History Main / AllAreEqualInDeath

Death comes to all of us, and we will all be treated equally by and in it. It doesn't matter if you're a master or a slave, a sinner or a saint, man or woman, a bishop or knave, white or black--everyone is all treated the same. Hence why death is often called "The Great Leveler", for all and their distinctions are levelled. Either the [[FuneralTropes funerals]] or the [[AfterlifeTropes afterlife]] (if any) must be the same for everyone, whichever is used last in the work.

See also CessationOfExistence and OnlyOneAfterlife. Not to be confused with WeAllDieSomeday or TogetherInDeath. Contrast SpeciesSpecificAfterlife for one situation where different types of people are treated quite differently after death.

* Boba Fett in ''Literature/TalesOfTheBountyHunters'' invokes this with the opening line of his story, ''The Last Man Standing'': "Everyone dies. It's the final and only lasting justice." This is repeated throughout the story.

* An Italian proverb loosely translates as, "After the game, the king and pawn go to the same box."

* In the ''Literature/{{Chalion}}'' series by Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold, every soul is picked up by one of the gods at their death, regardless of status or faith, and which god is shown in a miracle at their funeral. Then explored in the third book, ''Literature/TheHallowedHunt'', where certain souls are shown to be impossible for the gods to pick up, and the trouble is about how to make them pickable again.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/YTheLastMan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20_alas_poor_yorick.png]]]]

See also CessationOfExistence. Not to be confused with WeAllDieSomeday or TogetherInDeath. Contrast SpeciesSpecificAfterlife for one situation where different types of people are treated quite differently after death.

* According to canine mythology in ''Literature/{{Survivor|Dog}}s'', all beings become one with the [[MotherNature Earth-Dog]] after they die. Their spirits ascend and live together with all the other spirits.

* This is the theme of "My Boy Builds Coffins" by Music/FlorenceAndTheMachines. It's about a man who builds coffins:

* Referenced in the first chapter of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luck_of_Barry_Lyndon The Luck of Barry Lyndon]]'': "It was in the reign of George II that the aforesaid personages lived and quarrelled: good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor, they are all equal now." Note that this lists another king than the in the film version.

* ''Film/LesMiserables2012'' contains the following lyrics:H

* Invoked by Thanos in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' when he explains to Doctor Strange the rationale behind his plan to kill half the universe's population. The process would have been completely random and indiscriminate, free of bias towards race, gender, rich or poor, weak or powerful, and therefore in Thanos's mind, fair. [[spoiler:When he succeeds, those who die at the end crumbling into dust in the same way]].

* Invoked by Thanos in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' when he explains to Dr. Strange the rationale behind his plan to kill half the universe's population. The process would have been completely random and indiscriminate, free of bias towards race, gender, rich or poor, weak or powerful, and therefore in Thanos' mind, fair. [[spoiler:When he succeeds, those who die at the end crumbling into dust in the same way]].

See also CessationOfExistence. Not to be confused with WeAllDieSomeday or TogetherInDeath.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "The Passersby" depicts a similar scenario with UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar dead, ending with [[spoiler: UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln]]

* In ''Film/OddsAgainstTomorrow'', the last two criminals shoot it out after a botched robbery. One is Black (Harry Belafonte) and the other is a White bigot (Robert Ryan). They wind up setting off gasoline and both are fried. When one policeman asks which is which, another shrugs. They'll never know and it doesn't matter now. Incidentally this a big "message", because in the book the White bigot could have gotten away but went back to rescue the Black criminal (and both are killed).

* In the movie "Odds Against Tomorrow" the last two criminals shoot it out after a botched robbery. One is Black (Harry Belafonte) and the other is a White bigot (Robert Ryan). They wind up setting off gasoline and both are fried. When one policeman asks which is which, another shrugs. They'll never know and it doesn't matter now. Incidentally this a big "message", because in the book the White bigot could have gotten away but went back to rescue the Black criminal (and both are killed).

Death comes to all of us, and we will all be treated equally by and in it. It doesn't matter if you're a master or a slave, a sinner or a saint, man or woman, a bishop or knave, white or black--everyone is all treated the same. Either the [[FuneralTropes funerals]] or the [[AfterlifeTropes afterlife]] (if any) must be the same for everyone, whichever is used last in the work.

Note that this goes one step further than that everyone is going to die--everyone must be treated the same as well. Hence why death is often called "The Great Leveler", for all and their distinctions are levelled. Even a statement that everybody is judged the same way implies a weakening of this trope. If everyone has the same funeral, but then go to different afterlives, then the trope is subverted. Put another way, this is AnAesop that all differences among people are erased upon death.

Note that this goes one step further than that everyone is going to die--everyone must be treated the same as well. Even a statement that everybody is judged the same way implies a weakening of this trope. If everyone has the same funeral, but then go to different afterlives, then the trope is subverted. Put another way, this is AnAesop that all differences among people are erased upon death.

-->''And you belong to me, young and old.''