDoomsdayVillain minimal]] his characterization and backstory was, and some believe it was intentional to flesh him out later on]].

* Despite his death being the catalyst for the events of ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'''s second half, a number of fans believe that [[BigBad Toffee]] isn't actually dead, and could conceivably return due to his [[FromASingleCell ungodly regeneration]]. It probably didn't help that he survived his first apparant death at the end of Season 1.

* Lockon Stratos in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00''. While the way he died made it [[NeverFoundTheBody impossible to recover the body]], WordOfGod has confirmed it -- as if the [[ReallyDeadMontage 5-minute montage and monologue sequence]] wasn't enough. The UsefulNotes/{{P|layStation2}}S2 game ''Gundam Meisters'' made Lockon's Death even more explicit, showing Lockon's faceplate crack off, a scene added to the special edition release to further solidify his death as final.

* ''VideoGame/TheSims'': Bella Goth could be called [[UsefulNotes/SchrodingersCat Schroedinger's Hottie]], being considered dead despite her family tree portrait not being shaded-out, and being able to be summoned up through means both legitimate and illegitimate (such as sending Alexander to college with Mortimer dead). Also, of course, there's the situation with her having a {{Doppelganger}}. The UsefulNotes/{{P|layStationPortable}}SP Sims 2 sequel features her (or a version of her), and explains where she's been. (Abducted, and now in hiding, since you asked.)

* In ''VideoGame/YsIAncientYsVanishedOmen'', Sara is killed off in Falcom's official canon, but goes into hiding in the UsefulNotes/PCEngine version, returning in the [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canonical]] ''VideoGame/YsIVTheDawnOfYs''.

* Elsa and Anna's parents were killed at sea in ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}''. Since it's implied they [[NeverFoundTheBody never retrieved their remains]], many theories exist that they survived. ''Why'' they have been missing for three years varies, with two popular choices being either they are on an abandoned island or they have amnesia. The director of both movies, Chris Buck, jokingly said they washed up on an island with their new baby, ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''.

* In-universe example in ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', where the protagonist James Sunderland believes this about his dead wife Mary, by virtue of LoveMakesYouCrazy. The game's goal, ultimately, is for the player to rediscover the truth about her death, and decide whether James faces up to the fact that he [[MercyKill killed her]], or continues to hide from himself. It's more or less an InvokedTrope for James himself, since WordOfGod deliberately refuses to name any ending as "canon" and encourages players to decide his fate for themselves. From there, he either could have chosen to succumb to despair and commit suicide, sidestepped the issue and remained in Silent Hill to live out a delusion, or learned to forgive himself, leave his old life behind, and start over anew; none of these is a wrong answer.

* An extremely similar plot twist could be found in ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarII'', released eight years before ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. Female lead Nei dies halfway through the game and cannot be revived.
** Except in the [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] UpdatedRerelease.
* Sam's daughter in ''VideoGame/SplinterCell'' literally.

* Zero of ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' was originally designed to appear only in [[VideoGame/MegaManX1 the first game]], and was killed off at the end. However, [[EnsembleDarkhorse fans liked him so much]] that the developers decided to bring him back -- his recovery and resurrection comprise the entire plot of ''X2'', and all subsequent games featured him as a playable character. This would happen countless times over the course of the ''X'' series, even stretching to his own SpinOff series.
** Notable in ''X5'', which was meant to be the last in the series, according to creator Inafune. Alas, ''X6'' was created, in which Zero was literally hiding the entire time up until he returns from the dead.
-->'''Zero:''' I hid myself while I tried to repair myself.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero 4'' ended with Zero's death as he broke up a ColonyDrop while re-entering Earth's orbit (although WordOfGod claims that he's MIA in the Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works). Fans were counting the months for his return. ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' has his Expy (who is killed within an hour or so) and you find a biometal that has his properties and attitude, but no, he's really dead.
* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' fans came up with theories about bringing back Axel Almer and Mekibos after ''[=OG2=]'', and Lamia Loveless after ''2.5''. Given Banpresto's proud history of subverting the "AnyoneCanDie" mentality, the only surprise in Axel and Lamia's return in ''OG Gaiden'' was the how of it. Also, given Mekibos's death and revival as a cyborg in the original timeline, it's only a matter of time before he comes out of hiding, too.
** Speaking of that kinda hiding, you can't forget how [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsReversal Fiona Gureden]] got thought to be dead EARLIER in [=OGs=]. She got sucked into a dimensional hole, and beforehand still gives out the feel that "I'm gonna die, so don't miss me, Raul...". Then POOF! She comes out from hiding in that dimensional hole in OGG. [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil Damn trailers]].
** SRW K gives you a literal 'just hiding' in form of ''Anime/GunXSword'''s Michael Garret and Fasalina. In the show, they're supposed to be never heard of again after [[DiabolusExMachina a sudden]] collapsing ceiling from a destroyed base. In here, after all that happened, [[GuideDangIt if proper actions were taken]], they immediately came out from hiding and ''[[HeelFaceTurn joins right after]]''.
* Many, many people insisted this of [[spoiler:Kenny]] from ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadTelltale'', after his HeroicSacrifice to either save [[spoiler:Christa]] or MercyKill [[spoiler:Ben]]. In both cases, the player doesn't see him die or get bitten and he quickly runs offscreen, not to be seen again for the rest of the game. Additionally, the endgame statistics only list him as 'lost to the herd', rather than 'dead'. Sure enough, [[spoiler:[[DisneyDeath he shows up alive and well in Season 2]] with the excuse of having gotten lucky]].

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
** For over a decade, Vergil's last {{canon}}ical appearance in the first ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1'' saw him outright exploding. Yet, the fandom refused to believe that he was dead even when his signature weapon Yamato was inherited by Nero and the Angelos were created by his body/armor being experimented on in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4''. And then suddenly, this reaction got resolved when ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' showed Vergil alive and retaking Yamato to heal himself. However, [[UnexplainedRecovery there is no real explanation for how he was still alive]] to begin with.
** Sparda. The {{Narrator}} from the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 first game]] stated that he died [[labelnote:Excerpt]]"His name was Sparda. Later, he quietly reigned the human world, and continued to preserve harmony, until his death."[[/labelnote]], Arkham in the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening third game]]'s manga stated that he died, but for some reason, the fans insist that he only "disappeared" (and is likely to return one day), basing it on a misinterpreted line in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'' or Modeus's musing in the [[Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries animated series]]. No one ever bothers to answer the question of just ''what'' Sparda might be doing if he did simply just vanish.
* A fan theory exists in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'' that after the first generation was massacred, [[ActionGirl Ayra]] still lives and just wanders off to places unknown. Even after being rebuked at the sidequel (''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776 Thracia 776]]''), whereas survivors of the massacre were gathered together and turned to stone, which may possibly include her. Fans still don't buy it and merely list her as "just wandering off". [[EnsembleDarkhorse "Because she's just too badass to be turned to stone"]], or so they say...
** There's a similar theory for [[MemeticMolester Gheb]]. Gheb is rumored to have a double Gleb who took his place when he was killed. Gheb's far too handsome to die.
** Might as well latch onto the fact that in FE 10, it is possible to be "too badass to be turned into stone", and apply that to a totally different universe.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'':
** Captain Price, Gaz, Griggs, and Soap in ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'' all survived the final battle. They were just gravely wounded. ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2'' reveals that Soap not only survived but has been promoted to Captain and will essentially be taking Price's place as the badass squad leader who mentors the player. Whether this was the ''developers'' saying "he was just hiding" (not to mention what became of Captain Price) remains to be seen, but so far no one's been complaining.
** Price is also back in ''Modern Warfare 2'', and he and Soap survive the events of the game. Still no word on Gaz or Griggs, but things aren't looking too bright in that category.
** As of ''[[VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare3 MW3]]'', Soap [=MacTavish=] is on the "just hiding!" list.
* ''VideoGame/TheSims'': Bella Goth could be called [[UsefulNotes/SchrodingersCat Schroedinger's Hottie]], being considered dead despite her family tree portrait not being shaded-out, and being able to be summoned up through means both legitimate and illegitimate (such as sending Alexander to college with Mortimer dead). Also, of course, there's the situation with her having a {{Doppelganger}}. The UsefulNotes/{{P|layStationPortable}}SP Sims 2 sequel features her (or a version of her), and explains where she's been. (Abducted, and now in hiding, since you asked.)
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' has something of an [[InvertedTrope inversion,]] where despite the ending implying (and WordOfGod confirming many years later) that Ramza, Alma, and the rest of the party escaped Murond Death City and lived out the rest of their lives in hiding, some fans still insist that they all perished in [[LoadBearingBoss Altima's death throes]] and that Ramza and Alma's later appearances were their ghosts or [[BelatedHappyEnding metaphorical survival]], rather than literal.
* Before the release of ''VideoGame/Persona3: FES'', many fans claimed that the Main Character hadn't died in the end (despite the [[CastFromHitPoints 100% HP cost]] from The Great Seal and that he just fell asleep for no apparent reason...) Needless to say, they were all pissed off by "The Answer".
** The lyrics for the song "Memories of You" at the end of the game pretty much confirmed his death before FES was even in development.
** The [[VideoGame/Persona4 immediate]] [[VideoGame/Persona4Arena sequels to]] [[VideoGame/Persona4ArenaUltimax the game]] confirm that MC is indeed dead[[spoiler: and that Elizabeth is trying to resurrect him while keeping Erebus' seal intact]].
** ''VideoGame/Persona5'' fans applied this to Goro Akechi as during the plot events of vanilla, he seals himself behind a door in Shido's Palace with his doppelganger in an apparent HeroicSacrifice as is never brought up again outside of being briefly mentioned by Lavenza and Sae, due to the sound editing and Akechi's popularity amongst the fanbase. ''[[UpdatedRerelease Persona 5 Royal]]'' confirms that he did survive his "final battle"... only to later reveal Akechi's [[YourDaysAreNumbered days are numbered]] from having been brought BackFromTheDead by Takuto due to the protagonist's regret of being unable to save him during the events of Shido's Palace. Given that Akechi (or at the very least someone resembling him) appears in the True Ending cutscene, and some seeming incongruencies in the mechanics of Maruki's power, this trope still applies.
* In ''[[VideoGame/HenryStickminSeries Completing the Mission]]'', the ''Valiant Hero'' ending ends with [[spoiler:Charles Calvin]] dying at the very end when [[spoiler:he pulls out a HeroicSacrifice by throwing Henry Stickmin into an escape pod, leaving Charles himself to die moments later when the Toppat Orbital Station explodes]]. [[EnsembleDarkHorse The status]] [[spoiler:Charles]] has left many fans to ''refuse'' that [[spoiler:he]] died. Some even pointed out that [[spoiler:behind the rubble in the same hall, an escape pod was unselectable and that we see five escape pods flying towards Earth]]. They say that [[spoiler:Charles]] simply [[spoiler:went into the unselectable escape pod off-screen, and him cutting off when the station explodes is his headset losing signal]], leaving [[spoiler:him]] as presumed dead.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' fans found Big Boss' death to a cigarette lighter and aerosol can at the end of ''VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake'' was too cheap and anticlimactic a death for the series' greatest FallenHero, given his backstory in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' (not to mention surviving The Fury's flames from his flamethrower, which was stated to use Rocket Fuel to have the fires burn much longer, and surviving being near ground zero of the ICBMG's launch). They were proven right in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots''.
** Big Boss dies again in [=MGS4=], along with his comrades Eva and Ocelot. However, given these characters massive popularity, fan theories have cropped up by the hundreds claiming that all three are still alive and well and their supposed 'deaths' were just a way of hiding themselves from the various militaries and governments who want to abuse them.
** Solid Snake himself has this trope in an odd way... The ending of ''[=MGS4=]'' pretty much outright states Snake will die and very soon. But, he doesn't technically expire within the game itself, leading some to assume that Snake lives on in spite of his body's decline. ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' adds to this by having Raiden only talk about Snake in the present tense.
** An in-universe example happens in ''Peace Walker'' when it's noted that Paz landed in the ocean in her presumed death, the body was never found, and she had been wearing SCUBA gear at the time of her defeat. So it's quite likely she's still alive, and the trailers for ''Ground Zeroes'' confirm she is alive.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'''s much-maligned "Good" ending results in your character's HeroicSacrifice. It screamed ButThouMust so hard the walls of the Jefferson Memorial should have exploded. Bethesda wrote the [[http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Broken_Steel Broken Steel DLC]] to fix their mistake.
* A common fan interpretation of ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' to account for the off-screen deaths of Crono, Marle, and Lucca. That the dialogue describing their current status is either implicit ("I'll send you to see Lucca!") or vague ("We no longer exist in this timeline.") does much to aid and abet such theories. [[ContemplateOurNavels Even if we're not told they're dead, are they any more alive after 10 years of nonexistence?]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'', Sho Minamimoto's body is found during the last day of the Game, ''just'' before you enter the final BossRush. As he is a [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan-favorite]], and the standard death for Reapers involves [[EverythingFades their body disappearing]], some believe that he is, in fact, still alive.
** There's even more evidence in the words of Joshua, the [[BigBad Composer]], who states he's been well aware of Minamimoto's [[TheStarscream Starscream]] status the whole time but keeps him around because he thinks Sho's crazy betrayal plots are [[MagnificentBastard amusing]]. This suggests he left Minamimoto alive on purpose.
** Trailers for ''VideoGame/NEOTheWorldEndsWithYou'' pretty [[LateArrivalSpoiler openly showed him]] [[PromotedToPlayable as a party member]]. Though his high stats seen in preview images imply... [[GuestStarPartyMember something]].
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** Since almost every single''Zelda'' game ends with the EnsembleDarkhorse ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg or]] [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Navi]]) somehow being irreversibly separated from the main characters, naturally fans keep coming up with the weirdest WildMassGuessing, about how "Character X will return, because he/she is awesome enough to open the portal sealed by the gods/come BackFromTheDead!!" Common targets of this brand of ''Zelda'' WMG are Midna from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', Linebeck from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' (who actually came back, sort of, in form of an IdenticalGrandson) and, the newest and yet ''worst'' offender, Byrne from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks''. A group of fans on a ''Zelda'' forum created an entire website dedicated to bringing Midna back in a future game -- [=WantMidnaBack.com=]. Too bad it'll never happen. [[VideoGame/HyruleWarriors Not in canon, at least.]] Read this little tidbit of info: When asked if Midna would return for a future game or not in an interview with Game Informer, Eiji Aonuma stated: "Because of the way Twilight Princess ended, I don't see her making a reappearance, but who knows? If we hear enough voices for her to come back, how can we not?"
** Inverted with the Sages from ''Ocarina Of Time''. A popular theory that floats around the fandom is that they died and are ghosts.
* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' fans have a hard time believing Albert Wesker has truly [[KilledOffForReal died]] after ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5''. Doubly-so due to his cheap death (lava didn't faze him, rockets didn't faze him, but lava + rockets did the trick?). [[WordOfGod The series producer]] would have you believe otherwise, though. And to an extent, [[spoiler:Piers Nivans]] in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6''.

* Joe Barbaro in ''VideoGame/MafiaII'', possibly because it was never shown that he was killed (or the acts of killing him), with his death only being described by Vito in ''VideoGame/MafiaIII''. Some also believe that Leo Galante's driver seen near the very end of the game may actually be Joe due to them looking very similar in build and facial structure.
* Duncan from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' has met with this due to his death [[FadeToWhite not being directly shown onscreen]] and [[NeverFoundTheBody his body being missing]] during the ''Return to Ostagar'' DLC. WordOfGod is that he is indeed dead. And even if he didn't die then [[spoiler: dialogue with Alister reveals that Duncan was suffering from the horrible nightmares that proceed the Calling, and would have died soon after anyway]].
* Agatio and Karst in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge''. There is some reasoning behind this, as their last scene had them [[NotQuiteDead mortally wounded but still alive]] and swearing to survive long enough to see Mars Lighthouse lit. Whether or not they actually manage to is left ambiguous. However, several other dying characters were healed by the Psynergy that erupted from Mars Lighthouse when it's beacon was lit, so if they were still alive at the time it's possible they could have been healed as well. On the other hand, they're nowhere to be found during the PlayableEpilogue, and if they did survive, why didn't they return to Prox? DummiedOut Mind Read text indicates they did die, though whether that can be taken as canon or not is debatable.
* [[WellIntentionedExtremist Illidan Stormrage]] from ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' is an odd case. Nobody really thinks he wasn't KilledOffForReal at Black Temple, or at least wasn't intended to be when the raid was created. However, DeathIsCheap in the Warcraft universe and many fans were unhappy with Illidan's MotiveDecay and subsequent death in the ''Burning Crusade'' expansion. Since then, several EpilepticTrees have been made explaining how he could have survived the incident or been resurrected afterward. [[WordOfGod Several members of Blizzard's staff]] have even teased the idea of bringing Illidan back in a future patch or expansion. His return was eventually confirmed in the ''Legion'' expansion, approximately nine years after his "death" in Black Temple.
* ''Franchise/TombRaider'':
** A significant portion of the fandom still believe Alister Fletcher did not die and is somewhere in Avalon, due to his last words being "I'll see you in Avalon". There is plenty of fanfiction involving Lara travelling to Avalon/Helheim to find him - despite the fact that one cannot choose to go to Avalon in death, and people who are there are turned into soulless thralls. Other than this, in a similar way to Archie from Hornblower, fans just choose to write post-Underworld fics and state that Alister didn't die.
** Kurtis Trent from ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAngelOfDarkness Angel of Darkness]]'' gets this as well, however, it is justified in that the game ended on a cliffhanger and the fate of Kurtis was never revealed.
* In-universe example in ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'', where the protagonist James Sunderland believes this about his dead wife Mary, by virtue of LoveMakesYouCrazy. The game's goal, ultimately, is for the player to rediscover the truth about her death, and decide whether James faces up to the fact that he [[MercyKill killed her]], or continues to hide from himself. It's more or less an InvokedTrope for James himself, since WordOfGod deliberately refuses to name any ending as "canon" and encourages players to decide his fate for themselves. From there, he either could have chosen to succumb to despair and commit suicide, sidestepped the issue and remained in Silent Hill to live out a delusion, or learned to forgive himself, leave his old life behind, and start over anew; none of these is a wrong answer.

* ''VideoGame/YomawariNightAlone'' gives an InUniverse example with the game's heroine believing that her dog simply ran off and went missing. [[spoiler:She's in complete denial, having witnessed and essentially caused her dog's death when he gets hit by a truck trying to chase after a pebble she tossed onto the road.]]
* ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' uses this in-universe, in the DLC ''Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep''. Tina runs a role-playing game for the four original vault hunters, and she seems to be in complete denial that one of them is dead. When the others finally confront her about this, she admits that she understands the truth, but she doesn't have to like it. The game is her way of providing a better ending. In fact, she kills two birds with one stone, bringing back another character who had died in the main plot so they can save the day at the last minute.
* Fans speculated that despite being consumed by James Heller at the end of his boss fight in ''VideoGame/Prototype2'', Alex Mercer is still alive and will most likely return in future installments. This is backup from a memory that Heller read after defeating him where Mercer stated that he is "no longer bound by life and death."

* In ''VideoGame/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyTheTelltaleSeries'', a case of this actually impacted how players handled the game. At the end of episode four, you’re forced to choose between letting [[spoiler:Drax]] perform a HeroicSacrifice to aid in the team’s escape, or stopping him against his wishes, making the escape more difficult and [[spoiler:getting Groot badly injured in the process]]. It’s obviously meant as a SadisticChoice, but many players suspected that [[spoiler:Drax]] [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt wouldn’t really die]] (especially since you don’t actually ''see'' him die) or [[spoiler:would be revived with the Eternity Forge]], so they gladly let him sacrifice himself in one of the most bizarre instances of metagaming ever. [[IKnewIt Sure enough]], the final episode revealed that he survives even if you let him sacrifice himself.

* In-universe in ''VideoGame/TheNewOrderLastDaysOfEurope'', [[TheCaligula Sergei Taboritsky]] is utterly convinced that Alexei Nikolaevich, son of the emperor Nicholas II, is still alive despite having been dead for over fifty years. For him, the only way to allow Alexei to [[RightfulKingReturns come back and claim the throne]] is to "purify" Russia by the means of [[FinalSolution genocide]] and CrushingThePopulace. Once [[SanitySlippage his sanity fully breaks]] (represented in-game by a clock reaching midnight), Sergei Taboritsky finally realises that Alexei is dead, and dies from shock.

* In ''VideoGame/YsIAncientYsVanishedOmen'', Sara is killed off in Falcom's official canon, but goes into hiding in the UsefulNotes/PCEngine version, returning in the [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canonical]] ''VideoGame/YsIVTheDawnOfYs''.

* A variant from ''VideoGame/Destiny2'': the Forsaken expansion begins with the death of fan-favorite character Cayde-6. He is very definitely dead: his irreplaceable [[SoulJar Ghost]] is destroyed, he's fatally wounded, he dies in the player character's arms, and is last seen under a shroud on a bier while other characters discuss his death. However, since he was a RidiculouslyHumanRobot created by BrainUploading, that just led to discussion about how he could be brought back if his original brain scan could be found. Come ''Beyond Light'', the repository for all such brain scans ''is'' found... but it's taken as a given that they won't use it to resurrect Cayde, as this would bring him back without his memories or experiences -- Cayde-7 would be a completely new person. Cayde-7's only appearance was in the Chronicon lore book, which was basically in-universe bad fanfiction, and he dies the same page he appears.

* On ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'', this is Bobby Goren's in-universe reaction to discovering his nemesis, serial murderess Nicole Wallace, who had expertly pulled a KarmaHoudini in every prior appearance, [[TheKillerBecomesTheKilled has herself been murdered]]. This is despite the fact that her heart was cut out from her body and [[FingerInTheMail sent to Goren in the mail]], and DNA confirmed the organ's identity - Goren is convinced that unless he finds the rest of her, she's enough of a {{Magnificent B|astard}}itch to come back from even this. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome She stays dead]].

* ''ComicBook/TheAtom'': Following the death of Ryan Choi in the ''ComicBook/{{Titans}}'' relaunch, it became a minor meme to draw him, as a black marker stick figure, in totally unrelated books, celebrating his survival and/or swearing to turn the tables on the villains responsible. [[http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=322341 Endorsed by Gail Simone herself, no less!]] The resulting backlash surrounding Choi's death was enough to get him brought back in the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' reboot.

* Some people think Israeli PM Yitskhak Rabin’s assassination is not quite what the authorities tell them, as some details don’t entirely add up, and a considerable portion of what the Shabak did beforehand is still classified.

** To be fair, [[WordOfGod the directors' commentary]] made it clear that the creators never intended to reveal Tai Lung's actual fate. [[ObfuscatingStupidity Whether this was a cunning move on their part]] to prevent it being obvious he'd appear in a sequel will only be revealed in time. But with the exact words being 'Nobody knows what happened to him, it's just a mystery', they clearly don't mind if some fans believe he's only hiding, and may even be just encouraging it.

* This started amongst ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' fans when Ianto was killed in "Children of Earth".

** The series finale has Drogon pick up the stabbed body of Daenerys Targaryen and fly off to parts unknown, later said to have been seen heading towards Volantis. Some fans were quick to posit that he'd take her to Kinvara, a member of a priesthood capable of resurrecting people who lives in Volantis ''and'' is firm supporter of Daenerys.

** The series finale has Drogon pick up the stabbed body of Daenerys Targaryen and fly off to parts unknown. Some fans were quick to posit that he'd take her to Kinvara, a member of a priesthood capable of resurrecting people, ''and'' firm supporter of Daenerys.

*** Missy had been using her disintegrator device to blast people into a cloud of fine red dust left and right. It seems kind of odd that the same device disintegrates her into a cloud of fine blue dust instead, not unlike her teleportation earlier. To this, many point out that the reasoning is because the device itself wasn't used to disintegrate her, with it instead being the Brigadier's Cybermen artillery that did the job. That said, Moffat himself enforced this trope with his comments immediately after the episode aired, noting that he hoped Missy would emulate Anthony Ainley's Master in reappearing without a scratch after getting involved in DeaderThanDead situations. She reappeared at the top of Series 9, in fact, and revealed she had used the weapon fired at her to charge a teleport.

** You won't find ''anyone'' who believes that D'Argo actually died in ''Peacekeeper Wars''. The fact that the similarly-left for dead Sikozu and Grunchlk ''did'' turn up alive in the comic continuation add fuel to that fire.

*** Missy had been using her disintegrator device to blast people into a cloud of fine red dust left and right. It seems kind of odd that the same device disintegrates her into a cloud of fine blue dust instead, not unlike her teleportation earlier. To this, many point out that the reasoning is because the device itself wasn't used to disintegrate her, with it instead being the Brigadier's Cybermen artillery that did the job. That said, Moffat himself enforced this trope with his comments immediately after the episode aired, noting that he hoped Missy would emulate Anthony Ainley's Master in reappearing without a scratch after getting involved in DeaderThanDead situations. She reappeared at the top of Series 9, in fact.

* ''[[Creator/TimDorsey Serge A. Storms]]'': Given how [[BumblingSidekick Coleman]]'s explicit death in the first book is later retconned, it can occasionally be nice to hope that other characters who seem dead are really alive.

** This trope is also the reason Creator/NeilGaiman has been so enthusiastic about being offered the chance to write "ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader?", which, like how Alan Moore's ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow?'' is the "last Superman story" before the retcons of ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' took place, is the "last Batman story" for the retcons of ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.

* ComicBook/TheWasp'': Janet Van Dyne was supposedly killed in an explosion at the end of ''ComicBook/{{Secret Invasion|2008}}'', but Creator/BrianMichaelBendis' final ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' story revealed that she had simply been transported to the Microverse. This caused a bit of CanonDiscontinuity, as a prior issue of ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'' showed the Wasp was indeed in the afterlife. In any case, she's back and part of the ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers''.

* ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'': It turned out that Superman's body was removed by the Fortress of Solitude robots and kept in regenerative stasis while the four pretenders were gallivanting around Metropolis.
* It's become a sort of meme in the comic fandom regarding the Osborns. When ComicBook/NormanOsborn turned out to be responsible for ComicBook/TheCloneSaga, he reveals he was just hiding in Europe. Then, when Harry was resurrected post-ComicBook/OneMoreDay, he says that he was also in Europe. To fans, Europe is essentially Osborn-Limbo.
* There are a few who found the FaceHeelTurn of [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Batgirl III]] (Cassandra Cain) so badly written and conceived that they are torn between a duplicate (the real one still off finding herself) and a mind-seed implanting a new personality outright as alternate explanations. The subsequent editorially mandated damage control mollified things somewhat, though. They did try to explain it, but due to an apparent lack of coordination between writers, the thing that was causing her to act differently and how it was cured were different in two different comic books. It now appears that they've just given up on trying to explain it and have (mostly) moved Cass back to her original characterization.
* There was a lot of this surrounding the 2004 death of Ted ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'' Kord and the faked death of his [[HeterosexualLifePartners partner]], ComicBook/BoosterGold, in 2006, albeit most of it tongue-in-cheek. It helped the situation that Ted had been getting more panel-time via flashbacks since his death than he had in the entire decade before it. There was a RedHerring that strongly hinted that Ted was alive, but he then showed up as a Black Lantern in ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'', confirming his demise.

* ComicBook/TheWasp was supposedly killed in an explosion at the end of ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', but Creator/BrianMichae
lBendis' final ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' story revealed that she had simply been transported to the Microverse. This caused a bit of CanonDiscontinuity, as a prior issue of ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'' showed the Wasp was indeed in the afterlife. In any case, she's back and part of the ComicBook/UncannyAvengers.
* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'':
** Beast is killed. Turns out he was just hiding underground. This after the architects of the Ultimate Universe promised none of these.
** Gambit was KilledOffForReal but nobody wants to believe it, because he's GAMBIT.
* Subverted in ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', which features a story where Richard Parker (Pete's dad) claims that he has been hiding after his reported death. It turns out that he is not really Richard Parker but a clone of Peter that has been aged to a much more mature level and given FakeMemories.
** When it was revealed that Marvel was planning a crossover involving [[AffirmativeActionLegacy Miles Morales]] titled ''ComicBook/SpiderMen'', there was rampant speculation that the series would reveal that ComicBook/{{Ultimate|SpiderMan}} Peter Parker survived his recent death. It then turned out the Peter teaming up with Miles was simply the adult version from the main Franchise/MarvelUniverse. This turned out to be HilariousInHindsight as it was then revealed a year later that, yes, Ultimate Peter had survived after all, and he had been in hiding.
* Creator/NeilGaiman knows this trope, to the point that he said the truly revolutionary aspect of ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' is that when someone dies, they are dead. Even if they get some new incarnation, it is distinctly different and pointed out to be so. One character, when offered a chance to be recreated, even delivers an AuthorFilibuster about the importance of final deaths.
* This trope is also the reason he has been so enthusiastic about being offered the chance to write "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?", which, like how Alan Moore's ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow?'' is the "last Franchise/{{Superman}} story" before the retcons of ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' took place, is the "last Batman story" for the retcons of ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''.
* Despite being a minor member of ''Franchise/SpiderMan'''s supporting cast and a normal human who died from ''a shotgun blast at close range'' at the beginning of a story arc titled "The Death Of Jean [=DeWolff=]", fans ''still'' refused to believe [=DeWolff=] was dead, and came up with all sorts of loopy theories as to why she wasn't.
* Played with in ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'': Chase and his pet dinosaur, Old Lace, are on the top of a skyscraper when ComicBook/ThePunisher pops up and blasts him with an RPG. While the rest of the team is convinced of his death, Molly refuses to accept it.

* Though not dead, ''ComicBook/SilverSurfer'' is constantly losing his true love Shalla-bal and regaining her to the point where him losing her has lost all impact. Even her dying in Earth X seems trite and cliched.
* ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'': ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} dying in ''Wolverine #55''? Turns out he was a clone, and the real Sabretooth was in hiding all along. Which doesn't explain how his soul shows up in Hell and is beheaded by a sword that is supposed to render the victim unable to return to the living.
* In ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'', it turns out the dinosaurs didn't die out sixty-five million years ago: they were just hiding. (One of them claims to be a 'Nobodysaurus' -- [[PunnyName geddit?]] This is a joke, however.)
** Speaking of dinosaurs, ''ComicBook/AllStarSuperman'' features a race of humanoid dinosaurs that are evolved descendants of the dinosaurs of the past who turned out to have gone literally underground instead of getting totally wiped out. Why would [[Creator/GrantMorrison the author]] make such a concept? Because [[RuleOfCool they're too cool to just be extinct, of course]]!
* Following the death of Ryan Choi, ComicBook/TheAtom in the ''Titans'' relaunch, it became a minor meme to draw him, as a black marker stick figure, in totally unrelated books, celebrating his survival and/or swearing to turn the tables on the villains responsible. [[http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=322341 Endorsed by Gail Simone herself, no less!]] The resulting backlash surrounding Choi's death was enough to get him brought back in the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' reboot.
** Although technically, Ryan never truly debuted as the Atom in the ''New 52'' and instead they introduced newcomer Rhonda Pineda as the Atom. [[spoiler: Although it turned out she was the Atom's EvilCounterpart, Atomica, from the Crime Syndicate's universe]]. It wasn't until ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' that Ryan, the original Ryan Choi killed by Deathstroke's team and not a new version, was officially brought back from the dead.
* The robot Hourman sacrificed himself to rescue Hourman I and II in ''[[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]]''. Hourman indicated he would try rebuilding him and time-traveler Rip Hunter later said the robot Hourman would be out of commission "for a relative year."
* ''ComicBook/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'': ComicBook/{{Huntress}} didn't get her neck snapped by Wonder Woman! The cracking sound was just the platemail of her suit rubbing together, and the force of the Lasso of Truth jerking her head around just gave her severe whiplash and knocked her out. She ''was'' on Kryptonian durability pills at the time, after all. And where's her gravestone, huh?!
** We ''do'' find out that the Legion of superheroes have been going around and saving/recruiting people...
* This is the sentiment shared by many ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' fans on the status of Superman's descendant Laurel Kent. After the company edict stating Superman could be the only surviving Kryptonian character following ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', they had to rewrite Laurel's backstory and "revealed" during the ''Millennium'' crossover that she was really an undercover Manhunter android. Since there was no evidence that there was never a real Laurel, fans believe she's still out there. And many years later in ''Superman/Batman'', writer Chris Roberson introduced a new version of Superwoman named Elna Kent in the 31st Century. Not only does she look like Laurel and have a similar costume, but "Elna" was an alias Laurel used in her debut. In fact, the artist's designs revealed she ''is'' Laurel Kent, but for whatever reason, they weren't allowed to call her that in the published story.
* The infamously brutal death scenes in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers'' were done expressly to [[AvertedTrope avert this]]; the writers didn’t want people [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt second-guessing the drama and betting the characters would survive]], so they made the deaths as horrific and unambiguous as physically possible. They even [[TrollingCreator trolled]] the readers with this, having [[spoiler:Ironfist]] miraculously survive the final battle [[YankTheDogsChain only to die of an aneurysm on the very next page]].
* ''The Big Book of Conspiracies'' examines a couple of conspiracy theories claiming that Jim Morrison, lead singer of Music/TheDoors, faked his death.