History Main / HesitantSacrifice

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Inverted with the villain Wyald, whose motto is "Enjoyment and excitement!" and who claims that life is a waste, but ironically enough, he is terrified of dying. After he was killed off for good, [[ThisWasHisTrueForm it was revealed that his true form]] was a frail old man.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Played with (literally). Rukia calmly accepts her execution and as such believes she does not wish to be (nor is worthy of) rescue, due to carrying a heavy burden from the past that she feels ashamed about. But when [[SmugSnake Ichimaru Gin]] briefly offers to call off the whole thing, telling her that he has the power to save her, Rukia realizes how very much she wants to live. Then Gin tells her he was just joking and walks off, leaving her to physically and emotionally collapse behind him.
* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': Faced with the decision between stopping the villain, Victor, and saving himself [[spoiler:from BECOMING a "Victor" (which is something like WalkingWasteland status)]], Kazuki panics a bit. It's a very human moment from a WideEyedIdealist and HotBlooded hero.
--> "If I protect everyone else, who will protect me?"
* ''[[Franchise/NeonGenesisEvangelion End of Evangelion]]'': Asuka whispers repeatedly to herself/her robot for a full minute how she doesn't want to die before screaming it and hulking out on the Mass Produced Evas.
* ''{{Manga/Hellsing}}'': The section chief of the Wild Geese expressed this kind of sentiment during Millennium's raid on the Hellsing manor. Captain Bernadotte belittled him for his cowardice for it but told him that he didn't want to die there either before continuing to fight.
* ''Manga/InuYasha'': Naraku (temporarily) tempted Saint Hakushin, a holy man, to the dark side by exploiting this trope. Hakushin was voluntarily buried alive in an attempt to become a ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu sokushinbutsu]]'' for the sake of the local villagers, who were suffering from famine. However, being entombed made him realize that he did not want to die, and realizing that the villagers were all awaiting his death caused him to resent them and made him vulnerable to Naraku's manipulation.
* ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'': Some of the ''Nautilus'' crewmen are trapped in an area with a radiation leak during a battle. They can be saved, but only by exposing the ''Nautilus'' to the enemy. Captain Nemo makes the decision to let them die. Nadia is horrified, but one of the crewmen supports the Captain's decision... until the radiation starts killing him. At that point, he begins screaming that he doesn't want to die. But by then it's too late.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': In the Enies Lobby Arc, Nico Robin tried to give herself up to keep her crewmates from being arrested (and later executed) alongside her. But later, when they risk their lives just to get within shouting distance of her and ask if she really wants to go through with her HeroicSacrifice, she breaks down and begs them to save her.
** This is an interesting example in that Robin didn't admit this immediately. While she didn't ''want'' to die, she said she'd prefer death over being abandoned again, as despite her fondness for them she believes that the Straw Hats will eventually abandon her like everyone else because she's been a wanted woman her whole life. She finally admitted the truth while in tears after the Straw Hats proceeded to declare war on the entire world by shooting and burning the World Government flag, [[YouAreWorthHell just to prove to Robin how far they would go for her]].
* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'': [[spoiler:Oz sacrifices himself]] in order to prevent the world from getting dragged into the Abyss. Although he remains calm, composed and accepting the entire time, he does start crying with a bittersweet smile on his face, saying, "I don't want to disappear."
* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'': PluckyComicRelief Seidou Takizawa has a complete breakdown while putting his affairs in order prior to the climactic battle of the series. He ends up writing "I don't want to die" in massive letters across his Will, breaking the pen in the process. However, he puts himself together in time for the battle and sacrifices himself trying to protect a wounded Amon from [[TheDragon Tatara]]. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for him, the sequel reveals he [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor got his wish]] and survived......as one of Aogiri's HalfHumanHybrid [[ReforgedIntoAMinion experiments]]]].
* ''Anime/{{Trigun}}'': [[spoiler:Wolfwood]] is on the verge of GoOutWithASmile when it suddenly occurs to him he wants to stay with his friends. For a brief moment, he reacts as he always had in life, [[RageAgainstTheHeavens screaming about how unfair it was]] and finally breaks down as he accepts that his entire life he had followed the wrong path.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': The 4Kids dub implies that this was the case with Noah Kaiba. Although he still sacrifices himself so that the main characters can leave the Virtual Realm after his HeelFaceTurn, Yugi comments that Noah, being [[ItsAllAboutMe Noah]], probably saved himself on a "backup file" beforehand.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/AndrogyninjasADropOfPoison'': As a civilian-born shinobi, Sakura fears that she's considered to be more expendable than her teammates. Sasuke repeatedly sneering that she's nothing more than CannonFodder - and Kakashi's silence on the matter/refusal to correct or berate him - hardly helps. Despite her fears, whenever push comes to shove, she forces herself to stand her ground, partly because she sincerely cares about the rest of Team Seven... but also because she suspects that if anything happened to her teammates, she'd be blamed for it.
* ''Fanfic/FragmentsOfChaldea'' gives us Dr Roman [[spoiler:a.k.a. Solomon]] walking up to CessationOfExistence, internally crying he doesn't want to do this all the while. Gudao begging him to stay alive doesn't help either.
-->'''Gudao:''' Doctor...! No! N-Not you too...! Stay...! S-s-stay and see for your-s-self!\\
'''Roman:''' [[TearJerker ...I want to. I really do...]]
* Massive tear jerker in ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/109581/1/i-did-not-want-to-die/ I Did Not Want to Die]]''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Ryan Chappelle in the third season of ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]''.
* ''Series/BlackAdder Goes Forth'' has a [[TearJerker heartbreaking one]] at the end of its run when basically the entire cast admits to this, even the idiotically optimistic George.
-->'''George:''' But this is brave, splendid and noble...sir?\\
'''Blackadder:''' Yes, lieutenant?\\
'''George:''' I'm scared, sir.\\
'''Baldrick:''' I'm scared too, sir.\\
'''George:''' I mean, I'm the [[LastOfHisKind last of the tiddly-winking leapfroggers from the Golden Summer of 1914]]. I don't want to die, I'm not overly keen on dying at all, sir.\\
'''Blackadder:''' How are you feeling, [[UnfortunateNames Darling]]?\\
'''Darling:''' Er- not all that good, Blackadder. Rather hoped I'd get through the whole show...go back to work at Pratt and Sons, keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen, [[{{Retirony}} marry Doris]]. Made a note in my diary on the way here. Simply says: "[[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner Bugger]]".\\
'''Blackadder:''' Well, quite.
* Buffy in the first season finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has to face The Master and is prophesied to sacrifice herself to defeat him. She tells Giles, her Watcher, that she's [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday only sixteen]] and that she doesn't want to die.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E9TheFamilyofBlood "The Family of Blood"]] has a character named John Smith, who learns that he is actually an amnesiac human version of the Doctor. The problem is that if he turns into the Doctor, his own memories and desires would essentially be overwritten, killing the human identity. If he doesn't sacrifice himself, the aliens will kill everyone in the town, trying to find him. The pure raw anguish and fear make [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb0uUL-aUIc this scene]] a particularly strong TearJerker.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime "The End of Time"]] comes from a season-long set of ArcWords, "He will knock four times". The words are meant to tell the Doctor when he will die, and the Doctor keeps getting the source wrong. When poor old Wilfred knocks on the door of the radiation chamber, the Doctor realizes what will happen. Wilfred will die if the Doctor doesn't go into the chamber next to him, and doing so would force him to regenerate. Regeneration would mean a new persona, with a [[TheNthDoctor new body and identity]], and the Tenth Doctor views it as "killing" the previous doctor. He throws a (excellently done) childish fit as he tries to avoid "dying". WordOfGod states that this is because he experienced "death" once before as John Smith.
** The Eleventh Doctor spends the whole of the 6th Series running from his own [[KilledOffForReal final death]], in a "fixed point" at Lake Silencio. In this series, certain times are "fixed", and trying to stop them from happening can destroy the universe as time collapses. [[spoiler: Which is exactly what happens when River Song tries it.]] He succeeded in postponing it by 200 years ([[AnachronicOrder in his own personal timeline]]), before finally being confronted by Dorium's head telling him that he can not run anymore. [[spoiler:But he still manages to cheat his own death, which is why he was now willing to sacrifice himself.]]
* ''Series/TheHauntingHour'': At the end of "My Imaginary Friend" Shawn listens to his older brother David's advice and lets go of his imaginary friends. [[spoiler:Including David. As David fades away, his last words are "I don't wanna go..."]]
* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "Tuvix", a TeleporterAccident causes Tuvok and Neelix to become a [[FusionDance single person]]. Eventually, the Doctor works out how to reverse the accident. The problem is that Tuvix regards himself as having as much right to exist as anyone else. In one of Captain Janeway's most controversial decisions, she orders Tuvix taken to Sickbay by force, stating that Neelix and Tuvok have a right to exist as well.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/DarksidersII'' has this occur at the end, but in a twist Death isn't concerned about his own life being sacrificed to revive humanity and absolve War ([[BigBrotherInstinct he'd do that in a heartbeat if required]]). Rather, it's the realization that if he does this [[spoiler:the nephilim's souls will be sacrificed forever that gives him pause, especially since the game has made it abundantly clear [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone his betrayal and genocide of his race still haunts him]] and he originally refused to destroy their souls after the genocide out of his guilt for it, and the knowledge that the Well of Souls ''could'' revive his people if he so chooses, but [[EquivalentExchange saving one race will doom the other]].]] Ultimately, however, Death goes through with it all the same.
* An important part of the backstory for a lot of the ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' games. A big reason why the HumanSacrifice needed to keep back the evil fails is that the sacrifice (or sacrifices) find a reason to live, usually because they [[LoveHurts fall in love]]. And then it [[FromBadToWorse gets worse]].
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0''
*** Class Zero, the young heroes of the game, have been preparing to sacrifice their lives for the war effort since childhood. But when the time comes and they're slowly succumbing to their wounds, they realise that not only is dying painful and scary but being {{child soldiers}} they've also never had a chance to truly live. Most of them break down in tears and confess they never wanted to die at this point... but they do, [[TearJerker all twelve of them together]].
*** In the very first cutscene of the game, Izana Kunagiri, the elder brother of Machina, is gravely wounded during the Militesi invasion of Rubrum. At first, he seems ready to accept his fate, but as the last of his life ebbs away, he becomes fearful and starts to sob before he succumbs to his wounds.
** ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV Final Fantasy XV]]'''s Noctis doesn't falter when the time comes to [[MessianicArchetype give his life to save the world]], but he trembles violently at the idea of even wearing the ring that represents his fate for much of the game, looks horrified when informed of the nature of his sacrifice, and weeps openly when he tells his friends that he's going to die. In the end, his father Regis is the hesitant one; Regis' ghost refuses to look at his dying son until Noctis begs for his trust and [[OffingTheOffspring passes him the sword that will end his life]].
* [[ByTheBookCop Kuo]], in ''VideoGame/Infamous2'', has this realization when [[SadisticChoice it comes down]] to wiping out all humans to save the [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual conduits]], or wiping out all conduits (herself included) to save the rest of humanity, and winds up pulling a FaceHeelTurn. Once she's been beaten ([[MultipleEndings assuming the player doesn't side with her]]), she breaks down crying.
-->'''Kuo:''' You made the right choice... hell, [[AxCrazy Nix]] even made the right choice. I was... I ''am'' scared.\\
'''Cole:''' [[spoiler:I am too.]]
* The Sacrifice campaign in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has one of the survivors sacrificing themselves to get the bridge working again so that their fellow survivors are out of harm's way when the zombie horde comes. When the chosen survivor leaps down to the street to restart the generator, they'll make a remark about their sacrifice. Zoey and Francis may sometimes express regret or doubt about their upcoming sacrifice with lines like "Oh god, I am so screwed" or "Don't let anyone stop me! ...Anyone?"
* ''VideoGame/MaxPayne2TheFallOfMaxPayne'': "If Mona didn't find a window soon, I was going to die. For the first time in a long time, I realised I didn't want to die."
* Even being told he will turn into a living bioweapon in half of his expected life expectancy of six months and after an entire game of coming just short of actually putting a pistol in his mouth in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' to getting himself killed, Snake can't do it. His clone father Big Boss is actually impressed and gives him a reason to live and tells him that he will not turn viral.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}'', Emil's thoughts after [[HeroicSacrifice staying behind to save his friends]] are that he's scared of death and just wants to see them again. [[spoiler:Fortunately, he survives.]]
* ''Super Franchise/StreetFighter [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV IV]]'' has an occurrence of this during the [[FightingYourFriend Rival Battle]] between [[VideoGame/FinalFight Guy]] and [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Rose]]. Rose (despite '''a)''' [[LateArrivalSpoiler being]] [[EnemyWithout the good half of]] [[BigBad Bison's]] [[EnemyWithout soul]], '''b)''' having failed on several previous occasions to kill Bison because [[IncorruptiblePurePureness their]] [[MadeOfEvil power]] [[NoSell is equal but opposite]], and '''c)''' acknowledging herself that she is merely the teacher to Ryu, the ''true'' character [[TheChosenOne destined to finally vanquish Bison]]) is [[JustForPun dead-set]] on stopping her mortal enemy, even if it requires [[TakingYouWithMe her going down with him]]. Guy, in a [[HistoryRepeats re-visitation]] of ''Street Fighter Alpha 3'', is wholly devoted to stopping Rose from proceeding with what is essentially a suicide mission. He questions Rose's methodology with the words [[HeroicSacrifice "Being prepared to die in battle]] is not the same as [[SenselessSacrifice offering yourself to death willingly."]] Cue a very somber battle with [[ApologeticAttacker much reluctance from both sides]]. One of Rose's [[BossBanter remarks during the battle]] is this trope nearly word for word, and when the two aren't beating the tar out of one another, Guy is constantly urging Rose to reconsider her plans.
* PlayedWith in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. At one part of the game, it's determined that either Luke or Asch needs to be sacrificed to destroy the miasma that's enveloping the world. [[HeroicSacrifice Luke decides to go himself]], as Asch has stronger abilities and will, therefore, have a better chance of succeeding at releasing Lorelei later on, which is crucial to saving the world from the BigBad's plans. As they reach the point of no return in the sacrifice and Luke starts to feel his body disintegrating, though, he realizes that he wants to live after all. Fortunately for him, Asch jumps to help him, and they both survive. [[ShootTheShaggyDog Unfortunately for them both]], Asch was slowly dying anyway due to fonon interference related to them being perfect isofons, and the incident has greatly shortened both of their lifespans. [[spoiler:The GainaxEnding suggests one or [[TakeAThirdOption both]] survive and return two years later.]]
* In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'', when recruiting Nanami, Valkyrie gets sidetracked to dispose of a ghost attacking her. The ghost is actually a close friend of Nanami, and Nanami stops the Valkyrie from destroying it.
-->'''Valkyrie:''' Human. Surely you do not intend to take her place?\\
'''Nanami:''' I really don't want to...I don't want to die. But...I thought my anger and sadness were greater than anyone else's...
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/EndOfEvangelion'': Asuka whispers this line repeatedly to herself/her robot for a full minute before screaming it and hulking out on the Mass Produced Evas.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'', [[spoiler:Darien Wolf]] comes to the realisation that if he sacrifices himself, his sister will survive, [[ColdEquation while they will both die if he doesn't]]. He resists the dawning knowledge continuously, and after his (logical, but unsuccessful,) attempt to TakeAThirdOption fails, he laments how unfair this is, and that this isn't the way it works in stories. It turns out that being brave and loving your sister does ''not'' automatically mean you FaceDeathWithDignity, especially if [[spoiler:you're only eight years old]].

* ''Fanfic/AndrogyninjasADropOfPoison'': Sakura fears that as a civilian-born shinobi, she's considered to be more expendable than her teammates; Sasuke himself [[{{Jerkass}} repeatedly sneers]] that she's nothing more than CannonFodder. Despite her fears, whenever push comes to shove, she forces herself to stand her ground, partly because she sincerely cares about the rest of Team Seven... but also because she suspects that if she ''did'' protect herself and any of the others got hurt or killed, she'd be blamed for it.

* ''The End'', a 1978 comedy about a terminally ill man named Sonny (Creator/BurtReynolds) who intends to take his own life rather than die of the rare toxic blood disease he has been diagnosed with. After a number of (comically?) failed attempts, and encounters with people -- an inexperienced priest, his self-absorbed parents, his estranged daughter and ex-wife, and his girlfriend -- who don't seem to care (at least in his view), Sonny drives to a secluded beach and swims out to the middle of the ocean, planning to drown himself. While underwater, his life flashes before his eyes and he finally realizes his purpose in life. He suddenly resurfaces and swims to shore, bargaining with God that, if he makes it to shore, he'll be a better man. Indeed, Sonny does make it to shore ... but only to discover that his "friend" Marlon (Creator/DomDeLuise), a psychopath who had helped him with his previous attempts to take his life, is waiting for him and intends to follow through with his promise to help him die. Sonny tries to reason with Marlon that he wants to live ... and seems to have succeeded when, as the two are walking to the road to go home, Marlon pulls out a large butcher knife. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" screams Sonny as he flees (the knife-wielding Marlon in pursuit) down the beach under the final credits ("Another Fine Mess" by Music/PaulWilliams).

* A variant in ''[[Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan Cirque de Freak]]''. Darren doesn't have to die, but he ''really'' doesn't want to fake his own death to abandon his family. Unfortunately, he has to do so or else, as a half-vampire, he runs the risk of accidentally killing his family or friends. At one point he asks Mr. Crepsley if there's any way he can just run away in the middle of the night. He's told he cannot, because his family would never stop looking for him.

* Buffy in the first season finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has to face The Master and is prophesied to sacrifice herself to defeat him. She tells Giles, her Watcher, that she's [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday only sixteen]] and that she doesn't want to die.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Karolina spends a good chunk of the first volume struggling with suicidal thoughts because of the double whammy of finding out her parents are evil and aliens (making her one as well). Then during the final confrontation with the Pride, [[spoiler:Alex reveals himself as TheMole and threatens to kill her for her parents' planned treachery against his parents (averting it was the entire reason he formed the team)]]. Karolina begs him not to kill her, saying she doesn't want to die anymore.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'', [[spoiler: Darien Wolf]] comes to the realisation that if he sacrifices himself, his sister will survive, [[ColdEquation while they will both die if he doesn't.]] He resists the dawning knowledge continuously, and after his (logical, but unsuccessful,) attempt to TakeAThirdOption fails, he laments how unfair this is, and that this isn't the way it works in stories. It turns out that being brave and loving your sister does ''not'' automatically mean you FaceDeathWithDignity, especially if [[spoiler: you're only eight years old]].

* ''Fanfic/FragmentsOfChaldea'' gives us Dr Roman [[spoiler: a.k.a. Solomon]] walking up to CessationOfExistence, internally crying he doesn't want to do this all the while. Gudao begging him to stay alive doesn't help either.
-->'''Gudao:''' Doctor...! No! N-Not you too...! Stay...! S-s-stay and see for your-s-self!\\
'''Roman:''' [[TearJerker ...I want to. I really do...]]

* Played with midway through Disney's version of ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'', when Princess Tiger Lily is threatened with drowning by Captain Hook if she will not tell him where Peter's hideout is (which is even worse than it as first sounds, because, as Hook notes, in Tiger Lily's tribe's religion, [[TheNothingAfterDeath Indians who drown stay underwater forever and never make it to "The Happy Hunting Grounds"]]). Tiger Lily is completely silent and doesn't even look at Hook, and seems totally indifferent even as Mr. Smee is setting her down in the middle of the Skull Rock lagoon so that the tide will eventually wash over her. But right after Peter Pan has defeated Captain Hook (at least for a time), the princess seems to reconsider her decision and begins crying out for help - but by that point, she's already drowning, and the seawater is muffling her screams. Peter pulls her from the water just in time and flies her back to the Indian camp.

* Discussed and averted in ''The Magician'': After Ray shoots his friend in the back after leading him and Max to believe he was helping him escape a hit, he explains to Max that he took the contract himself because if someone else had taken it, "he would have known it was coming and he would have been pissing his pants and crying his eyes out."
* A ''possible'' subversion occurs at the end of ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces''. When Rocky is sentenced to death, Jerry visits him just before his execution and asks him to do him one last favor - to die pretending to be a screaming, sniveling coward, which would end the boys' idolization of him. Rocky at first refuses, and insists he [[FaceDeathWithDignity will be "tough" to the end]], and not give up the one thing he has left, his pride. But at the very last moment, he seems to change his mind and has to be dragged to the electric chair screaming; the boys read newspaper headlines that Rocky died a coward, although not believing it at first, Father Jerry verifies that the paper account was accurate. However, with no confirmation from Rocky himself, it is up to the viewers to decide whether he actually changed his mind and did it for Jerry and the kids' sake, or whether he really ''was'' a coward when the time finally came. (Jerry, however, has no doubts that it was the former.)
* Uttered verbatim by a plague victim in Creator/IngmarBergman's ''Film/TheSeventhSeal''. It's not really a sacrifice in that the plague is not targeting him personally: almost everybody in the town is slowly succumbing to the epidemic, and he just happens to be one of the first. His outburst forces ''all'' the characters to have to reflect upon their collective mortality, and even to [[CessationOfExistence wonder if there's anything to look forward to after they go through with their deaths]]. The fact that for much of the movie both the characters and the audience can't even ''see'' the plague (which does appear in a personified form occasionally) [[NothingIsScarier makes it infinitely worse]]. One of the heroes finally snaps and [[RageAgainstTheHeavens shouts up to God, demanding to know why this has to happen and whether God is listening or even really cares]]. In the end, [[spoiler: all of these characters ''do'' die, except for one family who takes a darkly casual attitude toward their narrow escape]].
* ''Film/{{Help}}'' revolves around Ringo being marked as a cult's human sacrifice - after some hair's breadth escapes, the others suggest over his objections that he should 'take one for the team'.
-->'''Paul:''' That bloke with Scott -- I always admired how he went out into the snow for his mates.

* ''Film/DanceOfTheDead'': [[spoiler: Gwen]] admits this after revealing a zombie bite.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Literature/WhiteNight'', [[spoiler:"[[FriendlyEnemy Lash]]" (a.k.a. the Shadow of the FallenAngel Lasciel) usually helps Harry because she would die if he died. However, when she realizes that Harry wants her to shield him from Vittorio Malvora's [[EldritchAbomination Outsider]]-induced psychic attack for long enough that he can save everyone, she ''completely'' [[OhCrap freaks out]]. She literally starts begging Harry to take up the Coin because she doesn't want to watch him die, and breaks down crying that ''she'' doesn't want to die either. It's only when she finally figures out that he's willing to suffer serious brain damage on behalf of Thomas, Murphy, Ramirez, and Justine that she realizes that his HeroicWillpower is such that he will '''never''' take up the Coin. She then "[[TakingTheBullet takes a psychic bullet]]" for Harry, and he's understandably heartbroken about her HeroicSacrifice later on]].

* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E9TheFamilyofBlood "The Family of Blood"]] has a character named John Smith, who learns that he is actually an amnesiac human version of the Doctor. The problem is that if he turns into the Doctor, his own memories and desires would essentially be overwritten, killing the human identity. If he doesn't sacrifice himself, the aliens will kill everyone in the town, trying to find him. The pure raw anguish and fear make [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb0uUL-aUIc this scene]] a particularly strong TearJerker.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime "The End of Time"]] comes from a season-long set of ArcWords, "He will knock four times". The words are meant to tell the Doctor when he will die, and the Doctor keeps getting the source wrong. When poor old Wilfred knocks on the door of the radiation chamber, the Doctor realizes what will happen. Wilfred will die if the Doctor doesn't go into the chamber next to him, and doing so would force him to regenerate. Regeneration would mean a new persona, with a [[TheNthDoctor new body and identity]], and the Tenth Doctor views it as "killing" the previous doctor. He throws a (excellently done) childish fit as he tries to avoid "dying". WordOfGod states that this is because he experienced "death" once before as John Smith.
** The Eleventh Doctor spends the whole of the 6th Series running from his own [[KilledOffForReal final death]], in a "fixed point" at Lake Silencio. In this series, certain times are "fixed", and trying to stop them from happening can destroy the universe as time collapses. [[spoiler: Which is exactly what happens when River Song tries it.]] He succeeded in postponing it by 200 years ([[AnachronicOrder in his own personal timeline]]), before finally being confronted by Dorium's head telling him that he can not run anymore. [[spoiler:But he still manages to cheat his own death, which is why he was now willing to sacrifice himself.]]
* Buffy in the first season finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has to face The Master and is prophesied to sacrifice herself to defeat him. She tells Giles, her Watcher, that she's [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday only sixteen]] and that she doesn't want to die.

* In the Music/{{Vocaloid}} song ''Daughter of Yellow: Closure of Yellow'', [[spoiler:Allen]] reveals that he actually didn't want to die, and confesses the fact that escaping with [[spoiler:Riliane and Germaine]] might not have been a bad idea. [[spoiler:Of course, he knew deep inside that in order for his sister's safety for the remainder of her life, SomeoneHasToDie]]

* Played with in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. At one part of the game, it's determined that either Luke or Asch needs to be sacrificed to destroy the miasma that's enveloping the world. [[HeroicSacrifice Luke decides to go himself]], as Asch has stronger abilities and will, therefore, have a better chance of succeeding at releasing Lorelei later on, which is crucial to saving the world from the BigBad's plans. As they reach the point of no return in the sacrifice and Luke starts to feel his body disintegrating, though, he realizes that he wants to live after all. Fortunately for him, Asch jumps to help him, and they both survive. [[ShootTheShaggyDog Unfortunately for them both]], Asch was slowly dying anyway due to fonon interference related to them being perfect isofons, and the incident has greatly shortened both of their lifespans. [[spoiler: The GainaxEnding suggests one or [[TakeAThirdOption both]] survive and return two years later.]]
* ''Super Franchise/StreetFighter [[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV IV]]'' has an occurrence of this during the [[FightingYourFriend Rival Battle]] between [[VideoGame/FinalFight Guy]] and [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Rose]]. Rose (despite '''a)''' [[LateArrivalSpoiler being]] [[EnemyWithout the good half of]] [[BigBad Bison's]] [[EnemyWithout soul]], '''b)''' having failed on several previous occasions to kill Bison because [[IncorruptiblePurePureness their]] [[MadeOfEvil power]] [[NoSell is equal but opposite]], and '''c)''' acknowledging herself that she is merely the teacher to Ryu, the ''true'' character [[TheChosenOne destined to finally vanquish Bison]]) is [[JustForPun dead-set]] on stopping her mortal enemy, even if it requires [[TakingYouWithMe her going down with him]]. Guy, in a [[HistoryRepeats re-visitation]] of ''Street Fighter Alpha 3'', is wholly devoted to stopping Rose from proceeding with what is essentially a suicide mission. He questions Rose's methodology with the words [[HeroicSacrifice "Being prepared to die in battle]] is not the same as [[SenselessSacrifice offering yourself to death willingly."]] Cue a very somber battle with [[ApologeticAttacker much reluctance from both sides]]. One of Rose's [[BossBanter remarks during the battle]] is this trope nearly word for word, and when the two aren't beating the tar out of one another, Guy is constantly urging Rose to reconsider her plans.
* [[ByTheBookCop Kuo]], in ''VideoGame/Infamous2'', has this realization when [[SadisticChoice it comes down]] to wiping out all humans to save the [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual conduits]], or wiping out all conduits (herself included) to save the rest of humanity, and winds up pulling a FaceHeelTurn. Once she's been beaten ([[MultipleEndings assuming the player doesn't side with her]]), she breaks down crying.
-->'''Kuo:''' You made the right choice... hell, [[AxCrazy Nix]] even made the right choice. I was... I ''am'' scared.\\
'''Cole:''' [[spoiler:I am too.]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}'', Emil's thoughts after [[HeroicSacrifice staying behind to save his friends]] are that he's scared of death and just wants to see them again. [[spoiler:Fortunately, he survives.]]

* In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'', when recruiting Nanami, Valkyrie gets sidetracked to dispose of a ghost attacking her. The ghost is actually a close friend of Nanami, and Nanami stops the Valkyrie from destroying it.
-->'''Valkyrie:''' Human. Surely you do not intend to take her place?\\
'''Nanami:''' I really don't want to...I don't want to die. But...I thought my anger and sadness were greater than anyone else's...

* An important part of the backstory for a lot of the ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' games. A big reason why the HumanSacrifice needed to keep back the evil fails is that the sacrifice (or sacrifices) find a reason to live, usually because they [[LoveHurts fall in love]]. And then it [[FromBadToWorse gets worse]].
* ''VideoGame/DarksidersII'' has this occur at the end, but in a twist Death isn't concerned about his own life being sacrificed to revive humanity and absolve War ([[BigBrotherInstinct he'd do that in a heartbeat if required]]). Rather, it's the realization that if he does this [[spoiler:the nephilim's souls will be sacrificed forever that gives him pause, especially since the game has made it abundantly clear [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone his betrayal and genocide of his race still haunts him]] and he originally refused to destroy their souls after the genocide out of his guilt for it, and the knowledge that the Well of Souls ''could'' revive his people if he so chooses, but [[EquivalentExchange saving one race will doom the other]].]] Ultimately, however, Death goes through with it all the same.
* The Sacrifice campaign in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' has one of the survivors sacrificing themselves to get the bridge working again so that their fellow survivors are out of harm's way when the zombie horde comes. When the chosen survivor leaps down to the street to restart the generator, they'll make a remark about their sacrifice. Zoey and Francis may sometimes express regret or doubt about their upcoming sacrifice with lines like "Oh god, I am so screwed" or "Don't let anyone stop me! ...Anyone?"

* In Chapter 4 of ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'', [[spoiler:everyone is trapped in a funhouse with no food until a murder occurs. Gundham and Nekomaru mutually agree to a DuelToTheDeath, and it is implied that both of their intentions for doing so were to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves to save everyone else from starving to death]]. However, Gundham, who won the duel, has a personal philosophy of never giving up on life, so he couldn't allow himself to be found guilty and executed right away, and sets up a very elaborate and confusing crime scene to try and save himself. When suspicion starts to fall on him, though, he comes clean easily]].

** Adora struggles with this trope as She-Ra, [[spoiler:especially in Season 5 when the Failsafe puts her life at risk and she tries to convince herself that she's okay with sacrificing herself for Etheria, even when she's clearly scared and her friends think it's unfair she has to die in order to protect everyone else.]]

* [[spoiler:Steve Trevor's]] death in ''Film/WonderWoman2017''. Conveyed entirely through facial expressions in a major SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct moment for [[spoiler:Chris Pine]]; he clearly has to psych himself up to actually pull the trigger and blow up [[spoiler:the plane]], but he ultimately manages it.

* In ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' [[spoiler:Steve Trevor]] commandeers a plane carrying canisters of deadly gas, intended to be dropped on civilians. After getting the plan high enough, [[spoiler:Steve]] prepares to blow the plane up to destroy the gas by shooting at it, but notably hesitates, taking a long time to psyche himself up to pull the trigger. He eventually does though and manages it calmly under the circumstances, knowing he's helping save numerous lives.

* In the TV miniseries Henry VIII, Catherine Howard is sentenced to death for infidelity. Although pale and terrified, she was silent on her way to the scaffold. After making her speech and being blindfolded, she breaks down crying that she doesn't want to die. One of the men overseeing the execution forcibly puts Catherine's head on the block while she is screaming and begging for life.

* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': Everyone who gets eaten by Titans acts this way right before the teeth come down. Or worse, while they are slowly dissolving in the Titans' stomach acid, and in general being eaten alive by a giant is a truly horrific way to die; the Titans seem to take some macabre enjoyment out of tormenting their victims while eating them. The ones who get their heads bitten off first, like [[MauveShirt Mina]], they're ''the lucky ones''. As such, most people once in the clutches of a Titan do ''not'' FaceDeathWithDignity.

* [[Literature/TheBible Jesus]], in Gethsemane, asks God if there is any [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] that would avoid His own death. [[ItWasHisSled There isn't even a]] ''[[YouCantFightFate second option.]]'' He's so terrified at the prospect of death and the pains of the crucifixion that he starts ''sweating blood''.

When a hero is forced to make the [[HeroicSacrifice ultimate sacrifice for the greater good]] and they have a sudden realisation: "Wait, I Don't Want To Die!" It might be a ChosenOne wondering why they specifically have to die instead of somebody else (though of course, if ''everyone'' has to die, that doesn't necessarily make the deal any sweeter, and might even make an individual death seem even more pointless).

* In ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia'', this is done by none other than [[spoiler:Avenger, [[GodOfEvil the spirit of Angra Mainyu]] himself]]! As he prepares to end the [[spoiler:[[GroundhogDayLoop the four-day time-loop]]]] the entire cast has been trapped in throughout the story, a part of him really wants to [[spoiler:just let the loops keep going so he can keep playing the part of [[DemonicPossession Shirou Emiya]], because without them he'll [[CessationOfExistence cease to exist]]]]. However, even though he acknowledges this, he still chooses to go through with it, [[spoiler:because he knows it's meaningless and his Master Bazett needs to move on]]. The fact that he inherited some traits from [[spoiler:Shirou]] helped him with this.

** The Eleventh Doctor spends the whole of the 6th Series running from his own FinalDeath, in a "fixed point" at Lake Silencio. In this series, certain times are "fixed", and trying to stop them from happening can destroy the universe as time collapses. [[spoiler: Which is exactly what happens when River Song tries it.]] He succeeded in postponing it by 200 years ([[AnachronicOrder in his own personal timeline]]), before finally being confronted by Dorium's head telling him that he can not run anymore. [[spoiler:But he still manages to cheat his own death, which is why he was now willing to sacrifice himself.]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': In the Enies Lobby Arc, Nico Robin tried to give herself up to keep her crewmates from being arrested (and later executed) alongside her. But later, when they risk their lives just to get within shouting distance of her and ask if she really wants to go through with her HeroicSacrifice, she breaks down and begs them to save her.
** This is an interesting example in that Robin didn't admit this immediately. While she didn't ''want'' to die, she said she'd prefer death over being abandoned again, as despite her fondness for them she believes that the Straw Hats will eventually abandon her like everyone else because she's been a wanted woman her whole life. She finally admitted the truth while in tears after the Straw Hats proceeded to declare war on the entire world by shooting and burning the World Government flag, [[YouAreWorthHell just to prove to Robin how far they would go for her]].
* ''Manga/InuYasha'': Naraku (temporarily) tempted Saint Hakushin, a holy man, to the dark side by exploiting this trope. Hakushin was voluntarily buried alive in an attempt to become a ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu sokushinbutsu]]'' for the sake of the local villagers, who were suffering from famine. However, being entombed made him realize that he did not want to die, and realizing that the villagers were all awaiting his death caused him to resent them and made him vulnerable to Naraku's manipulation.

* Inverted in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' with the villain Wyald, whose motto is "Enjoyment and excitement!" and who claims that life is a waste, but ironically enough, he is terrified of dying. After he was killed off for good, [[ThisWasHisTrueForm it was revealed that his true form]] was a frail old man.
* [[spoiler: Wolfwood]] in the ''Anime/{{Trigun}}'' anime is on the verge of GoOutWithASmile when it suddenly occurs to him he wants to stay with his friends. For a brief moment, he reacts as he always had in life, [[RageAgainstTheHeavens screaming about how unfair it was]] and finally breaks down as he accepts that his entire life he had followed the wrong path.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. Played with (literally). Rukia calmly accepts her execution and as such believes she does not wish to be (nor is worthy of) rescue, due to carrying a heavy burden from the past that she feels ashamed about. But when [[SmugSnake Ichimaru Gin]] briefly offers to call off the whole thing, telling her that he has the power to save her, Rukia realizes how very much she wants to live. Then Gin tells her he was just joking and walks off, leaving her to physically and emotionally collapse behind him.
* In ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', some of the ''Nautilus'' crewmen are trapped in an area with a radiation leak during a battle. They can be saved, but only by exposing the ''Nautilus'' to the enemy. Captain Nemo makes the decision to let them die. Nadia is horrified, but one of the crewmen supports the Captain's decision... until the radiation starts killing him. At that point, he begins screaming that he doesn't want to die. But by then it's too late.
* In ''Film/EndOfEvangelion'', Asuka whispers this line repeatedly to herself/her robot for a full minute before screaming it and hulking out on the Mass Produced Evas.
* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', everyone who gets eaten by Titans acts this way right before the teeth come down. Or worse, while they are slowly dissolving in the Titans' stomach acid, and in general being eaten alive by a giant is a truly horrific way to die; the Titans seem to take some macabre enjoyment out of tormenting their victims while eating them. The ones who get their heads bitten off first, like [[MauveShirt Mina]], they're ''the lucky ones''. As such, most people once in the clutches of a Titan do ''not'' FaceDeathWithDignity.

* In ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'', PluckyComicRelief Seidou Takizawa has a complete breakdown while putting his affairs in order prior to the climactic battle of the series. He ends up writing "I don't want to die" in massive letters across his Will, breaking the pen in the process. However, he puts himself together in time for the battle and sacrifices himself trying to protect a wounded Amon from [[TheDragon Tatara]]. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for him, the sequel reveals he [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor got his wish]] and survived......as one of Aogiri's HalfHumanHybrid [[ReforgedIntoAMinion experiments]]]].
* In ''Manga/PandoraHearts'', [[spoiler:Oz sacrifices himself]] in order to prevent the world from getting dragged into the Abyss. Although he remains calm, composed and accepting the entire time, he does start crying with a bittersweet smile on his face, saying, "I don't want to disappear."
* The 4Kids dub of ''Anime/YuGiOh'' implies that this was the case with Noah Kaiba. Although he still sacrifices himself so that the main characters can leave the Virtual Realm after his HeelFaceTurn, Yugi comments that Noah, being [[ItsAllAboutMe Noah]], probably saved himself on a "backup file" beforehand.

* Played for GallowsHumor in ''Film/{{Armageddon}}''. [[spoiler:Moments after the hatch is sealed and Harry's alone on the asteroid to perform his HeroicSacrifice, he takes in the sights and [[DeadpanSnarker deadpans]], "Well, this was a real good idea."]]

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyType0''
** Class Zero, the young heroes of the game, have been preparing to sacrifice their lives for the war effort since childhood. But when the time comes and they're slowly succumbing to their wounds, they realise that not only is dying painful and scary but being {{child soldiers}} they've also never had a chance to truly live. Most of them break down in tears and confess they never wanted to die at this point... but they do, [[TearJerker all twelve of them together]].
** In the very first cutscene of the game, Izana Kunagiri, the elder brother of Machina, is gravely wounded during the Militesi invasion of Rubrum. At first, he seems ready to accept his fate, but as the last of his life ebbs away, he becomes fearful and starts to sob before he succumbs to his wounds.
* ''[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV Final Fantasy XV]]'''s Noctis doesn't falter when the time comes to [[MessianicArchetype give his life to save the world]], but he trembles violently at the idea of even wearing the ring that represents his fate for much of the game, looks horrified when informed of the nature of his sacrifice, and weeps openly when he tells his friends that he's going to die. In the end, his father Regis is the hesitant one; Regis' ghost refuses to look at his dying son until Noctis begs for his trust and [[OffingTheOffspring passes him the sword that will end his life]].

* A variant in ''[[Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan Cirque de Freak]]''. Darren doesn't have to die, but he ''really'' doesn't [[TearJerker want to fake his own death to abandon his family]]. Unfortunately, he has to do so or else, as a half-vampire, he runs the risk of accidentally killing his family or friends. At one point he asks Mr. Crepsley if there's any way he can just run away in the middle of the night. He's told he cannot, because his family would never stop looking for him.

* Buffy in the first season's finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has to face The Master (a different one, of course. [[TheMaster The name's popular]].) and is prophesied to sacrifice herself to defeat him. She tells Giles, her Watcher, that she's [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday only sixteen]] and that she doesn't want to die.

* Comes up repeatedly in ''[[ComicBook/MarvelStarWars World of Fire]]''. Outnumbered and performing a DelayingAction, Leia realizes it's unlikely that she'll make it halfway to safety and thinks "So who said I wanted to live forever? - I did." Later, [[WrenchWench Mici]] is injured and has to be left behind in the ship while the others continue the mission. She knows how badly she's hurt. "I'm afraid that while you're gone I'll die here, in the dark - [[DyingAlone alone]]. Oh, Luke, I don't want to die!"

* In Chapter 4 of ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'', [[spoiler:everyone is trapped in a funhouse with no food until a murder occurs. Gundham and Nekomaru mutually agree to a DuelToTheDeath, and it is implied that both of their intentions for doing so were to [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves to save everyone else from starving to death]]. However, Gundham, who won the duel, has a personal philosophy of never giving up on life, so he couldn't allow himself to be found guilty and executed right away, and sets up a very elaborate and confusing crime scene to try and save himself. When suspicion starts to fall on him, though, he comes clean easily]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}'', Emil's final thoughts after [[HeroicSacrifice staying behind to save his friends]] are that he's scared of death and just wants to see them again.

* Played with midway through Disney's version of ''Disney/PeterPan'', when Princess Tiger Lily is threatened with drowning by Captain Hook if she will not tell him where Peter's hideout is (which is even worse than it as first sounds, because, as Hook notes, in Tiger Lily's tribe's religion, [[TheNothingAfterDeath Indians who drown stay underwater forever and never make it to "The Happy Hunting Grounds"]]). Tiger Lily is completely silent and doesn't even look at Hook, and seems totally indifferent even as Mr. Smee is setting her down in the middle of the Skull Rock lagoon so that the tide will eventually wash over her. But right after Peter Pan has defeated Captain Hook (at least for a time), the princess seems to reconsider her decision and begins crying out for help - but by that point, she's already drowning, and the seawater is muffling her screams. Peter pulls her from the water just in time and flies her back to the Indian camp.

* "Gethsemane" from ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'' is the musical version of the Biblical scene below. Going further than in the Bible, Jesus demands to know what good his death will do. At the end of the song, depending on the production, he is somewhere between recommitted to the cause and sullenly resigned to his fate.

* ''Manga/BusouRenkin'': Faced with the decision between stopping the villain, Victor, and saving himself [[spoiler:from BECOMING a "Victor" (which is something like WalkingWasteland status)]], Kazuki panics a bit. It's a very human moment from a WideEyedIdealist and HotBlooded hero.

* ''{{Manga/Hellsing}}'':
** The section chief of the Wild Geese expressed this kind of sentiment during Millennium's raid on the Hellsing manor. Captain Bernadotte belittled him for his cowardice for it but told him that he didn't want to die there either before continuing to fight.
** Later, Enrico Maxwell, remarking how he was born alone, lamented that he didn't want to die alone after being ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice.

See also MortalityPhobia for the fear of death in general.

** This is an interesting example in that Robin didn't admit this immediately. While she didn't ''want'' to die, she said she'd prefer death over being abandoned again, as despite her fondness for them she believes that the Straw Hats will eventually abandon her like everyone else, because she's been a wanted woman her whole life. She finally admitted the truth while in tears after the Straw Hats proceeded to declare war on the entire world by shooting and burning the World Government flag, [[YouAreWorthHell just to prove to Robin how far they would go for her]].

* [[spoiler: Wolfwood]] in the ''Anime/{{Trigun}}'' anime is on the verge of GoOutWithASmile when it suddenly occurs to him he wants to stay with his friends. For a brief moment he reacts as he always had in life, [[RageAgainstTheHeavens screaming about how unfair it was]] and finally breaks down as he accepts that his entire life he had followed the wrong path.

* In ''Anime/NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', some of the ''Nautilus'' crewmen are trapped in an area with a radiation leak during a battle. They can be saved, but only by exposing the ''Nautilus'' to the enemy. Captain Nemo makes the decision to let them die. Nadia is horrified, but one of the crewmen supports the Captain's decision... until the radiation starts killing him. At that point he begins screaming that he doesn't want to die. But by then it's too late.

* In ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'', PluckyComicRelief Seidou Takizawa has a complete breakdown while putting his affairs in order prior to the climatic battle of the series. He ends up writing "I don't want to die" in massive letters across his Will, breaking the pen in the process. However, he puts himself together in time for the battle and sacrifices himself trying to protect a wounded Amon from [[TheDragon Tatara]]. [[spoiler: Unfortunately for him, the sequel reveals he [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor got his wish]] and survived......as one of Aogiri's HalfHumanHybrid [[ReforgedIntoAMinion experiments]]]].

* Played with midway through Disney's version of ''Disney/PeterPan'', when Princess Tiger Lily is threatened with drowning by Captain Hook if she will not tell him where Peter's hideout is (which is even worse than it as first sounds, because, as Hook notes, in Tiger Lily's tribe's religion, [[TheNothingAfterDeath Indians who drown stay under water forever and never make it to "The Happy Hunting Grounds"]]). Tiger Lily is completely silent and doesn't even look at Hook, and seems totally indifferent even as Mr. Smee is setting her down in the middle of the Skull Rock lagoon so that the tide will eventually wash over her. But right after Peter Pan has defeated Captain Hook (at least for a time), the princess seems to reconsider her decision and begins crying out for help - but by that point she's already drowning, and the seawater is muffling her screams. Peter pulls her from the water just in time and flies her back to the Indian camp.

* ''The End'', a 1978 comedy about a terminally ill man named Sonny (Creator/BurtReynolds) who intends to take his own life rather than die of the rare toxic blood disease he has been diagnosed with. After a number of (comically?) failed attempts, and encounters with people -- an inexperienced priest, his self-absorbed parents, his estranged daughter and ex-wife, and his girlfriend -- who don't seem to care (at least in his view), Sonny drives to a secluded beach and swims out to the middle of the ocean, planning to drown himself. While under water, his life flashes before his eyes and he finally realizes his purpose in life. He suddenly resurfaces and swims to shore, bargaining with God that, if he makes it to shore, he'll be a better man. Indeed, Sonny does make it to shore ... but only to discover that his "friend" Marlon (Creator/DomDeLuise), a psychopath whom had helped him with his previous attempts to take his life, is waiting for him and intends to follow through with his promise to help him die. Sonny tries to reason with Marlon that he wants to live ... and seems to have succeeded when, as the two are walking to the road to go home, Marlon pulls out a large butcher knife. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" screams Sonny as he flees (the knife-wielding Marlon in pursuit) down the beach under the final credits ("Another Fine Mess" by Music/PaulWilliams).

* Discussed and averted in ''The Magician'': After Ray shoots his friend in the back after leading he and Max to believe he was helping him escape a hit, he explains to Max that he took the contract himself because if someone else had taken it, "he would have known it was coming and he would have been pissing his pants and crying his eyes out."

* Uttered verbatim by a plague victim in Creator/IngmarBergman's ''Film/TheSeventhSeal''. It's not really a sacrifice in that the plague is not targeting him personally: almost everybody in the town is slowly succumbing to the epidemic, and he just happens to be one of the first. His outburst forces ''all'' the characters to have to reflect upon their collective mortality, and even to [[CessationOfExistence wonder if there's anything to look forward to after they go through with their deaths]]. The fact that for much of the movie both the characters and the audience can't even ''see'' the plague (which does appear in a personified form occasionally) [[NothingIsScarier makes it infinitely worse]]. One of the heroes finally snaps and [[RageAgainstTheHeavens shouts up to God, demanding to know why this has to happen and whether God is listening or even really cares]]. In the end, [[spoiler: all of these characters ''do'' die, except for one family who take a darkly casual attitude toward their narrow escape]].

* Buffy in the first season's finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has to face The Master (different one, of course. [[TheMaster The name's popular]].) and is prophesied to sacrifice herself to defeat him. She tells Giles, her Watcher, that she's [[DangerousSixteenthBirthday only sixteen]] and that she doesn't want to die.

-->'''George:''' But this is brave, splendid and noble... sir?\\

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "Tuvix", a TeleporterAccident causes Tuvok and Neelix to become a [[FusionDance single person]]. Eventually the Doctor works out how to reverse the accident. The problem is that Tuvix regards himself as having as much right to exist as anyone else. In one of Captain Janeway's most controversial decisions, she orders Tuvix taken to Sickbay by force, stating that Neelix and Tuvok have a right to exist as well.

* [[Literature/TheBible Jesus]], in Gethsemane, asks God if there is any [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] that would avoid His own death. [[ItWasHisSled There isn't even a]] ''[[YouCantFightFate second option.]]'' He's so terrified at prospect of death and the pains of crucifixion that he starts ''sweating blood''.

* Played with in ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. At one part of the game, it's determined that either Luke or Asch needs to be sacrificed to destroy the miasma that's enveloping the world. [[HeroicSacrifice Luke decides to go himself]], as Asch has stronger abilities and will therefore have a better chance of succeeding at releasing Lorelei later on, which is crucial to saving the world from the BigBad's plans. As they reach the point of no return in the sacrifice and Luke starts to feel his body disintegrating, though, he realizes that he wants to live after all. Fortunately for him, Asch jumps to help him, and they both survive. [[ShootTheShaggyDog Unfortunately for them both]], Asch was slowly dying anyway due to fonon interference related to them being perfect isofons, and the incident has greatly shortened both of their lifespans. [[spoiler: The GainaxEnding suggests one or [[TakeAThirdOption both]] survive and return two years later.]]

** Class Zero, the young heroes of the game, have been preparing to sacrifice their lives for the war effort since childhood. But when the time comes and they're slowly succumbing to their wounds, they realise that not only is dying painful and scary, but being {{child soldiers}} they've also never had a chance to truly live. Most of them break down in tears and confess they never wanted to die at this point... but they do, [[TearJerker all twelve of them together]].

* In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'', when recruiting Nanami, Valkyrie gets side tracked to dispose of a ghost attacking her. The ghost is actually a close friend of Nanami, and Nanami stops the Valkyrie from destroying it.

* An important part of the backstory for a lot of the ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' games. A big reason why the HumanSacrifice needed to keep back the evil fails is because the sacrifice (or sacrifices) find a reason to live, usually because they [[LoveHurts fall in love]]. And then it [[FromBadToWorse gets worse]].

* At the end of ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' [[spoiler:TheBadGuyWins and kills off half the universe with a BadassFingersnap. Tony Stark is ForcedToWatch sixteen-year-old Peter Parker dying in his arms while the boy futilely tries to use his spider-strength to stop his body turning to ash, all the while pleading that he doesn't want to die.]]