Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I’m afraid it’s time for goodbye again
I’m afraid it’s time for goodbye again
— Billy Joel, “Say Goodbye to Hollywood”
I guess it's time for us to go on our separate ways. We had some good times and bad times with each other, but it's been a blast. Before we say goodbye and go on our separate ways, here's a list of tropes about characters saying goodbye to each other in any kind of way.
Tropes:
- Always with You: A leaving or dying character says that they will always be with another character in spirit.
- Brush-Off Walk-Off: Someone brushes off another character by walking away and not looking back.
- But Now I Must Go: A work or installment of a work ends with a character who helped having to leave for no other reason than "it's the way things need to go".
- The Fellowship Has Ended: The work ends with the main group of protagonists going their separate ways.
- Foreign Farewell: A character kisses another one goodbye and, to avoid coming off as romantic, claims it's how people in the country they're from (usually America or, if the work is American, somewhere in Europe) say goodbye.
- Goodbye, Cruel World!: Someone commits suicide or pretends to and writes a note saying goodbye. Alternatively, someone writes the goodbye note on behalf of someone they murdered to make the murder look like suicide.
- If I Do Not Return: Somebody has to leave to do something dangerous and tells another person to do something if they don't come back.
- I Shall Return: Someone must leave one or more other people in danger but promises they'll be back to save them.
- It Has Been an Honor: A dying character, or one who expects to die soon, says that it was an honor working with their friend.
- Last Moment Together: Two people, be it lovers, family, or friends, will never be able to see each other again.
- "Leaving the Nest" Song: A song about leaving home, and all that one previously knew, behind — for good or for ill.
- Leaving You to Find Myself: A character is changing intellectually and dumps their partner to live a new life.
- Long Last Look: Someone has to leave home and says goodbye to the place.
- Never Got to Say Goodbye: A character dies and their friend/lover/etc feels bad because they didn't have a chance to say "goodbye" or "I love you" or similar.
- Never Say Goodbye: Somebody is dying, or at least thinks they are, and prepares to do a goodbye speech but another person says no.
- Parting-Words Regret: Someone dies or leaves and another person feels bad about the last thing they said to the dead/absent person.
- Pre-Sacrifice Final Goodbye: A hero says goodbye before sacrificing themselves.
- Reunion Vow: Someone is going off to do something dangerous and promises that they will see another person again, even if it's in the afterlife.
- Save the Day, Turn Away: Someone saves the day but has to dump their love interest.
- Signing-Off Catchphrase: A line of dialog that serves as an Every Episode Ending, usually a way of saying goodbye to the audience.
- So Long, Suckers!: Saying a boastful farewell while escaping.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: A character suddenly appears or disappears with no explanation (but they're not teleporting).
- Take Care of the Kids: Someone is dying and asks another person to take care of a person (usually a kid as kids are more likely to need care).
- Thanking the Viewer: A work ends with a statement thanking the audience.
- That's All, Folks!: A character lets the viewer know that it's the end.
- Train-Station Goodbye: Two lovers say goodbye at a train station.
- We Will Meet Again: The villain gets defeated and says something along the lines of "We will meet again" to the hero.
- Wrap-Up Song: Each episode of a show ends with a specific song, often one bidding the viewers farewell.
