History Main / AsLongAsThereIsEvil

Compare StayingAlive, where the villain doesn't even die. Compare EmotionEater, which As Long as There Is Evil can be considered a variation of. Contrast AsLongAsThereIsOneMan; the heroic response but without the resurrection. Compare GoodNeedsEvil, InherentInTheSystem and InYourNatureToDestroyYourselves. Likely a GodOfEvil, MadeOfEvil, or an UnseenEvil. See WeWillMeetAgain for the more prosaic variant. See EvilOnlyHasToWinOnce for the extreme danger a single villain victory poses.

* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'': The series has fun with this trope. All three games end up revealing that Angels and Demons have fought each other since the beginning of time. However, things changed when a number of individuals on both sides got tired of the conflict and created Sanctuary and Nephalem, and humans are descended from them. Then you have both sides trying to figure out what to do with this third group, since they have the potential to be more powerful than both sides, actually possess free will, and they are ImmuneToFate. In fact, ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' shows that demons can come back from being killed, even if it takes 20 years for them to do so. The game then attempts to avert this trope with the Black Soulstone which can theoretically bind the Prime and Lesser evils permanently so they can never be free, until Malthael destroys it and they return to the Hells.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS4E106HesAlive He's Alive]]". In it, a young American fascist is guided by the ghost of UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler. As part of the the usual end-of-episode narration, Rod Serling states that he will continue to exist as long as ''hate'' exists. It's also implied throughout that phantom Hitler isn't as much a ghost of the historical person, as he is a form taken by Evil itself.

* Jolee Bindo from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and Kreia from ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'' both lampshade this by pointing out that no matter what happens, the Sith and Jedi will always return from the brink of extinction and fight each other into near-oblivion.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''
** The trope name comes from the dying speech of Zeromus in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': "As long as there is evil in the hearts of men I will continue..." He makes good on this promise in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIVTheAfterYears''.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', the Yevon religion tells the people of Spira that Sin was created as punishment for wrongs done by people a thousand years ago. Until they completely repent for everything they've done wrong, Sin will eventually return after every defeat and cause more suffering. [[spoiler:Subverted in that this is all a lie and Spira is doomed to an endless cycle of Calm and rebirth of Sin as far as the higher ups are concerned. The only known method of killing it requires the summoner to [[SenselessSacrifice sacrifice a close friend and cause said friend to become a summoned beast powerful enough to kill it, but the summoned beast will kill the summoner and eventually become the next Sin. In other words, it is summoned beasts that guarantee Sin's existence, but summoned beasts are composed of pyre flies and the Fayth; souls.]]]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Splatterhouse}} 3'', if you get a [[MultipleEndings bad ending]], the Terror Mask mockingly informs you, "I feed on human suffering. So long as humans feel pain, I will exist!" Get the good ending, and it doesn't get to mock you before dying.

* Defied in the flash game ''Malapa's Challenge'', where two different villains start to give this speech... then are banished from our reality anyway. Apparently, having a direct line to cosmic forces won't stop someone from punching you out if they try hard enough.
** The speeches were slightly more inspired by HumansAreTheRealMonsters than As Long as There Is Evil; since they view humans primarily as evil in nature, the dark gods feel that they will always have a leg up when dealing with mankind. (As they are immortal, there will always be evil, but that also means that there will always be good as well.) It was also to try to instill into the main character that he was alone in the fight, since there were hordes of monsters and a bunch of bosses, yet not another light god would bother to fight along side him. Once more, this was a subversion as well, since there are two instances of light gods intervening after boss fights, one actually interrupting the "You are completely alone" speech; even Zeus has to give him a speech about how he is not alone at the end of the game. Needless to say, many things that the dark gods told Malapa were [[MindScrew Mind Screws]] that were going to be explored in the later games, as well as why some of the gods were acting very out of character. (Too bad they never happened...)
* This trope seems to be a recurring theme of the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series:
** Nyarlathotep in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 2}}'' is the embodiment of humanity's self-destructive impulses. Even when he's well and truly defeated at the end of ''Eternal Punishment'', it's stated that he is an aspect of humanity, and therefore cannot be completely destroyed and may return someday.
** Nyx from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' is the AnthropomorphicPersonification of death and therefore cannot die -- the heroes are forced to [[SealedEvilInACan seal it away again]] to keep it from destroying the world, knowing full well it may return later if any more meddling {{Straw Nihilist}}s come along and try to re-summon it. In ''The Answer'', the new chapter for ''Persona 3: FES'', it's revealed that the seal isn't to protect mankind from Nyx, but to protect Nyx from Erebus, the Shadow borne out of humanity's longing for death -- she truly doesn't wish to destroy the world, and is happy when the heroes defeated her in ''The Journey'' (the original storyline), but as long as humanity desires death, Erebus will exist forever.
** Ameno-Sagiri and Izanami in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}''... but played with for Izanami, as she promises to leave humanity alone, having completed her 'experiment'; she just can't promise that humanity won't try to deceive itself again, which could re-summon her.
* Hearkening back to the Zeromus speech, we have Odio's speech at the end of ''VideoGame/LiveALive''. As the heroes kill off his various incarnations throughout the time stream, he asks why he can never win, as his reason for becoming Odio to begin with was that he had lost everything, and wanted [[HumansAreMorons stupid humans]] to know his pain and see the error in [[HoldingOutForAHero waiting for heroes to fix everything]]. The chapter's main character informs him that he lost because he gave up his humanity and hated humans, even though he was originally a human himself. Coming to his senses, he delivers a stern warning to the main characters before dying:
-->"In every heart the seed of dark abides. The makings of a Lord when watered well... With hate. Sweet hate. She springs eternal. Sings... All-tempting draught. We'll drink of her again."
** He also gives a longer speech ''before'' the final BossRush:
--->'''Odio:''' For even should I falter here and now... My hate! My boundless hate shall transcend time! Hark! Look you now on hatred's multitude -- on Odio, and his many faces! You know them well. From [[TerrifyingTyrannosaur ancient past, the beast]]! From distant future, [[AIIsACrapshoot maddened slave of men]]! In peace they [[AssimilationPlot plot and craft their prophet false]]... In war they worship [[VisionaryVillain lords ambitious, cruel]]! The windswept wastes yield [[VengefulGhost monstrous men-at-arms]]! The highest peaks hide [[ArrogantKungFuGuy villains murderous]]! For [[BloodKnight violence shall ever be your wont]]! My hate is yours, and yours is mine. To share, a history, so long as men yet live! Now [[SayMyName sing our name]]! Embrace us! '''Odio!'''
** [[MeaningfulName "Odio" is Latin for "Hate", and appears in various romance languages with a similar meaning.]]
* Deathevan, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'', feeds off of the darkness in human souls. In the end, it is explicitly stated that this means Deathevan can never truly be killed, and so protagonist Ryu decides to transform into a dragon and seal the gate to the underworld in the hopes of thwarting his inevitable emergence. [[MultipleEndings Depending on whether or not certain conditions are fulfilled]], Ryu will either do so, much to everyone's dismay, or his father Ganer will crash the flying Township down on the gate, sealing it permanently, after which he delivers a speech telling Ryu that if he can eliminate hate and despair from the world, Deathevan will never be able to return.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem''
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem'', the dragon Medeus claims he gains strength from the evil in mankind when Marth defeats him.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar'', Julius, aka the human vessel of Earth Dragon Loptous, spouts basically the same speech to Seliph if he's the one who defeats him ("As long as greed exists in men's hearts, I will return!"). It's no coincidence, as per AllThereInTheManual, Jugdral and Archanea share the same universe, and Galle, Julius's ancestor, during his long travels around the world, happened to visit Archanea and formed a pact with Loptous, an evil member of the Dragon Tribe, by drinking his blood.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'', King Zephiel's plot to restore dragons to power is borne of a belief that mankind, ruled by irrational emotion, is prone to evil action. With his dying breath, he insists that evil will never die, as long as humans rule the land.
* In ''VideoGame/NiGHTSJourneyOfDreams'', Wizeman makes this claim in the "regular" endings.
-->'''Wizeman''': I am the creator of Nightmare... As long as darkness exists in the hearts of humans, then I, and the nightmares, will never be destroyed...
** In the special ending (where he ''doesn't'' say this), it takes a HeroicSacrifice on the part of Nights to finish him off. As it's implied that Nights is still alive, it's possible that Wizeman is NotQuiteDead.

* Schwarz, the BigBad of ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'', makes this claim because she is a manifestation of entropy.
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei''
** [[CrystalDragonJesus YHVH]], trademark BigBad of the series, will exist in his current form for eternity as long as at least one human being believes in him as a true god. Since the gods and goddesses are ''supposed'' to reincarnate after a while, this is problematic for the universe at large. WordOfGod is that it's not entirely humanity's fault; YHVH being a warped despot is a symptom of something seriously wrong with the fabric of the universe.
** In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'', this explains the EternalRecurrence of the war between YHVH and Lucifer:
*** In the "Ancient One of the Sun" DLC, you destroy one of his avatars, the Ancient of Days. Upon its death, YHVH speaks as a disembodied voice, and confirms this is the case for him with this quote:
---->'''YHVH''': Death shall not take me. My existence is eternal... I have lost but one of my forms... Such trifles will not sway the fate of this world from its course.
*** Likewise, the White constantly remind TheHero that as long as Humanity despairs over its role in the OrderVersusChaos ForeverWar, they shall never fade.
*** In the Neutral route, Lucifer reveals that as long as humanity cannot live without repressing their desires, he will return.
*** Even the representative deity and BigGood of the Neutral route admits that what he's doing -- [[spoiler:lifting the layer of bedrock that's kept Tokyo in a state of altered time flow after the angels and demons are driven out of the place]] -- is at best a temporary solution and that God and Lucifer will eventually resume warring with each other.
** In ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney'', the [[NegativeSpaceWedgie Schwarzwelt]] is an ever-expanding dimensional distortion that disintegrates everything in its path, as Mother Earth's respose to civilization hitting a peak of corruption, exploitation of the environment, consummerism, violence, and self-destruction. In fact, we're told that this is not the first time civilization was wiped clean by the Schwarzwelt. While various factions in the Law and Chaos endings take control of it to reconstruct the world to suit their ends, the Neutral ending destroys the entity behind it and seals it away, with the [[EsotericHappyEnding vague hope that mankind will learn from this close-call with ultimate destruction]]. However, ''Strange Journey [[UpdatedRerelease Redux]]'', states that humanity learned nothing, and the Schwarzwelt will continue to manifest again and again . The New Neutral route ends with the Protagonist becoming an immortal guardian of humanity, observing it from afar, with the sole purpose of stopping the Schwarzwelt every time it opens, and it's heavily implied he'll be at it for all eternity.
* Gods in ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'' cannot truly die -- their divine essence will reform them sooner or later into a similar role, due to the fact that, being gods, they're intrinsically bound to the land and its people. Their current personality and name, however, disappear with the current incarnation -- what comes back isn't precisely the entity that disappeared.
* The ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' BigBad Dark Brain is pretty much stated to be immortal and having unlimited power until all negative emotions in all of existence are removed. Yeah, good luck with that.
* Parodied and lampshaded in ''VideoGame/ManaKhemiaAlchemistsOfAlRevis'' as the motive for Flay's so-called StartOfDarkness. Don't worry, he was just a LargeHam.
-->"If evil disappears, so will the hero. But if evil lives..."
* Gnarl, of ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'', seems to believe that no matter what happens, there will always be someone to take up the mantle of EvilOverlord, thus restoring evil to the world. The games support his point, as each one begins with the forces of 'Good' in control. However, since after enough time 'Good' becomes worse than 'Evil' in this world, due to it being a CrapsackWorld, this isn't as bad as other examples.
* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Bionicle}} Mata Nui Online Game]]'', according to him at least, Makuta is the essence of destruction, and that he is inside anyone, no matter how innocent, as long as they have the capability of destruction. Oddly enough, he never says evil; he instead says that he is destruction. He also says he cannot be destroyed because he is destruction, and he is nothingness.
--> "You cannot destroy me. For I am Nothing."
* The Grey Wardens managed to find [[HeroicSacrifice a way]] around this during the First Blight in the backstory of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', but if you don't have a Grey Warden handy, then you can never actually kill an Archdemon.
* Knight-Commander Meredith uses this line as justification for her stonewalling the election of a new viscount at the opening scene in Act III of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''.
* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', the [[ArtifactOfDoom Demon Crown]] will always reform itself no matter how many times it's destroyed. If you take out [[TrueFinalBoss the source of its power]] then this is not the case.
%%%%% "is a textbook example of this trope." is not context.
%%%%* Zophar in ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue''
* Julius from ''VideoGame/SwordOfMana'' has a variant which he claims upon death. As long as there is Mana power in the world, he (or rather, Vandole) will always be reborn. The thing is, he destroyed the Mana Tree in order to go OneWingedAngel, so he actually won't be reborn unless the world is so dependent on Mana that the heroes are willing to sacrifice the heroine to make a new one. It is, and they are. What's more, Julius himself ''doesn't believe the world needs Mana'', which [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation might just change the meaning of his last words]] to "I won't come back unless you humans are stupid enough to give me a reason to return", making it a more accurate example of this trope.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, this is the case for the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]]. Most are treated as "evil" by the general populace in-universe and, though they've been [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu battered, beaten, defeated]] and even [[HijackingCthulhu fundamentally changed]], nothing in the setting has ever been able to ''[[CompleteImmortality actually kill]]'' a Prince. Since they are [[AnthropomorphicPersonification manifestations of the primal forces of reality]], they will always exist for as long as existence itself. Even when they [[GodInHumanForm take an avatar form]] and that avatar is vanquished, they are simply banished back to Oblivion to reform.

* In ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'', the main boss of the Fear Chaser event is a gigantic entity called FEAR, who, as his name suggests, is a personification of fear. The reason he exists is because fear is a part of life. From the dialogues gathered in the cutscenes before and after defeating him, he will always exist because most people need fear for said reason.
-->'''FEAR''': From the first moment the first creature appeared, it was afraid. Afraid of the unknown, afraid of starving... afraid of dying. '''''Life IS fear.''''' Fear can swallow even the bravest of heroes. Even the mighty Fear Chaser knows she can never truly destroy me.
* The Dark Genie in ''VideoGame/DarkCloud''. It flat out tells you it has no physical form, and that its defeat means nothing, as it will always be brought into existence so long as there is hate. Because it exists outside of time, it [[TimeTravelTenseTrouble will have always been going to be created]].

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' reveals why Hyrule and the rest of the world is ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda still]]'' plagued by evil after thousands of years. Following his defeat at the hands of Link, Demise informs the hero that the hatred of him and the entire demon race he spawned will always evolve, and that [[Characters/TheLegendOfZeldaGanonGanondorf an incarnation of that hatred]] shall haunt not only the gods and mortals alike for all eternity, but curse those with the "spirit of the hero" and Zelda's divine blood to "wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time".
* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'': The series has fun with this trope. All three games end up revealing that Angels and Demons have fought each other since the beginning of time. However, things changed when a number of individuals on both sides got tired of the conflict and created Sanctuary and Nephalem, and humans are descended from them. Then you have both sides trying to figure out what to do with this third group, since they have the potential to be more powerful than both sides, actually possess free will, and they are ImmuneToFate. In fact, ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' shows that demons can come back from being killed, even if it takes 20 years for them to do so. The game then attempts to avert this trope with the Black Soulstone which can theoretically bind the Prime and Lesser evils permanently so they can never be free, until Malthael destroys it and they return to the Hells.
* Blizzard's other franchise, ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', introduced the Sha. Shadowy beings native to Pandaria, they [[TheHeartless feed on negative emotions]]. Their nature made it impossible to kill the Sha; their physical form can be destroyed, but the Sha itself would eventually reform if it finds a source of negative emotion. However, since [[BigBad Garrosh]] eventually drained all the power of the heart of the EldritchAbomination that created the Sha in the first place, the Sha will eventually cease to exist.

* The BigBad of the ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'' series claimed that "It was human greediness that spawned me. So long as you exist, so shall I." Exactly what Bacterion meant by that is a matter of debate among fans: was he some kind of embodiment of human evil that was being literal, a creature created by an unknown group of humans in a mad desire for power, or a powerful alien lifeform just trying to mess with the hero's head?
* In the Japanese computer version of ''VideoGame/{{Valis}} II'', after Cruel King Megas is defeated by Yuko, he vows to return to life and exact his revenge on her "when the human world is filled with hate."
* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'': In more than one character's story mode, it is revealed that the [[ArtifactOfDoom Skull Heart]] can never truly be destroyed, and will only reform at a later point. At least one fighter isn't fazed by this, though.
--> '''Skull Heart:''' Every time you destroy this vessel, another will appear. There is no purpose to your actions. I shall always return.\\
'''Big Band:''' ... So what?
** Black Dahlia ''subverts'' this trope by discovering the one guaranteed method of disconnecting the Skull Heart from its power source of chaos and hatred - by forcing the world, through a selflessly ''[[ForTheEvulz evil]]'' wish, to ''embrace it''. The entire planet is turned into an endless hellscape that even Dahlia can't conquer, permanently enforcing a CrapsackWorld where evil will never be denied or rejected, and the Skull Heart is destroyed forever - along with any hope of wishing the world to a shell of its former self.
* [[BigBad Buggler]] gives this speech upon his defeat at the end of ''[[VideoGame/SuperBomberman Super Bomberman R]]''.

* A small-scale example in an already CrapsackWorld of ''VideoGame/DarkSun: Wake of the Ravager''. As long as somebody keeps fighting with a very useful vampiric sword El's Drinker, the ghost of El gets stronger and will live again someday. You are given an option to [[HeelFaceTurn reforge]] this sword.
* In ''{{VideoGame/Oninaki}}'', even the happiest ending is a BittersweetEnding in part due to this, as [[spoiler:even after defeating the Oni--the manifestation of humanity's despair and regrets--it will arise again as long as humans can't figure out how to cope with their negativity]].
* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': The dragon Fafnir keeps coming back from the dead because he exists as long as human greed exists. The heroes get used to this and just keep killing him every time he shows up.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' when you finally defeat Calasmos, the game's true final villain, he gives a speech about how he can never truly die because light needs darkness to exist. Moments later, the full effect of his defeat takes hold, and his body is overwhelmed with light until he finally explodes from the inside and is completely annhilated. The fact that he is absolutely horrified as this occurs makes it clear that he's realizing he was wrong: despite his boasts [[KilledOffForReal he won't be coming back]] from this.
* Vide from ''VideoGame/OctopathTravelerII'' tells the protagonists that he is eternal after his defeat, before he disappears. It's unknown yet if he'll return in someway.

--->'''Odio:''' For even should I falter here and now... My hate! My boundless hate shall transcend time! Hark! Look you now on hatred's multitude -- on Odio, and his many faces! You know them well. From [[TerrifyingTyrannosaur ancient past, the beast]]! From distant future, [[AIIsACrapshoot maddened slave of men]]! In peace they [[AssimilationPlot plot and craft their prophet false]]... In war they worship [[VisionaryVillain lords ambitious, cruel]]! The windswept wastes yield [[VengefulGhost monstrous men-at-arms]]! The highest peaks hide [[ArrogantKungFuGuy villains murderous]]! For [[BloodKnight violence shall ever be your wont]]! My hate is yours, and yours is mine. To share, a history, so long as men yet life! Now [[SayMyName sing our name]]! Embrace us! '''Odio!'''

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' episode "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS4E106HesAlive He's Alive]]". In it, a young American fascist is guided by the ghost of UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler. As part of the the usual end-of-episode narration, Rod Serling states that he will continue to exist as long as ''hate'' exists. It's also implied throughout that Hitler himself is not a person, but the form taken by Evil itself.

* ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'': The series has fun with this trope. All three games end up revealing that Angels and Demons have fought each other since the beginning of time. However, things changed when a number of individuals on both sides got tired of the conflict and created Sanctuary and Nephalem, and humans are descended from them. Then you have both sides trying to figure out what to do with this third group, since they have the potential to be more powerful than both sides, actually possess free will, and they are ImmuneToFate. In fact, ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' shows that demons can come back from being killed, even if it takes 20 years for them to do so. Of course, when a Nephalem kills Diablo at the end, Tyrael is quick to say that evil has been defeated forever and the eternal conflict is finally over. The Nephalem points out "Don't be so sure. True evil never dies," and Tyrael responds "Time will tell." Yes, time will tell....

** In the ''Series/KamenRiderOutsiders'' crossover anthology, an artificial intelligence called [[KnightTemplar Zein]] seeks to deconstruct this trope. Giving villains like Gai Amatsu, Ark, and Foundation X a very good reason to worry about Zein's presence as it wants nothing more but to bring eternal [[WorldOfSilence peace, harmony]], and [[OrderIsNotGood order]] to the world, even if it means [[HobbesWasRight eliminating mankind because of their capacity to do evil]] to achieve that purpose. Gai feared that a world without evil would mean humanity will be at the brink of stagnation because of the absence of something to struggle against, in that there is always a BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil among Kamen Riders, and taking "evil" out of the equation may lead to something far worse.

--->'''Odio:''' For even should I falter here and now... My hate! My boundless hate shall transcend time! Hark! Look you now on hatred's multitude -- on Odio, and his many faces! You know them well. From [[TerrifyingTyrannosaurus ancient past, the beast]]! From distant future, [[AIIsACrapshoot maddened slave of men]]! In peace they [[AssimilationPlot plot and craft their prophet false]]... In war they worship [[VisionaryVillain lords ambitious, cruel]]! The windswept wastes yield [[VengefulGhost monstrous men-at-arms]]! The highest peaks hide [[ArrogantKungFuGuy villains murderous]]! [[BloodKnight For violence shall ever be your wont]]! My hate is yours, and yours is mine. To share, a history, so long as men yet life! Now [[SayMyName sing our name]]! Embrace us! '''Odio!'''

--->'''Odio:''' For even should I falter here and now... My hate! My boundless hate shall transcend time! Hark! Look you now on hatred's multitude—on Odio, and his many faces! You know them well. From ancient past, the beast! From distant future, maddened slave of men! In peace they plot and craft their prophet false... In war they worship lords ambitious, cruel! The windswept wastes yield monstrous men-at-arms! The highest peaks hide villains murderous! For violence shall ever be your wont! My hate is yours, and yours is mine. To share, a history, so long as men yet life! Now sing our name! Embrace us! '''Odio!'''

** The third All Stars movie introduces Black Hole, the UltimateEvil of the Pretty Cure universe. As long as evil exists, he will return, not helped by him being empowered by the defeated factions.

* In ''Series/TwinPeaks'', Albert invokes this trope in a monologue he gives shortly after the initial defeat of the series' BigBad BOB. Since it's established earlier that emotions like fear are BOB's "children" and that he is [[OlderThanTheyLook far older than he appears]], and [[TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised the movie]] suggests he feeds off of pain and suffering, it's probably safe to read BOB less as a person and more as the AnthropomorphicPersonification of rape, madness, and savagery.

-->''''Nightmare:''' True to my name, I am but a dream that lives in your heart. Therefore, I am immortal. For as long as there is fear in your heart, I will someday return.

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

** In the manga version of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', Ganondorf questions why Link should bother fighting him at all, reasoning that he will come back time and time again no matter how often he loses. The Hero’s Shade counters that while that is true, there will always be a hero to keep the fight going.

* The [[Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaAkiraHimekawa manga adaptation]] of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'' inverts this as Link prepares to kill the newest version of Ganon.
-->'''Link:''' Come back to life a thousand times and in ''any'' age, a hero bearing this symbol will appear to bring an end to your reign of terror!

* The Overlord in {{WesternAnimation/Ninjago}} is an example, coming back after a defeat not once, not twice, but three times, as his existence is tied to the balance of creation and destruction.

* The Overlord in Ninjago is an example, coming back after a defeat not once, not twice, but three times, as his existence is tied to the balance of creation and destruction.

*** The Nyx example happens as in the [[VideoGame/{{Persona1}} original game]], an optional Snow Queen sidequest that has the "Night Queen" try to use people in order to set her free so she can freeze everyone alive in statues and live under an eternal night.

* In ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'', there will always be cursed spirits roaming around the world as long as humans vent their negative emotions such as pain or envy.