History Main / PlanningForTheFutureBeforeTheEnd

* In the series finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', Buffy, Xander, and Willow discuss going to the mall the next day while preparing for the FinalBattle. Unsurprisingly, all three of them survive (though the mall is destroyed.)

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E8LisaTheSkeptic Lisa the Skeptic]]," Edna suggests he and Skinner have sex one last time before the end. Skinner agrees, but asks her to give him a bit so he can finish filling out the tardy slips. If the world was ending, who cares about tardy slips?

* In HellTeacherNube, this happens when [[spoiler: Nuubee, after his LoveEpiphany, rescues an already badly injured Yukime from her father's BattleButler. As he carries her away while talking about what they'll do now that they're together, poor Yukime whispers "I... I'll love you... always..." and passes on. He doesn't notice until he reaches for his students and Ritsuko, and then Yukime's body starts disappearing and melting into snowflakes... (Don't worry, she gets better, but [[EarnyourHappyEnding it takes quite the effort and time.]])]]

* In ''CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', after the Cap makes his choice to [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice himself]], he and Peggy make plans for a date. A tearful Peggy tells him, [[HowDareYouDieOnMe "Don't you dare be late."]] He agrees, and reminds her that he can't dance, and worries about stepping on her feet. He gets [[KilledMidSentence cut off mid-sentence]] as he crashes into the sea.]]

* A particularly heart-wrenching example occurs in VisualNovel/Clannad: as [[spoiler: his wife, Nagisa, dies during childbirth, Tomoya goes on talking to her optimistically about all of the fun they're going to have as a family whilst holding their newborn baby.]]

* One of the most famous and touching scenes in the Illiad is Hector visiting with his family. His wife Andromache knows that Troy will fall and begs him not to go. Hector then goes to his son Astyanax and accidentally scares him with his helmet. After taking it off, he holds his son and prays to Zeus, blessing his son to be a greater warrior and leader than himself. Therefore this is OlderThanFeudalism.

* In the third installment of ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', Jon has something of a one-sided version of this with the dying Ygritte. He tells her that she'll be fixed up, that she'll see a hundred castles, and that they'll return to their cave together. Her response is simply, "[[MeaningfulEcho You know nothing, Jon Snow.]]"
* A lot of this happens in Nevil Shute's ''OnTheBeach,'' as everyone tries to face the end with peace and dignity. People continue tending their gardens as if there will be a next season, that sort of thing.

* In the series finale of BuffyTheVampireSlayer, Buffy, Xander, and Willow discuss going to the mall the next day while preparing for the FinalBattle. Unsurprisingly, all three of them survive (though the mall is destroyed.)

* ''WestSideStory'': As Tony lay dying in Maria's arms, the two discuss how they're going to get away because no one will let them be. She starts to sing a reprise of a song about how they will leave. He dies before she can finish.

* In JigokuSenseiNuubee, this happens when [[spoiler: Nuubee, after his LoveEpiphany, rescues an already badly injured Yukime from her father's BattleButler. As he carries her away while talking about what they'll do now that they're together, poor Yukime whispers "I... I'll love you... always..." and passes on. He doesn't notice until he reaches for his students and Ritsuko, and then Yukime's body starts disappearing and melting into snowflakes... (Don't worry, she gets better, but [[EarnyourHappyEnding it takes quite the effort and time.]])]]

* ''FinalFantasyX'' had this as a major and very well developed plot point for the first 3/4 of the game where Titus and Yuna talked about what they were going to do after defeating Sin with the Final Aeon; they did this all the way up to just before entering Zanarkand. When Titus learns that Yuna's death would be a part of the summoning, it crushes him as he thinks about how much time they spent talking about the future beyond Sin's death.

* In ''[[StarTrek2009 Star Trek]]'' 2009, George Kirk has a conversation with his wife on what to name their son. All the while, he's [[MomentOfAwesome being totally awesome]] and securing the escape of his wife and crew.

* In the ''[[LordOfTheRings Return of the King]]'' film, Sam tells Frodo that if they ration their food, they might have enough for the journey home.

* In ''CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', after the Cap makes his choice to [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice himself]], he and Peggy make plans for a date. A tearful Peggy tells him, [[HowDareYouDieOnMe "Don't you dare be late."]] He agrees, and reminds her that he can't dance, and worries about stepping on her feet. He gets [[KilledMidSentence cut off mid-sentence]] as he crashes into the sea. 70 years later.]]

This is usually used as a means to either comfort the one that is dying, or comfort the one left alive who is witnessing their loved one's death. Sometimes, a character isn't dying at all and is just being PutOnABus, and the two are just avoiding any overt showing of emotion. Sadly, in the case of a character actually dying, one will usually die while it's their turn to talk, leaving the anguished survivor desperately trying to continue the conversation.

* In the third installment of ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', Jon has something of a one-sided version of this with the dying [[spoiler: Ygritte]]. He tells her that she'll be fixed up, that she'll see a hundred castles, and that they'll return to their cave together. Her response is simply, "[[MeaningfulEcho You know nothing, Jon Snow.]]"

** Along the same lines. during the Christmas Eve date with Akihiko in the female protagonist's route in ''Persona 3 Portable'', he gives her a music box and promises to give her something to put in it every year.

[[AC: VideoGames]]
* ''FinalFantasyX'' had this as a major and very well developed plot point for the first 3/4 of the game where Titus and Yuna talked about what they were going to do after defeating Sin with the Final Aeon; they did this all the way up to just before entering Zanarkand. When Titus learns that Yuna's death would be a part of the summoning, it crushes him as he thinks about how much time they spent talking about the future beyond Sin's death.
* In ''{{Persona 3}}'', the members of SEES make a plan to meet on Graduation Day, even though they have every reason to believe that the world will end before that day ever gets arrives.
** Along the same lines. during the Christmas Eve date with Akihiko in the female protagonist's route in ''Persona 3 Portable'', he gives her a music box and promises to give her something to put in it every year.

* ''WestSideStory'': As Tony lay dying in Maria's arms, the two discuss how they're going to get away because no one will let them be. She starts to sing a reprise of a song about how they will leave. He dies before she can finish.

* In ''CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', after the Cap makes his choice to [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice himself]], he and Peggy make plans for a date. A tearful Peggy tells him, [[HowDareYouDieOnMe "Don't you dare be late."]] He agrees, and reminds her that he can't dance, and worries about stepping on her feet. He gets [[KilledMidSentence cut off mid-sentence]] as he crashes into the sea. 70 years later, HeGetsBetter.]]

* ''WestSideStory'': As Tony lay dying in her arms, the two discuss how they're going to get away because no one will let them be. She starts to sing a reprise of a song about how they will leave. He dies before she can finish.

* In the Return of the King LordOfTheRings film, Sam tells Frodo that if they ration their food, they might have enough for the journey home.

* FinalFantasyX had this as a major and very well developed plot point for the first 3/4 of the game where Titus and Yuna talked about what they were going to do after defeating Sin with the Final Aeon; they did this all the way up to just before entering Zanarkand. When Titus learns that Yuna's death would be a part of the summoning, it crushes him as he thinks about how much time they spent talking about the future beyond Sin's death.