History Main / NotTooDeadToSaveTheDay

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'', when Kirito is incapacitated in his encounter with Sugou Nobuyuki/Oberon and it appears as if the latter won due to abusing admin commands (the whole thing takes place inside of a Virtual Reality MMORPG), the ghost[[note]]Not a real ghost, but rather a copy of his mind which was scanned and subsequently digitized moments before his death[[/note]] of Kayaba Akihiko appears and gives Kirito the means to fight back in form of encouragement and his own password to the system - the first to make him want to fight, and the latter to give him means of stopping Oberon's abuse of admin commands.

Sometimes, usually in more realistic works, the intervention isn't physical at all, but [[HelpfulHallucination happens entirely within the hero's head]], often giving an excuse to bring back the [[TheCameo actor]] of a [[EnsembleDarkhorse fan favorite]] who had been [[DroppedABridgeOnHim ill-advisedly killed off by the writers]]. This only takes an instant of real-time but can take several minutes of DeadPersonConversation before returning the hero to the action. The hallucination of a dead friend is apparently enough to get the hero back on his feet, though, realistically, it should be evidence of some sort of massive head trauma. (Though depending on how its played, the two aren't mutually exclusive.)

* In ''Manga/{{Akira}}'', the eponymous character manifests just in time to stop Tetsuo and teleport Kaneda to safety.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'': Grey Fox.

* ''Series/Torchwood'': The episode ''Random Shoes'' follows an everyman who is rendered a ghost after a fatal car accident thanks to an alien artifact he swallowed. Following the Torchwood crew as they investigate his final days, becoming infatuated with Gwen in the process, he [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence finally is able to move on]] just after his funeral, when he manages to gain enough corporeality to save Gwen from being hit by a car herself.

* In series two ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'', the BigBad is seconds away from killing [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Mitchell]], [[BalefulPolymorph George and/or Nina]] when the previously-exorcised [[CuteGhostGirl Annie]] temporarily breaks out of Hell just so she can grab the guy and haul him back in with her. Yeah, it's that sort of show.

** In ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', the Skynet-serving T-1000 destroys the power cell of the reprogrammed T-800 protecting John Connor. He eventually revives himself by [[TechnoBabble re-routing power from a different source]], arriving just in time to knock the T-1000 into a vat of molten metal and save John and Sarah Connor. It's arguable that this trope doesn't apply [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman because machines aren't alive, and thus can't die]], but ''come on''... by the end, he [[TearJerker knows why people cry]].
** Then in ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines'', the T-850 shuts itself down rather than go through with its reprogrammed objective to kill John. It returns later by dropping a helicopter on the T-X.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'', where the #1 assassin presents Travis with the severed heads of Sylvia, Henry, and Shinobu on platters, only for Henry to come crashing through the window midway through the battle, telling Travis that they're fake.

* A rather twisted example in Telltale Games' ''[[VideoGame/TheWalkingDead The Walking Dead]]''. Shortly after good guy Mark dies, he reanimates as a zombie and lunges at one of the villains from behind, biting her and freeing her hostage in the process.

[[folder:Anime And Manga]]

* In the climax of ''Comicbook/FreddyVsJasonVsAsh: The Nightmare Warriors'', the souls of Freddy's past victims (including [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984 Nancy]] and [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors the Dream Warriors]]) are summoned by Jacob to help fight Freddy and the Deadite army.

[[folder:Film]]
* Just before the climactic battle of ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982'', Conan prays to Crom for the first time, saying that, you know, you could help if you wanted, but if not, screw ya. When Thulsa Doom's [[TheDragon Dragon]] has Conan on the ropes, Valeria[[labelnote:*]]In the books, the same character is known as Belit and is a pirate queen.[[/labelnote]], Conan's warrior-woman love interest killed by Doom earlier, appears in Valkyrie-like armor, blocks the attack, utters her catchphrase ([[WhoWantsToLiveForever "You want to live forever?"]]), and disappears. Conan proceeds to stand up and mop the floor with TheDragon. Foreshadowed earlier in the movie, when she swore to claw her way back from the pit of hell to fight at his side if she died.

* As in the ComicBook, ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' has a scene at the end featuring a subversion by Dr. Manhattan.

* In ''Film/{{Troll 2}}'', Grandpa Seth does this multiple times, at one point stopping time and at another point inexplicably coming BackFromTheDead to stop the goblins. {{Subverted|Trope}} in that he never actually is able to save the day.

* At the end of ''Film/TheGift2000'', Buddy rescues [[ISeeDeadPeople Annie]] from and helps her to subdue the killer. She later learns that Buddy had killed himself several hours earlier.

* Subverted in ''Series/{{Bones}}''. Booth sees his dead friend who helps him to escape from a trap. A few episodes later it turns out that it actually was due to a brain tumor.
** Except that they only think it was due to the brain tumor, Bones also saw his friend when they were at the cemetery but she didn't realize he was anyone other than some random soldier. She also points out that, while she is skeptical about the ghost, some of the things Booth did to escape would have required feats of strength or speed almost impossible for one person on his own.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E7TheLongGame "The Long Game"]], the reanimated corpses running the computers on Floor 500 all collapse as a result of Cathica's sabotage. However, when the Editor attempts to escape, the body of Eva/Suki retains enough animation to grab him by the ankle, ensuring he is killed when the Jagrafess explodes.

* In ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'', the female lead gets into a car crash and is visited, apparently in the hospital, by a dead partner, who tells her to "Get up!" She wakes up next to the wrecked SUV and is able to pull her new partner out of the vehicle to safety.

* Music/AliceCooper has a song called ''I'm Alive (That Was The Day My Dead Pet Returned To Save My Life)''. Being ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, it's full of examples. (Including rats... this ''is'' Alice Cooper.)
* In Music/StanRidgway's ''Camouflage'', the eponymously nicknamed and seemingly invulnerable marine who saves the lost narrator's life in Vietnam...turns out to have died of his own wounds while under the medics' care just the night before, as said narrator discovers upon rejoining his comrades.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has most of the Sapphire guard rise as "ghost-martyrs" and join their founder (also dead) in defending Soon's Gate. Their sacrifice was enough to win the day... [[spoiler: If not for the wrongheaded intervention of fallen Sapphire Guard Miko, who saw the whole thing as [[ItsAllAboutMe a test for her.]]]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* In ''WebAnimation/KlayWorld'''s movie, King Womp is about to kill Chip, but Dr. Bob stops this by throwing an ax into King Womp's back, causing King Womp to fall and land on top of the structure the Klaymen built. King Womp was then shocked and blown up. OUCH. Chip was, obviously, saved in the process.
[[/folder]]

* Parodied in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' telling the story of David and Goliath. When it looks like Nelson (Goliath) is about to kill Bart (David), Ralph appears and throws his tombstone at Nelson's head, even though Nelson had apparently killed Ralph earlier in the episode.
-->'''Bart''': Ralph! I thought you were dead!\\
'''Ralph''': Nope!
** Despite this, Bart/David is the one who gets blamed for killing Nelson/Goliath - whom, it turns out, was a pretty good king.

[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has most of the Sapphire guard rise as "ghost-martyrs" and join their founder (also dead) in defending Soon's Gate.

* In ''Fanfic/TheFableOfJoyfulWing'', the ghosts of Mouse's family temporarily return to protect him, Long Dog, and Joyous Wing when they're fleeing for their lives from the captain of the guard and his family. Long Dog thinks of it as them returning to protect their youngest and smallest child from the family of the monster that killed all of them, as the spirit who killed them and destroyed their monastery was the nephew of the captain of the guard.

* In Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders, [[spoiler:Avdol]] gets seemingly killed by Hol Horse only to arrive in the nick of time to save [[spoiler: Polnareff from [[MonkeysPaw Judgment]]. Oh, and he dies for real later on]].

* In a slightly unusual case in ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker merges into a universe where [[DeadAlternateCounterpart his counterpart had died]] and become a martyr for the [[LaResistance Vox Populi]], which finally had the arms to stage a revolution on Columbia. So when you take action to bring down ''an entire Founder airship'' [[OneManArmy all by himself,]] the Vox definitely take notice, even changing their rebellion chant from "Vox! Vox! Vox!" to "[=DeWitt!=] [=DeWitt!=] [=DeWitt!=]" [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Unfortunately, right afterwards, Daisy Fitzroy, leader of the Vox]] (unknowing about the merge) realizes this could only be possible if Booker was an impostor or a ghost, and the Vox turns on him, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness deeming him a "complication."]]

[[folder:Fanfic]]

* ''[[Fanfic/{{Cinderjuice}} The Bug Princess]]]'': Lydia was technically killed by Hugo's ritual, but WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'s magic transferred itself completely to her, allowing her to merely be transported to the Neitherworld. She comes back when summoned to save BJ and Hugo.

* Hollyleaf of ''Literature/WarriorCats'' discovers that her entire life has been a lie and in violation of the code she's devoted her life to[[note]] [[TheMedic Medicine cats]] aren't supposed to have romantic relationships at all. Inter-Clan relationships are also forbidden. She's the daughter of the [=ThunderClan=] medicine cat and a [=WindClan=] warrior.[[/note]], [[SanitySlippage has a mental breakdown]], and [[DisneyDeath apparently dies in a tunnel cave-in]]. Five books later, she reappears. In the very next book, she's dead for real - but only after helping save the day in the final battle!

* On ''Series/OneLifeToLive'', despite having apparently been fatally injured by his former IRA cohort, Patrick Thornhart manages to get up and kill the guy before he can kill one of the other hostages, before apparently collapsing and dying for good. This turns out to be subverted when in the next episode, it turns out Patrick wasn't dead; he was faking so that he and his wife could flee the remaining bad guys.

* ''FanFic/{{Cinderjuice}}'': Lydia was technically killed by Hugo's ritual, but Beetlejuice's magic transferred itself completely to her, allowing her to merely be transported to the Neitherworld. She comes back when summoned to save BJ and Hugo.

* In ''The Suicide King'', the third book in the ''Literature/{{Fallocaust}}'' series, [[spoiler:Reaver, Killian, and Jade are all believed dead, or at least incapacitated, by the vast majority of characters. They return to Skyfall to save the day- and humanity- from Gage and the proxy worms.]]

* On ''Series/OneLifeToLive'', despite having apparently been fatally injured by his former IRA cohort, Patrick Thornhart manages to get up and kill the guy before he can kill one of the other hostages, before apparently collapsing and dying for good. This turns out to be subverted when in the next episode, it turns out Patrick wasn't dead, he was faking so that he and his wife could flee the remaining bad guys.

** Despite this, Bart/David is the one who gets blamed for killing Nelson/Goliath, who, it turns out, was a pretty good king.

[[/folder]]

----

** During the climax of ''Alicization'', both Yuuki and Eugeo's spirits appear to assist Asuna and Kirito in the battle against PoH with Yuuki pulling an extended repeat of her film appearance while Eugeo later makes a second showing to get a hold of the Blue Rose Sword, blocking Gabriel's counter to Starburst Stream and giving Kirito the opening to complete his FinishingMove to deadly effect.

** During the climax of ''Alicization'', Eugeo's spirit appears to get a hold of the Blue Rose Sword, blocking Gabriel's attack and giving Kirito the opening to counter with a deathly blow.

*** She shows up again in ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'' as the final link in the chain of Cloud's CombinedEnergyAttack.

-->-- '''HH Rule 9''', ''The Literature/HorribleHistories Rules Of War''

* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Lust brags to Riza about killing Roy Mustang. Riza then runs out of bullets trying to bring down Lust and has to be protected by Alphonse. Suddenly, the cavalry arrives in the form of a very much alive Mustang, who has used his flame alchemy to sear his wounds shut and proceeds to go HeroicSecondWind on Lust with the same power.
** In ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemistBrotherhood'' Pride is about to perform a BodySurf on Edward, cue Kimblee (whose soul Pride had consumed earlier) [[HeroicWillpower manifesting his will]] as he [[EvenEvilHasStandards saw Pride as giving up]] his pride for mere survival, even giving him a ReasonYouSuckSpeech. Thus weakening Pride enough for Edward to turn himself into a philosopher's stone and turn Pride's attack right back on him.

* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', in an alternate timeline, Cassie is killed, but later reappears to save the day. Being "[[SuperpowerLottery sub-temporally grounded]]" and somewhat immune to the effects of the time changes, she is able to return because she is "supposed" to be alive. ''Time'' got confused.

Aspiring writers seeking to avoid using this trope should wander over to JustForFun/HowToStopTheDeusExMachina. However, Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad. In some cases, they resurrection technology, AppliedPhlebotinum, etc. are foreshadowed in previous episodes.

Aspiring writers seeking to avoid using this trope should wander over to JustForFun/HowToStopTheDeusExMachina.

* In a slightly unusual case in ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker merges into a universe where [[DeadAlternateCounterpart his counterpart had died]] and become a martyr for the [[LaResistance Vox Populi]], which finally had the arms to stage a revolution on Columbia. So when you take action to bring down ''an entire Founder airship'' [[OneManArmy all by himself,]] the Vox definitely take notice, even changing their rebellion chant from "Vox! Vox! Vox!" to "[=DeWitt!=] [=DeWitt!=] [=DeWitt!=]" [[RealityEnsues Unfortunately, right afterwards, Daisy Fitzroy, leader of the Vox]] (unknowing about the merge) realizes this could only be possible if Booker was an impostor or a ghost, and the Vox turns on him, [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness deeming him a "complication."]]