History Main / WeAllDieSomeday

A StockPhrase that acknowledges our own mortality. Good guys, bad guys, and everybody [[AntiHero in]] [[AntiVillain between]] will one day 'have to' recognize that, according to statistics at the least, none of us will live forever — at this level of reality, at least. Even [[{{Immortality}} those who do]] may have [[WhoWantsToLiveForever pangs of regret]] because of this trope. If villains say this line, it could be their reason for their disregard of life in general. If it's a hero, expect them to be the more cynical, disillusioned type. If either of them are the AntiNihilist, then the phrase becomes more optimistic, i.e. "we all die someday, so [[CarpeDiem be awesome today]]!" Depending on where we fall on the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism sliding scale]], we may get a "but not today" rebuttal, or a "but not forever" rebuttal for works that hold to the existence of an afterlife. It may also teach someone that AllAreEqualInDeath: no matter our stations or accomplishments or privileges in life, we all might as well be treated equally.

This is closely connected to the concept of a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori Memento Mori]]" (GratuitousLatin for, "Remember you must die" or, more literally, "Remember death"). These are symbolic reminders of mortality, the idea being that there's a certain spiritual value in occasionally reflecting on some kind of end rather bound for all within that setting. They occur in many traditions, religious and otherwise. It can be as subtle as a SkeletonMotif or coffin or gravestone being included in a piece of art, or maybe found all the way up to elaborate cultural festivals such as ''Día de los Muertos'' or UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve. Probably the most famous such icon is TheGrimReaper. DeathsHourglass may also serve to remind people that their time here is finite.

* For Hades in Greek Mythology, enforcing this was basically a part of his job. Many mortals came to the Underworld to beg him to reaurrect their dead loved ones, but he almost always refused. Not because he didn't care, but because death was simply something that mortals ''had'' to accept, and Hades had a big hangup about resurrections. He only accepted this sort of request once for Orpheus, just because his music was ''that'' heartbreaking.

* ''Literature/{{Stray}}'': In chapter 17 , Pufftail learns that ''everyone'' dies. Despite being an adult, he assumed that "the Great Stillness" only occurred to the unlucky. He refuses to believe that death is unavoidable.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': In the "Goodbye, Mr. Hooper" episode, the adults make note of this and that someday he too will die and that such is part of the life cycle. In the tag scene, where a young couple with a baby are passing by, Big Bird remarks about the cycle of life: "Here today, gone tomorrow!"

[[folder:Religion]]
* ''Literature/TheBible'' in one passage makes quite clear that all men and women will eventually suffer the fate of death.
-->'' "All share a common destiny - the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good man, so with the sinner, as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun. The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead." ''
-->-- '''[[Literature/BookOfEcclesiastes Ecclesiates 9:2-3]]'''
* In UsefulNotes/{{Christian|ity}} traditions that observe Ash Wednesday, ashes are placed on the worshipers' foreheads with the admonition, "Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return."
* For Hades in Greek Mythology, enforcing this was basically a part of his job. Many mortals came to the Underworld to beg him to reaurrect their dead loved ones, but he almost always refused. Not because he didn't care, but because death was simply something that mortals ''had'' to accept, and Hades had a big hangup about resurrections. He only accepted this sort of request once for Orpheus, just because his music was ''that'' heartbreaking.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Louis CK had a bit about his six-year-old daughter asking him a bunch of random questions and him answering them distractedly, without thinking through whether the answers were suitable for a six-year-old.
-->"Will the sun always be there?"
-->"Well no, someday it will explode... (off the horrified look on her face) Don't worry, sweetie, [[DiggingYourselfDeeper this won't happen until after you and everyone you know have been dead for a very long time.]]"

* ''Literature/{{Confessions}}'': Looking beyond humanity, Augustine argues that worshipping or loving anything in the place of {{God}} is futile, since all things in life are finite and passing parts of the larger whole. To center life around any finite thing would be like stopping someone from finishing their sentence just to hear one random syllable spoken: the part loses its meaning if it isn't part of the whole.

A StockPhrase that acknowledges our own mortality. Good guys, bad guys, and everybody [[AntiHero in]] [[AntiVillain between]] will one day have to recognise that none of us will live forever — at this level of reality, at least. Even [[{{Immortality}} those who do]] may have [[WhoWantsToLiveForever pangs of regret]] because of this trope. If villains say this line, it could be their reason for their disregard of life in general. If it's a hero, expect them to be the more cynical, disillusioned type. If either of them are the AntiNihilist, then the phrase becomes more optimistic, i.e. "we all die someday, so [[CarpeDiem be awesome today]]!" Depending on where we fall on the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism sliding scale]], we may get a "but not today" rebuttal, or a "but not forever" rebuttal for works that hold to the existence of an afterlife. It may also teach someone that AllAreEqualInDeath: no matter our stations or accomplishments or privileges in life, eventually we all meet the same fate.

This is closely connected to the concept of a "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_mori Memento Mori]]" (GratuitousLatin for "Remember you must die"). These are symbolic reminders of mortality, the idea being that there's a certain spiritual value in occasionally reflecting on the end that comes for us all. They occur in many traditions, religious and otherwise. It can be as subtle as a SkeletonMotif or coffin or gravestone being included in a piece of art, all the way up to elaborate cultural festivals such as ''Día de los Muertos'' or UsefulNotes/AllHallowsEve. Probably the most famous such icon is TheGrimReaper. DeathsHourglass may also serve to remind people that their time here is finite.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'', Galvatron tries to coax Hot Rod out of hiding:

* ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'': Splinter incorporates this into a BadassBoast in the first film.

* "The Human Stain" by Music/{{Kamelot}}:
-->So it hurts to\\
Be alive, my friend\\
In this masquerade where\\
All one day must die

* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'': Rocket Raccoon ends up joining in the Guardians' taking a stand against Ronan, conceding, "Aw, what the hell, I don't got that long a life span anyway."

* ''[[Literature/FightClub Fight Club]]'': Creator/ChuckPalahniuk says this.

** VLR also features the similar phrase ''tu fui ego eris'' on a gravestone, translated to ''what I was, you are, what I am, you will be'', essentially meaning ''I am dead, but was once alive, you are alive, but will die someday''.

* In one ''WebComic/CyanideAndHappiness'' strip, a man comments that he ate a "Do not eat" packet (silica gel) and asks if he's going to die. His friend answers that everyone is going to die. The first man gasps in horror.

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' - In an early episode, this is why Dr Cox tells J.D that he can't work in medicine if he is afraid of death. This prompts an ImagineSpot of [[ChessWithDeath Death beating J.D at Connect Four.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'', Hector nonchalantly says that everyone ends up DeaderThanDead eventually. People are only able to live in the afterlife if [[RememberTheDead their picture is left on a family shrine]]. Sooner or later, however, everyone gets forgotten and thus disappearing is inevitable.

-->-- '''Ecclesiates 9:1-3'''

* In ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'', Galvatron tries to coax Hot Rod out of hiding:
-->'''Galvatron:''' Come out, Autobot. We all must die some time!\\
'''Hot Rod:''' Not today, Galvatron! (Punches Galvatron)

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}'', the burrowing owl chorus keep insisting that Rango is going to die; then, at the end of the story, when he's still very much alive, they say that everyone dies eventually.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'', Hector nonchalantly says that everyone ends up DeaderThanDead eventually. People are only able to live in the afterlife if [[RememberTheDead their picture is left on a family shrine]]. Sooner or later, however, everyone gets forgotten and thus disappearing is inevitable.
* In ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'', Kristoff accidentally implies to Anna that he doesn't think they'll survive the adventure. When she gets mad and runs off, Kristoff [[DiggingYourselfDeeper digs himself deeper]] and ends up saying they technically ''will'' die someday.
* In ''WesternAnimation/GuillermoDelTorosPinocchio'', [[spoiler: the film concludes with all the remaining protagonists growing old and passing away, until only Pinocchio is left. Sebastian believes that, even though Pinocchio is TheAgeless, he will still die for good one day, because all people do.]]

* Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog: Sonic tells [[spoiler: Merlina]] this in the ending to VideoGame/SonicAndTheBlackKnight.

See also WeAreAsMayflies, DontFearTheReaper, NotAfraidToDie and LifeWillKillYou. Compare WhoWantsToLiveForever and YouCantFightFate. Contrast LivingForeverIsAwesome and ImmortalitySeeker. A work may invoke this trope in a DeadlyDistantFinale. One StockJoke referencing this trope is TheThreeCertaintiesInLife.