History Main / OurHeroIsDead

* In ''Anime/SonicX'', [[spoiler:the episode "Agent of Mischef" ends with Final Mova using water spouts to catapult Sonic into its mouth and send him careening down its insides and into the waters of Planet Aquirius, shocking the other members of the cast and causing Amy to tearfully cry out to him in dismay and disbelief as she is forced to watch the event helplessly. In the English dub, the dominatn mind of the beast, Dark Oak, taunts Sonic over his weakness to water and gloats that "[[NothingCanStopUsNow We will now spread across the galaxy and there will be no one to stop us]]". The following episode, "The Light in the Darkness", focuses on Sonic's friends fighting against Final Mova and coming up with a plan to save Sonic from rotting in what could very well be a watery grave for him, and it takes up until the last few minutes of the episode for him to return to the others alive thanks to Amy]].

* In ''Anime/SonicX'', [[spoiler:the episode "Agent of Mischef" ends with Final Mova using water spouts to catapult Sonic into its mouth and send him careening down its insides and into the waters of Planet Aquirius, shocking the other members of the cast and causing Amy to tearfully cry out to him in dismay and disbelief as she is forced to watch the event helplessly. The following episode, "The Light in the Darkness", focuses on Sonic's friends fighting against Final Mova and coming up with a plan to save Sonic from rotting in what could very well be a watery grave for him, and it takes up until the last few minutes of the episode for him to return to the others alive thanks to Amy]].

* In the 2001 ''Manga/Shaman King'' anime, [[spoiler:the fourth-to-last episode ends with Hao pulling Yoh's soul out of his body and sucking it into his mouth, much to the shock of the rest of the cast, especially Anna, who ends the same episode [[SayMyName screaming her fiancee's name in disbelief]]. It takes until the last few minutes of the second-to-last episode's first half for Yoh to get better]].

* In ''Anime/SonicX'', the episode "Agent of Mischef" ends with Final Mova using water spouts to catapult Sonic into its mouth and send him careening down its insides and into the waters of Planet Aquirius, shocking the other members of the cast and causing Amy to tearfully cry out to him in dismay and disbelief as she is forced to watch the event helplessly. The following episode, "The Light in the Darkness", focuses on Sonic's friends fighting against Final Mova and coming up with a plan to save Sonic from rotting in what could very well be a watery grave for him, and it takes up until the last few minutes of the episode for him to return to the others alive thanks to Amy.

* Joseph Joestar, the protagonist of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' part 2, appears to die after his fight with Kars but shows up alive and well ''at his own funeral'' just before the end. Given [[TheHeroDies what happened to his grandfather]] in the first part, his survival was a fairly genuine surprise.

* Mind you, characters in long-running comic book series are killed and resurrected so often that it might count as [[FirstLawOfResurrection its own]] [[DeathIsCheap trope]].

* In the ''Comicbook/SwampThing'' comics, at the beginning of Creator/AlanMoore's run, the eponymous character is shot through the head and his body frozen. Moore used this as an opportunity to dissect the character both literally and figuratively, then have him resurrected with the reveal that while you can kill a human by shooting it through the head, the same won't work on a plant that just ''thought'' it was human.

** ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'': The second-to-last issue ends with ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} blasting Supergirl to ashes. The next issue reveals Kara was swiftly teleported away and replaced with a pile of ashes as part of a plan to fool Darkseid into believing her dead.

So, it's getting near the end of the episode, and the FiveManBand is in a heated battle against the forces of evil. Sure, it's a tough fight, but you know the team will pull through. RightMakesMight, and because of that, the villain doesn't stand a chance!

But then, out of nowhere, TheHero gets hit with a devastating blow and collapses in a pool of his own blood. His faithful companions, thinking "NoOneCouldSurviveThat" belt out a collective BigNo. [[CliffHanger Cue the credits!]]

This trope is when an episode ends with the main character appearing to have been killed. This is supposedly a very dramatic event, so writers typically save this one for late in a season. Problem is, while the TrueCompanions and the BigBad will think Our Hero Is Dead, [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt the audience isn't fooled]]. Contrary to popular belief, most viewers know that if the hero died, the story would be over. But even knowing the hero isn't as dead as he looks, it can still be shocking.

And sure enough, in the next episode, we learn that the hero's PlotArmor saved him. The rest of the band rushes to his side, finds out he still has a pulse, and the team retreats with the fallen hero slung over the shoulder of TheBigGuy to get him some [[AfterActionHealingDrama desperately needed medical attention]]. Then all the hero needs is some time to rest up, and they'll be back to fight another day.

* In ''Anime/DigimonXrosWars'' episode 53, [[spoiler:Shoutmon dies towards the end of the episode. This is ruined when you reach the "next episode" preview, because [=Shoutmon X7=] is there and Shoutmon's silhouette is at the episode title]]. Subverted, in that [[spoiler:Deckerdramon and Beelzebumon did die in the episodes that spoke of their "last cry". They pretty much remained dead until the finale revival]].

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'''s ninth episode ends with Tsukune defeated by a ManEatingPlant and laying in a pool of blood, a PillarOfLight erupting over the Witch's Hill where the story is taking place. He's back to normal by the next episode.

* ''VideoGame/{{MGCM}}'': In Chapter 12 Episode 5 of the 2nd arc of the main story, both main universe Iroha and Omnis are [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice brutally impaled]] by [[AlternateSelf Nemesis Iroha]], who has become a FallenHero (you can see her red blood and Omnis' liquid get splattered). And Then it's followed by Kaori's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness outburst]] and Omnis' black liquid transforms her into "[[DarkIsNotEvil Beast Kaori]]", after seeing her best friend Iroha gets killed. Fortunately, in the next episode she's revived by being teleported into the White Room by Kamisaman, while Omnis is just Tobio's RemoteBody. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she refuses Kamisaman's offer to be resurrected back to Shibuya because she refuses to fight her raging AlternateSelf, as she knows Nemesis Iroha's DarkAndTroubledPast. This means that Iroha will probably not return and awaken her dress until certain events in the 3rd arc; [[GameplayAndStorySegregation at least it won't affect her presence in the gameplay.]]]]

* The quote above comes from late in the first season of ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'', as Lina narrates over her NotQuiteDead body.
* In ''Anime/DigimonXrosWars'' episode 53, [[spoiler:Shoutmon dies towards the end of the episode. This is ruined when you reach the "next episode" preview, because [=Shoutmon X7=] is there and Shoutmon's silhouette is at the episode title]].
** Subverted, in that [[spoiler:Deckerdramon and Beelzebumon did die in the episodes that spoke of their "last cry". They pretty much remained dead until the finale revival]].

*** And before that, Ed, in his alternate universe counterpart's body, is killed when a [[DeathFromAbove WWI zeppelin crashes into him]]; this is what brings him back to save the day.

*** Funny you should mention that. In the ''One Night Stand'' novel (which covers the Behemoth arc from the {{anime}}), it is revealed at the end that Gauron was actually not very far away from Sousuke&co. at the time. He and one of his associates from Amalgam were taking notes and video footage of the Behemoth, because their organization had built the giant AS and wanted to know how it would fare in battle. The associate was disappointed by the results (destroyed in less than 15 minutes). Gauron, however, was simply elated because he had gotten the chance to see "his precious boy" again. So much so, that his partner was literally rolling his eyes in the background.
*** Not only was he elated. As mentioned above, Gauron had filmed pretty much everything concerning the Behemoth and Takuma. Which means that Amalgam has a video featuring a giant AS, while Gauron has a video ''featuring Sousuke''. Think about it for a second.

* Both played straight and averted in ''{{Manga/Pluto}}''. Being a retelling of a famous ''Manga/AstroBoy'' story, one can't actually expect Atom to ''stay'' dead and, sure enough, it looks like he's finally back. Of course, as this is also a [[KillEmAll Tezuka story]] written by [[AnyoneCanDie Naoki Urasawa]], anyone else is free game [[spoiler:including Gesicht, the ''main character'' -- although that's likewise a ForegoneConclusion to anyone who read the original story]].
** Speaking of Astroboy, that particular plot point didn't come from the original "''World's Strongest Robot''" arc, but instead was based on the finale of the ''Blue Knight'' saga, which ended with Astro losing his head & half his upper torso in a HeroicSacrifice to protect the evil Count Burg from being killed by the Blue Knight's final desperation attack in his own death-throws. The subsequent "''Astro Reborn''" arc had several failed attempts to revive him before Dr. Tenma finally resurfaced & pulled it off, but with Astro losing all his memories & briefly doing a FaceHeelTurn.

* The Wally West ''Franchise/TheFlash'' series memorably killed off Wally right before issue 50 ''and'' issue 100. Before issue 150, the ''previous'' Flash got killed as a change of pace.
* Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}:
** In ''Adventure Comics #402'', Supergirl has lost her powers and got shot. A mook briefly examines her fallen body and declares that she's dead. At the beginning of the next issue, though, Kara comes around.
** ''Comicbook/DemonSpawn'': After villain Nightflame steals Supergirl's soul, two of Linda's co-workers examine her motionless body and declare she's dead. Before the end of the issue Supergirl's soul returned to her body.
** In ''Comicbook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'', the [[Franchise/GreenLantern Red Lanterns]] get this reaction when Supergirl removes her Red Ring (Red Lanterns die if they take their rings off). Two pages after, Kara revives when her enemy foolishly dumps her into the Sun.
** In ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2011 Supergirl (Vol. 6)]]'' #23, Cyborg Superman steals Supergirl's body to restore his, killing her in the process. Supergirl gets her body back in the next issue.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' story ''ComicBook/TwoForTheDeathOfOne'': The second-to-last issue ends with Clark Kent dead when [[EvilSorceress Syrene]] exposes his split duplicate to powerful magic energies. The next issue reveals they were "only" almost dead.

** Neatly {{subverted|Trope}} in an issue in which Ben Grimm is killed... a couple of pages ''before'' the cliffhanger. The ''actual'' cliffhanger is Reed Richards announcing that he's found a way to bring Ben back to life.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'':

* The climax of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'', when the hero of the series, Jack Sparrow, gets pulled under along with his ship by the Kraken, thanks to Elizabeth. He DOES die, but the rest of the group simply goes to the afterlife and brings him back.

** In the last episode of season 5, Buffy makes a HeroicSacrifice and is literally dead and buried. It takes a lot of AppliedPhlebotinum in the first episode of season 6 to bring her BackFromTheDead.
** In late season 6, Buffy and one of her friends (Tara) are shot at the end of the episode. The next episode, Buffy gets all better. Tara, a recurring character, [[AnyoneCanDie not so much]].
** There's also the season 1 finale, during which Buffy drowns fighting the Master. She gets revived by Xander, but her temporary demise activates the next Slayer, Kendra.

** Done in "The Underwater Menace" when the Second Doctor returns to the sinking Atlantis because [[SaveTheVillain he's decided he can't leave the villain Professor Zaroff to die]]. There's a brief scene of Jamie and Polly mourning him and wondering what they can do now before he emerges, revealing he's fine (although failed to save Zaroff). This was before the writers had puzzled out what exactly regeneration was, so his death was quite possible.
** In the penultimate episode of the new Series 4, a Dalek finally gets a shot in. Fans were worried about the [[Creator/DavidTennant actor]] leaving the show rather than the character dying, in fact since it wouldn't have ended this story the uncertainty probably made this a more effective use of this trope than a potential death.
** The Tenth Doctor's regeneration storyline, "The End of Time", seriously exploited the fact that [[OhAndXDies the audience knew the Doctor was not getting out of this one alive]] thanks to a highly public Doctor recasting. Multiple times in the climax of the story, the Doctor suffers severe injuries, [[SuperWindowJump does suicidal stunts]] and makes many {{Hubris}}tic decisions, all of which underline [[{{Determinator}} the Doctor's desperation to win this one]] as well as exploit the tension as the audience waits for whatever is going to kill him. Then the 45-minute mark is reached ''without the Doctor dying'', and just when the audience (and the Doctor) are marvelling at how thoroughly he's cheated death, the story quietly presents the Doctor with the obstacle that will kill him, and the episode is extended to allow the Doctor a farewell tour.
** In the first episode of the 6th season (within the first 15 minutes!) we watch a scene of an astronaut apparently killing a future version of the Doctor. Amy and co. carried on adventuring with a past-Doctor. [[spoiler:As it turns out, the Doctor was a MobileSuitHuman with a miniaturized Doctor riding inside. ItMakesSenseInContext.]]

* After being BroughtDownToNormal in ''{{Series/Smallville}}'', Clark was fatally shot in "Hidden". Jor-El resurrected him because of his destiny but with a need for an EquivalentExchange, as seen in "Reckoning".

* In the second book of ''Literature/APracticalGuidetoEvil'' Catherine fights William of Greenbury, the Lone Swordsman (one of her two Nemeses at the time) at Liesse. Due to the narrative laws of the universe, he is due a victory. Naturally, Catherine prepares for the fight in any way she can and gets some good cuts in at the beginning of the fight. Still, in the end, William wins and decapitates Catherine. Cue the next chapter - written from Catherine's point of view. It turns out she anticipated the possibility of her dying and [[spoiler: prepared that a wizard she's friends with raises her as a zombie. Freed from her narrative fetters, she promptly sallies out to even the score with William and get a real resurrection.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{MGCM}}'': DoubleSubverted. In Chapter 12 Episode 5 of the 2nd arc of the main story, both main universe Iroha and Omnis are [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice brutally impaled]] by [[AlternateSelf Nemesis Iroha]], who has become a FallenHero (you can see her red blood and Omnis' liquid get splattered). Fortunately, in the next episode she's revived by being teleported into the White Room by Kamisaman, while Omnis is just Tobio's RemoteBody. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she refuses Kamisaman's offer to be resurrected back to Shibuya because she refuses to fight her raging AlternateSelf, as she knows Nemesis Iroha's DarkAndTroubledPast. This means that Iroha will probably not return and awaken her dress until certain events in the 3rd arc; [[GameplayAndStorySegregation at least it won't affect her presence in the gameplay.]]]]

* In ''Comicbook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'', Sonic himself had dealt with this trope more than once in the early issues. #125 was the most dramatic, but he survives as well at the very end. [[spoiler: He was catapulted across the galaxy and returned to Mobius. Everyone thought he was dead for ''a whole year''.

* Creator/PeterDavid did this to Comicbook/{{Aquaman}}. He was planning to keep him dead for a while, but had to settle for one issue since he was leaving the title.
* ''Comicbook/FantasticFour''

* ''[[{{Comicbook/Hellboy}} Hellboy's]]'' heart is torn out by the Queen of Blood and falls into hell, while his body turns to dust.
* Franchise/SpiderMan was considered dead for a month, and this was when he had ''four'' ongoing titles and none of them actually featured him, and dealt with the concept of his death.

** A previous book in the series, ''Skeleton Key'', plays with this. The penultimate chapter ends with the narration saying that the defeated BigBad, facing down Alex, "raised the gun and fired a single shot". The final chapter is called "After Alex" and opens with the head and deputy head of MI6 talking about how they've "lost" Alex; it is not clarified for several pages that Alex is alive, the BigBad shot himself, and they were arguing about how they should not employ Alex again after how badly traumatised this mission has left him.

* Played straight in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', but unlike most examples here, many in the audience were ''quite'' shocked because it happened very early in the series.

* In ''Comicbook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'', Sonic himself had dealt with this trope more than once in the early issues. #125 was the most dramatic, but he survives as well at the very end. [[spoiler: He was catapulted across the galaxy and returned to Mobius. Everyone thought he was dead for ''a whole year''.

** In ''Comicbook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'', Sonic himself had dealt with this trope more than once in the early issues. #125 was the most dramatic, but he survives as well at the very end. [[spoiler: He was catapulted across the galaxy and returned to Mobius. Everyone thought he was dead for ''a whole year''.

** In ''ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'', Sonic himself had dealt with this trope more than once in the early issues. #125 was the most dramatic, but he survives as well at the very end. [[spoiler: He was catapulted across the galaxy and returned to Mobius. Everyone thought he was dead for ''a whole year''.