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{{trope}}
[[File:the-death.jpg|frame|[[I Have Many Names|The Stealer of Souls, Defeater of Empires, Swallower of Oceans, The Ultimate Reality, Harvester of Mankind,]] atop [[Discworld|
{{quote|When the first living thing existed, I was there, waiting. When the last living thing dies, my job will be finished. I'll put the chairs on tables, turn out the lights and lock the universe behind me when I leave.
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* Meroko of ''[[Full Moon o Sagashite]]'' is probably the cutest shinigami of all time complete with [[You Gotta Have Blue Hair|Pink]] [[Rapunzel Hair]] [[Unusual Ears|Bunny Ears]] tiny [[Winged Humanoid|Angel Wings]] and a costume that's little more than a skirt with a bikini top and [[Zettai Ryouiki|thighhigh socks]]. In universe her looks are explained as being necessary to stop the crying of children since she's a shinigami specializing in children.
** Takuto is also a shinigami but he's still in training so his ears and wings aren't real.
== Comic Books ==
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== Fan Works ==
* In the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' fanfic ''[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10136172/1/Core-Threads Core Threads]'' by theaceoffire, a young godlike!Harry creates several internal aspects (effectively [[Split Personality|split personalities]]) to handle his power and manage his extensive and complicated mindscape. One of them, "Wrath", turns out to actually be Death itself, just pretending to be one of Harry's personalities.
* Played with in the ''[[Worm]]/[[Luna Varga]]'' crossover ''[[Taylor Varga]]'': The first time the Family meets Vista, who to hide her identity is wearing the cloak that will shortly become her alternate hero persona, Saurial creates and hands her a scythe then insists she's Death -- for a little while, at least. And after Cloak follows the Family tradition of [[troll]]ing Max Anders in his penthouse, Anders subsequently refers to her as a "tiny Death" every time he thinks about her.
== Film ==
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* The Swedish silent movie ''Körkarlen'' (from 1921, ''The Phantom Carriage'' in English) involves the soul of dying man following Death's coachman around picking up the dead - and seeing the consequences of his own bad life. Here, the driver of the "phantom carriage" is the last man to die each year.
* Appears briefly in ''[[Metropolis]]''.
* Charon, the ferryman who takes the dead to the underworld in greek mythology, is probably the [[Trope Creator]]. He is often represented in a skeletal figure dressed in dark robes with a long pole by which he steers his barge.▼
** In Greek mythology, death itself - ''Thanatos'' - is a minor deity but he looks like a handsome bearded man with large wings.▼
* [[wikipedia:Ankou|Ankou]], from the folklore of Brittany, [https://web.archive.org/web/20140225124440/http://www.ph-ludwigsburg.de/html/2b-frnz-s-01/overmann/baf4/bretagne/le_char_de_l_ankou%5B1%5D.jpg shares many traits with the Reaper], and may have been an inspiration.▼
* The Mexican cult of [[wikipedia:Santa Muerte|Santa Muerte]].▼
* In ''[[The Bible]]'' death it/himself is referred to a number of times, although it's a bit unclear whether these should be interpreted as describing the concept of death or Death as an actual entity. He's definitely identified in Revelation as one of the [[Horsemen of the Apocalypse]] however, and in fact the only one to be explicitly named.▼
** What part of "an angel who is either associated with Jesus, or Jesus himself(son of man) [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+5%3A25-27&version=NIV\], '''wielding a scythe''' ready to '''reap''' the grapes of wrath,[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2014:%2014-20&version=KJV\] symbolizing the killing all of the earth dwellers who martyred of all of the Christians" [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+6%3A9-11&version=NIV\] do you not understand?▼
** Also, in Roman Catholicism [[Archangel Michael]] and Archangel Samael are respectively considered to be the good and the bad Angel of Death.▼
* In Islamic mythology Azrael is considered the Archangel of Death.▼
* Death is the narrator of "[http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/Maugham-AS.htm Appointment in Samarra]", a story retold by W. Somerset Maugham in 1933, itself based on an old Middle Eastern story.▼
* Averted by anthropomorphic personifications of death that look nothing like the Grim Reaper:▼
== Literature ==
* [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' novels take this even further: Death is a character in his own right, with thoughts, feelings (sort of), and a genuine personality. He's the central figure of several books in the series, and has appeared in every book (even if only for a line or two) except for ''[[
** Although Death is largely a nice person, you ''really'' [[Beware the Nice Ones|don't want to get him mad]]. The Auditors of Reality have discovered this several times over, and a good guy like the titular protagonist of ''[[
** Though Death performs his duty for every living thing on the Disc, from humans to tube worms, his brief retirement in ''[[
** Death's boss is Azrael, the Death of Universes, a being so colossal that galaxies appear as twinkles in his eye, and it takes a whole page to contain a single-word reply to a question. Also, he has a clock -- ''the'' clock—which tells Time what ''it'' is.
* Pratchett also used another more [[True Neutral]] version of Death in ''[[Nation]]'', called Locaha. [[Unreliable Narrator|Who may or may not exist.]]
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* In an episode of ''[[Scrubs]]'', J.D. [[Imagine Spot|images]] Death hanging around the hospital due to all the deaths that happen there. Death among other things has a daughter selling girl scout cookies, and [[Chess with Death|plays a game of Connect Four with J.D. over a patient's life]].
* The rare version of the Reaper wielding a sword when coming to claim royalty is highlighted on the final episode of ''The Tudors'' when {{spoiler|a Reaper on horseback approaches Henry(who, after three seasons of subtle aging, is back as he was in Season 1); [[Ironic Echo|aiming the sword at the king's neck]]. It's a dream sequence, however.}}
== Music ==
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* The [[Scary Black Man]] from the Bone Thugz 'N Harmony video for "Crossroads", until the end when he takes off his coat and hat revealing he has angel wings.
== Oral Tradition, Folklore, Myths and Legends ==
▲* Charon, the ferryman who takes the dead to the underworld in greek mythology, is probably the [[Trope Creator]]. He is often represented in a skeletal figure dressed in dark robes with a long pole by which he steers his barge.
▲** In Greek mythology, death itself - ''Thanatos'' - is a minor deity but he looks like a handsome bearded man with large wings.
▲* [[wikipedia:Ankou|Ankou]], from the folklore of Brittany, [https://web.archive.org/web/20140225124440/http://www.ph-ludwigsburg.de/html/2b-frnz-s-01/overmann/baf4/bretagne/le_char_de_l_ankou%5B1%5D.jpg shares many traits with the Reaper], and may have been an inspiration.
▲* The Mexican cult of [[wikipedia:Santa Muerte|Santa Muerte]].
▲* In ''[[The Bible]]'' death it/himself is referred to a number of times, although it's a bit unclear whether these should be interpreted as describing the concept of death or Death as an actual entity. He's definitely identified in Revelation as one of the [[Horsemen of the Apocalypse]] however, and in fact the only one to be explicitly named.
▲** What part of "an angel who is either associated with Jesus, or Jesus himself(son of man) [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+5%3A25-27&version=NIV\], '''wielding a scythe''' ready to '''reap''' the grapes of wrath,[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2014:%2014-20&version=KJV\] symbolizing the killing all of the earth dwellers who martyred of all of the Christians" [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+6%3A9-11&version=NIV\] do you not understand?
▲** Also, in Roman Catholicism [[Archangel Michael]] and Archangel Samael are respectively considered to be the good and the bad Angel of Death.
▲* In Islamic mythology Azrael is considered the Archangel of Death.
▲* Death is the narrator of "[http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english320/Maugham-AS.htm Appointment in Samarra]", a story retold by W. Somerset Maugham in 1933, itself based on an old Middle Eastern story.
▲* Averted by anthropomorphic personifications of death that look nothing like the Grim Reaper:
==
* The personification of Death is a central character in the German musical ''[[Elisabeth]]''. He's not much of a traditional Grim Reaper type, though, as he's not hooded, scythe-wielding, or skeletal (in fact, he's usually rather handsome, although it depends on who's playing him). He's referred to as "Der Tod" ("Death", in German); his duets with Elisabeth are seen as long-life flirtations, and the single duet with her son Rudolf can be ''very'' easily seen as [[Ho Yay]].▼
* The ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' C'tan god known as the Nightbringer [[Mind Rape|MindRaped]] proto-life so comprehensively he gave all living creatures (except Orks) the fear of death, and although he can take any shape usually styles himself as a giant floating reaper, complete with thirty-foot-long-scythe. Partially as a consequence of this, the Eldar formed a sect of warriors called the Dark Reapers, although instead of scythes, they use [[Macross Missile Massacre|rapid-fire micro-missile launchers]]. The ''first'' Dark Reaper, the Phoenix Lord Maugan Ra, instead uses a shuriken cannon (yes, a [[BFG]] that fires shuriken) with a scythe blade on the end of the barrel.
* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' has had several gods of death over its history, and several Grim Reaper analogues:
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* The darkly humorous ''HOL: Human Occupied Landfill'' actually gave stats for "Death Himself (Mortus). It also uses the civil servant interpretation, saying that due to the immense workload he has to do in the game's highly volatile and [[Crapsack World|dangerous setting]], he realized the need to hire subcontractors to assist in the workload and open his first branch office. One example given was a man named "Gordo" who, due to death's vanity concerning his [[Sinister Scythe]], is forced to collect souls using a weed whacker.
== Theatre ==
▲* The personification of Death is a central character in the German musical ''[[Elisabeth]]''. He's not much of a traditional Grim Reaper type, though, as he's not hooded, scythe-wielding, or skeletal (in fact, he's usually rather handsome, although it depends on who's playing him). He's referred to as "Der Tod" ("Death", in German); his duets with Elisabeth are seen as long-life flirtations, and the single duet with her son Rudolf can be ''very'' easily seen as [[Ho Yay]].
== Video Games ==
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* Gravelord Nito from ''[[Dark Souls]]'' is effectively the god of death and the Grim Reaper. He even has a skeletal theme, only Nito is ''made'' of a mountain of skeletons.
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[Irregular Webcomic]]'' has a plethora of reapers, each assigned to collect souls from specific causes of death. ''Very'' specific causes of death, including Death of Insanely Overpowered Fireballs, Death of Being Wrestled to Death by Steve <s>Irwin</s>, Death of Inhaling Hat-Making Chemicals, etc. Death of Being Ground By A Mars Rover Rock Abrasion Tool had something of a long wait before his debut performance. Of late, {{spoiler|the author himself has become Death of Going Back in Time and Killing Yourself, after being on the receiving end but before any inkling of the giving end. One of the perks of the job is... The ability to travel in time.}}
* ''[[Gunnerkrigg Court]]'', which has [[Crossover Cosmology|numerous figures from different myths]] serving as Psychopomps, features a brief appearance by Ankou, who looks like The Reaper and carries a scythe.
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* Death is depicted as a goth girl (and one of the [[Powers That Be]]) in ''[[Finder's Keepers]]''.
* ''[[Nichtlustig]]'' has a [[Grim Reaper]], who keeps a poodle (''nothing against the Poodle of Death''), has his own <s>corn</s>death-flakes, takes a day of when depressed and is very much beloved by every lemming he happens upon.
* ''[[The KAMics]]'' has Hela from [[Norse Mythology]] as it's official Grim Reaper (although for a while it seemed to be Steve of ''[[Life and Death]]''). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130207011038/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/4789283/ She] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130207011043/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5077713/ doesn't] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130207011048/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5268279/ dress] [https://web.archive.org/web/20121226132237/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5270141/ very] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130601211532/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5294388/ traditional] [https://web.archive.org/web/20121226131827/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5281093/ though]. (Fourth link is NSFW.) [https://web.archive.org/web/20130527185225/http://www.drunkduck.com/The_KAMics/5305635/ She describes her job as a guide for the dead type.]
* ''[[Nosfera]]'' has [[Battle Butler]] Grimsworth.
* At the end of ''[[The Phoenix Requiem]]'', {{spoiler|Jonas}} appears in a dark cloak, and tells that some call him The Reaper "after some local nonsense folk tale".
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** ''Dangerously Chloe'' got Alchemy, a young reaper who seems to ''not'' have benefits of a comparable worldly education with side dish of "[[Seen It All]]" in the buffet before getting this job: whenever not completely alone, she is bouncing between panical insecurity and self-importance.
== Web
* The Grim Reaper recounts his experiences in ''[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/72146 The Grim Reaper Show]'', where's he portrayed as a sardonic wisecracker. There are five current installments.
== Western Animation ==
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* The Reaper appears to have been following [[Gorillaz|Russel Hobbes]] around for most of his life. Russel insists he saw the Reaper during the drive-by shooting which killed all his friends, and actually has photographic evidence of Death looming over him. Rumour also has it that Murdoc's pet raven Cortez was "born in the folds of the Grim Reaper's cloak" - he picked it up in Mexico, a place where ravens don't naturally live in the wild, so there may in fact be something weird going on with it.
* ''[[Mary Shelley's Frankenhole]]'' has Death appear, trying his damnedest to stick it to the [[Immortality|immortal]] Frankenstein. He finally finds a way by episodes end. He vows to ''never'' reap Victor's annoying and elderly children (Victor never gave them the immortality serum), leaving Victor stuck with them forever.
* At the very beginning of [[Pluto the Pup|Pluto's]] nightmare in ''[[
* In ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'', Rocko's car dies, and is escorted to Heaven by the Grim Tow Truck.
* The Grim Reaper in [[Regular Show]] is a recurring villain who lost an arm wrestling contest with Skips in order to keep Rigby's soul, tried stealing Mordecai, Rigby, Pops, and Benson's souls by winning at bowling, and blackmailed Mordecai and Rigby into babysitting his son by stealing Muscle Man's soul after he died. He also has a cockney accent, can revive people through loogie's, holds souls in bowling balls, one giant muscular arm that looks like a normal arm when he wears a jacket,and looks a lot like Lemmy from Motorhead.
== Multiple Media ==▼
* In the ''[[Doctor Who Expanded Universe]]'', Death is female with a bit of a sick attitude toward life. On at least one occasion she interacts with the Doctor and his companions, even making a deal with him that involves him murdering someone. According to [[Big Finish]], the Master is "Death's Champion".▼
** [[Word of God]] is that the Time Lord "gods" are just bored [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|Eternals]], which may mean she isn't ''actually'' The Grim Reaper. There's a [[Lawyer-Friendly Cameo]] by [[Neil Gaiman]]'s Death in the [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''Happy Endings'', who might be the real deal.▼
== Real Life ==
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* If you happen to see [[The Weather Channel]]'s Jim Cantore with a crew in your neighborhood [[Doomed Hometown|well... sorry for you loss.]]
** One [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48r4IQTB3NE&feature=relmfu commercial] has Cantore showing up at a beach on a nice summer day for vacation. Everyone there, knowing who he is, starts evacuating the beach as soon as they lay eyes on him.
▲== Multiple Media ==
▲* In the ''[[Doctor Who Expanded Universe]]'', Death is female with a bit of a sick attitude toward life. On at least one occasion she interacts with the Doctor and his companions, even making a deal with him that involves him murdering someone. According to [[Big Finish]], the Master is "Death's Champion".
▲** [[Word of God]] is that the Time Lord "gods" are just bored [[Sufficiently Advanced Aliens|Eternals]], which may mean she isn't ''actually'' The Grim Reaper. There's a [[Lawyer-Friendly Cameo]] by [[Neil Gaiman]]'s Death in the [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel ''Happy Endings'', who might be the real deal.
----
{{quote|'''[[Statler and Waldorf|Statler:]]''' Someone should send the Grim Reaper to the writer of this script!
'''[[Discworld|Death:]]''' {{smallcaps| I visit the writer of ''every'' script.}}
'''Statler:''' Do-ho-ho... huh? }}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Afterlife Tropes]]▼
[[Category:Cosmic Entity]]
[[Category:Death Tropes]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Older Than Print]]
▲[[Category:Afterlife Tropes]]
▲[[Category:The Grim Reaper]]
▲[[Category:God Tropes]]
[[Category:Public Domain Character]]
▲[[Category:Gothic Horror Tropes]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grim Reaper, The}}
▲[[Category:Character]]]
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