History Main / InferredSurvival

->''"It seems that reports of my...'' survival... ''have been greatly exaggerated."''

* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** This might be a reason [[EnsembleDarkhorse Boba Fett]] was allowed to escape the Sarlaac after ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''. Being attached to a jet-pack inside a creature that passively digests its prey over a long period of time no doubt also had a lot to do with it.
** Shaak Ti has "cheated death" two or three times already, including two separate deleted scenes in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', so her official death in ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' is met with much skepticism.

* In ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars: Dual Strike'', the deaths of [[spoiler: [[BigBad Von Bolt]] and [[TakingYouWithMe Hawke]]]] do this. It's certainly implied enough that [[spoiler: Hawke]] survived, but [[spoiler:Von Bolt]]'s survival is ambiguous.
* The Fade To Black ending to ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter2'' makes it appear as though Captain Mitchell died during the EMP bombing, but is ambiguous enough that his return in ''Future Soldier'' many years later is plausible.

* The fate of Officer Cybil Bennett from ''[[VideoGame/SilentHill1 Silent Hill]]'' has long been a source of contention among series' fans, and WordOfGod has been notoriously contradictory on the subject. ''Silent Hill Chronicle: Lost Memories'', the most famous ''Silent Hill'' [[UniverseCompendium information guide]], stated that the [[spoiler:Good]] Ending is the one which leads into the game's direct sequel, ''VideoGame/SilentHill3''. One of the two requirements involved in obtaining this ending is [[spoiler:killing Cybil instead of saving her with the red liquid]]. However, elsewhere in the ''same book'', scenario writer Hiroyuki Owaku claims that Cybil's ultimate fate is left up to the player, causing a vocal minority to insist that the [[spoiler:Good+]] Ending is the true canon ending-- despite Owaku's claim meaning that there isn't ''any'' true canon ending (between Good and Good+, anyhow; whichever the player chooses as headcanon, Cybil's fate has no bearing on the events of ''Silent Hill 3'' either way).

* ''[[VideoGame/{{SiN}} SiN: the Movie]]'' has [=SinTek=] owner Elexis Sinclaire [[DisneyVillainDeath fall to her death]] in a way ambiguous enough to set up a return for a [[{{SequelHook}} sequel]].

* The fate of Officer Cybil Bennett from ''[[VideoGame/SilentHill1 Silent Hill]]'' has long been a source of contention among series' fans, and WordOfGod has been notoriously contradictory on the subject. ''Silent Hill Chronicle: Lost Memories'', the most famous ''Silent Hill'' [[UniverseCompendium information guide]], stated that the [[spoiler:Good]] Ending is the one which leads into the game's direct sequel, ''VideoGame/SilentHill3''. One of the two requirements involved in obtaining this ending is [[spoiler:killing Cybil instead of saving her with the red liquid]]. However, elsewhere in the ''same book'', scenario writer Hiroyuki Owaku claims that Cybil's ultimate fate is left up to the player, causing a vocal minority to insist that the [[spoiler:Good+]] Ending is the true canon ending-- despite Owaku's claim meaning that there isn't ''any'' true canon ending.
** A situation mirrored by his take on [[spoiler:James Sunderland]]'s fate in ''VideoGame/SilentHill2''. Despite ''[[ContestedSequel Silent Hill 4]]'' trying to clumsily override Owaku-san, he said that whatever ultimately became of [[spoiler:James]] is what that player believes should have happened to him, and that there is ''no'' canon resolution.
*** It's never explicitly said in ''Silent Hill 4'' what [[spoiler: the fate of James]] is as of ''[=SH4=]''. [[spoiler: It's revealed that James's father has lost contact with his son and his wife, but that still leaves James's fate ambiguous, considering how it can be argued that every ending has a way to account for James losing contact with his father, be it James committing suicide, still being in Silent Hill, or going into hiding to avoid being charged with his wife's murder.]]

* The Fade To Black ending to ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter 2'' makes it appear as though Captain Mitchell died during the EMP bombing, but is ambiguous enough that his return in ''Future Soldier'' many years later is plausible.

* Just before the FinalBoss of ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'', [[spoiler:Jasper Batt Jr. reveals the severed heads of Sylvia, Henry, and Shinobu. Over the course of the fight, it's revealed that, at the very least, Henry's and Sylvia's heads are props, and that they're still alive, as they appear to assist Travis. While Shinobu doesn't reappear at all and her survival is not explicitly confirmed, it's highly likely that her death was faked as well.]]

* King Sombra is the only villain in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' to be killed. Just as [[LiterallyShatteredLives his body shatters to pieces]] though, his horn can be seen flying off, fully intact. This wouldn't be much, if it weren't for the fact that, during the episode itself, a small piece of his horn was enough to spread his [[TheCorruption Corruption]] inside a magical barrier. King Sombra is an [[HumanoidAbomination Equinoid Abomination]], so its possible he could [[FromASingleCell regrow his body from the horn.]] Due to his [[GenericDoomsdayVillain lack of characterization]], many assume he'll be back eventually. The comics took advantage of this, and the show eventually followed suit in its final season, [[spoiler:though there Sombra was definitively KilledOfForReal one episode after his revival]].

* Despite how most chose to [[KillThemAll interpret it]] the ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion End Of Evangelion]]'' [[spoiler:ends with this, as the narration makes clear that anyone can regain their individuality if they have the will to]].

* Just before the FinalBoss of ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'', [[spoiler:Jasper Batt Jr. [[StuffedIntoTheFridge reveals the severed heads of Sylvia, Henry, and Shinobu]]. Over the course of the fight, it's revealed that, at the very least, Henry's and Sylvia's heads are props, and that they're still alive, as they appear to assist Travis. While Shinobu doesn't reappear at all and her survival is not explicitly confirmed, it's highly likely that her death was faked as well.]]

* In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureVentoAureo'', Giorno Giovanna's Stand Gold Experience [[spoiler:Requiem]] has the power [[spoiler:to negate what happened, and [[DeusExMachina set it back to it's beginning.]] Cue [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Part VI]], the children of DIO are brought to the U.S., however, Giorno is nowhere to be found. When the universe is reset, Giorno may well have just used Gold Experience Requiem and survived. The Jorge Joestar novel says this happens.]]

** [[spoiler:Smellerbee and Longshot]] were last seen in the underground [[SecretPolice Dai Li]] headquarters, without any WordOfGod on whether they got out. ''ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderThePromise'' reveals they survived.

Any time an author leaves the door ajar on a character's death to [[FirstLawOfResurrection later bring them back]] [[StayingAlive plausibly]] if [[SchrodingersGun the plot requires it]]. Compare HesJustHiding. Often a result of EpilepticTrees and/or FridgeLogic, or even WordOfGod.

* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] with Terra in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''; the writers did it intentionally.
* Expected with [[spoiler:Jet's ambiguous death]] in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', whose injuries (which didn't seem that bad in comparison to others') weren't explained and whose final fate was never explicitly explained, but WordOfGod stated he died.
** [[spoiler:Smellerbee and Longshot]] were in a similar situation, without any WordOfGod one way or another.
*** They do show up in ''Comicbook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderThePromise''.

* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica dies in Dan Jurgens' ''Captain America'' vol. 3 #50. He's fine by his next appearance, and his death is never brought up again. John Ney Rieber planned to write a follow up mini-series addressing this.

* Used in character by Siryn in ''Comicbook/XFactor.'' She refuses to believe her father is dead because X-Men come back from the dead all the time. This is partially treated as unhealthy denial but otherwise seems a logical enough assumption to make.

** [[spoiler: Data]]'s death in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' was given an out by [[spoiler:dumping all of Data's memories into B-4]].

* After certain point, who expected Daniel Jackson to stay dead in ''Series/StargateSG1''? [[LampshadeHanging Not the characters, certainly]]. At one point, after Daniel's last known location was a replicator ship that they're ''certain'' exploded in space (and the audience sees him get stabbed in the chest for good measure), General O'Neill refuses to hold even a memorial service because he's [[RunningGag expecting Jackson to pop into his office by the end of the day]]. Even a squad of RedShirts cracks wise about the good doctor's tendency to die repeatedly.

* [[spoiler:Kenny]] in ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' was implied to have been killed by zombies in a HeroicSacrifice during the last episode, but his body was never seen, so a few players saw it coming when he appeared in the Episode 2 of the second game.

* King Sombra is the only villain in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' to be killed. Just as [[LiterallyShatteredLives his body shatters to pieces]] though, his horn can be seen flying off, fully intact. This wouldn't be much, if it weren't for the fact that, during the episode itself, a small piece of his horn was enough to spread his [[TheCorruption Corruption]] inside a magical barrier. King Sombra is an [[HumanoidAbomination Equinoid Abomination]], so its possible he could [[FromASingleCell regrow his body from the horn.]] Due to his [[GenericDoomsdayVillain lack of characterization]], many assume he'll be back eventually. The comics took advantage of this.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'': For a while, there was no solid proof that Zexion was dead, leading many fans to believe he was alive. When the game was remade for [=PS2=], his death was shown in full detail. [[spoiler: However, ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3D'' reveals that he was eventually revived as a whole being along with most of the other Organization members.]]

* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may well be the first author to find himself bitten by this trope, when he failed to produce a body or witness to SherlockHolmes' "death" on Reichenbach Falls in "The Final Problem". After many years of fan outcry, he was forced to resurrect the Great Detective in "The Adventure of the Empty House".

** A few characters in the ''ComicBook/XWingSeries'', most notably [[spoiler:Lara]]. This last one is all but confirmed in the tenth book ''Mercy Kill''.

* ''[[{{SiN}} SiN: the Movie]]'' has [=SinTek=] owner Elexis Sinclaire [[DisneyVillainDeath fall to her death]] in a way ambiguous enough to set up a return for a [[{{SequelHook}} sequel]].

* Creator/FUNimation adamantly refused to admit that anyone in ''Manga/DragonBall Z'' died, or if they did they were merely [[NeverSayDie "in another dimension"]] [[note]] Which is technically true but the trope still applies [[/note]]. The best example is in a relatively early episode in which Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth in the middle of a city, surrounded by curious people. Nappa makes a gesture and instantly vaporises an enormous portion of the city, forming an suitably wide crater, then mentions that everyone evacuated.

* ComicBook/JeanGrey has a tendency to die a lot in all kinds of adaptions. Of course, anyone familiar with the original ''ComicBook/XMen'' setting knows that she is, in fact, Phoenix, and has made a career out of coming back from the dead. Thus, when she pulled a HeroicSacrifice at the end of the second ''X-Men'' movie, everybody knew she'd be comming back for the third (and she did)... her death in the ''ComicBook/{{Marvel 1602}}'' timeline is also unlikely to have stuck. Apparently the characters in ''X-Men'' are pretty savvy, since her tombstone reads: Jean Grey-Summers: She Will Rise Again. It's gotten to the point where they're barely fazed at all by dying anymore. One of Cyclops's plans began with "Step 1: Die. Step 2: Come back to life," and works flawlessly. Another character remarked that Mutant Heaven doesn't have pearly gates, but a revolving door.

* Fans had strong suspicions that [[spoiler:Hollyleaf]] in ''Literature/WarriorCats'' surivived because of the way her "death" was presented - we "see" it from the POV of a blind character who merely hears rocks caving in and automatically assumes that NoOneCouldHaveSurvivedThat without even trying to dig her out. [[NeverSayDie The characters keep using the word "lost" instead of "died".]] When the other characters finally realize that she might still be alive since they NeverFoundTheBody, they finally dig through the rubble... and find nothing, so they know she must be out there somewhere. [[spoiler:She does return later that book.]]

* Happens frequently on ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', to the point where it gets lampshaded often. One of the most noteable examples is Lt. Ford. After going rogue [[Film/ApocalypseNow Colonel Kurtz]] style, he's last seen leading an attack on a Wraith starship that explodes (although whether or not he was actually still aboard the ship at the time is not shown). His fate is left ambiguous, and Commander Shepherd lampshades the fact that a lot of people they know have survived similar events many times before (although unlike most other characters who had this happen to them, Ford never resurfaced in a later episode before the series ended).

* [[spoiler:Lelouch]] from ''Anime/CodeGeass''. CompleteImmortality exists in universe, and he had time to plan for what eventually happened to him, so it is possible. WordOfGod denied it, although [[LyingCreator this particular God]] has lied about who's dead before...

* ''OnePiece'': Zoro's childhood Kuina was supposed to have died (and in the manga, we see the body), and now we have IdenticalStranger Tashigi. This trope wouldn't come up if it weren't for how ''One Piece'' is a WorldOfHam where [[spoiler:women can hold babies in their bodies for 20 months]], states again and again that [[PowerOfFriendship true friendship never ends]], and that Zoro working on their promise alone isn't thematically consistent with "No one is alone at sea." Though, WordOfGod has shot down that Tashigi and Kuina are the same person/even remotely related to one another and that it's just coincidence. Still, in the world of OnePiece, anything can happen.

* Orochimaru of ''{{Naruto}}'' was absorbed by Sasuke at one point, but it was speculated by many fans he was merely suppressed and waiting for an opportunity to re-emerge. He did, and was immediately killed, but the appearance of a white snake trying to flee the battlefield hinted it wasn't so clean cut. [[spoiler:Turns out Orochimaru's consciousness can hide in any of his cursed seals, so he came back again]].