History Main / KilledMidsentence

* The Wiki/{{Uncyclopedia}} article [[https://en.uncyclopedia.co/wiki/HowTo:Cut_Your_Own_Head_Off_With_a_Chainsaw HowTo: Cut Your Own Head Off with a Chainsaw]] contains this:

** [[Series/TheBoys The Deep]]: "Isn't it obvious, asshole? You! There's no way us, The Seven, the ''heroes'' are gonna let you walk aw-" and then A-Train reduces him to a red smear.

** Comparatively, the last transmission from ''Challenger'' was, apparently, "[[OhCrap Uh-oh.]]"

** In the Creator/DrSeuss segment from "Treehouse of Horror XXIV", this happens to the Fat in the Hat (Homer) when Maggie stabs him with his umbrella as he's creeping in on the kids.

** [[spoiler: Kozuki Oden's death turns this, somehow, into a truly epic MomentOfAwesome. After surviving his own execution by standing in boiling oil for an '''hour''', ''while holding his nine samurai above his head'', he begins to say his {{catchphrase}}: "I am Oden, and I was born-" before Orochi shoots him in the head. The audience, so impressed with his sheer strength and willpower, ''finishes the line'' out of respect: "-to boil!"]]

* Aerith tries to tell Cloud that "[[CatchPhrase All is forgiven]]" when he's nearly mind controlled into killing her in episode 25 of ''WebAnimation/FinalFantasyVIIMachinabridged'', only for Sephiroth to run her through before she can finish the last word.

There are any number of reasons to kill a character, whether major, minor, or {{mook|s}}ish, in the middle of a sentence. Firstly, in an AnyoneCanDie story, it's a great way to show that not only can anyone die, but ''they can die at any time''. (Which can make for great drama and suspense over the fates of your favorite characters). Secondly, it can be a great way for an AntiHero to show off his NoNonsenseNemesis nature by killing an antagonist in the middle of some sort of threat, or as a more lethal version of TalkToTheFist. (Likewise, it can be a way to show a villain avert the classic WhyDontYouJustShootHim scenario). It can be a way of showing that a story is on the gritty and cynical end of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism. Lastly, it could just be that the author doesn't care much for interminable {{Final Speech}}es, and chooses to subvert that trope.

* A downplayed (in that nobody is physically killed) example occurs in the US Army's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZnOorfS_Q "Cyber"]] commercial, involving an [[BlatantLies "unstoppable"]] hacker getting disconnected in the middle of his [[BadassBoast speech]]:

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': Wataba, an OverzealousUnderling of the Slum Lord Shijima, tries to go AndYourLittleDogToo on Akira by threatening Shizuka who’s essentially Akira’s ParentalSubstitute mother. Before Wataba can finish, Akira shoots him dead, proceeding to drag his corpse through the streets to MakeAnExampleOfThem.

* Lord Farquaad in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' gets EatenAlive in mid-sentence:

* A notable example occurs in the US Army's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZnOorfS_Q "Cyber"]] commercial involving an [[BlatantLies "unstoppable"]] hacker getting disconnected in the middle of his [[BadassBoast speech]]:
--> '''Hacker:''' I can shut down your power grids. I-I can paralyze your infrastructure. I can a-access the personal data of everyone in America. I am the enemy with no face. And I can't be sto-''*BZZT*''

* {{Defied}} in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' when Syndrome stops Mr. Incredible's attack during his bragging.

* In ''Literature/FateApocrypha'': As Celenike is issuing a Command Spell order to her Servant Astolfo to kill Sieg, who Celenike despises for developing a bond with Astolfo, in as sadistic a manner as possible to both make Astolfo betray his oath and break him, Mordred decapitates her before she can finish the order.

* In the ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' episode "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession5BalladOfFallenAngels Ballad of Fallen Angels]]", Spike Spiegel did this to one of the {{mooks}} of his EvilCounterpart Vicious right as the mook tells him to [[PutDownYourGunAndStepAway put down his gun and step away]].

-->'''Celenike:''' Now, Rider! Go forth and KILL THAT FILTHY HOMONC--! [gets decapitated]

* The famous Creator/OrsonWelles radio adaptation of ''Radio/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' features a radio reporter on the air, describing the Martian death ray that's burning everyone to charcoal, as "coming this way, about twenty yards from my ri—"

'''Unmarked spoilers ahe—'''

** Later in the series during the Volume 8 premiere "Divide", both Atlesian councilmen Sleet and Camilla barge into an Atlas medical facility to confront General James Ironwood about his draconian actions during []BigBad Salem's]] attack such as declaring martial law. When Sleet accuses Ironwood of losing his mind, Ironwood suddenly shoots him dead mid-sentence, making it clear that he is in charge now and is not brooking any dissent among his subordinates.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': The ultimate fate of Roman Torchwick. It's pretty ironic since he was ranting about how good he is at staying ''alive'' to Ruby Rose, only to immediately be eaten by a griffon.

[[folder:Live-Action T—]]
* This appears several times on ''Series/TwentyFour''. The most recent example coming from a private security goon holding a key witness at gunpoint. Jack simply dispatches him with a single shot mid-threat.
* In ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', after the Clairvoyant (a.k.a. [[spoiler:John Garrett]]) is dealt with, there's a scene of him dragging his almost-dead body to a machine which puts him in a PoweredArmor exoskeleton. He steps off the machine now stronger than ever and begins to gloat, when he is suddenly blasted with a laser from offscreen and explodes into LudicrousGibs.
-->'''Coulson:''' ''[holding a {{BFG}}]'' Hey guys! I found it! Told ya it'd be in here!
** In the episode "[[Recap/AgentsOfSHIELDS2E6FracturedHouse Fractured House]]", S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Walters is hit by a HYDRA splinter bomb, and is [[NoBodyLeftBehind disintegrated]] in the middle of her last words, proclaiming that HYDRA will never defeat S.H.I.E.L.D.
** In "[[Recap/AgentsOfSHIELDS4E22WorldsEnd World's End]]", Dr. Radcliffe has no way to escape the deletion of [[LotusEaterMachine the Framework]] since his physical body was killed earlier in the season to trap his mind inside the virtual world permanently. He decides to spend his last moments WatchingTheSunset with a drink in hand, and is deleted in the middle of raising a toast to the end of the world.
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
** In "[[Recap/AngelS05E07Lineage Lineage]]", Wesley shot his father the moment dad began threatening Fred. Repeatedly. Though it may not have been an example of this trope, [[BerserkButton as his decision to shoot is so instantaneous]] Roger could have just meant to stop talking at that point.
--->'''Roger:''' Well, then... (points gun at Fred) maybe if it's someone you care about-- (Wesley fires ten rounds into Roger's chest)
** In "[[Recap/AngelS05E16Shells Shells]]", Wesley did this again. While Angel is monologuing about how they're the good guys so they have to protect any member of humanity, Wesley kills Knox.
--->'''Angel:''' Were you even listening?
* ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'': This is how Prince Edmund dies at the end of the first series after drinking poisoned wine in "[[Recap/BlackadderS1E6TheBlackSeal The Black Seal]]"
-->'''Edmund:''' And now at last I shall be king of E- (dies)
* In ''Series/BetterCallSaul'', Lalo Salamanca walks in on Howard Hamlin's conversation with Jimmy and Kim and shoots Howard for being a witness.
-->'''Howard:''' I, uh, think I'm in the middle of something, er, t-there's really no need to-
* ''Series/BreakingBad'' gets two with the final season.
** In "[[Recap/BreakingBadS5E14Ozymandias Ozymandias]]":
--->'''Hank:''' Do what you're gonna d-
** And again in "[[Recap/BreakingBadS5E16Felina Felina]]":
--->'''Jack:''' Wait. You want your money, right? You wanna know where it is? You pull that trigger, you'll neve-
** It's hinted that the latter is done expressly as vengeance for the former: [[spoiler: Walter gives Jack time to smoke a last cigarette, lulling him into a false sense of confidence that he's willing to listen to what Jack has to say.]]
* Happens in the ''Series/BreakoutKings'' episode "There Are Rules", when the white-collar criminal who masterminded the [[OncePerEpisode prison break of the week]] pulls a gun on his relatively violence-oriented accomplice, and the latter tries to HannibalLecture him:
-->"...you got a problem, Ronald. You got nobody to pull that trigger for you. This is a job you can't delegate. You gotta actually dirty your hands for once, and we both know that--" BLAM
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling Once More, With Feeling]]": "She's not even half the girl she... OW..." Best MusicalEpisode ever.
** "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E19SeeingRed Seeing Red]]": "Your shirt", said by Tara after Warren shot her.
** "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E22Chosen Chosen]]": "You don't have the-" Buffy slices Caleb in half vertically… [[GroinAttack from bottom to top]]… probably counts as a StealthPun too in this case.
** Warren in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E20Villains Villains]]":
--->'''Warren:''' I know you're in pain, but—\\
'''Dark Willow:''' Bored now. ''[cue FlayingAlive]''
** "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS3E22GraduationDayPart2 Graduation Day Part 2]]": "You're on '''my''' campus, buddy, and when I say I want quiet I want—" [[AssholeVictim Principal Snyder]] just before the Mayor, now in giant snake-demon form, [[EatenAlive eats him whole]].
* Emmett on ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' is killed in the middle of [[MuggingTheMonster calling someone a pussy.]]
** In another episode, John Casey kills off a bad guy right in the middle of said baddie giving off [[EvilGloating a gloating speech]].
* Parodied in the ''Series/{{Community}}'' season 2 PaintballEpisode finale when Magnitude "dies" before finishing his CatchPhrase "Pop Pop!".
-->'''Troy:''' Pop? Pop what? What is he trying to say? Pop what, Magnitude?!
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Mosley Lane": The female unsub is held at gunpoint by one of her hostages and has the bad idea of mocking him.
-->'''Anita Roycewood:''' Come on, you gotta be kidd-- BANG!
** Episode "100" has The Boston Reaper meet [[KarmicDeath his end]] [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge BRUTALLY]] in this manner at Hotch's hands.
--->"Okay okay, you got me, [[VillainsWantMercy I surrender]], I surre-" ''[[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Hotch breaks the motherfucker's head open and breaks it open some more]]]''
* ''Series/CrazyLikeAFox'': Starts off the events of "Wanted — Dead and Alive".
* Torrez in ''Series/DayBreak2006''. Damien shots him and his last words to Hopper are:
-->'''Torrez:''' El Llorón... He's not the... ''[dies]''
* ''Series/TheDefenders2017'': With Elektra having successfully captured Danny Rand, Alexandra is left to pacify the Hand's other Fingers, who seem ready to riot.
-->'''Alexandra:''' ''[to Elektra]'' Kill Luke Cage. Kill Jessica Jones. And the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, whoever he is. ''[to Murakami, Madame Gao and Bakuto]'' I'm so happy you're all on board with the plan. But let me remind you, ''I'' neutralized our enemies. ''I'' brought you the Iron Fist. I was able to keep the most important operation in our history running while you succumbed to chaos and conflict. I have proven myself to be the one and only true leader-''[Elektra abruptly impales her from behind with a sai]''\\
'''Elektra Natchios:''' His name is Matthew. \\
''[Elektra yanks her sai out of Alexandra, letting the body fall to the floor]'' \\
'''Elektra Natchios:''' And my name...is Elektra Natchios. [[TyrantTakesTheHelm You work for me now.]] ''[As if on second thought, Elektra uses her katana to slice off Alexandra's head. [[EvilFeelsGood As she exhales a sigh of joy]], she looks up and gives a threatening look to the remaining Fingers]''\\
'''Elektra Natchios:''' Any questions?
%%* The Ice Truck Killer in Season 1 of ''Series/{{Dexter}}''.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** The only time this actually happened to The Doctor themselves is when the Third Doctor died before regenerating in the Season 11 episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS11E5PlanetOfTheSpiders Planet of the Spiders]]". Of course, fellow Time Lord K'anpo Rimpoche comes in and gives his next regeneration "a little push", causing him to become the Fourth Doctor.
--->'''Third Doctor:''' A tear...Sarah Jane? Don't cry. While there's life, there's-- (''takes his last breath, then Sarah Jane [[DiesWideOpen closes his eyes]]'')
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E1TheMysteriousPlanet "The Mysterious Planet"]], Katryca is killed in the middle of a speech.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E5WorldWarThree "World War Three"]]: The leader of the Slitheen gets out half of [[PrecisionFStrike "Oh, bollocks"]] before getting blown up.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E2ToothAndClaw "Tooth and Claw"]]:
--->'''Steward:''' [[TemptingFate And I'm telling you, I'll sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall.]] ''[walks over and looks down the hallway]'' Must have crawled away to [[VerticalKidnapping diAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!]]
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E6TheAgeOfSteel "The Age of Steel"]]: Mr. Crane, John Lumic's formerly loyal lieutenant, turns against Lumic after realizing that Lumic would have converted him into a Cyberman as well. The Cybermen kill him after he sabotages Lumic's life support, while Crane is shouting, "Die, you bast–"
** [[Recap/DoctorWho2007CSVoyageOfTheDamned "Voyage of the Damned"]]: Morvin Van Hoff falls to his death just as he's agreeing that he and his wife should go last across the rickety bridge across the chasm.
%%* Paul Ballard dies this way on ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}''.
* Shed Garvey is killed like this in ''Series/TheExpanse'' while trying to calm his friend down as he has a panic attack in the middle of a space battle.
-->'''Shed''': Trust me, we're all going to be just fi- ''[suddenly decapitated by a rail gun round that penetrates the hull of their room]''
* The villainous milkman Pat Mustard in one episode of ''Series/FatherTed'' gets HoistByHisOwnPetard while [[EvilGloating gloating]] in a phone booth:
-->'''Mustard:''' Better get out the earplugs, Father, because when that milkfloat goes off, they'll hear it all the way to the North P-\\
''[[[DistantReactionShot cut to]] [[EskimoLand North Pole]]]'' '''*BOOM*'''
* Malcolm Reynolds from ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' wasted no time in shooting Dobson while the latter was in the middle of a PutDownYourGunAndStepAway moment. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Without even breaking stride.]]
-->I'm not playing anymore! Anyone so much as- '''''BANG'''''
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': It's not an audible sentence, but Ned Stark is clearly in the midst of a prayer when the blade descends and is unable to finish it before the stroke falls.
* Hearing this happen [[DisconnectedByDeath over the phone]] to two people in UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}} is how residents of ''Series/Jericho2006'' first learn it's not just UsefulNotes/{{Denver}} that got nuked.
* In ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Boone dies in the middle of giving a request to Jack. Later in the season, Arzt gets one when the dynamite he was handling blows up.
** Jack's [[WhatTheHellHero failed kill]] of Locke would have happened this way, if the gun had been loaded.
** The last words of Juliet: "I have to tell you something, it's really really important..." Luckily, [[ISeeDeadPeople Miles]] is there to relay what she intended to say. It doesn't make sense until the finale, when it's revealed that it was something she was saying to Sawyer in the flash-sideways universe/afterlife.
** Ilana's Arzt moment in the final season. Killed while saying something seemingly very important in relation to The Big Bad, no less.
* Happens to Kate in ''Series/{{NCIS}}''.
-->'''Kate:''' I thought I'd die before I-- *BAM!*
** And, a couple of episodes later, to the killer, Ari Haswari:
--->"Sorry to spoil your-- *BAM!*
** This also happens to a Marine recruiter.
--->[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4QyXnDQQho "The closest I've ever come to a bullet was--"]]
* In ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'', an insane rogue CIA agent is holding Kensi hostage with a reciprocating saw to her neck. Deeks cuts off his threat mid-sentence with [[BoomHeadshot a bullet between the eyes]].
-->'''Ferris:''' If you take one more step...
* In ''Series/PennyDreadful'', after Ethan spares his father Jared's life, Jared starts berating and threatening him as he walks away, telling Ethan that he will never cease to send men after him and make his life a misery. Sir Malcolm steps in and shoots Jared dead in the middle of his rant.
* In ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', this happens to the villain Kamdor after he thinks he's slain the Ranger fighting him no less.
-->'''Kamdor''': "Finally! Now, to find the-AAARGH!"
-->'''Will''': "[[WorthyOpponent That was one tough hombre!]]"
* ''Series/RedDwarf'':
** Kryten is killed mid-sentence in the last episode of the sixth season.
** Parodied in ''Inquisitor'':
--->"For some bizarre reason, my final word is Enig."\\
"Enig?"\\
"Yes, Enig!" ''[Inquisitor crushes Kryten's head against the wall with one hand]''
* A wounded Damar tried to say some last words, but died after only saying "Keep..." in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. Even that much was [[ThrowItIn improvised]] by Casey Biggs who wanted Damar to go out saying ''something'' and has admitted that he actually had no idea how he would have finished the line.
* This happens to the Borg at the start of the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode that introduced Species 8472 (the baddies one level up on the FoodChainOfEvil).
-->'''Borg ships:''' [[CatchPhrase We are the Borg]]. Existence as you know it has ended. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. {{Resistance Is|Futile}}-- '''KABOOOOMM'''
* In the series finale of ''Series/StrikeBack'', Col. Alexander Coltrane disposes of TheMafiya [[MafiaPrincess queen]] who murdered two of his team members this way--she yells out "Wait--!" as he pulls out a gun and performs a BoomHeadshot.
* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS09E02DevilMayCare "Devil May Care" (S09, Ep02)]], Irv is shot through the heart as he vows to taken on the demons alone.
* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': The reboot episode "A Little Peace and Quiet"; the bedroom scene it is implied to happen, both with the main character's husband and son hastily saying their goodbyes, and with the radio announcer as he is trembling through a bulletin alerting the public to a nuclear attack on the United States (which is drowned out by the explosion, air raid sirens and the commotion outside as a panicked public tries to flee). Averted when the woman freezes time an instant before their (presumed) deaths.
* During an assault on an enclave of Russian partisans in ''[[Series/UnsereMuetterUnsereVaeter Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter]]'', Schmidt is shot while making a quip to the effect of "Maybe they're phoning Comrade Stalin for hel-". It takes him a while to die but, having been shot in the neck, he's in no state to speak.
* ''Series/TheWalkingDead''
** Bob Lamson, a corrupt police officer, is [[CarFu run over by Rick Grimes in a police car]] and shot.
--->'''Bob:''' You'll die. You'll all di- '''*BAM!*'''\\
'''Rick:''' [[ShutUpHannibal Shut up.]]
* A running joke in the ''Series/WayneAndShuster'' sketch "Rinse the Blood Off My Toga" involves people being killed mid-sentence as they try to tell the investigators [[HisNameIs the name of Caesar's killer]].
* On ''Series/TheWestWing'', in an almost painful TemptingFate, a secret service agent happens to walk in to a convenience store in the midst of a robbery. Only seeing one of two robbers, he gets him to drop his weapon, gets him on the floor, and then says the kid was smart, because he's Secret Serv--
** Actually, it didn't quite happen that way. They first screwed the audience (who reacted angrily, partly because it was unrealistic-- Secret Service personnel wear bulletproof vests and he hadn't had time to take his off) into thinking he might actually, improbably get away with it because he ''does'' survive the tempting fate line about being Secret Service. Afterwards, when he's safe, he jokes to the clerk that he hates to be a problem customer, but if he doesn't get a Milky Way bar pretty soo--
* Stringer Bell from ''Series/TheWire''.
-->"Get on with it motherfu..."
** Also Cheese: "There's just the street, the game, and what happen' here today. When it was ma uncle, I was wit ma uncle. When it was Marlo, I was wit him. But now, nigga..."
* ''Series/YoungSheldon'': In "A Clogged Pore, a Little Spanish and the Future", as Missy is about to pop Sheldon's pimple, A.V. and Pus say their goodbyes.
-->'''A.V.:''' Well, the time has come to say goodbye. But don't worry. We'll be back in times of stress, like during final exams, or my personal favorite, school picture da--''*Pop!*''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Gam—]]
* Pretty much every game that allows the player character to kill AI-controlled [=NPCs=] at will (Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row, Postal 2, etc) allows for this, if the non-player characters are engaged in scripted dialogue.
* As if interrupting him mid-speech wasn't rude enough (with a flaming chakram to the face, no less), Axel also cuts Vexen's last words short in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories''.
--> "No! Please don't! I don't want to-!"
-->"[[PreMortemOneLiner Goodbye. *snap*]]"
--> [[KillItWithFire *FWOOSH*]]
* The player character in ''VideoGame/AlphaProtocol'' can do this to a ''lot'' of people during the game, depending on dialogue choices. They vary between extremely awesome, or incredibly chilling depending on your relationship with the person in question.
* In one of the later missions of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', we see a guard reporting to the BigBad that "Everything is going according to pla-" before being killed by Ezio, who had secretly replaced one of the others guards.
* Not compulsory, but ''heavily'' encouraged at the end of ''VideoGame/Borderlands2''. After beating the final boss, [[BigBad Handsome Jack]] goes through a lengthy VillainousBreakdown, which the player can interrupt at any time with a bullet. If you hear him out to the end, and still don't take the hint, Lilith will polish him off herself, but considering everything he's put you through, most players are ''more'' than happy to shut him up early.
* In the original ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'', we get this memorable line:
-->'''Medic:''' Oh man! [[ShootTheMedicFirst They're shooting medics too!]] They're not-- (playing by the rules)
* In the ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyWorldAtWar'' mission "Little Resistance", the landing craft the player character is in gets caught on something. An {{N|onPlayerCharacter}}PC then shouts "It's the coral! We're stuck on the cor--" * [[PinkMist Cue]] [[BoomHeadshot headshot]]* (A rather gory one at that.)
** Again, in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps'':
--->'''[[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Clarke]]:''' Ah, yes, the numbers. They're the key to-- ''(headshot)''
* This happens to Cole near the end of ''VideoGame/CliveBarkersJericho'':
-->"Sir! I believe he is going to channel our powers against us, however, if you're currently in possession of --" *ZAP* "Silence, BITCH!" '''*SPLAT*'''
* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'' takes the cake; for the first time, you get to see a necromorph infection-and-mutation up Close [=ANd=] PERSONAL.
-->'''Franco:''' You're in terrible terrible dang--AAAUUUGGGHHH! WHOOOO... *Snarl*
** CUE NECK AND FACE SKIN EXPLODING... on Isaac's face.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', it is possible for a skilled archer to pick off Mankar Camoran midspeech with one shot if the difficulty level's dialed down far enough and the player's got a 100% Chameleon suit (or spell) to ensure the stealth bonus.
* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' has a similar scenario. The visiting princess can be killed while giving speech on a parapet, either by falling stone gargoyle, arrow, spell, or...SuplexFinisher.
* This applies to pretty much every hero when they are killed while using their ultimate in ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'', but most famously, Pharah:
--> "Justice rains from AAAUGH!"
** This tends to happen quite often, especially against heroes with high damage like Widowmaker and Soldier:76. It has since [[MemeticMutation become ingrained in pop culture.]]
* In ''VideoGame/FableII'', end boss Lucien rambles on and on for some time after you interrupt his ascension to godhood. The player can kill him mid-sentence, with Reaver thanking them. Alternately, if left to ramble long enough, Reaver will shoot Lucien himself.
* This happens to Ultimecia in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and again in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''.
-->'''True Ultimecia:''' Reflect on your... Childhood... Your sensation... Your words... Your emotions... Time... It will not wait... No matter... How hard you hold on... It escapes you... And...
* A terrified sailor in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI'''s first stage:
-->"These creatures, they came out of nowhere! Our ships are all destroyed-all hope is lost, Spartan! Even for yo-" [[PrettyLittleHeadshots *thuk*]]
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII’s'' Maria Latore apparently dies like this off screen.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' provides this punctual introduction for the assassins:
-->'''Guard:''' Freeman, right? I got a message for you! Make sure you don't-- ''(silenced gunshot)'' AGH!
** ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'' also has the commander of a tank that gets destroyed by a Manta flyer's underbelly laser.
--->"Back up, back up! BACK THE FU--"
* Kat in ''VideoGame/HaloReach'', courtesy of a sniper: "Where does he get off calling a demolition op Priority O-"
* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'': The trope comes into play depending on which Hewdraw head you face at the end of the level. Upon beating him, he says "Before I die, I just want to say-" and then dies before he can finish. While Pit doesn't seem to care, [[LampshadeHanging Palutena becomes curious as to what he was gonna say]].
* ''VideoGame/InfinityBlade'': In the second game, this happens to a guard who is ostensibly guarding a seal. He curses Siris for intruding and threatens to kill him before the guard is crushed by a stone demon, the true boss of the area.
-->'''Plated guard:''' How dare you desecrate this sacred place?! Impudent whelp! I will cut the flesh from your bones! I will - ''gets crushed by the falling Stone Demon''
* In ''VideoGame/{{killer 7}}'', Christopher Mills says to Garcian, "30 years ago, you and Harman..." and then somebody shoots him, forcing Garcian to flee the scene, as he thought he was in danger.
* At the end of ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}} 2'' Scolar Visari gets shot by Rico in the middle of his third epic speech.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'': [[spoiler:Lavitz Slambert, as he is fatally wounded: "Dart, survive... and..." [[DiedInYourArmsTonight He dies in Dart's arms before he can finish.]]]]
* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
** "You talk too much." ''[[StuffBlowingUp BANG]]''
** Many, many of the Renegade interrupts in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' use this, though it doesn't always result in the victim's death. In several cases, [[PlayerCharacter Shepard]] simply punches the person in the face, knocking them unconscious (although this makes it no less of a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome on Shepard's part).
--->"There are two ways down..."
** It's not always Shepard, either:
--->'''Wilson:''' Miranda! I thought you were-- ''BANG!''\\
'''Miranda:''' ...dead?
** Depending on your choices, you can have a spectacular one in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' on Tuchanka. And in this case, it's for a major character.
--->'''Mordin:''' ''[singing]'' I've studied species Turian, Asari, and Batarian.\\
My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian.\\
I am the very model of--''([=BOOM=])''
* Robert Barnes, a captured contact in the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}} game version of ''Film/MissionImpossible1996'', falls over dead when you try to talk to him. There's even a LampshadeHanging:
-->'''Ethan:''' I KNEW he wasn't gonna finish that sentence...
* More of a "killed mid-thought", but during one conversation in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights I'' an option for every response is "snap her neck", which interrupts the speaking character rather effectively.
* ''VideoGame/NotForBroadcast'':
** [[spoiler:In Day 912, if you don't support Disrupt's uprising enough, Alan will panic and shout via walkie talkie that Advance will kill them all before he gets cut off mid-sentence by an air strike that kills him and his teammates.]]
** [[spoiler:In Day 2602, if you killed off Jeremy and kept Alan alive but don't play the leaked tape, Jenny will pull off a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech on Alan, who shoots her dead before she can finish.]]
--->[[spoiler:'''Jenny:''' They see what everyone else sees, Alan. You're a joke. A nut-job. A sad, pathetic--''[gets fatally shot mid-sentence]'']]
* Towards the beginning of ''VideoGame/{{Penumbra}}: Black Plague'', the player can listen to a cassette tape made by a research member on the main weakness of the Infected. You can hear them growling and approaching as he speaks, and they attack and rip him to shreds right before he says the weakness.
* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'':
** In [[VideoGame/SaintsRow1 the first game]], after [[spoiler: Tanya Winters]] double-crosses Warren Williams of the Vice Kings and threatens him at gunpoint, he snaps "[[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner Bitch, you better not miss, 'cause...]]" right before getting shot.
** ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' ends with Dane Vogel getting his slimy ass shot [[DestinationDefenestration out of his high-rise office window]] just as he's trying to spin things to his favor.
--->'''Vogel:''' But you have to look at the positives! You're alive, they're dead, and you have the Saint's number one fan running Ult--
** Additionally, [[spoiler:Aisha]] dies when the [[{{Yakuza}} Ronin]] lieutenant who's waiting to confront her husband [[BloodKnight Johnny Gat]] at their house [[OffWithHisHead cuts off her head]]. Her last words? "Johnny! It's a tr-"
* ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara'':
** Nobunaga does this to Hideyoshi in the end of his campaign in ''Sengoku Basara II''.
** Magoichi Saika does this to to Nobunaga himself in one of Magoichi's endings in ''Samurai Warriors''.
* Kung Lao in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. "You see, Raiden? Earthrealm is fr-" *SNAP*
* Partially subverted in ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast''. While the MadScientist is giving an insane speech about how the galaxy will tremble before him, Katarn casually throws his lightsaber into the ship's shield generator, leaving it wide open to attack. Followed by a cheesy PreAssKickingOneLiner.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', during the Oracle Knight's attack on the Dreadnought the captain of the ship calling for assistance [[NeverSayDie wasn't exactly able to finish...]]
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' does this in "Meet the Spy", where the Soldier shoots the BLU spy in the head with his shotgun. "He could be you! He could be me! He could even be--" *BOOM*
-->"What? [[WrongGenreSavvy It was obvious!]] He's the RED Spy!"
* The intro cutscene of ''VideoGame/JeffWaynesWarOfTheWorlds'' has a Martian commander blasted mid-sentence while reporting on the poor state of the invasion. The elders change plans accordingly.
* Happens quite regularly in games in the ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' series that have speech, with taunts being cut off by the speaker's ship becoming rapidly expanding ball of plasma, courtesy of your guns.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'':
** This is how the leader of the freed slaves in the Pit of Saron bites it. After you've killed the final boss he gives a very flowery speech of gratitude to the players. Right behind him is Sindragosa, Arthas' pet dragon, [[SurprisinglySuddenDeath who kills him and 3/4 of the freed slaves with an Iceball to the face!]]
** After accidentally summoning Lord Jaraxxus in the ''Wrath of the Lich King'' expansion of the game, the summoner Wilfred Fizzlebang tried to assert that he's in charge, but before he could finish the last word of his sentence, the '''[[LargeHam EREDAR LORD OF THE BURNING LEGION!!]]''' blasted him away to oblivion.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': Your Uncle survives long enough to give you his sword, but dies as he tries to tell you something very important: "Zelda is your..." He gets better along with everyone else killed after you beat the game, presumably because of Link's wish on the Triforce. We never find out what he was going to say, though, until the GBA re-release which alters his "dying" speech and he actually manages to finish what he was saying before dying. In the new version, he basically tells Link that it's his destiny to save Zelda and that he really enjoyed their time together.
* ''VideoGame/MechWarrior'':
** ''[=MechWarrior=] 2'': "It's got a lock on me! It's got a lock on..."
** [[ExpansionPack Ghost Bear's Legacy]]: "Neg base, I need units ''now''! [[CurseCutShort Freebirth...!"]]
* ''VideoGame/BrothersInArms:'' ''Hell's Highway'': Garnett dies like this when Leggett's and Allen's argument attracts a German patrol.
-->'''Garnett:''' Guys, get the [[CurseCutShort fu--]](Headshot)
* A genuinely funny moment from the UsefulNotes/SegaCD adaptation of ''Manga/SpaceAdventureCobra'' occurs when Cobra discovers that the Parrot Grass on his vessel is actually a spy impersonating the plant. When confronted, [[OneWingedAngel it reveals its true form]] and says "My name is--" before getting blasted to smithereens by Cobra's ArmCannon.
* The Red Queen does this to the Cheshire Cat in ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice''. Suffice to say if by that point you don't want her dead, you ''will''.
* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor: Allied Assault'': "We've been trying to find our regiment ever since, but there are snipers every..." BoomHeadshot.
* ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonorAirborne'': A U.S. paratrooper was telling a joke. "What do you get when you mix a Nazi with a cockroach? You get-" He then gets shot by a Nazi plane before he could say the punchline![[note]]The punchline is "A Krauton bug," a portmanteau of the now-obscure early 20th century nickname of "Croton bug" for the German cockroach and the derogatory slang word "Kraut" for Germans.[[/note]]
* In ''VideoGame/BrainDead13'', this can occur in the final confrontation, after [[ChekhovsGun the eyeballs]] fall from Lance's pocket, but you don't have him pick them up as he starts saying his PreAsskickingOneLiner.
* During the final mission briefing of ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter'', your pilot Bud is shot in the head mid-sentence by the BigBad, who then steals his chopper.
* Just before the final boss of ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'', Crazy Dave tries to tell you the boss' weakness, only for a Bungee Zombie to snatch him away before he finishes doing so. Subverted by the music video at the end of the game, in which Dave returns.
* ''VideoGame/TheWitchsHouse'': If you touch [[spoiler:the clock on the top floor]], it will fall and crush you while the text-box is still loading.
* Every time you kill a student in ''VideoGame/YandereSimulator'', the event is immediately preceded by a cry of "Hey, what are you--"
* In ''VideoGame/Gamer2'', Kora is a friendly NPC who's been warning you of upcoming hazards and letting you know where to find useful upcoming items. When you face down KillerRobot ACE, she shows up to explain how to defeat him...
-->'''Kora''': Weaken him with the derezzer, then--AAUGHH!
* Kane's now legendary introduction in the original ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' features him doing this.
-->'''Seth:''' [[SuicideMission This is the Pentagon.]] A full-frontal attack with your strongest forces should render their military center of opera--(''*gun appears from offscreen, BoomHeadshot*'')
-->'''Kane:''' ''*shoving aside Seth's corpse*'' Yes, power shifts more quickly than some people think...
* ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
** Keiichi Maebara in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' is killed by the BigBad mid- KirkSummation. He got back due to [[GroundhogDayLoop time shenanigans]]
** In ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'''s second arc, George's last words are inferred to be a pledge of love to Shannon. "I will always --" "YOU THOUGHT I'D LET HIM SAY THAT? IDIOT!" Darn you, Beatrice!
* Kamek in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'', near the end of the game:
--> "KING BOWSER WILL DESTROY YOU! KING BOWSER WILL DESTROY YOU! KING BOWSER WI-"
* Averted with Larry in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'', since he and the other Koopalings survived.
* In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'', as the star-wannabe Rubber Band dies after its battle, it attempts to go out reciting its last words theatrically but dies before it can complete the last rhyme.
-->"I wanted to make this place GRAND!
-->Eliminate things DULL and bland!
-->Alas, this was my FINAL stand.
-->It's curtains for poor Rubber-*gaaasp*
* In ''VideoGame/TheStanleyParable'', in the ''Museum ending,'' [[spoiler: the female narrator's sentence gets cut off when Stanley is crushed. But, looking into the game files, the full audio file is, indeed, in the game, but it just gets cuts off before she can finish. The full line is as follows:]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Female Narrator:''']] [[spoiler: But listen to me, you can still save these two. You can stop the program before they both fail. Press "escape" and press "quit". There is no other way to beat this game. As you as you move forward, you'll be walking someone else's path. Stop now, and it will be your only true choice. Whatever you do, choose it! Don't let time choose for you! Don't let time choose for you!]]
* In ''VideoGame/FredbearAndFriends'', Chris is [[VerticalKidnapping snatched up]] by the Endocluster as he and Thomas are trying to hash out just what is going on.
* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'': Happens during Chapter 3:
-->'''[[spoiler:Sean [=MacGuire=]]]:''' Now it don't feel right? I could'a told you that-- ''[cue the BoomHeadshot]''
[[/folder]]

* Lord Farquaad in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' gets eaten in mid-sentence:

[[folder:Films — Live-Ac—]]
* In one scene from ''Film/AmericanGangster'', [[VillainProtagonist Frank Lucas]] is in the middle of breakfast telling his brothers (newly recruited into the drug trade) the most important things about business, ([[VillainousVirtues honesty, integrity, hard work, family]], etc.) when he spots [[TheRival a rival]] called Tango who had recently cheated Frank in a deal across the way, standing on a busy street in front of plenty of people. Frank politely excuses himself, walks up to Tango, puts a gun to his head, and demands the money he was supposed to get according to their deal. Tango laughs, assumes that Frank is bluffing because of the witnesses, and begins taunting Frank. He doesn't quite make it the end of the taunt before [[BoomHeadshot Frank blows his brains out all over the sidewalk]]. Frank then [[DissonantSerenity calmly walks away and goes back to eating breakfast]] with the family. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCMz340CRg See it here.]]
-->'''Tango:''' What the fuck you gonna do Frank, huh? You gonna shoot me, in front of everybody? Huh? Come o- ''[Frank shoots him]''
* ''Film/ABetterTomorrow'': Mark get his brains blown out by Shing's Uzi while he's in the middle of convincing the Kit brothers to reconcile with each other.
* In the Creator/ValLewton film ''Film/TheBodySnatcher'', a street singer's song abruptly stops when she is murdered offscreen.
* In ''Film/{{Bumblebee}}'', after an extended brawl, Bumblebee manages to [[ChainPain ensnare anchor chains]] around [[TheDragon Dropkick's]] helicopter form, whose attempt to escape by transforming back into robot form only gets them tangled within his body. Before Dropkick can even finish his attempted BadassBoast, Bumblebee yanks the chains so hard that they [[LudicrousGibs tear him to pieces.]]
-->'''Dropkick''': [[TemptingFate You think these little chains can hold]]-- ''(RRRRIIIP)''
* Swan is killed mid-sentence, ''in the middle of a musical number'' no less, in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's ''Film/CannibalTheMusical''.
* ''Film/{{Clue}}'': "[[MinskyPickup Duh-duh, duh-duh duh duh!]] I, am, your singing telegram--" *BAM*
* The film adaptation of Arthur Miller's ''Theatre/TheCrucible'' ends with protagonist John Proctor being offed in this manner, forcefully and abruptly hanged while reciting the Lord's Prayer (he gets to the penultimate "forever and ever" line before he gets it).
* [[TheWoobie Selma]] from ''Film/DancerInTheDark'' is killed [[MoodWhiplash mid]]-[[TheMusical song]].
* This is how Rachel Dawes died in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', making what was said from the FinalSpeech that got cut off a slight TearJerker. In her case, she is cut off by the warehouse she is trapped in blowing up.
** Earlier, in a PreemptiveDeclaration, when Grumpy pulls a pistol on Bozo during the bank robbery:
--->'''Grumpy:''' I'm bettin' the Joker told you to kill me soon as we loaded the cash.\\
'''Bozo:''' ''[sighs, checks his watch and steps to one side]'' No, no-no-no. [[PreemptiveDeclaration I kill the bus driver.]]\\
'''Grumpy:''' [[OhCrap Bus driver]]? ''[Bozo gives him the DeathGlare]'' What bus dri- ''[The back end of a school bus bursts through the front doors and runs over him]''
* Played with in ''Film/Deadpool2016'', Deadpool has a gun to the villain's head when Colossus starts giving a speech to Deadpool to convince him to spare the villain's life. It seems to be working for nearly a minute until Deadpool decides not to wait until the end of the speech to pull the trigger.
-->'''Colossus:''' WHY?!\\
'''Deadpool:''' You were droning on and on!
* In an awesome subversion of [[NeverGiveUpSpeech a monologue]], this is how [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Samuel L. Jackson's]] character died in ''Film/DeepBlueSea''. The SedgwickSpeech variant of this trope.
* ''Film/DjangoUnchained'': Stephen gets blown to bits together with the entirety of the Candyland mansion while attempting to curse at Django. "DJANGO! You uppity son of a -" ('''BOOM''')
* Billy in ''Film/FinalDestination1'' is cut off mid-rant by a large shard of metal kicked up by the train that just took out Carter's car, which whistles up apparently out of nowhere and beheads him. He stays on his feet for a few startled seconds before his legs realize he's dead, whereupon he topples over.
* In Creator/AlfredHitchcock thriller ''Film/ForeignCorrespondent'', UsefulNotes/WorldWarII has just broken out, and a British passenger plane has come under fire from a German naval vessel. An indignant lady passenger is expressing her righteous outrage when she is killed by an anti-aircraft round.
-->"I shall see the British consul as soon as I—"
* ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}''
** [[TheSociopath Tommy]] can barely squeak out an [[OhCrap "Oh n-!"]] before he gets shot in the back of the head.
** [[TheFriendNobodyLikes Morrie]] is killed while describing the Boston College point shaving scandal.
-->'''Morrie:''' Nunzio up in that a- ''[Tommy stabs him in the head with an ice pick.]''
* Creator/DavidMamet's ''Heist'' features an amusing variation.
-->'''Bergman:''' Don't you want to hear my last words? \\
'''Joe Moore:''' I just did. ''[shoots him]''
* Subtle example in ''[[Literature/IMissYouIMissYou I Miss You]]''. Cilla begins to say something and gets hit by a car and dies.
* Dr. Mann in ''Film/{{Interstellar}}'', is self-righteously ranting about saving the human race when he's killed by an ExplosiveDecompression sending the airlock hatch smashing into him. It's even more effective because it averts SoundInSpace, so there's silence after this point despite the subsequent destruction.
-->'''Mann:''' This is not about my life, or Cooper's life,. This is about all mankind. There is a moment-- ''[he's ThrownOutTheAirlock]''
* ''Film/JamesBond''
** Bond pulled this at the very start of ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'', talking to a traitor about his first kill.
--->'''Traitor:''' Made you feel it, did he? [[ItGetsEasier Well, you needn't worry. The second is]] - *BAMM*\\
'''Bond:''' [[BondOneLiner Yes. Considerably.]]
** [=MI6=] agent Henderson in ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice'' is talking to Bond when he suddenly stops talking mid-sentence. As Bond approaches him, he finds that a knife was stabbed into his back through the shoji wall. Anybody who has seen a death by knife knows that knives do not work this way.
** This is precisely how a corrupt banker is killed in the opening of ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'', and how [[spoiler: Elektra King gets it at the end.]]
--> '''[[spoiler: Elektra]]''': Dive! Bo- ''(gets shot)''\\
'''Bond:''' I never miss...
** A non-lethal version is PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove''. Bond is in the Soviet embassy waiting for his friend to set off a bomb so he can steal the coding device. He checks his watch, frowns, then goes to the Russian on the desk.
--->'''Bond:''' Excuse me, is your clock correct?\\
'''Russian:''' Russian clocks are always -- ''[explosion covers everyone in dust]''
* The titular character of the ''Film/JohnWick'' films is a NoNonsenseNemesis who doesn't let his targets finish talking if it means an easy shot.
** In the first film, Iosef Tarasov gets as far as "It was just a fucking-!" before [[BoomHeadshot John shoots him in the head at point-blank range]].
** In ''Film/JohnWickChapter2'', [[spoiler:Santino D'Antonio]] meets his fate [[spoiler: in the Continental, at Wick's hand]] this way.
--->'''Winston:''' [[spoiler:Jonathan.]] Just walk away!\\
'''[[spoiler:Santino]]:''' Yeah, [[spoiler:Jonathan]], walk a- ''[gets shot in face]''
* Happens twice in a KarmicDeath sort of way in ''Film/LastManStanding1996''. When the Irish gang decides to finally go all out against the Italians, burning down a place where they were all gathered when given false information that the man their looking for is being hidden by them. One of the leaders, Strozzi, is killed while trying to surrender. Fast forward to the climax and the Irish gang leader, Doyle, who ordered the raid against the Italians is killed mid-sentence while trying to convince John, the man he was after that the two of them can put their differences behind them and become business partners. For bonus points, he is killed by the Inn Keeper he would always mistreat in town, who also lied to him about the Italians hiding John.
* Audrey II's death in ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'' combines this with CurseCutShort. "[[OhCrap OH SHI--]]"
* ''Film/TheMalayChroniclesBloodlines'' has the main villain, Kamawas, having his throat slashed while taunting the hero Merong about raping Merong's LoveInterest.
* ''Film/MarathonMan'': Roy Scheider's character "Doc", "I couldn't give a fuck about your... ''[stab]'' ...*gasp*! The fact that the stab is offscreen makes it even more effective as you are genuinely surprised by Doc's reaction.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Film/IronMan1'': In his return to Gulmira in his new Mark III Suit, Iron Man proceeds to take down the Ten Rings terrorists until he is stopped by a small group holding hostages at gunpoint while screaming at him in their native tongue(s). Iron Man shuts them all up by shooting all the terrorists simultaneously.
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'':
*** What happens to Steve in [[CasualDangerDialogue his final conversation with Peggy]] over the radio, even when [[ForegoneConclusion the audience knows]] he is only frozen, not killed.
---->"We'll have the band play something slow, I'd hate to step on your--" ''[radio transmission abruptly ends]''
*** Also this scene:
---->'''Hydra Mook:''' CUT OFF ONE HEAD, TWO MORE—\\
'''Colonel Phillips:''' ''[blasts him with a shotgun]'' Let's find two more.
** The Other, Thanos' right hand man in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014'', during his argument with Ronan the Accuser.
--->'''The Other:''' Lower your tone! I may be your... ''[Ronan lets a sonic blast loose from his Universal Weapon that breaks the Other's neck]''
** [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'':
--->'''Ultron Drone:''' You can't save them all... you'll never— ''[thrown off a cliff by Captain America]'' \\
'''Captain America:''' We'll never what? YOU DIDN'T FINISH!
** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'': Nick Fury says [[PrecisionFStrike "Motherfu-"]] as he disintegrates due to Thanos.
* ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'': The Secretary is in the middle of talking to Ethan when he gets shot through the head.
* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'':
** In a funny subversion, this is how Brother Maynard dies, but his death scream completes the sentence.
--->"It's the Legendary Black Beast of -- ''[is eaten]'' -- AAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!"
** Earlier in the movie, we're given a glimpse of a character who may have died mid-sentence ''while writing on a wall'':
--->'''Maynard:''' It reads, "Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Arimathea. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the Holy Grail in the Castle of ... aaaaagggh."\\
'''Arthur:''' What?\\
'''Maynard:''' "... the Castle of aaaaagggh".\\
'''Bedevere:''' What is that?\\
'''Maynard:''' He must have died while carving it.\\
'''Lancelot:''' Oh, come on!\\
'''Maynard:''' Well, that's what it says.\\
'''Arthur:''' Look, if he was dying, he wouldn't bother to carve "aaggggh". He'd just say it!\\
'''Maynard:''' Well, that's what's carved in the rock!\\
'''Galahad:''' Perhaps he was dictating.\\
'''Arthur:''' Oh, shut up.
** Frank the historian is giving a lecture about King Arthur when a knight rides past him and slashes his throat.
* In ''Film/MuppetTreasureIsland'', more like "Died of a Heart Attack Mid Sentence", the dying Billy Bones warns Jim, Gonzo and Rizzo to beware the one-legged man, but also "Beware running with scissors or any other pointy objects! It's all good fun, 'till somebody loses a-" and he screams "Aaaahh" and dies before possibly saying "leg" or something else, putting the trio in a room "where the dead guys roam".
** His death scream completes the sentence, which would have been "till someone loses an eye."
* ''Film/PacificRim'':
** Played straight with Yancy in the ActionPrologue when he is killed halfway through his final words to Raleigh.
** Subverted when Hannibal Chau [[TemptingFate tempts fate]] by giving a long description of how the newborn Kaiju was doomed from the first, only to get swallowed mid-rant. TheStinger reveals that he was SwallowedWhole and is still alive and kicking.
* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides'' played this for BlackComedy. After various pirates and the British have been fighting over the Fountain of Youth (and thus are tired and have whittled down their numbers) the Spanish suddenly arrive on the scene. Despite the overwhelming numbers of the Spanish, Theodore Groves defiantly attempts to claim the land for King George. He doesn't quite make it to the end of his sentence:
-->'''Theodore Groves:''' This land is hereby forever claimed for the glorious name of his majesty, King Geor-- ''[gets shot by the Spaniard]''\\
'''Spaniard:''' Someone make a note of that man's bravery.
** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' has this PlayedForDrama when one of Sri Sumbajee's minions tries to disregard the pirate's code.
--> ''Hang the code!'' Who ''cares'' about th- ''[Gets shot by Capt. Teague]''
* Inverted in ''Film/PulpFiction''. Vincent Vega turns around to explain something to Marvin while being driven by Jules, and {{accidental|Murder}}ly [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace blows Marvin's brains out]] while ''Vincent'' is mid-sentence.
* In the film ''Film/{{Radius}}'' the police officer is asking Liam questions but drops dead in the middle of one when she walks into his aura.
* In ''Film/{{Scrooge 1951}}'', near the end of the [[AdaptationExpansion expanded]] Christmas Past segment, Marley dies mid-sentence while attempting to tell Scrooge to "save himself".
* Wash in ''Film/{{Serenity}}''.
-->'''Wash:''' I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I-- ''(gets harpooned by a Reaver ship)''
** Also, Mr. Universe. Okay, technically he didn't die right away, but he gets his speech cut off by a sword to the guts, and he is dead the next time we see him. Fortunately for Mal and crew, Mr. Universe had just enough life left to make a helpful recording.
* ''Film/ShootEmUp''. Smith discovers Senator Rutledge (running for President on a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics gun control]] platform) has done a deal with the BigBad, gun merchant Hammerson. Smith says he's going to shoot Rutledge, and his death will outrage the public and help his anti-gun bills get passed.
-->'''Rutledge:''' Then do it. Let me regain some honor. With my-- ''[BoomHeadShot]''
** Another variation on the trope -- Hertz has been speculating about MrSmith's true identity throughout the movie. He comes up with a theory, but Smith refuses to confirm it.
--->'''Hertz:''' Oh yes-sir-ee, [[WorthyOpponent it has been a pleasure]]. But before we part ways, just tell me one thing. I am dead on about who you are, right?\\
'''Smith:''' Say that again?\\
'''Hertz:''' I said, I am dead--\\
'''Smith:''' Stop! That part of it you got right. ''[shoots Hertz]''
* ''Film/StarTrek2009'': George Kirk dies telling his wife he loves her. Somewhat odd in that he had an actual countdown until his ship impacted, and thus knew exactly when he was going to die, but apparently not when he was going to finish his sentence. Still, it was his SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and a TearJerker too.
** More likely he was just repeating "I Love You" over and over so that it would be the last thing his family hears him say.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'':
*** Zam Wessell, the assassin who Anakin and Obi-Wan capture, is about to rat out her boss:
---->"It was a bounty hunter called--" ''[hit by toxic dart; [[PardonMyKlingon curses in Huttese]] before dying]''
*** Shmi Skywalker's last words to Anakin are "I love--"
** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': Nute Gunray tries to plead with Darth Vader to spare his life before being fatally slashed across the chest.
** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'':
*** An audio-only version: "Imperial troops have entered the base! Imperial troops have--" ''[ABRUPT BLAST OF STATIC]''
*** Admiral Ozzel reporting in to Darth Vader, only to be [[PsychicStrangle Force-choked]] ''through the video intercom'' for his [[YouHaveFailedMe failure]].
---->"Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of lightspeed and we're preparing to--''urk!''"
** Quite a few pilots have their fighters explode as they're talking, though only about half can be heard by the audience.
** ''Film/{{Solo}}'' sees an Imperial officer blown up on Mimban during a rallying cry.
--->'''Major:''' Troopers, forward! Solo, get up! We're almost there!\\
'''Han Solo:''' Almost ''where''? Where are we going?\\
'''Major:''' Just over that last ridge! Victory is--''(BOOM)''
* ''Film/Super8'': The main military bad guy and his soldiers have the kid protagonists captive aboard an army bus when it's attacked and forced off the road by the alien. When the Colonel hands one of his subordinates a rifle and tells him to leave the bus and shoot it - a rifle loaded with ''[[BlackComedy tracking darts]]'', no less - the poor bastard doesn't make it very far.
-->'''Overmeyer''': Sir, is there a particular place you'd like me to shoot- ''([[JumpScare yanked out of the bus by the alien]] as everyone else aboard [[MassOhCrap shits themselves]])''
* ''Film/{{Taken}}''. The final bad guy. "We can nego'''[[BoomHeadshot *BLAM*]]'''"
* From ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': Que/Wheeljack: "Why did you--?" right before he is finished off execution-style.
** Also from the same film... Starscream's IronicLastWords
--> "I'm gonna kill y—[[YourHeadASplode *BOOM!*]]"
* ''Film/TronLegacy'': "'''DEATH TO THE USE--'''" *gets shattered*
* The 'Bowtie Driver' in ''Film/TheUntouchables1987''. Mid countdown.
* ''Film/VetHard'': Katja is shot dead by Bennie mid-sentence (to be precise, swearing at him; he didn't take that well). [[spoiler:Subverted when we later [[DisneyDeath find out she wasn't shot dead]], just shot in the arm.]]
* ''Film/AWalkAmongTheTombstones'': "'''You know... I just wanted t--'''" before getting shot in the head by Creator/LiamNeeson's character.
* R.K. Maroon in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit''.
-->"Unless Acme's will shows by midnight tonight, Toontown's gonna be land for the free--" ''[gets shot]''
* ''Film/TheWildGeese'': Faulkner's final confrontation with Sir Edward Matheson. Sir Edward is so inflated with hauteur that he cannot conceive of there being any threat to himself - the discovery that the murderous mercenary with a gun and grudge is, yes, ''there to kill him'' completely baffles Matheson, and he's left stammering "now wait just a minute--!" before Faulkner fires.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Litera—]]
* ''Literature/MissEllicottsSchoolForTheMagicallyMinded'': After Chantel and Lightening get everyone to stop fighting, [[spoiler:King Rathfest]] tries to spurn his people on in fighting the Sunbiters. He gets a crossbow bolt in the throat for his trouble.
--> [[spoiler:'''King Rathfest''']]: Fight on, for your country! Fight on, for your honor! For what is right! Drive back the Maraud-[=URK=]!
* In ''Literature/TheNutcracker'', the dying words of Lady Mouserinks (according to [[https://www.springhole.net/writing/the_nutcracker_and_the_mouse_king/index.html this translation]]) were:
-->Oh, Crackatook, hard nut, now I must die\\
Hee hee, pee pee\\
Nutcracker, young man, you too will die\\
My seven-crowned sun will avenge my death\\
And take from you your living breath\\
Oh, life, so vibrant and red, I - squeak!
* ''Literature/{{Oathbringer}}'': How [[spoiler:Elhokar]] meets his end, at the hands of [[spoiler:Moash.]] [[spoiler:What makes it really tragic, is that the sentence was The First Ideal, and Elhokar was ''one word'' away from finishing it. If that attack had come a few ''seconds'' later, Elhokar would've had the HealingFactor to live through it.]]
* In the original version of ''Literature/PodkayneOfMars'' by Creator/RobertAHeinlein, teenage heroine Podkayne says "Do listen please, because this is important. I love--" before she is killed by a bomb blast. However, Heinlein's publisher hated such a downbeat ending to a novel aimed at teens and insisted Heinlein revise the ending to allow Podkayne to live. The most recent editions have included both endings.
* This is how Fred Weasley died in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'':
-->"You're joking, Perce! You actually are joking... I don't think I've heard you joke since you were--"
** Could be a mild case of HisNameIs as well, as some readers would have really liked to have heard the rest of that sentence.
* In the ''Literature/{{Raffles}}'' short story "The Knees of the Gods", this happens to Raffles.
-->''The sentence was not finished, and never could be in this world.''
* In ''Confessor'', the last book of the ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series, Richard, freshly freed from his imprisonment by the Imperial Order, approaches the officer who'd captured him. Said officer gets four words into his "I've been waiting for this" speech before Richard cuts him down without breaking his stride.
** Furthermore, he later does the exact same thing to the series' resident Big Bad, and to top it all off, he orders him to be thrown in the mass grave with all his dead Mooks.
* In ''Literature/TheThirdWorldWar'', two of the emergency of communities involved in the war have this. The first ends mid-sentence, when the building is bombed, picking up with the backup journal noting the deaths. The second one cuts off mid-word, as Birmingham is nuked. It is stated it is found in the remains of the centre.
* In the Creator/StephenKing novella ''Literature/TheLangoliers'', Craig Toomy is facing down against the eponymous beasties, mistaking them for hobgoblins his father told him about as a caution against laziness. His last thought:
-->'''Toomy:''' How can their little legs be fast? They don't have any le--
** Eddie Kaspbrak in ''Literature/{{It}}''.
** Carrie dies mid-thought in ''{{Literature/Carrie}}''.
** Larry Underwood in ''{{Literature/TheStand}}''.
** Andy [=McGee=] in ''{{Literature/Firestarter}}''.
* One of the characters in Creator/ArthurHailey's ''Film/{{Airport}}'' is an air traffic controller who's haunted by memories of a mid-air collision that took place on his watch (and for which he holds himself responsible). A flashback scene has him and his colleagues listening to a radio transmission from one of the planes as it plummets to earth after the collision, and the final words of a little girl aboard said plane:
-->"...Mummy! Daddy!...Do something! I don't want to die... Oh, Gentle Jesus, I've been good... Please, I don't want..."
* In the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse Literature/XWingSeries novel ''Wraith Squadron'', Admiral Trigit flees in a starfighter after his forces surrender. General Crespin and Lieutenant Donos are in pursuit... Crispin offers Trigit to surrender. Trigit refuses, and instead orders his bodyguards to shoot down his pursuers. Crespin skillfully takes care of them though. Trigit, realizing he's in trouble, tries to surrender after all. He doesn't even get to mid-sentence when a torpedo launched by Donos hits his starfighter.
--> '''Trigit''': Crespin, I'd like to reconsid-
* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'':
** ''Literature/{{Barrayar}}'' has the would-be Imperial usurper Vordarian's last words cut off when [[MamaBear Cordelia]] orders him decapitated: "You're a Betan! You can't do--" [[AxCrazy BOTHAR CHOP!]] Later, she references Vordarian's words, and when asked what she thought he was about to say she replies:
--->"[[InstantlyProvenWrong This]]", I suppose.
** In ''Literature/MirrorDance'', Miles is thinking "Wait, I haven't--" when he is blown nearly in half by a sniper. As this is ''Miles'' we're talking about, he gets better.
* ''Literature/JamesBond'':
** In Creator/IanFleming's ''Literature/FromRussiaWithLove'', the reader is led to believe this happens to Bond. Fortunately, he got better in time for [[Literature/DrNo the next book]].
** An informant in ''Literature/TheManWithTheRedTattoo'' is shot in the head by a bad guy just as he is going to tell Bond and his partner Reiko about the eponymous villain's whereabouts. A chase involving fish and a sword fight ensues.
* Gavroche dies mid-''song'' in ''Literature/LesMiserables'' (yes, the book).
* In Pat Frank's ''Literature/AlasBabylon'', a teletype message from Jacksonville stops mid-sentence when the city is annihilated.
* In ''The Split Second,'' the second book in the Seems series written by John Hulme and Michael Wexler, this happens to Tom Jackal. His body is rapidly aging and he is talking to Becker about his family, whom he left behind to come help save The World (and The Seems): "Don't feel bad for us, son. Because our love will survive anything. And I know I'll see them in A Better ..." He would have said "Place," if he'd had the time... He just didn't quite make it.
* Pharaun Mizzrym from ''Literature/{{War of the Spider Queen}}'' series once was held at wand-point by a fellow drow wizard. This guy would be more of a trouble if he could shut up on his own, though.
-->'''Pharaun:''' ''(to a ''[[LiterallyShatteredLives glasstrike]]''-n statue)'' If you hadn't been so busy expounding on my foolishness, you might have heard the words of my spell.
* Salzella in ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}''... [[FinalSpeech eventually.]]
** A minor thief in ''Literature/GuardsGuards'' turns around the corner and accidentally finds himself [[MuggingTheMonster mugging a dragon]], and dies with "Oh sh--" And then his ghost finishes "--it."
** According to ''Literature/InterestingTimes'', many an ancient lord's final words were "You can't kill me, I'm wearing magic ar''rrgh''!" ("Armour" being the interrupted word)
** Ankh-Morpork's shortest-reigning king was Loyala the Aargh, at 1.4 seconds.
* ''Literature/TheHuntingOfTheSnark''. The luckless person to find the Snark then calls out [[OhCrap "It's a Boo--!"]] and then softly and suddenly vanished away, for the Snark ''was'' a Boojum, you see.
* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' "You? No!" The word still hung in the air when death took him.” And that's the end of Asmodean. That's also all we hear about it for 8 books. It's slightly frustrating.
* Jake Featherston, the CSA's [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Hitler]] {{Expy}} in Creator/HarryTurtledove's ''Literature/Timeline191'' series, does ''not'' commit suicide; he's still pushing his underlings to regroup when a group of black guerrillas spots them. "Get us some motorcars and--"
* Javier Giscard in ''[[Literature/HonorHarrington At All Costs]]''. He realizes that he's up against a weapon he can't hope to defend against, and [[TearJerker manages to get through only half of his lover's first name before he's vaporized]].
* Apparently happens to Anna, the protagonist of the fictional story "An Imperial Affliction" within ''Literature/TheFaultInOurStars'', as the story-within-a-story "ends right in the middle of a --"
* Happens to Father Ferani in the Literature/PaladinOfShadows book ''Unto the Breach''.
* In Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/FoundationAndEmpire'', Bayta kills Ebling Mis before he could tell where the Second Foundation is, because she realizes that [[spoiler:Magnificio is actually the Mule]].
* Happens in second book of Creator/HarryTurtledove's ''Literature/{{Worldwar}}'', when Heinrich Jager's panzer group is attacking a column of Lizard ''landcruisers''. He hears this transmission with his headphones:
-->Engaging lead element of enemy panzer column! Will attempt to carry out plan as outlined. Will—
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' trilogy, [[spoiler:Wiress was killed in the middle of her singing "Hickory-Dickory Dock". This alerted Katniss and the others that the Careers arrived.]]
* In the sole full ''Literature/IronWarriors'' novel, ''Storm of Iron'', one mook blurts out "Oh what the f-" before an Imperial Fist cuts him clean in half with a power sword.
* Garry Kilworth's ''Literature/HouseOfTribes''; [[spoiler:Flegm's]] last words are "Push on, he says. I couldn't push a spr-" His friend is noted to spend the rest of his life wondering what the last word was going to be. "Sprout? Spring? Sprocket?"
* Happens multiple times throughout ''Literature/EdenGreen'' and sequel ''Literature/NewNight'' as (sometimes immortal) characters are killed mid-sentence, including [[spoiler:Eden at the end of the first book, Lucas when arguing with Drews, Eden when Kazuma 'rescues' her]], and others.
* Robert Gernhardt was a satirist, a poet and a victim of terminal cancer. With GallowsHumor, he wrote poems about it, one of them ending with:
--> Findet man nicht alle Tage,
--> womit ich nur sagen will
--> - ach! Ich soll hier nichts mehr sagen?
--> Geht in Ordnung! Bin schon- [[note]]the rhyme would force "still"[[/note]]
* This happens to the narrator of [[spoiler: ''Math Class'']] by Creator/MLLanzillotta.
* Abel Hopton's unnamed commander in ''Literature/GrentsFall''.
* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' book ''Leopardstar's Honor'', the [=RiverClan=] leader Crookedstar dies mid-sentence: "Perhaps Mudfur was right. Perhaps death isn't—"
* The villain of ''Literature/TrailOfLightning'' is executed at the end of their explanatory speech, in the middle of scoffing at the hero' methods.
* ''Literature/JaineAustenMysteries'': In ''Last Writes'', the book's main murder victim is Quinn Kirkland, who's eaten a doughnut covered in rat poison. His last words are "I think there's something wrong with this do-" before dropping dead.
* ''[[https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/48951/a-not-so-simple-fetch-quest/ A (Not So) Simple Fetch Quest]]'': Katie's respawn ability means that she doesn't fear death, but MindControl is a different matter, and being part-dragon, she is able to make that very clear. [[spoiler:Craig]]'s attempt to suggest putting a slave control collar on her "was rather spoilt by the way charcoal silhouettes didn't have the necessary organs for talking. His outline stood in the middle of a circular patch of wall that was glowing a dull red and clinking as it cooled."
[[/folder]]

!![[SelfDemonstratingArticle Examp—]]

** Episode "100" has Reaper meet his end BRUTALLY in this manner at Hotch's hands.
--->"Okay okay, you got me, I surrender, I surre-" ''[[[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown Hotch breaks the motherfucker's head open and breaks it open some more]]]''

-->'''Seth:''' [[SuicideMission This is the Pentagon.]] A full-frontal attack with your strongest forces should render their military centre of operati--(''*gun appears from offscreen, BoomHeadshot*'')

* In ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', Spike Spiegel did this to one of the {{mooks}} of his EvilCounterpart Vicious right as the mook was telling him to [[PutDownYourGunAndStepAway put down his gun and step away]].