Final Battle: Difference between revisions

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''[[Fire-Forged Friends|Your history is mine]]''.|'''[[Funeral for a Friend]]''', "History" }}

The [[Fight Scene]] [[This Is Your Premise on Drugs|on steroids]], and the perfect climax to the [[Action Adventure Tropes|Action Story]]: The forces of Good and the forces of Evil lock swords one last time. Everything the heroes have fought for hangs on the outcome of this fight. Consequently, the heroes (and [[Dangerously Genre Savvy|sometimes]] the villains) throw everything they have into winning the [[Final Battle]].

The [[Fight Scene]] [[This Is Your Premise on Drugs|on steroids]], and the perfect climax to the [[Action Adventure Tropes|Action Story]]: The forces of Good and the forces of Evil lock swords one last time. Everything the heroes have fought for hangs on the outcome of this fight. Consequently, the heroes (and [[Dangerously Genre Savvy|sometimes]] the villains) throw everything they have into winning the '''Final Battle'''.

Often, the battle itself is the object; other times, the battle is merely a diversion: a [[Supporting Leader]] leads the army of Good into battle so the ''real'' heroes can sneak behind the Army of Evil's back to [[Storming the Castle|infiltrate]] the [[Supervillain Lair]] and destroy the [[Artifact of Doom]] or engage the [[Big Bad]]. Oddly enough, the real heroes' success often coincides with (or even causes) their allies' victory in the larger battle.

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If the story intends to [[Kill'Em All]], this is where most of them will die. If [[Anyone Can Die|they were already killed]], they may get brought back for a [[Battle Royale With Cheese]]. For an extra-chaotic battle, make it a [[Melee a Trois]].

Sometimes a [[Final Battle]] is rendered not-so-final by the events of the sequels or later seasons. On the other hand, if it's the grand finale of a [[Long Runner|particularly long series]], the [[Final Battle]] can serve as a kind of retrospective; all manner of characters from previous books or seasons will show up to participate, allowing the audience to remember all the many stories that led up to this moment.

Sometimes a '''Final Battle''' is rendered not-so-final by the events of the sequels or later seasons. On the other hand, if it's the grand finale of a [[Long Runner|particularly long series]], the '''Final Battle''' can serve as a kind of retrospective; all manner of characters from previous books or seasons will show up to participate, allowing the audience to remember all the many stories that led up to this moment.

In [[Video Games]], this overlaps with [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon]] and the [[Final Boss]]. Not to be confused with ''[[Final Fight]]''. The [[Space Opera]] relies on the [[Space Battle]], which can include this or show up at the beginning or middle of the show.

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== Anime & Manga ==

* Episode 25 (actually the third episode) of the ''[[Kujibiki Unbalance]]'' OVA makes several references to the upcoming final battle of the Kujibiki tournament to decide the next student council. The episode cuts off just before we hear the actual rules of the battle.

* The [[Final Battle]] on each series of the ''Mazinger trilogy'' varies depending on if we are discussing the [[Go Nagai]] manga, the anime series or the [[Gosaku Ota]] manga:

* The Final Battle on each series of the ''Mazinger trilogy'' varies depending on if we are discussing the [[Go Nagai]] manga, the anime series or the [[Gosaku Ota]] manga:

** ''[[Mazinger Z]]'': ''[[Mazinger Z]]'' had two battles at the end of the series. At the final of the anime series, {{spoiler|the main characters located Dr. Hell's [[Supervillain Lair]] at last. Quickly they began to make preparations for the final battle, but Hell used a last scheme to hinder them as he completed his own preparations. Mazinger-Z, Venus A and Boss Borot stormed Hell's Island, supported by the Japanese army, but Dr. Hell sent against them his last Mechanical Beasts. The three [[Humongous Mecha]] got severely trashed, but Mazinger-Z could still work. Kouji stormed the base, destroying and blowing up all what he saw. Hell set his Lair to self-destruct and he and Brocken tried to flee on the aerial fortress Guru. However, Mazinger-Z chased them and they faced off for last time on an aerial battle over the ocean.}} It was subverted, though, since all of it happened in the second-to-last episode, and the narration -and the scenes involving a smug [[Dragon with an Agenda|Gorgon]]- warned the last episode would be NOT a happy day. The events were very different on the [[Go Nagai]] manga {{spoiler|(Hell attacked first, deploying several dozens of Mechanical Beasts at once to invade Japan. Ashura and Brocken coordinated their squads in the assault, and the Japanese army used Mass-Production Mazingers against Hell. Finally, Kouji and Sayaka fought alone against the Island of Hell, what had transformed into a humongous [[Humongous Mecha]])}}. The [[Gosaku Ota]] episodes are similar to the anime, but {{spoiler|Gorgon makes his move while Kouji is storming the base. He goads his Warrior Monsters against Mazinger-Z and backstabs Hell when he is distracted before leaving the base. Enraged and dying, Hell pulls a lever. Hell's Island takes off and flies towards the Institute to crash on it. However, Great Mazinger arrives, defeats the Mykene Beasts, fetches a defeated Mazinger-Z and runs away with it. Meanwhile, the battle has altered the course of the island, and it floats upwards, leaving the atmosphere and losing itself in the space...}}

** ''[[Great Mazinger]]'': In the anime version, {{spoiler|Great Marshall of Darkness sent several Warrior Monsters to attack the Photon Energy Research Institute as Demonika -his [[Cool Airship]]- stealthily approached the Fortress of Science. Kouji fought a powerful Warrior Beast but Tetsuya (who was irrationally jealous) refused to sortie to help him. Finally he deployed Great Mazinger, and Great Marshall chose that moment to attack. A Warrior Monster attacked Tetsuya as Demonika started bombarding the Fortress. Tetsuya was easily shot down and cut off reinforcements. Dr. Kabuto then commited a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] to save him. After retrieving his corpse, Mazinger-Z, Great Mazinger, Venus A and Diana A regrouped and attacked Demonika together, blowing the Mykene army up to Hell.}} The manga versions are similar, but there is a very important difference in the [[Gosaku Ota]] version: Tetsuya {{spoiler|commited [[Heroic Sacrifice]], self-detonating Great Mazinger to destroy Demonika and the Mykene army.}}

** ''[[UFO Robo Grendizer]]'': In the anime version, {{spoiler|after his daughter got murdered, King Vega decided he had got it: he had wasted military resources trying take over Earth as planet Vega imploded and everyting he had managed was using up their resources, running out of [[Robeast~~|Robeasts~~]], and losing his commanders, his best soldiers and his daughter. So he ordered his troops to destroy their [[Space Base]] to hammer in them the idea of they now had no choice but conquering Earth or die, and he launched a full attack with the remnants of his army. Meanwhile, Duke took off in Grendizer and Kouji, Hikaru and Maria on a new [[Starship]]. Both sides fought in the space, between Earth and Moon. The Vegan army was finally destroyed in the final confrontation, and Duke killed King Vega.}} [[Go Nagai]] manga version had no a definite ending, but [[Gosaku Ota]] version did it, and the final was very different from the anime series. Let's tell [[It Got Worse]]. Like in {{spoiler|[[The End of the World as We Know It]]}} worse.

** ''[[UFO Robo Grendizer]]'': In the anime version, {{spoiler|after his daughter got murdered, King Vega decided he had got it: he had wasted military resources trying take over Earth as planet Vega imploded and everyting he had managed was using up their resources, running out of [[Robeast]]s, and losing his commanders, his best soldiers and his daughter. So he ordered his troops to destroy their [[Space Base]] to hammer in them the idea of they now had no choice but conquering Earth or die, and he launched a full attack with the remnants of his army. Meanwhile, Duke took off in Grendizer and Kouji, Hikaru and Maria on a new [[Starship]]. Both sides fought in the space, between Earth and Moon. The Vegan army was finally destroyed in the final confrontation, and Duke killed King Vega.}} [[Go Nagai]] manga version had no a definite ending, but [[Gosaku Ota]] version did it, and the final was very different from the anime series. Let's tell [[It Got Worse]]. Like in {{spoiler|[[The End of the World as We Know It]]}} worse.

* ''[[Code Geass]]'' plays with this trope as when Lelouch {{spoiler|uses his army as a diversion while he singlehandedly attacks Cornelia in the last episode of season 1}}. The playing part comes when {{spoiler|Lelouch does win but his army's losing the battle}}. However, upon closer look, {{spoiler|he won the battle, but he did fail his objective, both in knowing who killed Marianne and taking Cornelia hostage}}.

** The ''actual'' final battle kicked off with a showdown between {{spoiler|Suzaku and Kallen, Lelouch and ''Nunnally'' of all people, over control of the nuclear death platform Damocles, and ended with Kallen destroying the Lancelot, but having her Guren disabled, and Lelouch victorious, having taken over the world by shedding his principles and wresting control of the nuclear death platform from Nunnaly via Geass. However, ([[Battle Butler|besides]] [[Ensemble Darkhorse|Orange-kun]]) he has won at the price of losing everyone who loved and respected him. The viewer is left wondering how [[Pyrrhic Villainy|this is really his victory]], especially since the world loathes [[Complete Monster|him]] for the [[Moral Event Horizon|atrocities]] he has done in the name of "justice"; then the ''[[Messianic Archetype|actual]]'' [[Heroic Sacrifice|conclusion]] occurs, showing his ''[[Tear Jerker|tear-jerking]]'' triumph over the [[Crapsack World]] he was born in.}}

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** The penultimate chapter (107) is even ''titled'' "The Final Battle".

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' actually has two, one against the Angels and another against their "true enemies", so to speak. {{spoiler|Shinji confronts the Final Angel, his new best friend forever, Kaworu within the Eldritch Location of the Womb of Lilith. Afterwards, SEELE launches its final assault upon NERV without any hesitation and causes one of the most tragic final battles ever.}}

* ''[[Princess Tutu]]'' ends with a [[Final Battle]] that involves lots of dancing, ravens, and the occasional sword. Given the rest of the series it's not a surprise, but it's taken to an epic level.

* ''[[Princess Tutu]]'' ends with a Final Battle that involves lots of dancing, ravens, and the occasional sword. Given the rest of the series it's not a surprise, but it's taken to an epic level.

* Subverted somewhat in the manga finale for ''[[Chrono Crusade]]''. There are several important battles and victories leading up to {{spoiler|Chrono and Aion's fight}} in the final two ~~volumes--which~~ covers just two consecutive days. However, when the time comes for the final battle, the perspective cuts away right before the first blows are exchanged, and we're never fully given the details of what happened.

* Subverted somewhat in the manga finale for ''[[Chrono Crusade]]''. There are several important battles and victories leading up to {{spoiler|Chrono and Aion's fight}} in the final two volumes—which covers just two consecutive days. However, when the time comes for the final battle, the perspective cuts away right before the first blows are exchanged, and we're never fully given the details of what happened.

* ''[[Eyeshield 21]]''. {{spoiler|Team America vs. Team Japan. They even went into overtime despite the tournament holder's orders. According to the ending, America won}}.

* Any Gundam series, ever. From the original all the way to 00 Gundam, each series has concluded with an awesome final battle between the most powerful mobile suits and pilots.

** ''[[Gundam Wing]]'', like many others, gets away with a little title lampshading. The actual [[Final Battle]] takes up the last four episodes of the series, and the episode immediately before it begins is actually called "Signs of the Final Battle".

** ''[[Gundam Wing]]'', like many others, gets away with a little title lampshading. The actual Final Battle takes up the last four episodes of the series, and the episode immediately before it begins is actually called "Signs of the Final Battle".

* The final battle of ''[[Inuyasha]]'' takes place inside Naraku when he transformed into a giant, floating spider.

* ''[[Dragonball Z]]'''s final battle is Goku and Vegeta vs. Kid Buu in Other World.

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** The same applies to the battle of Antarctica in the the two-part episode "''Lost City''", which was also meant to be a [[Grand Finale]].

* ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' has the final Battle of Cardassia in the ep "''What You Leave Behind''". Klingons, Romulans, and Federation vs. the Dominion and all their allies. Massive ship wrecking ensues.

* In ''[[Doctor Who]]'', the first [[Uncancelled]] series finale ''[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S1/E12 Bad Wolf|Bad Wolf]]/[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S1/E13 The Parting of the Ways|The Parting of the Ways]]'' ends in a [[Final Battle]] between the controllers and contestents of the Game Station and the Daleks, and the second, [[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S2/E12 Army of Ghosts|Army of Ghosts]]/[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S2/E13 Doomsday|Doomsday]] in [[Melee a Trois]] between the Cybermen, Torchwood and {{spoiler|the Daleks}}.

* In ''[[Doctor Who]]'', the first [[Uncancelled]] series finale ''[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S1/E12 Bad Wolf|Bad Wolf]]/[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S1/E13 The Parting of the Ways|The Parting of the Ways]]'' ends in a Final Battle between the controllers and contestents of the Game Station and the Daleks, and the second, [[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S2/E12 Army of Ghosts|Army of Ghosts]]/[[Doctor Who/Recap/NS/S2/E13 Doomsday|Doomsday]] in [[Melee a Trois]] between the Cybermen, Torchwood and {{spoiler|the Daleks}}.

* In ''[[Kamen Rider Kuuga]]'', the final battle between Yuusuke and the [[Big Bad]] goes from a generic tokusatsu final battle{{spoiler|, [[Deconstructed Trope|to something a little more realistic]]: a fist fight in their human forms}}. It's pretty brutal compared to other final battles in Kamen Rider, with bleeding from both sides {{spoiler|and the battle ends not with a finishing move, but with a [[Double Knockout]] that lead to a [[Mutual Kill]] for the [[Big Bad]]}}.

** ''[[Kamen Rider Ryuki]]'' is also a separation from the norm since its [[Final Battle]] doesn't even involve its protagonist. Instead, it is Kamen Rider Knight who faces off against [[The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard|Kamen Rider Odin]]. Besides this deviation, the battle is carried out in total sombriety {{spoiler|and Knight only 'wins' when the [[Big Bad]] destroys Odin in a fit of rage that ultimately does nothing to prevent the fact that Knight had been dealt a fatal blow and dies moments later after using the Rider War's prize to save his girlfriend.}}

** ''[[Kamen Rider Ryuki]]'' is also a separation from the norm since its Final Battle doesn't even involve its protagonist. Instead, it is Kamen Rider Knight who faces off against [[The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard|Kamen Rider Odin]]. Besides this deviation, the battle is carried out in total sombriety {{spoiler|and Knight only 'wins' when the [[Big Bad]] destroys Odin in a fit of rage that ultimately does nothing to prevent the fact that Knight had been dealt a fatal blow and dies moments later after using the Rider War's prize to save his girlfriend.}}

== Literature ==

* In ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Aragorn leads Gondor, Rohan, and their [[Gondor Calls for Aid|allies]] to fight the armies of Mordor at the Black Gate. [[Supporting Leader|Aragorn and the other commanders]] [[Genre Savvy|know full well]] that they have a very slim chance of actually defeating Sauron's army, and that their actual purpose is to distract Sauron so Frodo can do his job. Once the ring is destroyed, Sauron's will will be broken and his armies will be ''much'' easier to defeat.

** The Battle of the Five Armies that ends ''[[The Hobbit]]'' is rather odd, in that the good ~~armies -- the~~ Dwarves, Humans, and Elves(as well as the eagles later on) -- are [[Strange Bedfellows]] who only discover the army of ~~evil -- the~~ Orcs and ~~Wargs -- as~~ it attacks.

** The Battle of the Five Armies that ends ''[[The Hobbit]]'' is rather odd, in that the good armies—the Dwarves, Humans, and Elves(as well as the eagles later on) -- are [[Strange Bedfellows]] who only discover the army of evil—the Orcs and Wargs—as it attacks.

*** Gandalf's warning ''does'' give them a short time to prepare.

** The Scouring of the Shire later in ''Return of the King'' (but not in the movie), has Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin leading a rebellion of the hobbits to take back the Shire from the evil men under Saruman's command, culminating in a furious battle that drives the men from the Shire.

* ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' is full of this, Nirnaeth Arnedioiad (though not final, both sides build up for a confrontation and the good guys gets wiped to never assemble a credible threat against Morgoth again while Beleriand becomes as dark and edgy as something out of the Norse mythology Tolkien so liked. Then it gets worse... finally the Valar sends Eönwe with the armies of Aman to subdue Morgoth in a cataclysmic battle destroying Beleriand. There are several instances of the valar and Morgoth battling it out before the arrival of The Children of Illuvatar.

** There was actually a previous final battle with the predecessor of Angband, which destroyed Utumno utterly and defeated Morgoth for the first time. This is also the only one where the Valar acted directly and it's said that the landscape of Arda was shaped by this.

* Almost every [[Redwall]] book culminates in a [[Final Battle]].

* Almost every [[Redwall]] book culminates in a Final Battle.

* The last book of ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]'' is actually called ''The Last Battle'', and it really is the last battle before [[The End of the World as We Know It|the unmaking of Narnia]].

** ''The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe'', ''Prince Caspian'' and ''The Horse and His Boy'' also ended in full-blown final battles, at least within the context of the book.

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* Most [[Nasuverse]] works end with one. Being [[The Multiverse|multi-path]] stories, there are generally many variations.

** ''[[Tsukihime]]'' may end with Shiki fighting [[Big Bad|Roa]], [[Unstoppable Rage|an enraged Arcueid]], the other Shiki, or an [[Super-Powered Evil Side|inverted Akiha]]. ''Kagetsu Tohya'''s last fight ends with Shiki {{spoiler|killing his own personification of death inside his own mind}}.

** ''[[Fate/stay night]]'''s three scenarios lead to radically different ~~[[Final Battle|~~Final Battles]]:

** ''[[Fate/stay night]]'''s three scenarios lead to radically different Final Battles:

*** ''Fate'' ends with Shiro and Saber fighting Kotomine and Gilgamesh, respectively.

*** ''Unlimited Blade Works'' has Shiro facing Gilgamesh alone, not to mention the [[My Name Is Inigo Montoya]] moment in an earlier battle.

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* Both [[Swordof Shannara]] and the Elfstones of Shannara have the big battle with the majority of the characters on one side trying to survive as long asthey can while the covert mission that is really what matters racing against time.

* The first ''[[Conqueror]]'' book, ''Wolf of the Plains'', climaxed with Temujin (AKA Genghis Khan) leading a Chin-backed alliance of Wolves, Olkhun'ut, and Kerait against the united Tartars. The second book, ''Lords of the Bow'', [[Subverted Trope|subverted]] this trope - the Mongols have laid siege to Yenking and are preparing to attack it, but Kokchu persuades Genghis Khan to accept surrender at the last minute.

* The [[Star Wars]] Expanded Universe [[X Wing Series|X-Wing series]] starts out as the Rebel Alliance's attempt to conquer the galactic capital world Coruscant to put the final death blow to the severely weakened Empire. Which ends in a massive (apparently) [[Final Battle]]. {{spoiler|But it soon becomes obvious that the imperial administration considered the planet not to be worth defending against a determined attacker and actually planned to lose the battle, while making sure the New Republic would inherit a massive humanitarian disaster.}}

* The [[Star Wars]] Expanded Universe [[X Wing Series|X-Wing series]] starts out as the Rebel Alliance's attempt to conquer the galactic capital world Coruscant to put the final death blow to the severely weakened Empire. Which ends in a massive (apparently) Final Battle. {{spoiler|But it soon becomes obvious that the imperial administration considered the planet not to be worth defending against a determined attacker and actually planned to lose the battle, while making sure the New Republic would inherit a massive humanitarian disaster.}}

* The first ''[[Warrior Cats]]'' series ended with a massive battle against BloodClan to determine the fate of the forest. The sequels took away its finalness, but another comes at the end of ''[[Omen of the Stars]]''.

== Mythology ==

* In [[Norse Mythology]], it all comes down to Ragnarok, the [[Final Battle]] at the [[The End of the World as We Know It|End of the World]]. First there are three years of war in the world of the mortals, followed by three years of endless winter. Then the Sun and the Moon are caught by Skoll and Hati, the wolves that chase them over the sky, which causes the stars to fall down on earth. As a result, massive earthquakes shake the world and collapse the mountains and flood the land. [[It Got Worse|And then things get worse.]] Loki's children - the giant wolf Fenrir and the Midgard-Serpent Jörmungandr - escape from their prisons. And in the midst of all this chaos and destruction, Surtr, the King of the fire-giants, arrives from the south with his entire army to attack the gods in Valhalla, while Hrym and his army of common giants arrive with their fleet to join the battle. Soon the frost-giants come also marching from the north. Heimdall blows his horn and the gods attack the giants and monsters, with all the fallen heroes of Valhalla, the Einherjar, pitching in. And then Loki's third child Hel arrives, bringing with her an undead army made of the souls of every single human that has ever died and is not an Einherjar. Odin is killed by Fenrir, who in turn has his head torn in two parts by Odin's son Vidarr. Thor kills Jörmungandr, but dies from his venom. Garm and Tyr kill each other and Freyr is killed by Surtr. Then Loki and Heimdall also kill each other. As the corpses pile up in heaps and the blood gets hip-deep, Surtr decides that defeat is not an option and, being the God of Fire, [[Taking You with Me|takes almost everyone with him]] by blowing himself up in a [[Nuke'Em|massive explosion]] that roasts the entire world.

* In [[Norse Mythology]], it all comes down to Ragnarok, the Final Battle at the [[The End of the World as We Know It|End of the World]]. First there are three years of war in the world of the mortals, followed by three years of endless winter. Then the Sun and the Moon are caught by Skoll and Hati, the wolves that chase them over the sky, which causes the stars to fall down on earth. As a result, massive earthquakes shake the world and collapse the mountains and flood the land. [[It Got Worse|And then things get worse.]] Loki's children - the giant wolf Fenrir and the Midgard-Serpent Jörmungandr - escape from their prisons. And in the midst of all this chaos and destruction, Surtr, the King of the fire-giants, arrives from the south with his entire army to attack the gods in Valhalla, while Hrym and his army of common giants arrive with their fleet to join the battle. Soon the frost-giants come also marching from the north. Heimdall blows his horn and the gods attack the giants and monsters, with all the fallen heroes of Valhalla, the Einherjar, pitching in. And then Loki's third child Hel arrives, bringing with her an undead army made of the souls of every single human that has ever died and is not an Einherjar. Odin is killed by Fenrir, who in turn has his head torn in two parts by Odin's son Vidarr. Thor kills Jörmungandr, but dies from his venom. Garm and Tyr kill each other and Freyr is killed by Surtr. Then Loki and Heimdall also kill each other. As the corpses pile up in heaps and the blood gets hip-deep, Surtr decides that defeat is not an option and, being the God of Fire, [[Taking You with Me|takes almost everyone with him]] by blowing himself up in a [[Nuke'Em|massive explosion]] that roasts the entire world.

* Apocalyptic Jewish and Christian predictions often included Final Battles. The expectations of such battles often influenced the way actual wars were carried out.

** The [[Left Behind]] series books ''Glorious Appearing'' and ''Kingdom Come'' feature both Final Battles from the book of Revelation, with the Final Final Battle before the Great White Throne judgment taking up only a few pages when God just smokes Satan's entire army into ashes in seconds.

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* The 2008 ''[[Bionicle]]'' storyline was marketed like this, even being referred to as such in-universe:

{{quote|'''Kopaka''': If this is the final battle... let's make it one to remember."}}

** It was, however, all a set-up for a [[Wham! Episode]]. The 2010 story was probably supposed to be this, but it got severely hampered as the toy line was suddenly ended and the ending [[Wrap It Up|was very rushed. ]]

** It was, however, all a set-up for a [[Wham! Episode]]. The 2010 story was probably supposed to be this, but it got severely hampered as the toy line was suddenly ended and the ending [[Wrap It Up|was very rushed.]]

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* Numerous video games have a [[Final Boss]] battle; usually, the plot gets resolved by defeating whoever the final boss is. Especially if the plot is resolved by rescuing a [[Damsel in Distress]], such as in ''[[Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros]]'' or ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''.

* ''Warcraft 3'' has a final battle where the scourge tries to get to the world tree with ever larger waves of their undead warriors and demon heros. The battle was so epic, that it was implemented in ''World of Warcraft'' in the caverns of time.

* The True Demon Ending of ''[[Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne]]'' ends with you marching towards one. {{spoiler|With you as the [[Anti Christ]], leading the [[Legions of Hell]] to their [[Final Battle]] against [[God Is Evil|YHVH]] himself.}}

* The True Demon Ending of ''[[Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne]]'' ends with you marching towards one. {{spoiler|With you as the [[Anti Christ]], leading the [[Legions of Hell]] to their Final Battle against [[God Is Evil|YHVH]] himself.}}

== Webcomics ==

* One of these concludes the "Dangerous Days" arc of ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'', with the good guys pulling out every last ally and trump card they've got to take down Hereti Corp.

* The final story arc of ''Checkerboard Nightmare'', "In Continuum", culminates in a massive final ~~battle -- saddled~~ with an inherent risk that even ''doing'' something as serious as an "ultimate battle royale with {{spoiler|the Unraveled}}" would worsen Chex's [[~~Canon|canonitis~~]]. Yeah, long story.

* The final story arc of ''Checkerboard Nightmare'', "In Continuum", culminates in a massive final battle—saddled with an inherent risk that even ''doing'' something as serious as an "ultimate battle royale with {{spoiler|the Unraveled}}" would worsen Chex's [[canon]]itis. Yeah, long story.

* [[Coga Suro]] 's entire fifteenth and final chapter is spent on a Final battle, which essentially comprises of {{spoiler|Styx covering half of London with a massive dome, underneath which pretty much everyone gets an on- or- off- panel boss fight.}}

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*** They couldn't have flipped the outcome of the war, but they did at least have an outside chance to wreck the Allied amphibious landing. The Pacific War didn't really have a "final decisive battle". Midway was decisive, but the Japanese still had carrier parity for the next year or two of the war. And Guadalcanal wasn't a crushing battle but rather an additional campaign victory achieved by a series of battles that went both ways.

** Technically it was the final large scale naval battle. There hasn't been a clash of carrier fleets, battleships, battlecruisers, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, and destroyers ''since'' [[World War II]].

** A part of [[Leyte Gulf]], The Battle of Surigao Strait, has the distinction of being the [[Final Battle]] ever engaged in between battleships, in the war that saw the end of the battleship as a primary weapons platform, and the cessation of all construction of that class of ship.

** A part of [[Leyte Gulf]], The Battle of Surigao Strait, has the distinction of being the Final Battle ever engaged in between battleships, in the war that saw the end of the battleship as a primary weapons platform, and the cessation of all construction of that class of ship.

* The Battle of Yorktown in [[The American Revolution]]

* The [[wikipedia:Battle of Sirte (2011)|Battle of Sirte]] will almost certainly be this in the Libyan Civil War. It is the last holdout for the pro-Gaddafi fighters, after the quick capture of Bani Walid. Not to mention the fact that the Gaddafi fighters are now cornered to a small area of the city, and have been putting up huge resistance in a desperate [[Last Stand]].