History Main / MilesToGoBeforeISleep

* In [[JustForFun/ZerothLaw Shakespeare's]] ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', Horatio tries to finish off the poison and die beside Hamlet. Hamlet stops him, asking him by the love he has for Hamlet to live to tell the story of what happened.

* [[spoiler: Bruno]] in [[Manga/{{JojosBizarreAdventure}} Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]] Part 5 technically dies when he first fights [[BigBad The Boss]], but somehow lingers on until [[spoiler: the very end]]

* Auron in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' [[spoiler: actually died trying to avenge his friends ''before'' the game, then as an Unsent]] lived for ten years [[UnfinishedBusiness so he could guide his friend's kids to finish the job]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Subnautica}}'', the Sea Emperor Leviathan was already ancient when she was captured by the {{Precursors}} and has endured for another thousand years in a tiny containment chamber, [[LastOfItsKind alone]], [[spoiler:to ensure that someone will come and hatch her eggs and ensure the survival of her species (and with them the survival of every lifeform on Planet 4546B - her species produces an enzyme that cures the [[ThePlague Kharaa bacteria]]). Only a minute after her eggs hatch and her young swim for the portal into the shallows, she collapses and allows herself to pass after a final telepathic speech to the player.]]

** [[spoiler: Eragon himself]] briefly gets a moment like this [[spoiler: when he [[CastFromHitPoints depletes his energy from spellcasting.]]]] It is also, however, combined with a TheWorldIsJustAwesome moment that gives him the will to continue until [[spoiler: his full recovery]].

* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', When Anderson shares a Dying Truce with Alucard after being defeated by the no life king, he asked somewhat in pity how long Alucard would have to continue his miserable existance, in which Alucard answered "Until my past is demolished by my future"

* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', When Anderson shares a [[DyingTruce]] with Alucard after being defeated by the no life king, he asked somewhat in pity how long Alucard would have to continue his miserable existance, in which Alucard answered "Until my past is demolished by my future"

* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', Alucard has an unfulfilled contract with the Hellsing family, meaning he can never really leave England or stop fighting (not that he wants to do the former). And he's [[WhoWantsToLiveForever functionally immortal, so]]...

* In ''Film/TheBookOfEli'', Eli is on a MissionFromGod to deliver a Bible to people who will make good with it. He's spent the better part of three decades crossing the post-apocalyptic United States of America [[spoiler:while blind]] and at the climax he gets shot in the gut by the BigBad and is very visibly dying by inches, but he toughs it out long enough to reach the outpost in Alcatraz Island where information is pooled to rebuild society and narrate the entire King James Bible to be written down. In his final voice-over, he's thankful to God for finally being able to rest.

* Punisher villain Thorn woke up from a nearly(?) successful attempt on his life remembering nothing but his killers' faces (including Frank's). Now he feels no pain or emotions, shrugs off any and all injuries no matter how severe, and neither needs nor wants to sleep at all. Like a vengeful ghost, he just wants to settle unfinished business so he can finaly rest. He and Frank are both described as "like they're already dead" in one story.

* Punisher villain Thorn knew nothing but his killer's face (Frank's) when he woke up after an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now he feels no pain or emotions, shrugs off any and all injuries no matter how severe, and neither needs nor wants to sleep at all. Like a vengeful ghost, he just wants to settle unfinished business so he can finaly rest. He and Frank are both described as "like they're already dead" in one story.

* Punisher villain Thorn knew nothing but his killer's face (Frank's) when he woke up after an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now he feels no pain or emotions, shrugs off any and all injuries no matter how severe, and doesn't need to sleep at all. Like a vengeful ghost, he just wants to settle unfinished business so he can finaly rest. He and Frank are both described as "like they're already dead" in one story.

* Punisher villain Thorn knew nothing but his killer's face (Frank's) when he woke up after an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now he feels no pain or emotions, shrugs off any and all injuries no matter how severe, and doesn't or can't sleep at all. Like a vengeful ghost, he just wants to settle unfinished business so he can finaly rest. He and Frank are both described as "like they're already dead" in one story.

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* Ivan Isaacs of ''Manhwa/{{Priest}}''. He wants nothing more than to be with his dead girlfriend again, but he still has to complete his RoaringRampageOfRevenge and apparently the BigBad has worked Ivan's fate into his plans, and intentionally keeps him alive so Ivan can fulfill his role.

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* Whether this trope applies to the TropeNamer, Creator/RobertFrost's poem ''Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening'' is heavily debated by critics.

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* Taylor Hebert's mindset throughout most of ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', after leaving her initial DeathSeeker phase. Taken UpToEleven in the final fight when the only thing keeping her from going crazy from a deadly upgrade is her drive to kill [[spoiler: Zion]] - the minute the enemy is dead she promptly falls apart.

Of course what happens to such a character can vary - some will find that the obligation to keep living has actually helped them to weather the psychological storm and when their task is done, they're free to enjoy life after all. Others will die in trying to fulfill their responsibilities, or [[PostVictoryCollapse shortly afterward]], as if their bodies knew it was safe to give out now.

-->-- '''Robert Frost''', "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"

* Auron in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' [[spoiler: actually died trying to avenge his friends ''before'' the game, then as an Unsent]] lived for ten years [[UnfinishedBusiness so he could guide his friends' kids to finish the job]].

* The first half of Collin Raye's "Love, Me" is about a man who [[IWillWaitForYou waited for a woman to run off with him so they could get married]]. When the second chorus rolls around, it's the woman who "[[{{Heaven}} got there]]" before he did, and the first part's trope combines with this one.