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->'''Simon''': [[LampshadeHanging That's the first time I've ever needed to die to solve a puzzle...]]
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** Castiel realizes that perhaps swallowing all the souls in Purgatory wasn't the best idea and tries this to save Dean and the world.
** Dean does this when he realizes his bloodlust is out of control and that he's a danger to his family. However it just leads to a DeathActivatedSuperpower.
** Dean does this when he realizes his bloodlust is out of control and that he's a danger to his family. However it just leads to a DeathActivatedSuperpower.
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning. DeliberateInjuryGambit is a far less severe related trope. Depending on how far out the character sees this coming or how long they last after becoming terminal, may involve MilesToGoBeforeISleep.
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning. DeliberateInjuryGambit is a far less severe related trope. Depending on how far out the character sees this coming or how long they last after becoming terminal, may involve MilesToGoBeforeISleep.
MilesToGoBeforeISleep. Not to be confused with MurderIsTheBestSolution.
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* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' episode "Better Luck Next Time", a police detective is manipulated by a pair of malevolent energy beings into being their plaything, intending to turn her into a host after they've tricked her into shooting a fellow cop. However, their hosts burn out rapidly, they can't survive for long without one, and their current hosts are just about to expire. She [[TitleDrop utters the episode's title]] just before shooting herself in the head, bringing the energy beings' centuries-long murder spree to an end.
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* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "Better Luck Next Time", a police detective is manipulated by a pair of malevolent energy beings into being their plaything, intending to turn her into a host after they've tricked her into shooting a fellow cop. However, their hosts burn out rapidly, they can't survive for long without one, and their current hosts are just about to expire. She [[TitleDrop utters the episode's title]] just before shooting herself in the head, bringing the energy beings' centuries-long murder spree to an end.
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* In ''ComicBook/TheWickedAndTheDivine'', members of the Pantheon die within two years of the Recurrence's beginning. Often this occurs by somebody else's hand, but any who make it to the end of the time limit are required to off themselves in order for the Recurrence to, well, reoccur.
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* Videogame/DeathGoesOn Relies on knights dying over and over- by, say, being flung by a swinging axe onto a button- so the next one can progress a bit further.
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* Ryan takes the permanent version after he is captured by Amanda and in imminent threat of a mind wipe. The only way to get a message to Nikita that something is wrong is to jump out a window to his death.
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning. DeliberateInjuryGambit is a far less severe related trope.
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning. DeliberateInjuryGambit is a far less severe related trope.
trope. Depending on how far out the character sees this coming or how long they last after becoming terminal, may involve MilesToGoBeforeISleep.
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* Ryan takes the permanent version after he is captured by Amanda and in imminent threat of a mind wipe. The only way to get a message to Nikita that something is wrong is to jump out a window to his death.
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TropesAreFlexible is in full effect; getting all the way to dying or [[DeathIsCheap staying dead]] is not required, and 'victory' is highly variable.
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* In ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' 2002 episode "To Protect and Serve", a cop kills an abusive pimp to protect a woman, but the pimp comes back as a ghost and continues his evil ways. The cop eventually kills himself, becoming a ghost and allowing him to defeat the pimp once and for all.
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All The Myriad Ways is being renamed to Expendable Alternate Universe. Bad examples and Zero Context Examples are being removed.
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* At the end of ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker must allow Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he can make the choice that would, in an alternate timeline, lead to him becoming [[BigBad Comstock]] and setting the events of the story in motion.
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* At the end of ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker must allow Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays [[AlternateSelf and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he can make the choice that would, in an alternate timeline, lead to him becoming [[BigBad Comstock]] and setting the events of the story in motion.
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** Only a genius or a cheater[[hottip:* :with good reflexes]] can complete the game on the first try with only the minimum required deaths (one[[hottip:* :if your reflexes are ''phenomenal'']]), much less completing the secret ending.
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** Only a genius or a cheater[[hottip:* :with cheater[[note]]with good reflexes]] reflexes[[/note]] can complete the game on the first try with only the minimum required deaths (one[[hottip:* :if (one[[note]]if your reflexes are ''phenomenal'']]), ''phenomenal''[[/note]]), much less completing the secret ending.
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* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' features this at the end of the Heaven's Feel route when Shirou and Ilya reach the Greater Grail. Each has the ability to stop the Grail, but doing so will definitely kill the one who does so.
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* In ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}'', Draco and Einon's lives are linked because Draco shared his heart with Einon in the beginning of the film. For Einon to die, Draco must die. Bowen refuses to slay his friend, even defying the oath he made to do anything Draco would ask of him (in this case, assisted suicide). He ultimately does the deed when he sees Einon BackFromTheDead as hateful as ever and realizes that the kingdom would never be free as long as Einon lived.
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* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic 9]]'' had a part late in the game where you had to enter a place that was like Hell, and you had to die to get there. Unfortunately, after you finished the quest there, you had to go to a city where gods lived, and you had to die again. (Fortunately, once you got there, you could cast a spell called Llyod's Beacon to get there from the mortal world without having to die.) If the game wasn't [[ObviousBeta a shoddy rush job]] the concept may have actually been kind of cool.
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* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic 9]]'' had a part late in the game where you had to enter a place that was like Hell, and you had to die to get there. (How to do that? Well, finding a group of monsters and letting them kill you worked, as did just jumping into a lake; there was one nasty spike-filled water pit that could do it fast. In other words, it didn't matter how.) Unfortunately, after you finished the quest there, you ended up in the mortal world again, and ''then'' you had to go to a city where gods lived, and lived (it was sort of like Valhalla, to make a comparison). That meant you had to die again. again to get ''there''. (Fortunately, once you got there, you could cast a spell called Llyod's Beacon to get there from the mortal world without having to die.die every time.) If the game wasn't [[ObviousBeta a shoddy rush job]] the concept may have actually been kind of cool.
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* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic 9]]'' had a part late in the game where you had to enter a place that was like Hell, and you had to die to get there. Unfortunately, after you finished the quest there, you had to go to a city where gods lived, and you had to die again. (Fortunately, once you got there, you could cast a spell called Llyod's Beacon to get there from the mortal world without having to die.) If the game wasn't [[ObviouslyBeta a shoddy rush job]] the concept may have actually been kind of cool.
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* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic 9]]'' had a part late in the game where you had to enter a place that was like Hell, and you had to die to get there. Unfortunately, after you finished the quest there, you had to go to a city where gods lived, and you had to die again. (Fortunately, once you got there, you could cast a spell called Llyod's Beacon to get there from the mortal world without having to die.) If the game wasn't [[ObviouslyBeta [[ObviousBeta a shoddy rush job]] the concept may have actually been kind of cool.
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* ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Might & Magic 9]]'' had a part late in the game where you had to enter a place that was like Hell, and you had to die to get there. Unfortunately, after you finished the quest there, you had to go to a city where gods lived, and you had to die again. (Fortunately, once you got there, you could cast a spell called Llyod's Beacon to get there from the mortal world without having to die.) If the game wasn't [[ObviouslyBeta a shoddy rush job]] the concept may have actually been kind of cool.
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!Examples:
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!!Examples:
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* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the [[OurTitansAreDifferent Titan]] in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE'': Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the [[OurTitansAreDifferent Titan]] in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
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* The directors cut ending of ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'' invokes this trope: Evan strangles himself with the umbilical cord in his mother's womb to make life better for the people he knew.
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* The directors director's cut ending of ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'' invokes this trope: Evan strangles himself with the umbilical cord in his mother's womb to make life better for the people he knew.
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* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Harry Potter realizes that he is a horcrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
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* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'': Harry Potter realizes that he is a horcrux Horcrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
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* ''Series/{{Nikita}}''.
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* ''Series/{{Nikita}}''.''Series/{{Nikita}}'':
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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}''
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* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}''5}}'':
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}''. In the Chamber of Death, the only way to proceed was for one member of the Toa Inika team to sacrifice himself or herself. Matoro volunteered, but was revived immediately afterwards, as the purpose was a test of courage.
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* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}''. ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}'': In the Chamber of Death, the only way to proceed was for one member of the Toa Inika team to sacrifice himself or herself. Matoro volunteered, but was revived immediately afterwards, as the purpose was a test of courage.
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* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'', the "fight" against The Sorrow (when snake is at Death's door) cannot be won. He is a ghost, so you cannot hurt him no matter what you do. The only way out is to let him kill you at the end of your walk in the river, then use a reviving pill to wake up in the "world of the living".
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* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'', the "fight" against The Sorrow (when snake Snake is at Death's door) cannot be won. He is a ghost, so you cannot hurt him no matter what you do. The only way out is to let him kill you at the end of your walk in the river, then use a reviving pill to wake up in the "world of the living".
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* ''VideoGame/TheWhiteChamber''. A trap involves your character caught in a pixelated game screen. The only way to get out is to set off a barrel of explosives, killing you in-game and restoring you to the real world. It is not the strangest thing you will see in the game.
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* ''VideoGame/TheWhiteChamber''. ''VideoGame/TheWhiteChamber'': A trap involves your character caught in a pixelated game screen. The only way to get out is to set off a barrel of explosives, killing you in-game and restoring you to the real world. It is not the strangest thing you will see in the game.
** Only a genius or a cheater[[hottip:* :with good reflexes]] can complete the game on the first try with only the minimum required deaths (one[[hottip:* :if your reflexes are ''phenomenal'']]), much less completing the secret ending.
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* Guybrush Threepwood has his destiny told in VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
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* Guybrush Threepwood has his destiny told in VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He ''VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland'': he will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
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* Dying and respawning at the midpoint is the only way to access the secret exit in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUckpdbe2A this]] single-level ROMHack of ''SuperMarioWorld''. The puzzle is that the hack starts you with only one life.
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* Dying and respawning at the midpoint is the only way to access the secret exit in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUckpdbe2A this]] single-level ROMHack of ''SuperMarioWorld''.''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. The puzzle is that the hack starts you with only one life.
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* [[MonkeyIsland Guybrush]] has his destiny told in TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
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* [[MonkeyIsland Guybrush]] Guybrush Threepwood has his destiny told in TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
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* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Fantastic Easter Special", Jesus, who is imprisoned, asks Kyle to kill him in order for [[DeathActivatedSuperpower his powers to activate]]. Kyle, being Jewish, [[UnfortunateImplications is, naturally, very uncomfortable with this]].
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* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Fantastic Easter Special", Jesus, who is imprisoned, asks Kyle to kill him in order for [[DeathActivatedSuperpower his powers to activate]]. Kyle, being Jewish, [[UnfortunateImplications is, naturally, very uncomfortable with this]].
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* In the finale of ''[[Webcomic/RoomiesItsWalkyJoyceAndWalky It's Walky!]]'', Walky has to die so he can enter purgatory and get nudged up into the brain of the Cheese, a God-like robot that's the only thing powerful enough to stop the Martian invasion. Similarly, Alan must kill himself by intangably entering the Cheese in order to get the Head Alien out of control.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the {{Titan}} in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the {{Titan}} [[OurTitansAreDifferent Titan]] in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
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Indy\'s comment about it being a \"leap of faith\" makes it not an example of this trope. Also, typo.
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* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Indy survives his choice to stem into a bottomless chasm due to a bridge he couldn't see.
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* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Harry Potter realizes that he is a horocrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
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* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Harry Potter realizes that he is a horocrux horcrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
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* In ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker must allow Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he can make the choice that would, in an alternate timeline, lead to him becoming [[BigBad Comstock]] and setting the events of the story in motion.
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* In At the end of ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', Booker must allow Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he can make the choice that would, in an alternate timeline, lead to him becoming [[BigBad Comstock]] and setting the events of the story in motion.
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* In ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', [[spoiler: Booker DeWitt ''is'' [[BigBad Comstock]] - only Comstock accepted his baptism at Wounded Knee rather than living with the guilt of his actions. In order to put things right, Booker allows Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he could make the choice that lead to the timelines splitting.]]
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* In ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', [[spoiler: Booker DeWitt ''is'' [[BigBad Comstock]] - only Comstock accepted his baptism at Wounded Knee rather than living with the guilt of his actions. In order to put things right, Booker allows must allow Elizabeth - [[AllTheMyriadWays and all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before he could can make the choice that would, in an alternate timeline, lead to him becoming [[BigBad Comstock]] and setting the timelines splitting.]]events of the story in motion.
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* The T-800 at the end of ''Film/{{Terminator}} 2'' realizes he must destroy himself to prevent reverse engineering of his design, however he [[ICannotSelfTerminate cannot self-terminate.]] John Connor has to push the button.
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* The T-800 at the end of ''Film/{{Terminator}} 2'' ''Terminator2JudgmentDay'' realizes he must destroy himself to prevent reverse engineering of his design, however he [[ICannotSelfTerminate cannot self-terminate.]] John Connor has to push the button.
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* In ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'', the only way to prevent the timeline from splitting in two and pitting Booker and Comstock against each other in an endless cycle turns out to be for Elizabeth travel back in time and kill Booker before his baptism, creating a GrandfatherParadox that causes the universe to erase the timeline where Booker becomes Comstock and end the cycle]].
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* In ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'', the only way to prevent the timeline from splitting in two and pitting ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'', [[spoiler: Booker and DeWitt ''is'' [[BigBad Comstock]] - only Comstock against each other in an endless cycle turns out accepted his baptism at Wounded Knee rather than living with the guilt of his actions. In order to be for put things right, Booker allows Elizabeth travel back in time - [[AllTheMyriadWays and kill Booker all the other Elizabeths from all the other timelines]] - to drown him before his baptism, creating a GrandfatherParadox he could make the choice that causes lead to the universe to erase the timeline where Booker becomes Comstock and end the cycle]].timelines splitting.]]
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning.
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May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning.
MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning. DeliberateInjuryGambit is a far less severe related trope.
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"In the struggle between life and death, sometimes survival is not the only way to win."
Sometimes the only way for Bob to win is to change the equation -- by taking himself out of it. Every option except defeat appears to have been eliminated, so the only way left that might have a chance to win is to stop trying to stay alive. It can be very effective due to that sudden shift in objectives.
TropesAreFlexible is in full effect; getting all the way to dying or [[DeathIsCheap staying dead]] is not required, and 'victory' is highly variable.
Related to ThanatosGambit, but with flipped cause and effect. In Thanatos Gambit, death occurs due to victory, since dying means that the other objectives have been completed; here, victory occurs due to death, or at least no longer trying to avoid dying, and only then can the objectives be completed. A HeroicSacrifice still has options a decent person could take and need not feel bad.
Related to FissionMailed, a VideoGame trope where general failure is required to progress.
May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning.
'''This is a DeathTrope, so be aware of spoilers.'''
!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* Jin of ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' uses a move that abandons defense and allows the enemy to stab him in order to get close enough to stab the enemy.
* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'' Askeladda is presented with 2 choices, both of which he hates, so he TakesAThirdOption that requires his death.
[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Jesse Custer's plan near the end of the ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'' graphic comic series is to die so that God himself will return to Heaven thinking it now safe, only to find the Saint of Killers occupying the celestial throne. Jesse returns from the dead but comments that still being alive is an empty victory, like using a cheat code in a video game.
[[AC:Film - Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the {{Titan}} in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
* Columbia Pictures' ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal'' from 1981. Taarna the Taarakian sacrifices herself and her mount to defeat the sum-of-all-evils Loc-Nar. It works, and Taarna's spirit transfers to Grimaldi's daughter, making her the new Taarakian.
[[AC:Film - Live Action]]
* The directors cut ending of ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'' invokes this trope: Evan strangles himself with the umbilical cord in his mother's womb to make life better for the people he knew.
* The T-800 at the end of ''Film/{{Terminator}} 2'' realizes he must destroy himself to prevent reverse engineering of his design, however he [[ICannotSelfTerminate cannot self-terminate.]] John Connor has to push the button.
* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Indy survives his choice to stem into a bottomless chasm due to a bridge he couldn't see.
* In ''Film/{{Looper}}'', Young Joe [[HeroicSacrifice kills himself]] to stop Old Joe from killing Sara and ensuring Cid becomes the Rainmaker.
* ''Film/{{Dragonslayer}}''. The only way for the wizard Ulrich to slay the dragon is for him to allow himself to be killed, twice. His first death puts his soul into an amulet. He later comes back to life, and when the amulet is smashed, his body explodes (killing him ''again''), destroying the dragon.
[[AC:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Harry Potter realizes that he is a horocrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
[[AC:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Nikita}}''.
** Alex is exposed as a mole to Amanda, who then does the requisite cancellation (read: execution) by lethal injection. After her vital signs cease she steps away, checks her nails, then injects Alex with adrenaline to restart her heart, kill chip disabled.
** Later happens to Sean. Framed for murder and in FBI custody, the only way to save him is to poison and kill him, then snatch the body in the morgue and inject him with an antidote.
* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' episode "Better Luck Next Time", a police detective is manipulated by a pair of malevolent energy beings into being their plaything, intending to turn her into a host after they've tricked her into shooting a fellow cop. However, their hosts burn out rapidly, they can't survive for long without one, and their current hosts are just about to expire. She [[TitleDrop utters the episode's title]] just before shooting herself in the head, bringing the energy beings' centuries-long murder spree to an end.
* At the end of season 5 of ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'' Sam Winchester allows himself to be possessed by Lucifer then jumps into Lucifer's cage, trapping both of their souls and killing himself in the process.
* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}''
** When Sheridan goes to Z'ha'dum, his only way out from being captured and controlled by the Shadows is to jump hundreds of feet down into a deep pit (or stay in the city and get vaporized by the nuke-loaded ship he called down on it per his mission plan). He jumped, and literally died, but was revived by Lorien.
** And when Emperor Londo, in the flash-forward shown in "War Without End" (and detailed further in the ExpandedUniverse Centauri Trilogy), aids Sheridan's escape, he must "submit to his greatest fear" and have G'Kar strangle him before his Keeper awoke and forced him to stop the escape, and likely killed him anyway afterwards for going against its (or rather, the Drakh Shiv'kala's) wishes. (The Keeper did awake, and he and G'Kar ended up mutually strangling each other).
[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* DungeonsAndDragons' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' setting has some adventures that require ''someone'' to die, although often you can foist this onto an npc. In addition, it has several evil beings and magic items which offer PowerAtAPrice, gradually entrapping a character until dying is the only way to escape.
[[AC:Toys]]
* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}''. In the Chamber of Death, the only way to proceed was for one member of the Toa Inika team to sacrifice himself or herself. Matoro volunteered, but was revived immediately afterwards, as the purpose was a test of courage.
[[AC:Video Games]]
* At the end of ''[[VideoGame/ChzoMythos Trilby's Notes]],'' the villain needs Trilby alive in order to complete his ritual. Fortunately, Trilby is already fatally wounded by this point, and you can simply type "die" to thwart the villain's plans. Even more fortunately, Trilby is subsequently revived by a mysterious benefactor.
* The Nameless One of ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has quite a few chances to use his death to his advantage, being immortal. One example is allowing himself to be "killed" by some thugs so he can hear their plans.
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'', the "fight" against The Sorrow (when snake is at Death's door) cannot be won. He is a ghost, so you cannot hurt him no matter what you do. The only way out is to let him kill you at the end of your walk in the river, then use a reviving pill to wake up in the "world of the living".
* In one puzzle in ''VideoGame/SimonTheSorcerer'' ''3D'', Simon escapes from a locked room by goading the barbarian who's locked in the room with him into killing him, [[DeathIsCheap and coming back to life on a reincarnation tile outside the room]].
->'''Simon''': [[LampshadeHanging That's the first time I've ever needed to die to solve a puzzle...]]
* ''VideoGame/TheWhiteChamber''. A trap involves your character caught in a pixelated game screen. The only way to get out is to set off a barrel of explosives, killing you in-game and restoring you to the real world. It is not the strangest thing you will see in the game.
* In ''Videogame/{{Braid}}'', dying is required to get some of the puzzle pieces. You can rewind time to undo your death, so no big deal.
* In ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'', the only way to prevent the timeline from splitting in two and pitting Booker and Comstock against each other in an endless cycle turns out to be for Elizabeth travel back in time and kill Booker before his baptism, creating a GrandfatherParadox that causes the universe to erase the timeline where Booker becomes Comstock and end the cycle]].
* Dying and respawning at the midpoint is the only way to access the secret exit in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUckpdbe2A this]] single-level ROMHack of ''SuperMarioWorld''. The puzzle is that the hack starts you with only one life.
* [[MonkeyIsland Guybrush]] has his destiny told in TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
[[AC:Web Comics]]
* Attempted in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0783.html #783]]: Gannji and Enor are being forced to duel with each other as part of a [[GladiatorGames gladiator tournament.]] Gannji decides there's no way out until there's a definite victor in the fight, so he tells Enor to kill him, cut off his tail and use it to resurrect him later on. [[SubvertedTrope However, Belkar provides them with another option]], allowing them to escape without killing each other.
[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Fantastic Easter Special", Jesus, who is imprisoned, asks Kyle to kill him in order for [[DeathActivatedSuperpower his powers to activate]]. Kyle, being Jewish, [[UnfortunateImplications is, naturally, very uncomfortable with this]].
Sometimes the only way for Bob to win is to change the equation -- by taking himself out of it. Every option except defeat appears to have been eliminated, so the only way left that might have a chance to win is to stop trying to stay alive. It can be very effective due to that sudden shift in objectives.
TropesAreFlexible is in full effect; getting all the way to dying or [[DeathIsCheap staying dead]] is not required, and 'victory' is highly variable.
Related to ThanatosGambit, but with flipped cause and effect. In Thanatos Gambit, death occurs due to victory, since dying means that the other objectives have been completed; here, victory occurs due to death, or at least no longer trying to avoid dying, and only then can the objectives be completed. A HeroicSacrifice still has options a decent person could take and need not feel bad.
Related to FissionMailed, a VideoGame trope where general failure is required to progress.
May involve a DeathActivatedSuperpower and MyDeathIsOnlyTheBeginning.
'''This is a DeathTrope, so be aware of spoilers.'''
!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* Jin of ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' uses a move that abandons defense and allows the enemy to stab him in order to get close enough to stab the enemy.
* In ''Manga/VinlandSaga'' Askeladda is presented with 2 choices, both of which he hates, so he TakesAThirdOption that requires his death.
[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Jesse Custer's plan near the end of the ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'' graphic comic series is to die so that God himself will return to Heaven thinking it now safe, only to find the Saint of Killers occupying the celestial throne. Jesse returns from the dead but comments that still being alive is an empty victory, like using a cheat code in a video game.
[[AC:Film - Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''. Captain Korso at first made a deal with the Drej that would let them destroy the {{Titan}} in exchange for money and a "Do Not Kill" tag. After Cale Tucker saved his life, Korso returned the favor by using himself as a shunt in a huge circuit breaker to help Cale power up the Titan.
* Columbia Pictures' ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal'' from 1981. Taarna the Taarakian sacrifices herself and her mount to defeat the sum-of-all-evils Loc-Nar. It works, and Taarna's spirit transfers to Grimaldi's daughter, making her the new Taarakian.
[[AC:Film - Live Action]]
* The directors cut ending of ''Film/TheButterflyEffect'' invokes this trope: Evan strangles himself with the umbilical cord in his mother's womb to make life better for the people he knew.
* The T-800 at the end of ''Film/{{Terminator}} 2'' realizes he must destroy himself to prevent reverse engineering of his design, however he [[ICannotSelfTerminate cannot self-terminate.]] John Connor has to push the button.
* In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'', Indy survives his choice to stem into a bottomless chasm due to a bridge he couldn't see.
* In ''Film/{{Looper}}'', Young Joe [[HeroicSacrifice kills himself]] to stop Old Joe from killing Sara and ensuring Cid becomes the Rainmaker.
* ''Film/{{Dragonslayer}}''. The only way for the wizard Ulrich to slay the dragon is for him to allow himself to be killed, twice. His first death puts his soul into an amulet. He later comes back to life, and when the amulet is smashed, his body explodes (killing him ''again''), destroying the dragon.
[[AC:Literature]]
* ''Literature/HarryPotter''. Harry Potter realizes that he is a horocrux and must die to defeat Voldemort.
[[AC:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Nikita}}''.
** Alex is exposed as a mole to Amanda, who then does the requisite cancellation (read: execution) by lethal injection. After her vital signs cease she steps away, checks her nails, then injects Alex with adrenaline to restart her heart, kill chip disabled.
** Later happens to Sean. Framed for murder and in FBI custody, the only way to save him is to poison and kill him, then snatch the body in the morgue and inject him with an antidote.
* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' episode "Better Luck Next Time", a police detective is manipulated by a pair of malevolent energy beings into being their plaything, intending to turn her into a host after they've tricked her into shooting a fellow cop. However, their hosts burn out rapidly, they can't survive for long without one, and their current hosts are just about to expire. She [[TitleDrop utters the episode's title]] just before shooting herself in the head, bringing the energy beings' centuries-long murder spree to an end.
* At the end of season 5 of ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'' Sam Winchester allows himself to be possessed by Lucifer then jumps into Lucifer's cage, trapping both of their souls and killing himself in the process.
* ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}''
** When Sheridan goes to Z'ha'dum, his only way out from being captured and controlled by the Shadows is to jump hundreds of feet down into a deep pit (or stay in the city and get vaporized by the nuke-loaded ship he called down on it per his mission plan). He jumped, and literally died, but was revived by Lorien.
** And when Emperor Londo, in the flash-forward shown in "War Without End" (and detailed further in the ExpandedUniverse Centauri Trilogy), aids Sheridan's escape, he must "submit to his greatest fear" and have G'Kar strangle him before his Keeper awoke and forced him to stop the escape, and likely killed him anyway afterwards for going against its (or rather, the Drakh Shiv'kala's) wishes. (The Keeper did awake, and he and G'Kar ended up mutually strangling each other).
[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* DungeonsAndDragons' ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' setting has some adventures that require ''someone'' to die, although often you can foist this onto an npc. In addition, it has several evil beings and magic items which offer PowerAtAPrice, gradually entrapping a character until dying is the only way to escape.
[[AC:Toys]]
* ''Franchise/{{BIONICLE}}''. In the Chamber of Death, the only way to proceed was for one member of the Toa Inika team to sacrifice himself or herself. Matoro volunteered, but was revived immediately afterwards, as the purpose was a test of courage.
[[AC:Video Games]]
* At the end of ''[[VideoGame/ChzoMythos Trilby's Notes]],'' the villain needs Trilby alive in order to complete his ritual. Fortunately, Trilby is already fatally wounded by this point, and you can simply type "die" to thwart the villain's plans. Even more fortunately, Trilby is subsequently revived by a mysterious benefactor.
* The Nameless One of ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' has quite a few chances to use his death to his advantage, being immortal. One example is allowing himself to be "killed" by some thugs so he can hear their plans.
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3'', the "fight" against The Sorrow (when snake is at Death's door) cannot be won. He is a ghost, so you cannot hurt him no matter what you do. The only way out is to let him kill you at the end of your walk in the river, then use a reviving pill to wake up in the "world of the living".
* In one puzzle in ''VideoGame/SimonTheSorcerer'' ''3D'', Simon escapes from a locked room by goading the barbarian who's locked in the room with him into killing him, [[DeathIsCheap and coming back to life on a reincarnation tile outside the room]].
->'''Simon''': [[LampshadeHanging That's the first time I've ever needed to die to solve a puzzle...]]
* ''VideoGame/TheWhiteChamber''. A trap involves your character caught in a pixelated game screen. The only way to get out is to set off a barrel of explosives, killing you in-game and restoring you to the real world. It is not the strangest thing you will see in the game.
* In ''Videogame/{{Braid}}'', dying is required to get some of the puzzle pieces. You can rewind time to undo your death, so no big deal.
* In ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'', the only way to prevent the timeline from splitting in two and pitting Booker and Comstock against each other in an endless cycle turns out to be for Elizabeth travel back in time and kill Booker before his baptism, creating a GrandfatherParadox that causes the universe to erase the timeline where Booker becomes Comstock and end the cycle]].
* Dying and respawning at the midpoint is the only way to access the secret exit in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMUckpdbe2A this]] single-level ROMHack of ''SuperMarioWorld''. The puzzle is that the hack starts you with only one life.
* [[MonkeyIsland Guybrush]] has his destiny told in TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland: He will die at Blood island. The fortune teller on the island gives him the death card five times in a row. He ends up faking it to enter crypts and becomes legally dead.
[[AC:Web Comics]]
* Attempted in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0783.html #783]]: Gannji and Enor are being forced to duel with each other as part of a [[GladiatorGames gladiator tournament.]] Gannji decides there's no way out until there's a definite victor in the fight, so he tells Enor to kill him, cut off his tail and use it to resurrect him later on. [[SubvertedTrope However, Belkar provides them with another option]], allowing them to escape without killing each other.
[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Fantastic Easter Special", Jesus, who is imprisoned, asks Kyle to kill him in order for [[DeathActivatedSuperpower his powers to activate]]. Kyle, being Jewish, [[UnfortunateImplications is, naturally, very uncomfortable with this]].
