History Main / DeathEqualsRedemption

-->''Soon:'' Perhaps, if you had more time...but then again, perhaps not. Redemption is a rare and special thing, after all. It is [[TitleDrop not for everyone]].

* ''{{Order of the Stick}}'': Defied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0464.html this comic]] by [[KnightTemplar Miko the (former) paladin]], who attempted to save her world by destroying an ancient gate. While lying on the floor in [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe two very large pieces]], she is informed by the founder of her order [[NiceJobBreakingItHero how badly she'd messed things up]] and told she cannot be redeemed, because she never believed she was ever wrong.

* [[DoctorStrange Baron Mordo]], when he discovers that he's dying of cancer. [[{{Wallbanger}} Then he's brought back to life as a villain]] by writers who DidNotDoTheResearch.

* A somewhat literal case with Gowron in ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Jealous of Martok's popularity, he decides to take control of the Klingon fleet and squander lives in order to gain himself political glory
until Worf challenges him to a duel to the death. As a result, he dies an honourable warrior's death and Worf performs the Klingon death ritual for him.

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* In ''ErgoProxy'' [[spoiler: Raul and Daedalus]] both get their priorities straight just before dying.
* Quent in ''WolfsRain'', realizing that wolves aren't evil when Toboe tries to save him.
* In ''DragonBallZ'' (the anime anyway), there's an unusual case with the demon Dabura, who is sent to heaven when he dies because the ruler of the afterlife wants to punish him and thinks he'd enjoy hell too much. Being around so much pure good actually turns him into a cuddly emotional guy that likes to pick flowers.
* In ''TheSlayers'', Rezo the Red Priest's evil plan backfires on him and he is possessed by Shabranigdo the Dark Lord. However, in the end, Rezo's soul surpresses Shabranigdo's and gives Lina Inverse the chance to destroy him. As Rezo's soul departs to the afterlife, his voice thanks Lina.
* Lordgenome, previous BigBad, from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices his life]] in order to give the Team Dai Gurren a fighting chance, by converting the [[WaveMotionGun Big Bang Storm]] launched by the [[BigBad Anti-Spiral]] into energy, declaring in his FinalSpeech that helping build a future for humanity would leave him completely satisfied. Simon accepts Lordgenome's wish and uses the energy to either power up the titular mecha [[TheMovie or]] transform into Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
* Precia Testarossa in ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha TheMovie First''. In contrast to her tv version, who remained an EvilMatriarch when she died, this version of Precia [[spoiler:realizes at the very end that she should have treated Fate as a second daughter instead of obsessing over the death of Alicia]].
--> '''Precia Testarossa:''' [[spoiler:I've always been this way, haven't I? I never notice things until it's too late]].
* Souther/Thouzer in ''FistOfTheNorthStar'' acts out as a man who defies love all the time and prefers being a CompleteMonster EvilOverlord all the time, until he's beaten out by Kenshiro and realize he'll die. In his last breaths, he recalled his love with his master Ougai, revealing his human side shortly before he dies with his crumbling Holy Cross Mausoleum.

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* Queen Brahne in ''FinalFantasy IX''.

* {{Order of the Stick}}: Defied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0464.html this comic]] by [[KnightTemplar Miko the (former) paladin]], who attempted to save her world by destroying an ancient gate. While lying on the floor in [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe two very large pieces]], she is informed by the founder of her order [[NiceJobBreakingItHero how badly she'd messed things up]] and told she cannot be redeemed, because she never believed she was ever wrong.

* Precia Testarossa in ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha TheMovie First''. In contrast to her tv version, who remained an EvilMatrairch until the end, this version of Precia [[spoiler:realizes at the very end that she should have treated Fate as a second daughter instead of obsessing over the death of Alicia]].

* Can happen in the {{Diskworld}} novels, although the redemption generally happens after death, when the deceased has a chat with [[GrimReaper Death]]. Despite Death's CatchPhrase "There's no justice. There's just me.", this redemption does tend to avoid an IronicHell. Contrast the fate of Mr. Pin and Mr. Tulip in ''{{Discworld/TheTruth}}''.

** For that matter, [[spoiler: Kuja]] invokes this trope in the most poignant way, since his encroaching mortality is literally the only thing that spurs him to redemption (and possibly the only thing that ''could'' do so).

* The early run of {{X-Men}} had a villain called the Changeling, who did this when he realized he had six months to live. His character later became the inspiration for the character of {{Series/X-Men Morph}}.

* The early run of {{X-Men}} had a villain called the Changeling, who did this when he realized he had six months to live. His character later became the inspiration for the character of [[Series/X-Men Morph]].

'''Rat: The boy is being held in an apple crate on top of a gun cabinet in the attic of Bean Annex.
'''Fox: Would you have told me if I hadn't killed you first?
'''Rat: Never.

* Can happen in the {{Diskworld}}, although the redemption generally happens after death, when the deceased has a chat with [[GrimReaper Death]]. Despite Death's CatchPhrase "There's no justice. There's just me.", this redemption does tend to avoid an IronicHell. Contrast the fate of Mr. Pin and Mr. Tulip in ''{{Discworld/TheTruth}}''.