Sandbox / I Shall Return Wick Check

Checking for how I Shall Return is used + misuse.

50/50

Correct: A character must leave behind the people who had helped them escape, but promises to return for them | 0/ 50 wicks (0%)

Correct (?): Character promises to return for someone, but there's no mention that person helped them to escape | 9/ 50 wicks (18%)

1. Characters.Star Wars Anakin Skywalker: In The Phantom Menace, he promises his mother he will return someday and free her from slavery. This only makes it worse when he does return for her at long last, only to learn she's been abducted by Tusken Raiders in Attack of the Clones. He manages to track her down, but she dies in his arms from her injuries. Anakin does not take this well.
2. Characters.Star Wars Tatooine: Reunion Vow: She promises Anakin they will see each other again someday before he leaves for Jedi training in The Phantom Menace, while he promises to return and free her. They are finally reunited ten years later in Attack of the Clones; unfortunately, it's in Shmi's dying moments.
3. Fanfic.New Vegas Sheasons Story: Before escaping the Madre, Sheason promises to Christine that he will find a way to destroy the casino and free her of her oath. Christine is... Less than hopeful. Thanks to Chris and Mothership Zeta, Sheason manages to fulfill his promise and not only frees Christine, but reunites her with Veronica.
4. Film.Speed: At the airport, Jack manages to convince Payne to let him off the bus to arrange the ransom. The other passengers are obviously unenthusiastic at being left behind, but Jack answers "Don't worry, I won't go far." A few minutes later, the hostages look in amazement to see Jack in front of them being towed on a service cart to attempt to disarm the bomb while the bus is in motion.
5. Film.Solo: Han's Love Interest Qi'ra is captured as they're on the verge of escaping from Corellia. He swears he will return for her as she's dragged off, even joining the Imperial military to become a pilot. After deserting and hooking up with a Caper Crew to get enough money for a spaceship so he can return to Corella to keep his promise, he's surprised to encounter Qi'ra sooner than he expects, working as a lieutenant in the criminal organisation that employs them. Han doesn't listen when it's pointed out that Qi'ra may not be the same innocent girl he once knew.
6. Recap.Arrow S 2 E 6 Keep Your Enemies Closer: When Sara lets Oliver out of the cell, he promises Anatoli that he will come back for him.
7. Recap.Spartacus Blood And Sand S 2 E 3 The Greater Good: Spartacus declares, under his breath, to all the slaves in the mines that he will be back for them.
8. Recap.Star Wars Rebels S 3 E 06 Iron Squadron: Ezra promises they'll come back for Mart when they have no hope of staging an immediate rescue.
9. Recap.Voltron Legendary Defender S 1 E 05 Tears Of The Balmera: Hunk, who is forced to leave Shay behind promises that he'll come back for her.

Misuse: Character tells someone they'll return or meet again someday for whatever reason, no mention of any escape/rescue | 27/ 50 wicks (54%)

1. Characters.Ace Attorney Prosecutors And Judges: Even though her evidence forging crimes killed her career as chief prosecutor, she promises to work her way back up the legal world so she can work cases with Ema.
2. Characters.Black Adventures: In the penultimate chapter, he decides to leave after being mainpulated by his dad and Kyurem's Hero to find himself, but promises Black he'll be back to repay him for all he's done for him.
3. Characters.Fate Grand Order Rulers: He doesn't trust Dr. Roman and won't join up with the others to avoid contact with him. But he promises before they part ways that they'll meet again in a big city like London. This is fulfilled when he appears in Shinjuku and comes with you to Chaldea afterwards, and later finally becomes a playable character.
4. Characters.Heroes Of Inkopolis: Promises Splat Jam that she is going to continue playing Turf War after her suspension. As we know at present, she's made good on that.
5. Characters.Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: In the Massacre ending, Stephen implies that she will return to their universe after she finds a new Messiah to take Nanashi down, just like he had with YHVH.
6. Characters.Ultra Series U 40: After temporarily staying on Earth to oversee mankind's reconsruction of their civilizations, Joneus bids farewell to Hikari and the Science Guard Party, swearing that he will return at the time Earth needs him again, and perhaps, taking in a new human host if that is the case.
7. Literature.Serge Storms: Mercy Lead: Mahoney has Serge more or less dead to rights at the end of Triggerfish Twist but given that Serge just helped him rescue an entire party full of people from the McGraw brothers, Mahoney settles for asking Serge for some more advice on where to grab his next meal. Though he promises that he'll arrest Serge properly in the future.
8. Recap.Joe Oriolo Felix The Cat1x 48 Youth Water: Professor says "I'll be back!" to Felix after his initial attempt to arrest them.
9. Recap.Joe Oriolo Felix The Cat1x 61 The Leprechauns Gold: Felix says "I'll return, and you'll pay!" when Rock throws him into the river.
10. Recap.Gargoyles S 1 Enter Mac Beth: Elisa points out that even if they defeat Macbeth, Xanatos will hire someone else to rid the gargoyles from the castle. Goliath still refuses at first, but later is forced to admit she's right and agrees to move - although not without promising he would return.
11. Characters.Outriders: After his final sidequest, he leaves and informs the Outrider that they will likely meet again.
12. Film.The Giver: Jonas promises that he'd return to the Community and Fiona.^note  Notable because in the book he makes no such promise, and in the sequels he eventually settles down in and marries someone from another village.
13. Film.Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Before the Marauders attacked, Cindel tells Wicket that she'll return to visit one day. She says it again as she and Noa leave Endor.
14. Recap.Blakes Seven S 2 E 2 Shadow: As Long as There Is One Man: At the end of the episode Bek says there's no point in returning to Space City as there's nothing for him there. Blake however wants him to form La Résistance.
    Blake: Well, it's your territory. At least you know who you're fighting now.
    Bek: What have I got left to fight for?
    Blake: I'll give you three years, then I'll come looking. I expect you to be able to help me.
15. Recap.Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood E 59 Lost Light: Al has the chance to reunite with his body but refuses for the moment because his body is so thin and weak. However, he promises that he will return.
16. Recap.Spider Man The Animated Series S 03 E 14 Turning Point: Before she obligates to Spider-Man's wish to leave him alone, Madame Web tells him that she will return when the time comes for him to fight in a great battle.
    Madame Web: That you can not escape. It is your destiny.
17. Recap.Star Trek Deep Space Nine S 07 E 25 E 26 What You Leave Behind: Sisko tells Kasidy he'll return from the Prophets' plane of existence someday.
18. UsefulNotes.The Arab Spring: An infamously tragic but heartwarming greentext from 4chan involves the tale of an anon encountering a rather vocal Arab player with a thick accent on Team Fortress 2, who would loudly issue commands in broken but understandable English. After defending the player from some abusive teammates, Anon was friended by him, and the two went on to play other games, all the while the player loudly issuing his commands and actually being quite effective. However, around the time of the Arab spring, the player suddenly disappeared, but not before leaving a message for Anon: "bad times friend ahead" "maybe no computer" "maybe no home" "i go away but we are two of soul" "i will return". Anon then notes that his friend was last online 615 days ago from that last message, leaving it unclear if he ever did return, though another Anon adds a humorous/awesome twist by imagining the player on a real battlefield, issuing commands as a squad leader to a group of freedom-fighters.
19. Characters.Heretical Edge Strangers: He promised Senny that he would return when the Vestil were stopped, even if it took him a thousand years. So far it's taken him more than two hundred years.
20. Characters.Michiko And Hatchin: She willingly turns herself to the police after delivering Hatchin to Hiroshi, but she promises that they will meet again someday. In the end, they do.
21. Characters.Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon: Put on a Bus: He leaves Serene Village, never to be seen again, due to feeling shame for what he has done to the player. But he told Carracosta to let them know that they will see each other again somehow, somewhere.
22. Tales Of Zestiria The Shepherds Group: Essentially says this to Mikleo the night before they enter the final dungeon. He knows that after defeating Heldalf and absorbing Maotelus he'll have to disappear for a few hundred years, and tells Mikleo that as long he remembers their promise to explore new ruins together they'll be together again one day. They do.
23. Characters.Battletoads: Declares "I'll be back!" after his defeat in the arcade game. The new reboot-based comic shows that he indeed made good on that promise, as he's shown fighting the Battletoads in a flash back prior to the events of the reboot.
24. Characters.Skylanders Kaos: As he is sent to earth at the end of Spyro’s Adventure, he screams out to the heroes that this is not the last they’ll see of him.
25. Quotes.Villainous Breakdown Video Games: ->COME ON NOW. IS YOUR "TRUE LOVE" REALLY ALL THAT POWERFUL?
    I was so close. STOP. LET ME WIN.
    L LL Ove ISn't REAL! It's JUUSTT an ILLusION. JUST LET ME WIN.
    LET ME WIN. lEt me WIn. lll
    nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
    this is my end isn't it
    you beat the demon
    you win the game
    (playername) i will return
    i i ii
    nnnnnnnnnOoo
    —Tyrannia upon her defeat, Annventure
26. Recap.Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog S 01 E 63 Sonic Is Running: When Robotnik has Momma carted off to the Home For Really Bizarre Mothers as retribution for voting against him, Momma exclaims "You ingrate! Wait till I bust out next time!". Unfortunately, this episode marked Momma's final appearance, as the show was not renewed for a second season.
27. Video Game.Battletoads: Robo-Manus declares "I'll be back!" after being defeated and blown apart.

Misuse: Other/Unclear | 6/ 50 wicks (12%)

1. Characters.Adventure Time Antagonists And Enemies:
   • Grob Gob Glob Grod believes he will attack Mars again, which Magic Man agrees with... at first.
   • It finally happens in the finale after Betty and Normal Man summon him in order to save Simon and Margles.
2. Characters.Blue Archive Decagrammaton: Before taking down the entire research facility, it proclaimed that its final Prophet will begin anew the proof of its existence.
3. Characters.Godzilla Neo: He would have regrown back his body if the EDG hadn't found his still-beating heart and placed it in a secure area in Antartica. He was eventually reborn from the heart in order to counter Gigan.
4. Literature.The Unknown Soldier: Corporal Rokka as he gets wounded in action and is stretchered away. He says to the stretcher bearers: "Goddammit, carry me head first. I won't be leaving here feet first." His Real Life counterpart, Viljam Pylkäs, survived the war unscathed.
5. Recap.Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog S 01 E 03 Love Sick Sonic: Breezie disappears for the rest of the episode after saving Sonic. Tails then gives Sonic a letter from her, hinting that they will meet again in the future.
6. VideoGame.Civilization Beyond Earth: The Emancipation victory is essentially a large-scale, long-term version of this trope - Your colony send a peacekeeping force back to Earth, restores order, and helps the people of Earth advance from post-Inflection Point anarchy to a Transhuman society like yours. Or, for Supremacy-Purity factions in Rising Tide, a utopian society made possible by non-sentient machines to fulfill humanity's every need. Supremacy-Harmony types just have a particularly weird transhuman utopia.

ZCE | 8/ 50 wicks (16%)

1. Fanfic.The Jakkid Fanfics: Eggman claims this after he loses in SPEED Attorney. True to his word, he eventually returns in Turnabout Portal.
2. Film.Interstellar: Cooper promises this to his daughter and keeps his word when returning as the ghost and later to her deathbed.
3. Quotes.Andrew Yang: "We'll be Back."
4. Recap.X Men S 3 E 9 Obsession: Apocalypse's very words, as he's blasted into space.
5. Video Game.Nightfire: Drake declares this after Bond has foiled his plans in space. Bond however makes certain that this will not be the case for Drake.
6. WebVideo.The Keef Crew: In the video, "How XBOX FANS felt watching the Xbox Games Showcase 2020!", the Playstation fan invokes this trope when a new Fable game is announced.
7. Wrestling.Hiroshi Tanahashi: Since he got the last word in at War Of The Worlds, this was the last thing he had to say. He in fact did the next year to face Michael Elgin, who was trying to prove himself worthy of New Japan, at Global Wars.
8. Characters.Annventure: She pulls one in the ending before getting defeated for sure. She, in fact, comes back for Annventure of a Lifetime.