History Main / ImmortalsFearDeath

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' - One of the main differences between the Doctor and TheMaster. The former has shifted increasingly towards WhoWantsToLiveForever over the series, while the latter will do anything to stay alive. This comes into play at the end of the 2007 series. When the Master threatens to [[RageQuit destroy the entire planet rather than admit defeat]], the Doctor reminds him of all the disasters they've already been through and calls his bluff. He seemingly chooses to die by another means a few minutes later, but had a SoulJar standing by.

* It's implied in the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' universe that the Q fear the very thought of being mortal to the point where it's considered a major punishment for them. The ExpandedUniverse reveals that they also fear that death brings either utter ceasing of existence for them, or that [[AlwaysABiggerFish there's something more powerful than them waiting in the afterlife.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': Said by Bruce Wayne to Ra's Al-Gul "You don't cheat death, you run in fear of it."

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', the Dragonrend Thu'um specifically exploits this trope to MindRape dragons. Dragonrend forces the concept of mortality onto a dragon's mind, and being so powerful and ancient, they grow confused and disoriented and become unable to fly or attack for a time. The Dragonborn's title as TheDreaded is "The One They Fear", because the Dragonborn alone can kill a dragon for good.

* Interesting variant in ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja''. {{Dracula}} is bored with living and curious about death, but he's reluctant to go through with it because he lacks information about the afterlife. So he [[{{Chessmaster}} arranges]] for [[ItMakesSenseInContext Benjamin Franklin's clone]] to die, come back to life, and report what lies beyond the grave. [[spoiler:It's a restaurant. With bad service]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII'', Xande seeks to cause a TimeCrash after his immortality was taken from him by his master Noah, and the idea of dying is unacceptable to him.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': Said by Bruce Wayne to Ras Al-Gul "You don't cheat death, you run in fear of it."

** Throughout the '' Elder Scrolls'' series, the Daedra know they will just be reincarnated if they die, but it's an inconvenience they try to avoid. They also cannot understand mortal minds because of this -- the idea that a creature is living a finite life, is aware of this, and yet is not consumed with despair by the knowledge.

** Throughout the '' Elder Scrolls'' series, the Daedra know they will just be reincarnated if they die, but it's an inconvenience they try to avoid. They also cannot understand mortal minds because of this -- the idea that a creative is living a finite life, is aware of this, and yet is not consumed with despair by the knowledge.

* It's implied in the StarTrek universe that the Q fear the very thought of being mortal to the point where it's considered a major punishment for them. The ExpandedUniverse reveals that they also fear that death brings either utter ceasing of existence for them, or that [[AlwaysABiggerFish there's something more powerful than them waiting in the afterlife.]]

* Blutarch in the ExpandedUniverse of ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has cheated death for over a century by a life extending machine that is slowly beginning to fail. Each day it temporarily shuts down, and Blutarch witnesses TheNothingAfterDeath, and is appropriately fearful of the duration increasing each time.

* Gilgamesh from ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'' fell into despair after the gods killed his closest friend Enkidu. His fear of dying intensified now that he was alone again so he went on an epic journey to find the secret of immortality. In the end, he failed but he finally learned to accept that he will die someday and he resolved to live the rest of his days to the fullest.

* Interesting variant in ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja''. {{Dracula}} is curious about death, but not to eager to go through with it. So he has Benjamin Franklin's clone do it for him. [[spoiler:It's a restaurant. With bad service]].

* In ''TheLastUnicorn'', the (immortal) unicorn's first reaction upon being turned into a human is to become near-hysterical, moaning that she can feel her body -- a young, healthy body, but a mortal one -- dying all around her.
* In the ''{{Elenium}}'', the gods are so horrified by the idea of their destructibility that when [[GodOfEvil Azash]] is killed, the entire world goes into a period of extended depression until Aphrael is able to snap them out of it.
* In Manley Wade Wellman's John Thunstone stories, the evil immortals fear death so much that if you kill one and bury it under your doorstep, they cannot enter that building due to their dread.

* Page quote taken from ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', when Adam talks to a group of vampires about his thoughts on their species, and how contrary to mortal humans, vampires fear death and things that can kill them, like the Slayer, precisely because they are immortal.
** In the same series, Anya becomes afraid of growing old and dying when she loses her powers as a vengeance demon and becomes mortal, and when Buffy's mother dies she has a breakdown over how stupid the idea of death is to her.

* Interesting variant in ''TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja''. {{Dracula}} is curious about death, but not to eager to go through with it. So he has Benjamin Franklin's clone do it for him. [[spoiler:It's a restaurant. With bad service]].

* {{Batman Beyond}}: Said by Bruce Wayne to Ras Al-Gul "You don't cheat death, you run in fear of it."

!Examples

!!Film

!!Literature

!!Television

!!Video Games

!!Web Original

!!Western Animation

-->'''Adam''': You fear death. Being immortal, you fear it more than those to whom it comes naturally.
-->--''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''

* {{Batman Beyond}}: Said by Bruce Wayne to Ras Al-Gul "You don't cheat death, you run in fear of it."