History Main / NoEnding

* When John Allison concluded that his comic ''Steeple'', part of the Webcomic/{{Bobbinsverse}}, was no longer viable, with no publisher interested in printing it, he had a whole bunch of plotlines still in reserve. Rather than finish with some kind of rushed ending or lose those ideas entirely, he ran a series of strips that set each of them up, then left things there, on the principle that fans would thus have at least have some access to his ideas. The effect was something of a DownerEnding for some readers as many of those set-ups involved the setting and most of the characters in danger, in prison, or out of work; at best, this became a wide-open case of "AndTheAdventureContinues".

* When John Allison concluded that his comic ''Steeple'', part of the Webcomic/{{Bobbinsverse}}, was no longer viable, with no publisher interested in printing it, he had a whole bunch of plotlines still in reserve. Rather than finish with some kind of rushed ending or lose those ideas entirely, he ran a series of strips that set each of them up, then left things there, on the principle that fans would thus have at least have some access to his ideas. The effect was something of a DownerEnding for some readers as many of those set-ups involved the town and most of the characters in danger, in prison, or out of work; at best, this became a wide-open case of "AndTheAdventureContinues".

* When John Allison concluded that his comic ''Steeple'', part of the Webcomic/Bobbinsverse, was no longer viable, with no publisher interested in printing it, he had a whole bunch of plotlines still in reserve. Rather than finish with some kind of rushed ending or lose those ideas entirely, he ran a series of strips that set each of them up, then left things there, on the principle that fans would thus have at least have some access to his ideas. The effect was something of a DownerEnding for some readers as many of those set-ups involved the town and most of the characters in danger, in prison, or out of work; at best, this became a wide-open case of "AndTheAdventureContinues".

* ''ComicStrip/DykesToWatchOutFor'': the last strip, apparently per author Alison Bechdel's intentions, was just another episode that didn't wrap anything up or even allude to its own finality. There have since been a few one-off strips published here and there over the years.

[[Music/TheBeatles You say you want]] a [[{{Denouement}} resolution]]? [[WaxingLyrical Well, you know, we all want to see the end]]. But when you talk about a conclusion, you know that you can count this work out: a work intentionally ends unresolved, the {{Story Arc}}s are unconcluded, and you can believe whatever you want about [[WhatNowEnding what happens next]].[[note]]That's a reference to The Beatles.[[/note]]

When the main plot is resolved but other threads aren't, that's a different trope: LeftHanging. If the story ends right before a big fight scene it's a BolivianArmyEnding. When the lack of ending is passed off as being a good reward, it's AWinnerIsYou. If the ending leaves the characters ready to continue their usual exploits, it's AndTheAdventureContinues. If the writer ends the story in a way where the viewer or reader must decide by his own interpretation how it ended, it's an AmbiguousEnding. This trope may be combined with NegativeContinuity, if the last episode's problems simply disappear. But when a big story arc is dismissed with a {{handwave}}, it's an AbortedArc.

* Most of the multi-strip story arcs in ''ComicStrip/MadamAndeve'' will end abruptly, with the characters returning to [[StatusQuoIsGod the status quo]] without comment.

* ''ComicStrip/DykesToWatchOutFor'': the last strip, apparently per author Alison Bechdel's intentions, was just another episode that didn't wrap anything up or even allude to its own finality. There have since been a few one-off strips published here and there over the years.

* ''Fanfic/MyImmortal'' ends with Ebony about to try to kill Voldemort with Avada Kedavra, with no indication as to whether she'll succeed or fail.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYsb24DiEZE This]] ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' spoof. Just when the Pokémon are about to butt heads in their final strikes, the video cuts to the cast singing the theme song and we never see the outcome.
* ''Fanfic/MyDreamIsYours'' ends with Orchid, Orson and Oren all still uncured of Dream-Transfer-itis, with Orson in particular becoming a new victim.

* For ''Creator/TheBrewingNetwork'' most shows that ended simply stopped being made with no announcement it was happening. Only twice has the ending been acknowledged in the last episode- Lunch Meet and Shinerunner. The Jamil Show, Homebrewed Chef, Bikes + Beer (though they only made two episodes), and unless their absence is temporary due to covid Hop and Brew School, and Sour Hour all stopped with nothing said about it.

* Creator/HaroldPinter's ''Old Times''.

* UMO Ensemble's adaptation of ''Les Chants de Maldoror'' ends with the cast announcing "New arrival!" [[BookEnds just as at the start of the play]], but it fades to black right there, without us finding out who or what the "new arrival" is.

* The musical ''Theatre/{{Drood}}'', based on the unfinished mystery by Creator/CharlesDickens, lets the audience vote on the ending. Also bringing in a healthy dose of NoFourthWall.
* At the end of Laura Marks' ''Bethany'', after signing the lease, Crystal breaks down in tears, takes a drink from the sink, then stands center stage looking up. Cue the [[MindScrew mysterious]] [[EpilepticFlashingLights strobe lights]], [[DroneOfDread droning music]], and [[FadeToBlack flash to black]], followed by the curtain call.

* The script for ''Theatre/{{Deathtrap}}'' has a coda involving two minor characters, but some productions seem to feel it's better to do an abrupt blackout just as soon as [[spoiler:Clifford, who has been fatally shot with an arrow, pulls the arrow out and stabs Sidney with it]]. Given that [[spoiler:all three main characters are dead or dying]], it does sort of make sense to stop there.
* ''Theatre/{{Eurydice}}'' ends without resolution as Orpheus arrives in the Underworld, newly dead, and can't read the letter Eurydice left for him.

* This is pretty much the case for most [[OrphanedSeries/{{Webcomics}} orphaned webcomics]].
* ''Webcomic/RPGWorld'' had a particularly horrendous non-end. The characters reach the final boss, begin fighting the final boss, [[http://rpgworldcomic.com/d/20050705.html and then...]] nothing. As it turns out, the creator just plain got tired of working on the comic and axed it until the FullyAbsorbedFinale in ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes''.

* ''Webcomic/VeliaDear'' ended on a cliffhanger concerning Velia and her dying mother, asking the audience what they thought should happen... to no real avail, as the story was never continued.
* ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}'' had an arc that involved Ray becoming possessed whenever a note was played on a mystical banjo. The last strip in the arc had Ray telling Pat to say good things about his penis as Pat called him while being dragged down the sidewalk by the banjo come to life, which was followed by a hiatus when Chris Onstad's daughter was born. When the strip resumed, the banjo was never mentioned again, although [[WordOfGod Onstad]] does promise that before Achewood ever comes to a close, we'll find out what happens to the banjo.
* Parodied in one arc of ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' that was riffing on ''Series/{{Firefly}}''. Two characters prepare for all-out combat, then "Final battle [[ScrewedByTheNetwork canceled]] by {{Creator/FOX}}."
* ''Webcomic/AnsemRetort'' stopped updating during what seemed to be the climax of Season 8.

* While ''Webcomic/ExploitationNow'' did conclude the main plotline of Jordan and the organization she was fighting against, the comic ends just a few pages after the final battle without addressing what happens after.

* ''Literature/TheGreenWanderer'' doesn't end with Marrox finally succumbing to his illness, nor does it confirm or deny that Marrox succeeding in redeeming himself. Instead, it ends with Marrox and a goblin named Dollik talking for a while, before they say that "it's a nice day today."

* ''WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment'': Spoony pulls this off while he was reviewing [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames a game based on]] the ''Film/DirtyHarry'' series, as the video cuts to black just when Spoony is about to tell what would happen in the second level. (The first level ended just as abruptly, to be noted.) [[ShoutOut Even more appropriate]], before the cut you could hear the ''exact'' same song that played during [[Series/TheSopranos the certain more famous occurrence of this trope.]]
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q2P4LjuVA8 "The Glitch"]], by WebVideo/CorridorDigital, ends with [[spoiler:a fake "plugin failed" image.]]

%%* ''WebVideo/TheMusicVideoShow'': Episode 38.

* Most videos in the ''WebVideo/AceAttorneyAccordingToAnAI'' series end without a clear ending, but #2 and #4 stand out. Those episodes end with court being temporarily adjourned without a verdict being handed down, and are never continued.