Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / GoOutWithASmile

Go To

1%%%
2%%
3%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
4%%
5%%%
6%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1549824268027801200
7%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
8%%
9[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/GirlGenius https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ggmain20061215.png]]]]
10%%
11
12->''"...he was found in the morning stretched upon the floor, with a placid smile upon his face, as though he had been able in his dying moments to look back upon a useful life, and on work well done."''
13-->-- '''Literature/SherlockHolmes''', ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet''
14
15Death is rarely a cause for celebration, as it is a permanent goodbye to the world you love.
16
17Sometimes, however, the pain of seeing you cry hurts the one who is about to depart more than imminent death itself, and in spite of agonizing pain or being crippled beyond saving, summons up all their courage to ''sincerely'' smile one last time for you (or alternatively laughing softly); a final gesture that beyond all doubt affirms their love for you. If the one smiling in question is a girl (especially if she is an Anime or Video Game character), her final smile will be the single most painfully ''cute'' thing you will '''ever''' see besides a [[CuteKitten box of kittens]].
18
19It makes a lasting impression as a [[ObiWanMoment pretty dignified]] [[FaceDeathWithDignity way to go]]. Usually reserved for the finales of heartfelt stories or the climax of a BittersweetEnding.
20
21The MercyKill may have the dying person evince some self-awareness to show this; similarly, this might be part of DyingAsYourself.
22
23If the character in question has been TheStoic or an EmotionlessGirl it might be a case of DeathEqualsEmotion.
24
25Compare DieLaughing, DiedHappilyEverAfter, and TearfulSmile. Often paired with PietaPlagiarism, CradlingYourKill, or ComfortTheDying. See also LetThemDieHappy if the dying character is cheered up by well-meaning lies and ThanatosGambit if the character is content to die in order to achieve some objective. See also FinalFirstHug and LastKiss. Sometimes crosses with OutWithABang. Unless the body dissolves or is destroyed, usually results in PeacefulInDeath.
26
27Contrast DyingSmirk, where characters die with spiteful or ironic (rather than peaceful) grins, smirks, and laughs.
28
29!!NOTICE: It is possible that simply reading through the examples will be a TearJerker for the reader. It is recommended for those that easily get emotional that a box of tissues be handy. And it should go without saying that, being a {{Death Trope|s}}, ''THERE WILL BE UNMARKED SPOILERS''.
30----
31!!Example subpages:
32
33[[index]]
34* GoOutWithASmile/AnimeAndManga
35* GoOutWithASmile/VideoGames
36[[/index]]
37
38!!Other examples:
39
40[[foldercontrol]]
41
42[[folder:Asian Animation]]
43* In Season 7 Episode 50 of ''Animation/HappyHeroes'', a close-up of Kalo's mouth shows he's clearly smiling as he says his goodbye and explodes to defeat an army of spaceships attemping to attack Planet Xing.
44* In the 42nd episode of ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf: Rescue Across Time'', Weslie perpetually smiles as he is slowly dying in a containment chamber. The smile remains on his face once he's fully dead.
45[[/folder]]
46
47[[folder:Comic Books]]
48%% * In ''ComicBook/CableAndDeadpool'', this is how Cable goes out.
49%%* In most {{Elseworld}}s stories that involve ComicBook/TheJoker dying, he does so with a smile. It's not like he had much choice. The Joker's victims usually go out with a smile, as well... mainly due to how he kills them.
50%% Isn't this more of an example of DyingSmirk?
51* Creator/DCComics:
52** ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'': ComicBook/{{Batman}}, after shooting ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} to poison him (which started the process of Darkseid's defeat) and just before being struck by the Omega Sanction.
53** ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'': Noted of Batman by the Black Racer (the Death of the New Gods) in his narration for the ''[[ComicBook/JLARockOfAges Rock of Ages]]'' storyline.
54--->This one sees me and smiles.
55** ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'': During the ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'' storyline, the [[DeathSeeker Cyborg Superman]] wanted to die so that he could be with his dead wife. He does die and is happy, but then the Manhunters [[UnwantedRevival bring him back... and he cries]].
56** ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'': One of the most tragic casualties was the final duel between ComicBook/{{Superboy}} and Superboy-Prime below the Anti-Monitor Tower trying to save ComicBook/WonderGirl and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, where Conner makes a combined HeroicSacrifice and TakingYouWithMe to crash both Superboys into the tower, effectively destroying it. In the end, Conner is found in the ruins impaled, being found by Wonder Girl and [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dying in her arms]].
57--->'''Wonder Girl:''' ''(crying)'' You did it, Conner. You saved the Earth. You saved everyone.
58--->'''Superboy:''' ''(smiling)'' I know Cass. Isn't it cool?...
59* ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'': The luvcats are so naturally cheerful and full of love that they don't get any less happy even when [[EmotionEater the changelings]] invade their cute little village and start draining them. At one point a changeling commander remarks about "still having plenty of these guys left" while holding one of the leftover luvcats who, despite being essentially kept as a food reserve, still smiles joyfully. Even the luvcat that was apparently [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath murdered off-frame]] by Queen Chrysalis just kept sitting happily in his last seconds while holding a heart-shaped card that said: "Love conquers all".
60** In the ''Siege of the Crystal Empire'' arc, Sombra finally decides to ScrewDestiny and return the Crystal Heart, despite knowing that its light will kill him along with banishing the [[AncientEvil Umbrum]]. His (apparent) final moments are spent basking in the light alongside his OnlyFriend Radiant Hope, smiling even as his body is destroyed like a shadow in the sun. Thankfully, RedemptionEarnsLife.
61* ''ComicBook/TheSpirit'': In the story "Wild Rice", heiress Rice Wilder escaped the GildedCage of her family's wealth and joined a gang of bank robbers. When the Spirit offered to take her back home, she tried to make a run for it, only to get shot by one of the robbers, who thought she had squealed to the cops. As she died, she whispered "I'm finally free," and smiled.
62* ''ComicBook/TransformersGeneration2'': Frenzy goes out [[http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Frenzy_%28G1%29#Marvel_Generation_2_comic grinning maniacally]] while trying to generate enough sonic energy to repulse [[HordeOfAlienLocusts the Swarm]]. Unfortunately, [[ExplosiveOverclocking his supercharged sonic generators]] were too much for his body to handle and Frenzy died the way he'd lived -- loud, obnoxious, and shaking everything around him to pieces, including himself.
63* ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'': In issue #160, Peter Parker dies in Mary Jane's arms with a (fleeting) smile as he realizes he managed to save all his loved ones. However, the issue closes with the more creepy smile on the lips of the dying Norman Osborn.
64* ''ComicBook/ZombiesChristmasCarol'': Scrooge dies happy and content, having learned how wonderful doing good is, knowing he's saved his friends, family, and the world, and undone the plague he caused.
65[[/folder]]
66
67[[folder:Fan Works]]
68* In ''Fanfic/AceCombatTheEquestrianWar'', Derpy's best friend, Carrot Top, kept smiling during her last moments. It's particularly heart-wrenching when Carrot asks Derpy to smile as well, but isn't satisfied at first.
69-->'''Carrot Top:''' Smile, Derpy... I don’t want... to see... to remember your face... being sad... when I will sleep... Please... smile.
70* ''Fanfic/TheBridgeMLP'': Grand King Ghidorah smiles right before he is finally killed by Godzilla Junior, Xenilla, and [[BackupFromOtherworld Godzilla Senior]], as he believes he has finally achieved his dream of finding beings who are powerful enough to kill his enemy Bagan.
71* In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', this is how Shizuka Matsuki dies during her execution. Justified in the fact that she wanted to be caught for her crime and die. Especially after some of her memories returned and she remembered someone who she had a close bond with. She's told that said person is already dead, leaving her no regrets. Upon realizing she murdered, she accepted her fate and decided to go willingly.
72* In ''Fanfic/{{Eugenesis}}'', this is how Doubleheader dies, as he blows himself up in an attempt to kill Rodimus Prime.
73* In ''Fanfic/{{Fractured|SovereignGFC}}'', Lilith dies happy -- [[BeautyEqualsGoodness her horrible looks gone]] and her [[HeroicSacrifice last act]] ending the Reaper War.
74* In ''Fanfic/FrostbittenFlower'', Jack died suddenly when a tree fell on him. He was still smiling when his wife found him,
75* Prince Miko Shotoku in ''Fanfic/GameOfTouhou'', she's been a DeathSeeker after her city was plundered and she realized that the royalist forces would face inevitable defeat, and she's finally granted her wish at the hands of Ser Elly Kazami. Her smile comes from her death wish being fulfilled.
76* ''Fanfic/AGrowingAffection'' has Karin die happy after she convinces Sasuke to give her one LastKiss.
77* This is what happens to [[WebVideo/BadMovieBeatdown Film Brain]] in ''[[Fanfic/ThatGuyWithTheGlassesInSpace I Have Heard the Voices Dying]]''.
78* Happens in a truly badass fashion at the end of ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/109581/1/i-did-not-want-to-die/i-did-not-want-to-die I Did Not Want To Die.]]''
79* Inn ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'', just before Alex Shepherd plunges himself and Henry Townshend into Toluca Lake to drown, he smiles at Hop.
80-->'''Alex:''' Goodbye Hop...''(smiling as a tear falls down his eye)'' Thank you...
81* In ''Fanfic/TheLegacyOfTheBloodRavens'', the Force Commander Aramus dies smiling at the night sky in a rare moment of peace in his violent life. He had just singlehandedly defeated the Greater Daemon Ulkair and was left dying from his wounds and the Unclean One's Curse.
82* In ''Fanfic/NationalAnthem'', Pit gives Toon Link a dying smile to try to make his victory in the DeadlyGame version of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' easier on him.
83* Claire's mother in ''Fanfic/TheNewRetcons'' died like this, found dead with a smile on her face when waiting to go Christmas shopping with Claire. Particularly heartbreaking in that having found her biological mother Elly Patterson and finding out how dysfunctional her half-siblings are, she was going to make sure the mother that raised her knew how much Claire appreciated it.
84* In ''Fanfic/TheNorthRemembers'', Jorah Mormont dies after being wounded by Daario. But in his final moments, he cites the Night's Watch oath along with Tyrion and uses the Valyrian horn that he took from Victarion to bring the dragons back under Daenerys's control. When Daenerys finds him, dying, she screams and runs over to his side, [[DiedInYourArmsTonight cradling him in her arms]]. He then goes out smiling, thanking her for letting him be her loyal knight.
85* Viral in ''Fanfic/TengenToppaGurrenSolvernia'', after Tsuuma smiles for him one last time, knowing she was safe.
86* Subverted in ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'' when Asuka smiles as she gives birth to Aki. She and Shinji think she's suffering DeathByChildBirth when in reality she just passed out.
87* ''Fanfic/ItsOverIsntItItsOnlyJustBegun'' effectively opens with this, as All-Might takes down All For One for good in their FinalBattle. After learning from Nighteye that the villain has died, and receiving reassurance that those he loved most will be taken care of after he's gone, he passes on accordingly:
88-->''The breath leaves him. The smile does not.''
89* ''Fanfic/HalfLifeFullLifeConsequences'': "John Freeman had Gordon Freeman and saw eyes shut and the breath stopped but Gordon Freeman had smiles on face."
90* An odd, somewhat meta example: When the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' image archive Ponibooru shut down, the last image ever uploaded on it was [[http://derpibooru.org/5458 this.]]
91* ''Fanfic/ImperiumOfVader'': In the flashback to the aftermath of the two Sith's duel, Tarkin notes that Palpatine/Sidious had a smile when he died. It was probably the satisfaction of dying at the hands of his apprentice who had surpassed him, in accordance with the Rule of Two.
92[[/folder]]
93
94[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
95* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'', when Xibalba kills him, Manolo has a smile on his face, while he silently says Maria's name.
96* ''WesternAnimation/TheDeathOfSuperman'': How Superman goes out.
97-->'''Lois:''' You did it. You saved everyone.\
98'''Superman:''' Good. It's all I ever wanted. Except for you. ''[smiles]'' What a lucky man I was...
99* ''WesternAnimation/Home2015'': Oh [[TearfulSmile tearfully]] smiles at Tip just as he's about to be seemingly crushed by the Gorg mothership's foot.
100* In Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut,'' in the mind of Riley, Bing Bong, Riley's imaginary friend, sacrifices himself to ensure that Joy lives to help Riley. When Joy discovers that Bing Bong is left behind, she's heartbroken but Bing Bong cheerfully waves at her, knowing that this was all for the better.
101* Surprisingly perhaps, the titular individual in ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' qualifies. Although it turns out he is [[NotQuiteDead able to reassemble himself]].
102* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueCrisisOnTwoEarths'', Owlman, now stranded on a deserted planet with a huge bomb after attempting to use it to destroy the entire multiverse, smiles before it blows.
103-->'''Owlman:''' [[StrawNihilist It doesn't matter...]]
104* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride'': In the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POiuesibKH4&feature=relmfu original version]], [[TheUnfavourite Nuka]] dies with a smile on his face, pleased that [[WellDoneSonGuy he finally got Zira's attention]].
105* ''WesternAnimation/MaryAndMax'' ends with Mary entering Max's apartment to find that he'd passed away that morning, staring at the ceiling with a contented smile. Turns out that he'd kept ''all'' of the letters she'd sent by laminating them and plastering them up there.
106* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'': Ray the firefly is mortally injured by the villain, leaving him in a dying state. He passes away smiling, having seen Tiana and Naveen choose to love each other regardless of the fact that they're both formerly-human frogs.
107* In ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'' Harold dies, surrounded by his loved ones, with a smile on his face, confident Shrek will do what's best for Far Far Away.
108* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'', this happens to [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick when they [[DisneyDeath dry out]], knowing that even though they didn't get Neptune's crown, they at least made it to Shell City. They later come back to life.
109* ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale]]'' has Alise's biological father die with a content smile after [[TakeCareOfTheKids getting Prince Derek to promise that he and Odette will look after his daughter when he's gone]].
110[[/folder]]
111
112[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
113* Lester, the protagonist of ''Film/AmericanBeauty'', spends the last minutes of his life looking at pictures of his family, remembering how happy they used to be. His CharacterDevelopment finally complete, on his way to finding happiness, Lester smiles, murmuring, "Man, oh, man..." as he looks at a picture of his wife... not even noticing the gun to the back of his head. [[GoryDiscretionShot BANG.]]
114* At the end of ''Film/BlackSwan'', Nina passes out from an earlier self-inflicted stab wound, overjoyed that she finally gave a "perfect" performance. Whether or not she dies, however, [[BolivianArmyEnding is meant to be up to the viewer]].
115* Roy Batty in ''Film/BladeRunner'' does his famous 'tears in the rain' monologue with a smile on his face before dying in front of Deckard -- [[RedemptionInTheRain a man he had just saved]] and who was, up to that moment, trying to kill him. In the original cut, Deckard muses a second later. (In the final cut, there is no voiceover, though Harrison Ford manages to convey most of the above monologue through facial expression alone.)
116-->'''Deckard:''' I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments, he loved life more than he ever had before. Not just his life; anybody's life, my life. All he'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die.
117* ''Film/Batman1989'': {{Discussed|Trope}}. Heartily recommended right before the final battle by the villain. However, his actual facial expression is an unnerving grin or mad laughter rather than a genuine, bittersweet smile.
118-->'''The Joker''': As my plastic surgeon always said: "if ya gotta go, go with a smile!"
119* In ''Literature/BattleRoyale'', [[spoiler:Shogo's motivation for returning to another Battle Royale is to find out why Keiko was smiling when he killed her]].
120* William Wallace smiles before his death in ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'', in part because he sees the spirit of his dead wife among the crowd smiling at him as he is being brutally tortured to death.
121%% * Twice in ''Film/BubbaHoTep''.
122%% -->"Kemosabe was dead of a ruptured heart valve before he hit the floor. He went out with guns blazing. Soul intact."\
123%% [[spoiler:'''Elvis:''']] Thank you. Thank you very much...
124* Played for laughs in ''Film/CannibalTheMusical''. One character is fatally shot while singing a song. Later, another character remarks how {{peaceful|InDeath}} he looks. The camera cuts to a shot of the corpse with a giant, goofy grin.
125* Draco in ''Film/ClashOfTheTitans2010'', as he attacks Medusa to buy Perseus time to strike the death blow. "Let them know men did this." He smiles so hard that, when he turns to stone, his cheek cracks in line with his mouth.
126* The Purifier in ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick2004'' cheerfully commits suicide by strolling into the lethal sunlight of Crematoria with a faint but noticeable smile on his face. Even [[SociopathicHero Riddick]] is shocked.
127%% * The title character in ''Film/CoolHandLuke.''
128%% * ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'': Talia. "My... father's... work... is complete."
129* In ''Film/EdWood'', the death of Creator/BelaLugosi is obviously upsetting to both the viewer and to Ed himself. However, just before the scene in which he is revealed to have passed away, Bela is having a conversation with Ed thanking him for helping Bela turn his life around and give him something to be passionate about again. He may have died, but he died at peace.
130* In ''Film/FieldOfDreams,'' Dr. "Moonlight" Graham smiles twice for Ray's benefit, along with saying a catchphrase. There is one twist: he's already dead.
131* ''Film/TheFinalGirls'': Nancy smiles through her HeroicSacrifice to save Max, even after she realises Billy is beginning to close in on her.
132* In ''Film/TheFountain'', Tom the space traveler finally achieves peace with death moments before the nearby star goes nova. He's smiling as he's vaporized.
133* In ''Film/GhostDogTheWayOfTheSamurai'', the titular character Ghost Dog, having already stoically [[FaceDeathWithDignity Faced Death With Dignity]] is lying in the street after having been shot several times. One of his trained pigeons flies down next to him, which causes him to smile in simple pleasure just before he dies.
134* In ''Film/Godzilla2014'', Sandra Brody goes out with a tear-stained and strained smile.
135* In ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Part 1'', Dobby goes out this way, smiling, happy to be with his friends.
136* In ''Film/HeWhoGetsSlapped'', the title character, a clown who is slapped as part of his routine, smiles while dying in the arms of a woman he loves.
137* In ''Film/IRememberMama'', Uncle Chris dies peacefully in his bed after a final drink. Lampshaded by Mama when she urges Katrin to go and see the dead uncle for his happy look.
138* In most of the film adaptations of ''Literature/{{Ivanhoe}}'', Bois-Guilbert dies with a smile. Especially present in the 1952 version, where his last act is to wish Rebecca well.
139* ''Film/JamesBond'':
140** ''Film/GoldenEye'': When Bond finds the Canadian admiral, he's in rigor mortis with a huge smile thanks to Creator/FamkeJanssen's character's MurderousThighs. Overlaps with GoOutWithABang and WorthIt facial expression.
141--->'''Empire Magazine:''' There can't be too many gentlemen of a heterosexual persuasion who, if asked how they'd want to die, wouldn't tick the box marked "crushed to death between Famke Janssen's thighs".
142** ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' has two examples:
143*** Blofeld dies amused at having caused Bond to break his composure and try to strangle him. He barely seems more than mildly disappointed that he was the last living member of SPECTRE at that point.
144*** Bond himself, after a conversation with Madeleine in which he affirms his love for her and their daughter Mathilde.
145* Bill, the titular BigBad of ''Film/KillBill'', in the final moments of his life, not only forgives his murderer (who had all the reason in the world to be pissed at him, and he admits it), but assures her that she is ''still'' the love of his life with a gentlemanly smile and by telling her she is a wonderful person.
146* Katsumoto from ''Film/TheLastSamurai''. He is smiling just before sustaining his final wound and dies reflecting upon the beauty of the cherry blossoms he is seeing. "Perfect. They are ''all'' perfect."
147* Not technically dying, but close enough: In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'', as Frodo's getting on the boat to the Undying Lands, he turns and gives his friends who are staying behind one last smile.
148** Théoden manages a smile to Éowyn before he dies.
149%% * In ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', the Vuvalini elder does this after getting mortally wounded, but realizing that their [[{{Pun}} mad plan]] will succeed.
150* In ''Film/ManOfSteel'', Jonathan Kent smiles reassuringly at Clark just before the tornado takes him.
151* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
152** In ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', Vision gives Wanda a small smile when she's forced to destroy him to stop Thanos from getting the Mind Stone. Thanos undoes this with the Time Stone and kills Vision in brutal fashion to get the stone. Later, Wanda falls victim to Thanos's snap and is turned to dust, but unlike everyone else who dies, she smiles peacefully when she notices her body falling apart.
153** In ''Film/CaptainMarvel2019'', Talos's "science guy" Norex stays back at Maria's property to distract Yon-Rogg so the others can fly to Mar-Vell's ship without interference. After his disguise is blown and he's fatally shot by Yon-Rogg, he smiles while taunting Yon-Rogg that he's too late.
154* Mr. Dawes Sr. at the end of ''Film/MaryPoppins''. After exposure to the Man-With-A-Wooden-Leg-Named-Smith joke, he spends a few minutes mulling the punchline over before starting to laugh riotously. While his son was initially shocked, he would later admit it was a GreatWayToGo. "Never seen him happier in his life."
155* In ''Film/MrDeeds'', Preston Blake freezes to death after reaching the top of a mountain, with a big smile on his face.
156* ''Film/NineDead'': Sully dies with a big smile on his face after [[IRegretNothing refusing any offer of redemption]] from the captor for the crimes that brought him there.
157-->'''Sully:''' I'd rather go out in style.
158* ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'': Captain Kirk goes out talking after [[DroppedABridgeOnHim literally getting a bridge dropped on him]].
159-->'''Captain Kirk:''' It was... ''fun.'' Oh my...
160* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
161** ''Film/ANewHope'': Obi-Wan Kenobi gives Luke one last knowing smile before [[ObiWanMoment willingly becoming one with the Force]]. Via lightsaber.
162** Darth Vader could barely move, so horribly did Emperor Palpatine's lightning burn through his heart in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''. Yet he implores Luke Skywalker to take off the mask that was his soul's coffin so that he could look at his son and smile at him just ''once'' [[DyingAsYourself as Anakin before passing on]]. AlasPoorVillain indeed.
163** ''Film/TheLastJedi'': Luke becomes one with the Force, content with his life and legacy after stalling the First Order and making amends with Leia, spending his last moments looking at the twin suns of Ahch-To.
164** At the end of ''Film/StarWarsTheRiseOfSkywalker'', Ben Solo gives his life for Rey and gives a warm, genuine, practically ecstatic smile after receiving a [[LastKiss kiss in return]]. Cue keeling over.
165* In ''Film/TheTallBlondManWithOneBlackShoe'', government intelligence high-up Bernard Milan gets shot along with a bunch of operatives -- when he finds out the title character everyone was shooting each other over was just a decoy set up by his long-time agency rival, he manages to laugh about it as he's dying.
166* The Terminator of ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' is a variation of this trope. Although he could not cry for the boy that he has come to love but must leave, his "thumbs up" to encourage John to courageously go on living is no less touching.
167-->'''T-800:''' I know now why you cry. But it is something I can never do.
168* ''Film/TheSuicideSquad'': As George Harkness/Captain Boomerang falters from the amount of poisoned arrows he's been hit with, he shares one final glance with ComicBook/HarleyQuinn while smiling before he's blown to smithereens by a flaming wreck of a helicopter.
169-->'''Harley:''' [[{{SayMyName}} BOOMER!]]
170* The ending of ''Film/TrainToBusan'' has a partially zombified Seok-woo smiling one last time as he thinks of his daughter's birth, just before he throws himself off a moving train.
171* ''Film/{{Tron}}'': When the dying Ram realizes that Flynn is a User, and there to help -- thus validating the belief he was persecuted for by the MCP.
172* At the end of ''Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes'', Caesar smiles as he succumbs to his wounds, knowing that he had brought his brethren to a bountiful new home, with Maurice assuring him that his son Cornelius will remember him and all that he stood for.
173* ''Film/WeAreTheNight'': While being thrown out of the building and into the sunlight, which causes her to burn up, Louise smiles. This possibly means she's a {{death seeker}} at heart, or is after seeing Lena doesn't want her.
174* ''Film/WhatAWayToGo:'' Workaholic [[Creator/DickVanDyke Edgar Hopper]] says triumphantly "A little hard work [[TemptingFate never killed anybody]]!" ..as his smile [[TheUnSmile contorts to a grimace]] and he keels over dead.
175* ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'':
176** Xavier gives Wolverine one last smile before he gets ''disintegrated''. This is made all the more emotional since the last time the two really talked, they were arguing.
177** Done one more time in the movie by Jean. Coincidentally, Wolverine happens to be at this scene too. When Jean briefly stops her violent rampaging, she implores him to save her from her Phoenix side by destroying her. [[ShootTheDog He responds with his adamantium claws in her gut, and she goes out with a relieved smile.]]
178[[/folder]]
179
180[[folder:Literature]]
181%%* Rachel in the final ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' book.
182* ''Literature/Area51'': "Popeye" [=McGraw=], a Navy [=SEAL=] brainwashed into serving Aspasia's Shadow, is able to resist this long enough that he can kill himself, smiling when he's succeeded as [[IDieFree at least he's free then]].
183%%* Julius Root in ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'''': The Opal Deception''
184* ''Literature/BruceCovillesBookOf Spine Tinglers II'': The protagonist of ''The Instrument'', who finally gets their prized unidentified string instrument all fixed up, and starts playing, feeling it's worth more than her whole life; she is found soon after, dead, with a smile on her face.
185* In the short story "Call me Joe", when a man is dying (after dumping most of his mind into an artificial body, similar to the ending of the ''Film/{{Avatar}}''), the doctor remarks that he saw many people who didn't want to live, but this is the first one to smile until the last moment.
186* Found in ''Literature/CatsCradle''. [[spoiler:In the final sentence of his book, Bokonon proposes taking a handful of ice-nine and freezing himself with a grin on his face, simultaneously thumbing his nose at "You Know Who."]]
187* In Creator/GrahamMcNeill's TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Literature/{{Ultramarines}} novel ''Dead Sky Black Sun'', Larana Utorian, dying and deranged by her suffering at the hands of the Chaos forces, nevertheless manages to collect her wits and smile at the dying [[spoiler:Leonid]], thus giving him the courage to set off a grenade, [[HeroicSacrifice killing them]] and the Chaos forces that could have pursued those of their party who could escape.
188* In ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'', every vampire that gets killed leaves a smiling corpse, with the implication that their vampiric nature was a curse they're glad to be free of. Even Dracula himself, in the moment between his death and his body crumbling to dust. Van Helsing stated that this was the main reason he was able to keep executing the helpless brides -- because he was saving their souls by doing so. Quincy Morris died this way as well after taking down Dracula and saving Mina's soul from his taint.
189-->"And, to our bitter grief, with a smile and in silence, he died, a gallant gentleman."
190** In Creator/FredSaberhagen's ''Literature/TheDraculaTape'', the Count hangs a somewhat cynical lampshade on this by observing that nothing seems to make a vampire look more 'at peace' to breathing humans than the knowledge that he or she is finally safely dead.
191* In the ''Literature/DreambloodDuology'', Gatherers generally facilitate it for their clients to go peacefully by [[DreamWeaver weaving pleasant dreams]] for those who are about to depart to [[DreamLand Ina-Karekh]] for good. It's the only way to gain the dying person's agreement to gather their dreamblood.
192* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'':
193** Shiro dies with a smile on his face. He was old, kind, and sacrificed himself for Harry. It is quite possible that Harry never entirely gets over it.
194*** He is cited as a reason by Harry, with Sanya's support, to go out and kill the Denarians as fast as possible. When another of his friends, Michael, is severely injured, Harry loses it. Spectacularly.
195** Back in ''Literature/FoolMoon'', [=MacFinn=] does this after Harry puts him down.
196** In ''Literature/SmallFavor'', Magog's host dies, not precisely smiling, but with a relaxed, almost beatific expression, as though he had simply lain down to rest. Harry is left with the distinct impression that Elder Gruff's killing spell was painless, because [[NobleDemon it was the sort of thing the Summer enforcer would do]]. The host [[IDieFree being free]] of [[FallenAngel his Fallen]] for the first time in Lord knows how long probably helped.
197* Data offers one of these to Riker, via shuttlecraft viewscreen, in the ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Star Trek TNG]]'' novelization, ''Ghost Ship'' moments before being snatched up by some huge, malevolent, ship devouring entity and having his "life essence" sucked out of him. There's a bitter tang to it, in that Data was trying to prove to himself he ''was'' actually alive enough to die in the first place, and Riker had just told Data that it didn't even matter and he had finally let go of his prejudices (which a couple of the writers like reminding us of) and now considered him to be "alive" instead of just a machine, ''moments'' earlier.
198* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
199** In the last book, Fred is crushed in a bomb-like explosion laughing.
200** Sirius, whose laughter "Had not quite died from his face" before falling through the veil.
201* A variant: At the end of ''[[Literature/HisDarkMaterials The Amber Spyglass]],'' as Will is about to seal off the window between his and Lyra's world, sundering them forever (and as Will thinks "Being cheerful starts ''now''"), they take one last look at each other, and Lyra smiles through her tears. They share their LastKiss at this moment, and then, Will closes the window.
202* In ''Literature/{{Holes}}'', Kathleen Barlow ("Kissin' Kate Barlow") is taken in for arrest, to be tortured for information. Before they can do anything to her, however, a Yellow Spotted Lizard bites her on the ankle, which causes a slow, painful death; and Kate dies laughing, as "there was nothing more they could do to her now", and the knowledge of the location of her loot would die with her.
203* Rue from ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. Katniss sings to her as she dies, and she smiles at Katniss.
204* In ''Franchise/JurassicPark'', Malcolm, after chapter upon chapter of getting angry at Hammond's ignorance and scientists in general, dies with a smile. He gets better, though.
205* In ''Literature/KnightsOfTheBorrowedDark'', Grey does this while pulling a TakingYouWithMe against the Opening Boy, the last of the three Tenebrous who enslaved and tortured him a year previously. The Boy has just finished their fight by driving two immense claws [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice through Grey's stomach]], and Grey grabs its wrists and uses the last of his strength to force them both off a cliff with a vicious, triumphant, bloody-toothed grin. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it turns out: he survives.]]
206* In ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'', volume three (chronologically) the finale of the ''Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy'' trilogy we meet Montolio "Mooshie" Debrouchee a [[HermitGuru hermit who teaches protagonist Drizzt common and how to be a ranger]] who is also [[BlindWeaponmaster blind but can fight with various weapons]] even bow and arrow (thanks to help from his companion owl Hooter). A year after meeting Drizzt he dies of old age, Drizzt finds him lying peacefully in his bed in his woodland home with a smile on his face knowing that Drizzt will carry on in his footsteps as a ranger.
207* In ''Literature/LesMiserables'', Enjolras gives one of these to Grantaire before they are killed.
208* ''Literature/TheLittleMatchGirl'' has the titular character freezing to death in the cold streets with a smile on her face, as she was able to join her grandmother in heaven.
209* From ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' has Boromir do this after making a heroic LastStand.
210-->Boromir smiled... But Boromir did not speak again.
211* In ''Literature/LoveStory'', Jenny retains her trademark sarcastic wit even when she's dying of her illness.
212* In ''Literature/TheNeverwinterSaga'', Bruenor dies peacefully and happily in the final battle of ''Gauntlgrym'' after a long, fulfilled life, having rediscovered ''two'' mythic ancestral homelands and saving the continent from further destruction by a fire primordial.
213* In Wilfred Owen's poem, "S.I.W." (stands for "self-inflicted wound") a soldier kills himself to escape an [[WarIsHell incomprehensible hell]]. His comrades bury the gun with him, and all they tell his mother is that he died smiling -- which is true.
214* Silena Beauregard in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''.
215* ''Literature/PeterPan'' sort of fits into this trope: at one point, Peter has saved Tiger Lily but thinks he is going to drown. At first he is scared, but then he stands up, grins, and says "To die would be a very big adventure." However, the only person around to hear him is the reader. He lives through this.
216* Felldoh the squirrel from the ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' book ''Martin The Warrior'' dies this way.
217* In "The Victim From Space" by Creator/RobertSheckley, a planet has a civilization of {{Death Seeker}}s, who believe that the only way to heaven is violent death, the more painful, the better (wars are nonexistent, because a war is many people having the same death rather than each one having his own). Naturally, whenever that is achieved (whether by real accident, through priests' decision, or by self arranged "accidents"), the trope is followed most literally, including with one guy who sawed a thorny bush until it fell on him (took him an hour to die).
218* In ''Literature/SmallerAndSmallerCircles'', Alex Carlos manages this as the police mow him down, perhaps the only time in his sad life he could afford one.
219-->'''Jerome:''' He smiled, Gus. Smiled before he died.
220* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has Tywin Lannister who almost never smiled in life practically grinning during his funeral. This is something of a subversion because most of the characters are convinced that his mouth is twisting as a side effect of the corpse rotting, but [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes Tywin's sister Genna]] seems to hope that it is this trope. Jaime meanwhile, is mildly amused by it:
221-->'''Jamie:''' He seems to enjoy being dead.
222* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
223** Jedi Knight Jai Maruk in ''Yoda: Literature/DarkRendezvous''. Frustrated by how his skill and the light side of the Force are not enough to overcome Asajj Ventress, he nearly gives in to the dark side, but resists, and finds it within himself to redouble his efforts, holding his foe off for that much longer. It's enough to put a smile on his grim face when he finally falls.
224** In the ''Literature/RevengeOfTheSith'' novelization, Anakin notes that Master Kit Fisto's severed head on Palpatine's floor wore the same humorous smile he had while [[Film/AttackOfTheClones carving his way through legions of droids on Geonosis]], making him wonder if he "thought death was funny too".
225** [[Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy Thrawn]], after he is finally defeated and then [[BodyguardBetrayal stabbed by his bodyguard]], smiles and tells Pellaeon "But... it was so artistically done," before [[EyeLightsOut his eyes go out]].
226* [[RedemptionEqualsDeath Sydney Carton]] from Creator/CharlesDickens's ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities'': "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord?"
227* In ''Literature/TheyShootHorsesDontThey'', Gloria often tells her only friend, Robert that she wishes she were dead, and finally [[ICannotSelfTerminate asks him to shoot her because she doesn't have the courage to kill herself]]. He obliges, and [[InMediasRes at the beginning of the book]], recalls her expression as she died: "She was relaxed and comfortable and she was smiling. It was the first time I had ever seen her smile." She is similarly serene in death in the [[Film/TheyShootHorsesDontThey film adaptation]].
228* Jim Gardener in Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/TheTommyknockers'' dies smiling, because, as he lays dying, he has a happy dream.
229[[/folder]]
230
231[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
232%% * ''Series/OneThousandWaysToDie'': Both "Ichiboned" and "Premature Endings" are this, both for being this trope and [[BookEnds for being both numbers 1 and 1000.]]
233* At the end of ''Series/{{Angel}}'', Wesley dies that way while Illyria's "lying to him" and taking Fred's appearance.
234* ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' has an incredibly dark variant of this. When Easy Company catches a German battalion by surprise, Lt. Winters leads the charge and he is faced with a young German soldier (a teenager) who stares at Winters and smiles and gives a mocking shrug before he is gunned down. It's {{Subverted|Trope}} later on with Winters' recollection of the event, the boy actually gave him an OhCrap expression a split second before he was shot. Winters is traumatized by the event for the rest of the episode and he is put on leave.
235* Walter White of ''Series/BreakingBad'' dies of a gunshot wound from his M60 after using it, and some ricin, to wipe out all of his enemies, getting Skyler a deal for the DEA, leaving money behind for his children and, unexpectedly even to him, eventually saving Jesse, all in one final, brilliant gambit. The final scene has him walking through the meth lab, nostalgically and lovingly before dying while Badfinger's "Baby Blue" plays in the background, signifying he's dying alongside his greatest love, his blue meth.
236* In ''Series/BetterCallSaul'', Lalo Salamanca goes out like this after being outsmarted and gunned down by the man he had sworn revenge on, Gus Fring. Complete with blood gushing from his smile.
237* Used quite a lot in ''Series/ChinesePaladin'', Yue'Ru smiles briefly at her friends as she throws them to safety prior to her HeroicSacrifice. Elder Shi smiles as he tells his son [[SoProudOfYou how much he loves him]]. Jinyuan manages a pained smile as he gives the heroes critical information on the last move of his XanatosSpeedChess.
238* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
239** Several incarnations of the Doctor have gone out this way before [[TheNthDoctor regenerating]]:
240*** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS11E5PlanetOfTheSpiders The Third Doctor]] uses his last moments to comfort Sarah Jane. ''"A tear, Sarah Jane? No, don't cry. While there's life, there's..."''
241*** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E7Logopolis The Fourth Doctor]], despite being clearly terrified and in pain, suddenly flashes his trademark CheshireCatGrin in a final moment of [[GrinOfAudacity defiance]] before he quietly says his last words and dies.
242*** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays The Ninth Doctor]] spends the moments leading up to his regeneration [[StepfordSmiler joking and smiling with Rose in a slightly forced way]]. He then flashes a genuine ear to ear grin as he begins [[TheNthDoctor regenerating]], after a fond farewell to Rose. [[TheNthDoctor Number 10]] reawakens from the regeneration still smiling and ready to resume the pair's trip to (the planet) Barcelona.
243*** The [[Creator/JohnHurt War Doctor]] [[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor regenerates]] smiling, knowing that he has regained the title of the Doctor even if he'll forget he saved Gallifrey.
244*** Having spent long enough in his current body to grow old, [[Recap/DoctorWho2013CSTheTimeOfTheDoctor the Eleventh Doctor]] delivers [[FinalSpeech one last speech]], removes his [[IconicItem bowtie]] for the final time, and gives Clara one last sad-but-reassuring smile before regenerating into his next body.
245*** [[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime The Twelfth Doctor]], after spending a few weeks resisting regeneration and wishing to die for good, accepts the change, gives his successor some advice, and gives a tired smile before letting the regenerative energy loose.
246** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E12BadWolf "Bad Wolf"]]: The Controller of the Gamestation goes out this way after she tells her masters (the Daleks) that she has "brought their destruction" (the Doctor).
247** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords "Last of the Time Lords"]], the Master technically gets to do this as he dies; he taunts the Doctor for not being able to save him, thus meaning the Master finally wins over the Doctor.
248** River Song's final words to the Doctor in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E9ForestOfTheDead "Forest of the Dead"]] are a tearful, smiling "[[CharacterCatchphrase Spoilers]]."
249* Nathan Stark in ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' smiles as he sacrifices his life to save the universe. He's frozen in that position for a second before disintegrating.
250* Beautifully done in ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. After absorbing a lethal amount of radiation, the clone of John Crichton smiles at Aeryn Sun and delivers one of the most heartbreaking lines in the series. "Don't worry about me, I've never felt better."
251* Henrietta "Etta" Bishop in Season 5 of ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' when Olivia tells her that she loves her.
252* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
253** Aemon Targaryen dies peacefully of old age while hallucinating that he's a young boy playing with his little brother.
254--->'''Aemon:''' Egg, I dreamed I was old.
255** Ygritte dies in Jon's arms with a faint smile and one last utterance of her catchphrase. It's still visible on her face even as Jon lights her funeral pyre.
256* Archie Kennedy in the sixth installment of the ''Series/HoratioHornblower'' mini-series, after saving Horatio's life and career. Albeit something of a tearful-looking smile (and largely there for Horatio's sake) but still one that could light up a room.
257* In ''[[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 The Death of The Incredible Hulk]]'', David has a smile on his face while dying as himself after a fall out of a helicopter because the pain of his dual existence is finally over.
258* ''Series/{{Justified}}'' has Johnny Crowder. About to be executed by his cousin, he lives long enough to watch the latter's goons screw up a drug transaction and dies laughing about it.
259* Philip in ''Series/KamenRiderDouble''. Large portions of the episode are devoted to the characters wanting to make sure he does so, rather than go out in pain.
260* In ''{{Series/Lexx}}'', [[spoiler:the original Zev and the resurrected Kai]] die with a smile and a laugh, respectively.
261* ''Series/{{Lost}}'':
262** In the episode "Through the Looking Glass", [[spoiler:Charlie gives one last smile before he drowns]].
263** And in the finale, Jack smiles as he lies dying and watches the plane carrying the remaining survivors fly overhead.
264** In "This Place is Death", a seriously ill Charlotte smiles as she regresses back to her childhood before suddenly dying seconds later.
265* In ''Series/TheMentalist'', Bosco not only smiles himself but manages to make a tearful, distraught Lisbon who loves him (and they've just had an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove), smile. Just the most heart-wrenching death.
266* ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'':
267** Lancelot is captured and about to be executed after securing Guinevere's escape from a warlord's keep. When he's threatened with a slow and painful death, he only gives a beautific smile and tells them that because Guinevere is safe, he dies happy. Only for the men to drag a recaptured Guinevere back into the arena. Subverted as Prince Arthur saves them both anyway.
268** At the start of the fourth series Lancelot gets another chance, and manages it this time when he walks into the veil into the spirit world, thereby healing the rift between the worlds.
269** Lancelot gives a final ''dying smile'' in Lancelot du Lac. After spending most of the episode as a SoullessShell, Merlin frees him at the end. He thanks him and smiles, and Merlin gives him a VikingFuneral on the waters of Avalon.
270%% ** Sir Leon tries in the Season 3 finale, but Morgana doesn't kill him and the other knights; she has innocent townspeople slaughtered, instead.
271%% ** Arthur does this in the GrandFinale as Camelot has won the battle of Camlann and the threat of Morgana is eliminated, courtesy of Merlin.
272* ''Series/MonarchLegacyOfMonsters'': In the season finale, [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Colonel Shaw]] during his ObiWanMoment flashes a grin [[spoiler:at Keiko]] and thanks his old friend [[ItHasBeenAnHonor for everything]].
273* Kendrix from ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy''. She gave up her life to stop Psycho Pink's ever-growing power, and to retrieve Cassie's morpher. She slashed the sword and dies in the explosion. Her ghost appears before the Lost Galaxy and Space Rangers, telling them that she's okay and that she'll always be there for them.
274* In ''Series/RobinHood'', Marian dies with a smile on her face as she finally marries Robin (despite the sword impaling her stomach).
275** In the finale, a mortally injured Gisborne dies with a smile of contentment at being able to die with a sense of pride in himself.
276-->'''Gisborne''': [[BeingEvilSucks I've lived in shame]], but because of you, I die proud. [[RedemptionEqualsDeath I am free]].
277* The first episode of ''Series/{{Rome}}'' depicts Caesar's daughter Julia dying in childbirth with a disheveled and heartbroken Pompey at her side. She [[ValuesDissonance asks his forgiveness for having a stillborn baby]], tells him to kiss her and then dies giggling at his messy hair.
278* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
279** Right before Jonathan Kent succumbs to his heart attack, he attempts to smile one last time to his family and tell them "I love you."
280** After a brutal fight with Clark, [[Characters/SmallvillePhantomZone Titan]] realizes he has been fatally impaled by his own arm-spike. He smiles while stating "[[WorthyOpponent Good fight]]" and drops dead.
281* In ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'' s05e03, Opie, just before receiving a fatal blow to the head from a lead pipe, delivered by a member of a rival gang.
282* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'':
283** In "Nepenthe", as Hugh's life is slipping away, he smiles at Elnor because he's grateful to the young man for giving him hope again. [[WordOfSaintPaul Jonathan Del Arco]] also elaborates that Hugh is content to die in Elnor's arms because [[https://twitter.com/JonathanDelArco/status/1250830661994156033 he's in love with him]].
284--->'''Del Arco''': [...] we shot the death scene last (same day) at that point it was about Hugh's love for Elnor and letting go.
285** In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", as Picard is dying, he grins at Soji because he's glad that she made the right choice, and he affectionately smiles at Elnor, who's the closest thing he has to a son.
286* Subverted in the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode "No Rest For The Wicked". Dean might have smiled at his crying brother but it's one of those smiles that you do when you're trying to be brave, trying not to throw up from fear and trying not to cry yourself. And then he sees the Hellhound come to kill him, freaks and runs into another room with Sam and Ruby, and is torn apart a few minutes later while Sam watches helplessly, dying with his hand holding his entrails in and staring listlessly up at the ceiling in despair.
287** Castiel. [[DyingDeclarationOfLove After telling Dean that he's in love with him]], Cas experiences a moment of true happiness, and [[TheNothingAfterDeath the Empty]] drags him to his final death with a tearful but serene smile on his face.
288* In the second season finale of ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', Tosh has been gut-shot by Jack's brother. As she's lying on the floor, bleeding out, Jack and Gwen find her. You think for a second that they made it just in time to save her, but when Tosh looks at Jack with a smile on her face, Jack gives her a pained smile back and she dies looking at him.
289%% * H.G. Wells in ''Series/Warehouse13'' does this for Myka after safely sealing her and Pete and Artie in a force field to protect them from an impending explosion but leaves her unprotected to be hit full force by the blast.
290* In ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "The Unnatural", Josh Exley is a gray alien shapeshifter who has disguised himself as an African-American minor league baseball player in the 1940s. When his secret is discovered, he explains that his race doesn't understand fun and don't have a word for laughter, and he needed to pretend to be human for that. When he is ultimately killed by the relentless alien bounty hunter, [[BecomeARealBoy he inexplicably bleeds red human blood]]. He stares at it in surprise for a moment, then smiles, laughs, and dies.
291[[/folder]]
292
293[[folder:Manhwa]]
294* ''Manhwa/IWish'' has Jay. He's part of a race that dies when they become too happy... as K points out, this is good as they would die happy and with a smile on their face.
295[[/folder]]
296
297[[folder:Music]]
298* A twisted variation of this trope shows up in the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy song "2000 Volts", about a serial killer who escapes from jail and murders more people, only to be recaptured and executed. The closing narration is as follows:
299--->''The way the legend goes, is he was executed shortly after midnight. Some witnesses said he seemed to be enjoying himself. One witness said... he died with a smile on his face. He was one bad, bad man.''
300* Played with in the record "You gotta face disaster with a smile" by Count Jim Moriarty in Radio/TheGoonShow.
301* [[Music/LupeFiasco The final saga in the seven planet wars/Unsheathed the sword and then he charged forward/His eyes flashed behind the cracked cockpit glass/He let out a laugh and then all she heard was a blast like *BOOM*]]
302* From Music/{{Nightwish|Band}}:
303** In the music video for "The Islander", an old ship captain turned lighthouse keeper commits suicide by tying an anchor to his legs and then pushing said anchor off a very high ledge (in the song itself, it's meant to be a ship out on the water). He's smiling just before being dragged to his death.
304** The song The Poet and the Pendulum mentions that Tuomas, the Poet, died this way.
305--->''He was found naked and dead, With a smile in his face, a pen and 1000 pages of erased text''
306* This trope underlies the World War 1 British song "Pack Up Your Troubles in an Old Kit-Bag (and Smile, Smile, Smile)".
307* The end of the chorus of "Fences" by Music/{{Paramore}} features the line: 'So smile/'Cause you'll go out in style.'
308* Music/{{Queen|Band}}:
309** The closing track of ''Music/{{Innuendo}}'', "The Show Must Go On", is based on the idea of Music/FreddieMercury facing his impending death from AIDS with a defiant grin rather than despair.
310--->''I'll face it with a grin''\
311''I'm never giving in''\
312''On with the show!''
313** The video to "These are the Days of Our Lives" was filmed in black-and-white to detract from Freddie's illness. At the end, he looks directly at the camera, grins, and mimes the closing line of the song, 'I still love you', his last recorded words on camera.
314[[/folder]]
315
316[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
317* Some versions of the Myth/JohnHenry story have him smiling right before dying from overwork after winning a race against a machine to see who can cover a length of track the fastest.
318[[/folder]]
319
320%% [[folder:Roleplay]]
321%% * ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'' has a few.
322%% ** [[http://s10.zetaboards.com/SOTF_V2/topic/7292280/1/?x=20 Eve Walker-Luther's death]] by ColdBloodedTorture at the hands of Sarah Atwell.
323%% ** Craig Hoyle pulls one of these off as well, causing quite a bit of pain for his accidental killer, Nik Kronwall.
324%% [[/folder]]
325
326[[folder:Visual Novels]]
327* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'':
328** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'':
329*** Sakura Ogami commits suicide to save her family's dojo by fulfilling Monokuma's order to kill someone, and to restore trust among the remaining students. So confident is she that this was the right choice that there's a smile on her lips when the others discover the body. The pose is a direct ShoutOut to the ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe'' example in the "Anime & Manga" subpage.
330*** Junko Enoshima's body double, Mukuro Ikusaba, has a confused and terrified smile when she realizes she's been impaled several times over by the mastermind, the real Junko. Speaking of which, Junko herself is cheerfully [[CheshireCatGrin grinning from ear to ear]] while waving at the surviving students right before being crushed by a giant block.
331** In ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'', Gundham Tanaka smiles to his four hamsters as he lays dying following his execution.
332** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'':
333*** Kaito Momota dies in the middle of his execution thanks to his illness. His body has a smile when we receive a glimpse of it, fulfilling his dream of visiting space and having saved Maki from dying herself.
334*** Justitified later in Chapter 6. After Shuichi lets out a hell-bent persuasion to the audience as revenge, he just stands there in silence with a smile. Even after Tsumugi abstained from voting in hopes of keeping the Killing Game going, Shuichi just still stands there with a smile and with his eyes closed, because he somehow has confidence in the literal impossibility he just pulled off. And miraculously, it wasn't in vain. The audience also abstains from voting, ending ''Danganronpa'' for good.
335* In ''[[VisualNovel/FantasiaOtomeGameSeries Fantasia -- Requiem of the Abyss]]'', Valen gives Shea one final smile as a LastRequest before the latter dies.
336* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'':
337** Saber gets one on every route effectively. On Fate she dies peacefully while reminiscing on the moments she spent with Shirou like they were a lost dream. On Unlimited Blade Works' True End she does it as she's consumed by the backlash of her destruction of the Holy Grail with Excalibur, knowing Shirou and Rin will be alright and triumphant. Even on Heaven's Feel her corrupted self Saber Alter gives Shirou a last genuine smile as he's [[MercyKill forced to finish her off]].
338** Archer's death in UBW is perhaps made more poignant by the fact that he knows very well that he's going back to his own Special Hell where he'll see the evils of humanity over and over again, but still smiles and reassures his ex-partner that he'll be fine.
339** Caster's Master Kuzuki in the anime storyline assured her as she was fading away that he was fine; so she could return to the throne happy. After she's gone, he dies.
340** While being devoured from the inside by True Assassin, Assassin is rather calm despite apparent limb removal and said devouring thing and is chatting fairly casually through the whole thing, ''probably'' not losing his smile because it is all the dignity he can still really spare here.
341** Even Gilgamesh gets one in the Fate route; as he lies dying from a direct hit from Excalibur, his last act is to smile, compliment his killer Saber on her beauty, and say that his interactions with her were 'truly fun'.
342** In the True Ending of Heaven's Feel, the last glimpse of Ilya as she makes her HeroicSacrifice shows that she's smiling at Shirou.
343* In ''VisualNovel/RibbonOfGreen'', the Good Ending has Hanyuan fade away with a smile. Subverted, as she was DeadAllAlong.
344* Cruelly played with in one of the ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays'' bad endings. [[{{Yandere}} Kotonoha]] has an insane, lifeless smile on her lips when she [[DrivenToSuciide throws herself off a building]], after Makoto picks her love rival Sekai over her. They end up traumatised forever and split up after some time.
345* ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' plays it straight in Hisui's True Ending with Akiha. It then completely subverts this when Kohaku [[DrivenToSuicide kills herself]]; Kohaku dies smiling, but she just revealed that [[EmotionlessGirl she can't feel anything]].
346* In ''VisualNovel/YuminaTheEthereal'', Zieda dies like this -- only in Kirara's route, though.
347* ''VisualNovel/YourTurnToDie'':
348** In one of the possible routes for Chapter 2-1, Alice dies with a smile after seeing his sister Reko is still alive and hearing her say she wants them to be a family again.
349** In one of the possible routes for Chapter 2-2, Sou bleeds out with a smile while limping his way to a computer in order to activate his [[VillainsDyingGrace "final present"]], knowing that he has managed to save [[MoralityChain Kanna's]] life.
350[[/folder]]
351
352[[folder:Web Animation]]
353* Surprisingly this happens thrice in ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'' where the losing combatant does this just before they die, specifically [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Edward Elric]] before being vaporised by [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar State Aang]] due to taking solace in the fact that the former was taller, [[Franchise/StarWars Yoda]] in [[FaceDeathWithDignity acceptance]] of his imminent demise before being hit with [[Franchise/KingdomHearts King Mickey's]] Ultima and [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Deku]] smiling as he [[HeroicRROD dies of overexertion]], thinking that he beat [[Manga/BlackClover Asta]]. It happens again with [[Anime/DragonBallZ Gogeta Vs. Vegito]], where Gogeta, after using a CastFromLifeforce Dragon Fist and failing to avoid the Final Kamehameha and getting TakenForGranite, is stuck in mid air with a visible smile on his face, implying he enjoyed his bout with the Potaran fusion.
354* ''WebAnimation/{{TP}}'': After escaping from the DisgustingPublicToilet, the toilet paper roll is found by a young girl who throws him through the air. He smiles as he sails through the sky and [[RapidAging ages to near-death]] as his paper unravels, and dies happily smiling up at the sun from in a flowerbed.
355[[/folder]]
356
357[[folder:Webcomics]]
358* King Radical in ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' starts with BigNo upon realizing he's about to die from a very creative double GrievousHarmWithABody (first having Dracula thrown at him mouth-first to vampirize him, then Pope Francis as the ultimate holy weapon). But then his expression changes into a content smile, happy that he gets to die such a [[spoiler:radical]] death.
359* RED Spy in ''Webcomic/CuantaVida'', after he [[TakingTheBullet takes a bullet]] for BLU Sniper.
360* Near the end of the Soul of Storms arc in ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'', Klo Tark [[HeroicSacrifice valiantly sacrifices]] himself by switching places with Dominic in the Elemecca. As the device's repair magics violently purges him, he gives Dominic one last smile.
361** In the final arc, Quilt smiles as he dies sacrificing himself to MercyKill Rillian and stop the Infernomancer.
362* [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061215 Lars]] from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. Although she wasn't in love with him, Agatha did not [[HeroicBSOD take it]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge well]].
363* In ''Webcomic/GuildedAge'', when Rachel saves Frigg from the cultists' monster at the cost of being caught by it herself, she smiles as it's about to kill her.
364* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Equius grins while he's being strangled to death. It's incredibly creepy.
365** It's difficult to tell if it's because he's glad that Gamzee is finally taking his place in the hemospectrum, his submission fetish, or just that [[TechnicallyASmile his facial muscles are]] tensing due to asphyxiation. [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant It's probably all three.]]
366** Additional creepiness added from a previous comic, wherein Equius' killer, Gamzee, mentions (before he went insane) that if he could make Equius smile, it would be the best miracle he was ever part of. He got his miracle.
367** Later on, Terezi offers John a weak, tired smile and a [[Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay Terminator-style thumbs up]] before succumbing to the catastrophic injuries she sustained during [S] Game Over.
368* In Dave Kelly's ''Webcomic/LivingInGreyTown'', one of the characters dies with a big grin on his face. He later admits that it unintentionally looked really creepy.
369* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
370** Lord Shojo dies smiling, when Miko Miyazaki {{Fall|enHero}}s as a result of fatally wounding him and he takes this as a sign that the gods approve of what he's done. He resisted resurrection in a later strip, indicating he was not too sorry to be dead.
371** Miko dies with a smile in strip 464, on being told that Windstriker, her horse (and only friend) will visit her in the afterlife even though she has failed to redeem herself.
372** Therkla. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html See the scene here.]]
373** Durkon, with a TearfulSmile. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html ...I get ta go home.]]
374** Durkon's father, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1129.html as shown in a flashback]].
375* Pauline from ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'' smiles as she dies, probably because she knows she will be able to be with her husband and son who were murdered sometime before. It helps that the afterlife is [[PhysicalReligion a confirmed fact]] in-universe.
376* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': When the slave boy who had been cut open to smuggle [[AntiMagic First Silver]] is killed he gives a little smile at the release from his suffering.
377[[/folder]]
378
379[[folder:Web Original]]
380* Irv in ''Literature/TheKingdom'' AU ''Shadows Prove the Sunshine''
381[[/folder]]
382
383[[folder:Web Videos]]
384* In ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'', Penny dies with a slight smile on her face while attempting to reassure Billy that "Captain Hammer will save us."
385* ''Series/{{Noob}}'' is set in a {{M|assivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame}}MORPG and its finale includes a high-stakes battle between the three UltimateGamer386 characters. One of the two that lost and hence [[DeathIsCheap "died"]] had never been beaten by another player before, had hinted to having a BlessedWithSuck view on this and reacted to the loss by having his avatar smile before it got destroyed.
386* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic consuming the PlotHole with a look of happy relief on his face in ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee''. Cue the audience sobbing.
387[[/folder]]
388
389[[folder:Western Animation]]
390* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Rapture's Delight" Stan takes a shot meant for Jesus and also sets off a time bomb meant to destroy the lair of the Anti-Christ. While he is offered the chance of being raptured to Heaven, Stan turns it down because the bomb will go off before Jesus can perform the spell. After kissing Francine, Stan is left alone with a cigar and a grin just as the bomb goes off, promptly killing him.
391* ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
392** The last we see of Jet in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is him smiling at the Gaang (mainly Katara) and assuring them that "I'll be fine." He's lying.
393** In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', mixed with a SingleTear, [[AlasPoorVillain there]]'s [[BigBad Amon]]. Subverted in that he loses the smile just before the end; it seems that the tragedy of the situation got even to him.
394* ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' in Season 3 had Sarah Lynn. After winning an Oscar and deciding to leave the fame to go to college and follow a childhood dream, [=BoJack=] takes them to the planetarium and cradles them until she [[BigSleep dies in her sleep]]. Doubles as HopeSpot.
395* In ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'', MadArtist Splatter Phoenix died when she was doused with turpentine, much like the monsters she created using paint did. (Apparently, she was the same.) Before she melted away, she said that at least her paintings would be appreciated and valued more when she was gone.
396* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Brian does this in "Life of Brian", saying goodbye to the family before he succumbs to his injuries and dies.
397* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' has Grunkle Stan, who tricks the dream demon BigBad into going into his mind and then has said demon erased... along with all of his memories as collateral damage. As the metaphorical representation of his mind burns to nothing around him, he simply cradles a photo of his happy memories with a smile, happy that he did something worthwhile.
398-->'''Grunkle Stan:''' Heh...guess I ''was'' good for something after all.
399* ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'': [[IJustWantToBeSpecial Arthur Parks]], the Living Laser, dies like this, pleased at his RedemptionEqualsDeath moment.
400-->'''Living Laser:''' All my life, I was a nobody. [[FromNobodyToNightmare Then I get this power]], and I use it to try and hurt you... [[MisplacedRetribution The one guy who wanted to help me]]. \
401'''ComicBook/IronMan:''' But you saved me, Arthur. \
402'''Living Laser:''' Yeah... Imagine that. I'm the guy who saved Iron Man! ''(disintegrates)''
403* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'':
404** [[DarkMessiah Despero]] is crucified and pulled into the ground by the spreading roots and branches of Pytar. His last words are spoken in whispered euphoria as he smiles serenely.
405--->'''Despero:''' Oh Pytar. Now I see... ''paradise''.
406** In "Hereafter", Superman ends up in a BadFuture where Vandal Savage created a superweapon that destroyed the Justice League... and the entire rest of humanity too. This caused him to have a HeelRealization and he spent the next 30,000 years alone in the ruined Earth as penance. Although he was able to build a time machine, due to technical reasons, Vandal himself can't use it to go back and change the past, but Superman ''can''. After sending him back, Vandal and the ruined world start to fade away as they're replaced by a brighter future for humanity. Just before he disappears, Vandal smiles and says:
407--->'''Vandal Savage:''' Thank you, my friend.
408** "The Terror Beyond" concludes with Solomon Grundy pulling a HeroicSacrifice to protect his new friends, being reassured by Hawkgirl (whose race are all {{Naytheist}}s) [[LetThemDieHappy that his soul is waiting for him]].
409--->'''Solomon''': Then Grundy gets his reward.
410* Surprisingly a lot in the early episodes of ''WesternAnimation/MastersOfTheUniverseRevelation''
411** Orko himself after a lifetime of failures, gives his life into a HeroicSacrifice, smiling at Evil-Lyn and telling her she was right at believing in him, because he died as the hero he wanted to be.
412** Roboto gives his life to reforge the Sword of Power. In his dying moments, he confesses he's gripped with fear, but he's actually happy at being so scared. Because his fear was the ultimate proof he needed of his humanity.
413* Antauri from ''WesternAnimation/SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperforceGo'' who sacrificed himself with the most adorable little smile so that he could stop the Dark One Worm from destroying everything and everyone. Sure he came back two episodes later, but he didn't know he would at the time.
414* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
415** When ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' Starscream does his death monologue with a sword through his chest, he's got a heartbreakingly peaceful smile on his face -- the first he's had in the entire series.
416** Similar thing happens with Prowl in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''. Cue crying fangirls.
417** Also, Vector Prime after his HeroicSacrifice, as mentioned earlier.
418* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'': Tristepin. "I'm not dying, Evangelyne. I'm entering the legend."
419* Twice (so far) in the first season of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'':
420** In "Steven the Swordfighter", Pearl is faced with someone akin to a son watching as she gets brutally murdered in a method as graphic as a kid's show will allow. Despite being in obvious pain, she spends her final moments smiling and attempting to utter some reassuring words.
421** In "Steven and the Stevens", Steven misuses a time-altering device, goes mildly power-mad, and gets into a massive fight with dozens of alternate-timeline versions of himself. After undergoing a HeelRealization he gets to paradox himself and all of the alternates out of existence (except for the youngest one, who will survive because he did not use the device). As he realizes he has seconds to live, he smiles and spends his final moments giving a kiss and a kind word to his younger self.
422* In ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', before Nabu died after sealing the Wizards of the Black Circle's chasm, he smiled at Aisha while telling her that he would always be with her and that he loved her.
423[[/folder]]
424
425[[folder:Real Life]]
426* The grave of Robert Baden Powell (the founder of the scouting movement) has a dot in a circle engraved upon the gravestone. Any scout will recognize it as a symbol from a code normally used on trails to leave simple messages. The symbol means "I have completed my task and gone home".
427* [[TheSociopath Ted Bundy]]. The serial rapist's corpse was shown to be peacefully smiling after [[http://murderpedia.org/male.B/b1/bundy-ted-photos-9.htm dying in the electric chair.]] (scroll down)
428* A most famous real-life example is of Shemp Howard, one of Film/TheThreeStooges. He died in the back of a taxi cab while lighting up a cigar and telling a joke after coming home from the boxing match. Knowing Shemp's personality, he would be fine with that.
429* [[FourStarBadass Admiral Horatio Nelson's]] last words were, "Thank God I have done my duty."
430* In 2011 in the Seattle area, a middle-aged (not old) hobby fisherman caught a 20-lb. salmon, the biggest fish of his life. He turned to a stranger, said happily, "This is the fish of my dreams," then fell into the river and died of a heart attack. They barbecued the salmon and ate it at his wake.
431* According to his wife, Creator/RogerEbert died this way, succumbing peacefully to cancer on April 4th, 2013.
432-->'''Chaz Ebert:''' We were getting ready to go home today for hospice care, when he looked at us, smiled, and passed away. No struggle, no pain, just a quiet, dignified transition.
433* The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins spent most of his life struggling with depression. His last words were "I am so happy, so happy. I loved my life."
434* On Christmas morning, 1946, Creator/WCFields was in the Las Encinitas hospice. A nurse came in and thought he was asleep -- then he opened his eyes, smiled and winked at her, put an "shh" finger to his lips -- and died.
435* “At the moment [[Creator/LeonardNimoy Leonard]]’s soul left him on Friday morning, his family had gathered around him in a ring of love. Leonard smiled, and then he was gone. It was gentle passing, as easy as a ‘hair being lifted from a cup of milk,’ as the Talmud describes the moment of death. What did Leonard see? We can’t know, but Susan imagines that he beheld his beloved cocker spaniel Molly, an angelic presence in life and now in death."
436%% * According to his personal nurse, this is how Creator/WaltDisney died.
437* Upon his death following his nine hour coma after being fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth, UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln's face is said to have relaxed into a smile.
438* The late Paul Walker invoked this trope in a quote prior to his death.
439-->'''Paul Walker''': "If one day speed kills me, don't cry, because I was smiling."
440* [[https://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Dogbomb#Fursona Tony "Dogbomb" Barret]] was a prominent fursuiter, member of the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom for more than ten years, a vet tech, and a sufferer of ALS/advocate for the awareness of the condition. He decided to medically end his life due to suffering through ALS since his diagnosis in 2016. Following his assisted suicide on April 5th 2019, Dogbomb was found by his friend Greg with his phone in his hands and a peaceful smile on his face.
441--> ''Dogbomb has left the building. I love all y’all!''
442* A less pretty example: Many poisons work by constricting muscles, which eventually shuts down your ability to breathe and circulate blood. Your face generally includes the last groups of muscles to constrict, so it is common for people to end up dying this way with an involuntary smile.
443[[/folder]]
444

Top