Belated Happy Ending is, according to the description, supposed to be when a sequel resolves an Ambiguous Ending in a happy manner. However, many wicks tend to use it for sequels that follow up on unambiguous Downer Endings or bitter-leaning Bittersweet Endings. Since I feel such a definition is notable (as it is an inversion of Happy Ending Override), the trope should be redefined to allow the misuse.
Wicks checked: 7/50
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Correct Use: Ambiguous Ending (1/50)
- Manga.Your And My Secret: The original serialization has Akira and Nanako switched back again after an accident and ends with a Maybe Ever After where Senbongi promises he would take the place of Manzou and repair the now broken machine. When the ending was finally published in an independent volume, the author added an epilogue where Senbongi manages to fix the machine after seven years of hard work, and then finally reunites with Akira.
Unambiguous Downer/Bittersweet Ending (6/50)
- Film.Chinatown: Katherine Mulwray/Berman managed to outlive her abusive father/grandfather as well as inherit a fortune from her now-deceased husband as their home development is ruined but she has mineral rights to the Valley.
- FinalFantasyX.Tropes A To C: Yu Yevon is defeated and Spira is finally freed from the eternal terror of Sin. However, this victory costs Tidus his life, leaving Yuna to go on without him. Her last words to him: "I love you." The game closes with her concluding a speech to a stadium full of cheering citizens by saying that the dead must never be forgotten as we see a montage of her memories of Tidus.
- That said, if the player sticks around after the credits finish rolling,they're treated to a shot of Tidus, with pyreflies swirling around him, waking up in the ocean and rising to the surface. If the player makes the right choices in the sequel, the Golden Ending actually builds on this scene, showing that after a time skip, it really happens, and that he is reunited with Yuna and the others on the beach.
- Manga.Devilman Lady: To some extent, the finale of Devilman Lady (after revealed to be part of a Time Loop with the original manga) improves things for the main characters in contrast to Devilman. The latter was a Downer Ending, while this is a hopeful Bolivian Army Ending. The same applies to the finale of Violence Jack under the interpretation that they all happen in the same time loop.
- VideoGame.Ikaruga: To Radiant Silvergun — whereas that story ends with the revelation that the events of the game are all a "Groundhog Day" Loop, Ikaruga ends with the heroes destroying the entity that was causing it.
- DiabolusExMachina.Anime And Manga: The ending of GaoGaiGar FINAL is all lined up for the happy ending we were all expecting from the generally upbeat tone of the series, then traps everyone except Mamoru and Kaido in another universe, presumably forever. Though in the ongoing sequel novel GaoGaiGar vs. Betterman, they turn out to be fine. Only time will tell if this becomes a case of Belated Happy Ending. Also a violation of Examples Are Not Recent.
- DownerEnding.Video Games: Doom: You fight through the moon bases that the forces of Hell invaded, then fight through Hell itself, only to find that the demons have invaded Earth when you return. Plus, they killed your pet rabbit, Daisy. Doom II gives a Belated Happy Ending as Doomguy rescues what's left of humanity, sends the demons back to Hell, and then destroys Hell itself to make sure they never come back.
