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Changed line(s) 119 (click to see context) from:
* In ''Film/TheFugitive'' the title character leaps from the top of a dam to avoid being arrested. Most of the pursuing Feds are sure he's dead and one of the Marshals says their quarry is likely "fish food". Gerard doesn't believe it without a body and he turns out to be right, their fugitive survived the fall.
to:
* In ''Film/TheFugitive'' ''Film/TwentyEightWeeksLater'':
** Robert Carlyle's character escapes the "zombies", leaving his wife to be killed by them. Later, [[spoiler: she is revealed to have survived.]]
** In his defense, he saw her get taken down but was unable to do anything at that point. Realistically, he had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: she would be the first person immune to the effects of the virus and thus be capable of surviving an attack without becoming a "zombie"]]
* ''Film/TheAvengers'': Averted Trope. [[spoiler:[[PhilCoulson Agent Coulson]]]] ''appears'' to die, but the scene cuts away before we find out whether [[spoiler:he]] was really OnlyMostlyDead and taken to a hospital room. Fury plays the death for all it's worth in getting the bickering heroes to put aside their differences, but is explicitly shown to be a ConsummateLiar about other things [[spoiler:(including lying about the Captain America trading cards being taken from Coulson's body, rather than his locker!)]]. Furthermore, the actor who plays [[spoiler:Coulson]] has said [[spoiler:he]] was assured by Joss Whedon that the character survives, and is rumored to be in talks to appear in future Marvel movies as that character.
* ''Film/BatmanBegins'':
** At the end, Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-beacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' (''The Bourne Ultimatum''): Ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'': That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end, and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "his body was never found", but after TheHero and his LoveInterest get married, we see Otto [[MasterOfDisguise disguised as their chauffeur]]. But that is another tale.
* ''Film/TheDeadGirl'': One character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* ''DOA: DeadOrAlive'': The film-of-the-game starts with Kasumi being told by Ryu Hayabusa about her brother Hayate's death in the DOA tournament. Kasumi immediately demands to see the body. Hayabusa tells her that there is no body. Kasumi then flatly states that Hayate is not dead and goes to find him. On the other hand, Ayane, who is secretly in love with Hayate, doesn't question that he's dead. Later on, [[BigBad Victor Donovan]] personally tells her that, after his fight with Leon, Hayate fell off a cliff, and his body was never recovered. Naturally, Kasumi assumes Donovan is lying, especially after fighting Leon and finding out he's a mediocre fighter at best (i.e. no match for Hayate).
* ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'': Overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* ''{{Freejack}}'': StableTimeLoop version: In this Emilio Estevez movie, race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* ''Film/TheFugitive'': The title character leaps from the top of a dam to avoid being arrested. Most of the pursuing Feds are sure he's dead and one of the Marshals says their quarry is likely "fish food". Gerard doesn't believe it without a body and he turns out to be right, their fugitive survived thefall. fall:
** Robert Carlyle's character escapes the "zombies", leaving his wife to be killed by them. Later, [[spoiler: she is revealed to have survived.]]
** In his defense, he saw her get taken down but was unable to do anything at that point. Realistically, he had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: she would be the first person immune to the effects of the virus and thus be capable of surviving an attack without becoming a "zombie"]]
* ''Film/TheAvengers'': Averted Trope. [[spoiler:[[PhilCoulson Agent Coulson]]]] ''appears'' to die, but the scene cuts away before we find out whether [[spoiler:he]] was really OnlyMostlyDead and taken to a hospital room. Fury plays the death for all it's worth in getting the bickering heroes to put aside their differences, but is explicitly shown to be a ConsummateLiar about other things [[spoiler:(including lying about the Captain America trading cards being taken from Coulson's body, rather than his locker!)]]. Furthermore, the actor who plays [[spoiler:Coulson]] has said [[spoiler:he]] was assured by Joss Whedon that the character survives, and is rumored to be in talks to appear in future Marvel movies as that character.
* ''Film/BatmanBegins'':
** At the end, Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-beacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' (''The Bourne Ultimatum''): Ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'': That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end, and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "his body was never found", but after TheHero and his LoveInterest get married, we see Otto [[MasterOfDisguise disguised as their chauffeur]]. But that is another tale.
* ''Film/TheDeadGirl'': One character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* ''DOA: DeadOrAlive'': The film-of-the-game starts with Kasumi being told by Ryu Hayabusa about her brother Hayate's death in the DOA tournament. Kasumi immediately demands to see the body. Hayabusa tells her that there is no body. Kasumi then flatly states that Hayate is not dead and goes to find him. On the other hand, Ayane, who is secretly in love with Hayate, doesn't question that he's dead. Later on, [[BigBad Victor Donovan]] personally tells her that, after his fight with Leon, Hayate fell off a cliff, and his body was never recovered. Naturally, Kasumi assumes Donovan is lying, especially after fighting Leon and finding out he's a mediocre fighter at best (i.e. no match for Hayate).
* ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'': Overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* ''{{Freejack}}'': StableTimeLoop version: In this Emilio Estevez movie, race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* ''Film/TheFugitive'': The title character leaps from the top of a dam to avoid being arrested. Most of the pursuing Feds are sure he's dead and one of the Marshals says their quarry is likely "fish food". Gerard doesn't believe it without a body and he turns out to be right, their fugitive survived the
Changed line(s) 121,134 (click to see context) from:
* Averted in ''TheInvisible'', as Nick's body ''is'' eventually found, even though he is NotQuiteDead.
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after his death. The only ''mention'' of him after that scene is when {{Wolverine}} finds one of his personal effects. And the gravestone, of course. But you never hear anyone in that movie say "Gee, I sure miss him; maybe we should have a ''moment of silence'' for ''one of our MOST IMPORTANT teammates!"''
* Brick Top from ''{{Snatch}}'' guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* Subverted in ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'' twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports that they haven't found the body. In response, Palpatine (or at least, one of his advisors) immediately (and rightly) assumes that he is ''not'' dead, and orders Thire to continue searching.
** Played straight in ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' with Boba Fett [[spoiler: falling into the Sarlacc]] up until his [[EnsembleDarkhorse extreme popularity]] [[InferredSurvival proved otherwise]].
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* StableTimeLoop version: The Emilio Estevez movie ''{{Freejack}}'', race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* The original cut of Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/TheShining'' had an epilogue in which Wendy is visited in the hospital by the Overlook's manager, Mr. Ullman, who tells her that they never found Jack's body. Kubrick [[DeletedScene excised]] this scene shortly after the film's initial premiere.
* That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end of ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'', and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "his body was never found", but after TheHero and his LoveInterest get married, we see Otto [[MasterOfDisguise disguised as their chauffeur]]. But that is another tale.
* ''Film/MaxPayne'' is shot by the bad guys and falls into the sea. The bad guys don't bother waiting around to see if he gets back up, they simply presume he is dead. All it took Max was some painkillers and the drug and he was good as new.
* Michael's body in the beginning of Music/RobZombie's ''Film/HalloweenII2009''.
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after his death. The only ''mention'' of him after that scene is when {{Wolverine}} finds one of his personal effects. And the gravestone, of course. But you never hear anyone in that movie say "Gee, I sure miss him; maybe we should have a ''moment of silence'' for ''one of our MOST IMPORTANT teammates!"''
* Brick Top from ''{{Snatch}}'' guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* Subverted in ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'' twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports that they haven't found the body. In response, Palpatine (or at least, one of his advisors) immediately (and rightly) assumes that he is ''not'' dead, and orders Thire to continue searching.
** Played straight in ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' with Boba Fett [[spoiler: falling into the Sarlacc]] up until his [[EnsembleDarkhorse extreme popularity]] [[InferredSurvival proved otherwise]].
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* StableTimeLoop version: The Emilio Estevez movie ''{{Freejack}}'', race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* The original cut of Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/TheShining'' had an epilogue in which Wendy is visited in the hospital by the Overlook's manager, Mr. Ullman, who tells her that they never found Jack's body. Kubrick [[DeletedScene excised]] this scene shortly after the film's initial premiere.
* That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end of ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'', and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "his body was never found", but after TheHero and his LoveInterest get married, we see Otto [[MasterOfDisguise disguised as their chauffeur]]. But that is another tale.
* ''Film/MaxPayne'' is shot by the bad guys and falls into the sea. The bad guys don't bother waiting around to see if he gets back up, they simply presume he is dead. All it took Max was some painkillers and the drug and he was good as new.
* Michael's body in the beginning of Music/RobZombie's ''Film/HalloweenII2009''.
to:
* Averted in ''TheInvisible'', as Nick's body ''is'' eventually found, even though he is NotQuiteDead.
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after his death.''Film/GoneBabyGone'': The only ''mention'' of him after that scene missing girl is when {{Wolverine}} finds one of his personal effects. And the gravestone, of course. But you never hear anyone in that movie say "Gee, I sure miss him; maybe we should have a ''moment of silence'' for ''one of our MOST IMPORTANT teammates!"''
* Brick Top from ''{{Snatch}}'' guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* Subverted in ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'' twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports that they haven't found the body. In response, Palpatine (or at least, one of his advisors) immediately (and rightly) assumes that he is ''not''declared dead, and orders Thire to continue searching.
** Played straight in ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' with Boba Fett [[spoiler: falling intoalthough the Sarlacc]] up until his [[EnsembleDarkhorse extreme popularity]] [[InferredSurvival proved otherwise]].
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* StableTimeLoop version: The Emilio Estevez movie ''{{Freejack}}'', race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* The original cut of Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/TheShining'' had an epilogue in which Wendy is visited in the hospital by the Overlook's manager, Mr. Ullman, who tells her that they never found Jack's body. Kubrick [[DeletedScene excised]] this scene shortly after the film's initial premiere.
* That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end of ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'', and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "hisbody was never found", but after TheHero and his LoveInterest get married, we see Otto [[MasterOfDisguise disguised as their chauffeur]]. But that is another tale.
found.
*''Film/MaxPayne'' is shot by ''TheGuard'': Uses this twice - one with [[spoiler: Aidan]] then at the bad guys and falls into the sea. The bad guys don't bother waiting around to see if he gets back up, they simply presume he is dead. All it took Max was some painkillers and the drug and he was good as new.
end with [[spoiler: Gerry]].
* ''Film/HalloweenII2009'':
** Michael's body in the beginning ofMusic/RobZombie's ''Film/HalloweenII2009''.this Music/RobZombie film.
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after his death.
* Brick Top from ''{{Snatch}}'' guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* Subverted in ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'' twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports that they haven't found the body. In response, Palpatine (or at least, one of his advisors) immediately (and rightly) assumes that he is ''not''
** Played straight in ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' with Boba Fett [[spoiler: falling into
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' ends this way, but the audience is shown the truth; GenreSavvy Nikki knows the truth as soon as she hears the news report.
* StableTimeLoop version: The Emilio Estevez movie ''{{Freejack}}'', race car driver Alex Furlong appears to die in a car crash in 1991, but his body is secretly teleported into [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the futuristic year 2009]] by a businessman for use as a transplant host. When Alex escapes and looks up his old friend, the friend is unsurprised to see someone who died 18 years ago, because... they never found the body.
* The original cut of Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/TheShining'' had an epilogue in which Wendy is visited in the hospital by the Overlook's manager, Mr. Ullman, who tells her that they never found Jack's body. Kubrick [[DeletedScene excised]] this scene shortly after the film's initial premiere.
* That Hun swine Otto von Bruno's plane crashes at the end of ''Film/{{Bullshot}}'', and [[{{Narrator}} Professor Fenton]] states that "his
*
* ''Film/HalloweenII2009'':
** Michael's body in the beginning of
Changed line(s) 136,141 (click to see context) from:
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d twice in ''UnderSiege2DarkTerritory''. With Penn already having bitch-slapped a subordinate for thinking a SEAL team captain could die so easily, he himself falls folly to it and the below dialogue takes place (close to an exact miror of his own earlier speech). As he immediately points out though, alive or not, Ryback is ''not'' on the train (since Ryback is the hero, this situation-redeeming fact obviously doesn't last very long):
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
* In TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Aragorn plunges off a cliff during the warg battle in the Two Towers. Naturally he proves to be NotQuiteDead.
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
* In TheFilmOfTheBook of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Aragorn plunges off a cliff during the warg battle in the Two Towers. Naturally he proves to be NotQuiteDead.
to:
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d twice in ''UnderSiege2DarkTerritory''. With Penn already having bitch-slapped a subordinate for thinking a SEAL team captain could die so easily, ''TheInvisible'': AvertedTrope, as Nick's body ''is'' eventually found, even though he himself falls folly to it and the below dialogue takes place (close to an exact miror of his own earlier speech). As he immediately points out though, alive or not, Ryback is ''not'' on the train (since Ryback is the hero, this situation-redeeming fact obviously doesn't last very long):
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
NotQuiteDead.
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'':
** InTheFilmOfTheBook of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', TheFilmOfTheBook, Aragorn plunges off a cliff during the warg battle in the Two Towers. Naturally he proves to be NotQuiteDead.
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'':
** In
Deleted line(s) 143,145 (click to see context) :
* In ''Film/TheStendhalSyndrome'', in spite of all the things she does to him before pushing him over a cliff into rapids, Anna refuses to believe the killer is dead. [[spoiler: Turns out, she's wrong. But there's a copycat. [[MindScrew And it's her.]]]]
* In the American version of ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla'' SteveMartin pretty much says this about the [[Film/{{Gojira}} 1958 version]] of Godzilla. "Just for the record, they never found a body"
* ''Film/StrikingDistance'': Early in the movie, cop [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo apparently commits suicide by jumping off a bridge into a river.]] His body is never found, but he is given a funeral. [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo reappears at the end of the movie and reveals he was the mystery serial killer all along.]]
* In the American version of ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla'' SteveMartin pretty much says this about the [[Film/{{Gojira}} 1958 version]] of Godzilla. "Just for the record, they never found a body"
* ''Film/StrikingDistance'': Early in the movie, cop [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo apparently commits suicide by jumping off a bridge into a river.]] His body is never found, but he is given a funeral. [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo reappears at the end of the movie and reveals he was the mystery serial killer all along.]]
Changed line(s) 147,159 (click to see context) from:
* ''Film/TwentyEightWeeksLater'': Robert Carlyle's character escapes the "zombies", leaving his wife to be killed by them. Later, [[spoiler: she is revealed to have survived.]]
** In his defense, he saw her get taken down but was unable to do anything at that point. Realistically, he had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: she would be the first person immune to the effects of the virus and thus be capable of surviving an attack without becoming a "zombie"]]
* At the end of ''Film/TheRock'', Stanley Goodspeed claims that John Mason was caught in a missile blast and either vaporized or blown to sea. When this report is made, Mason is standing right next to Goodspeed, totally unharmed. Mason then uses the report of his death to allow him to start a new life.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''TheGuard'' uses this twice- one with [[spoiler: Aidan]] then at the end with [[spoiler: Gerry]].
* In ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'', overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* In ''Film/TheDeadGirl'', one character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* At the End of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-breacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all in ''Film/TheTrumanShow''. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* The 1979 Italian comedy ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
* Played with in ''Film/{{Maverick}}''
** In his defense, he saw her get taken down but was unable to do anything at that point. Realistically, he had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: she would be the first person immune to the effects of the virus and thus be capable of surviving an attack without becoming a "zombie"]]
* At the end of ''Film/TheRock'', Stanley Goodspeed claims that John Mason was caught in a missile blast and either vaporized or blown to sea. When this report is made, Mason is standing right next to Goodspeed, totally unharmed. Mason then uses the report of his death to allow him to start a new life.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''TheGuard'' uses this twice- one with [[spoiler: Aidan]] then at the end with [[spoiler: Gerry]].
* In ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'', overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* In ''Film/TheDeadGirl'', one character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* At the End of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-breacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all in ''Film/TheTrumanShow''. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* The 1979 Italian comedy ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
* Played with in ''Film/{{Maverick}}''
to:
* ''Film/TwentyEightWeeksLater'': Robert Carlyle's character escapes the "zombies", leaving his wife to be killed by them. Later, ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort of speculation here [[spoiler: she is revealed Although the C-17 delivers its payload, the idea was to have survived.send the Zod's Mooks back to the Phantom Zone; which means they MAY not be dead, and all the people on the plane still kicking it may be trapped with everyone the Kryptonians ever threw into the Phantom Zone.]]
** In his defense, he saw her get taken down but was unable to do anything at that point. Realistically, he had no way of knowing that [[spoiler: she would be the first person immune to the effects of the virus and thus be capable of surviving an attack without becoming a "zombie"]]
* At the end of ''Film/TheRock'', Stanley Goodspeed claims that John Mason was caught in a missile blast and either vaporized or blown to sea. When this report is made, Mason is standing right next to Goodspeed, totally unharmed. Mason then uses the report of his death to allow him to start a new life.
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''TheGuard'' uses this twice- one with [[spoiler: Aidan]] then at the end with [[spoiler: Gerry]].
* In ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'', overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* In ''Film/TheDeadGirl'', one character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* At the End of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-breacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all in ''Film/TheTrumanShow''. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* The 1979 Italian comedy ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
*''Film/{{Maverick}}'': Played with in ''Film/{{Maverick}}''with:
* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': They never do find Buttle's body, despite his wife's repeated cries through the film. It's lost in the bureaucracy.
* ''TheGuard'' uses this twice- one with [[spoiler: Aidan]] then at the end with [[spoiler: Gerry]].
* In ''Film/EddieAndTheCruisers'', overanguished Jersey rock star Eddie Wilson fakes his death by driving his car off a bridge into the Raritan River. They NeverFoundTheBody, of course, and Eddie is seen in the last shot watching TV in a shop window. This becomes a plot driver in the sequel, when the Evil Record Company, which is cashing in on some previously unknown Eddie Wilson tracks, uses the lack of a corpse to build excitement by spreading the rumor that the tracks might have been recorded "after Eddie died." All this while Eddie is actually hiding out in Montreal, startled to be suddenly hearing his old music on the radio (sniff). As [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Eddie_and_the_Cruisers_II__Eddie_Lives__1989.aspx?Page=3 Agony Booth]] noted in their recap of the sequel, "Is it even ''possible'' in movies for someone whose body was never found to ''actually be dead''?"
* In ''Film/TheDeadGirl'', one character's (Leah) sister was abducted fifteen years ago, and Leah insists (to her mother!) that her sister must have been raped, murdered and dismembered and then hidden somewhere she'll never be found. Much of her plotline deals with trying to find closure.
* At the End of ''Film/BatmanBegins'', Ra's al Ghul is apparently killed when the train car he is in derails and crashes. He has so far not returned, but the fact that we never see his body ([[ImmortalLifeIsCheap along with some of his defining characteristics from the comics]]) has fueled much fan speculation.
** [[spoiler: Nah, he didn't pull a Ra's. But in some way he lived on... until the third film that is.]]
** In the third film, the GenreSavvy Bane's {{Mook}}s capture Commissioner Gordon. Bane is furious that they brought him to his secret location. Gordon manages to fall into water and is washed away into a sewer pipe. The Mook claims that NoOneCouldSurviveThat, but Bane demands to see the body before he'll believe it. When the Mook tries to complain, Bane puts a radio-breacon on him and [[YouHaveFailedMe shoots him]], letting the Mook fall into the water.
* Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all in ''Film/TheTrumanShow''. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* The 1979 Italian comedy ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
*
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* ''Film/TheAvengers'': Partial aversion. [[spoiler:[[PhilCoulson Agent Coulson]]]] ''appears'' to die, but the scene cuts away before we find out whether [[spoiler:he]] was really OnlyMostlyDead and taken to a hospital room. Fury plays the death for all it's worth in getting the bickering heroes to put aside their differences, but is explicitly shown to be a ConsummateLiar about other things [[spoiler:(including lying about the Captain America trading cards being taken from Coulson's body, rather than his locker!)]]. Furthermore, the actor who plays [[spoiler:Coulson]] has said [[spoiler:he]] was assured by Joss Whedon that the character survives, and is rumored to be in talks to appear in future Marvel movies as that character.
* Subverted in ''Film/RuthlessPeople'' after the kidnapper and his car fall into the water at the pier. A short time later, [[spoiler: we see the police fishing the corpse of the Bedroom Killer (who died earlier in the kidnapper's house by accident) out of the water (the kidnappers put him there as a decoy) while the kidnapper survives thanks to SCUBA gear and makes it to the beach to be reunited with his girlfriend and Mrs. Stone before the end credits roll.]]
* The film-of-the-game ''DOA: DeadOrAlive'', starts with Kasumi being told by Ryu Hayabusa about her brother Hayate's death in the DOA tournament. Kasumi immediately demands to see the body. Hayabusa tells her that there is no body. Kasumi then flatly states that Hayate is not dead and goes to find him. On the other hand, Ayane, who is secretly in love with Hayate, doesn't question that he's dead. Later on, [[BigBad Victor Donovan]] personally tells her that, after his fight with Leon, Hayate fell off a cliff, and his body was never recovered. Naturally, Kasumi assumes Donovan is lying, especially after fighting Leon and finding out he's a mediocre fighter at best (i.e. no match for Hayate).
* In ''Film/GoneBabyGone'', the missing girl is declared dead, although the body was never found.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort of speculation here [[spoiler: Although the C-17 delivers its payload, the idea was to send the Zod's Mooks back to the Phantom Zone; which means they MAY not be dead, and all the people on the plane still kicking it may be trapped with everyone the Kryptonians ever threw into the Phantom Zone.]]
* Subverted in ''Film/RuthlessPeople'' after the kidnapper and his car fall into the water at the pier. A short time later, [[spoiler: we see the police fishing the corpse of the Bedroom Killer (who died earlier in the kidnapper's house by accident) out of the water (the kidnappers put him there as a decoy) while the kidnapper survives thanks to SCUBA gear and makes it to the beach to be reunited with his girlfriend and Mrs. Stone before the end credits roll.]]
* The film-of-the-game ''DOA: DeadOrAlive'', starts with Kasumi being told by Ryu Hayabusa about her brother Hayate's death in the DOA tournament. Kasumi immediately demands to see the body. Hayabusa tells her that there is no body. Kasumi then flatly states that Hayate is not dead and goes to find him. On the other hand, Ayane, who is secretly in love with Hayate, doesn't question that he's dead. Later on, [[BigBad Victor Donovan]] personally tells her that, after his fight with Leon, Hayate fell off a cliff, and his body was never recovered. Naturally, Kasumi assumes Donovan is lying, especially after fighting Leon and finding out he's a mediocre fighter at best (i.e. no match for Hayate).
* In ''Film/GoneBabyGone'', the missing girl is declared dead, although the body was never found.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort of speculation here [[spoiler: Although the C-17 delivers its payload, the idea was to send the Zod's Mooks back to the Phantom Zone; which means they MAY not be dead, and all the people on the plane still kicking it may be trapped with everyone the Kryptonians ever threw into the Phantom Zone.]]
to:
* ''Film/TheAvengers'': Partial aversion. [[spoiler:[[PhilCoulson Agent Coulson]]]] ''appears'' to die, but ''Film/MaxPayne'': Max Payne is shot by the scene cuts away before we find out whether [[spoiler:he]] bad guys and falls into the sea. The bad guys don't bother waiting around to see if he gets back up, they simply presume he is dead. All it took Max was really OnlyMostlyDead some painkillers and taken to a hospital room. Fury plays the death for all it's worth in getting drug and he was good as new.
* ''Messalina, Messalina'': This 1979 Italian comedy insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped thebickering heroes to put aside their differences, but is explicitly shown to be a ConsummateLiar about other things [[spoiler:(including lying Gardens of Lucullus.
* ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla'': In the American version, SteveMartin pretty much says this about theCaptain America trading cards being taken from Coulson's body, rather than his locker!)]]. Furthermore, [[Film/{{Gojira}} 1958 version]] of Godzilla. "Just for the actor who plays [[spoiler:Coulson]] has said [[spoiler:he]] was assured by Joss Whedon record, they never found a body."
* ''Film/{{Revolution 1985}}'': Daisy is presumed dead when the British ambush her at Valley Forge. The ending reveals that [[spoiler: she is alive and well]].
* ''Film/TheRock'': At thecharacter survives, and is rumored to be in talks to appear in future Marvel movies as end, Stanley Goodspeed claims that character.
* SubvertedJohn Mason was caught in ''Film/RuthlessPeople'' a missile blast and either vaporized or blown to sea. When this report is made, Mason is standing right next to Goodspeed, totally unharmed. Mason then uses the report of his death to allow him to start a new life.
* ''Film/RuthlessPeople'': SubvertedTrope after the kidnapper and his car fall into the water at the pier. A short time later, [[spoiler: we see the police fishing the corpse of the Bedroom Killer (who died earlier in the kidnapper's house by accident) out of the water (the kidnappers put him there as a decoy) while the kidnapper survives thanks to SCUBA gear and makes it to the beach to be reunited with his girlfriend and Mrs. Stone before the end credits roll.]]
* ''Film/TheShining'': Thefilm-of-the-game ''DOA: DeadOrAlive'', starts with Kasumi being told by Ryu Hayabusa about her brother Hayate's death original cut of this Creator/StanleyKubrick film had an epilogue in which Wendy is visited in the DOA tournament. Kasumi immediately demands to see hospital by the body. Hayabusa Overlook's manager, Mr. Ullman, who tells her that there is no they never found Jack's body. Kasumi then flatly states Kubrick [[DeletedScene excised]] this scene shortly after the film's initial premiere.
* ''{{Snatch}}'': Brick Top guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'':
** SubvertedTrope twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports thatHayate they haven't found the body. In response, Palpatine (or at least, one of his advisors) immediately (and rightly) assumes that he is not dead ''not'' dead, and goes orders Thire to find him. On the other hand, Ayane, who is secretly continue searching.
** Played straight inlove ''ReturnOfTheJedi'' with Hayate, Boba Fett [[spoiler: falling into the Sarlacc]] up until his [[EnsembleDarkhorse extreme popularity]] [[InferredSurvival proved otherwise]].
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''Film/TheStendhalSyndrome'': In spite of all the things she does to him before pushing him over a cliff into rapids, Anna refuses to believe the killer is dead. [[spoiler: Turns out, she's wrong. But there's a copycat. [[MindScrew And it's her.]]]]
* ''Film/StrikingDistance'': Early in the movie, cop [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo apparently commits suicide by jumping off a bridge into a river.]] His body is never found, but he is given a funeral. [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo reappears at the end of the movie and reveals he was the mystery serial killer all along.]]
* ''Film/TheTrumanShow'': Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* ''UnderSiege2DarkTerritory'': Gets a LampshadeHanging twice. With Penn already having bitch-slapped a subordinate for thinking a SEAL team captain could die so easily, he himself falls folly to it and the below dialogue takes place (close to an exact miror of his own earlier speech). As he immediately points out though, alive or not, Ryback is ''not'' on the train (since Ryback is the hero, this situation-redeeming fact obviously doesn'tquestion that he's dead. Later on, [[BigBad Victor Donovan]] personally tells her that, last very long):
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after hisfight with Leon, Hayate fell off a cliff, and death. The only ''mention'' of him after that scene is when {{Wolverine}} finds one of his body was personal effects. And the gravestone, of course. But you never recovered. Naturally, Kasumi assumes Donovan is lying, especially after fighting Leon and finding out he's hear anyone in that movie say "Gee, I sure miss him; maybe we should have a mediocre fighter at best (i.e. no match ''moment of silence'' for Hayate).
* In ''Film/GoneBabyGone'', the missing girl is declared dead, although the body was never found.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort''one of speculation here [[spoiler: Although the C-17 delivers its payload, the idea was to send the Zod's Mooks back to the Phantom Zone; which means they MAY not be dead, and all the people on the plane still kicking it may be trapped with everyone the Kryptonians ever threw into the Phantom Zone.]]our MOST IMPORTANT teammates!"''
* ''Messalina, Messalina'': This 1979 Italian comedy insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the
* ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla'': In the American version, SteveMartin pretty much says this about the
* ''Film/{{Revolution 1985}}'': Daisy is presumed dead when the British ambush her at Valley Forge. The ending reveals that [[spoiler: she is alive and well]].
* ''Film/TheRock'': At the
* Subverted
* ''Film/RuthlessPeople'': SubvertedTrope after the kidnapper and his car fall into the water at the pier. A short time later, [[spoiler: we see the police fishing the corpse of the Bedroom Killer (who died earlier in the kidnapper's house by accident) out of the water (the kidnappers put him there as a decoy) while the kidnapper survives thanks to SCUBA gear and makes it to the beach to be reunited with his girlfriend and Mrs. Stone before the end credits roll.]]
* ''Film/TheShining'': The
* ''{{Snatch}}'': Brick Top guarantees this by feeding the corpses to pigs. In a scene, he describes the animal's eating process.
* ''Franchise/StarWars [[RevengeOfTheSith Episode III]]'':
** SubvertedTrope twice. First, when Order 66 is executed and one character is shot off a cliff and falls into the sinkhole, Commander Cody orders his men to keep searching for a body. Again after a battle with Palpatine which ends in his opponent falling to what should be his death, Commander Thire reports that
** Played straight in
** ''Star Wars'' actually has a number of these. Mace Windu being another prime example. Generally any Jedi who has a considerable fanbase will have somebody speculating their survival of Order 66 at some point.
* ''Film/TheStendhalSyndrome'': In spite of all the things she does to him before pushing him over a cliff into rapids, Anna refuses to believe the killer is dead. [[spoiler: Turns out, she's wrong. But there's a copycat. [[MindScrew And it's her.]]]]
* ''Film/StrikingDistance'': Early in the movie, cop [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo apparently commits suicide by jumping off a bridge into a river.]] His body is never found, but he is given a funeral. [[spoiler:Jimmy Detillo reappears at the end of the movie and reveals he was the mystery serial killer all along.]]
* ''Film/TheTrumanShow'': Part of Truman's reasoning for why the man he saw could be his father after all. Naturally, part of the reason for his dad's disappearance and the way he returns follow the soap opera model.
* ''UnderSiege2DarkTerritory'': Gets a LampshadeHanging twice. With Penn already having bitch-slapped a subordinate for thinking a SEAL team captain could die so easily, he himself falls folly to it and the below dialogue takes place (close to an exact miror of his own earlier speech). As he immediately points out though, alive or not, Ryback is ''not'' on the train (since Ryback is the hero, this situation-redeeming fact obviously doesn't
-->'''Marcus Penn''': [[StevenSeagal Ryback's]] gone, Dane.
-->'''Travis Dane''': Did you see the body?
-->'''Marcus Penn''': No, but I assumed...
-->'''Travis Dane''': Assumption is the mother of all FUCKUPS!
* ''Film/{{X-Men}}'':
** Sabretooth and Toad from the first movie. To this day, their fates are still unclear.
** In the third film, [[spoiler:Cyclops's]] body is never found after his
* In ''Film/GoneBabyGone'', the missing girl is declared dead, although the body was never found.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort
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** ''[[SpartacusBloodAndSand Spartacus War of the Damned]]'' manages to hold true to this, [[spoiler:he is mortally wounded in front of Crassus, but is then carried away by his allies, and ultimately dies with them far from Romans.]]
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* ''{{Destinos}}'': Rosario, Fernando Castillo's first wife, was apparently killed by a bomb during the Spanish Civil War, but it was never confirmed. Fleeing to Mexico, Fernando [[UnPerson hid all evidence]] of his first marriage from his family, until a letter from Sevilla turned up indicating that she may have survived.
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* Lampshaded at times in AndrewVachss's Burke books with TheDreaded ShroudedInMyth Wesley, who supposedly blew himself up live on television. While Burke, as the closest thing to a friend the man had, is sure he is dead, the rest of the underworld is not because there was not enough left to tell.
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* Lampshaded at times in AndrewVachss's Creator/AndrewVachss's Burke books with TheDreaded ShroudedInMyth Wesley, who supposedly blew himself up live on television. While Burke, as the closest thing to a friend the man had, is sure he is dead, the rest of the underworld is not because there was not enough left to tell.
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* Played with in VideoGame/StreetFighter 4 where Guile believes that his friend and mentor Charlie Nash is still alive specifically because, well, they [[InvokedTrope never found the body.]] It's thought that [[spoiler: Charlie rescued Abel and was [[KilledOffForReal killed in an accident]]]], but this has [[ShrugOfGod never been cleared up]].
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* Just before ''{{Runaways}}'' got cancelled, Old Lace's body suddenly (and conveniently) disappeared. She later turned up alive in ''AvengersAcademy'', albeit stuck in another dimension; supposedly, the explanation was that Nico Minoru sent her there sometime in all the chaos that surrounded her death.
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* The ''VisualNovel/AceAttorney'' series had this happen with [[spoiler: Thalassa Gramarye]]. She turned out to be alive.
** Pulled in an earlier game with [[spoiler: Dahlia Hawthorne,]] though we knew she was alive before the trope came up.
** And played with [[spoiler: Ini Miney. Her body was seen, but so badly burned that she was mistaken for her sister Mimi, who went on to have plastic surgery to imitate Ini.]]
** Pulled in an earlier game with [[spoiler: Dahlia Hawthorne,]] though we knew she was alive before the trope came up.
** And played with [[spoiler: Ini Miney. Her body was seen, but so badly burned that she was mistaken for her sister Mimi, who went on to have plastic surgery to imitate Ini.]]
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* The ''VisualNovel/AceAttorney'' series had this happen with [[spoiler: Thalassa Gramarye]]. She turned out to be alive.
** Pulled in an earlier game with [[spoiler: Dahlia Hawthorne,]] though we knew she was alive before the trope came up.
** And played with [[spoiler: Ini Miney. Her body was seen, but so badly burned that she was mistaken for her sister Mimi, who went on to have plastic surgery to imitate Ini.]]
** Pulled in an earlier game with [[spoiler: Dahlia Hawthorne,]] though we knew she was alive before the trope came up.
** And played with [[spoiler: Ini Miney. Her body was seen, but so badly burned that she was mistaken for her sister Mimi, who went on to have plastic surgery to imitate Ini.]]
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* Kirei Kotomine of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' in UBW where Tohsaka [[LampshadeHanging asks Caster]] [[GenreSavvy if she made sure Kirei was really dead, and had she made sure to check the body?]]
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[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Kirei Kotomine of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' in UBW where Tohsaka [[LampshadeHanging asks Caster]] [[GenreSavvy if she made sure Kirei was really dead, and had she made sure to check the body?]]
[[/folder]]
* Kirei Kotomine of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' in UBW where Tohsaka [[LampshadeHanging asks Caster]] [[GenreSavvy if she made sure Kirei was really dead, and had she made sure to check the body?]]
[[/folder]]
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** And many other planes that disappeared without trace, often over the ocean, for example Charles Kingsford Smith and Tommy Pethybridge disappeared somewhere between India and Singapore, or Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli somewhere over (in) the North Atlantic, or John Moncrieff and George Hood over (or in) the Tasman Sea.
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** Again in ''Comicbook/SwampThing''. Arcane is using a insect-hybrid body this time. Acrane is exploded, burned, and falls from a great height. And Swamp Thing goes down to check, because this it the third time Arcane came back from the dead. yes, that body is dead, but is that the end? [[spoiler: NO! Of course not, this is ARCANE! Hell can't hold him.]]
to:
** Again in ''Comicbook/SwampThing''. Arcane is using a insect-hybrid body this time. Acrane is exploded, burned, and falls from a great height. And Swamp Thing goes down to check, because this it the third time Arcane came back from the dead. yes, Yes, that body is dead, but is that the end? [[spoiler: NO! Of course not, this is ARCANE! Hell can't hold him.]]
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* Visser One from ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', who more or less makes a career out of this.
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* Eva, mother of Marco and [[spoiler:host to Visser One]], in the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' books. [[spoiler:Repeatedly.]]
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* Eva, mother of Marco and [[spoiler:host to Visser One]], in the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' books. [[spoiler:Repeatedly.]]]]
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** Of course in the world of Dune, a dead person has a chance of coming back by "possessing" one of his descendants [[spoiler: as Baron Harkonnen does to Alia in ''Children of Dune.'']] But then, this only works if the descendent also [[spoiler: happens to be Bene Gesserit]]. And that's assuming [[spoiler: Alia isn't just plain insane.]].
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** Of course in the world of Dune, a dead person has a chance of coming back by as GeneticMemory "possessing" one of his descendants [[spoiler: as Baron Harkonnen does to Alia in ''Children of Dune.'']] But then, this only works if the descendent also [[spoiler: happens to be Bene Gesserit]]. And that's assuming [[spoiler: Alia isn't just plain insane.]].
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* ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' has several of these, some more debated than others and one that's heavily impled regarding an EnsembleDarkHorse.
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* ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' has several of these, some more debated than others and one that's heavily impled implied regarding an EnsembleDarkHorse.
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* [[spoiler:Sandor Clegane]] in ''ASongOfIceAndFire''.
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** A few of Daniel Jackson's [[TheyKilledKennyAgain many deaths]] were this.
*** Back in the first season an episode started with the rest of the team coming back through the gate saying that he had been incinerated by a gas vent, but shortly after his funeral it turned out that they had actually been abducted and everyone but Daniel had been given false memories and allowed to escape.
*** Much later he actually did die (and partially ascend) but the others had no idea of his fate and Jack vehemently refused to declare him dead, having noticed his tendency to turn up alive every other time.
*** Back in the first season an episode started with the rest of the team coming back through the gate saying that he had been incinerated by a gas vent, but shortly after his funeral it turned out that they had actually been abducted and everyone but Daniel had been given false memories and allowed to escape.
*** Much later he actually did die (and partially ascend) but the others had no idea of his fate and Jack vehemently refused to declare him dead, having noticed his tendency to turn up alive every other time.
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* Amanda in ''TombRaider Legend''. She apparently drowned during the flashback sequence, but when Lara returns to the cavern in the present day, there are no remains except an untied shoe. Later revealed to be NotQuiteDead.
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* Amanda in ''TombRaider Legend''.''VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend''. She apparently drowned during the flashback sequence, but when Lara returns to the cavern in the present day, there are no remains except an untied shoe. Later revealed to be NotQuiteDead.
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* In ''{{Sym-Bionic Titan}}'', Young Lance notes at his Father's funeral that "He's not even in there" (the coffin). Some of the characters believe his father might still be alive, which Lance believed at first. Also, Scary Mary's body was never found the night of the DeadlyPrank [[spoiler:because she didn't really die]].
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* In ''{{Sym-Bionic Titan}}'', Young Lance notes at his Father's funeral that "He's not even in there" (the coffin). Some of the characters believe his father At first, Lance believed he might still be alive, which Lance believed at first.alive. Also, Scary Mary's body was never found the night of the DeadlyPrank [[spoiler:because she didn't really die]].
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* In ''{{Sym-Bionic Titan}}'', Young Lance notes at his Father's funeral that "He's not even in there" (the coffin). Some of the characters believe his father might still be alive, which Lance believed at first. Also, Scary Mary's body was never found the night of the DeadlyPrank [[spoiler:because she didn't really die]].
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* ''Film/ManOfSteel'': Sort of speculation here [[spoiler: Although the C-17 delivers its payload, the idea was to send the Zod's Mooks back to the Phantom Zone; which means they MAY not be dead, and all the people on the plane still kicking it may be trapped with everyone the Kryptonians ever threw into the Phantom Zone.]]
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** For the record, [[spoiler: Tai Lung does not appear in [[KungFuPanda2 the sequel]], nor is there any evidence of him still being alive. However, WordOfGod has cheekily refused to confirm it either way]].
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I don\'t get the rest of that sentence, though.
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* Justified in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', the body missing is of a person who can regenerate any injury, and the leader of one of the two allied armies present knows enough to find the body first, or he plans to betray his allies, and grab power for himself, one or the other.
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* Justified in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': the body missing is of a person who can regenerate any injury, and the leader of one of the two allied armies present knows enough to find the body first, or he plans to betray his allies, and grab power for himself, one or the other.
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* On a Behind The Scenes video for ''BreakingBad'',[[spoiler: Tio]]'s actor jokes that, even though he was [[spoiler:inches away from a large explosion]], this trope applies because the dead body wasn't shown onscreen.
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* A grisly subversion in ''BadGirls'' - Prisoner Yevone Atkins. Apart from Jim Fenner (her prison officer killer) everyone else thinks she has escaped, which was her plan. The problem: the building plan she and her escape partner had used didn't feature a wall which turned a corridor into a cell because the door to the corridor only opened from the outside. Fenner shut the door behind her and left her there. Her escape partner after spending weeks in solitary confinement (for a different matter) saw the escape route as still being viable as it wasn't discovered by the prison officers. She goes to make her escape only to find the wall blocking her path and Yevone's rotting corpse.
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* A grisly subversion in ''BadGirls'' ''Series/BadGirls'' - Prisoner Yevone Atkins. Apart from Jim Fenner (her prison officer killer) everyone else thinks she has escaped, which was her plan. The problem: the building plan she and her escape partner had used didn't feature a wall which turned a corridor into a cell because the door to the corridor only opened from the outside. Fenner shut the door behind her and left her there. Her escape partner after spending weeks in solitary confinement (for a different matter) saw the escape route as still being viable as it wasn't discovered by the prison officers. She goes to make her escape only to find the wall blocking her path and Yevone's rotting corpse.
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* ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
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* The 1979 Italian comedy ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
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That\'s not a useful pothole.
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* ''[[Film/{{Caligula}} Messalina, Messalina]]'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
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* ''[[Film/{{Caligula}} Messalina, Messalina]]'' ''Messalina, Messalina'' insinuates that Messalina and Silius may have escaped the Gardens of Lucullus.
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* The Black Knight from ''FireEmblemTellius''. Ike kills him alright in ''Path of Radiance'', but no one can find his corpse because the fortress crashes down after the final duel. He then comes back in ''Radiant Dawn'' to aid Micaiah and the Dawn Brigade, with no reason explained how he survived the whole thing.
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* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', you can discover the logs of a search party that went to look for a child named Cheryl, who they never found, and you only find one of the party members' corpses.
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* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', you can discover the logs of a search party that went to look for a child named Cheryl, who they never found, and you only find one of the party members' corpses. Similarly, of the Brandice family that lived in Grayditch, you can only find the father's body.
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** Also lampshaded by {{Batman}} at the end of ''{{A Death in the Family}}'', where the Joker is in a helicopter that crashes into the sea. Batman shouts at Superman: "Find the body!", but he already knows that it won't be found, because the matters between him and the Joker always end up unresolved.
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** Also lampshaded by {{Batman}} Franchise/{{Batman}} at the end of ''{{A Death in the Family}}'', where the Joker is in a helicopter that crashes into the sea. Batman shouts at Superman: "Find the body!", but he already knows that it won't be found, because the matters between him and the Joker always end up unresolved.
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* According to [[WordOfGod writer commentary]] on the {{Batman}} tale ''TheLongHalloween'', [[spoiler:this is how most readers seemed to zero in on the killer. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen As it turns out,]] a cut scene showed the discovery of a body that was played as being Alberto's. It was not, of course.]]
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* According to [[WordOfGod writer commentary]] on the {{Batman}} Franchise/{{Batman}} tale ''TheLongHalloween'', [[spoiler:this is how most readers seemed to zero in on the killer. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen As it turns out,]] a cut scene showed the discovery of a body that was played as being Alberto's. It was not, of course.]]
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* In [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/203448 this]] ''{{Glee}}'' fanfic, Kurt vanishes in the middle of a school day and is never heard from again except for his car, which is found three towns over with dried blood inside. The author [[WordOfGod confirms]] that Kurt is, in fact, dead.
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* [[spoiler:Sandor Clegane]] in ''ASongOfIceAndFire''.
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* [[spoiler:Irene Adler]] in ''Series/{{Elementary}}''. [[spoiler:Sure enough, she turns up alive in the penultimate episode of the first season.]]
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*** One need only to go back to his comic debut, '''''Batman''''' ''numero uno''. Intended as a one-shot character, he was apparently killed, but at an editor's behest BobKane scribbled up a final panel that left a back door open in case they wanted to bring back this clownish fellow....
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*** One need only to go back to his comic debut, '''''Batman''''' ''numero uno''. Intended as a one-shot character, he was apparently killed, but at an editor's behest BobKane Bob Kane scribbled up a final panel that left a back door open in case they wanted to bring back this clownish fellow....
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* In an episode of ''{{Sliders}}'', the group slides into a world where America has an aristocracy, and Rembrandt's double is a nobleman (for reference, Rembrandt is black). The press mentions that their Rembrandt was last seen dragged away by a river never to be seen again. After their Rembrandt is assumed to be him and impregnated (ItMakesSenseInContext), the sliders start looking into the clues. They fairly quickly find out that this world's Rembrandt faked his death in order to escape all the media attention and enjoy a peaceful life. However, after finding out that his baby is in another man's body (once again, watch the episode for context), he returns to the world.
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* In an episode of ''{{Sliders}}'', ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', the group slides into a world where America has an aristocracy, and Rembrandt's double is a nobleman (for reference, Rembrandt is black). The press mentions that their Rembrandt was last seen dragged away by a river never to be seen again. After their Rembrandt is assumed to be him and impregnated (ItMakesSenseInContext), the sliders start looking into the clues. They fairly quickly find out that this world's Rembrandt faked his death in order to escape all the media attention and enjoy a peaceful life. However, after finding out that his baby is in another man's body (once again, watch the episode for context), he returns to the world.
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* At the start of VideoGame/HotelDuskRoom215, the body of Kyle's traitor partner, Bradley, isn't recovered after he was shot. Kyle naturally suspects that Bradley is still alive and goes looking for him.
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* Despite the backstory not being revealed until, well, the final act, the main villain of ''{{Killswitch}}'' had this happen. [[spoiler: When confronted by the protagonist in the backstory, he's told that he's dead, but counters with the question of whether or not they found a body (which they didn't). At the end of the game, after viciously killing the villain, the protagonist's VoiceWithAnInternetConnection asks if the BigBad is dead, to which to protagonist replies, "I see a body. Mission complete."]]
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* Despite the backstory not being revealed until, well, the final act, the main villain of ''{{Killswitch}}'' ''Killswitch'' had this happen. [[spoiler: When confronted by the protagonist in the backstory, he's told that he's dead, but counters with the question of whether or not they found a body (which they didn't). At the end of the game, after viciously killing the villain, the protagonist's VoiceWithAnInternetConnection asks if the BigBad is dead, to which to protagonist replies, "I see a body. Mission complete."]]
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* In one episode of ''JusticeLeague'', some of Superman's enemies teamed up and attacked him with a gun that makes everything disappear. There was no sign of Superman's body or anything that might have been his body but Batman was the only one who saw it as a reason to doubt Superman actually dying. VandalSavage also figured out Superman was alive (he was sent to the future) but it's not clear if he already suspected it from the beginning.
* 1973/74 ''SuperFriends'' episode "Dr. Pelagian's War". Professor Ansel Hillbrand was a brilliant marine biologist and engineer. Aquaman suspects that he's actually the BigBad Dr. Pelagian, but an investigation discovers that Dr. Hillbrand died five years earlier in a deep sea diving accident. Oddly enough, his body was never discovered. Guess who Dr, Pelagian turns out to be?
* 1973/74 ''SuperFriends'' episode "Dr. Pelagian's War". Professor Ansel Hillbrand was a brilliant marine biologist and engineer. Aquaman suspects that he's actually the BigBad Dr. Pelagian, but an investigation discovers that Dr. Hillbrand died five years earlier in a deep sea diving accident. Oddly enough, his body was never discovered. Guess who Dr, Pelagian turns out to be?
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* In one episode of ''JusticeLeague'', ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', some of Superman's enemies teamed up and attacked him with a gun that makes everything disappear. There was no sign of Superman's body or anything that might have been his body but Batman was the only one who saw it as a reason to doubt Superman actually dying. VandalSavage also figured out Superman was alive (he was sent to the future) but it's not clear if he already suspected it from the beginning.
* 1973/74''SuperFriends'' ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' episode "Dr. Pelagian's War". Professor Ansel Hillbrand was a brilliant marine biologist and engineer. Aquaman suspects that he's actually the BigBad Dr. Pelagian, but an investigation discovers that Dr. Hillbrand died five years earlier in a deep sea diving accident. Oddly enough, his body was never discovered. Guess who Dr, Pelagian turns out to be?
* 1973/74
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Crosswicking to works page
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* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland Total Drama]]'' story, ''Fanfic/{{Legacy}}'', Izzy was reported to have been killed in the sinking of a ferryboat, but her body was never recovered. This is part of the reason why neither Duncan nor Courtney believes that she is really dead.
