History Main / FaceDeathWithDignity

* In [[Franchise/EvilliousChronicles "Daughter of Evil"]] by Music/{{Mothy}}, we have the Riliane's death. She doesn't put up a fight when she's captured, seems rather bored while waiting for it, and when the time does come, she calmly says, "Oh, it's tea time," right before they cut her head off. However, in the POVSequel "Servant of Evil," it's revealed that it wasn't the princess at all - it was her twin brother, Allen, the servant who vowed to protect her, which eventually involved such extremes as killing his own ''foster father''. Naturally, he saved her from death, too, by dressing in her clothes (because she and Allen have similar figures) and giving her his, [[TwinSwitch effectively reversing roles]].

* Boris tries to do this in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' when he is caught trying to betray the Jagers, whom he believes are being manipulated by the BigBad. The reason he only tries is that they don't want to kill him, since their reputation as [[BloodKnight bloodthirsty killers]] is, in part, ObfuscatingStupidity and his evidence that they are being used is far more interesting to the Jager Generals than keeping up appearances.

* Of all creatures, ''Cell'' does this in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'': while he's getting beaten by Gohan and destroyed, he sings "[[Creator/FrankSinatra My Way]]" while flashing back to his life and accomplishments. It'd actually be quite moving if Cell wasn't a genocidal maniac.
** His ''Kai'' counterpart went much the same way...well, with as much dignity as one can muster when singing Music/LimpBizkit, anyway.
** Played far more for laughs with his AlternateUniverse counterpart, who tries to do the same, but only had a few minutes of screentime so he can't even get past the first line before dying.

* In ''VisualNovel/GrisaiaNoRakuen'', when told to chase down [[spoiler:Amane]] to preserve the secret of [[spoiler:the bus crash group's cannibalism]] and then to kill [[spoiler:Kazuki]] for the same reason, Sakuma just gives up and says no. She's not going to do it. For her refusal, she's stabbed by Sakashita, but even then she just quietly repeats that they've done enough and to just let it go.

* OlderThanFeudalism, since Aslan's sacrifice was inspired by Jesus in Literature/TheBible.

** [[DecoyProtagonist Kaede]] forgoes a chance for a free graduation after killing Rantaro in order to use her class trial to uncover the mastermind's identity. When she fails, she allows Shuichi to out her as the killer and only tries to argue back in order to make it easier for the others to accept her being the culprit and vote for her to save their own lives.
** Gonta falls into this trope as well. Although he doesn't have any memory of him killing Miu in the virtual world, due for mistaking the cables that connect to the VR set, he accepts his fate once he is convinced that everyone is right, believing that he deserves it. He shows a serious face and doesn't show any resistance during the whole execution, while a bunch of mechanic wasps stung him, making his face swollen. He just shows a painful angry face when later on, a bigger insect similar to the previous wasps impales him through the chest, killing him and his Alter Ego, who was attached to him the whole time on a computer.
*** The little Alter Ego also was showing a serious face during the execution.

** ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'': [[DecoyProtagonist Kaede]] forgoes a chance for a free graduation after killing Rantaro in order to use her class trial to uncover the mastermind's identity. When she fails, she allows Shuichi to out her as the killer, and only tries to argue back in order to make it easier for the others to accept her being the culprit and vote for her to save their own lives.

** ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'':

** ''VisualNovel/NewDanganRonpaV3'': [[DecoyProtagonist Kaede]] forgoes a chance for a free graduation after killing Rantaro in order to use her class trial to uncover the mastermind's identity. When she fails, she allows Shuichi to out her as a killer, and only tries to argue back in order to make it easier for the others to accept her being the culprit and vote for her to save their own lives.

* Podcast/TheMagnusArchives has this appear in certain statements, although it's just as likely to end in inelegant blubbering. Ironically, more then once this has caused whatever creature that is pursuing the statement giver to stop, as the death is generally a side dish to the fear. Characters like Jason North (MAG 37) and Robert Montauk (MAG 9) are less lucky.

[[caption-width-right:350:"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."]]

* The final Music/DavidBowie album, ''Music/{{Blackstar}}'', is essentially him taking his impending death and turning it into one final album in the only way he knew how: writing awesome music.

*** ''Subverted'' with [[spoiler:Celeste]], who calmly bids the remaining students farewell and prepares to die a romanticized death by burning at the stake... but since that's how she wants to go out, [[spoiler: Monokoma pulls a bait-and-switch and rams a fire truck into her instead of letting her burn to death]].
*** Played straighter in the previous case. Mondo barely puts up any resistance when he's outed as Chihiro's killer, and it's revealed that his efforts to move the body were more to hide Chihiro's real gender than to get away with his crime.

*** Peko tries to do this, apologizing for killing Mahiru, asking the others to forgive Fuyuhiko for his role in the murder, and insisting that there be no other murders. Then Fuyuhiko makes an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove, reducing her to tears.
*** Gundham is implied to have committed murder to prevent the others from starving to death in the funhouse, makes no excuses for his actions, and rebuffs Sonia's attempt to beg Monokuma to spare him, saying that trying to interfere with someone willing to face his death is unbecoming of her.

[[folder:Theater]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* In ''ComicBook/AllFallDown'', Siphon manages to achieve this.
* Parodied in ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}} and Cleopatra''; when Cleopatra thinks that the Gauls are trying to kill her, she launches into a grand speech on how a queen faces death with dignity, and Asterix has to interrupt her to explain himself.
** A similar incident happens in ''Asterix and the Belgians'' when the heroes corner Julius Caesar, who assumes his most regal expression and informs them that he intends to sell his distinguished life dearly.
* In [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Gotham Underground]], the Penguin finds himself on the losing side of a war against Intergang, with his government contact dead, his [[TheDragon dragon]] having deserted him, and all his {{Mooks}} scared off. He's got the chance to flee the city, but instead becomes a BadassInANiceSuit, readies his best [[ParasolOfPain umbrella]], [[BenevolentBoss dismisses his employees with generous severance packages,]] and wills the Iceberg Lounge to the Riddler before settling down with a bottle of wine and the ol' tommygun umbrella to await his killers. [[BigDamnHeroes The Bat crew]] [[JokerImmunity save him]], but it's still classy.
** Also, in ''Detective Comics'' Issue #64 ("ComicBook/TheJoker Walks the Last Mile"), after turning himself in, confessing to a long list of crimes and getting the death sentence, the Joker walks to his execution, confident that he will make a fresh start once he pays the ultimate penalty with his life, and once his {{mooks}} follow through on his plan and bring him BackFromTheDead.
* In ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', an antimatter wave destroyes [[MirrorUniverse Earth-Three]]. Realising that his universe is doomed and nothing can stop it, [[EvilTwin Ultraman]] calmly declares "I fight to the very ''end''!" and flies directly into the wave, instantly ceasing to exist.
* In ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', Tawky Tawny is completely exhausted after [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome kicking Kalibak's ass]]. When Tawny sees Kalibak's tiger warriors surrounding him, he calmly states that he wishes he could have met them under better circumstances, straightens his bowtie, and shuts his eyes telling them to do their worst. Seconds later, when he realizes he isn't dead yet, he opens his eyes and sees the tiger warriors ''bowing down to him'' since they now consider him to be their leader.
* In the ''[[Franchise/GreenLantern Green Lantern: Lights Out]]'' series, [[BigBad Relic]] drains and destroys the Blue Centeral Power Battery. Brother Warth and the other Blue Lanterns use what's left of their rings' energy to help save Saint Walker and several other heroes. After this they sit down to meditate, with Warth stating their {{Catchphrase}}, "All will be well."
* In ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'' saga, Thanos has slaughtered countless beings - including many Marvel heroes. ComicBook/CaptainAmerica has just seen a number die with his own eyes and all were more powerful than he is. Cap knows he can't win, but rather than run, he walks right up to Thanos' face and looks him in the eye.
-->'''Captain America:''' As long as one man stands against you, you'll never claim victory.\\
'''Thanos:''' Noble sentiments from one who is about to die.\\
'''Captain America:''' I've lived my life by those words. They're well worth dying for.
* In ''ComicBook/JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'', probably the only non-AssholeVictim of Johnny (Edgar) dies like this, which confuses Johnny. When asked, Edgar explains that, despite his hardships, he will always have faith, saying that he will go to heaven and Johnny will go to hell, so he has nothing to fear.
-->'''Johnny:''' [[PreMortemOneLiner I envy you your conviction]]. *Turns on brutal killing machine*
* ''ComicBook/SinCity'':
** When Marv learns that the guy he's going up against is Cardinal Roark, he realizes that it's going to kill him, whether he takes down Roark or not. He decides to press on: "Hell, dying will be nothing. I'll die laughing if I know I've done this one thing right." And so he does.
** Also Hartigan's decision in ''That Yellow Bastard'' to kill himself to protect Nancy from Senator Roark's wrath.
--->'''Hartigan:''' An old man dies. A young woman lives. Fair trade. '''[[BoomHeadshot -BOOM-]]'''
** While it's difficult to talk about dignity in respect to an AxCrazy [[ImAHumanitarian cannibal]], Kevin meets his horrible end with commendable stoicism and ''a smile''.
** The woman in the short story "The Customer Is Always Right". Though not mentioned in the story itself, she breaks off a relationship with a gangster, who vows vengeance. Knowing she would die regardless, she hires "The Salesman" to give her a MercyKill.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Wanted}}'', Doll-Master is calm and accepting of his impending death when Mr. Rictus and his men come for him during their elimination of the American Fraternity chapter. All he asks of them is that they [[NotInTheFace leave his face intact]] for when his wife and children find him. When they reveal that they already killed his family beforehand, Doll-Master unleashes his dolls in retaliation.
* ''ComicBook/{{Shakara}}'': Dr. Procopio calmly accepts her execution at the hands of Shakara for her complicity in their genocide by engineering the virus that destroyed them.
* ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader provides a master-class example in the form of the death scene of Inspector Thanoth, who goes to ''Darth Vader'' personally to tell him information Vader needs to know and would immediately kill him after due to HeKnowsTooMuch, rather than waste his time and resources with a manhunt that could be better served "rescuing the Empire from itself". Right before telling him said information, he graciously states ItHasBeenAnHonor, and braces himself for the end. This man knows how to face death with ''class''. Vader, for his part, ends his life quickly with his lightsaber rather than [[PsychicStrangle his usual execution method.]]
* The ''WesternAnimation/DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines'' story "Truce Or Consequences" (Hanna-Barbera Fun-In #10, January 1972), had Yankee Doodle Pigeon being lured to the enemy's side during a 24-hour truce, where he's hypnotized and cajoled into posing for photos depicting him as a traitor. With thirty seconds left in the truce and finding himself AWOL, Yankee Doodle consigns himself to the ultimate journey. Suddenly subverted when his last words--"ABOUT FACE!"--cause Muttley to [[RuleOfFunny turn the cannon aimed at him towards Dastardly]].
* ''ComicBook/{{Raptors}}'': The old man who becomes Drago's first victim is very cordial towards his executioner, and they have a pleasant conversation beforehand. He even gives Drago his only picture of Drago's late mother, who he used to be in love with before she chose Drago's father.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* In ''Fanfic/ByTheHandsOfThePeople'', a rebel army captures Queen Elsa and her sister Princess Anna. To avoid the two being rescued, the army decides to assassinate [[RulingFamilyMassacre the remnants of the Arendelle royal family]]. Despite months of abuse and imprisonment, Elsa walks to her assassination with her head held high. However, Anna is a distraught wreck.
* In ''Fanfic/TheLionKingAdventures'', the Hermit of Hekima is unconditionally accepting of his death, knowing that it will happen.
-->'''Virusi:''' So you know why I'm here?
-->'''The Hermit of Hekima''': Of course. You want to kill me.
* Deconstructed in ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/109581/1/i-did-not-want-to-die/i-did-not-want-to-die I Did Not Want To Die.]]'' The protagonist embraces his death, but he is not at all happy about it.
* Deconstructed with Yuki in ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'' when the IDSE scheduled her deletion because she became a liability given she could go astray again. The concept of ''having a will to live'' was so alien to her she wasn't fazed with the IDSE's decision, to the point she tried to object Kyon's decision to call the SOS Brigade to help her (Yuki only informed Kyon because [[StayWithMeUntilIDie she wanted to be with him in her last moments]]).
* In L-Dog.Z's Marvel Evolution universe, only a small handful of characters have died, and most of them where in the future based arc. Those that have died in the present, however, have done so like this.
** In ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution The Comic'', Bishop dives into the core of Bastion's NIMROD facility's power, absorbing the energy so that he can flash fry the entire place. Bastion tries to stop him, so Cable and Jean Grey hold him off until he's apparently down for the count. As the two are about to escape, Bastion returns, critically injuring Bishop. Before they can help, Bishop casts the two out of the base with his powers, before allowing himself to die so that he can release the large amount of pent up energy, destroying the base and taking down Bastion this time.
** In ''Franchise/SpiderMan Evolution'', at the end of the Silvermane arc, Kingpin orders all of Silvio's men dead, causing the Enforcers to fight for their lives. When they're nearly out of ammo, they make a break for Silvio's limo, only for Ox to get shot and the limo to not work. Fancy Dan, who's breaking down because of this and is promising to go straight if they make it out alive, spots a way out through a sewer entrance and leads Montana to it, only for him to realize that [[Creator/GrantMorrison the sadistic Kingpin mook Morrison]] is approaching fast with many others, and that they'll just catch up. Instead of running, he locks Montana on the other side by breaking off the handle, staring down Morrison as he shoots him at pointblank range.
* Calvin manages to do this at the end of "Our Solemn Hour" in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries''. [[spoiler:[[DisneyDeath It doesn't last.]]]]
* ''Fanfic/TheWizardInTheShadows'' has Saruman, who goes out surprisingly gracefully, prophesying a warning then asking Harry to kill him. Wormtongue, as noted by Eirian, does not. And gets a FateWorseThanDeath.
* Subverted in ''FanFic/ACureForLove'':
-->'''[[Manga/DeathNote Light:]]''' I can die with dignity, or I can suffer abject humiliation. Or, in my case, both, but without the dignity.
* [[spoiler:Rarity]] gets this in ''Fanfic/FalloutEquestria'', showing her customary grace and resolve, reacting to the apocalypse by teleporting [[spoiler:Fluttershy and Angel]] away to safety before engaging a recording and calmly (as calmly as possible anyway) explaining just what the cloud of flesh melting gas that’s currently killing her is, and how to stop it.
** [[spoiler:Apple Bloom and Scootaloo]], despite both dying alone from slow radiation exposure in the ruins of their world, take comfort in their small victories and accept death with grace.
* ''The End of a Nightmare'' has [[spoiler:Rarity]] being hung. Before she dies she requests a brush.
* Technomad seems to like this trope: both [[Literature/TheTomorrowSeries Ellie Linton]] and [[Literature/BattleRoyale Mitsuko Souma]] were ShotAtDawn, in different fics, and both went out without blindfolds, defiant and unbowed.
* In the ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6272844/1/Refusal-to-Fall Refusal to Fall,]] [[spoiler:Ukraine]] dies refusing to bow to the Empire, [[spoiler:managing to shoot him before she goes]]. The end of the story has a history book suggest that [[spoiler:her sacrifice was the turning point for the war against the Empire.]]
* In the ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2188199/1/Sakura-s-Christmas-Surprise Sakura's Christmas Surprise,]]'' it's revealed that Syaoran's older sister Fanren has [[DreamingOfThingsToCome dreamed of her own death since she was four]], and that she will die [[HeroicSacrifice saving]] [[ChildrenAreInnocent an innocent little girl]] from an exploding bus. When a horrified Sakura objects, Fanren calmly tells her that she has [[YouCantFightFate accepted her fate]] and uses it as an opportunity to live her life to the fullest every day. Her demise occurs off-screen in chapter 7 of ''FanFic/ShadowOfTheDragon'', another fic set in the same continuity.
* [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9855028/1/The-Warlord-Era-Internal-Perspectives The Warlord Era: Internal Perspectives]] by Blex Luthor begins with a dying Jeong Jeong forty years after the end of the Hundred Year War.
-->'''Jeong Jeong:''' Now at last we are sitting down. Death and I. Looking each other eye-to-eye before we walk off together.
* In ''Fanfic/TheWrongReflection'' Lieutenant Commander T'Var performs a HeroicSacrifice[=/=]TakingTheBullet to save a larger ship, her former commander, and a MineralMacGuffin, facing her death with calm Vulcan stoicism.
* A.I. Celestia in ''FanFic/TheConversionBureauWorldsWhereItWouldntWork'', only briefly tried to come up with a solution to stop Xlestia from [[spoiler: flinging the sun at both their worlds]], before realizing there is no course of action that will save her and deciding to spend her last few moments continuing to serve humanity.
* In ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', when President Ellis finds himself confronted by [[TheDreaded the Winter Soldier]], sent to assassinate him, rather than cry or beg or try to flee, he merely stands tall and tells him to GetItOverWith. [[spoiler: Fortunately, the Soldier -- who has breaking free of his brainwashing for some time -- can't bring himself to shoot his Commander-In-Chief, and breaks free completely, sparing the President.]]
** Similarly, [[spoiler: Arthur Weasley]], when faced with imminent death, realises that he's about to get a MercyKill rather than a FateWorseThanDeath, and whispers, "Thank you."
* ''Fanfic/RobbReturns'': [[spoiler: Lord Alster Dayne, who travels to King's Landing while suffering a deadly disease to deliver Dawn and much needed information to his only son.]]
** The last man to be beheaded by [[spoiler: Robert]] for taking bribes.
** Averted with [[spoiler: Janos Slynt]], who soils himself and is crying out and asking to be sent to the Wall the whole time.
* In ''Fanfic/AProtectorsPride'', upon realizing his death is inevitable, Barragan calmly admits his defeat and acknowledges his killer, [[spoiler:Orihime]], as a fellow god and warns them people will want to use them for their powers.
* Vegeta in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886818/1/Inheritance Inheritance]]'' decides to go out fighting against Piccolo, though he admits he'd be fleeing if he thought it would help.
* Explored from just about every possible angle on Laurel's death in ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/8793565/chapters/20159878 How the Light Gets In]]'', in ways that never come off as cowardly but as deeply human. Oliver recalls how when he was trying to get her to the hospital, she quietly begged "I don't want to go"; Dean recalls how in the hospital she put on a brave face to reassure those around her, but deep down she was terrified and probably knew she was about to die; and Laurel herself (upon her resurrection) worries that her killer forced her to beg for life, and hopes she was brave and did not, before deciding it doesn't really matter how she faced it. Also, she tries to run from Death and begs for more time, before realizing the inevitability of it. The following exchange says it all:
-->'''Laurel:''' I don't want to go.
-->'''Death:''' Very few people do.
-->'''Laurel:''' I thought I wouldn't be afraid.
-->'''Death:''' My dear, we're all afraid.
* A few examples in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'':
** In the main story, a trainer named Dan enters the Saffron Gym, and Sabrina warns him that if he doesn't prove himself worthy, he won't make it out alive. Despite facing the possibility of losing, he and all of his Pokémon decide to go down swinging. [[spoiler: As it turns out, he didn't have to ''[[ExactWords win]]'', just impress her.]]
** In the Twenty Gyarados Bill Gaiden, several soldiers who are facing against the title character's Gyarados army realize they're going to die, but decide to fight until the end and [[TakingYouWithMe take down as many as they can with them.]]
* ''Fanfic/WhereTalentGoesToDie''
** After being exposed, Reiko Mitamura, the second murderer, provides the final piece of evidence that helps ensure her conviction. In the minutes before her execution, she apologizes to those she betrayed in her attempt to graduate, and concedes that this is what she deserves.
** Zig-zagged with Sora Hoshino, the third murderer. He fights to the bitter end, even trying to threaten the other students with an empty gun to avoid being convicted, and once he's convicted, he bitterly notes that his death only bought the others a little more time "living" while being stuck in the school. In the end, though, he decides to "take (his) execution like a man," albeit partly out of {{pride}}.
* In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', Shizuka calmly accepts her execution, having allowed the others to expose her as the murderer responsible for killing Shigeru and Naomi (who'd planned a double murder and had tried to kill her). Arata tries to do the same, but it's indicated that he was afraid in his final moments.
* In ''Fanfic/GraduateMeetingOfMutualKilling'', after being convicted of murder in the class trial, Chihiro Toriumi makes no apologies for her actions but calmly accepts her punishment. She even walks to her own execution rather than let the chain drag her there, as a way of showing the remaining graduates how they should face their deaths.
* ''Fanfic/LovedAndLost'': After [[TheUsurper Prince Jewelius]] destroys Princess Celestia's reputation by using the events of "A Canterlot Wedding" to [[ManipulativeBastard turn her subjects and faithful student against her]], he sentences her to be [[PublicExecution publicly hanged]]. When the moment approaches, Celestia doesn't try to resist or speak to deaf ears about the CassandraTruth regarding [[spoiler:Jewelius and his true role in the Changeling invasion]]. Instead, she makes a touching apology speech to Twilight and everypony else, taking full responsibility over failing them as well as everypony who lost their lives. She then raises the sun for the last time before preparing to be strangled. This causes the previously angry crowd and [[CorruptTheCutie jaded Twilight]] to beg for Jewelius to stop the execution, but he remains set on his course. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Luna [[ShootTheRope severs the rope]] before her sister can be strangled.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat''
** ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar''
*** When Chopper’s plane gets damaged during the mission ''Journey Home'', his squadmates tell him to drop his plane off at the stadium and eject. [[spoiler: But because the ejection system was damaged, he can’t eject, and thus crashes himself into the stadium, with his final words being ‘I’m gonna miss that voice’, after [=AWACS=] Thunderhead calls for him to keep trying.]]
*** [[spoiler: In the final mission ''The Unsung War'', when Grabarc is shot down, he accepts his defeat with grace, acknowledging that the Razgriz are better pilots than he is. His partner, Ofnir, does not accept his defeat, and curses the Razgriz that he will haunt them.]]
** Ilya Pasternak in ''VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation'' launches a one man assault into the liberated Gracemeria to cover for the Strigon team’s retreat. When he’s shot down by Talisman, his final words are that his squadron has left the combat airspace, and thus they won.
** In ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'', [[spoiler: when the truth about Dr. Schroeder’s work is revealed near the end of the game, Ionela looks down at him with a loaded gun, and he fully expects her to kill him. [[{{Subverted}} She spares his life instead]], and convinces him to help put a stop to the war that caused so much chaos.]]
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'':
** Charles Lee, the BigBad of Connor's story, [[spoiler:waits in a tavern for Connor to catch up to him, as both are severely injured and unable to fight or, indeed, run. He calmly shares a drink with Connor before the latter finishes him off with a knife, leaving him to "die in retirement", as happened in real life.]]
** [[spoiler:Desmond calmly accepts the fate that will befall him when he chooses to save the world. His penultimate act is to send his friends away so that they, unlike him, will survive.]]
* Early on in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate'', when Evie assassinates David Brewster, he displays remarkable grace not seen in many Templars during his CradlingYourKill moment, faithful that God will protect him and only lamenting that he couldn't finish his work.
* Implied in case of [[spoiler:the Songbird]] in ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite''. [[spoiler:When Elizabeth transports it to Rapture, it first flails around violently, still trying to get to Elizabeth. But as it is crushed to death by the pressure of the ocean, its eyes switch from red to green and Songbird accepts its fate as Elizabeth comforts it in its final moments.]]
* A nameless engineer or technician of some kind gets this in spades in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2.'' After being badly injured, he leaves a recording that shows him demonstrating how to use kinesis to tear blades off of dead necromorphs and impale others with them. He then says that he's going to bleed out soon, but he hopes that whoever sees his recording finds it useful.
* In ''VideoGame/FatalFrameII'', the folklorist Seijiro Makabe was imprisoned in Minakami village for the Cutting Ritual. The ritual involved choosing an outsider and subjecting them to cold-blooded torture as long as possible, before being thrown alive into the [[{{Hellgate}} Abyss]], to create a Kusabi. When Makabe learned that he was going to be used as the sacrifice, he felt pleased and honored to be allowed to participate in such a secret ritual. And his calmness in the face of the torture is what [[CameBackStrong turned him into the deadliest ghost in the game]].
* Multiple examples in ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series:
** If you decide to execute [[AntiVillain Teyrn Loghain]] in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' after defeating him in a duel of honor, he'll spend his last moments saying goodbye to his daughter and says that he can die in peace knowing that the Grey Warden is up to the task of stopping the Blight.
** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', if you kill [[spoiler: Anders after he blows up the Chantry, he quietly and calmly accepts it. If you romanced him, he will even say "I'm glad it's you."]]
** In ''Origins'', Wynne has good reasons to believe that her health is rapidly deteriorating and it is unlikely that she'll survive much longer than the defeat of the Darkspawn horde. If the Warden asks her why she's spending her last days traveling and fighting, her response is: "I will not lie motionless in a bed with coverlets up to my chin, waiting for death to claim me." And indeed, she doesn't. [[spoiler:In ''Literature/{{Asunder}}'', she finally dies after accomplishing what is declared impossible by the rules of the universe: bringing a dead person (namely, her estranged son's love interest) back to life]].
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'':
*** A House Redoran quest has you convincing another member of the house to do this via a duel to the death in the arena. He will almost certainly die (unless you aid him from a distance.)
*** In the ''Tribunal'' expansion, [[spoiler:[[PhysicalGod Tribunal deity]] Sotha Sil did this, according to [[BigBad Almalexia's]] rant]]:
--> ''"And Sotha Sil...he always thought himself our better, shunning us, locking himself in this hole. He spoke not a word as he died. Not a whisper. Even in death, he mocked me with his silence!"''
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'': At the beginning of the game, Emperor Uriel Septim VII who from the intro knows his death is coming. Even as his guards try to smuggle him out and save him, he knows they [[YouCantFightFate Can't Fight Fate]], so his last moments are spent giving instructions to the PC so that he might avert the consequences his death will have.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''
*** When you encounter [[spoiler:Emperor Titus Mede II]] in the finale of the Dark Brotherhood quest, he tells you that he's long since accepted his fate, talks to you in a calm and friendly manner and is completely unimpressed by you trying to intimidate him. The only thing he asks of you is to kill the person who ordered the contract on him and he only asks you to merely consider it. Of course, this scene is something of a callback to the one from Oblivion above.
*** Whatever you think about Ulfric Stormcloak, [[spoiler:he faces his death at the hands of the victorious Imperial-aligned Dragonborn well. His last request is for the Dragonborn to deal the final blow. "It'll make for a better song", he says.]]
*** At the very start of the game, a Stormcloak prisoner fearlessly volunteers to be executed first and gives pithy insults to his executioners right up until he gets the chop. Ironically if he didn't do that and instead made a scene or tried to resist, he might have lived, as moments later Alduin turns up and attacks the camp, which allows the Stormcloak prisoners and yourself to escape in the chaos.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':
** Dick Richardson, president of the [[TheRemnant Enclave]] and NonActionBigBad of ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'', is utterly devoted to his mission of wiping out every mutant (read: anyone who's not the Enclave) in the Wasteland so the "pure" Americans can retake America, and he'll tell a PowerArmor-wearing [[TheChosenOne Chosen One]] wielding a gatling laser right to their face that he's perfectly willing to die for his cause.
** In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', Benny despite being a [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstabbing sleaze ball]] the entire game, if he escapes the Tops after you confront him and is captured by The Legion and left completely at your mercy, he'll keep his cool the entire time, even chuckling at the {{irony}} if you decide to execute him with his own gun, [[KarmicDeath just like he tried to do to you when you first met him in the opening cut scene]]. He's also thrilled if you choose to face him the Legion's arena; House explains that before he "civilized" the Boot Rider tribe into becoming the Chairmen we know today, they would fight each other in honor [[DuelToTheDeath duels to the death]] to resolve disputes over things like leadership, which is how Benny became Chief.
** In his bad ending, [[ColdSniper Boone]], one of your companions chooses go on a suicidal RoaringRampageOfRevenge on the [[TheEmpire The Legion]], where he [[OneManArmy single handily kills so many soldiers]], he impresses [[BigBad Caesar]] himself, who personally appears before Boone, just before his execution by crucifixion. Boone's response? ''Spit tobacco'' in Caesar's eye without saying another word.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'', when Brotherhood of Steel Paladin [[spoiler:Danse]] discovers that he is a synth, an android that the Brotherhood is dedicated to eradicating, he willingly allows himself to be executed by you or Elder Maxson, so that the Commonwealth can be a safer place (At least in the Brotherhood's eyes.). Though if you don't want to let him die, [[VideoGameCaringPotential you can convince him to stand up for his right to live]].
* In the Unlimited Blade Works route of ''[[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Fate/stay night]]'', the final choice is between this, mixed with TakingYouWithMe, and desperately struggling like a frightened animal in a cage. You die and the game itself openly ([[HaveANiceDeath and hilariously]]) insults you if you choose to go with this trope.
** Assassin is a big-time believer in this trope, even stating outright that the best thing you can do when you're dying anyway is to be dignified about it.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. Rufus Shinra as he stands atop the Shinra tower, seeing lethal blasts from Diamond Weapon headed his direction. He does not so much as flinch, calmly awaiting his end.
** Though it turns out in ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'' [[spoiler:he actually survived, making him even more badass than he was.]]
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'', Judge Drace accepts her condemnation, knowing that Gabranth will take care of Larsa in her stead.
* In all routes of ''VideoGame/{{Hakuouki}}'' that get that far, Kondou Isami surrenders himself to the Imperial Army to allow his subordinate Hijikata to escape with the rest of the Shinsengumi. Hijikata tries to get him freed, but fails, and recounts to the other characters how Kondou asked for the right to commit {{seppuku}}, was rudely denied that right by his captors who refused to recognize him as a samurai, and responded by politely asking to at least be allowed to shave and going to his beheading with all possible dignity.
* In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'' and ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'' [[spoiler:Richter]] faces both their potential and actual death peacefully.
** In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami'', [[spoiler:he calmly tells Jacket, whose girlfriend he was forced to kill, that he won't beg for his life, and instead [[PleaseKillMeIfItSatisfiesYou awaits Jacket's decision]]. Canonically, Jacket spares him]].
** In ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'', [[spoiler:he greets Richard, who [[MindScrew may be]] the GrimReaper, very calmly, and when told he is about to die, accepts his impending fate without complaint or fear]].
* Throughout ''VideoGame/LunarEternalBlue'', a primary antagonist has been opposing you at every turn, working towards bringing Zophar back into power. However, in your final encounter with him, you learn that he's secretly been opposing Zophar, who literally is supplying him with his life, and once he knows that the world of Lunar is in good hands with Hiro and company, he willingly accepts his death, fading from existence unmourned.
--> '''[[spoiler:Ghaleon:]]''' Are you watching in secret, [[spoiler:Dyne]]? These children ''shine'' with your light...
* Happens all the time in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''. Right from the beginning things are looking really bleak and though preparations are running at high speed to attempt the use of an ancient super weapon, chances that the Reapers can be stopped are growing lower every hour. Complete annihilation of all spacefaring species appears inevitable, but everyone is taking it surprisingly well, keeping calm and doing whatever they can to slow down the Reaper advance as much as they can.
** [[spoiler:Mordin goes into a collapsing tower in order to cure the Genophage.]]
-->'''Shepard:''' I am sorry.
-->'''[[spoiler:Mordin]]:''' [[HeroicSacrifice I'm not. Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.]]
** [[DefiedTrope Defied]] if Shepard shoots him. His death is messy and leaves the story arc on a distinctly sour note.
** Thane Krios was already terminally ill in the second game and if he survived he's nearing his end by now. [[spoiler:When Kai Leng attempts to assassinate the salarian councilor, he shows up and gets into an amazing swordfight. Because of his illness, the stab wound he receives is fatal, but he lives long enough for Shepard to visit him in the hospital as he dies in his typical calm manner, saying a prayer for Shepard with his last breaths.]]
** The Krogans are undergoing quite a substantial amount of CharacterDevelopment, to a great deal thanks to this trope. In the first two games they appear almost entirely as {{Blood Knight}}s who would rather die in battle than see their race succumbing to the long-term effects of a bio-weapon. Any battle would do. But faced with an enemy they can actually fight, they are much more disciplined and charge into entire swarms of Husks without hesitation or concern for their own safety, as long as it helps protecting their world.
** [[spoiler:Even the Catalyst, the one responsible for the Reaper Cycle, calmly accepts that Shepard has all but won at that point, and simply tells him his options.]] [[EpilepticTrees Maybe.]]
* Averted in ''[[VideoGame/{{Oddworld}} Oddworld: New n Tasty]]'' at the end of the game. [[spoiler: When Abe is about to be executed via meat grinder for his actions during the game, instead of being dignified or defiant, he instead thrashes against his restraints while crying and begging the Big Bad for mercy.]]
* While FacelessMooks simply fall over and die, there is no InstantDeathBullet for bosses in the ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' series. While some chose to go out with a bang, many other decide to face their final moments with dignity, making for some of the most memorable death scenes in video games. It also fits the series' highly pacifistic tone.
** Probably the greatest example is [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater The Boss]], who is essentially taking this attitude for the whole game. She knows that she has to die, and it has to be at the hands of her favorite student and [[ParentalSubstitute almost-son]]. Not once does she ever break down over this, and at the end of their final fight, she peacefully hands her gun to Snake and, almost comfortingly, tells him to finish his mission.
* The fate of the Barrier Trio in ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}'':
--> The Barrier Trio strikes one final Barrier Pose! \\
It was spectacular.
* ''VisualNovel/{{Narcissu}}'' is mainly about the terminally ill Setsumi's wish to give her death meaning by dying somewhere other than the hospice or at home.
* John Marston in ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption''. After buying his family time to escape from government soldiers coming to kill John for his 'crimes', John takes shelter in the family barn before facing down a platoon of US soldiers and two Government agents, knowing full well he will be torn to pieces. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome But that's not to say he]] [[DoNotGoGentle went peacefully.]]
** In the prequel, ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'', Arthur Morgan, already stricken with tuberculosis and having a short time to live, helps John escape from Micah Bell and the Pinkerton gang and chooses to stay behind to fight them off while buying the Marston family time to flee and start a new life. In the High Honor ending, after having emerged victorious while getting wounded himself, Arthur, content that [[HeroicSacrifice he has sacrificed himself for the Marston family]], uses his final moments to relax peacefully and watch the sunrise, and to let nature take its course with his tuberculosis.
* Discussed in ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate''; after she saves him from being killed by [[spoiler: Lagerfeld]], Leanne [[AngerBornOfWorry tearfully berates]] Zephyr for [[DeathSeeker wanting to die]], telling him that if he ''is'' going to die, he should at least "die with courage."
* Eileen from ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'' walks steadily to her death towards the Giant Machine of Doom in the final battle against [[AxCrazy Walter]], but she's technically possessed. In the third game, Claudia goes willingly to her death, even though she's absolutely certain she's going to Hell.
* In ''VideoGame/TouhouMother'', [[PlayerPunch YOU]] have to do this at the end of the game, when you are robotocised by [[KarmaHoudini Porkey]] and the rest of [[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Gensokyo]] attack you, thinking you are the last remaining enemies. [[TearJerker It is quite possibly the saddest moment in any fangame ever.]]
* Episode 6 of ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' has a surprising one in [[spoiler: Furudo Erika]]. Previously the perfect example of SmugSnake, DefectiveDetective and LackOfEmpathy, by the end of the story she's been shot, is dying, and knows it. So she gets up [[spoiler: and challenges Beatrice and Battler one last time despite knowing she's going to lose and be erased, saying that as a villain she needs to die to the heroes dramatically.]]
* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles4:'' When Colonel Walz is close to death, he says "So this is our last dance. One of us dies, and one walks away."
* In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfileCovenantOfThePlume'', rebellion leader Natalia turns herself in toward the beginning for execution, so that her troops will be spared. No matter which version of the chapter you're playing in, they end up being killed anyway, and her ally tries to rescue her. Whose side you picked determines whether he's successful or not.
* In the BadEnding of ''VideoGame/WingCommander IV: The Price of Freedom'', Colonel Blair is taken to his execution by firing squad.
--> '''Squad captain:''' "Blindfold?"
--> '''Blair:''' No.
** This is a running theme in ''Wing Commander:'' The good guys fight like hell to live but if they lose, they face their death with a stoic's resolve; the bad guys beg, plead, or if they can't escape, [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled take matters into their own hands]]. Chris Roberts definitely seems to approve of facing death with dignity.
* In the DownerBeginning of ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder'', if you choose [[ViolentGlaswegian Fergus]] in the SadisticChoice, he's all over this trope. [[spoiler:It turns out later on that he didn't actually die, [[FateWorseThanDeath but his brain was preserved by Deathshead to be used in a combat robot which serves as the game's pen-ultimate boss]].]]
-->''"It's okay, Blazko. [[WarIsHell It's war]]. People die. My time's up, is all."''
* A rare {{mook}} example in ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' is the Thin Man interrogation scene. While all other aliens freak out in containment, to the point of trying to attack the robotic arms used in the procedure, this dude simply sneers contemptuously and approaches the glass, as if to say something. Then, the metal panel closes.
* ''VideoGame/TheTalosPrinciple'': [[spoiler:The entire human race, or at least those working and communicating with the EL project. Unlike most apocalyptic stories there is no mention of riots or the collapse of civilization. Whatever plague was killing humanity did so at a rate where basic services and food were still available for a while and the internet was still functional. Once it became clear that the human race was going extinct, the logs of the project team are filled with stories of love, of what they'll miss, and the hopes of what might come of the project. One even comments on how in the last days the entire world effectively joined online to send as much data as they could to the Archive to preserve as much knowledge as possible for whoever found it. When communications did start breaking down, the logs turned into goodbyes as staff members either committed suicide peacefully, left the facility to be with their loved ones in their last days, or in Alexandra's case [[HeroicSacrifice died at her workstation trying to complete the Talos project]]]].
* In ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'', the FinalBoss has a OneHitKill that never fails, but which it will only use twice - and [[SadisticChoice you get to choose which hero it takes]]. Each hero will get a unique line when selected, and several of them fall under this trope. (Others, [[AintTooProudToBeg not so much]].)
-->'''Leper:''' [[HeroicSacrifice Spare the others. I am ready.]]\\
'''Highwayman:''' [[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner No way out, hmph.]] Let's do this.\\
'''Houndmaster:''' Steady, girl. If we're called, we answer.\\
'''Musketeer:''' All for one, and one for all!\\
'''Man-at-Arms:''' I go with a clear conscience. I've given my all.\\
'''Occultist:''' [[FaustianRebellion Finally, the face of my tormentor.]] Come, then.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'': [[AntiVillain Hilda]] -after realizing that her actions would lead to the very thing that her ancestors were trying to prevent- decides to face her world's demise with as much dignity and grace as she can muster... [[TearsOfJoy only for her to lose any sense of composure]] when Link and Zelda's SelflessWish restores Lorule's Triforce.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Admiral Zhao chose to die with dignity rather try to let Zuko save him as the Ocean Spirit dragged him down to his watery grave. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in that being killed by the partner of the spirit he failed to kill is a pretty undignified death, but Zhao's pride makes him incapable of realizing that to the bitter end.
** To make matters worse, he didn't die. He was instead thrown into the Fog of Lost Souls, [[FateWorseThanDeath where he will wander forever, driven to insanity hunting an Avatar he cannot find.]]
* Dinobot in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars,'' by virtue of a HeelFaceTurn from the Predacons, is in no danger from their meddling time travel ways and didn't need to fight them all in single combat with no support and damaged beyond repair systems. In fact, a good deal of his troubles would be dealt with if he did nothing about it. But then there's what he could have done, and [[SugarWiki/MomentofAwesome what he did.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': When Maurice turns 13, he accepts his decommissioning and the loss of his memories. Note that Maurice is the only KND agent show in the series who accepts his decommissioning, where others betray the Kids Next Door when they turn or before they turn 13 years old. Because Maurice accepts his decommissioning, he is rewarded with his reputation and legacy being left intact, with all of his former teammates and fellow operatives sending him off with honor. Note that even Numbuh 86, a boy hater and Head of Decommissioning, treats him with respect and is sad to see him go. It is implied that because he loyally accepts his fate, [[spoiler: he is allowed to keep his memories and become part of a secret sect of teenagers who are still loyal to the KND and do undercover work to help them from behind the scenes.]]
* In the most [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome badass instance]] ever in his animated filmography, DonaldDuck does this with great patriotism and pride in the short "Commando Duck".
* [[AnyoneCanDie Quite a few]] characters in ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad''.
* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Road To Las Vegas" revolves around Stewie using an experimental teleporter to take himself and Brian to Las Vegas for a Music/CelineDion concert. Unbeknownst to them, the teleporter actually creates a set of copies which are sent to Vegas, while the originals remain behind and are forced to use air travel to Vegas, thinking that the teleporter didnt work. The original Stewie and Brian have an increasingly miserable time until they find themselves in debt to a loanshark with no means of paying him back and decide to face death on their own terms and commit suicide. However, Stewie wusses out at the last moment, leading to only Brian dying. Meanwhile, the copies have a very successfull Vegas trip, until Stewie is murdered by the loanshark the originals hired, with only Brian surviving. He ends up reuniting with Stewie at a bus terminal where they figure out what actually happened.
* Kinda adverted, but in the series finale of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', the reporter Shandra Jimenez [[spoiler: broke into Bill Cipher's lair, and when she was being turned into stone by an eyebat, she just accepts it, probably knowing that it would happen eventually.]] This is later adverted again with [[spoiler: Bill who ''freaks out'' when he is being erased from inside Stan's mind]]
* A variation on this in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'':[[spoiler: [[DefiantToTheEnd Lin defies Amon to the very end]] and suffers what is, for many benders, AFateWorseThanDeath. Unlike every other victim of Amon's, she doesn't beg or plead, she just calmly closes her eyes and accepts it.]]
* Canard Thunderbeak from ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyDucks'', when it looked like the team was going to all be eaten alive by a giant energy absorbing monster. He decided to give the thing something else to eat, [[spoiler:himself]].
* Happens twice with [[spoiler:Mike Chilton]] in the ''{{WesternAnimation/Motorcity}}'' finale. First when he's falling from a building [[spoiler:after Kane tosses him]], we see him shut his eyes calmly [[spoiler:before he's rescued by the Duke of Detroit]]. The second is a subversion though as he [[spoiler:appears to self-destruct Mutt with himself inside to blow up Kane's machine, although he manages to escape with [[CoolBike Chopper-Mutt]] as planned]].
-->[[spoiler:Mike: *to his dog bobble-head*]] "Sorry girl, we had a real good ride though, didn't we?"
* Sheriff Silverstar in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. When out of ammunition (pies) and faced with a charging Buffalo chief, he just takes off his hat and closes his eyes. He is saved by a fellow townspony, but still counts.
* ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain's'' The Brain's left defeated, picking garbage out for his meals, after outright ''losing''--not just failing to take over the world, but ''losing'' it--to an EvilCounterpart. He's then greeted by a pack of alley cats. His intended last words, from inside a cat's mouth: "Go on, end it now!" The cats decline, and when he finds he's alive, he finally gets into the third act to save his world.
* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': In the series finale, [[BigBad Aku]] finally captures [[TheHero Jack]] and plans to execute him in front of the entire world. Every single ally and friend Jack has made over the course of the series goes out to save him, knowing full well they are signing their collective death warrants by opposing Aku. [[spoiler:Many of them die in the battle but they give Jack enough time to finally return to the past and destroy Aku, preventing his dark future from existing in the first place.]]
** His closest friend The Scotsman gets this a few episodes earlier when, in his late 80's-early 90's, he and his many daughters joint an assault on Aku's house, this being [[InvincibleVillain Aku]] he {{CurbStomp|Battle}}'s the rest of the army and then sets his sights on his daughters, so [[PapaWolf The Scotsman]] rolls right up to him in his wheelchair and [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu calls him out on how he's hiding out in his home because he's scared of Jack and knows he will inevitably come and kill him.]] [[spoiler:The Scotsman is of course blown to bits by Aku's EyeBeams but he dose it looking absolutely miserable, then in the finale [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome his ghost leads his daughters into the final battle.]]]]
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' has Governor Pryce in the series finale, who refuses to evacuate the command center (which the rebels have just [[SelfDestructMechanism set to self-destruct]]), choosing instead to simply stand there [[DefiantToTheEnd calmly and defiantly]] with a look of hate on her face as everything explodes around her.
* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short "The Duck Doctor" has it happening to Tom. Having no hope to escape a falling anvil, Tom dug himself a grave, blindfolded himself and had a last smoke. Then the anvil hit him on the head, making him fall inside his grave, which made the dug Earth jump onto him, completing the burial and then the anvil fell in a position to serve as a tombstone.
* In the Season 6 premiere episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'', Jonas Venture Jr., already dying of cancer, and General Treister go out in a blaze of glory, moving the reactor core of ''Gargantua-2'' to a safe distance before meltdown. Jonas says one last goodbye to his brother Rusty (making the trademark "Go Team Venture" gesture) and calmly shuts his eyes as the end draws near. Treister rides the space station into the wild yonder, exulting in the fact that cancer isn't what's going to kill him.
[[/folder]]

* FaceDeathWithDignity/AnimeAndManga
* {{FaceDeathWithDignity/Film}}
* FaceDeathWithDignity/Literature

* FaceDeathWithDignity/RealLife

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Iason Mink from ''LightNovel/AiNoKusabi'' [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction barely winces]] when [[AnArmAndALeg both his legs are cut off from above the knees]] as he was leaving a burning building, stoically waiting next to a door for either the pain and bleeding to take his life away or for the place to blow up.[[note]]Might be justidied by him being an ArtificialHuman, so he ''might'' not feel too much pain to start with.[[/note]] Comes to a circle when [[StarCrossedLovers his lover Riki]] [[TogetherinDeath comes to his side to die with him]], and they calmly share OneLastSmoke (doubling as {{Last|Kiss}} IndirectKiss).
* In ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'', [[spoiler:Ursula]] falsely confesses to assassinating King [[spoiler: Arnuwanda]], so that Kail has the grounds to call off Nakia's attempts to retrieve and frame Yuri for the murder. [[spoiler:She]] makes the entire confession very calmly and, when Nakia tries to still use the opportunity to blame Yuri ([[spoiler:Ursula being Yuri's maid and all]]), [[spoiler:Ursula]] immediately turns it around and pretends ''Nakia'' was the one who ordered the killing, forcing Nakia to abandon her attempts to pretend there was someone else behind the whole operation. [[spoiler:When Ursula's boyfriend Kash meets her in prison the night before her execution and offers her the chance to run away with him, she tells him that she's determined to stick to her guns, adds that she had hoped they could have long lives and a family together, and gives him her braid as a keepsake. [[PluckyGirl The entire time, she never breaks down. Even at the execution itself, she keeps a calm face]].]]
-->'''Executioner''': I take it then you have nothing to say?\\
'''[[spoiler:Ursula]]''': Nothing, sir. I am ready.\\
'''Executioner''': Very well.
* TheReveal of Otonashi's death in ''Anime/AngelBeats''. After [[spoiler: surviving a train crash underground, he spends days tending to the survivors' wounds until help arrives, despite his limited resources and all while suffering from some serious internal injuries.]] With his last ounces of strength, he doesn't cry nor he does contemplate his life, but he instead [[spoiler: fills out his insurance card to become an organ donor, ensuring he'll be able to help someone even after death.]]
* {{Deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. Being [[EatenAlive eaten by a Titan]] is a ''horrible'' way to die, and everyone in this world knows it. Rarely does anyone have a calm, dignified response to their deaths, the majority of which are screaming, crying, and begging. Eren's mother Carla was initially relieved that at least both Eren and Mikasa would live, but changed her mind in the face of being eaten; she has to cover her mouth so her children won't hear her begging them to come back for her. [[spoiler:Mike]] intended to go down fighting but as soon as Titans charged from all directions, he died hysterically weeping and pleading for his life.
* Ciel Phantomhive in ''Manga/BlackButler'' qualifies as this since at the end of Episode 24 of Season 1, when Sebastian is about to devour his soul, he tells him to make the process as painful as possible when told by Sebastian that he would be as gentle as possible. Granted, he did not actually die but at the time, we didn't know that.
* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'':
** Some of the pilots face their impending deaths this way. For example, before finishing off his opponent, Daiichi confirms that Koyemshi will fulfill his promise to hide his body, and makes a LastRequest to Ushiro to treat his younger sister Kana kindly.
** In the anime, Ushiro manages to comply to said request. Not only he has taken Kana's place in the group ([[ItMakesSenseInContext long story]]) so she doesn't have to fight, but after fighting ''for almost two days straight'' and winning, he calmly and briefly speaks about how relieved he feels about knowing his is Zearth's last fight ever.
** Heartbreakingly averted in the manga with Kana, who did fight a battle. The last time chronologically that we see her alive, she is sobbing knowing she is about to die.
* Oruha, Suu and Ran in ''Manga/{{Clover}}'', though primarily Oruha and Suu as while it is suggested that Ran will die in approximately five years it's never actually seen.
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
** Lelouch orders his own assassination [[ThanatosGambit and uses it to his advantage.]] A few episodes before that, he mocks the people trying to kill him [[ShooTheDog to save the person in front of him]].
** In the Manga AU ''Manga/CodeGeassNightmareOfNunnally'', Charles and Marianne handle being erased with far more dignity than in the anime, when they were erased from reality screaming at Lelouch. Charles is initially shocked that Nunnally would reject their plan, but after Marianne and C.C. convince him that the decision was hers, he calmly accepts it. Just before vanishing, Marianne smiles and says goodbye to Nunnally.
* One of the defining characteristics of Spike from ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' is his general unconcern towards death: The only character who seems to trigger anything resembling actual fear of death in him is [[PsychopathicManchild Tongpu]]. In "Wild Horses", when told that his deactivated ship is caught in Earth's gravitational pull and will burn up in the atmosphere in about five minutes, his only reaction is to fire up a cigarette and tell Jet where he kept the booze that he wants Jet to inherit. The "BANG!" scene in the final episode can be a very good example of this, depending on which side of the fence you sit.
* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', whether a character can do this depends on their moral fiber. Soichiro, the most moral figure in the series, goes out with the most dignity (convinced that Light isn't Kira), L and Watari, who are noticeably greyer, though still recognizably good, each die with some, and the VillainProtagonist, Light, dies crying, whining, and cursing.
* AntiVillain[[HarmlessLadyDisguise ous Crossdresser]] Seiji Asou/Narumi Asai in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' died while calmly playing the [[Music/LudwigVanBeethoven "Moonlight Sonata"]] in his DisappearedDad's piano... in the middle of a burning house.
* [[DoubleAgent Ryoji Kaji]] of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' faces his impending assassination with a [[DeadpanSnarker sense of dry wit]], greeting his assassin with a "Hey, you're late." Several other characters also go to their deaths in either a resigned, dignified manner, such as Gendo in ''End of Evangelion'', or as a full blown HeroicSacrifice in the case of [[http://www.evacommentary.org/episode-m25/m25_C643_col-disc.jpg Misato.]]
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'' has various degrees of this. [[VillainousBreakdown Most of the villains goes down screaming in disbelief or cursing out the heroes]], except for these:
** In ''Anime/DragonaBallZ'', Kid Buu dies with some form of dignity. Although he did scream as he was atomized by the Spirit Bomb, he didn't pitch a fit like all the other villains.
** The heroes often go out stoically or smiling, while others do scream in terror before dying. Krillin being killed by Frieza being the most standout example.
** Notably in ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'''s Universe Survival Saga: [[spoiler: Sidra, Universe 9's God of Destruction]] handles being erased with grim acceptance, unlike the rest of his team who are [[FreakOut freaking out]]. In contrast, all of [[spoiler: Universe 10]] face their ends with sad, but calm serenity. Most of the other erased fighters and dieties share this with the former, except for [[spoiler: Quitela]].
* In the anime version of ''Manga/ElfenLied'', Lucy calmly goes to face a BolivianArmyEnding.
** [[spoiler:Though it's implied in the closing credits that she survived.]]
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' does this to many protagonists (due to its AnyoneCanDie nature) and villains who are {{Worthy Opponent}}s. For villains, it overlaps with RedemptionEqualsDeath.
* In ''Manga/{{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 [[TearJerker heartbreaking]] moment when he orders his men to leave, they [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments refuse to leave him alone]], but eventually, he's 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... [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and he still presses the detonator]].
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': In ''Meakashi-hen'', Satoko as she's killed. She cries at first but, remembering her promise to her brother to be a stronger person, she decides to not cry even though her death is one of the most painful in the series.
--> "If stabbing me pleases you, then stab until your heart's content! But I will not cry! Never! Never!"
* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', the Chimera Ant King is poisoned by Netero's Rose bomb. When he realizes he is dying, he merely announces to Palm that humanity has defeated the Ants and asks her where Komugi is. When they are reunited, he warns her that he is dying and that if she remains close to him the poison will kill her too. She refuses to abandon him even then, so they spend their remaining moments happily playing games and die holding hands together.
* Hida Takahito from ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}'' patiently awaits death in a burning castle after his rebellion fails. His last words are to tell his daughter he loves her, and politely greet his executioner.
* ''Manga/{{Kekkaishi}}'':
** Gen Shishio, who after being fatally wounded by [[AxCrazy Kaguro]], finally finds peace and goes out with a serene smile on his face.
** Princess and Byaku meet their end in this fashion when Kokuboro dissolves around them.
* ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'': Paul von Oberstein who, as he lay dying from a mortal wound, told the doctors to refrain from making a futile attempt to save him, then left a short instruction concerning his dog and calmly passed away.
* Ren Kouen's execution in ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'', saying goodbye non-maliciously to his estranged step-brother/the man who ordered him to be executed, Ren Hakuryuu.
* ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'': Sun openly accepts that she will have to die for saving Nagasumi and thus breaking TheMasquerade. Thankfully, her mom decides to TakeAThirdOption via ShotgunWedding.
* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', it is revealed that [[spoiler:Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha decided to do this when their son Itachi came to kill them to prevent the coup d'etat by the Uchiha family. They didn't even fight back, and just calmly sat down in their living room while telling Itachi that they fully understood and accepted his decision, that they both still loved him, and that despite their differences in beliefs, [[SoProudOfYou they were proud of him]]; hell, they even encouraged him to do so because he was so broken up about it, and one of their last requests was that he take care of Sasuke. Itachi subsequently broke down in tears as he killed them.]]
** Years later, during the 4th War, after the [[EldritchAbomination Ten Tails]] matures, it fires off a barrage of long range attacks. The people at the Allied HQ realize that one is probably headed their way. Rather than evacuate, which would be futile at this point, Shikaku calmly orders Inoichi to telepathically contact the Allied soldiers, as he has one final strategy to stop the Ten Tails. It's not really clear whether they manage to send the strategy in time or not, but their kids on the battlefield are at least aware of them trying.
* Gold Roger from ''Manga/OnePiece''. In fact, it's said to be a trait with many people with the middle initial D in their name. Luffy even displayed it when it looked like Buggy was going to decapitate him.
** Similar with Whitebeard, as the character dies standing upright and without regrets.
** Heck many of the flashback characters.
*** Belle-mere said her final goodbyes with a smile to Nami and Nojiko before Arlong shot her.
*** Dr. Hiriluk expressed happiness that the doctors of Drum Island were fine even though facing down a firing squad and calmly drank an explosive potion after giving a speech.
*** Tom willingly let himself be arrested again to save his pupils even though it meant being transported to Impel Down.
*** The scholars of Ohara stayed within the Tree of Knowledge as it and their island was being burned to the ground by the Buster Call. Likewise Jaguar D. Saul smiled as Kuzan froze him.
*** And Brook (initially before his Devil Fruit power brought him back) and the remainder of the Rumbar Pirates, severely wounded and dying by poison arrows, spent their final moments singing their favorite song, ''Bink's Sake''.
** All Ds do this -- or at least those who truly inherited the mysterious "Will of D". In fact, one of the indications that Blackbeard ''isn't'' a true inheritor is that he ''doesn't'' face the prospect of his death with dignity. The moment he's in the slightest amount of danger, he starts begging for his life like the coward he is.
** Darkly deconstructed with the Vinsmoke brothers, [[spoiler: minus Sanji]]. When they realize that their alliance with Big Mom was a sham and they are about to be killed, Ichiji, Niiji, and Yonji just laugh it off the trap they've fallen in. Reiju notes that this is due to their father Judge removing their ability to feel emotions pre-birth. Reiju herself is a more straight example. She recognizes that her family is twisted and evil, and their demise is a KarmicDeath.
** Having secured his daughter Chiffon and friends' escape, Pound calmly straightens his tie and mentally congratulates her on her marriage right before Oven kills him.
* In ''Anime/PlasticMemories'', this is used several times in the first episode when retrieving Giftia, or androids from people as they near the end of their service life:
** Zack shows Tsukasa how it's done when they retrieve Edward from an elderly couple. They say their goodbyes and he erases the Giftia's memories prior to taking him back.
** Their second job ends up with the man attempting to run off with his Giftia to avoid having her taken away.
** Chizu is outright antagonistic towards the Tsukasa and Isla, and repeatedly turns them away. Nina is willing to allow herself to be deactivated and taken away from her adopted grandmother Chiku. The Giftia believes that losing her personality would hurt her adopted grandmother's happiness more, which finally convinces Chiku to reluctantly sign the release forms.
* In the climax of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}} XYZ'', Clembot faces death with a dignity that would put most humans to shame. It calmly tells Clemont he has no choice but to sacrifice it to stop Lysandre's plans, and thanks Clemont for making it and allowing it to serve the Lumiose Gym.
* In the [[spoiler:first timeline]] of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica,'' Madoka willingly goes to fight and kill Walpurgisnacht in order to save Mitakihara City, knowing that she is going to die, even as Homura pleads with her to flee the city. Her last goodbye is a smile and a cheerful "Goodbye, Homura! Take care!"
** In Kyoko's final moments, she quietly prays to God for a happy dream before [[MercyKill mercy killing]] Witch!Sayaka, also destroying her own Soul Gem so Sayaka [[TogetherInDeath won't have to die alone.]]
* ''Anime/ReCreators'': [[MagicalGirl Mamika Kirameki]], having discovered [[BigBad Altair]]'s plans, goes out to confront her by herself. Knowing she will likely die, she spends her last moments with her friend [[KnightInShiningArmor Aliceteria]], thanking her for being her friend. [[spoiler:She survives the battle, but with horrible injuries and Aliceteria finds her before she dies in her arms.]]
* [[spoiler:Roy Fokker]] in ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''[=/=]''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' spends his last moments in the company of [[spoiler: his girlfriend Claudia]], and dies of combat related injuries while sitting on a sofa waiting for lunch. It's actually hinted that [[spoiler: Roy had already guessed he wouldn't live for long, so he deliberately bypassed any medical treatment to be able to die next to his girlfriend.]]
* Athena in ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' usually plays the role of BarrierMaiden, and puts her life on the line to buy the Saints enough time to deal with the problem at hand. However, in the Hades Chapter she offers her life to [[OmnicidalManiac Hades]] if he'll spare Earth from [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destruction]] (a gamble since he's not established to be an honorable fellow). He accepts, but she is stopped from going through with her offer when Hades threatens the Virgo Saint by catching his spear with her bare hands... and noticing her blood could exorcise him from the body he was possessing.
* From ''Manga/ShamanKing'', when Silva was about to die, he simply smiles and allows Yoh to deal the final blow.
* Suitengu in ''Anime/SpeedGrapher''. After springing his ultimate plan and [[PetTheDog saving Saiga's life]], he flies back to the Tennozu Tower, activates the self destruct for a massive reactor under it and calmly waits for the end, joined by his dedicated servant Tsujidou.
** It's also worth mentioning that he knew for quite a long time that his powers were killing him, and while he underwent procedures to combat the damage, at no point did he ever show fear or rage for his situation.
* Kayaba Akihiko of ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' fought his last duel happy that someone would finally be able to defeat him and end the [[MostDangerousVideoGame death game]] he had created. Especially notable not only because he could have easily won the duel through cheating, but also [[spoiler:his plan from the very start was for the game to end with his death]]. He gets a surprising amount of respect both in and out of universe because of this, despite the fact that he indirectly murdered over four thousand people. Contrast with the villain of the second arc, who suffers a VillainousBreakdown when his GM privileges are taken away from him.
* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'':
** [[MentorOccupationalHazard Kamina]] gets shot through the stomach with an energy beam and impaled with a spear. After passing out for a moment or two, he picks himself up, gives ''four'' [[RousingSpeech Rousing Speeches,]] takes out an army ''and'' one of the two guys who fatally wounded him, then quietly passes away after saying goodbye to his adoptive brother. He does all of this with a huge smile on his face and no indication that his impending death is even the slightest inconvenience.
** [[spoiler:Kittan]] goes on a SuicideMission to save Team Dai-Gurren late in the series. He volunteers without any fuss, and kamikazes into his target while cheering for his friends and screaming in defiance at the BigBad. He even chuckles about how awesome the whole thing was as he's being blown away!
** In a much more depressing example, [[spoiler:Nia]] [[GoOutWithASmile goes out with a smile]] as she disintegrates on her wedding day.
* Actually the plot point behind a MonsterOfTheWeek in ''Manga/UshioAndTora'': a couple of monsters, Tayura and Nadoka, have witnessed since ancient times executions of people, and they're baffled by this specific form of accepting death. To find out how humans can accept demise willingly, they started a perverse game: for centuries they invited humans to their homes and asks them how humans can accept Death peacefully, and if the answer doesn't satisfy them, they kill and devour their victim, mocking humans for being soo foolish and unwise. Nadoka ultimately gets his answer as he's about to die, after witnessing Mayuko's selflessness.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* In ''Animation/TheSnowQueen2012'', Vergard and Una embrace and say they love each other before the North Wind kills them.
* The climax of ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', where all the toys are about to fall into the incinerator. Fortunately, it isn't the end for them, thanks to the Squeeze Toy Aliens, who were presumed to be dead but are revealed to have commandeered a claw machine to pull them out in the nick of time.
* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'', Lord Shen reacts to the giant cannon about to crush him by calmly closing his eyes and accepting his fate, finally obtaining peace.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Several characters in the film ''Film/TwoThousandTwelve'' go out this way, realizing that there's nowhere to run when the whole world is essentially falling apart, so they meet their end as humbly and stoically as possible.
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Anaconda}}''. The tied-up murderer Paul Sarone is about to be murdered by a vengeful Denise because he let the Anaconda eat her boyfriend, and he seems willing to accept his impending death and gives her some advice on never looking your victim in the eye. He's just using it to catch her off-guard and [[MurderousThighs strangle her with his thighs]].
* 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.
* Flint Sky in ''Film/{{Apocalypto}}'', after being bound and about to have his throat slit, simply looks at his son and tells him not to be afraid. ... Then refuses to so much as blink when his throat is cut. Damn.
* In the finale of ''Film/{{Armageddon}}'', [[spoiler:the detonator for the nuke is damaged and someone has to stay behind to blow it. They pull straws and AJ gets the shortest.]] He puts on a brave face as he goes to his doom, [[spoiler:but Harry decides to change the plan for him at the last minute.]]
* ''Film/TheATeam'': Brock Pike, for all his trigger-happy and treacherous tendencies, actually faces death with humor when he thinks it to be inevitable. In fact he takes it upon himself to "educate" the rogue CIA agents on how to properly execute him so that he doesn't suffer the embarrassment of dying by the hands of men [[JugglingLoadedGuns with an idiotic lack of firearm discipline]]. He doesn't know that events would conspire to give him a second chance.
* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', Doc Brown when facing the terrorists.
* ''Film/BatmanBegins'': When Ducard realizes that the train he is on is about to crash, he closes his eyes and calmly waits for the end.
** But, can we really say that he died? [[MeaningfulEcho "Is Ra's al Ghul not immortal? Are his methods supernatural?"]]
* In ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', Jack, the Wayne Financial employee who dies in [[Film/ManOfSteel Zod's attack on Metropolis]] calmly crosses himself and says a last prayer asking for mercy on his soul when he realises the building he's in is about to be destroyed in the fight between Comicbook/{{Superman}} and Zod.
** At the end of the film, as Superman prepares for his HeroicSacrifice, he calmly tells [[Comicbook/LoisLane Lois]] that he loves her and that she is "his world", then grabs the Kryptonite spear and charges at [[TheJuggernaut Doomsday]]. Even when [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice stabbed throught the chest]] by one of Doomsday's SpikesOfVillainy, Clark just looks determined and pulls himself further towards the beast, making sure it goes down even at the cost of his own life.
* The two evil robot duplicates of ''Film/BillAndTedsBogusJourney'' are [[AffablyEvil cheerful throughout the movie, regardless of what they're doing]]. When their good counterparts bear down on them, they congratulate the real Bill and Ted, say goodbye and put their heads at the right angle for the good robots to knock them sky high. Assholes though they were, they had style!
* In ''Film/BladeRunner'', after spending the entire film looking for ways to extend his all-too brief life and finding out there's no way to do it (killing those responsible for his creation in the process) Roy Batty chooses to use his final moments to save the man sent to kill him, and then delivers a quiet monologue to Deckard about the transience of life.
-->'''Roy:''' I've... Seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched c-beams, glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those... Moments... Will be lost, in time. Like... Tears... In rain. Time... To die.
* ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'':
** The Purifier acknowledges that he has betrayed his previous people's ways and converted to the Necromonger faith to serve the Lord Marshal. Afterwards he calmly walks into a scorching storm where he is incinerated.
** The Imam as well when he is cornered by a Necromonger soldier.
--->There will be an afterlife for me. Will there be for you?
* ''Film/DarkVictory'' is practically the TropeNamer.
-->'''Judith''': Is that you, Martha? I don't want to be disturbed.
* At the end of ''Film/DeathRace'' ''2'', after the BigBad has been cornered by an assassin, [[TheHero Lucas]] arranged to kill him, if he couldn't do it himself, he just takes a puff from his cigar and asks who sent him, then after being told, congratulates Lucas for getting the last laugh, before he is shot dead by the assassin.
* ''Film/DeathTakesAHoliday'': Grazia is in love with Death and decides to go with him to the beyond, meaning she has to die. This doesn't phase her.
* ''Film/DeepImpact'': Jason Lerner, when the tsunami is seconds away, hears his daughter Jenny (Tea Leoni) say "Daddy?" He holds her closer to his chest, raises his head, and closes his eyes.
* Defied in ''Film/DjangoUnchained''. Stephen probably intended to go out this way, [[IAmNotLeftHanded dropping his cane, revealing he never needed it]] and adjusting his suit. But Django wasn't having it, [[{{Kneecapping}} shooting Stephen in both knees]], leaving Stephen laying in a helpless heap on the floor, [[VillainousBreakdown screaming in pain and cursing Django with his last breaths]].
* In ''Film/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.
* In ''Epoch Evolution'', Major Tower is shot twice in the abdomen by TheDragon, with his vest only stopping one bullet. Realizing they're too far from any medical help (being inside one of the Tori), he tells the protagonist to forget about trying to get him help and asks to be read the Bible one more time. He dies a few minutes later from blood loss, allowing the protagonist to continue.
* ''{{Film/Equilibrium}}''. Partridge is aware that he's been sense offending, carrying a Yeats book of poetry. [[DissonantSerenity He's cool, calm, composed. Constantly, even when faced with death. When Preston becomes suspicious and finds him in the church, he doesn't look up, doesn't bat an eyelid, totally aware that Preston is armed.]] He even goes so far as to ''read'' from one of Yeats' famous poems, 'The Cloths Of Heaven'. He looks up, questioning everything the system stands for, hoping to get Preston to at least understand what's going on before he dies. [[spoiler: We find out later from Mary that he was her lover and he secretly fought for the Resistance]]. The way he says the line below describes how resilient he is, because he doesn't do anything to prevent his own oncoming death despite knowing what was coming for him. He's going to die fighting for a cause and he wants it to stay that way. If it means dying for your beliefs, he's in no denial.
--> '''Partridge''': You always knew.
** Mary, too. Although she’s clearly afraid, she doesn’t cry or make a scene at her execution. Instead, she calmly steps inside [[CruelAndUnusualDeath the incinerator]] and, in her final moments, grips her robe to stop her hands from shaking.
* Salvatore "Sal" Tessio in ''Film/TheGodfather''. Surrounded by Corleone men, he understands what is going to happen next. He gives Tom a message to Michael that it was only business, makes a slow, token, halfhearted reach for his shoulder holster (which Willie Cicci takes away), and asks Tom to let him off the hook with a wry grin, as a final, very dark joke about his own demise.
* Matt Kowalski in ''Film/{{Gravity}}'' drifts away in space with no hope of rescue. He maintains radio contact long enough to guide another astronaut to safety, turns on his favorite music and admires his last sunrise as his radio signal fades away.
-->'''Kowalski''': "Oh my god. Wow. You should see the sun on the Ganges. It's amazing."
* ''Film/HeartOfDarkness1958'': When the Queen is sentenced to death by spear-thrust, she visibly works to control her emotions, then calmly climbs into her curtained palanquin to await execution. This not only gives the character a dignified exit, but also makes for a 1950s-TV-friendly DiscretionShot.
* ''Film/Hellboy2004'': When Professor Broom is cornered in his office by [[BigBad Rasputin]] and [[TheDragon Kroenen]], the former shows him a vision of the future that will result when Hellboy embraces [[TheAntichrist his destiny]] and brings about the end of the world, making it clear that he intends to have Kroenen kill Broom. Broom replies that no matter what, he will ''always'' see Hellboy as his son, and calmly accepts his demise; for his part, Rasputin ensures that Broom's death is quick and painless.
* Gangster Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth) in ''Film/{{Hoodlum}}''. He gets shot at a urinal (right after taking a piss) by a man he deemed as unimportant. While throughout the movie he had been emotional and a LargeHam, his reaction to what just happened is that of calm incredulity. He musters enough energy to walk out of the toilet, sit at a table, give his killer a look full of contempt, and die.
* ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'':
** The German sergeant Werner Rachtman prepares to face death with dignity, rather than betray the location of his comrades, while Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine goes "Donny! We got us a German here wants to die for country. Oh-bliiige him." He is then beaten to death by Donny Donowitz, the Bear Jew.
** Later on in the film, a British spy behind German lines slips up badly when ordering three fingers of Scotch. Presented with a gun under the table for his mistake, and knowing he's not getting out alive, he calmly finishes his drink, with the line:
--> "There's a special circle in Hell for men who waste good Scotch."
* In ''Film/{{Ink}}'', the Storyteller faces down the Prince while meeting his eyes, with her expression filled with nothing but stoic defiance.
* In ''Film/KillBill'' [[spoiler:Bill reacts to Beatrix's Five-Point-Palm Exploding Heart Technique attack with resounding grace, at first expressing understated surprise that Pai Mei taught her the technique, then a lovingly insulting final exchange with Beatrix before voluntarily standing up and taking the requisite number of steps for the technique to kill him.]]
* At the beginning of ''Film/{{Killshot}}'', Mickey Rourke's character goes to assassinate an old crime boss. Wearing only a towel, the old man calmly asks if he can get dressed first. Being rather civil about it, the assassin agrees, and afterwards the man lies down on his bed in a fine suit and pulls the sheet up over his face before Rourke shoots him.
* ''Kill the Irishman'', when Danny Greene realizes he's about to be blown up by the car bomb next to his Cadillac, he sees Ray Ferrito driving by with the detonator in one hand and tipping his hat in farewell with the other. Accepting death, Greene pointed his finger like a gun just as the bomb kills him.
* In ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven'', as the Christian Armies leave Jerusalem, Balian of Ibelin exchanges words with his friend the Hospitaller for the last time:
-->'''Balian of Ibelin:''' You go with the army?
-->'''Hospitaller:''' My order is with the army.
-->'''Balian of Ibelin:''' You go to certain death.
-->'''Hospitaller:''' All death is certain. I shall tell your father what I've seen you become.
-->[rides away]
* In ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService'', Galahad doesn't put up a struggle or protest when Valentine is poised to execute him. Later on, as Valentine's mortally wounded, all he calmly does is hope Eggsy won't give him a cheesy BondOneLiner, and [[GoOutWithASmile grins when Eggsy indulges him, anyway.]]
** In [[Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle the sequel]], Merlin goes out with total class. He takes Eggsy's place on top of a landmine, then attracts the attention of some of Poppy's {{Mooks}} (by singing a badass rendition of "[[Creator/JohnDenver Country Roads, Take Me Home]]"), and when they're close enough, steps off the mine and blows them all up.
* Commander Kril in ''Film/TheLastStarfighter''. Distinguished himself from his second-in-command by not panicking when facing imminent death.
-->'''Kodan 2nd''': She won't answer the helm! We're locked into the moon's gravitational pull! What do we do?!
-->'''Cmd. Kril''': (''calmly'') We die.
* At the end of ''Film/TheManWhoWouldBeKing'', facing certain death through his own stupidity, Daniel Dravot asks for (and receives) forgiveness from his best friend, then walks proudly to his death, singing.
** Billy Fish also qualifies, showing no fear, wishing his companions the best of luck before before charging head-on and being mobbed to death.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** ''Film/BlackPanther2018'':
*** Zuri takes responsibility for his role in N'Jobu's death and [[TakeMeInstead offers himself]] to Killmonger to keep him from murdering T'Challa. Unfortunately, Killmonger opts for killing them both instead.
*** Killmonger's death is a combination of this and DefiantToTheEnd. He's offered the chance to be healed by T'Challa, but refuses, saying that all that's left for him is life imprisonment, and pulls out the spear stuck in him. As he bleeds to death, he calmly asks to be buried in the ocean, just like the many slaves who'd jumped from the ships to choose death over a life of bondage.
*** Klaue subverts this hard, not by begging or getting afraid, but by simply cackling psychotically at this absurd turn of events.
** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'': The people who [[spoiler: are disintegrated when Thanos snaps his fingers]] follow this trope to varying degrees. Some, like [[spoiler:Dr. Strange, who calmly maintains that this turn of events is necessary for Thanos' eventual defeat]], play this straight. On the other hand, it's soundly averted with [[spoiler:Peter Parker, who dies in Tony's arms, utterly terrified in his final moments]]. [[spoiler: T’challa]] tries to get others to do this , even telling someone “Get up! This is no place to die!” right before [[spoiler: it happens to him]].
** ''Film/AvengersEndgame'': Thanos himself, ''three'' times:
*** At the beginning when the heroes confront him on The Garden, he puts up a fight but once restrained he is relatively calm even though he knows that the heroes have good reason to want him dead -- especially after he reveals that he destroyed the Infinity Stones and thus he is of no use to them.
*** Later, a past version of Thanos witnesses a holographic recording of his future self's demise. As the recording also confirms that his plan ultimately succeeded, he rather calmly regards the events as destiny fulfilling itself, clearly accepting his inevitable death soon after the fulfillment of his goal.
*** At the very end, as his defeat became clear, he quietly sits down and closes his eyes, accepting the incoming death.
* UsefulNotes/MaryOfScotland in ''Film/MaryQueenOfScots''
* In ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout'', Lane prepares to take his life in the nuclear explosion when handing Walker the detonator, calmly telling him that his running days are over and this is where everything ends for him.
* In ''Film/{{Moon}}'', the fifth Sam Bell clone chooses to let the sixth clone go back to Earth in his place because he knows that he'll die soon, and wants to give the newer Sam a chance to see his daughter. He goes back to the crashed rover and spends his last moments watching Sam #6's shuttle launching towards Earth, knowing that he'll finally get to go home.
* At the end of ''Film/MorningDeparture'', the storm is so bad that the captain of the salvage ship decides his own men are at risk, and abandons the salvage operation altogether. The three left in the submarine sense that there is no hope for them. The film ends with Armstrong reading from a naval prayer book.
* When TheGreatFlood finally comes in ''Film/{{Noah}}'', Methuselah, who was not chosen to go into the Ark with his descendants, welcomes his fate with open arms and a [[GoOutWithASmile smile]]. [[RunningGag Plus, he got his berry.]]
* Dr. Ferreiro of ''Film/PansLabyrinth'' has quite a dignified death:
-->'''Dr Ferreiro''': "[[MercyKill It was the only thing I could do.]]"
-->'''[[BigBad Captain Vidal]]''': "No. You could have obeyed me."
-->'''Dr Ferreiro''': "I could have, but I didn't."
-->'''Captain Vidal''': "[[ImpliedDeathThreat It would have been better for you. You know that.]] [[EvilCannotComprehendGood I don't understand.]] Why did you disobey me?"
-->'''Dr Ferreiro''': "[[JustFollowingOrders To obey -- just like that -- for obedience's sake... without questioning...]] [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech That is something only men like you can do, Captain.]]"
** Captain Vidal himself tries this when the rebels overrun his command post and surround him, by calmly delivering his newborn son to their leaders and [[LastRequest requesting]] that they pass on his legacy to him. Because of all blood he shed and cruelty he meted out while creating that legacy, however, the rebels are in no mood to oblige him, and tell him straight up that his child won't even know his ''name'' before executing him like a dog.
* ''Film/PatriotGames''. After Irish terrorists rescue their cohort from the van transporting him to prison, they ask one of the guards if he has any last words. The man refuses to beg for his life and simply states:
--> "[[GetItOverWith Get on with it and be on your way]]"
* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'': Jack Sparrow may be an ImmortalitySeeker and find any way he can to cheat death, but when he's trapped with no way out and he knows it, he doesn't face his end like a coward. Case in point: when he's at the Kraken's mercy near the end of ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest'', he simply quips "[[FacingTheBulletsOneLiner Hello, Beastie]]," and jumps right into its jaws, sword at the ready.
* One of the most iconic examples is in ''Film/ThePrideOfTheYankees'', as Lou Gehrig, who knows perfectly well that he is dying, gives a moving, optimistic speech. ("But today... today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.") Creator/GaryCooper's speech was condensed and rearranged from what the real Gehrig said, with the "luckiest man on the face of the Earth" line moved from the beginning to the end.
* ''Film/Ravenous1999'': Captain John Boyd. It's especially prominent, as for the whole film he was frantically trying to survive by all means possible.
* Blind Mag in ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera''. She knows she won't survive long after she leaves [=GeneCo=], so rather than waiting for Rotti to send a Repo Man to kill her and take her eyes, she plucks them both out on stage during her farewell performance. Rotti kills her by dropping her onto a wrought iron fence.
* ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' sees the double death ([[BolivianArmyEnding maybe]]) of Mr. White and Mr. Orange. The latter, having accomplished his mission, feels honor-bound to confess the truth of his betrayal to his protector, even if he knows it will probably get him killed. The former, meanwhile, feels obligated to off the traitor at the expense of his own life. It's subverted by the fact that neither death is particularly dignified; both characters are already severely wounded, Mr. Orange spends his last moments frantically apologising and begging for forgiveness, and Mr. White falls apart at the revelation and spends ''his'' last moments sobbing and screaming.
* ''Film/SchindlersList'': Depressingly, Amon Goeth goes out this way both in-film and in RealLife when he's hanged for his share of Nazi war crimes.
* Hans' wife faces her death with dignity in ''Film/SevenPsychopaths''.
* In ''Film/SixTheMarkUnleashed'', the inmates of the prison that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and that have refused the [[MarkOfTheBeast Holy Implant]] accept their fate, which is [[OffWithHisHead death by guillotine]], with dignity, including [[spoiler:Tom Newman]] at the end of the film.
* ''Film/{{Spectre}}'': After Lucia Sciarra attends her husband's funeral, she knows that his old associates will kill her because SheKnowsTooMuch. After getting home she walks into the mansion's courtyard and calmly prepares to be shot in the back by two assassins [[spoiler:before Bond saves her.]]
** At the end, when Bond has Blofeld cornered, he calmly states, "Finish it."
* [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Spock]], blinded and dying of radiation poisoning, pulls himself to his feet and takes a moment to straighten his uniform before speaking to his friend and captain.
* Spock, again, this time preparing to die in the reboot, does this in the opening of ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', after getting stranded in an active volcano and insisting that the ''Enterprise'' cannot violate the Prime Directive to save him. He's rather annoyed that they do anyway. This becomes a sore point with Uhura later.
** This is averted with both [[spoiler: Pike and Kirk]]. Spock, who was connected to him via mindmeld, says his last thought were of fear, confusion, and anger. The latter tearfully admits he is scared before dying.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Near the climax of ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', Han Solo, whose earlier behavior bordered on that of a LovableCoward, chooses to go into the carbonite-freezing chamber this way. Though he punched the treacherous Lando Calrissian in the face and spoke sarcastically to him after his capture by Darth Vader, Han does a reasonably good job of keeping his emotions in check, even as Princess Leia looks frightened out of her wits for him. When she confesses "I love you!" just before the time arrives, all Han says is "I know." Then he [[DefiantToTheEnd sticks out his chin defiantly]] as he's lowered into the chamber and immediately turned into a carbonite block. True, Han doesn't die, but he spends an entire year in a weird state of semiconscious darkness, and is temporarily blind for a few hours after being freed.
** Towards the end of ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', Darth Vader turns back to the light side, accepting his old identity as Anakin Skywalker again, as he saves his son Luke from the Emperor's attack, which destroys his own life support systems.
-->'''Anakin:''' Now, go, my son. Leave me...
-->'''Luke:''' No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here, I have to save you.
-->'''Anakin:''' [[RedemptionEqualsDeath You already have, Luke.]] You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister you were right...
** Most of the protagonists who die in ''Film/RogueOne''. Kaytoo battles to the last, bidding Cassian goodbye before collapsing. Chirrut dies in complete serenity in the arms of his closest friend (and [[HoYay quite possibly something more]]), convinced to the last that he will become one with the Force. Baze, in turn, wipes out an entire squad of EliteMooks while reciting Chirrut's SurvivalMantra, and dies looking back at the body of the person who meant the most to him. Cassian and Jyn are embracing on the beach while the shockwave from the Death Star's attack on the planet hits them; they knew, well in advance, that the shot was coming, and faced it down rather than panic uselessly.
** ''Film/TheLastJedi'' shows Cpt. Canady, commander of the First Order Dreadnaught ''Fulminatrix'', standing stoically on the bridge of his exploding ship as the rest of the crew is panicking. A surprisingly dignified showing for a Star Wars villain.
* Jor-El and Lara before Krypton blew up in ''{{Film/Superman}}''. [[spoiler:A MythologyGag with Lara in ''Film/ManOfSteel''.]]
* ''Film/ThirdStar'': For James this is the entire point of the trip to Barafundle Bay. He is in the last stages of cancer, and wants to choose the moment and manner of his death.
* In ''Film/ThreeDaysOfTheCondor'', when Joubert and his partner come across Janice after killing everyone else in the workplace:
-->'''Joubert:''' [[AffablyEvil Would you mind stepping away from the window, please]].
-->'''Janice:''' I won't scream.
-->'''Joubert:''' I know. (''his partner shoots her'')
* Many of the deaths in ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', 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.
** Captain Smith is depicted as retreating into the bridge as the ship sinks, dying when water bursts through the windows whilst clinging to the ship's wheel. It is actually unknown how he died.
** Thomas Andrews, as well. He is depicted during the sinking of the ship as standing next to the clock in the first-class smoking room, lamenting his failure to build a strong and safe ship. It is unknown how the real Andrews died, although the last place he was seen by any survivor was in that smoking room.
** TruthInTelevision: See RealLife below.
* Dennis Hopper's character in ''Film/TrueRomance'' on realizing he won't make it out alive.
* A morally ambiguous example would be Little Bill, staring down the barrel of a shotgun in ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}''.
-->Gentlemen, he's only got one barrel left and when he fires that I want you to take out your pistols and gun him down like the vermin he is.
* Fox in ''Film/{{Wanted}}'' fires one bullet, killing every other assassin in the room, before calmly stepping into its path. Made all the more [[SugarWiki/MomentofAwesome awesome]] by the fact that out of all of them, ''only one'' was badass enough to follow their own code.
* ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'':
** Once Victor arrives, Chris Bradley doesn't even flinch.
** John Wraith, upon being confronted by Sabertooth, refuses to be scared and attempts to fight him.
-->'''Wraith:''' I'm not Bradley, Victor. [[LampshadeHanging I'm not scared of your creepy black coat.]]
-->'''Creed:''' You should be. [[KickTheDog Dukes was]].

[[folder:Literature]]
* Aslan in ''[[Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe]]'' in exchange for the Witch sparing Edmund's life. Although he knew that he would come back to life later, it still took an ''enormous'' amount of courage for him to do something so hard. But he made it through.
* In one chapter of ''Literature/TheColdMoons'', the badgers cross boggy marshlands and a few of them get stuck in the swamp. Two badgers are too far-gone to be saved. They slowly sink into swamp and drown. When it becomes clear that there's nothing that can be done, both stop panicking and simply wait calmly for death.
* There are many examples in {{Literature/Michael Vey}}, but one of the biggest is in the second book when the titular hero lets himself get captured for his TrueCompanions. He is then tortured for two days straight before he is told he will be eaten alive by rats. Even though he survives it is made clear from his narration that he expected to die and mentions that even though he had some regrets, he did everything he could and wouldn't give [[BigBad Hatch]] the satisfaction of seeing his fear. [[WiseBeyondTheirYears Was it mentioned that he was 15.]]
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's "Literature/RoguesInTheHouse," Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian, assuming he sees his executioner, "surveyed him with interest."
* In ''Literature/CryTheBelovedCountry'', Absalom Kumalo admits guilt for the murder of Arthur Jarvis, after his two accomplices provide alibis. A death sentence ensues, as expected.
* In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Ward's father grudgingly accepts his impending death, and gets his will written without complaining. He pretty much remains his usual self. (He knows he is dying because his ring -- which cannot be removed before death -- has been removed and given to Ward already.) An ally of Ward, who dies later in the book, smiles as he lies dying, and apologizes for messing up. [[spoiler: There is also Oreg, who faces his own HeroicSacrifice death with dignity -- the one who acts emotional about it is Ward, who has to kill him. Oreg has wanted to die for a long time, as he's a slave and can't be freed -- for him, it is better to have his life ended by Ward, who loves him dearly, than to see Ward die and become slave to a less gentle master.)]]
* Harry in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire'', after being captured by the newly resurrected Voldemort, he decides he'd rather die fighting than at Voldemort's feet. He confronts him, and this allows him to survive. Also in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', when he realizes he has to die to destroy the last Horcrux, which is inside him and prevents Voldemort from dying, he decides to go straight to Voldemort, and accept to be killed without putting up a fight. It turns out that the death of the Horcrux does not truly mean Harry's death.
** At the end of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'', [[spoiler:[[BigGood Dumbledore]]]] seems to be asking [[spoiler:[[TheMole Severus Snape]]]] not to kill him, but Harry finds out later that, by saying [[spoiler: "please, Severus"]] he was actually asking him to [[spoiler:MercyKill him to fulfill a ThanatosGambit. Dying quickly to the Killing Curse was preferable to suffering under the painful curse he was currently suffering as well as the [[ColdBloodedTorture plans Voldemort likely had for him]]. Dying in this way also saved Snape's life and allowed him to continue spying on Voldemort, and also saved Draco crossing the MoralEventHorizon in killing Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders.]]
** ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows The Deathly Hallows]]'' has a villainous example. Dumbledore's [[spoiler: [[EvilFormerFriend old friend]] [[HoYay and crush]] [[PredecessorVillain Gellert Grindelwald]], [[ANaziByAnyOtherName of all people]]]], laughs at [[BigBad Voldemort]] and lies to his face rather than help him, telling him that he's NotAfraidToDie and that there are so many things that Voldemort doesn't understand. [[spoiler:Of course, after being locked up alone in his personal prison Nurmengard for fifty years, death was, in many ways, a relief to Grindelwald]].
** In "The Tale of the Three Brothers", the youngest of the three Peverell brothers, Ignotus. His two older brothers died rather ignoble deaths thanks to the "gifts" Death bequeathed them: Antioch, the eldest and first wielder of the Elder Wand, had his throat slit in his sleep by another wizard to claim the wand, while Cadmus, the middle brother and the first owner of the Resurrection Stone, committed suicide to join his deceased fiancée in the afterlife, since the stone failed to resurrect her as anything more than a shade, as the dead do not belong in the world of the living. Ignotus used his gift, the Cloak of Invisibility, to hide from Death, living a full and happy life, before passing the cloak down to his son and greeting Death "like an old friend".
*** Adding to that, the "Master of Death", one who gathers all three of the Deathly Hallows, does not become invincible, but rather accepts that death is inevitable. Doing so, they "master" death because they do not fear it, thus it has no control over them -- allowing them to face it with dignity.
* Like Nero Wolfe, Creator/AgathaChristie's Literature/HerculePoirot often leaves the option open for a criminal who's particularly likely to take it. It only backfired once, when a ruthless murderer's accomplice took the opportunity to off the two of them together.
* Happens to [[spoiler:Poirot himself]] in ''Literature/{{Curtain}}'': [[spoiler:by killing Stephen Norton in order to prevent him from committing any more murders-by-proxy, Poirot has become the murderer that he was always working to put behind bars, though it was for the benefit of others. In order to atone for the murder he had committed, rather than shoot himself, he has to take the slow, alternate way, as he is already dying of a terrible heart condition. He ceases taking the amyl nitrite pills as medication for his heart problems by putting them out of reach so that he can have a calm, dignified end with hours to spare. This is even lampshaded in the ''Series/{{Poirot}}'' adaptation, in which he says in [[DeadManWriting his final letter to Hastings]] that he (Poirot) will not try to save himself but will instead surrender his soul to God (which kinda sounds very Christ-figure-esque).]]
* General Macarthur in ''Literature/AndThenThereWereNone''. When it becomes clear that there's a PoeticSerialKiller who plans to kill everyone on the island for crimes they committed, Macarthur confesses to Vera that he was indeed guilty of the death of his wife's lover and quietly waits outside to die.
* Not entirely uncommon in ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', which is noteworthy since everyone who dies in the Games is between the ages 12 and 18.
* In ''Literature/IFavorTheVillainess'', the [[spoiler:François]] family chooses to be executed at the hands of the commoner revolution, once it hits its peak. This is particularly notable as they had publicly or secretly been supporting it in the first place, with full knowledge there would be no place for them in the new government.
* In the ''Literature/LeftBehind'' book series, this is common with Christian believers who become martyrs in the Tribulation, much to the irritation of Nicolae Carpathia and the GC forces.
* In ''Literature/TheLegendsongSaga'', this is the motivation behind (terminally ill) Dark Ember and her acceptance/worship of death.
* ''Literature/LesMiserables''
** Enjolras and Grantaire definitely do this, especially [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments when the latter chooses to die alongside the former.]] Also, they were truly DefiantToTheEnd-in a final act of defiance, Enjolras can be heard saying "Shoot me", followed by [[SourSupporter Grantaire]] declaring his allegiance to the Republic for the first time, right down to [[HoYay holding hands as they die]].
** Javert, who is exposed as a spy at the barricades, and accepts his impending execution at the hands of the Amis with calm stoicism. He is then saved from this fate by Valjean, who volunteers to be the one to do the deed but instead lets him free. He's DrivenToSuicide by this, but he does so with eerie tranquility after leaving behind a memorandum to reform the Conciergerie. Subverted in the musical, where Javert's actual death is [[TearJerker very, very emotional]] and [[ChewingTheScenery more than a little bit hammy.]]
* Depending on the performance, the titular character in ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' fits the trope to some degree. While he goes out and kills a whole army just to vent his rage, at the end he may give in quietly to Macduff. He may choose to futilely struggle to kill Macduff. The original had it off stage, so anything goes.
** The thane of Cawdor in the same.
--> '''Malcolm:''' Nothing in his life / Became him like the leaving it.
* ''Literature/TheMarkOfTheHorseLord'' by Creator/RosemarySutcliff involves a tribe of Picts whose kings all die for the good of their people. One is said to "go out to meet his boar" to end a famine, most of their kings die in a staged duel to the man who will be king after them. The book ends with a brutal example of BecomingTheMask: The main character had been impersonating a king for most of the story, and in the end commits suicide to end a hostage situation.
* In ''Murder Must Advertise'', Literature/LordPeterWimsey convinces the murderer to do this; he's about to get caught if he doesn't, and it'll spare his family.
* This is the choice Literature/NeroWolfe offers quite a few times in the stories by Rex Stout. He tells the criminal that he knows they're guilty, tells them what evidence he has against them, and then tells them that he will be giving that evidence to the police ''tomorrow''. Fairly often, they kill themselves that night.
* Lirael of the ''Literature/OldKingdom'' trilogy goes to fight Orannis the Destroyer knowing that a death is necessary to complete the magic that will defeat it, and the sacrifice must be hers. [[spoiler:And then it isn't -- the Disreputable Dog saves her and dies in her place.]]
* In ''Literature/OnTheBeach'', this is the preferred option. Some decide to use the painless suicide pills distributed by the government, others choose such exits as competing in lethal car racing or being aboard a sinking submarine.
* Surprisingly, the later servants of the Old Ones do this in ''Literature/ThePowerOfFive''. This is probably to show the difference between the rather quaint [[spoiler: Lesser Malling folk]] and serious players like Nightrise Corp:
** [[spoiler: Father Gregory]] calmly walks out of a window when he is informed that he has failed the Old Ones by letting Scarlett escape.
** [[spoiler: The Chairman]] simply stands, sipping his fine cognac, watching his death coming all the while.
* {{Subverted}} in ''Literature/StarTrekFederation''. John Burke demands of [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Colonel Adrik Thorsen]] to give him back his cane so he can walk to his summary execution under his own power, which Thorsen grants. [[spoiler:The cane has a laser in it, which Burke uses to kill his executioners and perform a dramatic rescue of his daughter Monica and Zefram Cochrane.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars''
** Borsk Fey'lya, who decides to face up to his utter failure and imminent death with dignity, some fine liquor, [[TakingYouWithMe and a gigantic deadman bomb]].
** Yuuzhan Vong Supreme Commander Czulkang Lah, the Warmaster's aged and mostly retired father. After being called back into active duty at the request of his son, the formidable old man leads a fleet against the New Republic forces heavily entrenched on a planet. The galactic commanders create a plan to use the heavily damaged ''Lusankya'' as a battering ram to destroy the enemy worldship before withdrawing from the planet. After realizing too late what was coming and knowing that there was no way to avoid it, Czulkang contacts Tsavong Lah to tell him that he has failed and will soon be dead. He tells his son that his last words are for him alone, and betrays neither this promise nor any emotion as the end swiftly approaches.
** Also played straight at the end of ''Darksaber'' by Bevel Lemelisk, chief architect of the first Death Star. Having already been executed and resurrected countless times by Emperor Palpatine for various screw-ups, when told in no uncertain terms by Wedge Antilles that he faces execution for his crimes against galactic peace for his part in helping the Hutts build a deadly superweapon amongst other things, Bevel merely sighs and tells Wedge: "Ah, well. If you're going to kill me, at least make sure you get it right this time."
** In ''[[Literature/StarWarsBladeSquadron Blade Squadron]]'', Imperial Admiral Jhared Montferrat calmly accepts his death as his Star Destroyer explodes around him, not wanting to live after realizing that the Empire is losing the Battle of Endor.
** In ''Literature/{{Orientation}}'', Commandant Pell Baylo calmly accepts the fact his going to be executed after his plot to kill Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader is discovered and foiled.
* ''Literature/ATaleOfTwoCities'': Sydney Carton [[HeroicSacrifice takes the place of a man he resembles on the Guillotine]] so that he can live out a happy life with his beloved. His dying words are possibly the most iconic dignified death in all of English literature.
--> '''Sydney Carton''': It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.
* DiscussedTrope in famous Creator/JackLondon short story "Literature/ToBuildAFire", when the man finally realizes that he is doomed to freeze to death, because his hands are too frozen to build a fire and the camp is too far away for him to walk to on his frozen legs.
--> "When he had recovered his breath and control, he sat up and entertained in his mind the conception of meeting death with dignity."
* In Vitaliy Zykov's ''Way Home'' (''Дорога домой'', Виталий Зыков): Tradition demands elven executioner squads to reveal themselves and present the victim a box with three items: a vial, a cord and a dagger. Vial - poison for a clean death, cord -- asphyxiation for a quick death, dagger -- fighting said squad to violent death. A [[FantasticRacism half-elf]] golem-maker charged for something outside his power ensures that his quarter-elf daughter will not be involved, takes the dagger, sics his golem gallery on the executioners and begins the hopeless fight.
* ''Literature/SecondApocalypse'': Skauras ab Nalajan, the wily Sapatishah-Governor of Shigek and the first major opponent of the Holy War, is defeated in battle and awaits his death by savoring his best wine and casually reflecting on the virtues of his failed strategy. When besieging soldiers finally break down his door, he stands, [[LastStand draws his sword, and gets promptly cut down]].
* In ''Literature/TheDiscreetPrincess'', when Rich-Craft captures Finette and intends to kill her by putting her in a barrel filled with blades and rolling it off a mountain. She acts so calm, in fact, that he loses all caution in anger, allowing her to push him in instead. He survives... for a few months, at least.
* ''Literature/TortillaSun'': A variant occurs when Izzy tells her grandmother that her grandmother's old friend, who is on her deathbed, should die in her own home instead of in the sterile, "colorless" hospital room.
* ''Literature/WetDesertTrackingDownATerroristOnTheColoradoRiver'': The bomber, upon seeing his plan of restoring the Colorado River delta completed, does let himself fall to death with a smile in his face.
* ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance'' (book two of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''): After Szeth realizes that he ''isn't'' Truthless and truly accepts responsibility for all the death he has inflicted, he lets Kaladin kill him. Too bad for him that [[BackFromTheDead Nalan has other plans for him]].
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', while completely at the nonexistent mercy of Jack Slash, Theo tells him to his face that if he were to acquire powers and become a hero he would kill Jack. His audacity impresses Jack enough that he spares Theo to give him a chance to make good on it.
* In ''Literature/{{Gor}}'', this comes up again and again, and although not all Goreans go out this way, many of them do, including several of the alien Kurii:
** Rog (true name unpronounceable by humans) in ''Marauders of Gor'' applauds Tarl Cabot for being even more treacherous than he was, and admiringly calls him "Foe" as he dies with a knife in his heart.
** Half-Ear in ''Beasts of Gor'' shares a drink with Tarl, then presses the button to blow his secret Arctic base sky-high - but in deference to the remaining presence of some of his human servants, chooses a delayed detonation to spare their lives even though they are beneath Kur contempt, since "They were under my command". Already wounded, he warns Tarl that he will kill anyone who attempts to rescue him.
** A nameless Kur in ''Players of Gor'' not only refuses to run from the armed men about to kill him, but shows Tarl how to escape so that he can have his final doomed fight to himself. He puts up one ''hell'' of a fight considering his own people exiled him for being weak and effete.
* Subverted in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' with the [[{{Seers}} prophet]] Agnes Nutter, who was stuck delivering TheProphecy to avert the Apocalypse when England was still in its BurnTheWitch phase. She met her executioners at the door, accompanied them to the stake without protest, and tossed off an oblique FacingTheBulletsOneLiner -- and then the improvised shrapnel bomb in her skirt went off, shredding everyone who'd ComeToGawk.
* In ''Literature/{{Doglands}}'', despite being defiant when captured, Argal walks to his euthanasia unafraid and with his tail erect. His dignified demeanor and intelligence is why other dogs compare him to a king.

[[folder:Music]]
* In [[Franchise/EvilliousChronicles "Daughter of Evil"]] by Music/{{Mothy}}, we have the Riliane's death. She doesn't put up a fight when she's captured, seems rather bored while waiting for it, and when the time does come, she calmly says, "Oh, it's tea time," right before they cut her head off. However, in the POVSequel "Servant of Evil," it's revealed that it wasn't the princess at all - it was her twin brother, Allen, the servant who vowed to protect her, which eventually involved such extremes as killing his own ''foster father''. Naturally, he saved her from death, too, by dressing in her clothes (because she and Allen have similar figures) and giving her his, [[TwinSwitch effectively reversing roles]].
* From Music/{{Vocaloid}} in general, Gakupo's cover of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UfytTsLpFM The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku]]'' is at a slower pace than the others who almost always sing the song extremely fast. The song is about a Vocaloid "being deleted," but unlike the other versions this one makes Gakupo sound rather calm about his fate.
* The folksong ''[=MacPherson=]'s Lament'' is all about this trope, and how death is better than life in a cell.
-->Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong\\
A wretch's destinie!\\
[=MacPherson=]'s time will no' be long\\
On yonder gallows tree\\
So farewell, night, thou parting light,\\
And all beneath the sky,\\
May coward's shame disdain the name\\
O' the wretch that dares not die!
* Music/PeterSchilling's "Terra Titanic" has a metaphorical end-of-the-world scenario with this line "...while the captain adjusts his tuxedo a bit, with his glass raised up high as the ice water hits."
* Music/{{Queen}}'s swan song, "The Show Must Go On", is about facing death with dignity. Freddie Mercury sang this song as he was in the end stages of AIDS and was practically at death's door, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome but you'd never know it just by listening.]]
* The final Music/DavidBowie album, ''Music/{{Blackstar}}'', is essentially him taking his impending death and turning it into one final album in the only way he knew how: writing awesome music.
* The song "A Sovereign Act" by Music/{{Cormorant}} invokes this trope, as it is about the [[https://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Pages/index.aspx Death With Dignity Act]].

[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]
* OlderThanFeudalism, since Aslan's sacrifice was inspired by Jesus in Literature/TheBible.
* When the soldiers came to kill Jezebel, she faced them while wearing her full royal attire. The affect was sort of diminished after centuries of this being interpreted as her being a prostitute.
* ''Many'' of the Christian martyrs during the Roman persecutions faced public execution in arenas with quiet dignity and firm resolve. This turned out to have great proselytizing force: criminals normally begged and pleaded when they were put to death, but the dignity with which these Christians died for their beliefs was remarkable to the crowds, many of whom therefore started to wonder if there was something to this new religion.
* Rabbi Akiva. Even as the Romans were torturing him to death, he did not beg or plead. He simply recited the Shema, the last words a Jew is supposed to say before death.
* Creator/{{Socrates}} also managed to pull this off, at least if Creator/{{Plato}}'s accounts are to be believed.
* An awesome quote from [[TheStoic Epictetus]]: "I must die. But must I die bawling?"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Radio]]
* The famous 1938 ''Radio/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' radio broadcast includes a scene where a radio reporter describes the Martian tripods advancing into New York City, gassing all the unfortunate humans in their path. He knows he's going to die ("This is the end, now"), but stays on the air until overcome by Martian poison gas.
* From ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' when Zaphod, Trillian and Marvin are being eaten by the Ravenous Bug Blatter Beast Of Traal:
-->'''Trillian:''' Arrrgghh, he's got us! If I ever survive this, I'll get a job as Moby Dick's dentist!\\
'''Zaphod:''' Can it Trillian, I'm trying to die with dignity.\\
'''Marvin:''' (''rather unimpresseively'') I'm just trying to die.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theater]]
* In ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'', the play begins in the aftermath of the defeat of an invasion of Scotland by forces from Norway and Ireland, joined by the rebel Scottish lord Macdonwald. Though he remains an off-screen character, Macdonwald is captured after the battle and executed. The messenger who reports his final moments is utterly moved by how dignified and accepting he was of his fate. [[spoiler: At the end of the play Macbeth himself realizes that he is going to die fighting Macduff, the result of an Exact Words prophecy -- but instead of begging or lamenting it, decides to die fighting with a sword in his hand.]]
* ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar'': At first, when Calpurnia pleads with Caesar not to go out of his home because of an ominously superstitious nightmare, he decides to humor her and stay home. Moments later, Decius Brutus gives Caesar a flattering interpretation of the bloody fountain dream, which makes Caesar even more resolved to attend the Senate meeting, in spite of the dangers awaiting him.
** This is a crucial part of Julius Caesar's fearless, DefiantToTheEnd philosophy:
-->'''Caesar''': What can be avoided, whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?\\
Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions are to the world in general as to Caesar.\\
'''Calpurnia''': When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.\\
'''Caesar''': Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.\\
Of all the wonders I have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear,\\
Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come...\\
Caesar should be a beast without a heart if he should stay at home to-day for fear.\\
No, Caesar shall not; Danger knows full well that Caesar is more dangerous than he.\\
We are two lions littered in one day, And I the elder and more terrible,\\
And Caesar shall go forth.
* Antonio in ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'', after he becomes determined to pay his "bond" to Shylock. [[spoiler: Subverted in that he doesn't die.]]
* In ''Theatre/TheLionInWinter'', as Henry II's sons are hiding in the cellar waiting for him to come and kill them, Richard the Lionheart says he won't go down hiding like a coward and will face their father when he arrives, knowing he will die. The cynical Geoffrey scoffs at this, asking what difference it makes what manner you die in. Richard counters that because you don't get to choose ''if'' you die, you only get to choose the manner you face it with, then yes, the manner is the only thing that matters.
* In ''Theatre/{{Finale}}'', the show ends with all the characters doing this, as they [[spoiler:walk into the burning sunset together, to their deaths]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* There is an old saying: "If you have to die, at least do it with some dignity"
* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rose White Rose]] was a non-violent/intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany, consisting of students from the University of Munich and their philosophy professor. The group became known for an anonymous leaflet campaign, lasting from June 1942 until February 1943, that called for active opposition to dictator Adolf Hitler's regime. The six core members of the group were arrested by the Gestapo and they were executed by decapitation in 1943. Sophie Scholl's last words (aged only 21) were:
--->"How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause. Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us [[YouCannotKillAnIdea thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action]]?"
* French King and Queen:
** UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette. Her last words were, "Pardon me sir, I did not mean to do it," to her executioner after she accidentally stepped on his foot as she ascended the scaffold.
** Louis XVI, died with dignity. As he was already on the scaffold he declared he pardoned those responsible for his death, before proclaiming himself innocent and praying his blood wouldn't fall back on France. His executioner himself would later testify he had died "with a composure and a firmness which has surprised us all".
* [[AncientRome How defeated Romans were supposed to die. Many did.]]
** UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar pulled his toga over his face as he lay on the floor of Pompey's Theater.
** In the resulting civil wars when Mark Antony sent assassins to execute Cicero, they caught up with him before he could escape, the pro-Senate faction was losing, he was already an old man, and he realized all was lost. Therefore when they arrived Cicero made no desperate last attempt to run, but calmly said to his assassin: "There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly". He then willingly bent his head down and presented his neck, a gladiatorial gesture that he would not resist being beheaded. Unfortunately, his assassin did not return his gracious gesture: he stabbed him to death first so he would suffer, ''then'' beheaded him.
* The sinking of ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' provides a whole wealth of examples. For a comprehensive list, see the Useful Notes page for Titanic.
* When the RMS ''Lusitania'' was torpedoed and sank in 1915, wealthy businessman Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt [[HeroicSacrifice gave up his life jacket]] to a woman with a baby, and was last seen buckling her into it. He did this knowing that he could not swim and would surely die.
* This was one reason UsefulNotes/CharlesI attracted such acclaim after his execution, with the pamphlets that came out almost immediately only increasing the effect. He was mostly unimpressive physically and mentally unexceptional, and he had a perpetual nervous stammer. Until, that is, his trial, where he conducted himself with more assurance and dignity his opponents had expected and lost his stammer, and on his execution day met his fate stoically, even asking for an extra shirt so that people would not mistake his shivering at the cold for fear.
* Emperor Maximilian of Mexico pulled this trope off as well. After refusing to flee his adopted country with the retreating French, knowing full well that he'd be captured and probably executed by the Republicans, Maximilian's last words were a public forgiveness of his executioners and the cry of "Viva Mexico, viva la independencia!" The two generals executed with him also got in on this, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" before being shot.
* In the Salem Witch Trials, Giles Corey was tortured for not offering a plea before his trial for witchcraft. English law at the time determined that a person could not be tried if they did not enter a plea, so they began pressing him (stacking stones onto his body) to get a plea out of him. Every time they asked, he simply responded "more weight." This went on for two days without, according to reports, him uttering a single pained sound. Finally he cried out "More weight!" and died. Since he couldn't be found guilty, his entire estate passed on to his sons rather than being seized by the government.
* Nathan Hale. While "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country" might be apocryphal, all involved in his hanging reported that he said ''something'' awesome before he died.
* John Andrè, a British soldier and agent who served as Benedict Arnold's contact as he prepared to join the Loyalists and who was also sentenced to death for spying when caught by the Continentals. Although his request to be executed by firing squad was denied, all present at his execution agreed he conducted himself with gentlemanly conduct, refusing a blindfold and placing the noose around his neck himself. When compared to Benedict Arnold, most Americans agreed that the wrong man had been executed.
* Marshal Michel Ney, 1st Duke of Elchinger and 1st Prince of Moscow, who was sentenced to death at the end of UsefulNotes/TheNapoleonicWars, requested to ''command his own firing squad''. His last order: "Soldiers, when I give the command to fire, fire straight at my heart. Wait for the order. It will be my last to you. I protest against my condemnation. I have fought a hundred battles for France, and not one against her ... Soldiers, Fire!"
* Marshal Joachim Murat, condemned to the same fate as Ney and allowed the same privilege to command his own firing squad, demonstrated his reputation as both a flamboyant dandy and a man flippant in the face of danger when he said on the occasion, "Soldiers! Do your duty! Straight to the heart ({{beat}}) but [[NotInTheFace spare the face]]. Fire!"
* Admiral John Byng, who faced a probably undeserved YouHaveFailedMe from King George II, was noted for his great dignity as he knelt on his own quarterdeck and was shot.
* Lawrence "Titus" Oates, a polar explorer on Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, was suffering from illness and realized that [[IWillOnlySlowYouDown he was slowing his companions down]]. In hopes of saving their lives by allowing them to travel faster and reach the next food depot, he walked off into the Antarctic storm to his death, saying, "I am just going outside and may be some time." Though his companions later froze to death, Oates' actions were recorded in Scott's diary and he has since been held up as a paragon of personal sacrifice and dignity in death.
* Women from {{Samurai}} clans would sometimes kill themselves (by slitting their throats, in a somewhat lighter version of {{Seppuku}} known as ''jigai''), if defeated (usually to prevent [[RapePillageAndBurn being raped by the enemy]]). They would tie their legs together so as not to convulse into an undignified spread-eagle position.
* Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, famously set himself on fire in protest of the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. Despite the fact that he was being burned to death, he remained completely calm and in a state of deep meditation.
* Mentioned above in fictionalised form, Marcus Tullius Cicero, is recorded as being caught in his palanquin by the man sent to kill him, extending his neck out to give him a better angle to strike at and saying "There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly."
* The great film critic Creator/RogerEbert decided to face his terminal cancer and his physical decline from it openly an with considerable grace. This included appearing an ''Esquire'' cover story showing with his jaw removed and having the director of the {{Documentary}} about himself, ''Life Itself'', depict in his full undaunted decrepitude.
* Sirik Matak, Prime Minister of Cambodia, was executed by the Communists when they took over the country in 1975 after the United States abandoned Indochina. At the end, the United States offered to bring Matak to America. He refused. The courtesy and dignity of his refusal make it all the more harrowing, to the point where it doubles as a TheReasonYouSuck speech to the entire United States:
-->I thank you very sincerely for your letter and for your offer to transport me towards freedom. I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion. As for you and in particular for your great country, I never believed for a moment that you would have this sentiment of abandoning a people which has chosen liberty. You have refused us your protection and we can do nothing about it. You leave us and it is my wish that you and your country will find happiness under the sky. But mark it well that, if I shall die here on the spot and in my country that I love, it is too bad because we are all born and must die one day. I have only committed the mistake of believing in you, the Americans. Please accept, Excellency, my dear friend, my faithful and friendly sentiments.
* Sir Terry Pratchett, author of ''Franchise/{{Discworld}}'', refused to let an Alzheimer's diagnosis slow him down. He continued writing and appearing at conventions through the last few years of his life and became an outspoken advocate of the "Death With Dignity" movement, saying he'd rather end his life on his own terms than have his mind and body degenerate until he lost his identity. Eventually, he died peacefully of natural causes.
-->[[AC: AT LAST SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER]].
-->Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night. The End.
* Famed anime director Creator/SatoshiKon, famous for such works as ''Anime/PerfectBlue'', was diagnosed in the terminal stages of pancreatic cancer. In a bit of an unusual move in terms of Japanese culture, Kon approached the situation with candor, choosing to maintain an open conversation in his blog about his condition until just before he died.
* House cats will often find some nook to hide in if they know they're going to die soon.
* This [[http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/health/girl-chooses-heaven-over-hospital-part-1/ 5-year-old girl]] suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease decides to die peacefully in her home over prolonged hospital treatment.
* On 25 September 1957, Karl P. Schmidt received a bite from a venomous boomslang snake while trying to identify it. Recording his symptoms hour-by-hour, Schmidt catalogs pain, fatigue, and bleeding from gums and nose as he returns home for his final night of life. The following morning he ate breakfast, returned to work at the Field Museum and worked until just before his death around 1:30 PM (approximately 24 hours following his bite).
* Creator/PatrickSwayze kept working despite fighting pancreatic cancer. When asked why he stayed signed on to the TV series ''Series/TheBeast'', he answered, "How do you nurture a positive attitude when all the statistics say you're a dead man? You go to work."
* UsefulNotes/RichardFeynman was not at all keen on the idea of dying (when told he was suffering from two independent cancers he remarked "I would hate to die twice, it's such a bore"), but with his strength fading and the end obviously approaching fast, he choose to spend his last few days playing the bongos and singing silly songs about orange juice [[note]]This may have also been a subtle dig at the people who offered endless "helpful" advice about ways he could change his diet to cure himself[[/note]]. There is some [[https://youtu.be/HKTSaezB4p8 video footage]] of his performance and you can see that he's clearly a man with few regrets and at peace with his coming end.
* Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic priest condemned to Auschwitz. After an alleged escape [[note]]The "escapee" was later found to have drowned while still in the camp's confines[[/note]], the Nazis ordered ten men to be starved to death to discourage any further escapes. One of the men, a Polish Army sergeant, lamented that he had a wife and child. Thereupon, Kolbe went to the officer who had passed sentence at great personal risk of being shot to death on the spot and told him "This man has a wife and child. I am a Catholic priest, and have neither. [[HeroicSacrifice Take me instead.]]" In the starvation bunker, Kolbe led the other prisoners in prayer to keep their spirits up and ministered to them as they died. He was the last one left after three weeks, and the Nazis, fed up with his refusal to die, injected him with poison. His last breath was spent offering forgiveness to his executioners. The man whom he saved survived to be liberated by the Soviets [[note]] Kolbe died in August, 1941, which meant that other man lived for ''three and a half years'' in Auschwitz[[/note]] and lived long enough to be an honored guest at Kolbe's canonization in 1982.
* During his trial and execution, Henry Rinnan, a Norwegian [[LesCollaborateurs Gestapo agent]] who was responsible for the deaths of at least thirteen Norwegian civilians and rebel agents, was reported to have faced his fate [[GoOutWithASmile with a chilling smile]].
* Facing execution during the Irish Civil War, Robert Erskine Childers shook hands with the members of the firing squad that was about to execute him. His last words were "Take a step or two forward, lads, it will be easier that way."
* Doubling with TakingYouWithMe, Russian soldier Alexander Prokhorenko was surrounded by ISIS terrorists in the Syrian Civil War, so he ordered an airstrike in his location knowing full well he would die. As he states in his final recording, he would have likely being taken prisoner, humiliated, forced to convert and horribly executed, so he decided to end his life with dignity rather than shame himself and his uniform, as well as taking down as many bastards as he could with them.
* Some members of the Italian Fascist party, once it was clear they were about to die, faced their end with as much dignity as they could:
** The five executed members of the "Traitors of July 25", the group that voted to depose Mussolini and to start negotiations with the Allies, were sentenced to be shot in the back while sitting, but all managed to show their dignity:
*** Galeazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law, told the priest to tell his sons he died without hatred, and managed to turn his head to the squad before being shot.
*** Giovanni Marinelli, physically exhausted by what had previously happened and often crying in the days preceeding the execution, found the strenght to stand still and not cry.
*** Luciano Gottardi was recorded as having faced the trial and execution with utmost dignity, with his last words being "Long live Italy! Long live the Duce!".
*** Carlo Pareschi acted without a care from the moment of the vote against Mussolini to the execution, as if the whole thing was beneath him.
*** Upon being sentenced, retired general Emilio de Bono, UsefulNotes/WorldWarI hero and one of the party leaders since the March on Rome, quipped "You get me by very little, I'm seventy-eight".
** While accounts on how it happened conflict, most say that UsefulNotes/BenitoMussolini, upon being captured by Italian partisans, simply demanded they hurried up, even trying to hijack control of the shooting squad because they were wasting too much time.
** Roberto Farinacci tried a desperate defense, but as he was being brought to the public square to be shot he pulled a large sum of money and gave it to a priest to devolve to charity, refused the blindfold, and only protested when he was told he'd be shot in the back, and managed to turn-''twice'', as the first time the shooting squad managed to avoid shooting him.
** Giovanni Preziosi tried a desperate escape and found refuge with friends as Milan fell to the general insurrection-but the following morning he and his wife were found having jumped to their death, his suicide letter explaining that if there was no hope to continue the fight then they should just die.
* HMS Birkenhead was a troopship. In 1852 she was sailing around Africa with soldiers and their families on board when she struck a submerged rock. The officers in charge set women and children into the lifeboats first, planning to evacuate the men next, but one boat was damaged and the other couldn't be launched. Realising that allowing the men to try and swim would put the women's boats in danger, the officers asked the men to maintain ranks while the ships went down. Only three men attempted to go overboard; the others stood in place as they sank to protect their women. 'Birkenhead drill' is the official name for the policy of 'women and children first' as this was one of the first instances of its' use; previously, the theory had been that strong men were more important to save.
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* John Marston in ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption''. After buying his family time to escape from government soldiers coming to kill John for his 'crimes', John takes shelter in the family barn before facing down a platoon of US soldiers and two Government agents, knowing full well he will be torn to pieces. [[DyingMomentOfAwesome But that's not to say he]] [[DoNotGoGentle went peacefully]].

* In ''VideoGame/TouhouMother'', [[PlayerPunch YOU]] have to do this at the end of the game, when you are robotocised by [[KarmaHoudini Porkey]] and the rest of [[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Gensokyo]] attack you, thinking you are the last remaining enemies. [[TearJerker It is quite possibly the saddest moment in any fangame ever]].

*** At the beginning when the heroes confront him on The Garden, he puts up a fight but once restrained he is relatively calm even though he knows that the heroes have good reason to want him dead -- especially after he reveals that he destroyed the Infinity stones and thus he is of no use to them.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Admiral Zhao chose to die with dignity rather try to let Zuko save him as the Ocean Spirit dragged him down to his watery grave. Subverted in that being killed by the partner of the spirit he failed to kill is a pretty undignified death, but Zhao's pride makes him incapable of realizing that to the bitter end.