King on His Deathbed: Difference between revisions

If it wasn't a [[Deadly Decadent Court]], it probably is now. Expect to see power plays by [[The Grand Vizier]], [[The Evil Prince]], The [[Royal Bastard]] or—God help you--[[The Caligula]]. Though strangely, you probably don't have to worry about [[The Baroness]]. If this work is [[Darker and Edgier]], expect everyone to develop [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder]]; if it's a more lighthearted work, watch the good guys dig up a [[Reluctant Ruler]], or rally around [[The Wise Prince]].

 

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== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''

** The Emperor of Xing is dying, which is why Ling and Mei have traveled to Amestris - they're looking for the secret to immortality in order to gain the Emperor's favor.

 

== Film ==

* The Skeksis emperor in ''[[The Dark Crystal]]'', leading to [[Trial by Combat]] for his succession.

* In ''[[Gladiator]]'', Emperor Marcus Aurelius isn't literally on his deathbed, but knows he's old and dying, and so names the hero his heir. This, combined with telling his psychotic son before telling anyone else who could confirm it, leads to him passing the deathbed stage and going straight to [[Killed Off for Real|all the way dead]].

 

== Literature ==

* ''[[Chalion|The Hallowed Hunt]]'': The king falls ill before a successor has been elected. Everyone in the kingdom plots to advance themselves or their candidate, all the while {{spoiler|the ''true'' immortal king of the Weald, at last completes his incredibly complex [[Gambit Roulette]] to reclaim the hallow kingship}}.

* ''[[Vorkosigan Saga|Cordelia's Honor]]'': [[Magnificent Bastard|The Emperor]] is terminally ill, but still as lucid and conniving as ever.

* In the second ''[[Warrior Cats]]'' series, WindClan leader Tallstar is ill for a long time, and his deputy Mudclaw has been doing most of the leader's duties, and looks forward to becoming leader himself. When Tallstar dies, {{spoiler|naming Onewhisker his successor}}, Mudclaw thinks that some scheming has been going on behind his back, not believing Tallstar would have wished that.

 

 

* In [[Warhammer 40,000]] the Emperor of Mankind has been on life support for ten thousand years, while all around him the "High Lords" politic and scheme. In this case there's no question of succession—if he ever finishes dying the entire Imperium will probably collapse and die—but otherwise it fits this trope to a tee.

** Something similar played out with his rebel son Konrad Curze, whose descent into crippling madness tore his legion apart long before he died. His assassination by a Calidus assassin was more of an excuse for the [[Night Lords]] to dissolve than an actual reason to do so.

 

== Theater ==

* Edward IV's illness creates this situation at the beginning of Shakespeare's ''[[Richard III]],'' since Edward's son is too young to be an effective ruler, and Richard not-yet-III devotes a great deal of his energy to knocking off everyone who'd be a more respectable regent than himself.

* Henry IV's deathbed scene in ''[[Henry IV]], Part Two'' involves a slightly panicky Prince Hal contemplating the responsibility of the crown, the dying king dressing his son down for his truant ways, then giving him the crown. Hal accepts it and, contrary to all expectations, [[Henry V|rises to the kingship in magnificent fashion]].

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Final Fantasy Tactics]]'': This situation kicks off the War of The Lions.

* ''[[King's Quest I]]''.

 

== Real Life ==

* Edward the Confessor

* Generalissimo Francisco Franco of Spain. His death was so prolonged and important to Spain that ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' constantly joked that he was still dead for years.