History Main / SurprisinglySuddenDeath

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* Beetle in ''WesternAnimation/KuboAndTheTwoStrings'' is abruptly stabbed InTheBack by one of the Sisters. Even more painful because 1) he'd [[TakeAMomentToCatchYourDeath just saved Kubo and Monkey from her]] and 2) they'd just learned Beetle was [[LukeIAmYourFather Hanzo.]]

* A tragic example of this occurs in the Pokémon fanfiction "Fanfic/BlackAlbino": After they spend the whole afternoon training, a family of baby Nidoran decide to take a nap. Their peaceful sleep is suddenly interrupted when they hear a piercing scream and abruptly wake up, only to discover that a wild Growlithe snuck up to them while they were sleeping and mauled their little sister Aamu. And while they stare in horror, frozen in fear, the Growlithe also rips their little brother Kukka to shreds. It's as unexpected as it's heartbreaking.

** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'': Before entering DIO's mansion, Avdol warns Polnareff and Iggy that once they are in, everyone's priority must be to preserve their own lives above anything and if someone gets in a dangerous situation the others must not attempt to sacrifice themselves to save them. Soon after, upon reading a DeadManWriting, Avdol sacrifices himself to save Polnareff and Iggy before getting obliterated by Vanilla Ice's Cream.
*** Later, Kakyoin has DIO surrounded by Hierophant Green's web and fires its Emerald Splash at him from all sides with no options for escape. DIO brings out his stand, The World, bracing both the characters and the audience for their first look at what it can do, and before you can blink, Kakyoin goes [[BlownAcrossTheRoom rocketing back through the air]] and slams into a water tower with a bowling ball sized hole in his gut. He clings to life a short while longer, but that fatal blow is struck without a microcosm of delay. In fact, the seemingly impossible abruptness of it actually gives Kakyoin a crucial clue to The World's ability, which he barely manages to pass along to Joseph before he succumbs.

* ''Film/{{Serenity}}'': The crew is being chased by a Reaver ship through a giant space battle. After some technical difficulties they manage to make a rough landing. Wash starts to repeat his signature line for the movie, congratulating himself on landing with no power to speak of, when a huge metal spike crashes through the cockpit window and takes Wash right through the heart, killing him instantly. Turns out he didn't lose the Reavers, which are still after them and the crew is still utterly screwed.

* ''Series/TheMissing'': In series 2, the end of an episode ends on Jorn in the present day following a seemingly normal lead into one of the missing girls -- turns out he'd accidentally found a prime suspect in the kidnap case. They both realize at the same time that the prospect-kidnapper has been caught out, and the man grabs Jorn in a headlock and grapples him to the ground, before grabbing a power drill and drilling Jorn ''in the face''. It's a very sudden and brutal death that the episode ends on, and the character murdered was a fan favourite and one of the few characters in the show without any unlikable aspects to his personality.

** Satoru Gojo's death is very much a recognized example of this trope. After launching his Hollow Purple at a power capacity of 200% and being proclaimed the victor of his long-awaited fight against [[BigBad Big Bad]] Ryomen Sukuna at the end of Chapter 235, the very next chapter opens up with Satoru [[AfterlifeExpress waking up in an airport, surrounded by characters who have died before in the story]]. It is then revealed that Sukuna had been scheming throughout the fight and that he [[LoopholeAbuse:slashed through Gojo's Infinity using a "model" from Mahoraga by cutting through the world itself]] instead of him, cleaving the sorcerer in half. This is all done [[KilledOffscreen off-screen]] as well.

** Satoru Gojo's death is very much a recognized example of this trope. After launching his Hollow Purple at a power capacity of 200% and being proclaimed the victor of his long-awaited fight against [[BigBad Big Bad]] Ryomen Sukuna at the end of Chapter 235, the very next chapter opens up with Satoru [[AfterlifeExpress waking up in an airport, surrounded by characters who have died before in the story]]. It is then revealed that Sukuna had been scheming throughout the fight and that he slashed through Gojo's Infinity using a "model" from Mahoraga by cutting through the world itself instead of him, cleaving teacher in half. This is all done [[KilledOffscreen off-screen]] as well.

** Satoru Gojo's death is very much a recognized example of this trope. After launching his Hollow Purple at a power capacity of 200% and being proclaimed the victor of his long-awaited fight against [[BigBad Big Bad]] Ryomen Sukuna at the end of Chapter 235, the very next chapter opens up with Satoru waking up in an [[AfterlifeExpress airport, surrounded by characters who have died before in the story]]. It is then revealed that Sukuna had been scheming throughout the fight and that he slashed through Gojo's Infinity using a "model" from Mahoraga by cutting through the world itself instead of him, cleaving teacher in half. This is all done [[KilledOffscreen off-screen]] as well.

** ''Film/{{Alien}}'': The dinner scene. Kane, having been infected previously, eats dinner after recovering, appearing perfectly normal. He suddenly starts convulsing and is killed by a chestburster. Doubly so as even the ''actors'' had no clue that was going to happen and were told it was just a normal dinner scene: their reactions to Kane convulsing and having a thing tear from his chest were ''genuine''.

* Can happen in a non-narrative way in almost any game that has kamikaze, shotgun, or otherwise one-hit-kill enemies if you're not paying attention. One of the most well-known examples of this are the Creepers in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''.

* ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'': Pilar's death is incredibly abrupt. His head's blown off without warning while he's mocking a random man who's taking a piss in public, never realizing the guy he's threatening is a cyberpsycho.

** A Marine below the rank of Rear Admiral gazes upon the transformed appearance of Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, when every Marine who wasn't at least a Rear Admiral was told to avert their gaze. The moment their eyes meet, his head ''explodes''.

** When the Tenth Doctor meets his apparent next incarnation he expresses hope that his death won't be one of these. Like tripping over a brick. [[note]]The Sixth Doctor, who was killed suddenly by ExecutiveMeddling, and later given an audio story to expound on how really died, is not an example of this trope.[[/note]]

** When the Tenth Doctor meets his next incarnation he expresses hope that his death won't be one of these. Like tripping over a brick. [[note]]The Sixth Doctor, who was killed suddenly by ExecutiveMeddling, is not an example of this trope.[[/note]]

** ''AnimeMobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'' has the brutal assassination of Lafter Frankland after retiring from battle, who is minding her own business in a shop and focused on a teddy bear that looks like her love interest Akihiro Altland. Azee Gurumin has left her unguarded, and it seems Lafter is safe to commence a peaceful life away from the battlefield, when she is shot twice in the head by Jasley's cohorts to provoke Tekkadan into a fight to avenge her.

** Happens again early in the second season, this time with a main character no less. Vex'ahlia, despite having backstory-filled flashbacks throughout the episode, is hit by an instant-death trap accidentally activated by Percy. She has no last words, is given no time to prepare: she is hit by the magic and sent flying backwards, and when she stops rolling she lets go of her last breath and her eyes glaze over.