History Main / WhoWantsToLiveForever

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'''Angel:''' Exactly. I'm [Pun|dying] to get rid of that.

'''Angel:''' Exactly. I'm [[Pun|dying]] to get rid of that.

'''Angel:''' Exactly. I'm [[Pun dying]] to get rid of that.

'''Angel:''' Exactly. I'm dying to get rid of that.

* The Music/FlamingLips' [[LongTitle "Talkin' 'Bout the Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues (Everyone Wants to Live Forever)"]]:

When done {{Anvilicious}}ly, this can seem like SourGrapes on the part of the [[MostWritersAreHuman very much mortal writers]]. May be used as a FantasticAesop.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/LastMortal https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/who-wants-to-live-forever2_2152.jpg]]]]

* ComicStrip/ThePhantom once dealt with a gladiator from AncientRome who was cursed with immortality and NighInvulnerability (though like an ant, his back is vulnerable). Said gladiator even tried suicide throughout the centuries (and got really happy at his defeat and consequent death by the hands of the Ghost Who Walks).

* Cain, [[WordOfDante who is sometimes conflated with the Wandering Jew]], may be considered an example. After killing his brother, the Lord promises that anyone who harms him (which may include Cain himself) will suffer God's wrath. He places a mark on Cain, so that everyone will know to leave him alone. Although not explicitly immortal, [[CruelMercy this guarantees that Cain will have a long time to suffer for his crime.]]
* In the ''Story of the Bamboo Cutter'', an emperor is given the elixir of life by the beautiful Princess Kaguya as she departs, but refuses to drink it because if he won't be able to see said princess's beauty again, then he doesn't want to live forever.

* Myth/GreekMythology:

* In Christianity, this is considered to have been ''[[{{Hell}} the fate of all humanity]]'', if it weren't for the existence of Jesus Christ. For those in Hell, it's still felt to be their fate by traditionalists.

* Ashwatthama of the ''Literature/{{Mahabharata}}'' was cursed with immortality by Krishna after brutally slaughtering the Pandava and using a [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Brahmastra]] [[WouldHurtAChild on the womb of their pregnant queen]]. Not only was he made immortal, [[AndIMustScream he was also afflicted with diseases, ulcers, and wounds that would not heal for 3,000 years.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM1AqivB1G8 "Across the Highlands"]] by Kamelot.

* David Bowie - "Never Get Old".

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'':

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEuOoMprDqg "Xanadu"]] by Music/{{Rush}} is about an ImmortalitySeeker who [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor comes to regret getting what he sought]]:

* Music/{{Queen}} just so happens to be the TropeNamer. "Who wants to live forever... when love must die?"

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}} Well, this sucks.]]"]]

* A ''WebAnimation/DorklyOriginals'' short pokes on [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Tails]]' ability to not die, eventually believing himself to be blessed... until a full century after everyone he knows is dead and tries to end his life. He revives again and screams a BigNo

[[folder:Radio]]
* In [[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWho030SeasonsOfFear Seasons of Fear]] happens to Sebastian Grayle, who is given immortality by the [[spoiler:Nimon]] in 305. He ends up outliving 12 wives, becoming more bitter and evil over the years, and hating the Doctor more for stopping his plans to help his Masters invade. He hopes for a more ethereal immortality when his Masters invade the Earth. [[spoiler:When he goes back in time from 1806 to just before he made the deal with the Nimon, this leads to FutureMeScaresMe, as his past self kills him.]]
[[/folder]]

** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1520 SCP-1520]] is a 16th century Buddhist monk who attempted to die undergoing a self-mummification process to achieve Buddhahood, but failed and [[AndIMustScream has been trapped in a shrivelled, mummified corpse for over four centuries]]. Unusual for this trope, the monk doesn't ''mind'' exactly, aside from some mild disappointment that he has not achieved enlightenment. He's communicated exactly once with the Foundation, belaying a message meant for a former lover (which was delivered to said lover's descendant under the guise of an unearthed family document) presumably as part of shedding himself of any remaining worldly attachments, and has made no further attempts at communication.
** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1440 SCP-1440]] is a kind old man who [[ChessWithDeath beat Death at cards]], and cannot die. He ''might'' be able to enjoy it if Death wasn't such a SoreLoser and cursed him to be a WalkingWasteland who kills/destroys all humans and things made by humans that get close to him, meaning he can do nothing but wander the Earth alone forever. [[spoiler:He does at least get a happy ending in [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/quiet-days Quiet Days.]]]]

* The superhero guide ''Blog/HowToHero'' has an entry on Old Immortals who wish they could die and tips on how to do just that.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}} Well, this sucks.]]]]

[[folder:Roleplay]]
* One of the many themes connected to immortality that get explored in ''Roleplay/AHDotComEternals''.
[[/folder]]

* ''Webanimation/{{RWBY}}'': The [[DeathWorld World of Remnant]] has been the arena for a [[SecretWar secret]], [[ForeverWar ancient]] war between [[BigGood Ozpin]] and [[BigBad Salem]]. Both of them are immortal, and both for different reasons. However, the one thing they have in common is that their immortality is treated as a curse rather than a blessing. [[spoiler:In ancient times, Salem incurred the wrath of the gods by trying to resurrect Ozma, a love she lost to sickness. Cursed with CompleteImmortality to learn the importance of life and death, it was impossible for her to die and join him in the afterlife, so she tried to turn humanity against the gods [[RageAgainstTheHeavens in revenge]]. To give humanity one single chance at redemption, the God of Light resurrected Ozma with the mission to [[ResurrectiveImmortality constantly reincarnate]] into the [[BodySurf body of a living man or boy]] to guide humanity towards peace and harmony; the flaw in the mission is that Salem was corrupted by the God of Darkness's pools of annihilation and destruction, and is trying to divide and destroy humanity. As long as Salem exists, Ozma cannot save humanity. Unable to die or defeat the other, they are locked together in an eternal war for the fate humanity, their love long since lost to grief, despair and rage.]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgK7OMYHh2Y "Xanadu"]] by Music/{{Rush}} is about an ImmortalitySeeker who [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor comes to regret getting what he sought]]:

->'''Alfred Fellig''': Seventy-five years is enough. Take my word for it. You live forever, sooner or later, you start to think about the big thing you're missing and that everybody else gets to find out about but you.\\
'''Dana Scully''': What about love?\\
'''Alfred Fellig''': What? Does that last forever? Forty years ago, I drove down to the city hall, down to the Hall of Records, Record Archives, whatever they call it. I wanted to look up my wife. It bothered me I couldn't remember her name. Love lasts seventy-five years, if you're lucky. You don't want to be around when it's gone.
-->-- ''Series/TheXFiles''

* WhoWantsToLiveForever/RealLife

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}} Well this sucks.]]]]

* ''Literature/TalesOfMU'' has one of the few cases of immortal elves who do ''not'' avert this. Many elves have spoken at their own funerals and "taking elven leave" is a dwarf euphemism for suicide.