Line #5 Main/EndsWithASmile


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Film/Pearl2022 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pearl_smile_5.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350: Well, it's [[TheUnsmile kind of a smile]], anyway.]]
3
4	->"''A SMILE finally breaks onto Dani's face. (For some, this smile might recall the photo of Dani in her parents' bedroom at the beginning of the film.) She has surrendered to a joy known only by the insane. She has lost herself completely, and she is finally free. It is horrible and it is beautiful.''
5	-->'''FADE TO BLACK.'''''
6	-->-- '''Creator/AriAster''', ''Film/{{Midsommar}}''
7
8	People love it [[WhenSheSmiles when a character, especially the protagonist, smiles.]] It helps them to believe that everything is going to work out okay, or that they've figured something out that will save the day. So it makes sense, regardless of the precise tone of the ending, to conclude with a smile.
9
10	This trope is not GoOutWithASmile, where a character smiles as they die (or its more sinister cousin, DyingSmirk). On rare occasions, if the work [[TheHeroDies ends with the character's death]], the two tropes may overlap, but it's very unusual. It's more commonly a feature of the GroupPictureEnding.
11
12	Or, at least, that's the more optimistic version of this trope: a smile that signifies a happy ending, whether that happiness is [[SurprisinglyHappyEnding surprising]] or [[BittersweetEnding soured with bitterness.]] In a BittersweetEnding, it might be a WistfulSmile, as the character mourns what has been lost while also celebrating the gains.
13
14	However, because a smile is so commonly associated with happiness, it's almost as common for this trope to be PlayedForHorror, either because the villain is the person smiling -- usually a SlasherSmile or a PsychoticSmirk -- or because the circumstances are so dire and unnerving that it may be a BrokenSmile, or because it suggests all really is lost. In these cases, it will be a component in a DownerEnding or BolivianArmyEnding, or one where TheBadGuyWins, depending on how intense the ending is. It can also overlap with NoEnding if the lack of dialogue leaves it [[AmbiguousEnding ambiguous]] what happened next.
15
16	In visual media (especially TV and film), it's common for the smile to [[BreakingTheFourthWall break the fourth wall.]] In horror examples, this will show that TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou, whereas in more optimistic endings, it will suggest that the characters are aware of the audience's engagement in them and want to reassure them that it's going to be okay.
17
18	Contrast OffIntoTheDistanceEnding, which is a similar way to show the characters moving on (and may overlap if they smile before walking away). Compare the EverybodyLaughsEnding, though if a single character laughs, that may fall under this trope.
19
20	!!As this is an {{Ending Trope\|s}}, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].
21	----
22	!!Examples:
23	[[foldercontrol]]
24
25	[[folder:Advertising]]
26	* An infamously creepy and now lost commercial for the Filipino flower shop ''Encarnacion Bechaves'' ended with a woman smiling at the camera holding up a flower.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
30	* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
31	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'': The last scene has Jotaro smiling as he looks at the group photo before looking out the window as the plane flies back home.
32	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'': In the ending, after Okuyasu heard a rumor about Rohan shoplifting, Koichi dismisses it, while Josuke smiles at both of them and saying to head out together.
33	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureSteelBallRun Steel Ball Run]]'': In the epilogue, Johnny carries Gyro's coffin onto a ship to be taken back to his home country, smiling while praying they both have a safe voyage.
34	* ''Anime/PerfectBlue'' concludes with songstress-turned-actress Mima Kirigoe leaving a sanitarium. One nurse wonders if she has seen the real Mima, but another nurse claims that it must be a lookalike. Once Mima is in her car, she regards the audience in her rearview mirror, smiles cheerily, and states, "Nope, it's the real me." This signals that despite the mind-screw and torment she'd endured, Mima still has a positive outlook.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
38	* ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance'' concludes with studio mogul L. B. Mammoth declaring "Get a picture, boys. These kids will be making history!" as he embraces Danny and Sawyer on stage. Mammoth is smiling because he's found new talent, while Danny and Sawyer are smiling because they're no longer relegated to the background chorus. However, there is TheStinger where wicked Darla Dimple grimaces at the audience because she's been demoted to janitor.
39	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' ends with the Parr family smiling as they suit up to take on the Underminer.
40	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' ends with the eponymous robot exploding, but then starting to rebuild himself. We see different body parts, ending on the head, which smiles.
41	* The very last shot of ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'' is a zoom-in on the titular heroine smiling brightly on her boat, as the new chief of Motunui.
42	* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1'': The last shot before the credits is Sulley smiling widely as he opens Boo's door and hears her call him "kitty" again.
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
46	* ''Film/FiveHundredDaysOfSummer'''s last scene is another MeetCute, this time with Tom and a girl named (wait for it) Autumn. Tom flashes a disbelieving smile [[BreakingTheFourthWall at the camera]] as the "days" counter goes back to 1 and the film ends.
47	* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' ends with the Mad Titan Thanos sitting down at his cabin on a remote planet, watching the sunset and smiling to himself as he rests following [[TheBadGuyWins the success of his plan to wipe out half of all life in the universe.]]
48	* The final shot of ''Film/Barbie2023'' is of Barbie (now gifted with human attributes) telling a receptionist that she's here to see her gynecologist and beaming proudly.
49	* ''Film/{{Brazil}}'': The last we see of Sam is him strapped to the chair, having been presumably tortured to the point of insanity, humming and smiling with a ThousandYardStare. His torturer gets up and walks away in frustration, and the movie ends.
50	* ''Film/CityLights'' ends on the Tramp smiling after the blind girl (who has since been cured) answers his question and says that she can see.
51	* ''Film/CODA2021'' ends with Ruby leaning out of the car window, signing "I love you so much" to her family, and smiling to herself before she puts her head back in and drives away to Berklee.
52	* The last moments of ''Film/CoolHandLuke'' is of the photograph of the smiling Luke with the two women. The final shot zooms in on Luke's smile to suggest that, although he has been killed, the cruelties of prison life weren't enough to destroy his spirit. It can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjMW9JDSkXU here.]]
53	* ''Film/ACureForWellness'': Lockhart smiles as he bikes away with Hanna at the end because they are safe, and also because he has gained some modicum of revenge for his father's suicide.
54	* Happens twice in the UK cut of ''Film/TheDescent.'' The last we see of Sarah in the cave is of her wearing a small [[TheUnsmile unsmile]] as she descends into madness and falls into a fantasy of being reunited with her daughter Jessica. When the credits roll, they also happen over the [[GroupPictureEnding picture of the whole group taken earlier]], in which they're smiling, now with much more horrifying implications since they are all almost certainly dead.
55	* ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow'' ends with Cage, after successfully saving the world with his final iteration of the GroundhogDayLoop, going to find Rita in the shooting range, the same way we were introduced to her at the beginning of the movie. Since this is (from her perspective) their first meeting, she brusquely demands to know what he wants. His smile before answering is the film's final frame.
56	* ''Film/{{Fido}}'': The movie ends with the titular character smiling. This counts as both a genuine HappyEnding and a zigzagged version of one, what with the RefugeInAudacity BoyMeetsGhoul themes reaching their logical conclusion.
57	* Another [[BreakingTheFourthWall fourth wall-breaking]] example is ''Film/FunnyGames'', which ends with Paul smirking at the camera, presumably about to wreak havoc on yet another completely new family.
58	* ''Film/TheGraduate'': Subverted by the LeaveTheCameraRunning nature of the ending. The movie ''seems'' like it's going to end when Elaine and Benjamin jump on the bus together, beaming. As the shot goes on, both of their smiles fade to more contemplative and uncertain expressions before the movie (actually) ends.
59	* ''Film/TheHole'' ends with Liz smiling as she blames Philippa for what happened and manages to escape unscathed and without any charges. An alternate ending ''also'' ends with a smile, this time as Liz (now a blonde), meets a boy at her new school who is implied to be a ReplacementGoldfish for her previous obsession, Mike.
60	* ''Film/TheIdeaOfYou'' ends with Solene smiling at Hayes after he comes back to her art gallery in the final scene, leaving the possibility open that they will rekindle their relationship as they previously discussed.
61	* ''Film/TheIncredibleHulk2008'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5Aj1PSceoo ends with Bruce Banner in his remote cabin trying to meditate]]. Then his eyes start to glow green (signalling his upcoming transformation) and he smiles. It's left to the viewer to decide whether this is a good thing (Banner starting to control his transformation) or a bad thing (Banner is losing control to the Hulk, who is becoming more malicious). The door is left open for whichever direction the creators wanted to take the character in the Avengers movie.
62	* ''Film/TheIndianInTheCupboard'' concludes with a slow close-up on Omri, slowly breaking into a smile. He's initially sad that he'll no longer see Boone or Little Bear again, but this gets eclipsed by the knowledge that those two men are in their rightful place, living the lives that they understand and can navigate.
63	* ''Film/IngridGoesWest'' ends with a smile spreading across Ingrid's face as, after attempting suicide on camera (which she also did while smiling before she passed out), she sees that her Instagram account has been flooded by followers and affection since news of her suicide attempt went around.
64	* ''Film/{{Magnolia}}'' ends with Claudia Gator smiling into the camera and BreakingTheFourthWall after almost two hours of being a BrokenBird (such as reliving abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her father), to suggest that she's finally [[EarnYourHappyEnding earned some sort of happy ending.]]
65	* ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'': Having broken into hysterical sobs at the sight of her ex-boyfriend Christian being burned alive, Dani, now crowned as the May Queen, smiles, either because she's a WomanScorned, she's completely lost her mind, she's found her new family, or she's too high to understand what's happened.
66	* ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart2'' ends with Katniss smiling as she holds her baby and looks out at Peeta playing with their other child.
67	* ''Film/NightsOfCabiria'': Cabiria's life gets essentially ruined -- her money is stolen, she loses her house, and she has nothing left except her clothes. Then, as she's walking down the street, she passes a group of partygoers cheering and singing. Looking at them, she smiles and the film ends.
68	* ''Film/Oldboy2003'': Subverted. Oh Dae-su embraces Mi-do after his meeting with the hypnotist and smiles... but it's unclear if his memories of the [[SurpriseIncest horrifying revenge]] Lee Woo-jin manipulated him into have truly been erased, and Dae-su's grin becomes a pained grimace.
69	* ''Film/TheOmen1976'' ends with Damian turning around and [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou smiling at the audience]] because the Satanists' plan has worked out and he's now in the care of the U.S. President. It also strongly suggests that Damian was aware of the plot in his name even though he's only five years old.
70	* ''Film/Pearl2022'': Pearl ends the movie by breaking into an enormous smile, which she then holds as the credits roll. Her smile therefore becomes increasingly strained and painful as tears start to come through... but she still doesn't lose it.
71	* ''Film/PlanesTrainsAndAutomobiles'' ends with a still shot of Del's face as he smiles, having been brought back to Neal's home to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family.
72	* ''Film/PriscillaQueenOfTheDesert'': Doubles as a FreezeFrameEnding, when the movie freeze-frames on Tink grinning at his son as he performs back in Melbourne.
73	* Downplayed in ''Film/{{Psycho}}''. [[TheEnd "The End"]] shows up over a shot of Marion's car being pulled out of the water, but the shot directly before that is of Norman, in full KubrickStare, smiling eerily at the camera as "Mother" takes over.
74	* Played with in ''Film/SaintMaud''. Maud is shown at first overcome, then slowly beaming with joy as she apparently ascends to heaven in a burst of light. But, just as the movie goes to credits, there's a split-second flash of the reality: Maud screaming in agony while she burns to death.
75	* ''Film/SawII'' ends with Jigsaw, badly beaten and bloodied, eking out a small grin as Eric [[ClusterFBomb curses out his apprentice,]] Amanda, offscreen.
76	* ''Film/SheDevil'' ends with Ruth smiling triumphantly as she walks through crowds of other women on the city street, apparently indistinguishable from them despite the plan she enacted.
77	* ''Film/TheShining'': The final shot of the movie is of the [[SpookyPhotographs photograph]] taken of the New Year's ball at the Overlook -- which now features Jack, seemingly sucked back into time, smiling in the front of the crowd.
78	* ''Film/Smile2022'': In the final scene of the movie, the main character Rose has been possessed by the entity that has been haunting her and after pouring gasoline onto herself subsequently sets herself on fire with her ex-boyfriend Joel watching in horror. Throughout this sequence, Rose has a creepy smile on her face which was also seen on Laura, the young woman who committed suicide under the entity's influence earlier in the movie while she was in Rose's office.
79	* Subverted in ''Film/TheSpectacularNow.'' The closing seconds show Amy smiling at seeing Sutter again, but the smile fades from her face as she opens her mouth to talk to him. The audience never learns what she says, so we don't know if she's choosing to take him back, chewing him out, rejecting him, or something completely different.
80	* ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'': As reporters gather to cover the death of Joe, Norma, in the depths of her delusion, thinks they're there to report on her return to the silver screen. In the closing shot, Norma says 'All right, Mr. [=DeMille=], I'm ready for my closeup" and advances towards the camera with a demented grin on her face. The camera then goes out of focus, as if the sight of her madness were too much to bear.
81	* ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'' ends with Superman flying up into the sky and smiling at the camera.
82	* ''Film/UncleBuck'': The [[https://atriflefurther.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/screenshot2012-04-04at12-49-18am.png final shot of the film]] shows Buck raising his hand to say goodbye to his family, a soft but genuine smile on his face. It reflects the fact that Buck has finally reconciled with his relatives and that there are hopeful changes ahead for all of them.
83	* ''Film/{{Us}}'': While the camera pans out and shows us the Tethered doing the Hands Across America as Red had planned, the last we see of protagonist Adelaide is of her giving her son, Jason, a small, triumphant smile, as she either remembers or comes to terms with the fact that ''she'' was Tethered and [[KillAndReplace replaced her own "original".]] The movie ends with Jason pulling down his mask, seeming afraid of her, and of Hands Across America happening outside their car.
84	* ''Film/VeronicaMars'': Though it's a BittersweetEnding, the final shot is of Veronica sitting down at her desk in Mars Investigation, smiling to herself. It's left ambiguous if this is because she's back where she should be (in Neptune) or if she's given in to her destructive impulses.
85	* Zigzagged in ''Film/{{Whiplash}}''. The final shots of the movie are of Andrew and Fletcher smiling at each other as Fletcher finally shows approval for Andrew's performance. However, the scene is cut so that the audience doesn't actually see Fletcher's mouth (just the rest of his face moving). We do see Andrew smiling, though, as he continues playing.
86	* ''Film/WristcuttersALoveStory'' ends with Zia waking up in a hospital bed, having returned from the [[CrapsackWorld limbo for suicides]], and finding his LoveInterest Mikal is in the next bed over. The last shots are of the two slowly beginning to smile at each other (made more poignant by the fact that in the afterlife they both escaped, it's impossible to smile).
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Literature]]
90	* The TeenGenius narrator of ''Literature/TheCuriousIncidentOfTheDogInTheNightTime'', who has difficulty expressing emotion, demonstrates his response to the book's HappyEnding with a smiley emoji.
91	* ''Literature/MillyMolly'': "Milly, Molly, and Alf" ends with Alf winning a prize at school and the last sentence is "[[NotSoStoic Suddenly... Alf smiled]], what's more, he was lost for words". Since previously Alf had been established as TheStoic and never lost for words, this goes to show he's exceptionally happy.
92	* In ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsImASupervillain'' and sequels ''Moon'', ''Henchmen'', and ''Believe'', [[MadScientist Penny Akk]] ends the book with [[EvilLaugh maniacal laughter]] at how things turned out well for her.
93	* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' ends on the [[DawnOfAnEra dawn of a new Age]] after the Dark One's defeat and TheChosenOne Rand's [[FakingTheDead apparent]] HeroicSacrifice. Away from the celebrations and mourning, Rand rides off, laughing in delight that his [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne duty]] is complete and he's free to [[WalkingTheEarth explore the world]].
94	* At the end of ''[[Literature/HoratioHornblower Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies]]'', Hornblower holds himself back from laughing (since it might be misinterpreted) but can't help smiling as he kisses his wife.
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
98	* ''Series/AmericanPlayhouse'': Based on a short story by Creator/KurtVonnegut, "Who Am I This Time?" revolves around two shy characters who have never been lucky in love, hardware store employee [[Creator/ChristopherWalken Harry Nash]] and telephone operator [[Creator/SusanSarandon Helene Shaw]], who both audition for a local production of ''Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire''. Cast as Stanley and Stella, each comes out of their shell and become infatuated with the other's stage persona, but they eventually learn to love each other for who they really are. The show ends with a close-up of the couple smiling after one of them uses the episode [[TitleDrop title as a joke]].
99	* ''Series/BlackMirror'':
100	** [[Recap/BlackMirrorHangTheDJ "Hang the DJ"]] ends with Frank and Amy locking eyes across the bar and smiling at one another -- depicting their first in-person meeting after the app declared them to be each other's OneTrueLove.
101	** [[Recap/BlackMirrorJoanIsAwful "Joan is Awful"]] ends with Joan and Annie beaming as they talk warmly to each other in the coffee shop, suggesting that Joan's managed to break her spiral of self-hatred thanks to Annie's intervention.
102	* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire'':
103	** "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireS2E7NewGenerations New Generations]]" ends with Brittas walking into his office and giving a smile, having heard that his wife Helen has become pregnant with twins and pleased to see that his legacy will continue in the form of biological offspring.
104	** "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireS4E1NotAGoodDay Not a Good Day]]" ends with Brittas giving another smile after finding out that, in spite of the nightmarish day he had involving Roman WarReenactors, he was able to give a StrugglingSingleMother and child a nice day out through his rules and policies.
105	** "[[Recap/TheBrittasEmpireS7E8CurseOfTheTigerWomen Curse of the Tiger Women]]", the final episode of the series, ends with Brittas smiling to the side as he utters his "I have a Dream..." CharacterCatchphrase, showing how even though the events of the series were AllJustADream, his Dream of making the world a better place still remains.
106	* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': The very last shot of the series is of Buffy staring off into the distance, and when Dawn asks what they're going to do next, [[AndTheAdventureContinues our hero just smiles]], and we SmashToBlack.
107	* ''Series/CruelSummer'': The final scene of Season 1 is the flashback to the day, it's revealed, that Jeanette broke into Martin Harris's house. Contrary to what she told Kate and everyone, Jeanette heard Kate calling for help from the basement and chose to leave her there. The final shot of the season is Jeanette's PsychoticSmirk as she leaves Kate behind, revealing that she knew all along what she had done.
108	* ''Series/DaisyJonesAndTheSix'': The series ends with Daisy and Billy smiling at each other at Daisy's door after Billy honors Camila's dying wish by getting back in touch with Daisy.
109	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
110	** The final serial of season 7 [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E4Inferno "Inferno"]] ends with the Third Doctor informing Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Elizabeth Shaw that his TARDIS is now fully operational and therefore he can leave his exile on Earth calling Brigadier "pompous self-opinionated idiot" as he dematerializes... [[CrossingTheBurnedBridge except that he returns a few seconds later]] revealing that he landed in the rubbish pit a few hundred yards away. While Brigadier is quick to remind Doctor of all the names he called him earlier they both leave to lift the TARDIS up while the camera stays in the garage. Leaving the final shot to be Liz Shaw barely holding a laugh.
111	* ''Series/{{Euphoria}}'': Though it's pretty subtle, as she walks through the school and away at the end of Season 2, Rue smiles to herself while reminiscing in voiceover that she stayed clean for the rest of the school year.
112	* ''Series/{{Fargo}}'': Season Five ends with Ole Munch (TheStoic, The ImplacableMan, and TheComicallySerious all rolled into one brutal thug) breaking into a tearful smile when Dot offers him a homemade biscuit. It's implied to be the first time he's been happy in over five hundred years.
113	* ''Series/{{Fleabag}}'': Though Fleabag has [[BreakingTheFourthWall broken the fourth wall]] all series, the final shots of Seasons 1 and 2 are of her smiling at the camera, to bring about some closure and peace after her unhappiness (or, at least, in Season 2, since the Priest rejected her, she's still found some hope.)
114	* ''Series/TheLeftovers'': Each season ends with a [[SurprisinglyHappyEnding surprisingly happy]] MaybeEverAfter that shows a character smiling:
115	** Season 1 looks like it's going to have a DownerEnding, as Nora leaves Kevin a letter telling him that she's leaving him forever because she'll never recover from her grief. It's implied she may be planning to commit suicide. Then she turns around and sees baby Lily on Kevin's doorstep (Wayne and Christine's baby, left for him by Tom). As Nora picks Lily up, she starts to smile, then she turns around and says to Jill and Kevin (returning from the blaze of the Guilty Remnant): "Look what I found!" Season 1 then ends with Nora smiling at Kevin.
116	** After the town of Miracle/Jarden is taken over by the Guilty Remnant and burns, Season 2's final scene starts with Kevin sobbing, having escaped a liminal dreamworld. And then he realizes that he's surrounded by his whole family (Laurie, Tom, Jill, Nora, Matt, and Mary) who have all, through various coincidences and luck, made their way through Miracle and been reunited. Kevin smiles, even as he cries, and Nora smiles back.
117	** In Season 3 (and the GrandFinale), Nora and Kevin are reunited again after Nora went to Australia and left Kevin following their argument (and possibly found the Departed. [[AmbiguousSituation Maybe.]]) The final shots of them in the series are of them smiling at each other, rekindling their hope for a new start or second chance.
118	* ''Series/MadMen'' ends with Don Draper meditating on a hillside as a smile creeps onto his face, then the show cuts to the famous "hilltop" Coca-Cola ad, the implication being that Don just came up with the idea.
119	* ''Series/{{Motherland}}'': The final shot of the first Christmas special is of Julia's children waking her up ''screaming'' that Santa has been. Julia, who usually sports a forced [[TheUnsmile Unsmile]], beams with genuine delight at hearing her children so happy.
120	* ''Series/MurderSheWrote'': Most episodes of the series ended on a shot of Jessica either smiling, laughing, or making a humorous face (such as if something funny/unfortunate had just happened). If the episode was darker or ended on a dark note, then the final shot would be of [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness Jessica frowning or looking at someone with disapproval.]]
121	* ''Series/QueenCharlotteABridgertonStory'': The [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet]] final scene has Charlotte and George gazing into each other's eyes, each with an adoring smile, though hers is {{tearful\|smile}}. They're still HappilyMarried after all these decades together, but George's mental illness has worsened to the point where he doesn't even know what year it is or who his family members are most of the time--but in this moment, George recognizes his dear Charlotte, and remembers their first meeting. To add an extra emotional punch to the gut, the scene briefly flickers to their younger selves smiling at each other, before coming back to the present moment.
122	* The first season of ''Series/SonOfACritch'' ends with Mark reclining with a contented smile on his face as he listens to the MixtapeOfLove that Fox gave him before they parted for the summer.
123	* ''Series/WonderWoman'' almost always ended with the title character smiling.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Music]]
127	* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbxjkhO7f58 this]] SongParody of "Let it Go" from ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'', titled "I Said No", the end has the little girl, who had previously been [[BrattyHalfPint throwing a tantrum]] because her dad wouldn't let her eat [[SweetTooth the Halloween candy she wanted]], smiling after he decides to allow her to have just one piece.
128	* The video for ''Music/MichaelJacksonsThriller'' famously ends with Jackson comforting his girlfriend, the events of the video seemingly having been AllJustADream... only to suddenly turn to the camera and grin madly, revealing he has the werecat-like eyes from earlier in the video. Cue EvilLaugh from Creator/VincentPrice and FadeToBlack.
129	* Music/WeirdAlYankovic:
130	** The music video for "[[Music/WeirdAlYankovicIn3D Eat It]]" ends with Al suddenly turning around to reveal that he has [[AnimalEyes yellow cat eyes]] and a SlasherSmile, in a ShoutOut to ''Music/MichaelJacksonsThriller''.
131	** The music video for "[[Music/{{Alpocalypse}} Skipper Dan]]" ends with the titular Skipper Dan smiling while taking a photo with a family of tourists. It's [[AmbiguousSituation unspecified]] as to whether [[EarnYourHappyEnding he's finally happy with his job]], or if he's a StepfordSmiler.
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder:Video Games]]
135	* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': In the ending scene, after Ann sees Ayane had [[SleepCute fallen asleep]] moments after getting Ann to do a BridalCarry with her, she does a warm smile deciding it's time to call it a day before heading back home.
136	* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'';
137	** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'': In the ending chapter, Makoto smiled as he presses the exit button before he and the others finally leave the academy.
138	** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'': The last scene in the epilogue is Shuichi, Maki, and Himiko, looking up with determination towards the opened path to venture out into the true world.
139	* ''VideoGame/HonkaiImpact3rd'': The end of the story of Part 1 (collectively called "The Moon's Origin and Finality") has the protagonist Kiana smiling towards the camera while pointing at it, similar to her portrait at the icon of the app.
140	* ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'': The final scene of the "Sacrifice Chloe" ending ends with Max having a slight smile after a blue butterfly, which is symbolic of Chloe, lands on her coffin.
141	* ''VideoGame/LonelyWolfTreat'': The first chapter ends with a shot of Treat with a warm smile on her face. Since she spent the first half of the chapter starving and alone, it serves to show that her life is changing for the better after meeting Mochi and enjoying a delicious curry dinner with her.
142	* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' ends with Liu Kang exiting Madam Bo's teahouse with a grin on his face, proclaiming that Earthrealm is safe with his champions.
143	* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
144	** The final frame of ''VideoGame/Persona3'' is Aigis smiling to S.E.E.S. when they reunite on the school's roof.
145	** ''VideoGame/Persona4 Golden'': In the epilogue, Yu smiles as his friends welcome him back during a group meal.
146	** ''VideoGame/Persona5 Royal'': The last scene of the true ending has Joker removing his glasses as he smiles out the window.
147	* ''VideoGame/WorldsEndClub'': The last scene has Pochi [[ThankingTheViewer thanking the player]] for helping everyone, giving a smiling thumbs-up.
148	[[/folder]]
149
150	[[folder:Web Animation]]
151	* ''WebAnimation/TheAmazingDigitalCircus'': [[Recap/TheAmazingDigitalCircusPilot The pilot]] ends with a shot of Pomni's BrokenSmile, implying that she's starting to go a little nuts at her new situation.
152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Webcomics]]
155	* ''Webcomic/TheLessThanEpicAdventuresOfTJAndAmal'': The last chapter has Amal [[IWillFindYou go looking]] for TJ to rekindle their relationship after TJ's disappearance. At the end, he finds the place where TJ had hoped to get a new job, walks inside, and [[https://tjandamal.com/comic/499.html grins]] at [[AmbiguousEnding something unseen]].
156	[[/folder]]
157
158	[[folder:Western Animation]]
159	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': The last shot of the GrandFinale's credits is a smiling group shot of Anne, Sasha, and Marcy.
160	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'':
161	** Played for LightmareFuel at the end of "Spell it Out" -- the episode involves Lucy seemingly cursing her siblings into [[LostVoicePlot not being able to speak]] as {{revenge}} for them ignoring her, but then they reveal that they just had laryngitis from yelling. Then, at the end, [[CreepyChangingPainting the painting of Great Grandma Harriet smiles]], hinting that either [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane the spell was real all along]], Harriet's ghost is around, or both.
162	** "Really Loud Music" ends with a final shot of a smiling Luna, having given up her chance at a record deal but happy to keep her true image.
163	* WesternAnimation/PunkyBrewster ends the episode "Punky the Heiress" with a giggle and a bright smile upon her crooked aunt and uncle sentenced to be Henry's housecleaners for a month (following them using Punky to embezzle an inheritance).
164	* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'': "Stimpy's Invention" ends as Ren, finally freeing himself from the control of the [[MindControlDevice Happy Helmet]], has Stimpy in a stranglehold, telling him that he's never been angrier in his entire life. Then suddenly, Ren smiles, because he realizes that being angry is what makes him happy. The parting shot is a close-up of Ren's demonic grimace, accompanied by [[LaughingMad mad laughter]].
165	* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': At the end, Aku has been defeated for good, and [[Characters/SamuraiJackJack Jack]] has returned home to his own time. Unfortunately, the woman he loves, Ashi, was a daughter of Aku, and Jack destroyed Aku from a time before she was ever conceived, causing a case of eventual RetGone for her, though they at least get to say goodbye. Jack wanders off alone into the wilderness, where he comes across a tree that is shedding cherry blossom petals. The series closes with Jack giving a WistfulSmile at the close of the story.
166	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E15TheSecretBoxBandGeeks Band Geeks]]" ends on a [[FreezeFrameEnding freeze-frame]] of [[Characters/SpongeBobSquarePantsSquidwardTentacles Squidward Tentacles]] leaping with an expression of glee, having earned a [[{{pun}} sweet victory]] over his rival Squilliam.
167	* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In the GrandFinale of ''[[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverseFuture Future]]'', Steven has a smile as he drives away from Beach City.
168	* Nearly every episode of ''Supertato'' ends with Supertato smiling at the viewers with an AudibleGleam.
169	[[/folder]]

Context Main / EndsWithASmile