History Main / OnlyTheLeadsGetADownerEnding

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'': Both the main story and the [[CanonImmigrant now-canon]] Aftermath [=DLC=] end like this. Past Liu Kang has become [[PhysicalGod a God of Fire and Thunder]] thanks to Raiden's intervention and fusion with both the Past and [[EvilTwin Reve]][[AlternateSelf nant]] Liu Kangs. With his new strength and additional abilities, he is able to defeat [[UpsettingTheBalance Cet]][[MotherNature rion]], [[DiscOneFinalBoss Kronika]], and [[HijackedByGanon Shang Tsung]], thus making Liu Kang the new Keeper of Time. In doing so however, everyone he knew and loved before has had their lives (and all the lives in the universe) reset and reshaped to his design. Come ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'', he succeeded at making all of his friends' and mentor's lives, as well as his neighboring realms, much more peaceful than before.

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': [[Characters/CodeGeassLelouchLamperouge Lelouch vi Britannia]] [[ThanatosGambit orchestrates his own assassination]]. Suzaku Kururugi, who [[FakingTheDead fakes his own death]] to forever take on the identity of [[MyHeroZero Zero]], is the one to kill Lelouch and must now forever remain LonelyAtTheTop. The surviving major characters move on with their lives; Kallen Kozuki gets to finish school without having to hide her identity, Kaname Ohgi and Villetta Nu have BabiesEverAfter (and probably both go back to teaching school after Ohgi's term as prime minister), Shinichiro Tamaki opens a bar, and Empress Nunnally vi Britannia, Chairman Kaguya Sumeragi, and Empress Tianzi Lihua rule over a peaceful world. And C.C. rides off in a cart to who-knows-where. The compilation movie continuity -- specifically the aptly-named ''Lelouch of the Re;surrection'' -- subverts this in Lelouch's case, [[BackFromTheDead as C.C. brings him back from the dead]], and the now immortal Lelouch joins C.C. in WalkingTheEarth.

* ''Fanfic/CharlesMansonVsTheTeletubbies'' opens with the main character, UsefulNotes/CharlesManson, bragging about how he tricked the entire world into thinking he was dead and planning on resuming his crusade. However, he makes the mistake of messing with the Teletubbies and is killed as he begs for mercy.

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'': Both the main story and the [[CanonImmigrant now-canon]] Aftermath [=DLC=] end like this. Past Liu Kang has become [[PhysicalGod a God of Fire and Thunder]] thanks to Raiden's intervention and fusion with both the Past and [[EvilTwin Reve]][[AlternateSelf nant]] Liu Kangs. With his new strength and additional abilities, he is able to defeat the [[UpsettingTheBalance traitorous Elder God]], [[MotherNature Cetrion]], [[TimeMaster the Titan of Time]], [[DiscOneFinalBoss Kronika]], and after a series of time traveling shenanigens, [[HijackedByGanon Shang Tsung]], thus making Liu Kang the new Keeper of Time. In doing so however, everyone he knew and loved before has had their lives (and all the lives in the universe) reset and reshaped to his design. Come ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'', he succeeded at making all of his friends' and mentor's lives, as well as his neighboring realms, much more peaceful than before.

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'': Both the main story and the [[CanonImmigrant now-canon]] Aftermath [=DLC=] end like this. Past Liu Kang has become [[PhysicalGod a God of Fire and Thunder]] thanks to Raiden's intervention and fusion with both the Past and [[EvilTwin Reve]][[AlternateSelf nant]] Liu Kangs. With his new strength and additional abilities, he is able to defeat the [[UpsettingTheBalance traitorous Elder God]], [[MotherNature Cetrion]], and [[TimeMaster the Titan of Time]], [[BigBad Kronika]], thus making Liu Kang the new Keeper of Time. In doing so however, everyone he knew and loved before has had their lives (and all the lives in the universe) reset and reshaped to his design. Come ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'', he succeeded at making all of his friends' and mentor's lives, as well as his neighboring realms, much more peaceful than before.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'': The main members of [[LaResistance Tekkadan]] (Mikazuki, Orga, Akihiro and Shino) all die one-by-one in the final episodes, and Tekkadan is destroyed, but everyone else still alive (and [[TheBadGuyWins that includes]] [[BigBad Rustal Elion]] and his entourage, [[TheDragon Julieta Juris]]) get happy endings. Kudelia gets elected leader of a newly independent Mars, Eugene and Chad survive the final battle and become her aides, most of the other surviving Tekkadan members all get jobs at the repair shop Nadi and Merribit open up, Atra becomes a farmer and raises her new child with Kudelia, Azee sets up a new Teiwaz subsidiary with the surviving Turbines, and [[WellIntentionedExtremist Rustal]] uses his new position as the undisputed leader of Gjallarhorn to enact some reforms, including signing a treaty banning the use of [[ChildSoldiers Human Debris]], while setting Julieta up to be his successor. The only living exception is Ride, who refuses to let Gjallarhorn get away with their crimes and is last seen assassinating one of their big collaborators, with the story glossing over how this will affect the other survivors and if they'll start being hunted down again.

* In ''ComicBook/RunawaysRainbowRowell'', the only Runaway who is guaranteed a happy ending is Klara, who quit the team prior to the beginning of the series and got adopted into a loving family. Meanwhile, her former teammates are stuck dealing with the ramifications of their various previously-dead members all being resurrected, which has included the rise of a new generation of the Gibborim and the activation of Victorious, Gert's future mortal nemesis.

* ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'': ''[[Series/TorchwoodChildrenOfEarth Children of Earth]]'' ends with the 456 being defeated, the children of Earth being saved from their fate of being turned into a FantasticDrug, and the corrupt British government being given punishment for their actions in the whole fiasco. However, of the three main protagonists, Ianto is dead, and Jack had to sacrifice the life of his own grandson to defeat the invasion, breaking down his relationship with his daughter for good. At the end, Jack, unable to live with the guilt, departs Earth, and Torchwood is thus disbanded.

* ''VideoGame/UntilDawn'': [[MultipleEndings Depending on the choices and reactions the player makes]], it is possible for the FinalGirl Sam and/or {{Deuteragonist}} Mike to be the only playable characters to die trying to stop the wendigos, since they cannot be killed in the narrative until the final battle, while the others are safe by that point as long as they get out of the house in time. Downplayed, since the survivors are left to be questioned by the authorities and none of them are in a better place for surviving their ordeal (except perhaps for Chris and Ashley getting together). Not to mention, Josh "surviving" guarantees him [[FateWorseThanDeath turning into a wendigo]].

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': The game ends with the defeat of the world's evil overlord Sin, which had tyrannized the world for one thousand years. All characters all over the world can be seen partying in the ending sequence, but the main character Tidus disappears, as he was only a dream by the Fayth and they stopped dreaming when Sin was defeated. He leaves his love and the female lead Yuna behind, who is heartbroken. However, this can be subverte3d in the GoldenEnding, where Tidus comes back after all.

** In the first available ending, Fuminori is locked away in a sanitarium for Saya's murders, and while his agnosia is cured, this means Saya herself cannot pursue a relationship with him any longer, so they have to say a tearful goodbye. But this is also the only ending where Yoh and Ryoko are unharmed, and Koji's sanity is still intact.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'': The game ends with the defeat of the world's evil overlord Sin, which had tyrannized the world for one thousand years. All characters all over the world can be seen partying in the ending sequence, but the main character Tidus disappears, as he was only a dream by the Fayth and they stopped dreaming when Sin was defeated. He leaves his love and the female lead Yuna behind, who is heartbroken.

* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': [[Characters/CodeGeassLelouchLamperouge Lelouch vi Britannia]] [[ThanatosGambit orchestrates his own assassination]]. Suzaku Kururugi, who [[FakingTheDead fakes his own death]] to forever take on the identity of [[MyHeroZero Zero]], is the one to kill Lelouch and must now forever remain LonelyAtTheTop. The surviving major characters move on with their lives; Kallen Kozuki gets to finish school without having to hide her identity, Kaname Ohgi and Villetta Nu have BabiesEverAfter (and probably both go back to teaching school after Ohgi's term as prime minister), Shinichiro Tamaki opens a bar, and Empress Nunnally vi Britannia, Chairman Kaguya Sumeragi, and Empress Tianzi Lihua rule over a peaceful world. And C.C. rides off in a cart to who-knows-where.

->'''Bruce:''' What would you have me do?\\
'''Alfred:''' Endure, Master Wayne. Take it. They'll hate you for it, but that's the point of Batman. He can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make. The right choice.
-->-- ''Film/TheDarkKnight''

* ''Literature/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': Claude Frollo is thrown from Notre Dame by Quasimodo, Esméralda is hanged for the murder of Phoebus (although he never died) and Quasimodo starves himself to death near her body. Phoebus gets the "happy" ending of marrying Fleur-de-Lys, but Hugo informs the reader he's likely to have an AwfulWeddedLife. [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Pierre Gringoire]] is successful, though, as he becomes a playwright of tragedies that get him attention.

* ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' ends with the main Hero Maxim and his wife Selan sacrificing themselves to save the world. [[spoiler: The [[LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals DS remake]] gives you a chance at an alternate happy ending, though.]]