History Main / MortalWoundReveal

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'' discovers she is seriously injured. The mood dramatically changes as she and her friends realise that she's wounded, and changes again when, in the process of treating her wounds, everyone realizes [[SweetPollyOliver she's a woman]].

* In George R.R. Martin's ''Literature/{{A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms}}'', the Trial of Seven ends in victory for Duncan. It's only when [[spoiler: Prince Baelor]] tries (and fails) to speak clearly that his mangled helmet is removed and "something red" falls out, before his death some time later.

* Happens to Mels in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E8LetsKillHitler Let's Kill Hitler]]" when one of Hitler's stray bullets hits her in the stomach. This leads to the reveal that [[spoiler: she is River and causes her to regenerate into her.]]

* The ''Series/BreakingBad'' episode "Face Off", Gus walks away from an explosion caused by a bomb, seemingly unhurt. However, the camera pans around as horrified nurses look on, and reveals that most of the right side of his head is burned or missing. He then collapses and dies.
* Happens to Mels in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Let's Kill Hitler" when one of Hitler's stray bullets hits her in the stomach. This leads to the reveal that [[spoiler: she is River and causes her to regenerate into her.]]

* ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' discovers she is seriously injured. The mood dramatically changes as she and her friends realise that she's wounded, and changes again when, in the process of treating her wounds, everyone realizes [[SweetPollyOliver she's a woman]].

Non-lethal examples will usually go under either SecretStabWound or GameBreakingInjury, or if they ''really'' don't fit either of those tropes for some reason, go here as a PlayingWith of some kind, invoking either NoOneCouldSurviveThat, or NoOneShouldSurviveThat. May result in the dying character doing TheDyingWalk.

[[caption-width-right:350:Victory! \\
Hmm... what's that?[[note]][[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mortal_wound_reveal_3.png]]\\
[[caption-width-right:330:Damn]][[/note]]]]

* ''Franchise/OnePiece'': One of the first big [[WhamEpisode Whammos]] of the Water 7/CP9 arc was the reveal that the Straw Hat's beloved ship, "Going Merry", had cracked its keel[[note]]the ship equivalent to the human spine[[/note]] during their travels.

* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' uses a bait-and-switch approach to this. Blood dripping is shown repeatedly during a scene, seemingly coming from the heavily wounded Kaneki. But then [[spoiler: Hide collapses, and reveals a stomach wound gushing blood. He dies in Kaneki's arms shortly afterwards, leading to Kaneki's ambiguous SuicideByCop]].

* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' √A uses a bait-and-switch approach to this. Blood dripping is shown repeatedly during a scene, seemingly coming from the heavily wounded Kaneki. But then [[spoiler: Hide collapses, and reveals a stomach wound gushing blood. He dies in Kaneki's arms shortly afterwards, leading to Kaneki's ambiguous SuicideByCop]].

* ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'': Mercutio is stabbed under the arm of Romeo during a confused street brawl. It is often played as a MortalWoundReveal, including in [[Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet Baz Luhrmann's 1996 version]], and Creator/FrancoZeffirelli's 1968 version.

Usually happens in an action scene—bullets and blades flying every which way—chaos and mayhem dominate. At either a lull in the fighting, or the final victory of one side (usually the heroes), we see one of the characters standing fairly still, looking pale. Then something about the scene changes. Either the camera pans to reveal a gaping hole that really shouldn't be there, or essential parts of the character drop off. They don't have to die instantly, but the wound has to be [[CaptainObvious lethal, and revealed]].

* In the second series of ''Series/HoratioHornblower'', this happens to Archie Kennedy. Although the wounding is shown (he is shot at and sits down abruptly), it isn't until the aftermath that Horatio rips his coat open and sees that he's been shot in the stomach. However, it takes him quite a long time for the wound to kill him; the wound was mortal largely because of the state of medicine in early 1800's Europe.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' has a particularly cruel SenselessSacrifice example, where Lichty's Heroic Sacrifice for and reveal of his cyborg nature to Christina Sierra is then followed by the reveal that she'd been pierced by a chunk of shrapnel and he hadn't noticed before he died in her arms. She too dies shortly afterwards, still clutching his body.

* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' arguably subverts this, since it's obvious in a meta sense that [[spoiler:Nicholas Wolfwood]] isn't long for this world [[spoiler:following his confrontation with Church]], but since Vash is too deep into an HeroicBSOD to notice, the direction doesn't make it explicit until their actual death scene.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has a [[RedemptionEqualsDeath not-so-villainous]] example with Ulquiorra. He's able to get back up and [[spoiler:stop Ichigo's SuperPoweredEvilSide]] after being on the receiving end of a CurbStompBattle, so none of the heroes realize how injured he really is until his remaining wing explodes into ash[[note]]a sign that his HealingFactor wasn't working[[/note]]. Then again, his thoughts also reveal that his organs are not coming back.
* [[spoiler:Tsume]] from ''Anime/WolfsRain'' got seriously injured in a battle. His pose suggested he was deliberately hiding it, but then he looked like he was surprised to see his side ripped open and a huge pool of blood.

* A tank example in ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer''. During the FinalBattle, [[spoiler:the Hetzer]] manages to execute a plan to destroy the enemy's [[spoiler:Maus tank]], but shortly afterward, it shuts down from the damage it took; the tanks have a system in which if they're hit with sufficient force, or take enough damage, a flag rises and they're out of the game.
* In ''Anime/ShinMazinger'', [[spoiler: Kabuto Juuzo]] flies[[note]]via Rocket Punch[[/note]] to Mazinger to teach Kouji how to control it. It's not until the lesson is over that Kouji notices that he is bleeding heavily from a gut wound, though the viewer sees it earlier.

* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' √A uses a bait-and-switch approach to this. Blood dripping is shown repeatedly during a scene, seemingly coming from the heavily wounded Kaneki. But then [[spoiler: Hide collapses, and reveals a stomach wound gushing blood. He dies in Kaneki's arms shortly afterwards, leading to Kaneki's ambiguous SuicideByCop]].

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Fanfic ]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

* ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'' discovers she is seriously injured. The mood dramatically changes as she and her friends realise that she's wounded, and changes again when, in the process of treating her wounds, everyone realizes [[SweetPollyOliver she's a woman]].

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* ''Film/VForVendetta'' has an example, where initially it appears that V has superhuman powers by surviving a barrage of gunfire. After dispatching his foes while they frantically try to reload, he removes a home-made metal plate—riddled with bullet holes and covered in blood—from under his shirt, drops it on the ground, and staggers off. (Before the MortalWoundReveal, there's a subtle indication: his raspy, pained voice as he delivers his KirkSummation.)
* ''Film/ResidentEvil'' – The LaserHallway scene in the first film has two of these. As the first laser goes by and shears off one commando's fingers, the leader turns to TheMedic asking her to help, but she doesn't respond. They look again, and the camera shows a paper-thin red line appearing through [[OffWithHisHead her neck]] [[DelayedCausality before]] her head falls off. A few seconds later, after a laser grid passes through the leader, he falls apart into chunks of flesh.
* ''Film/TristanAndIsolde'': Happens to Tristan near the beginning of the film. His wound initially appears not that serious, but just as we're informed that the weapon was poisoned he collapses, apparently dead. Being the protagonist, [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt he gets better]], but his friends didn't know that.

* In ''Film/{{Inception}}'', after the shootout/car chase in the first level, it's revealed that the only character who didn't escape unscathed was Saito.
* In ''Film/StepsTroddenBlack'', Sam thinks Jack is bleeding out after a scuffle with the Space Cat. It turns out to be her blood, and that she's bleeding out from claw marks in her stomach.
* During the final battle in ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'', after the duel is interrupted by cannon fire and the smoke clears, [[TheButcher Bill the Butcher]] and Amsterdam sit up. It's revealed that Bill has a shrapnel wound in his gut.

* In the ''SherlockHolmes'' parody ''The Very Strange Case of the End of Civilisation As We Know It'', John Cleese as Holmes is shot in the stomach several times with what were ''supposed'' to be blanks as part of a clever gambit. When Watson fesses up that he'd forgotten the switch, Holmes surveys the growing bloodstain on his shirt, and irritably scolds Watson for his bungling.
-->'''Holmes''': It'll be nice to be dead... get a few things done. ''(Dies)''
* ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081237/ The Ninth]] [[Film/TheNinthConfiguration Configuration]]'' ends with Colonel Kane saving Capt. Cutshaw from [[AllBikersAreHellsAngels a biker gang at a bar]]. Following the brawl, Cutshaw carries the battered Kane back to the asylum wrapped in a blanket, but it isn't until he's alone that Kane [[DeathEqualsRedemption lets the blood-stained knife drop to the floor]] and begins composing a farewell letter. In the film's original ending (and the story on which it was based), Kane palmed the knife and committed suicide, but [[ExecutiveMeddling the studio insisted at the last minute]] on changing a line of dialogue to imply that he was actually stabbed in the chaos. (Some argue this was actually an improvement, since Kane's intended lesson—that humans are capable of selflessness—would be [[BrokenAesop broken]] by suicide.)
* One of the interpretations of the ending to ''Film/BlackSwan''.
* In ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober'', Vasily Borodin is standing in front of the weapons console when the saboteur starts shooting. He slumps down and Ramius rips open the outer part of his uniform, revealing that he had been shot.

* In ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII'', at the end there is an attempt on Michael's life. Shown are the two gunshots, Michael being hit in the shoulder, and the gunman being killed. As the commotion dies down, the camera cuts to Mary, Michael's daughter. He looks at her, and she looks down to reveal that she has been shot in the chest. She then dies seconds later.

* In ''Film/YoungGunsII'', Chavez gets wounded at some point during the fight with Sheriff Garrett and his deputies, but we're not really aware of the wound until he starts acting hurt when they reach safety. Later still, Billy finally catches up to them and Chavez shows him what turns out to be a pretty horrifying stomach wound. Shortly thereafter Chavez [[TheDyingWalk limps out and goes off to die by himself]].
* In ''Film/BloodDiamond'' Danny has a final confrontation with his [[PrivateMilitaryContractor merc friends]] and doesn't even notice that he's wounded until after the fight is over, he goes to pick something up and pulls up short in pain. It takes him awhile to die, so he manages to first outrun the other mercs for awhile and then is carried by Solomon when he can't run anymore, but he finally insists on Solomon going out without him.
* In ''Film/Underworld2003'', as Viktor is kneeling over Michael and about to kill him, Selene picks up Viktor's sword from where he'd dropped it earlier and slices through him with it. At first, it seems like she whiffed badly, as he actually jumps up completely intact and draws daggers from his sleeves in response—but then Selene holds up the blood-covered sword, which is followed by half of Viktor's head falling off.
* In ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', it is revealed in the middle of the climax that [[spoiler:Judi Dench's M]] is bleeding to death from what seemed to be a near miss, a wound that proves fatal.
* Happens in ''Film/MulhollandFalls'', during Elleroy's [[DeathIsDramatic dramatic]] death sequence.

** In the finale of ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}'', Sidney stabs Billy in the shoulder with an umbrella, but doesn't cause any apparent wounds. Later, when the two are grappling, he has a gaping hole there, big enough for Sidney to stick her finger in.
** Occurs in the opening of ''Film/{{Scream 2}}'' when the killer, disguised with Phil's jacket, stabs Maureen in the chest.
* Happens in ''Film/FaceOff'' with Castor Troy's criminal associate Dietrich during Castor's attack on his former hideout. We see him jump into the line of fire just in time to intercept a bullet Castor had intended for his girlfriend Sasha. However, we don't see that it's a mortal wound to the side of the neck until Archer shows up.
* The remake of ''Film/DawnOfTheDead2004'' has [[spoiler:Michael show his bite wound to Ana and tell her he can't get on the boat with them, despite her insistence she can heal him. The last you see of Michael is him putting a gun to his head as the boat leaves.]]
* In ''{{Film/Avatar}}'', Jake's team of defectors has just barely escape by helicopter from Hell's Gate, under a hail of bullets from [[ColonelKilgore Col. Quaritch]] himself. As they cheer, Dr. Grace sees the blood soaking her hand.
--> '''Grace:''' [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction This is gonna ruin my whole day.]]
* In the final scene of ''Film/ChildrenOfMen'', Kee sees blood on the bottom of the boat and assumes it's her own (she'd given birth a short time earlier), but Theo assures her he'd been shot minutes ago and just paid it no mind in the heat of the situation. He sags soon afterward.
* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'': A variation. What gets revealed is not the wound itself, as we clearly see Jack shoot Barbossa, but rather the fact that Will has broken the curse and ended Barbossa's immortality.
* In ''Film/TheHungerGames'', the lethal arrow stuck in [[spoiler:Rue]]'s chest is revealed this way.
* ''Film/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime'': After killing the Hassansin knife thrower in combat, Seso looks down on himself only to see that he had been struck in the chest by four knives. He dies soon after.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In {{Literature/Parellity}}, we get a nice long description of the gang successfully defeating the last Corsair buggy before we learn that [[spoiler:Doug's been shot]].

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* In ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'' episode 'A Is For Answers' after the assasin escapes to another rooftop,Aria walks to Ezra as he turns around,it's revealed that one of the bullets hit him in the stomach,though he survives.
* The ''Series/BreakingBad'' episode "Face Off", Gus walks away from an explosion caused by a bomb, seemingly unhurt. However, the camera pans around as horrified nurses look on, and reveals that most of the right side of his head is burned or missing. He then collapses and dies.
* In the second series of ''Series/HoratioHornblower'', this happens to Archie Kennedy. Although the wounding is shown (he is shot at and sits down abruptly), it isn't until the aftermath that Horatio rips his coat open and sees that he's been shot in the stomach. However, it takes him quite a long time for the wound to kill him; the wound was mortal largely because of the state of medicine in early 1800's Europe.

[[folder: Religion ]]

[[folder: Theatre ]]

* ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'': Mercutio is stabbed under the arm of Romeo during a confused street brawl. It is often played as a MortalWoundReveal, including in [[Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet Baz Luhrmann's 1996 version]], and Creator/FrancoZeffirelli's 1968 version.
* ''Theatre/LesMiserables'': When Éponine collapses upon returning to the barricade Marius first notices blood in her hair and then opens the large overcoat she wears to reveal her heavily bloodied shirt.
--> '''Marius:''' Eponine, what's wrong? / There's something wet upon your hair / Eponine, you're hurt! / You need some help / Oh, God, it's everywhere!

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* ''Webcomic/KarateBears'' rarely lose and [[http://www.karatebears.com/2010/11/sore-losers.html this is why]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* One episode of the last series of ''[[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk Dragons: Race to the Edge]]'' has Viggo Grimborn during EnemyMine attack with Hiccup on Krogan's base of operation stumbling into scene weakened, and when he turns to the side it is revealed his back is riddled with arrows. It is made clear that he would not live past that day even without performing HeroicSacrifice.

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* In ''{{Film/Underworld}}'', as Viktor is kneeling over Michael and about to kill him, Selene picks up Viktor's sword from where he'd dropped it earlier and slices through him with it. At first, it seems like she whiffed badly, as he actually jumps up completely intact and draws daggers from his sleeves in response—but then Selene holds up the blood-covered sword, which is followed by half of Viktor's head falling off.

* ''Franchise/{{Scream}}'':