History Main / DiedInIgnorance

Since this is a DeathTrope, along with being heavily entwined with TheReveal, '''spoilers will be unmarked'''. Please be cautious while reading.

* ''Anime/TokyoGhoul'': Ginshi Shirazu is mortally wounded creating an opening for Urie to kill their opponent. Though Urie and Saiko are by his side, Shirazu's so injured that he loses his ability to feel, see, or hear, so he has no idea his friends are beside him, trying to comfort him, causing him to believe he's {{dying alone}}.

* ''Series/TheMissing'': In Season 2, Sophie's mother commits suicide in front of Baptiste because of her daughter's disappearance and her suspicion that her husband, Sophie's father, may be involved. This prevents her from finding out that he was not, her daughter was actually alive, and she has a young granddaughter.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAnimalsOfFarthingWood'': A senile Badger mistakes his friend Mole's son for Mole, who beknownst to him died the previous winter. Mossy pretends to be his father to keep Badger happy until he passes away peacefully still unaware of the truth.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': Most of dead supers who fought the Omnidroids, except for Gaser Beam, likely never knew that they were being led to their deaths by a genocidal maniac who wanted to kill all supers, exploiting their desires to relive the Glory Days of when Superheroes were legal. On top of that, they all likely died in horrific ways considering the robots are programmed with malicious intent, as seen when V. 9 tried to literally pull Mr. Incredible apart and [[AMoltenDateWithDeath push him into lava]].

Since this is a DeathTrope, along with being heavily entwined with TheReveal, '''spoilers will be unmarked.''' Please be cautious while reading.

!!Examples

* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'': Tadashi performs a HeroicSacrifice when he decides to race back into the burning exhibition building to save Dr. Callaghan; the fire explodes just as he does. TheReveal that Dr. Callaghan had Hiro's micro-bots which sealed him from the fire (and is also the BigBad) turns Tadashi's sacrifice into a [[SenselessSacrifice senseless one]], which absolutely shatters Hiro. This results in Hiro removing Baymax's medical personality, turning him into a [[KillerRobot killing machine.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': Most of dead supers who fought the Omnidroids, except for Gaser Beam, likely never knew that they were being led to their deaths by a genocidal maniac who wanted to kill all supers, exploiting their desires to relive the Glory Days of when Superheroes were legal. On top of that, they all likely died in horrific ways considering the robots are programmed with malicious intent, as seen when V. 9 tried to literally pull Mr. Incredible apart and [[AMoltenDateWithDeath push him into lava.]]

* ''Film/TheMist'': Used for one of the harshest {{Downer Ending}}s in recent memory. After escaping the supermarket where they've been hiding and running out of gas, the main characters decide to [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled kill themselves rather than be eaten by monsters.]] David shoots the remaining survivors--including his eight-year-old son--and leaves his car to be taken...and is immediately met by a U.S. military convoy that's clearing the titular mist with flamethrowers. Turns out that the Army is winning against the otherworldly creatures and already working to restore peace--and David learns this literally ''seconds'' after he's killed everyone else in his car.

* Subverted in ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'', as Juliet wakes up and touches Romeo's face ''just'' as Romeo has consumed poison, believing Juliet to be dead. He visibly realises his mistake as he [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dies in her arms]]. Once Juliet in turn figures out what's just happened, she picks up Romeo's gun and shoots herself in the head.

* ''Literature/NeverLetMeGo'': Ruth dies believing that Kathy and Tommy will be together through the deferrals, a rumored process that would allow clones who can prove they are really in love to live out a few years together before their organs are harvested. It is later found out by Kathy and Tommy that deferrals never existed at all, and was at most a TragicDream created by the clones. Kathy reflects on this and decides that [[LetThemDieHappy it was best that Ruth died believing they could be happy together for a time.]]

* Just barely subverted towards the end of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'', not soon enough to prevent the tragedy. Star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria plan to leave the city together. As Maria prepares to meet Tony at Doc's in order to put their plan in motion, she is detained by the police for questioning about her brother's death and thus sends Anita to tell Tony that she will be late. Unfortunately, Anita is intercepted by the Jets, who attempt to rape her in retaliation for the death of Riff, and she angrily declares that Maria isn't coming because Chino shot her dead. Despondent at the supposed loss of his love, Tony runs out and goads Chino into killing him... just before Maria shows up to [[DiedInYourArmsTonight hold him in her arms as he dies.]]

-->'''Veger:''' You were the son of the great warrior Damas. Oh... and he never knew... [[KickTheDog how delightful.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': The dead supers who fought the Omnidroids never knew that they were being led to their deaths by a genocidal maniac who wanted to kill all supers, exploiting their desires to relive the Glory Days of when Superheroes were legal. On top of that, they all likely died in horrific ways considering the robots are programmed with malicious intent, as seen when V. 9 tried to literally pull Mr. Incredible apart and [[AMoltenDateWithDeath push him into lava.]]

->In his last moments, Gregory Edgeworth was still unconscious. He died, never knowing who had shot him. Later, he spoke through a medium, blaming Mr. Yogi. He was fooled! It was the perfect crime! Tsk tsk tsk... Who would have thought another man would have come to open that elevator door?

* The first posthumous Music/JeffBuckley release was the song "Yard of Blonde Girls" by the band Pendulum Floors. The song featured a verse for which the lyrics were co-written by Buckley's ex-girlfriend Inger Lorre, which she never told him were written about him.

** Ace dies believing he and Luffy's brother Sabo had died in their childhood, and that his death would leave Luffy all by himself. In reality, Sabo was alive but amnesiac. Sadly, it was only seeing the news of Ace being killed in Marineford that caused Sabo to regain his memories and eventually reunite with Luffy.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'': The dead supers who fought the omnidroids never knew that they were being led to their deaths by a genocidal maniac who wanted to kill all supers, exploiting their desires to relive the Glory Days of when Superheroes were legal. On top of that, they all likely died in horrific ways considering the robots are programmed with malicious intent, as seen when V. 9 tried to literally pull Mr. Incredible apart and [[AMoltenDateWithDeath push him into lava.]]

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': After failing to defeat Kaido in battle, Oden and Toki give their lives to ensure the survival of the Akazaya Nine, Toki using her time travel powers to [[FlingALightIntoTheFuture fling them into the future]], to lead an uprising to defeat Kaido and overthrow the shogun Orochi twenty years hence. The two died not knowing it only got to that point because one of the Akazaya Nine was [[TheMole a spy]] for Orochi, and Toki accidentally undermined her own prophecy by sending said spy into the future to continue sabotaging the heroes' efforts.