History Main / YouAreTooLate

** ''ComicBook/Rorschach2021'' -- an official DistantSequel to ''Watchmen'' -- has a funny CallBack to this during the final issue, where the nameless detective protagonist is informed that he's too late... by a movie theatre cashier, letting him know that the midnight screening he wanted to see started thirty-five minutes ago.

* In Season 4 of ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' the shapeshifter Double Trouble is found after they raise suspicion by destroying the Princess Alliance's communicator. It is revealed that they didn't misstep, they just needed to cut off outside alerts and keep the group busy looking for them while Hordak attacks Salineas. By the time they're captured, the kingdom of Salineas fell hours ago.

* In Season 4 of "WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower" the shapeshifter Double Trouble is found after they raise suspicion by destroying the Princess Alliance's communicator. It is revealed that they didn't misstep, they just needed to cut off outside alerts and keep the group busy looking for them while Hordak attacks Salineas. By the time they're captured, the kingdom of Salineas fell hours ago.

* Dio in the first arc of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure''. Although he seemingly [[TakingYouWithMe dies along with Jonathan]], he comes back for an epic sequel in Part 3. And he isn't just alive - he successfully replaced his destroyed body with Jonathan's, meaning that he accomplished exactly, what he was trying to do.

* ''VideoGame/{{Splatterhouse}}: Rick finds out that he's too late to [[spoiler:prevent Jennifer from becoming a TragicMonster... but he has more than enough for a RoaringRampageOfRevenge]].

** [[spoiler:They arrive to late to save the FBI agent from revealing where he was to meet the reporters on the Watergate Scandal.]]
** [[spoiler:They try to save the reporters from being killed, they are already dead when they arrive.]]

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy''

* ''{{Film/Equilibrium}}'': After finding out the time of incineration for Mary, Preston finds himself leaping to her rescue after ''discovering he was present at his wife's execution when he requests video footage of her''. Suffice to say, despite running as fast as he can, the camera switches to his approaching figure as the door to the incinerator has ''literally just closed'', immediately told they can't open the doors without causing an explosion over ground. The helpless look on his face when he realises this is something he can't prevent and the fact it's someone whom he knows and loves just sells the distressing scene.

** In ''Videogame/HaloCombatEvolved'''s fifth level, Cortana sends the player to stop an [[ZombieApocalypse outbreak]] of [[NotUsingTheZWord the Flood]], "before it's too late!". Turns out it is, and the only way to stop them from spreading out into the galaxy is to destroy the titular fortress world along with any human survivors still on it.

--> '''Aqua:''' ''(uncloaking herself from shadow to reveal [[TheCorruption white hair and gold eyes]])'' Mickey... you're too late.

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''. The party is the UnwittingPawn that, about halfway in, allows the BigBad to summon the EldritchAbomination, and find out three-thirds down the story that they've been too late to stop it ever since. They nonetheless manage to prevent the Abomination from destroying humanity, [[spoiler:though the main character dies in the process of doing it.]]

* The characters of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' responded to Chao's preperations by using the [[TimeMachine time-traveling watch]] she'd given them to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong despite the item being powered only within the few days of the SchoolFestival thanks to the WorldTree's [[PlaceOfPower magic]]. After that it was purely a matter of thinking on their feet and hoping for a good outcome.

* ''Comicbook/FreddyVsJasonVsAsh'' has Ash trying to get back the Necronomicon from Freddy and Jason before Freddy starts reciting chants from it. He's 10 minutes too late.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'', midway through the Hierophant Confidant, Youji Isshiki will threaten to report the protagonist to the police for attacking him, despite the fact that Youji fell down while trying to hit Futaba. The protagonist and Futaba go to Mementos by themselves to [[HeelFaceBrainwashing change Youji's heart]], but on the next event, it turns out that Youji already filed his report, and two social workers show up to investigate the incident, and determine whether Sojiro is adequately taking care of Futaba. Luckily, they're reasonable enough to realize that Youji's report was a lie, and neither Sojiro nor the protagonist did anything wrong.

%%''manga/One Piece'': there are quite a few examples but the most notable one is in the alabasta arc: where the crew arrives in alabasta looking to stop [[chessmaster crocodile]] from unleashing his evil master plan, which hi has spent years manipulating everyone one the island for it; they only manage to find him after the said plan is in full motion, and [[ItIsATrap fall right in his trap]]. They turn it on the it's head though, so no problem.

* In ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', Rorschach leaves his journal behind, which identifies the BigBad and thus could potentially undermine his victory. The book ends with the question of what, if anything, will come of the journal LeftHanging.

* In a Japanese thriller ''Unfair'', the ultimate conclusion of the GambitPileup, which was to obtain a MacGuffin on a thumbdrive, is that Yukihara tainted the thumbdrive with a tracer program to figure out who killed her husband.

* Played a straight in ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion End of Evangelion]]'', where Shinji arrives too late to save Asuka from being eaten alive, and as a result, gets to see the remains of her Evangelion Unit-02 being thrown on the ground. He is subsequently crucified by the MP [=EVAs=].

* DoublySubverted during the eclipse in ''{{Manga/Berserk}}''. Skull Knight pops in and saves Guts and Casca right before Griffith can pull the CoupDeGrace on them. However, by this time, both had suffered a FateWorseThanDeath, and afterward the God Hand declared that they were going to bring forth an age of darkness.
* While pretty much all the protagonists and side characters in the entire [[Anime/{{Planetes}} series]] are trying to prevent the Space Defence Force's attempt to crash an experimental space ship into the largest city on the moon, all their efforts end up failing when the SDF averts the crash themselves when their demands are met. And since unlike their methods, their demands were fairly reasonable (dividing space's resources among countries based on their population instead of how much contribution they payed the NATO-{{Expy}}, the end result isn't all that bad.

* The ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'', Hal Jordan realizes too late that [[spoiler:the Guardians' new authorization for the Comicbook/GreenLantern Corps to kill]] was the whole reason Sinestro started the war in the first place, meaning TheBadGuyWins. However, even Jordan acknowledges at the end that the ability to use lethal force like real cops and soldiers does help in defending the universe.
* ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', the former TropeNamer:

-->'''Dr. Frankenstein:''' (''to Igor'') Damn your eyes!\\
'''Igor:''' (''looks to camera and points to his [[FishEyes eyes]]'') Too late!

'''Dean:''' I don't care. ''(stabs the demon)''

* Happened in the backstory of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' in which the Ultramarines, Space Wolves and Dark Angels SpaceMarine legions are being stalled by the traitor legions as much as possible while the Siege of Terra rages on. The three legions eventually arrive at Terra, only to find out that the traitor legions had already fled into the Eye of Terror and that the Emperor had been mortally wounded.

Compare RememberedTooLate. Contrast TheCavalryArrivesLate when the cavalry arrives after the BigBad has been defeated by the hero.

* A reason why UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump failed to contest the 2020 presidential election was the doctrine of ''laches'' — he filed objections to postal ballots and changes to election laws way too late. Many noted these suits were [[FrivolousLawsuit silly]] [[DownToTheLastPlay "Hail Mary" passes]] that made him look like a SoreLoser, as his claims about alleged voter fraud lacked proof. Even the Texas v. Pennsylvania SCOTUS suit touted by Trump as "the big one" was denied for this reason, aside from Texas having no legal standing on how other states conduct their elections. Given the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, more people voted via mail than usual, causing Trump to discredit postal voting as he knew it would favor UsefulNotes/JoeBiden and despite the fact that he ''[[{{Hypocrite}} hypocritically voted via mail]]''.

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'': Eggman and NICOLE realize that the events of ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogMegaManWorldsCollide'' has done more than alter Mobius, [[spoiler:it's caused the entire Multiverse to collapse upon itself. Even worse, all of that energy is gathered into Mobius and needs to be released]]. Sonic and Tails think they can still save the day and Orbot and Cubot think that Eggman can fix it. Their response? [[spoiler:"'''''IT'S TOO LATE!'''''" And Mobius tears itself apart.]]

* Creator/WernerHerzog's ''[[Film/{{Nosferatu}} Nosferatu the Vampyre]]''. Lucy succeeds in killing Count Dracula via a HeroicSacrifice, but Jonathan Harker is already a vampire and escapes at film's end. Adding insult to injury, police arrest Van Helsing for Dracula's "murder" at the movie's end!

** ''Film/TheDarkKnight'': Batman arrives in time to rescue [[spoiler:Harvey Dent]], but the Gotham Police are too late to save [[spoiler:Rachel Dawes]]. The trope is invoked a second time when Gotham's citizens refuse to participate in the Joker's plan, but the Joker points out Batman still cannot redeem the corrupted Harvey Dent.
*** Which was part of the plan, really. Joker was counting on Batman being just fast enough, and the police not being fast enough. [[spoiler:That's why he switched the locations. Batman thought he was saving Rachel. Joker suspected he'd choose Rachel, he's already jumped off of a skyscraper to save her. But whoever he chose, he would be disappointed.]]

* In ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', the Scooby gang were too late to stop Glory from opening the portal. Buffy isn't willing to let Dawn die to close the portal, so she makes a HeroicSacrifice.

** In the ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' level "The Covenant", Johnson is captured to be used to activate the array. Master Chief is a bit too far away, so Miranda goes in after him. They almost sacrifice themselves, but Truth kills Keyes before she can carry it out, then activates the rings. MC and the Arbiter, with the EnemyMine help of the Flood, arrive JustInTime to deactivate them.
** In ''VideoGame/{{Halo 4}}'', [[spoiler:Chief and Cortana have to drop several layers of shields surrounding the Didact and attack him with a nuke, before he turns the Composer on earth, converting its citizens into enslaved AI soldiers. You succeed in dropping the shields... but the Didact simply says "And yet, ''still'' you fail", before firing the device. The epilogue shows that an entire city was harvested.]]

* Creator/PeterChimaera's ''FanFic/QuarterLifeHalfwayToDestruction'' - the "bad guy from the game" announces Gordon Freeman and his friend Jim are too late to stop his plan before he even begins listing off his demands, and Jim is "blowed to smitheroons"

* The ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' movie, much like the comic, has [[spoiler:Ozymandias]] use this trope against Rorschach and Night Owl: "I triggered it thirty-five minutes ago."

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/Heavy Metal]]'', Taarna is summoned to protect a city under attack, but by the time she arrives, everyone is dead and the bad guys are long gone.

* Played with in ''[[Literature/NightWatch The Last Watch]]'' when the hero is coerced into helping by a nuclear bomb planted near his family. When he is unable to interfere, he is told not to bother thinking of a plan, because the bomb has already detonated anyway. [[spoiler:After he kicks the speaker in the balls, an ally of the speaker explains that she took measures to prevent the detonation, because nuclear weapons are a few steps too far. However, it isn't his undoing since she did it because she was smart enough to realise murdering his family would endanger the main plan.]]

* In ''Comicbook/WarWorld'', Franchise/{{Superman}} and Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} travel across the galaxy to find Warworld -a massive, planet-killing weapon/artificial world- before alien overlord Mongul can appropiate it. Mongul seizes Warworld before they can stop him, though. Superman states that they are too late, and his cousin reasons that they will have to break Mongul's new toy, then.

[[folder:Fan Fic]]

* In ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', Rorschach leaves his journal behind, which identifies the BigBad and thus could potentially undermine his victory. The book ends with the question of what, if anything, will come of the journal LeftHanging.[[note]]Considering whose hands it was left in, there's also a chance nothing will come of it.[[/note]]
* In the first StoryArc of Creator/GrantMorrison's ''Comicbook/{{Zenith}}'', the [[EldritchAbomination Lloigor]] [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Iok Sotot]] has already beaten and killed most of the heroes, assumed its [[OneWingedAngel true form]], and actually begins to enter our physical space, when the post-hypnotic command Mandala had implanted in its mind gave it a fatal "seizure".

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
* In ''FanFic/ANorthernDragoness'', Aemon the Dragonknight is sent to Lys to rescue a noblewoman who was abducted by pirates. The problem was that when he found her, the elderly lady had already been in Lys for ''sixty-five years''. Though flattered by the rescue attempt and considering returning home to see her family, the lady had already established a small empire and had been living the good life for decades. Rechecking the original letter, Aemon finds that it was originally sent to Viserys I, his ''grandfather'', gotten lost, and found out again without anyone realizing when it had been sent.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'': When Diana desperately tries to save ComicBook/{{Artemis}} from the White Magician she gets there too late to rescue her. While it looks like Diana made it JustInTime Temis suffers fatal wound and perishes in Diana's arms, however the power the villain aquired to be able to do so ends up killing him shortly after he kills his opponent so his larger goals are never reached.

* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "Gaming the System", where Perry bursts into Dr. Doofensmirtz's lair, only to be told "Ah, Perry the Platypus! You are too late... wait, is it eleven o' clock yet? *glances at watch* Wait, wait... Now! ''Now'' you are too late!" Then Doofensmirtz zaps Perry with his latest invention, the Ballgown-inator, and Perry has to figure out how to defeat Doofesmirtz while wearing an oversized, restrictive dress.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* During the sinking of the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'', the ''Carpathia'' raced with everything it had to get to the emergency, but the captains of the respective ships knew that it could never make it in time. It arrived some two hours after the ''Titanic'' had sunk.

* In ''Webcomic/DraculaRulerOfTheNight'', the hunters have tracked Dracula to Carfax Abby and search for him. To their surprise they come across Minerva Westenra, Lucy's mother, who was initially out of town but was set to come back home after receiving the telegram about Lucy failing health. They check her over and don't seem to find any bite marks, assuming they got to her in time. Eventually however they're forced to retreat when Dracula and his brides (Lucy now among them) prove too powerful to fight at night. They make their way into a cellar of the building and have to push on the door leading outside as it's blocked by debris while barring the other door to keep the vampires from getting in, though know it won't take long for them to break through. Regardless, Harker assures Minerva that they'll protect her...only to catch glimpse off a reflective surface and find only her clothes are floating in the air. Exposed, Minerva sprouts fangs and pointy ears, informing him that Drac's brides had intercepted her carriage, brought her to Dracula and she was quickly bitten by Lucy. Becoming his most recent bride only hours before the hunters had raided the building.

* Happened in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Captain Planet|and the Planeteers}}'' episode "Whoo Gives a Hoot". The Planeteers attempt to stop Looten Plunder with a court injunction against clear-cutting an old growth forest. Despite their success in finding what they need to stop the cutting, Looten's clumsy, stupid minions actually managed to succeed in stealing the evidence, leaving Plunder free to continue. The Planeteers and judge eventually discover Looten's deception, only to discover that Looten had already cut down all the trees. The episode ends on that note, with him laughing in their faces about it and daring them to try and stop him again.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' are given a specific amount of time to solve Him's riddles in "Him Diddle Riddle" or, in Him's words, "the Professor will pay!" The girls fail on the final riddle, and the Professor must indeed pay--full price for a pancake breakfast at Him's diner. (The episode was executed in real time.)
* Season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' sees the Gaang rushing to prevent Iroh's warnings of [[MagnificentBitch Azula]] launching a coup from coming true, only to discover that the groundwork she had laid for the coup and Zuko's subversion of the HeelFaceTurn was so far along that they couldn't stop it, and when Aang tried to enter the Avatar State to enact the traditional CurbStompBattle, Azula realised that [[TransformationIsAFreeAction Transformation Is ''Not'' A Free Action]] and shot him in the back before he could power up. Consequently, the actual ending of the season was Azula taking over Ba Sing Sei (effectively realising [[TheEmpire the Fire Nation]]'s goal of conquering the world), AntiVillain Zuko turning back to the dark side, and a comprehensively defeated Avatar Aang. If it hadn't been for Season 3 coming along, it would have been a truly Olympian DownerEnding.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* During the sinking of the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'', the ''Carpathia'' raced with everything it had to get to the emergency, but the captains of the respective ships knew that it could never make it in time. It arrived some two hours after the ''Titanic'' had sunk.
[[/folder]]

* In the ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', Rorschach leaves his journal behind, which identifies the BigBad and thus could potentially undermine his victory. The book ends with the question of what, if anything, will come of the journal LeftHanging.[[note]]Considering whose hands it was left in, there's also a chance nothing will come of it.[[/note]]

* In the "Emperor Joker" miniseries, Darkseid realizes that the Joker's phenomenal cosmic power threatens his plans and hurries to tell the Quintessence so that they can assist him in averting disaster for everyone. Unfortunately, the Joker has already made them his puppets, and allows Darkseid to realize that "I am too late" before taking him over as well. Suitably, it falls to Superman, not a villain, to outthink the Joker (with some help from Batman and Mxyzptlk).