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{{trope}}
[[File:
▲{{quote|'''Anakin:''' Now go, my son. Leave me.<br />
'''Anakin:''' [[Redemption Equals Death|You already have]], Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister... you were right.|''[[
▲'''Luke:''' No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here, I've got to save you.<br />
▲'''Anakin:''' [[Redemption Equals Death|You already have]], Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister... you were right.|''[[Star Wars (Franchise)|Star Wars]] Episode VI: [[Return of the Jedi (Film)|Return of the Jedi]]''}}
Death is rarely a cause for celebration, as it is a permanent goodbye to the world you love.
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Sometimes, however, the pain of seeing you cry hurts the one who is about to depart more than imminent death itself, and in spite of agonizing pain or being crippled beyond saving, summons up all their courage to ''sincerely'' smile one last time for you (or alternatively laughing); a final gesture that beyond all doubt affirms their love for you. If the one smiling in question is a girl (especially if she is an Anime or Video Game character), her final smile will be the single most painfully ''cute'' thing you will '''ever''' see besides a [[Cute Kitten|box of kittens]].
It makes a lasting impression as a [[Obi-Wan Moment|pretty dignified]] [[Face Death
The [[Mercy Kill]] may have the dying person evince some self-awareness to show this; similarly, this might be part of [[Dying
Compare [[Died Happily Ever After]]. [[When She Smiles]] is this trope without the death. Contrast [[Tearful Smile]]. Often paired with [[
NOTICE: It is highly likely that simply reading through the examples will be a [[Tear Jerker]] for the reader. It is recommended that a box of tissues be handy
{{deathtrope}}
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* The final episode of ''[[
* In ''[[
** Gold Roger, shown in the flashback that starts every one of the first hundred episodes or so.
** Ace's mother, Portgas D. Rouge, died giving birth while smiling and entrusting her child to Garp.
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** Also Queen Otohime after her oldest son Fukaboshi promises her that they will protect Shirahoshi and collect all the signatures that she had long fought for to get from her people so that her dream of co-existing peacefully with humans can be fulfilled.
** Until the very end, the smile doesn't burn off the face of the Going Merry.
* Most of the characters in ''[[
** {{spoiler|Alucard}} gives his sanest, most sincere smile in the entire series {{spoiler|as he fades away after absorbing Schrodinger}}.
** {{spoiler|The Major}} dies this way as well, {{spoiler|believing that, even though he ultimately lost in the end, [[Blood Knight|he had made his dream of the ultimate war a reality.]]}}
*** It's not just them. Almost {{spoiler|''every'' monster - the Nazis, the Captain, Anderson - go out with a smile.}}
** The exceptions are Luke Valentine, ( {{spoiler|the first time around}}) Tublacain Alhabra, Rip Van Winkle, Zorin Blitz, Enrico Maxwell, and the Doctor.
* {{spoiler|Gai Daigouji}} from ''[[
* [[Key Visual Arts]] loves this stuff.
** {{spoiler|Misuzu Kamio}} of ''[[
** Similarly, {{spoiler|Nagisa}}'s farewell to {{spoiler|Tomoya}} in the ''[[Clannad (
*** It also occurs in the [[Kyo Ani]] adaptation, only subtler.
** {{spoiler|Makoto}} in ''[[
*** {{spoiler|Neither is Makoto}}, though only in the 2006 anime.
* Izumi Kanata, Konata's mother in ''[[
* Goku from ''[[
** He probably got this from his father Bardock, who tried to kill Frieza to save the Saiyan race. He failed, and just as he was about to die, he saw a vision of his son fighting Frieza and avenging the deaths of their race.
** What, nobody's mentioned Piccolo? Just thinking about him leaping in front of Nappa's blast to stop the only friend he's ever had, the son of his worst enemy, from dying... And yet he dies smiling, and crying for the first time in his life. If that isn't a [[Tear Jerker
* In ''[[
* {{spoiler|The first Reinforce}} in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'', who smiles at the crying {{spoiler|Hayate}} and tries to comfort her before finishing her [[Heroic Sacrifice]].
** {{spoiler|Zest also does this for Agito}}, smiling and telling her that their time together was enjoyable before passing away.
* {{spoiler|Legato Bluesummers}} from the ''[[
** Both versions of {{spoiler|Wolfwood}} apparently do this, although he has the variation of taking battle damage and then expiring slowly. The anime version goes out kneeling in a church and thinking about his friends. The manga version is sitting on a sofa in a trashed orphanage while the kids he grew up with throw confetti out of an airship to show that they care, and he and Vash share a final drink. The smile doesn't help much with the frustration about his death, since in both cases it could have been avoided.
* {{spoiler|Kagero}} of ''[[
* In the 40th Episode of ''[[
** In ''[[
** Although his face can't be seen because of his helmet, {{spoiler|Mu La Flaga}} laughs during his [[Heroic Sacrifice]] at the end of ''[[Gundam Seed]]'' {{spoiler|(although it turns out in ''Gundam SEED Destiny'' to have been a [[Disney Death]]).}}
*** Immediately following him, {{spoiler|Natarle Badgiruel}} smiles serenely as {{spoiler|the Archangel destroys the Dominion, content in the knowledge that she's taking [[Complete Monster]] Azrael out with her.}}
**** {{spoiler|[[Big Bad|Rau Le Creuset]]}} is the creepier version of this, dying with a smile after [[The Hero|Kira]] impales him, due to his belief that [[Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds|the entire world]] will be following him. It's both chilling, and kind of sad at the same time, as you realize what a wreck the man's life truly was.
***** ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam
** In ''Gundam SEED C.E 73 Stargazer'', {{spoiler|[[What an Idiot!|after ignoring orders to return and exhausting all his Gundam's energy]], Shams Couza smiles before he get shot to death by [[Mecha Mook|DSSD Astrays]].}}
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam
* {{spoiler|Jonathan Joestar}} of Part I of ''[[
** {{spoiler|Jolyne}} from Part 6 smiles at Emporio before she faces off against Pucci one last time so Emporio can escape. {{spoiler|Then a page and a half later, [[Curb Stomp Battle|you see her getting ripped apart like tissue paper by Pucci's stand]]. All that remains is her stand's sunglasses, which quickly disintegrate under accelerated time.}}
** There's also {{spoiler|Ringo Roadagain}} in part 7. {{spoiler|He's smiling because he was able to awaken Gyro from being a conformist for society's ideals, to a pursuer of the "True Man's World"? The very thing Ringo was trying to get through his duels. [[Fridge Brilliance|Maybe getting Gyro to wake up to the True Man's World was how Ringo accessed the same?]] }}
* {{spoiler|Nia}}'s death in ''[[
** Same for {{spoiler|Kamina}}, though true to his values and personality, his dying smile is manly and powerful rather than sweet and cute. And hence, the phrase 'Manly tears were shed.'
** In fact, almost every member of Team Dai-Gurren casualty goes out with either a smile or laughing in the face of utter destruction. {{spoiler|Jogan and Balinbow were even laughing maniacally while their mecha was exploding, and Kittan grinned at how awesome his final act was.}}
* In ''[[
* {{spoiler|Mamiina}} in ''[[
* Both versions of ''[[
* In ''[[
** Slightly subverted in the [[Grand Finale]]: {{spoiler|Right before Lelouch is stabbed by the new Zero (Suzaku), he smiles. But when he's actually dying in Nunally's arms, he has no expression on his face at all (he probably didn't want to look like he planned anything)}}.
** Also mentioned (but not actually performed) {{spoiler|when C.C. tells Lelouch that her wish is to die. Charles is about to steal her "code", making her mortal again, but when Lelouch sees the worried look on her face he yells at her that she should at least die with a smile if this was really what she wanted.}} In the end, it wasn't.
* Played with in ''[[
** The same thing happened when Naruto took out Itachi with a giant Rasengan, but he smiled because that wasn't Itachi, just a duplicate with a fraction of his power.
** Played straight then with {{spoiler|Itachi's actual}} death. As he smiles at Sasuke following their fight he says that there won't be a next time and collapses.
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*** {{spoiler|Kisame}} is also an exception, as he [[Faking the Dead|appeared to die]] then he [[Alas, Poor Villain|really died]] sporting a psychopathic grin ''both'' times (especially the second).
*** There's a difference between smiling because you're at peace and smiling because you're psychotic.
* In ''[[
** Cosmo also smiles literally throughout her ''entire death scene'', as does Maria Robotnik.
* {{spoiler|Ryoko Asakura}} of ''[[
** Actually, she doesn't really see the importance of death. In her [[Image Song]], she even states that ''heartbeats are nothing more than trivial, wave-like patterns''.
* In ''[[
* Done brutally in ''[[Alive:
* {{spoiler|Princess Emeraude}} in the finale of the first season of ''[[
* In ''[[Mahou Tsukai
* In ''[[
** Bang.
** {{spoiler|And because he nay or may not be dead. Word Of God is even he's not sure}}
* In ''[[
** Done with a different yet slightly more [[Badass]] approach in the manga. After {{spoiler|sending Shinji off, two soldiers find Misato waiting with a smile and live grenade}}.
** {{spoiler|Kaji}} went out much the same, but with an added {{spoiler|[[Badass|"What took you so long?"]]}}.
** If you want to get literal, GN Rei in [[End of Evangelion]] does this.
** {{spoiler|Rei 2}} as well in the series. Just as {{spoiler|her Eva}} is about to detonate, she hallucinates a smiling Gendo and tearfully smiles back before the kaboom.
** Another EoE example is {{spoiler|[[Woman Scorned|Ritsuko]]}} whose plan to commit a murder-suicide with Gendo goes up in smoke when [[
* Misty Honey from ''[[
* Keisei in ''[[
* ''[[
* Played with in the first ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' anime with {{spoiler|Greed}}. After committing [[Suicide
** In the manga, this happens near the end with {{spoiler|Buccaneer}}.
** {{spoiler|King Bradley/Wrath}} plays this trope very well in the manga, admitting aloud that he's lead a long, pleasant life as he is dying. This is almost ironic, as this man is singlehandedly responsible for the genocide of an entire race of people, as well as the death of three main characters, the slaughter of a sleugh of supporting characters, and the horrific crippling of another. With all this blood on his hands, and without sounding the slightest bit evil or sadistic, he goes out genuinely happy for the fulfilling life he's had.
{{quote|
** The manga's {{spoiler|Greed}} turns this trope [[Up to Eleven]] by laughing maniacally while being ''rendered down to a {{spoiler|Philosopher's Stone}}.''
*** Later played again by {{spoiler|the second Greed when Father destroys him}}. As he dissolves into air and sees {{spoiler|that all of his comrades truly were his friends, he realizes his desires are finally complete}}.
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** Also in the manga, {{spoiler|Hohenheim returns to Resembool after the final battle with Father and dies kneeling in front of Trisha's grave.}}
*** Pinako outright says so.
{{quote|
** Lust also goes out with this way in [[Dying Moment of Awesome|the]] [[A Plague
* In the ''[[
{{quote|
{{spoiler|'''Mika'''}}: * smiling through {{spoiler|her}} tears* "I know now...that we're a family...and always will be, forever, and ever." }}
* In ''[[Full Metal Panic
* In ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro
* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh (
* In ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!
** {{spoiler|Bruno isn't so lucky. Having declared that the loser of his duel against Yusei will disappear, he pushes his Delta Eagle to its limits just to get Yusei out the Black Hole they're in and back to the Arc Cradle. While Yusei calls out to him and reaches out, Bruno just smiles in the last shot we get of him.}}
* In Rukia's flashback in ''[[
** In his last moments, {{spoiler|Ulquiorra, who didn't as much [[The Stoic|crack an expression]] during the whole arc he appeared in, gives a tiny smile to Orihime when she tries to reach his hand as he disintegrates}}.
* In ''[[
* {{spoiler|Ambertwo}}'s death in ''[[Pokémon (
* In Chapter 278 of ''[[
{{quote|
{{spoiler|Negi: Ra...kan...san?}}
{{spoiler|Rakan: Sorry. (''a few panels later'') Ah, well. I'm sure you'll be able to handle it.}} }}
** And then he revives for a moment and does it again.
{{quote|
{{spoiler|Negi: Rakan-san!}}
{{spoiler|Rakan: Don't look back. Keep on moving forward. When a guy keeps his gaze fixed right in front of him...}}
{{spoiler|Negi: RAKAN-SAN!}}
{{spoiler|Rakan: The world smiles on him...}}
{{spoiler|Negi: Raka...n...san...}} }}
** {{spoiler|Tosaka}} did it too, after taking a hit meant for Ako Izumi.
{{quote|
* In the final episode of ''[[
* In ''[[
* Ikuya Asano in ''[[
* One of the few instances of actual facial expression in ''[[
* Subverted in ''[[
* ''[[
* In ''[[
* ''[[
* A chilling version in ''[[
* ''[[Ranma ½
* ''[[The Idolmaster (
== Comic Books ==
* During the [[Sinestro Corps War]] storyline in ''[[
* [[
* In most [[All the Myriad Ways|Elseworlds]] stories that involve [[The Joker]] dying, he does so with a smile. Of course, it's not like he had much choice.
** The Joker's victims usually go out with a smile, as well... mainly due to how he kills them.
* In ''[[
* Done heartbreakingly in Villains United:
{{quote|
'''Ragdoll:''' Dear, loyal demon, I'm afraid you've misjudged me. I don't know any j...wait. You're dying alone in the mud without ever having had a name or a home.
'''Parademon:''' HAHAHA! See? I told you you were funny... }}
** Made even sadder later when Ragdoll says Parademon was his best friend.
== Fan Works ==
* This is what happens to {{spoiler|[[Bad Movie Beatdown
* In ''[[
{{quote|
== Film
* {{spoiler|Ray the firefly}} in ''[[The Princess and
* Surprisingly perhaps, the titular individual in ''[[
* Surprisingly ''not'' used in ''[[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
** Probably because the Joker isn't necessarily fond of [[It's All About Me|being the butt of a joke]] (his DCAU version especially not so).
** In the censored version, Joker dies via electrocution, and it's mentioned that he did indeed have a smile on his face.
** On the other hand he does laugh hysterically when the titular character of ''[[Batman
* ''[[
{{quote|
▲* ''[[Goldeneye (Film)|Goldeneye]]''. When Bond finds the Canadian admiral, he's in rigor mortis with a gigantic grin thanks to [[Famke Janssen]]'s [[Murderous Thighs]].
▲{{quote| '''[http://www.empireonline.com/features/movie-finishing-moves/default.asp?m=12 Empire Magazine]''': There can't be too many gentlemen of a heterosexual persuasion who, if asked how they'd want to die, wouldn't tick the box marked 'crushed to death between Famke Janssen's thighs'.}}
* In ''[[Sin City]]'', while Kevin is being cut up and fed, he's still smiling. That's not a tear jerker, though, that's just ''intensely fucking creepy''.
* The titular [[Big Bad]] of ''[[
* Anakin Skywalker could barely move, so horribly did the Emperor's lightning burn through his heart in the final ''[[
** In the novelisation of ''[[
** Obi-Wan Kenobi gave Luke one last knowing smile before [[Obi-Wan Moment|willingly becoming one with the Force]]. Via lightsaber.
* The Terminator of ''[[Terminator (
{{quote|
* Roy Batty in ''[[
{{quote|
* Heartily recommended in ''[[Batman (
{{quote|
** Not to mention the ''creepy'' grin frozen on the Joker's face when he shatters all his bones on the pavement of Gotham, with an unnervingly funny laugh from a Laughing-Bag found by Commissioner Gordon on his corpse.
*** In an early draft of the script, {{spoiler|his unnaturally frozen smile goes ''away'' as he dies.}}
** Exposure to his Smilex nerve gas causes the victim to go into spasms of laughter, before dying minutes later with an extra large smile on their face. This only applies when the poison absorbed through tampered cosmetic chemicals. The people at the art museum and the parade died in agony.
* [[The Dark Knight Saga
** [[You Bastard|That]] [[Humans Are the Real Monsters|was]] [[Rousseau Was Right|unbelievably]] [[Crowning Moment of Funny|cruel.]]
** The Joker laughs hysterically {{spoiler|when Batman throws him off a building.}}
* William Wallace does this in ''[[
* To an extent this applies to Katsumoto from ''[[The Last Samurai]]''. He is smiling just before sustaining his final wound, and dies reflecting upon the beauty of the cherry blossoms he is seeing. "Perfect. They are ''all'' perfect."
* Not technically dying, but close enough: In ''[[The Lord of the Rings (
** Théoden manages a smile to Éowyn before he dies.
* Xavier in ''[[X
** Done one more time in the movie by Jean. Coincidentally, Wolverine happens to be at this scene too. When Jean briefly stops her violent rampaging, she implores him to save her from her Phoenix side by destroying her. [[Shoot the Dog|He responds with his admantium claws in her gut, and she goes out with a relieved smile.]]
* In [[Ian McKellen]]'s 1995 version of ''[[
* The Purifier in ''[[The Chronicles of Riddick (
* In the 1962 movie version of ''[[Billy Budd]]'', you get this for the villain, but it's definitely not the "sniff sniff" version. The SOB dies with ''a smile of victory'', knowing the hero who pwn'd him is doomed. Add that said character is played by Robert Ryan. The guy was really creepy.
* In the 2010 version of ''[[
* In the 1973 ''[[The Tall Blond Man
* ''[[
* In ''[[
* ''[[
* Played for laughs in ''[[Cannibal!
* In ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
* In ''[[Harry Potter (
* In most of the film adaptations of ''[[
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* In ''[[
* In ''[[Field of Dreams]],'' Dr. "Moonlight" Graham does this twice for Ray's benefit, along with saying a [[Catch Phrase]]. There is one twist: {{spoiler|he's already dead}}.
* The title character in ''[[Cool Hand Luke]].''
* [[
== Literature ==
* In ''[[The Outsiders]]'', {{spoiler|Dally does this after [[Tear Jerker|Johnny dies]]. He robs a store and pulls out an unloaded gun on the cops so that they would shoot him. Ponyboy says he had a look of grim satisfaction as he fell.}}
* In ''[[Les Misérables (
* In Wilfred Owen's poem, "S.I.W." (stands for "self-inflicted wound") a soldier kills himself to escape an [[War Is Hell|incomprehensible hell]]. His comrades bury the gun with him, and all they tell his mother is that he died smiling - which is true.
* In ''[[
** He is cited as a reason by Harry, with Sanya's support, to go out and kill the Denarians as fast as possible. When another of his friends, {{spoiler|Michael}}, is severely injured, Harry loses it. Spectacularly.
* A variant: At the end of ''[[His Dark Materials|The Amber Spyglass]],'' as Will is about to seal off the window between his and Lyra's world, sundering them forever (and as Will thinks [[Tear Jerker|"Being cheerful starts]] ''[[Tear Jerker|now]]''"), they take one last look at each other, and Lyra smiles through her tears. They share their [[Last Kiss]] at this moment, and then, Will closes the window.
* Data offers one of these to Riker, via shuttlecraft viewscreen, in the ''[[Star Trek:
* ''[[
** Of course, he lives through this.
* [[Redemption Equals Death|Sydney Carton]] from [[
* In [[Graham McNeill]]'s [[Warhammer
* In ''[[Dracula (
{{quote|
** In [[Fred Saberhagen]]'s ''[[
* Played straight in the last ''[[Harry Potter (
** Not to mention {{spoiler|Sirius}}, whose laughter "Had not quite died from his face" before falling through the veil.
* [[The Thrawn Trilogy|Thrawn]], after he is finally defeated and then [[Bodyguard Betrayal|stabbed by his bodyguard]], smiles and tells Pellaeon "[[Famous Last Words|But... it was so artistically done.]]" before [[Eye Lights Out|his eyes go out]].
* {{spoiler|Jim Gardener}} in [[
* In ''[[Holes]]'', Kathleen Barlow ("Kissin' Kate Barlow") is taken in for arrest, to be tortured for information. Before they can do anything to her, however, a Yellow Spotted Lizard bites her on the ankle, which causes a slow, painful death; and Kate dies laughing, as "there was nothing more they could do to her now", and the knowledge of the location of her loot would die with her.
* {{spoiler|Silena Beauregard}} in ''[[Percy Jackson
* {{spoiler|Rachel}} in the final ''[[
* {{spoiler|Jedi Knight Jai Maruk}} in ''Yoda: [[
* {{spoiler|Julius Root}} in ''[[
* In ''They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'', Gloria often tells her only friend, Robert that she wishes she were dead, and finally [[I Cannot Self-Terminate|asks him to shoot her, because she doesn't have the courage to kill herself]]. He obliges, and [[In Medias Res|at the beginning of the book]], recalls her expression as she died: "She was relaxed and comfortable and she was smiling. It was the first time I had ever seen her smile."
* In the short story "Call me Joe", when a man is dying (after dumping most of his mind into an artificial body, similar to the ending of the [[Avatar (
* In a short story by [[Robert Sheckley]], a planet has a civilization of [[Death Seeker
* "[[
* ''[[
* In ''[[Jurassic Park]]'', Malcolm, after chapter upon chapter of getting angry at Hammond's ignorance and scientists in general, dies with a smile. {{spoiler|He gets better, though.}}
* Subverted in the ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' episode "No Rest For The Wicked". Dean might have smiled at his crying brother but it's one of those smiles that you do when you're trying to be brave, trying not to throw up from fear and trying not to cry yourself. And then he sees the Hellhound come to kill him, freaks and runs into another room with Sam and Ruby, and is torn apart in there a few minutes later while Sam watches helplessly.▼
▲== Live Action TV ==
* In ''[[
▲* Subverted in the ''[[Supernatural (TV)|Supernatural]]'' episode "No Rest For The Wicked". Dean might have smiled at his crying brother but it's one of those smiles that you do when you're trying to be brave, trying not to throw up from fear and trying not to cry yourself. And then he sees the Hellhound come to kill him, freaks and runs into another room with Sam and Ruby, and is torn apart in there a few minutes later while Sam watches helplessly.
** After a brutal fight with Clark, [[Smallville
▲* In ''[[Smallville (TV)|Smallville]]'', right before Jonathan Kent succumbs to his heart attack, he attempts to smile one last time to his family and tell them "I love you." [[Tear Jerker|Oh geeze]]...
* In the 3rd series finale for ''[[
▲** After a brutal fight with Clark, [[Smallville (TV)/Phantom Zone/Characters|Titan]] realizes he has been fatally impaled by his own arm-spike. He smiles while stating "[[Worthy Opponent|Good fight]]" and drops dead.
▲* In the 3rd series finale for ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'', the Master technically gets to do this as he dies, he taunts the Doctor for not being able to save him, thus meaning the Master finally wins over the Doctor.
** The Ninth Doctor Gets one of these just as he starts [[The Nth Doctor|regenerating]], during a fond farewell to Rose. [[The Nth Doctor|Number 10]] reawakens from the regeneration still smiling and ready to resume the pair's trip to (the planet) Barcelona.
** The Third Doctor uses his last moments to comfort Sarah Jane. ''"A tear, Sarah Jane? No, don't cry. While there's life, there's..."''
* Spike goes out like this in ''[[
** His mother too in the flashback {{spoiler|after Spike stakes her.}}
* In the second season finale of ''[[
* In the ''[[
** And in the finale {{spoiler|Jack smiles as he lies dying and watches the plane carrying the remaining survivors fly overhead}}.
** In "This Place is Death", {{spoiler|a seriously ill Charlotte smiles as she regresses back to her childhood before suddenly dying seconds later}}.
* The first episode of ''[[
* In ''[[Lexx]]'', {{spoiler|the original Zev and the resurrected Kai}} die with a smile and a laugh, respectively.
* In ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]'' Marian dies with a smile on her face as she finally marries Robin (despite the sword impaling her stomach).
* In ''[[
* Narrowly [[Averted Trope]] in ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' after Lancelot is captured and about to be executed after securing Guinevere's escape from a warlord's keep. When he's threatened with a slow and painful death, he only gives a beautific smile and tells them that because Guinevere is safe, he dies happy. Only for the men to drag a recaptured Guinevere back into the arena. But then Prince Arthur saves them both anyway.
** At the start of the fourth series Lancelot gets another chance to
* Beautifully done in ''[[
* Archie Kennedy in the sixth installment of the [[Horatio Hornblower]] mini-series, after saving Horatio's life and career. Albeit something of a tearful-looking smile (and largely there for Horatio's sake), but still one that could light up a room.
* Kendrix from ''[[Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
* {{spoiler|Philip}} in ''[[Kamen Rider Double|Kamen Rider W]]''. Large portions of the episode are devoted to the characters wanting to make sure he does so, rather than go out in pain.
* {{spoiler|H.G. Wells}} in ''[[Warehouse 13]]'' does this for {{spoiler|Myka after safely sealing her and Pete and Artie in a force field to protect them from an impending explosion but leaves her unprotected to be hit full force by the blast.}}
== Music ==
* In Vocaloid Kagamine Len's ''Servant of Evil'' (and Meiko's Daughter of Vengeance), {{spoiler|he smiles as he stands at the guillotine.}}
* [[Lupe Fiasco
* In the music video for "[[Nightwish
* The end of the chorus of "Fences" by [[
* [[
{{quote|
''I'm never giving in''
''On with the show!'' }}
== Video Games ==
* In ''[[
* Considering he's a flaming skeleton, you better believe Xan of ''[[
* In ''[[Fantasia Otome Game Series
* Though it probably wasn't intentional (as [[Word of God]] states she was ''not'' making a [[Heroic Sacrifice]]) Aerith's final sweet smile before her death in ''[[
** As did Zack's in the ending of ''[[
* Used cynically by Geese Howard at Terry or Andy's ending of ''Real Bout [[
* In ''[[Fire Emblem Tellius
** This is also how Rajaion dies.
** Also used in ''[[Fire Emblem Elibe
* Iris in ''[[
** Well what do you know, that scene just got [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf-JE2FKD-k significantly better]!
* Several of the major assassination targets in ''[[
* In ''[[
** In the OVA, the previous event eventually sends Lloyd into a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]], when he kills Remiel, the deceptuous [[Winged Humanoid|Angel]] responsible for causing Colette's presumed death. While this occurs in the game, it is nowhere near as awesome.
* In ''[[
** [[Big Bad]] Dahau also does it at the end of ''[[
* In ''[[Shadow Hearts]]'', Alice hides the fact that she will soon die from a curse from Yuri and goes on cheerfully, dying in her sleep with a smile in the bad ending. In Covenant, when the attempt to resurrect her fails, she opens her eyes, smiles, and tells Yuri she loves him right before her body disintegrates.
* Content cut from ''[[Knights of the Old Republic (
* Sora from ''[[
** Axel also smiles before fading away into nothingness after his suicide attack on the Dusks in the sequel.
** And in 358/2 Days, {{spoiler|after Roxas defeats Xion in a boss battle, Xion smiles at Roxas one last time in his arms as she fades away.}}
* {{spoiler|Daniella}} from ''[[
* {{spoiler|The Main Character}} in ''[[
** As well as {{spoiler|Shinji}}, who, {{spoiler|while bleeding to death out of two point-blank gunshot wounds, not only sneers at his would-be killer, and asks why he looks so sad, since this is what he wanted, but stands up, walks a few feet, throws back his head, laughs, assures everyone that this is how it should be, and collapses.}} Much more of a tear-jerker than it sounds like.
*** Made even worse in the PSP remake, where {{spoiler|1=Shinji and everyone else thinks he's dying after he takes two gunshots to the chest, and he tells the FeMC (if you chose her) not to cry because it was supposed to be this way [[Tear Jerker]].}}
** In the final scenes of the game, {{spoiler|the sociopath Takaya limps up to the top of Tartarus to laugh in the party's face as, despite all their efforts, Nyx is still coming to end all life. Even though the heroes ''hadn't'' injured him fatally, he collapses on his back and smiles to welcome the end, thinking of his (dead) partner Jin, implying that he ''willed'' himself to die as reward for fulfilling their plans}}.
* {{spoiler|Sota}} from ''[[
* The ''[[Super Mario Bros
* ''[[
** Cue the [[Tear Jerker|waterworks...]]
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
* In ''[[Dragon Age II]]'' {{spoiler|Leandra, [[Player Character|Hawke's]] mother, dies smiling in her child's arms after telling him/her [[So Proud of You|how proud she is of him/her.]]}}
* Just before being [[Ret
* Although he doesn't die, [[Dawn of War
* In the True Ending of ''[[
* After an [[Best Boss Ever|epic battle]] with his pupil [[Asura's Wrath]], {{spoiler|[[Old Master|Aug]][[Blood Knight|us]] dies smiling, content that his last battle was as exhilarating as he had hoped, even [[Graceful Loser|giving Asura his blessing]]}}.
** {{spoiler|Yasha dies smiling after his last battle with Asura, in hope that the now powered up Asura can save the world.}}
** {{spoiler|And finally, [[The Hero Dies|Asura]] himself dies smiling now that his wrath is finally gone.}}
* In the finale of ''[[Golden Sun
* {{spoiler|The Joker, true to form till the end,}} in ''[[
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
* Several people in ''[[
** Several of {{spoiler|your squadmates}} do something like this if {{spoiler|they die during the suicide mission.}}
** In ''[[
{{quote|
'''{{spoiler|Mordin}}:''' ''"I'm not. Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."'' }}
** Also in ''Mass Effect 3'': {{spoiler|Anderson dies with a peaceful smile after telling Shepard how proud he is of her/him. Shepard seems just about ready to do the same before a call from Hackett and an intervention from the Catalyst pull her/him out of it.}}
=== Visual Novels ===▼
* In ''[[
▲== Visual Novels ==
* In ''[[Fate/stay
▲* In ''[[Ribbon of Green (Visual Novel)|Ribbon of Green]]'', the Good ending has {{spoiler|Hanyuan fade away with a smile}}. Subverted as she is [[Dead All Along]].
▲* In ''[[Fate Stay Night (Visual Novel)|Fate Stay Night]]'', both the Fate and Unlimited Blade Works' scenarios endings. {{spoiler|Archer}}'s death in UBW is perhaps made more poignant by the fact that {{spoiler|he knows very well that he's going back to his own Special Hell where he'll see the evils of humanity over and over again}}, but still smiles and reassures his ex-partner that he'll be fine.
** {{spoiler|Caster's Master Kuzuki}} in the anime storyline assured her as she was fading away that he was fine; so she could return to the throne happy. {{spoiler|After she's gone, he dies.}}
** While {{spoiler|being devoured from the inside by True Assassin}}, Assassin is rather calm despite {{spoiler|apparent limb removal and said devouring thing}} and is chatting fairly casually through the whole thing, ''probably'' not losing his smile because it is all the dignity he can still really spare here.
** Even {{spoiler|Gilgamesh}} gets one in the Fate route; as he lies dying from {{spoiler|a direct hit from Excalibur}}, his last act is to smile, compliment {{spoiler|his killer}} Saber on her beauty, and say that his interactions with her were 'truly fun'.
* ''[[
* Cruelly played with in one of the ''[[
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* In ''[[
** He resisted resurrection in a later strip, indicating he was not too sorry to be dead.
** Miko herself dies with a smile in strip 464, on being told that Windstriker, her horse (and only friend) will visit her in the afterlife even though she has failed to redeem herself.
** Lord Kubota does also. Not that he realizes he's about to die.
*** {{spoiler|Therkla. [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html Here.]}} [[Tear Jerker|I've got something in my eye...]]
* {{spoiler|RED Spy}} in ''[[
* Near the end of the Soul of Storms arc in ''[[
* ''[[
* In Dave Kelly's ''[[Living In Grey Town]]'', one of the characters dies with a big grin on his face. He later admits that it unintentionally looked really creepy.
* ''[[
** It's difficult to tell if it's because {{spoiler|he's glad that Gamzee is finally taking his place in the hemospectrum}}, or {{spoiler|his submission fetish}} or just that [[Technically a Smile|his facial muscles are]] [[Nightmare Fuel|tensing due to asphyxiation]]
*** [[Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant|It's probably all three.]]
* Pauline from ''[[Our Little Adventure]]'' dies this way, probably because she knows she will be able to be with her husband and son who were murdered some time before.
* {{spoiler|1=[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20061215 Lars]}} from ''[[
== Web Original ==
* In ''[[
* [[Half Life: Full Life Consequences
* ''[[
** Craig Hoyle pulls one of these off as well, causing quite a bit of pain for his accidental killer, Nik Kronwall.
* {{spoiler|Irv}} in ''[[The Kingdom (
== Western Animation ==
* In ''[[Justice League (
{{quote|
* When ''[[
** Similar thing happens with {{spoiler|Prowl}} in ''[[
*** Cue [[Tear Jerker|crying]] ''everyone''.
** Also, Vector Prime after his [[Heroic Sacrifice]], as mentioned earlier.
* Oh yea, and then there's {{spoiler|Antauri}} from ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go
* The last we see of {{spoiler|Jet}} in ''[[
* In the ''[[
* ''[[
== Real Life ==
Line 405 ⟶ 390:
* Some versions of the [[John Henry]] story have him smiling right before dying from overwork after winning a race to see who can cover a length of track the fastest.
* A most famous real life example is of Shemp Howard, one of the Three Stooges. He died in the back of a taxi cab while lighting up a cigar and telling a joke after coming home from the boxing match. Knowing Shemp's personality, [[He Would Have Wanted It That Way]].
* [[Four
* In 2011 in the Seattle area, a middle-aged (not old) hobby fisherman caught a 20-lb. salmon, the biggest fish of his life. He turned to a stranger, said happily, "This is the fish of my dreams," then fell into the river and died of a heart attack. They barbecued the salmon and ate it at his wake. Not such a bad way to go, yes?
* Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was laughing at this line when he was shot. Katherine M. Evans, a young actress in the play, who was offstage when Lincoln was shot but rushed onstage afterwards stated "I looked and saw President Lincoln unconscious, his head dropping on his breast,his eyes closed, but with a smile still on his face". As he died his breathing grew quieter, his face more calm. According to some accounts, at his last drawn breath, on the morning after the assassination, he smiled broadly and then expired. A New York Times reporter said "I had never seen upon the President's face an expression more genial and pleasing."
* Lieutenant Alec S. Paterson of No. 3 Squadron AFC, viewing Manfred von Richthofen`s body before his burial, wrote: "he was about 5 7 well proportioned, fair hair closely cropped and small hands and feet and although dead, had a smile on his face".
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Death Tropes]]
[[Category:Smile Tropes]]
[[Category:Tear Jerker Tropes]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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