History Main / DiedInYourArmsTonight

Compare with PietaPlagiarism, the pose characters generally find themselves in, CradlingYourKill, when a character dies in their killer's arms, and DeadlyHug, where the victim is killed ''during'' the embrace. Contrast IntimateHealing, where a wounded or ill character is ''less likely'' to die while in a loved one's arms. At least, not ''literally''. (Though strangely enough, ''intimacy'' is [[GetTheeToANunnery exactly what's being referenced]] by the Cutting Crew song.) May overlap with CradleOfLoneliness, especially if the body of a loved one is cradled long after their death.

[[AC:"WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse"]]
* "Fanfic/MyBrotherCainMyBrotherAbel": [[/CainAndAbel After being stabbed by his brother]] Caleb passes away in Evelyn's arms as they wait for help to arrive. His last thought is how warm she is.

* In ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'', the end of Episode 24 has a scene that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWizW_6AgQY#t=1m35s looks like]] a classic example (which all the characters believed it to be), but this was subverted as of ep. 25.

** Potentially subverted when [[spoiler: Kotori is killed, and once everything has [[{{Pun}} died down]], Kamui cradles ''[[AlasPoorYorick her severed head]]'' while the Seals look on in horror and sadness.]] It's played straight in the anime series, however, [[spoiler: since [[{{bowdlerize}} she still dies but doesn't get dismembered]], letting Kamui hold her entire body]] -- and later, [[spoiler: Karen dies in Aoki's arms]], while [[spoiler: Hinoto dies in Kamui's]] and later [[spoiler: Sorata perishes in Arashi's]].
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'' '''LOVES''' this trope:

* While he was technically already dead, Jason Todd (Robin II) was held in the arms of Franchise/{{Batman}} during ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily''.
* ComicBook/{{Elektra}} had her first death in ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}''. After taking a vicious curbstomping from Bullseye that ends in her throat getting slashed by a thrown card and then her getting impaled on her own sai, Elektra crawls out from the parking lot they were fighting in. She stays alive long enough to crawl to Matt's house and call out to him, before dying in his arms.
* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' Alan Scott's friend (and secret lover) Jimmy Henton died in the same act of sabotage that led to Alan becoming the Green Lantern. In the Golden Age the first thing Alan did after regaining consciousness was to stumble over and cradle his body, and in the ComicBook/DCRebirth era Alan actually got to Jimmy before he died and they exchanged a few words before he died in Alan's arms.
* In "The House That Haunted Batman", one of the many tortures that Dr. Tzin-Tzin uses on Batman is a simulation of Robin/Dick Grayson aging into dust as he holds him.

* After [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificing himself]] to [[TakingYouWithMe kill Kang]], [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] dies in [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Steve Rogers']] arms. ''[[http://i45.tinypic.com/1t4kgg.png Very dramatically]]''.
** [[http://i49.tinypic.com/25573h4.png Tony almost dies in Steve's arms here]], too. Luckily, he recovers ''before'' dying this time.
* Near the end of the second volume of ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark'', John Constantine is [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice struck down]] by the Upside-Down Man and dies in the arms of a grief-stricken Zatanna.

* [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Troia]] died in ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'s arms in ''Graduation Day''. As they were each other's closest friends and LikeBrotherAndSister, it really messed him up.
* In the Belgian comic ''Papyrus'', the issue [[spoiler: ''Tears of the Giants'']] finishes with Papyrus cradling [[BridalCarry and later carrying]] the lifeless body of [[spoiler: a Hitite princess who loved him but couldn't spit it out since she was to marry the Pharaoh aka Papyrus's boss, and could only tell him [[DyingDeclarationOfLove as she lay dying in his arms]].]]

* ''[[Franchise/MonsterVerse Skull Island: The Birth of Kong]]'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseSkullIslandExpedition Dr. Matemavi]] is [[spoiler:shot by Riccio]] and she dies being held in Aaron's arms -- or she was killed instantly and her body landed in Aaron's arms while falling backwards.
* On one occasion, it was a BerserkButton for [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]] that entirely too many people over the years had died in his arms after TakingTheBullet for him, and the latest one didn't even get to speak any LastWords.

* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel:
** The [[ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan Ultimate universe's]] version of Peter Parker ended up dying in Mary Jane Watson's arms, after succumbing to wounds he received after TakingTheBullet for Captain America and fighting the Green Goblin and (what was left) of the Sinister Six to protect her, Aunt May and Gwen.

* In both the comic and [[Film/VForVendetta movie versions]] of ''ComicBook/VForVendetta'', V dies in Evey's arms after being shot.
* Done, by all people, Wolverine in a ''ComicBook/WhatIf?'' comic. Granted, he had [[spoiler: just killed his son Daken and was moments away from [[DriventoSuicide killing himself]]]] but it doesn't make it any less sad.

** Hamlet dies in Horatio's arms. Hamlet had been poisoned by Laertes during their duel. Upon realizing he was dying, Hamlet stabbed his Uncle, the king, who was technically also Hamlet's father because he married Hamlet's mother. Hamlet's mother had already died because she drank from a poisoned cup that the king had meant for Hamlet. Anyways, everyone's pretty much dead except Hamlet, Horatio, and Osric by this point. Hamlet lies dying in Horatio's arms, telling Horatio to live and "report [him] and [his] cause aright to the unsatisfied." Horatio offers to die with Hamlet by drinking from the poisoned cup, but Hamlet tells him to continue living "to tell [his] story."

This is a DeathTrope, so be warned that '''UNMARKED SPOILERS''' abound.

* Comic book covers in general, especially in UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|OfComicBooks}} and UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}, absolutely loved this trope. Almost always accompanied by a TonightSomeoneDies.

* ''Film/Nymph'':
** Scylla in her guardian’s after being harpooned and stabbed.

** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' ends with Qui-Gon Jinn dying in Obi-Wan's arms. (This seems to happen to Creator/EwanMcGregor a lot -– and also to the character of Obi-Wan, whose love interests from the EU and other non-film stories always seem to go out this way. His love interest in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' who dies this way is even named Satine as an [[ActorAllusion allusion]] to ''Film/MoulinRouge'')
** Likewise, Shmi DiesWideOpen in Anakin's arms in ''Film/AttackOfTheClones''. Also, at the very beginning of the film, Padmé's handmaiden bodyguard Cordé makes the ultimate sacrifice and expires in the Senator's arms.
** Happens several times in ''Film/RogueOne''. The first time Jyn Erso sees her father in thirteen years is just after Galen is shot leading to him dying as she holds him. During the final mission Baze Malbus holds his [[PlatonicLifePartners Platonic Life Partner]] Chirrut Îmwe after the latter is caught in an explosion. Finally, Jyn and Cassian Andor do a [[FinalFirstHug mutual version]] as the Death Star fires a low-level blast that destroys the beach they're sitting on.
** [[TakingTheBullet Darth]] [[HeelFaceTurn Vader]] [[RedemptionEqualsDeath dies]] in Luke's arms in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''.
** In ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', Ben Solo dies in Rey's arms after giving up his life to save hers.

** Another person like this is [[spoiler: Liu Kang, who is accidentally killed by Raiden when arguing with him on how to defeat Shao Kahn, dies cursing Raiden's name, blaming him for killing them all.]]

* Prior to ''Fanfic/ThePlanets'', Riza [[TakingTheBullet took the bullet]] for Roy during the war. She died his arms.

We're gonna get married...

** Played straight in "[[Recap/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteersS4E1And2MineIsTerribleToWaste A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste]]", during Gi's flashback. When she was a little girl, circumstances forced her to abandon her dolphin friend named Tisa. When she managed to come back some time later, she found Tisa so sick from the water pollution that all she could do was holding the poor creature as it died.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': In "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation", Rickbot dies in Morty's arms after Taking the Bullet for the President, once Rick has returned them all to Earth.

* In an odd example of this happening between lifelong enemies, the final confrontation between [[spoiler: Maul and Obi-Wan]] ends this way in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'', with [[spoiler: Obi-Wan]] cutting [[spoiler: Maul]]’s lightsaber in half as he delivers the fatal blow, and catching him before he hits the ground. They then share a few words about the boy [[spoiler: Obi-Wan]] is protecting, the latter confirming that he is indeed the ChosenOne.

** A darker and straighter version involving the same characters occurs in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars''. [[spoiler: Maul kills Duchess Satine, who dies in Obi-Wan's arms in an obvious ShoutOut to ''Film/MoulinRouge''.]]

* ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' Alan Scott's friend (and secret lover) Jimmy Henton died in the same act of sabotage that led to Alan becoming the Green Lantern. In the Golden Age the first thing Alan did after regaining consciousness was to stumble over and cradle his body, and in the ComicBook/DCRebirth era Alan actually got to Jimmy before he died and they exchanged a few words before he died in Alan's arms.

* In the Amazing Spider-Man comic, in the end of ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied, Gwen doesn't literally die in Spider-Man's arms (she dies [[NotTheFallThatKillsYou many feet below him]]), but he cradles her body in his arms as he cries out that the Green Goblin will pay for her death.

* Franchise/{{Superman}} died in ComicBook/LoisLane's arms in ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman''.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': After being fatally wounded by the White Magician and forcing Diana to take the item keeping her alive so that Diana can win the fight ComicBook/{{Artemis}} takes her last breaths being cradled by Diana.

* [[EnsembleDarkhorse Christophe/Ze Mole]] in ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut'' died in Kyle's arms after failing to free Terence and Phillip. The two then take part in ''La Resistance's'' DarkReprise duet. [[ShippingGoggles Cue the shipping.]].

* ''Literature/LesMiserables'': Éponine dies in Marius's arms. In the movie musical, we also see other students dying in their friends' arms. And in the stage musical, Fantine dies in Valjean's.

* ''Franchise/LesMiserables'': Éponine dies in Marius's arms. In the movie musical, we also see other students dying in their friends' arms. And in the stage musical, Fantine dies in Valjean's.