Basic Trope: A character fails a suicide attempt and is happy about it.
- Straight: Simon tries to off himself with a gun, but as the gun doesn't go off, he becomes happy that he is alive.
- Exaggerated:
- Simon tries to jump off of a building, but realizes that he doesn't want to go through this suicide and instantly becomes The Pollyanna.
- Simon attempts suicide multiple times, and it always fails. He is invariably pleased with the outcome.
- This happens to multiple characters.
- Downplayed: Simon plans on swallowing a Cyanide Pill, but decides not to and is satisfied.
- Justified:
- Simon learns that he wanted to live after all.
- If his suicide was prevented, it can't be time to leave this world yet.
- Simon tried to kill himself because someone he cared about was mad at him, only for that someone to end up saving his life. This makes him happy; they can't be that mad at him if they don't want him to die.
- Inverted:
- Simon successfully commits suicide, and ends up in Heaven. He is thankful that his suicide attempt ended in success.
- Simon botches the suicide attempt, and is left even more miserable afterwards.
- Simon successfully commits suicide, and becomes more miserable now that he is in Hell.
- Subverted: It turns out that Simon is not as happy as he appears to be; he was faking it so his friends would stop worrying about him.
- Double Subverted:
- But then he tries to off himself a second time, but that fails too. This makes him happier.
- Alternatively, he later becomes happy that he failed.
- Parodied: Simon commits suicide, and regrets it in the afterlife. He is then inexplicably resurrected.
- Zig-Zagged: Simon alternates between being happy, sad, and angry that he's failed his suicide attempt, then reaches a point where he simply doesn't think about it. Then he resumes thinking about it and goes from happy to sad to angry about his failed suicide attempt.
- Averted:
- Simon is not happy that he's failed his suicide attempt.
- All suicide attempts are successful.
- No one attempts suicide.
- Enforced: "This plot requires Simon to attempt suicide, but we can't kill any more characters, so it has to fail. Let's highlight this failed suicide attempt by making Simon happy that he didn't end his life after all."
- Lampshaded: "Now that I think about it, I'm glad I didn't die when I jumped off the building. All in all, my life is not half bad."
- Invoked: Simon's friends decide to convince him not to kill himself and tell him the positives of life.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: Simon decides that suicide is the best option for him, and kills himself before he can change his mind.
- Discussed: "Darn it, the gun didn't go off!" "Shouldn't you be happy that you're still alive?" "No. Why do you think I attempted suicide in the first place?"
- Conversed: "Now, that's a heartwarming sight. I'm so glad Simon didn't commit suicide after all."
- Implied: Simon's suicide attempt is shown as a Funny Background Event. He is later shown to be alive and happier than ever.
- Deconstructed: Simon is saved from a suicide attempt, and feels good...but later feels exactly the same as before and doesn't know why, causing him to fear his suicidal thoughts might return.
- Reconstructed: Simon seeks therapy and learns how to feel good about himself.
- Plotted a Good Waste: The author decides to teach An Aesop about how life is Worth Living For.
- Played for Laughs: Simon's suicide attempt fails after he sees something hilarious and laughs so hard he can't aim his gun properly. For the rest of the day, he's in such a good mood that he can't even remember why he tried to kill himself.
Back to Happily Failed Suicide
