I removed Jesus and Paul, because they don't fit the trope.
St. Paul (and other saints) express the desire to be in hell in the place of others, not to be with them in hell, which is impossible according to the Christian understanding that everyone in hell is alone. That is a big part of what makes it hell.
The exception to being alone in hell is that Jesus, being God, is omnipresent. He does not have to leave heaven to be in hell. He is always in hell, and always with those in hell, but according to the traditional Christian understanding, they experience this as torment.
Would Panty and Stocking's episode Ghost: The Phantom of Daten city count, with Stocking stating that she's willing to give up her duties as an angel to be with one particular ghost? The lyrics of the accompanying song Chocolat contain this literally, but I'm not sure if the episode itself counts. I'm also pretty unsure if this should be considered Played for Laughs or Played Straight. This is Panty and Stocking we're talking about, so who the hell is really supposed to know?
Edited by 108.35.216.254
Would the chorus to Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab count as this trope?
- I'm an angel with a shotgun,Fighting 'till the war's won,I don't care if heaven won't take me back,I'll throw away my faith babe, just to keep you safe...
It sounds like it would fit, at least the "giving up heaven for someone you love" part.
Edited by Stoogebie Hide / Show Replies
I'm not sure. The regular world may feel like Hell after having experienced Heaven, but it's not quite the same thing. Up to you, I guess.
I'd like some tropers' opinions on this. In Berserk, a dying villain is offered the choice of sacrificing his daughter to demons in exchange for being restored to full health and strength. The demons tell him that if he dies, he'll be dragged into Hell and suffer for all eternity. After a period of indecisiveness, he decides that he can't sacrifice his daughter and his soul is taken to Hell. I know that it doesn't match the description, but it's like a related example. Rather than two people enduring Hell because they have each other, one person chooses Hell to save another.
Edited by Stoogebie Hide / Show Replies
Aw, that's so sweet! Well, it certainly could count as a variant of this trope, at least in my opinion.
Does Kenny's sacrifice at the end of the South Park movie count (since he didn't know he'd be absolved & sent to Heaven afterwards)? Or is that just Heroic Sacrifice?