Famous Last Words: Difference between revisions

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Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.

—Pancho Villa (but not really)

Contrary to popular belief, very few fatal injuries result in instant death. As long as you haven't been decapitated, shot in the head, or asploded, your body will take at least two minutes to fully shut down, giving you a chance to belt out a few parting words to your comrades or the enemy that felled you. Of course, this doesn't really work in real life, since few people (except for those expecting to die) have good last words prepared, or the energy or wherewithal to say anything as they go into shock.

Still, it's more realistic than the Final Speech, which lasts as long as the plot needs it to no matter the injury, Famous Last Words is usually a brief and poignant sentence said by a character who hasn't quite accepted that he's dying. These can actually be very character-defining, to the point that they represent the very climax of that character's development leaving a lasting impression on the other characters and the fans.

A challenge to write despite being just a few words. Misuse it and it can come off as cheesy. Done perfectly and it can even garner the respect of a fan that hated the character. Sometimes Famous Last Words can be words that a character thought would be their last, but they survive.

Compare Sedgwick Speech, where a character gets killed halfway through his speech or one-liner. See also Facing the Bullets One-Liner where a character says a one-liner before knowingly facing death and A Plague on Both Your Houses when these words are a curse. Often a Tear Jerker.

Some supposed Real Life final last words are fictional, and were possibly concocted for ulterior motives. At the time of his death, it was widely reported in newspapers that Lou Costello's last words were "I think I'll be more comfortable", said to the nurse who was preparing to help him turn over in bed. Within months the legend arose that he died in the presence of a group of beloved friends and that his last words were "that was the best ice-cream soda I ever tasted". Whether his friends were embarrassed that he died virtually alone or whether someone meant to imply that Costello died because he was fat (he had a chronic heart valve infection) nobody knows, but the legend can be found in almost every book of famous last words.

Massive Spoilers Within, so don't go further if you don't want them . The Other Wiki has an extensive list of its own.

As a Death Trope, Spoilers ahead may be unmarked. Beware.

Examples of Famous Last Words are listed on these subpages:

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 {{trope}}
-{{quote|''Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.''|'''Pancho Villa'''}}
+{{quote|''Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.''|'''Pancho Villa''' ([[Beam Me Up, Scotty|but not really]])}}
 Contrary to popular belief, very few fatal injuries result in [[Instant Death Bullet|instant death.]] As long as you haven't been [[Off with His Head|decapitated]], [[Boom! Headshot!|shot in the head]], or [[Your Head Asplode|asploded]], your body will take at least two minutes to fully shut down, giving you a chance to belt out a few parting words to your comrades or the enemy that felled you. Of course, this doesn't really work in real life, since few people (except for those ''expecting'' to die) have good last words prepared, or the energy or wherewithal to say ''anything'' as they go into shock.
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 '''Massive Spoilers Within''', so don't go further if you don't want them . [[The Other Wiki]] has an [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Last_words extensive] [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Fictional_last_words list] of its own.
-{{examples on subpages}}
-{{examples}}
+{{deathtrope}}
-== Advertising ==
-* [[Sega]]
-** "Sega Saturn shiro...! Sega Saturn shiro...! Sega Saturn SHIROOOOOO!!!" - {{spoiler|[[Sega Saturn|Segata Sanshiro]]}}
-* Priceline
-** ""Save yourself...some money." - {{spoiler|[[William Shatner|The Negotiator]]}}
-== Music ==
-* "I run these muthafuckin' streets, y'all ain't lookin fo' ''me.'' I wish a muthafucka would..." {{spoiler|Michael Young History.}} (He gets better though... sorta.)
-* "Don't take your guns to town, son, leave your guns at home, {{spoiler|Bill}}. Don't take your guns to town..."{{spoiler|Billy Joe}}
-* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-LtW7_PV6E Famous Last Words, the non MCR song].
-* As the protagonist of [[King Diamond]]'s ''Conspiracy'' is being cremated alive, he gives a dying promise: "Whenever the dark is near, I will return to haunt you... Godforsaken whore!"
-== Tabletop Games ==
-* ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]''
-** "Ach! Hans, run! It's the [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=46622 lhurgoyf]!" [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=113540 Saffi Eriksdotter]
-** "I'm Phyrexian. I can't trust myself. I'm always wrong." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=12331 Xantcha]
-** "[[Heel Realization|I'm the mad one!]]" [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=12368 Radiant, Archangel]
-** "I'm sorry. Our destinies are completed. We are both doomed." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4916 Selenia, Dark Angel]
-** "The old sage's magic cannot last much longer. Goodbye, Gerrard." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=25977 Hanna, Ship's Navigator]
-** "The last time I saw you, you were heading into Rath. We fought, I remember. I'm sorry. We also said good-bye. I didn't think that good-bye would be our last. I was wrong about everything. Everything. Good-bye, my angel." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=9856 Barrin, Master Wizard]
-** "It's going to be all right--" [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=29985 Seton, Krosan Protector]
-** "Good-bye, beloved child." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=29943 Cabal Patriarch]
-** "The oath is gone, right? I saved you. I did good. Didn't I?" [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=50253 Marrow-Gnawer]
-** "It's beautiful. I can see her. She's come back. It's her." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=89101 Agrus Kos, Wojek Veteran]
-** "Here sits one who maybe more than any other, can stop their spread. And he is my friend. I will not let him fall like a dog to this sickness. You cannot ask me to let that happen." [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=212240 Venser, the Sojourner]
-* "Your presence does not surprise me, Assassin. I have known of you ever since your craft entered the Eastern Fringes. Why did I not have you killed? Because your mission and the act you are about to commit proves the truth of all I have ever said and done. I merely punished those who had wronged, just as your [[Dark Messiah|False Emperor]] now seeks to punish me. [[Doomed Moral Victor|Death is nothing compared to vindication.]]" -- [[Never Found the Body|Presumed final words of]] [[Pay Evil Unto Evil|Konrad]] [[Outscare the Enemy|Curze]], ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]''
-== Other ==
-* "THE CURSE!! [[Big No|NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-]] -- Imotep (again) [[The Mummy Trilogy|On the Universal Studios, Hollywood version of The Mummy ride]], before it was changed. (He now just chuckles quietly while you return to the load/unload sector).
-** "See? That wasn't so scary. A cup of coffee, please? Thank you. AAARRGH!!"—Brendan Fraser, in the Orlando version of the ride.
-* A long series of jokes:
-** Tarzan's last words: "Who greased the liana!?"
-** The electrician's last words: "Yes, I'm sure I switched the main breaker."
-** The cardinal's last words: "Matches? I thought you had them."
-** The general's last words: "Watch where you're pointing that bow and arrow, you'll have someone's eye out in a minute."
-** The biologist's last words: "Only experts can tell the difference between the harmless legless lizard that I'm holding in my hands and the similar-looking horned viper..."
-** The classic redneck's last words: "Hey y'all, watch this!"
-*** Another version is, "Hold muh beer n' watch this!"
-* "Watch this!" is [[Truth in Television]]. There exists a book of all the deaths that have occurred at the Grand Canyon, and nearly an entire section of it is stories that start, "X had been drinking," and move on to, "X said, 'Hey, watch this!' and tumbled into the canyon."
-* Historical: Jorge Chavez, a Franco-Peruvian who was the first man to fly over the Alps Mountains, suffered mortal injuries while trying to land on that flight. His last words: "Arriba -- siempre arriba." "Higher -- ever higher." This phrase is the motto of the Peruvian Air Force.
-* The [[Yogscast]] have a few.
-** "We're getting separated! Heroes!" - {{spoiler|Knight Peculier}}
+{{examples on subpages}}
 {{reflist}}
+[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
 [[Category:Death Tropes]]
 [[Category:Dialogue]]
 [[Category:Last Words]]
 [[Category:Truth in Television]]
-[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]