History Main / AlmostDeadGuy

* Invoked in ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman''. In the chapter "Eden Club", Connor and Hank are called to the scene of a homicide, where they find a severely damaged [[{{Sexbot}} Traci]] model. Connor is capable of reactivating her for questioning, but due to the damage she sustained, she only lasts a few seconds before shutting down for good.

---> '''Tela Vasir''': "You want to judge me? Look in the mirror! Kidnapping kids for biotic death camps! Killing Alliance admirals who ask questions! And you're working with them! Don't you dare judge me! Don't you..."

!!'''As a DeathTrope, all Spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.'''

* In the early ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' comics, this trope was used many times with background characters who would provide vital information before shoving off.

* The informant in [[http://www.htmlcomics.com/Book/html.asp?Series_Name=Get%20Smart&Book_No=001&Page_Number=1Α=G&Lookup= this]] ''Series/GetSmart'' comic, who also subverts a now-tired HisNameIs crossover gag.
* The unfortunate Jason in the "Land of Lost Toys" story in ''ComicBook/HackSlash''.
* [[Magazine/{{MAD}} Don Martin]] once did a FilmNoir parody, "The Letter", starring Fester Bestertester as a [[HardboiledDetective tough private eye]], and featuring "Frankie The Kid", who staggers into a scene to gasp out some vital information before dying. Frankie then appears '''again''' at the climax of the story, to deliver the titular MacGuffin into Fester's hands, before dying [[RunningGag a second time]].

* Marvel's ''ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}'' storyline began with TheJuggernaut getting [[TheWorfEffect Worfed]] within an inch of his life, able to convey only the villain's name before he passed out. He didn't die, but this is a guy who can consistently take on the whole X-Men; just the fact that he'd ''lost'' was shocking.
* A non-lethal example is in ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' where a messenger from China is giving the titular character a message but before he got to tell it, he was shot a "crazy serum" which [[DrivenToMadness turns him crazy]]. Before he become completely insane, he managed to blurt out "Shanghai" to Tintin.

* ''Literature/OldKingdom'': TheDragon deliberately leaves one badly wounded guardswoman alive after an attack because a slow, miserable death would make her more powerful as [[{{Necromancer}} an undead minion]]. She holds out for days and dies right as Lirael and Sam find her, but Lirael is able to [[InterrogatingTheDead question her spirit]] and [[QuietingTheUnquietDead lay it to rest]].

* The dying villager at the entrance to the Church that begins the "Butcher" quest in ''{{VideoGame/Diablo}}''. Since he'll hang on forever as long as you don't speak to him, and you don't actually need to speak with him to deal with the Butcher, some players simply ignore him in order to save his life.

* The ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'' series up to ''Fallout: Tactics'' gives information when you examine enemies -- those with 25% HP or less are called "Almost Dead." If you have the "Awareness" perk, the description is replaced with how much HP the target actually has and what weapon they're carrying. However, the Almost Dead part is subverted in an Easter Egg featuring the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Normally, this just results in War ranting about how [[ContinuityNod people say that he never changes]] but attack them and they'll fight back. They all come up as "Almost Dead", but have hit point maximums in the thousands (Compared to your HP more than likely being 100 and change.) Awareness will show their current HP in the thousands too...
** In ''VideoGame/Fallout2'' Hakunin the shaman [[PsychicDreamsForEveryone sends you a dream]] urging you to return to Arroyo. When you do so, you find him dying, and he dies as soon as he explains what's happened to you. Of course, it does not matter how long did it take for you to get to him.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series up to ''Fallout: Tactics'' gives information when you examine enemies -- those with 25% HP or less are called "Almost Dead." If you have the "Awareness" perk, the description is replaced with how much HP the target actually has and what weapon they're carrying. However, the Almost Dead part is subverted in an Easter Egg featuring the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Normally, this just results in War ranting about how [[ContinuityNod people say that he never changes]] but attack them and they'll fight back. They all come up as "Almost Dead", but have hit point maximums in the thousands (Compared to your HP more than likely being 100 and change.) Awareness will show their current HP in the thousands too...

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Maester Luwin survives long enough to say goodbye and advise his charges. {{Justified}} since gut wounds are notoriously slow and he has to ask for a MercyKill after he's said his piece.

* ''TabletopGame/Pathfinder'': One mission in the ''Zeitgeist'' adventure path involves a seer on the verge of dying of old age, using the last of his strength to deliver his final prophecies. [[spoiler:If the heroes foil the assassination attempt on him, he successfully says the prophecies and dies immediately afterwards.]]