History Main / HesJustHiding

* ComicBook/TheWasp was supposedly killed in an explosion at the end of ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', 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.

* 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 commission "for a relative year."

* ''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 gallavanting around Metropolis.

* ComicBook/TheWasp was supposedly killed in an explosion at the end of ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', 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.

** InUniverse: Even days after Midland Circle was demolished to wipe out the Hand, Karen Page fervently believes that Matt must have somehow survived the building crumbling, and sure enough, the episode's last seconds reveal that he did indeed survive and is recovering in a convent, setting up ''Series/Daredevil2015'' season 3 to adapt the comics' ''ComicBook/DaredevilBornAgain'' storyline.

* 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. This can also apply to 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.

* 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. This can also apply to James himself, since WordOfGod deliberately refuses to name any ending as "canon" and encourages players to decide his fate for themselves, so he either could have chosen to commit suicide, remained in Silent Hill to live out a delusion, or learned to forgive himself, leave his old life behind, and start over anew.

* 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.

-->-- ''Webcomic/ItsWalky''

** Captain Price, Gaz, Griggs, and Soap in ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4'' all survived the final battle. They were just gravely wounded. ''Modern Warfare 2'' 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 & Soap survive the events of the game. Still no word on Gaz or Griggs, but things aren't looking too bright in that category.
** And as of [=MW3=], Soap [=MacTavish=] is on the "just hiding!" list.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'': There are more than a few fanworks where Maria didn't die in the ARK massacre. She was saved and kept away, preferably either in a manner where she hasn't aged in over 50 years or has been transformed into an anthro teenage hedgehog.

* ComicBook/TheWasp was supposedly killed in an explosion at the end of ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'', 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.

** Some other people have claimed that he grew angry with civilization, faked his death, and moved to Wuhan, China and then created the [=COVID=]-19 virus to teach [[TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket the millions of monochrome moron humans]] a lesson.

** Notable in ''X 5'', 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.

* Aerith from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''.
** Referenced in the ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' strip [[http://www.xkcd.com/299/ "Aeris Dies"]]. Among half of the rest of gamer's Internet sites...
** What are you talking about? She was hiding! In [[Franchise/KingdomHearts Hollow Bastion!]]
*** Now an AscendedMeme, in ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'', with this [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mba5u0HI3A1retqmfo1_r1_1280.png graffiti.]]

* [[BigBad Gaius]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' is defeated by the player and the last of him we see is him staggering in the ruins of the facility before he gets hit with an explosion. Because they NeverFoundTheBody, fans insisted that he survived and was in hiding. Several years and two expansions later, Gaius reappears alive and well and has a new agenda that aligns with the Scions's goals in erradicating the Ascians. Alisae does lampshade how it should have been impossible for Gaius to survive.

** In short, Kaufman was such a master of the MindScrew that he's still got people confused 25 years later.

* Kirby is stabbed twice in ''Film/{{Scream 4}}'' and left for dead by the film's co-Ghostface Charlie - but as many fans of her character and/or Creator/HaydenPanettiere have pointed out (as do director Creator/WesCraven and Panettiere herself on the DVDCommentary), it's never actually confirmed in the film that she kicks it; the last time she's seen she's still alive, and this series generally makes very sure to let us know who's KilledOffForReal and who [[NotQuiteDead isn't]]. Admittedly the film's designated Ghostface Jill includes her in the roll call in the hospital, but she wasn't around when it took place and it's reasonable to presume she only assumed it went according to plan, as everything else had up to then. (Interestingly, a lot of ''Scream 5'' fan fiction [[FixFic brings back]] Kirby.) Eleven years later, ''Film/Scream2022'' revealed in a FreezeFrameBonus that Kirby had survived and was still alive.

* When discussing writing [[ComicBook/TheIncredibles comics]] based on ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Creator/MarkWaid said that Syndrome might have survived the end of the movie but [[ShrugOfGod refused to say]] whether he did or not.

* A fan theory exists in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGeneaologyOfTheHolyWar'' 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...

** Spoofed, if not outright ruthlessly mocked, when Homer becomes distraught over the death of "Lord Greystache" in the [[CaptainErsatz Harry Potter knockoff]] ''Angelica Button and the Dragon King's Trundle Bed'' and tries to hide it from Lisa. Of course, it might not be mocked either, as Lisa commented after reading the true ending that she actually liked Homer's rendition of the ending better than the actual ending.

* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': Given the [[UncertainDoom circumstances]] surrounding [[spoiler:Cassidy's]] apparent death scene -- it comes [[MoodWhiplash with very little warning]] in what had appeared to be the middle of her character arc, and [[GeminiDestructionLaw due to the nature of her powers]] she conveniently [[NoBodyLeftBehind doesn't leave behind a body]] -- it's no surprise that fans quickly and fervently latched on to the idea that she might somehow still be alive. It started out as genuine speculation as to whether she was really dead or , but it soon passed into ironic MemeticMutation as it became increasingly clear (to the point that Anemone, the nigh-omniscient FourthWallObserver, eventually had to step in and all but confirmed she was really gone) that she was gone for good... [[WildMassGuessing probably]].

* ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'': Because of the InferredHolocaust that comes with [[spoiler:the City having to be removed from existence along with Aionios for the worlds to separate again]], some fans envision that after the ending, [[spoiler:the City residents were evenly allocated across the ''Xenoblade 1'' and ''2'' worlds]], if only to give characters such as [[spoiler:[[ActionMom Monica]], [[BeleagueredAssistant Travis]], and even [[JerkassWoobie Shania]] (since Joran is present in the ending)]] a satisfying conclusion.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

** ''Series/PowerRangers/LightspeedRescue'': Some fans like to hope that Jinxer (and maybe even the Batling {{Mook}}s who accompany him in stealing the Omega Megazord) survive the robot's destruction in the finale.

* There are a few who found the FaceHeelTurn of [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} 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/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/UltimateXMen'':

** 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.

* 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.

* ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'': Rorschach wasn't killed by Dr. Manhattan! Jon just teleported him somewhere, the blood was just a decoy to throw off Adrian! Also Captain Metropolis and Hooded Justice. Hooded Justice's death is highly ambiguous, though it seems Nelly officially died in a car crash. However, a popular theory that the pair are in truth alive and together may be confirmed by WordOfGod.

* 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.

* 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 commission "for a relative year."

* ''FanFic/ToHellAndBackArrowverse'' offers an InUniverse example. Barry knows that Eobard has to be alive somewhere after being sucked into the portal, but also knows that, wherever he is, it's likely somewhere that is currently beyond their reach.

*** And Comicbook/BuckyBarnes had been rescued from some vague experiments before his apparent death falling from a train, leading to speculation that he'd been made into another super-soldier who could have survived such a fall. Further evidence is that something similar to this had happened to Bucky in the comics. The sequel all but confirmed it from the moment it was subtitled ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier The Winter Soldier]]'' - Bucky's post-"resurrection" codename from the comics.

*** On the other hand, fan reactions to the other deaths in the first film got it completely wrong. [[spoiler:Loki - who was assumed to be coming back due to his trickster nature and the DroppedABridgeOnHim aspects of his demise - and Gamora - used by Thanos as the necessary sacrifice to get the Soul Stone - were indeed KilledOffForReal, but given ''Endgame'' is centered around time travel, this means early versions of the characters were 'spared' and brought back into the fold. In her case, it's one from the start of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' who arrives with Thanos's army in the film's present day. In his case, he escapes with the Tesseract after ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', and [[Series/{{loki2021}} a whole show ensues]] because the [[TimePolice Time Variance Authority]] didn't like seeing such a disruption of history.]]

* Many, many people insisted this of [[spoiler:Kenny]] from ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'', 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]].

* A fan theory exists in ''Franchise/FireEmblem: Geneaology of the Holy War'' 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 (''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...

* Agatio and Karst in ''VideoGame/GoldenSun: The Lost Age''. 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.

* 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/{{Tekken}} 7'', Heihachi is killed by a devil gene-empowered punch to the chest, and thrown into a lava pit by Kazuya, for good measure. However, due to Heihachi's history of [[JokerImmunity cheating death]], some fans have a hard time believing he's gone for good, arguing that he'll probably just be resurrected somehow, much like Kazuya himself after his death ''Tekken 2''.

* Wally in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' thinks this after Artemis and the rest of the team's supposed deaths in 'Failsafe', until it's revealed [[UnwinnableTrainingSimulation it was just a training exercise to prep them for failure.]] [[spoiler: Wally's]] death in the Season 2 Finale had this reaction from fans within hours of the episode airing. The ambiguity: [[spoiler: He vanished after the energy of the vortex was drawn into him]], leaving the possibility of [[spoiler: "sucked into the Speed Force]] to dramatically return in season 3.

* Creator/NeilGaiman knows this trope, to the point that he said the truly revolutionary aspect of ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' 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.