History Main / DeathByFlashback

* Surprisingly, this was used in {{Pokemon}}. Ash's Bulbasaur was at Oak's lab helping bring a stop to some territorial disputes, when a bolder falls. It looks like [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids it was crushed]], with a series of flashbacks playing highlights of of Bulbasaur from the series. [[SubvertedTrope Bulbasaur used Dig and popped up a few seconds later.]]

* In RichardWagner's ''Götterdämmerung'', Siegfried tells the hunting party the story of his youth (''i.e.'', most of what happened in ''Siegfried''), and the orchestra supplies the appropriate {{Leitmotif}}s. Hagen gives him a potion that makes him remember something he had previously forgotten about: the story of how he first met Brünnhilde. Gunther is shocked, because she's now his wife. A few moments later, Hagen plunges his spear into Siegfried's back.

* Surprisingly, this was used in [[Anime/Pokemon]]. Ash's Bulbasaur was at Oak's lab helping bring a stop to some territorial disputes, when a bolder falls. It looks like[[WhatDoYouMeantItsForKids it was crushed]], with a series of flashbacks playing highlights of of Bulbasaur from the series. [[SubvertedTrope Bulbasaur used Dig and popped up a few seconds later.]]

* L has an oddly expository dream about his childhood before he dies in ''DeathNote''.
* Episode 25 of ''{{Fullmetal Alchemist}}'' places heavy focus on the relationship between Maes Hughes and Roy Mustang during flashbacks, and gives Maes in general a lot of attention. He was doomed

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* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' we know in the first episode that the Fire Nation killed Jet's parents,but then we see it all in flashbacks in the episode "Lake Laogai", which is his last episode. In fact we see the flashbacks in fast mode just minutes before a failed attempt at ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks.

* Similarly, ''{{Ladder 49}}'' is about a firefighter who is trapped in a very large burning building after saving someone's life and is unsuccessful in escaping, with flashbacks involving his career, marriage, and family making up the bulk of the movie.

* On ''{{Angel}}'' Fred got both extended flashbacks before she was taken over by Illyria and a ReallyDeadMontage after she died and Illyria took over.

* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' we know in the first episode that the Fire Nation killed Jet's parents,but then we see it all in flashbacks in the episode "Lake Laogai",which is his last episode.In fact we see the flashbacks in fast mode just minutes before a failed attempt at ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks.

A subtrope of ADeathInTheLimelight. Somewhat related to MyLifeFlashedBeforeMyEyes and ReallyDeadMontage, except it happens before the character's death. See also {{Retirony}} and FatalFamilyPhoto.

* ''{{Bleach}}'' is quite similar. Well, except that it will never be terminal, unless the character in question is a hollow or a FillerVillain.

* This happens to Durza at the end of ''{{Eragon}}''. The "flashbacks" happen immediately after Eragon deals the guy a fatal blow. Durza, is a Shade, and is thus a highly magical creature. The flashbacks are the result of his soul attacking Eragon's and trying to corrupt and kill him. So he's trying to cause Eragon to have a case of death by someone ''else's'' flashback.

* In ''Infinity String'', the protagonist starts an interactive flashback sequence. In two of the endings (the early and the good ending), the protagonist is killed by a GrandfatherParadox.

* In {{Supernatural}} Season 3 we finally find out why Bela was being targeted by the ghost ship almost literally a minute before her death. She had made a contract with a minion of the BigBad ten years earlier to kill her abusive father and neglectful mother. For some it was an AlasPoorScrappy moment, but mileage varies.

* Shannon, Ana, Eko, Nikki, Paolo, and Faraday in ''{{Lost}}''. Subverted by Charlie whose final flashback episode is about him coming to grips with his impending death, and preparing himself for it. Due to a ProphecyTwist the end of the episode, he is still alive. He dies in the next episode, after the spotlight has moved on. Juliet might also qualify, as said character did have a flashback in her (possibly) final episode, even though the episode was centered on another character. And the character said episode ''was'' centered around, Jacob, also seemed to meet his doom by the end... [[OrIsIt or did he?]]
** Yes. Yes he is.

* Ted Kord in BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold. He is, of course, not quite the BlueBeetle focused on for this show, but his extended flashback shows how he was as a character and the legacy Jaime must live up to.

* In ''InfinityString'', the protagonist starts an interactive flashback sequence. In two of the endings (the early and the good ending), the protagonist is killed by a GrandfatherParadox.

* TedKord in BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold. He is, of course, not quite the BlueBeetle focused on for this show, but his extended flashback shows how he was as a character and the legacy Jaime must live up to.
* In ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' we know in the first episode that the Fire Nation killed Jet's parents,but then we see it all in flashbacks in the episode "Lake Laogai",which is his last episode.In fact we see the flashbacks in fast mode just minutes before a failed attempt at ThrowYourSwordAlwaysWorks.

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[[folder: Manga And Anime]]
* ''{{Naruto}}'' loves this trope though subversions also appear. Fans often joke about a character going down with "a terminal case of flashbacks".
* ''{{Bleach}}'' is quite similar. Well, except that it will never be terminal, unless the character in question is a hollow or a FillerVillain.
* In the ''CowboyBebop'''s GrandFinale, we finally get to see what went down between Spike and Vicious, something that had just been hinted at earlier. Guess which two that are going to end up killing each other...
* The ''{{Trigun}}'' episode, ''Paradise'', focuses a lot on Wolfwood and he dies at the end.
* This is what literally happens to Carossea Doon in ''{{Madlax}}'': his memory returns in a flashback and reveals that he has actually been DeadAllAlong for twelve years.
* Regius Gaiz and Zest Grangaitz of ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha [=StrikerS=]'', who both get killed soon after we receive a flashback that reveal their BackStory.
* L has an oddly expository dream about his childhood before he dies in ''DeathNote''.
[[/folder]]

* Severus Snape in ''HarryPotter'', though technically he dies before the flashback scene not after and the need for the flashback is ''caused'' by his dying.