History Main / SolemnEndingTheme

* ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' ends with a parody of this, where Menchi laments her role as the [[EatTheDog emergency food source]], while a woman translates her howls. The last episode parodies the parody with Menchi and the translator's roles reversed.

* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': In Anakin's final moments a [[DarkReprise slowed down quieter version]] of the Imperial March plays as Luke peels of his mask and has Anakin slumps to the floor dead, symbolizing the end of Vader and the end of the Empire. When Luke cremates Vader's [[NoBodyLeftBehind empty armor]], a solemn reprise of "Binary Sunset" (AKA the Force theme) from ''[[Film/StarWarsANewHope A New Hope]]'' plays.

[[folder:Film]]

Tropes and styles commonly found in a SolemnEndingTheme:

* The primary phase of ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' ends with a recording of Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World."

* The Mass Effect Trilogy concludes with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLxv_g_zQkY An end, once and for all]] a melancholic yet progressively more bombastic reprise of the last episode main theme.
* The second episode from the VideoGame/ArcTheLad series ends with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_kQtYux_9s To Tomorrow]].

* ''Anime/ZombielandSaga'' has "Hikari e" by [[DoItYourselfThemeSong Franchouchou]], a bittersweet song about the main characters saying goodbye to their former lives in order to start new ones.

** The final episode Creator/AlexTrebek taped before his death ended with a montage of memorable moments in his tenure, accompanied by Creator/HughJackman's rendition of "Once Before I Go" from ''The Boy From Oz''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}}'' has "Spirit Being", a funerary reprise of the game's main theme, during its end credits.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfWc0-nTdgg "Drift"]] by Laura Shigihara at the end of ''VideoGame/{{Quintessence}}''. [credits video, non-spoiler]

** ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' likewise has "Those Who Remain".

* While most of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBrwceBdDQQ the credits theme]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' is upbeat and cheerful, there is a portion where it devolves into a slow, heartfelt reprise of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEIWhy-urqM Gusty Garden Galaxy]].

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', "Calling". Extremely noticeable in contrast to the jazzy upbeat opening, "Guns & Roses".

* ''LightNovel/GuinSaga'' has "This is my Road," sung by Music/KanonWakeshima and composed by Creator/NobuoUematsu.

* The EndingTheme for ''The Disappearance of LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHg3yJXGkdg Yasashii Boukyaku]] (Which translates as "Tender Oblivion") doesn't even feature any instruments ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxmRiVdB-EI although there is a version with them]]) focusing entirely on the solitary loneliness portrayed by [[Creator/MinoriChihara Yuki Nagato]].

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' features a Gaelic one. Almost all the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' ending songs are like this, with the exception of "Can't Say Goodbye To Yesterday" and the one to the original ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' (which was ridiculously peppy). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hagVL-__c "Way To Fall"]] by Starsailor in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'' is a mournful alt-rock ballad, ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyE0UabtLn0 "The Best Is Yet To Come"]]'' is a Gaelic ballad and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPH7deyMRI "Calling To The Night"]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOVkYAxHvkk "Here's To You"]]'' and to a slightly lesser extent ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQzgI6xJEH0 "Heaven's Divide"]]'' are all [[LargeHam super-melodramatic]] {{Power Ballad}}s.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b96rrbo-_Ik "Answers"]], which plays at the end of the ''A Realm Reborn'' 2.X series. Very notable since not only plays after a very emotional roller coaster and big plot twists, it's also the same song that played after the game's servers in 1.0 were shut down and is also the same song that plays when you fight [[BonusBoss Bahamut Prime]]. Likewise, the end of the ''Heavensward'' 3.x series has [[https://youtu.be/FtuwltmTp9I "Dragonsong"]], which also played at the opening trailer for the expansion pack.

* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVS610rIqYY ending theme]] of ''Anime/QueenMillennia''. True, the title theme isn't exactly HardRock either, but the ending seems to be a bit more solemn. More pronounced in the film version where the ending theme (different from the TV series) is sung by Dara Sadaka.