History Main / DeadManWriting

* ''Literature/AStringOfPearls'' the original book about ''DerivativeWorks/SweeneyTodd'', features an example written by someone who discovered that the pies were made from people. Unfortunately, he spent so much time writing about how horrible the secret he'd discovered was, [[TooDumbToLive he ran out of pencil before he could reveal it.]]

* ''A String Of Pearls'' the original book about ''Literature/SweeneyTodd'', features an example written by someone who discovered that the pies were made from people. Unfortunately, he spent so much time writing about how horrible the secret he'd discovered was, [[TooDumbToLive he ran out of pencil before he could reveal it.]]

* LetsPlay/{{Technoblade}} [[https://youtu.be/DPMluEVUqS0 left one]], read by his father after he passed on June 30, 2022.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Frenzy}}'', Amy knew she was going to be killed so she wrote a bunch of letters to help Sonic find the murderer and stop him from killing others.

* In ''Fanfic/AlternativeClassDespair'', aware that there is a high chance he's going to be exposed for murdering Akane, Fuyuhiko hides a note meant for Peko, telling her that he never wanted her to be his tool and he wants her to move on and live her life to the best she can.

* ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'': "Bill Cipher vs Discord" begins with Discord writing his own "Dear Princess Celestia" letter before the match starts. The letter is last seen [[spoiler:in a newly restored Canterlot near Fluttershy's hooves, while Discord's soul, in the Nightmare Realm, gets shattered by Bill himself.]]

* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/20935463/chapters/49772102 Into the Brighter Night]]'' the Batfamily is disturbed to learn that [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]]'s away protocol includes notes and letters for his loved ones for two years in the event of his death or disappearance.

* In the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/629901/1/A-Letter-to-My-Niece A Letter to My Niece]] Peter Parker reads a letter his from his for lack of a better term [[CloningBlues brother]] Ben Riley addressed to Peter's daughter to be opened in the event she were ever to become ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl''. Unfortunately, the fic is set in the 616 comics rather than ''ComicBook/MarvelComics2'', which means that the intended recipient was stillborn. Ben died the same day. Cue TearJerker as Peter finishes reading the letter and has to wrestle with the painful memories.

* ''Music/TheyMightBeGiants'' have "By The Time You Get This", from their album ''Music/ILikeFun''

* Parodied in ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}''; Lydia tries (and fails) to write one of these.

%%* There's a complicated example in the interactive hologram from the movie ''Film/IRobot''.

* There's a complicated example in the interactive hologram from the movie ''Film/IRobot''.

* Used in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', during the Soul Society arc, with a letter from Captain Aizen to Momo Hinamori. [[spoiler:Then again, he isn't exactly dead yet. Or ''[[CompleteImmortality ever]]'', for that matter.]]

!!As this is a DeathTrope, all spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.

* Subverted rather gruesomely in ''Manga/{{Loveless}}''.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'' has a variation. Sabo leaves a note with Ace and Luffy, expressing excitement that he's finally leaving his {{Jerkass}}, neglectful parents and becoming a pirate. He has no idea that a Celestial Dragon is going to blow his raft sky-high, so his note states that "By the time you read this... I will be at sea". He then goes on to say how he can't wait to see his brothers again on the ocean. Subverted in that he survived the incident thanks to Dragon and ''did'' end up at sea, but as a revolutionary instead of a pirate like he originally intended. Even then, Luffy and Ace both thought he was dead, and the former didn't find out the truth until a dozen years later while the latter died before they could ever meet again.

* This is the entire premise of ''Anime/{{Shigofumi}}''.

* George Crabtree's journal in ''VideoGame/DarkFall: The Journal''.
* Papas'/Pankraz's letter in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV''. When you obtain the Zenithian Sword, he wants you to fulfill his objective to find the legendary hero and your mother.

* As a rule, every NCR soldier in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' must carry a letter to their loved ones, to be read only in the event of their deaths.

* One of these letters also appeared near the beginning of ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness: Sanity's Requiem'', as a letter to the main character from her dead grandfather.
** She finds several more letters from him throughout the game, including one that, when selected in the pause menu, is accompanied by a recording of him reading it.

* John's letter to Ada in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil''.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
** In ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'', Keiichi leaves such a note at the end of the first arc.
** As does Maria in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry''. Although the note is signed as her, it's implied to have been written by Yasu, who is later revealed to have also written the first and second arcs.
[[/folder]]

* Subverted twice in ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'':

* Professor Farnsworth leaves a holographic message to his crew after he is taken to the Near Death Star in the ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' episode "A Clone of My Own". He even anticipates a smart remark by Bender and reveals that he recorded over Bender's soap operas.
* ''WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures'': Tony's father does one of these for Tony.

* Appears twice in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' played straight (in "Homer's Odyssey" and "I Married Marge", although the second one is not a death, but instead him trying to run away) and once parodied ("Marge, if you're watching this, it means I worked out how to operate the video camera" in "Half-Decent Proposal").

* ''VideoGame/DustyRevenge'' has the titular character finding his father's journal in Ilumna. " "Do not look for me, son, for by the time you read this I've been long dead."

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': Though Sachi didn't really have any definite proof that she'd be dead by Christmas, she still acknowledges that it was extremely likely that she would be, and Kirito would probably beat himself up over failing to save her. Her delayed-send message was mostly sent for the purpose of breaking him out of his HeroicBSOD.

* Used in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', during the Soul Society arc, with a letter from Captain Aizen to Momo Hinamori. Then again, he isn't exactly dead yet. Or ''[[CompleteImmortality ever]]'', for that matter.

* A character in the ''Manga/DeathNote'' anime plants two of these at once. The first and more detailed is presumably there to cover for the brusque, low-byte-count second.

* After ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', it is revealed that ComicBook/CaptainAmerica wrote one to ComicBook/IronMan, saying Bucky should be the new Cap.

** Judges Guild supplement ''The Book of Treasure Maps'', adventure "The Lost Temple". The {{PC}}s discover a letter from Valan the Bold to his brother telling the story of how he found the title Lost Temple. Valan writes that he's dying of a fever and that "I fear that soon I shall soon join my comrades in death in this far land." He says that he plans to entrust the letter to his sole surviving companion in the hope that she can deliver it to his brother.
** ''DA1 Adventures in Blackmoor''. The {{PC}} party will find Hepath Nun's suicide note in the Common Room of the Comeback Inn. It tells the story of how Nun's party was trapped inside the Inn and grew desperate in their attempts to escape. The last paragraph starts with the line "That is my tale. I go now to my death." Nearby they find Hepath Nun's body hanging by the neck from a chandelier.

** In the sewer system under the amusement park the {{PC}}s can find the diary of W. Irving. It says that two of his friends have been killed by a monster in the sewer water and that he's going to try to kill it.

* Creator/YulBrynner's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNjunlWUJJI anti-smoking commercial]], broadcast shortly after his 1985 death from lung cancer.

* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends':
** This appeared in ''[[Literature/JediAcademyTrilogy I, Jedi]]'', a novel featuring Corran Horn, whose father, secretly the son of a Jedi, had died years before, and left a holographic message for him. It started with the "My hope is that we're watching this together..." variant, and the thought that they'd be laughing at how young he looked.
** Corran gets to subvert this in the ''Literature/XWingSeries'' -- he and Tycho psyche Wedge out with a fake 'last message' before revealing that they're both fine. Later in the series, it's played straight with the message Phanan wrote while dying and gave to Face.
** Also in the EU, Lorn Pavan recorded a message for his son Jax. Jax had been taken and raised by the Jedi, and one of the last things Lorn did was tell the recording droid to find his son.

* In the second book of the ''Isaac Asimov's Caliban'' series, the planetary governor is assassinated. Sheriff Kresh, who's investigating the murder, is shocked to be told he was recently made the governor's successor -- and to receive an "in case I'm assassinated" letter from him giving him advice on the political situation and wishing him luck.

* Near the very end of ''VideoGame/SystemShock 2'', as SHODAN starts warping reality, the player finds another of the {{Apocalyptic Log}}s left by Delacroix, although earlier in the game the player found her body and final log. This one, floating in the air all on its own, starts, "Re: some small assistance. If you are receiving this, I am already dead. When I realized SHODAN had betrayed me, I integrated these comments into her primary data loop." Her messages then guide the player.