History Main / SurvivalThroughSelfSacrifice

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', the episode "The Ultimate Sacrifice" has Ben discovering that a glitch in the Ultimatrix caused the Ultimate form aliens to be sentient, and whenever he uses them they feel like slaves being controlled. The Ultimates wish to kill Ben so that his control over them will be broken. After failing to reason and escape them, Ben ultimately decides to perform a HeroicSuicide so that the Ultimates can be free. It turns out Ben's selflessness was recognized by the Ultimatrix and spared his life while freeing the Ultimates.

* [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''; [[spoiler:though Natasha sacrifices herself so that Clint can collect the Soul Stone, Bruce is unable to resurrect her once the Infinity Gauntlet is assembled.]]

Yet sometimes this choice is thrust upon certain individuals. A character may be presented with the choice to go quietly in atonement for some wrong or be killed in some extreme fashion. Circumstances may force them to make a HeroicSacrifice to save the lives of many others. Or they may be faced with a deadly bargain: trade their life for that of another person. Whatever the specific circumstances, the character chooses to give up their life, and accept their own death.

* In one arc of ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'''s ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' series, Dredd is given the ultimate test of assessing whether his own clone, Cadet Kraken, is fit to pass out as a Judge after seven years at the Academy. Mindful of the way previous clones of Dredd have not only failed but turned out to be mortal threats to the Mega-City, Dredd convinces himself he has seen a fatal flaw in Kraken and fails him. However, the hierarchy really, really want Kraken to pass as a Judge. [[note]]the game-plan is to "retire" Dredd and discreetly replace the aging Judge with a younger body-double[[/note]]. Kraken is told of the Judgement on him: as he cannot be allowed to go into civilian life with a Judge training, the sentence is Death. Kraken steels himself and administers his own lethal injection. When he wakes up, he is told the lethal poison had been replaced with a strong sedative. The fact he accepted the sentence so uncomplainingly, in the eyes of the Chief Judge, is evidence of his fitness to serve as a Judge. So put this uniform on, you've passed the test.

* ''Fanfic/DearDiary'': Opal attacks nearly kills Morta in a rage, asking her to beg for her life. Morta instead says that she understands why Opal would want her dead and that she accepts it, and Opal responds by relenting and sparing her life. She later says that she would have probably killed Morta if she had actually begged for her life.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'', Harry ultimately discovers he is the seventh Horcrux and it is his fate to be killed so that Voldemort can die. Rather than running from death as he had previously done so, Harry walks straight to the Death Eaters camp and allows Voldemort to kill him. In doing so, Harry [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind goes into his mind]] where he finds the fragment of Voldemort's soul that had latched onto him, along with a manifestation of Dumbledore. Finally here, Dumbledore explains that by allowing himself to be killed, Harry's soul was freed from Voldemort's and his soul finally belonged to himself - though the trope is [[PlayingWithATrope played with]] as what actually lets Harry survive is a magical side-effect of Voldemort sharing his blood; his self-sacrifice just adds some emotional resonance to this. Dumbledore also adds that the "Master of Death" did not find a way to escape death but to accept it, which is ultimately what Harry had done.

* In ''Literature/ThePilgrimsRegress'', John meets Death in a mountain pass on a stormy night. John realizes that the fear of Death has motivated his entire journey, while Death hammers home that dying is inevitable, and John only has two choices: accept it, or fight against it futilely.

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'' gave this to Sylvia Ikaruga Misurugi as a change to the ''Anime/CrossAnge'' plot. Unlike in canon and her brother Julio, [[DirtyCoward who still begs for his life after making a living hell for her sister]], Sylvia [[spoiler:learns the truth about Embryo and stands up by her own will]]. When the two sisters reunite, Sylvia tells Ange she is free to kill her. However, Ange is admired by how Sylvia has matured and thinks nothing of it. Instead, [[spoiler:she offers to help her group rebuild Misurugi while she establishes Cafe Ange within its territory]].

* Ladd Russo of ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' has no qualms about killing anyone he wishes. However, when Graham Specter attacks him and loses, he spares the guy because he doesn't kill those who have a death wish. Shortly afterward, Graham becomes one of his top henchmen.

* A BlackComedy example played straight in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure''. Stroheim tells a group of prisoners that includes women and children that he needs a HumanSacrifice to awaken one of the Pillar Men. When a child offers himself, Stroheim spares him for his guts and orders his men to kill the rest.

* In ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', John Constantine has been destined for {{Hell}} ever since [[SuicideIsShameful a failed suicide attempt in his childhood]], but at the end of the film, he attempts to commit suicide again, knowing that [[{{Satan}} the Devil]] will come to earth to personally claim his soul, [[VillainousRescue screwing up the Big Bad's plan when he arrives]]. This, plus John negotiating with the Devil to have another soul released from Hell, is judged [[HeroicSacrifice selfless and heroic]] enough for his soul to enter Heaven... until the Devil, furious at losing his right to John's soul, [[ReroutedFromHeaven brings John back to life and cures his cancer]], hoping that he will screw up at some point and get condemned to Hell again.

* In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', [[TokenEvilTeammate Frieza]] is brought in as the final member of Team Universe 7 for the Tournament of Power. He's initially only out to manipulate everyone and get the wish on the Super Dragon Balls so he can wish himself back to life. However, as things get more desperate he's forced to put aside his animosity and cooperate with his uneasy allies. In the finale, Frieza puts full trust in Goku and both of them perform a HeroicSacrifice to ring out Jiren, with Frieza knowing fully well this will cost him his wish and he will be returned to hell. To his surprise, in thanks to Frieza's crucial efforts in helping Universe 7 survive, Beerus asked Whis to resurrect Frieza and he is returned back to life.

* In one arc of ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'''s ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'' series, Dredd is given the ultimate test of assessing whether his own clone, Cadet Kraken, is fit to pass out as a Judge after seven years at the Academy. Mindful of the way previous clones of Dredd have not only failed but turned out to be mortal threats to the Mega-City, Dredd convinces himself he has seen a fatal flaw in Kraken and fails him. However, the hierarchy really, really want Kraken to pass as a Judge. [[note]]the game-plan is to "retire" Dredd and discreetly replace the ageing Judge with a younger body-double[[/note]]. Kraken is told of the Judgement on him: as he cannot be allowed to go into civilian life with a Judge training, the sentence is Death. Kraken steels himself and administers his own lethal injection. When he wakes up, he is told the lethal poison had been replaced with a strong sedative. The fact he accepted the sentence so uncomplainingly, in the eyes of the Chief Judge, is evidence of his fitness to serve as a Judge. So put this uniform on, you've passed the test.

* In ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', the episode "[[Recap/LegendsOfTomorrowS3E11HereIGoAgain Here I Go Again]]" has Zari stuck in a GroundhogDayLoop, where she has to relive the same hour over and over before the ship gets destroyed by a bomb. In her many attempts to stop the bomb from exploding, she learns about the Legends and gets closer to them and values their presence. Ultimately, she breaks the loop, but at the cost of the bomb exploding being final. Zari deciding to be selfless for once, takes the bomb, and seals herself in the forcefield of the Captain's quarters while using her [[BlowYouAway wind powers]] to form a vortex to contain the explosion. As the timer counts down and the explosion resounds, Zari wakes up and everything is revealed to be a simulation and a SecretTestOfCharacter by Gideon.