Avril: I was so shocked when Mallory gets killed, I started crying. And I was all alone in bed, can you believe that? I mean, she was only what, at the most? Twenty-one?
Stine: Ah, well, the good die young. The naughty, even younger.
Avril: Mr. Fidler said it was going to be different in the movie. He said Mallory was going to be in it right up to the end.
Stine: Ah, well, the good die young. The naughty, even younger.
Avril: Mr. Fidler said it was going to be different in the movie. He said Mallory was going to be in it right up to the end.
Mayuri will... NOT die in the story! That's right, she's here to stay!
— Author's note from Chapter 20, Date A Re:Live
"Wait... Was that all of 'em?"
— Zack Fair wiping out his fated killers, Final Fantasy VII Remake
Anthony: Hey! According to the "Boheme" libretto, you're not supposed to come back! You're supposed to be dead!
Daphne: Yeah, but...
All (singing): This ain't Boheme!
Daphne: Yeah, but...
All (singing): This ain't Boheme!
— Forbidden Broadway, parody of RENT
Burn Burnings: Hrm… Wh-Where…?
Shou Zama: You’re awake. We’re inside one of our motherships.
Burn: Shou Zama…!
Burn Hm… I suppose you found me passed out…
Shou: Garan is dead, so there’s no reason for us to fight anymore, right?
Burn: …
Burn: So I should come with you? Is that what you’re implying…?
Shou: The old Black Knight – that warrior filled with hatred – is gone.
Shou: And if that’s the case, why not help us as just another warrior willing to fight against fate?
Burn Shou Zama…
Karen: The way I see it, the three of us may just be in the same boat.
Burn: The same…?
Shouko Hazama: We were also ready to face death at one point.
Shouko: But we managed to overcome that death through our Willpower, and now we’re here…
Karen: And if Willpower can transcend time and space, and even change fate itself…
Karen: Then I believe that we should use that power for others… or, better yet, for the future of this world.
Burn: For the future, hm…?
Burn: Hah, maybe there is truth to what you say…
Shou Zama: You’re awake. We’re inside one of our motherships.
Burn: Shou Zama…!
Burn Hm… I suppose you found me passed out…
Shou: Garan is dead, so there’s no reason for us to fight anymore, right?
Burn: …
Burn: So I should come with you? Is that what you’re implying…?
Shou: The old Black Knight – that warrior filled with hatred – is gone.
Shou: And if that’s the case, why not help us as just another warrior willing to fight against fate?
Burn Shou Zama…
Karen: The way I see it, the three of us may just be in the same boat.
Burn: The same…?
Shouko Hazama: We were also ready to face death at one point.
Shouko: But we managed to overcome that death through our Willpower, and now we’re here…
Karen: And if Willpower can transcend time and space, and even change fate itself…
Karen: Then I believe that we should use that power for others… or, better yet, for the future of this world.
Burn: For the future, hm…?
Burn: Hah, maybe there is truth to what you say…
Vegeta: This ship will take me where I need to go. Now I can train without anyone bothering me—
(cue Ghostbusters (1984) ringtone)
Vegeta: ...the hell is that? A phone? (answers the call to see a revived Nappa)
Nappa: Hey, it's me! Don't ask me how I got this number; I've got people.
Vegeta: What the hell is going on?!
Nappa: Okay, listen; I figured out that they used the Dragon Balls to wish back everyone that was killed by Freeza's men. Technically, you worked for Freeza when you killed me, so BAM! Nappa's back, baby! WOOHWOOH!
Vegeta: What about all the ones you killed?
Nappa: Well, technically I worked for you. But that has changed. I'm in Hollywood, now!
Vegeta: What, are they doing a live adaptation of Mr. Clean?
Nappa: Ha! That's hilarious! Find me the guy who writes your material and give me his number, because I'm a producer now!
Vegeta: Of course you are; what do you even do?
Nappa: Actually, I'm in charge of this new project; wrote it myself! It's about this one guy who's killed tragically by his best friend, but then comes back as a ghost and haunts him! I call it "Citizen Nappa". Merchandising rights alone are gonna make a f**king mint! We just signed on this great new actor, too - name's Mark Satan. Need to work on the first name, thinking "Hercule". Whaddya think?
Vegeta: I—
Nappa: What do I care, you're not on my Board!
Vegeta: But I—
Nappa: Listen, I'll see you around. And when you're back on Earth, give me a call. We'll do lunch! Ciao! (hangs up)
Vegeta: (stands there, exasperated) ...God...damn it...Nappa...
(cue Ghostbusters (1984) ringtone)
Vegeta: ...the hell is that? A phone? (answers the call to see a revived Nappa)
Nappa: Hey, it's me! Don't ask me how I got this number; I've got people.
Vegeta: What the hell is going on?!
Nappa: Okay, listen; I figured out that they used the Dragon Balls to wish back everyone that was killed by Freeza's men. Technically, you worked for Freeza when you killed me, so BAM! Nappa's back, baby! WOOHWOOH!
Vegeta: What about all the ones you killed?
Nappa: Well, technically I worked for you. But that has changed. I'm in Hollywood, now!
Vegeta: What, are they doing a live adaptation of Mr. Clean?
Nappa: Ha! That's hilarious! Find me the guy who writes your material and give me his number, because I'm a producer now!
Vegeta: Of course you are; what do you even do?
Nappa: Actually, I'm in charge of this new project; wrote it myself! It's about this one guy who's killed tragically by his best friend, but then comes back as a ghost and haunts him! I call it "Citizen Nappa". Merchandising rights alone are gonna make a f**king mint! We just signed on this great new actor, too - name's Mark Satan. Need to work on the first name, thinking "Hercule". Whaddya think?
Vegeta: I—
Nappa: What do I care, you're not on my Board!
Vegeta: But I—
Nappa: Listen, I'll see you around. And when you're back on Earth, give me a call. We'll do lunch! Ciao! (hangs up)
Vegeta: (stands there, exasperated) ...God...damn it...Nappa...
I wavered on the question of whether I wanted to do a Tom-resurrection fic at all, since I tend to be a realist in my writing, and therefore shy away from resurrecting characters unless I can come up with some kind of canon justification for their never having been dead at all. However, admitting to myself that I really really wanted someone to just GIVE JAKE A GODDAMN HUG AND TELL HIM IT WOULD BE OKAY after the war added yet another reason to my mental list of Reasons to Give in and Resurrect Tom Already.
Sorry, gentlemen but I know what story I'm in. One step in there and it's does-the-dog-die-dot-fucking-com. But not today. Today... Iggy lives.
In the song, it's canon that Grandma died. But at least in the movie, Grandma lived.
Maybe I was never meant to survive Trost, maybe I should have died a while ago when I joined the Scouts; eaten by a Titan or killed by an MP. And maybe I should have died on the field against Annie instead of taking her place... But I didn't. I'm still here and so long as I'm here, I'll keep going!
— Mina Carolina, Dedicated Hearts made Fullmetal
