History Main / FaceDeathWithDignity

* Depending on the performance, the titular character of [[spoiler:Macbeth]] fits the trope to some degree. While he goes out and kills basically a whole army just to vent his rage, at the end he may give in quietly to Macduff. Of course, he may choose to futilely struggle to kill MacDuff. The original had it off stage, so anything goes.

->-- '''IronMaiden''', "'''Die With Your Boots On'''"

** Extra points for being partily TruthInTelevision

* The Purifier's death in TheCroniclesOfRiddick.

* The Purifier's death in CroniclesOfRiddick.

**** "You can't call yourself a good guy and then do bad guy things."

* In the most [[AwesomeMoments badass instance]] ever in his animated filmography, DonaldDuck does this with great patriotism and pride in the short "Commando Duck".

** A notorious subversion is J. Bruce Ismay, owner of the White Star Line, who climbed aboard a lifeboat and survived. He was pilloried for his actions which were seen as an act of [[DirtyCoward supreme cowardice]] and he was never welcome in polite society again. He eventually [[DyingAlone died alone]].

* In {{Hellsing}}, Sir Penwood accepts he was a good-for-nothing for most of his life, and then realizes he can make a final difference in the midst of the immense SS Waffen vampire attack. After a heartbreaking moment when he orders hi men to leave, and they refuse to leave him alone, he's left alone in his base, with everyone else dead. Then the vampires break down the walls to his sanctuary. He has a beautiful reminiscence of his first meeting with Integra... and whips out the detonator for the C4 charges he's planted across the building. Desperate, the vampires shoot him... and he still presses the detonator.

* In {{Helling}}, Sir Penwood accepts he was a good-for-nothing for most of his life, and then realizes he can make a final difference in the midst of the immense SS Waffen vampire attack. After a heartbreaking moment when he orders hi men to leave, and they refuse to leave him alone, he's left alone in his base, with everyone else dead. Then the vampires break down the walls to his sanctuary. He has a beautiful reminiscence of his first meeting with Integra... and whips out the detonator for the C4 charges he's planted across the building. Desperate, the vampires shoot him... and he still presses the detonator.

->''[='=]Cos if you're gonna die, if you're gonna die,''

* This also happens in the third ''ToyStory'', when all the toys are about the [[spoiler: fall into the incinerator]].

->''If you're gonna die, die with your boots on,''
->''If you're gonna try, just stick around,''
->''Gonna cry, just move along,''
->''If you're gonna die, if you're gonna die.''

See also FacingTheBulletsOneLiner, LeaveBehindAPistol.

* From ShamanKing, when [[spoiler: Silva]] was about to die, he simply smiles and allows [[spoiler: Yoh]] to deal the final blow.
* FistOfTheNorthStar does this to many protagonists (due to its AnyoneCanDie nature) and villains who are WorthyOpponent. For villains, it overlaps with RedemptionEqualsDeath.

* Many of the deaths in {{Titanic}}, especially during the scene when the quartet are playing "Nearer My God To Thee", as passengers and crew gradually realize that it's futile to fight for a place on a lifeboat.

* In {{Andersonville}}, a prison gang called The Raiders was put down. The gang was given a trial, and six of their leaders were sentenced to death. Collins, the boss of The Raiders, walked to the gallows quietly and saluted before he was dropped. Contrast his weaselly second-in-command, who wept and tried to run away.

* In EnemyAtTheGates, when [[ColdSniper Major König]] realises that he has been caught in Zaitsev's trap, he calmly removes his cap, stands to attention, and waits for the gunshot.

* [[{{BabylonFive}} Babylon 5]]: [[spoiler:Regent]] Virini.

* {{Rome}}: Marcus Tullius Cicero, who goes so far as to rebuke a loyal slave trying to defend him for making a fool of himself.

* Referred to by name and then [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in the very first episode of {{House}}.

* {{Heroes}}: Isaac Mendez, an artist with the ability to paint the future, creates a series of paintings that show him being killed by Sylar. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel It isn't pretty]]. So what does he say when Sylar shows up at his door? "You're late." He continues to tell Sylar that neither of them [[YouCantFightFate can fight fate]], Isaac hat he already saw Sylar being killed and is quite happy that he could be of use to the good guys after all the mistakes he made. Note that he does so while having all his limps impaled by ''paintbrushes''. That's right, Isaac Mendez is such a great artist, he can turn his own death into a Crowning Moment Of Awesome for himself.

* The minor DoctorWho character [[spoiler:Father Octavian]] in Season 5 IS this trope. "I think, sir, you know me at my best."

* In the Unlimited Blade Works route of [[FateStayNight Fate/stay night]], the final choice is between this, mixed with TakingYouWithMe, and desperately struggling like a frightened animal in a cage. [[spoiler: You die and the game itself openly ([[HaveANiceDeath and hilariously]]) insults you if you choose to go with this trope.]]

* This also happens in the third ToyStory, when all the toys are about the [[spoiler: fall into the incinerator]].

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*** While it's difficult to talk about dignity in respect to an AxeCrazy [[IAmHumanitarian cannibalistic]] CompleteMonster, Kevin meets his horrible end with commendable stoicism and ''a smile''.

Compare BetterToDieThanBeKilled where you shoot yourself rather than be executed. In this trope, you choose execution. See also MyRevengeIsMercy for a specific villainous version.