History Main / FadeToWhite

* In ''Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back'', when the floor of Mewtwo's stadium (with all the Pokémon trainers on it) is filled with a bright light, the entire screen fades to white for about 40 seconds before it fades back to the harbor scene.

-->-- '''Batman''' in the last line of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoBatmanMovie''

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': [[https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8o4gy1?playlist=/x7zezf Both "Family Portrait" promos]] end with a white screen to represent the camera flash.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': [[https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8o4gy1 Both "Family Portrait" promos]] end with a white screen to represent the camera flash.

-->-- '''Batman''' in the last line of ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOBatmanMovie''

* Not death, per se, nor the entire screen, but defeating any of the [[TheDragon Star]] [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Wolf]] members in ''VideoGame/StarFox 64/Lylat Wars'' shows their communications screen to be this, presumably from their fighters burning up after you shoot them down.

* The final episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' ends like this, after [[spoiler:The Professor pushes the time button to undo the events of the episode]].
* The last episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' fades to white with Beast Boy running out into what must have been a ''very'' bright day, then snaps to black.

%%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!

* The final shot of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoBatmanMovie''.
--> '''Batman:''' White. [[LampshadeHanging All important movies]] [[InvokedTrope end on a white screen]].

* A director trademark of Creator/DarrenAronofsky, who has made good use of it in ''Film/{{Pi}}'', ''Film/RequiemForADream'', ''Film/TheFountain'' and ''Film/BlackSwan''.

* ''VideoGame/Doom3: Resurrection of Evil'' does this at the end.

* This happened to Cassandra Cain ([[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Batgirl]]) when she fought with Shiva - she was very close to death, but Shiva brought her back to life.

%%* ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}''.

** ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'':

** ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has a Fade To White at the end of the game, signifying the breaking of the three day time loop the game took place in.
** ''Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' shows one right after Link [[spoiler:stabs Ganondorf's forehead with the Master Sword, which marks the end of the final battle and the Gerudo king's eventual death]].

* VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo uses this as a segue into the next level, or the level-up screen.

* In ''Videogame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', you white out as opposed to black out. They changed it back to "black out" in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl''. Nobody seems to know why either change was made, and nobody really cares.

* In [[VideoGame/SimCity Sim City 4]], if you choose to completely delete a city, the screen fades to white, and red loading text comes up.

* Happens in the VideoGame/{{Touhou}} fangame ''Concealed the Conclusion'' as [[spoiler:Gensokyo is collapsing if the timer runs out during the final battle]].

[[folder:Comicbooks]]

** One last fade to white as [[spoiler:the [[DisappearIntoLight main crew's souls]], along with the other souls, all begin their journey to the new world to be reborn]].

* The last episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' fades to white with Beast Boy running out into what must have been a ''very'' bright day, then snaps to black.

%%* The end of ''Anime/LuckyStar''.

** Likewise, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' fades to white after [[spoiler:Zelda awakens from a thousand-year slumber and stumbles drowsily into Link's arms]] and holds the effect for a few seconds. What actually ''happened'' during the fade is [[DidTheyOrDidntThey anyone's guess]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom 3}}: Resurrection of Evil'' does this at the end.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', at the end of the game (at least without the Broken Steel DLC), if you choose the "good ending" by [[spoiler:activating the purifier]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Journey}}'' makes common use of this trope, except at least [[FadeToBlack the very end of the fourth chapter]].

* The end of ''Anime/LuckyStar''.
* This is how many characters die in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' - most notably [[spoiler:Kamina]] and [[spoiler:Kittan]]. There's a white flash, then a lineart portrait of the character in crude stencil, superimposed with their last words or thoughts.

* The omake to ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' episode 166 fades to red at the end [[spoiler: Hinata is bleeding out after being stabbed by Pain. The omake is a flashback to her time at the Academy, showing how she developed admiration for and ultimately fell in love with Naruto, regretting her missed opportunities. This is a rare case where fading to red is used though the character survives.]]
* Used in the finale of ''Anime/GunXSword''. [[spoiler: An injured Van sees his life flashing before his eyes. At the end of the flashback, as he remembers Wendy's offer to marry him, her face fades to white . . . and then he sees someone else.]]
* In episode 25 of ''Anime/BrigadoonMarinAndMelan'', the episode ends with a fade to white as a result of a powerful attack. It also suggests [[spoiler: that everyone may have just died.]] It makes a dramatic setup for the finale.
* In the Act 1 ColdOpen of ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'', Usagi's DreamingOfTimesGoneBy is [[KissingDiscretionShot interrupted]] by this as she wakes up, right as the music swells and the dream prince and princess AlmostKiss.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' story arc ''ComicBook/TheDominusEffect'', at the end of the final Silver Age reality story, where Superman and Lois Lane are seen holding each other while this happens.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}''.

--> '''Batman:''' White. [[LampshadeHanging All important movies]] [[InvokedTrope end on a white screen.]]
* Happens on ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'' when Dusty [[spoiler:nearly crashes into a train coming out of a tunnel. The scene fades in to Dusty flying into what appears to be FluffyCloudHeaven, but is really landing in a misty field in Nepal, having apparently blocked what happened after that.]]

* Used at the end of Christopher Reeve's movie ''Film/SomewhereInTime''.
* When ''Film/GeorgeOfTheJungle'' is shot in his movie, Ursula's scream of "George!" fades to white, which then pulls out past the airplane window to reveal them flying home.
* The much-reviled ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'' began with a fade from a white screen. At the end of that scene there was a fade to white, which cut to the credits.

* At the end of ''Film/{{Cube}}'', when [[spoiler:Kazan exits the Cube and enters the white void beyond.]]

* Used in the climax of ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' after [[spoiler:Mariachi kills Bucho and the final shootout begins]].
* The ending of ''Film/TheNinthGate''.
* This is shown in ''Film/TheHungerGames'' [[spoiler:in Rue's perspective as she dies.]]
* A director trademark of Creator/DarrenAronofsky, who has made good use of it in ''Film/{{Pi}}'', ''Film/RequiemForADream'', ''Film/TheFountain'' and ''Film/BlackSwan''.
* At the end of ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}'', The Lady In The Radiator embraces Henry in a blinding white light.
* The Chinese movie ''Temptation of a Monk'' ends this way, [[spoiler: while the protagonist walks up a mountain, suggesting transcendence and detachment from the material world.]]
* The 1990 film ''Film/TotalRecall1990'', said by [[WordOfGod the director]] to signify the lights on Rekall's memory chair.

* In ''Film/TheProfessional'', when [[spoiler: the titular character is shot in the back just as he was about to achieve the freedom he was seeking]].
* The ending of ''Film/LetTheRightOneIn'''s remake has a fade to white followed by the credits on a white screen.
* The movie ''Film/{{Blindness}}'' uses this, as people are going blind and only seeing white.
* ''Film/BeneathThePlanetOfTheApes'' ends with a slow fade to white because the producers apparently [[SpecialEffectFailure couldn't afford a cool visual effect]] for the Alpha-Omega Bomb.
* ''Film/MouthToMouth'' ends on a rare upbeat use of this.
* ''Film/SeekingAFriendForTheEndOfTheWorld'' - Roger Ebert's review points out that there is literally no other way to end this movie.
* ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise'' ends with a fade to white [[spoiler:after Thelma and Louise drive off the Grand Canyon.]]
* ''Film/TheJacket'' ends with this along with a female voice asking "How much time do we have?"
* The last scene in ''Film/LayerCake'' of the protagonist lying bleeding on the stairs fades out to white.
* In ''Film/{{Solaris 1972}}'', the closing FlyawayShot fades into white.
* ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout''. A SmashCut to white is used [[spoiler:as a fake-out so it looks like the nuclear bombs the protagonists are defusing have gone off, when it's actually a CueTheSun moment.]]

* ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' ends on one after [[spoiler:Dr. Halsey eulogizes Noble 6's LastStand]].
* ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' does this when [[spoiler:Sgt. Jackson]] dies at the end of "Shock and Awe", and again at the final level when [[spoiler:Soap]] passes out. Until the announcement of the characters for ''Modern Warfare 2'', this ended up with some fan theories proposing that [[spoiler:Soap died as well.]]
* In ''Videogame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', you white out as opposed to black out. They changed it back to "black out" in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl''. Nobody seems to know why either change was made, and nobody really cares.
* Used rather heavily in the ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' series due to the sheer number of gigantic, screen filling explosions present in attacks.

* ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'': There is a minor sidequest in which Lightning speaks to three ghosts, and the screen turns white at the end of each conversation. This represents her saving their souls. [[spoiler: She thought that only ''gods'' could save the souls of the dead. Something of a plot point there.]]
* ''VideoGame/TheDarkness'' does this at the end, [[spoiler: when Jenny tells Jackie to wake up after he's been completely taken over by the Darkness.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom 3}}: Resurrection of Evil'' does this at the end.

** As does ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''. Before big boss battles, the fade effect takes longer.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode One'' ends this way when [[spoiler:the citadel finally explodes just moments after you have boarded the last train out of City 17.]]

* The ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' mod ''VideoGame/AfraidOfMonsters'', at least in the Director's Cut version, has [[MultipleEndings three sequential endings]] that are lead up to by the protagonist seeing what appears to be light at the end of an otherwise completely black tunnel and running towards it. [[spoiler:While the first two fade to black a few seconds after he starts running towards it, the third lets him actually make the full trip, [[GoIntoTheLight entering into the light]] - and then that ending shows him having committed suicide, out of guilt for the rampage he was apparently responsible for in the first ending.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Journey}}'' makes common use of this trope, except at least [[FadeToBlack the very end of the fourth chapter]].
* Happens frequently in ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness''. After any "insanity effect {{cutscene}}" where the character hallucinates something bizarre and twisted, the screen goes white and fades back to normal. Characters usually then state "this...can't...be happening!"
* Occurs in ''VideoGame/TraumaCenter: Under the Knife'' during the bomb level. Any mistakes cause a zoom-out followed by a fade to white and the usual Operation Failed message.
* One of the endings in ''VideoGame/ATaleOfTwoKingdoms'' has the screen slowly fade to white, and when it finishes you stay in the fairy realm forever.
* At the end of ''[[VideoGame/BitTrip BIT.TRIP]] FLUX'', in the epilogue level, the screen slowly fades to white.
* After defeating [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Master Hand]] or Crazy Hand, the screen fades to white, and then it fades to black.

* Not death, per se, nor the entire screen, but defeating any of the [[TheDragon Star]] [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Wolf]] members in VideoGame/StarFox 64/Lylat Wars shows their communications screen to be this, presumably from their fighters burning up after you shoot them down.
* [[SchmuckBait Don't touch]] the [[spoiler:[[PressXToDie poisonous powder]]]] in ''VideoGame/PapersPlease''.

* Happens in the VideoGame/{{Touhou}} fangame ''Concealed the Conclusion'' as [[spoiler:Gensokyo is collapsing if the timer runs out during the final battle.]]
* Most of the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games has the screen fade to white when the player character is killed before fading back to reveal how they died. The screen then does a FadeToBlack. For sequences where [[SelfDestructSequence an area is going to explode]], failing to escape has the screen fade to white with an accompanying explosion sound.
* VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo uses this as a segue into the next level, or the level-up screen.
* Using too much electricity at once in ''VideoGame/Lit2009'' will result in the screen fading to white as the generator breaks, leaving Jake to be consumed by the darkness.
* Used in ''VideoGame/Gamer2'' when Hailey wakes up from the virtual reality machine she was trapped in.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Arcaea}}'', fulfililng certain conditions in the song "Ether Strike" (needed to unlock a particular "boss" song) triggers a [[VideoGameSetpiece special event]] where the screen starts fading to white as your lifebar gets lower, with the edges of the screen being the most faded out. To ensure that you see this effect, the game also applies a DamageOverTime effect, although this effect cannot actually bring you to 0 life, although a missed note that would deplete the meter will still end the song, at which point [[NonStandardGameOver the screen turns completely white]].

* After TheReveal at the end of ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'' Chapter 21, Act 3.

* Used in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2012-02-03 here]] (with a fade ''from'' white in the next strip), right after [[spoiler:Raven shoots the giant boar to save Grace. Might indicate that Grace fainted, or just suffered an emotional overload]].

* ''Webcomic/{{Chimneyspeak}}'', soon after [[spoiler:Elgie gets shot]]. There's a small "...Ouch..." in the middle of the white space.

* The final episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' ends like this, after [[spoiler: The Professor pushes the time button to undo the events of the episode.]]
* The first season finale of ''WesternAnimation/{{Frisky Dingo}}'' ends with a fade to white, after [[spoiler: Simon pushes the button to launch the Annihilatrix.]]

* Using too much electricity at once in ''Videogame/{{LIT}}'' will result in the screen fading to white as the generator breaks, leaving Jake to be consumed by the darkness.

* Pretty sure the ''Film/ResidentEvil'' movies do this a couple of times with the scenes in the lab and hospital. Not 100% however.