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Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.

—Ernest Thayer, "Casey at the Bat"

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy.

—Joss Whedon

A finale to a movie, a TV series, a video game, or some other form of media that ends things in a way that varies from sad to tragic. These tend to be rare, as there is overwhelming pressure to tie loose ends up in a "happy" way. Sometimes done as a way to assure that the show, once canceled, cannot be revived later (similar to the Grand Finale), but sometimes leaves the show on a Cliff Hanger.
A similarly low-key or unhappy ending to an episode of a normally "happy" series. Also rare, due to the same reasons as above. Sometimes used in an attempt to get Emmy nominations, or to at least surprise the viewer. When the series finale of an otherwise "happy" series is one of these, it's a Sudden Downer Ending.

Sometimes, a Downer Ending can conclude the character arcs in a very satisfying way, despite being dark. Other times, it can be overused to the point it feels like a Mandatory Twist Ending. If it comes out of nowhere or is the result of an Ass Pull, then it may be the result of the writers summoning Diabolus Ex Machina. If enough people consider it fundamentally unjust, it may acquire the Fanon Discontinuity and Snicket Warning Labels.

Kill'Em All and The Bad Guy Wins are particularly cruel variations of this. A Prequel may require one, or both; the Happy Ending was Doomed by Canon.

If the ending mixes elements of happiness and Downer Ending, then it's a Bittersweet Ending. If the whole adventure leading up to it turned out to be meaningless, then it's Shoot the Shaggy Dog. The Cliff Hanger is often a Downer Ending, but one implicitly not final; tune in next time to see how they retrieve this one.

See also Gainax Ending, Last Breath Bullet, World Half Empty, and Yank the Dog's Chain. Occasionally, part of a Tragedy or an Utsuge. Sometimes a Foregone Conclusion, either because of a historical setting or if the work is a Prequel. The hero may or may not die. Realization of an Inferred Holocaust may turn even the most Tastes Like Diabetes "happy ending" into one. Downer Endings easily lead to Tear Jerkers or Nightmare Fuel. Compare Downer Beginning.

Naturally, every single example is a spoiler. As an Ending Trope, Spoilers ahead may be unmarked. Beware.

Examples of Downer Endings are listed on these subpages:

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{trope}}
-[[File:medd_02_img0128.jpg|link=Romeo and Juliet|frame|[[It Was His Sled|They both die.]]]]
+[[File:medd 02 img0128.jpg|thumb|300px|link=Romeo and Juliet|[[It Was His Sled|They both die]].]]
+{{quote|''Oh, somewhere in [[Eagle Land|this favored land]] the sun is shining bright;
+''The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
+''And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
+''But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.''
+|Ernest Thayer|"[[Casey at the Bat]]"}}
+{{quote|''People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then [[Firefly|Mal]] will [[Shoot the Dog|shoot someone]]. Someone we like. [[And Your Little Dog, Too|And their puppy]].''
-{{quote|''Oh, somewhere in [[Eagle Land|this favored land]] the sun is shining bright;<br />
+|[[Joss Whedon]] }}
-The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,<br />
-And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;<br />
-But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.''|"[[Casey at the Bat]]", Ernest Thayer}}
+# A finale to a movie, a TV series, a video game, or some other form of media that ends things in a way that varies from sad to [[Tragedy|tragic]]. These tend to be rare, as there is overwhelming pressure to tie loose ends up in a "[[Happy Ending|happy]]" way. Sometimes done as a way to assure that the show, once canceled, cannot be revived later (similar to the [[Grand Finale]]), but sometimes leaves the show on a [[Cliff Hanger]].
-{{quote|''People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then [[Firefly|Mal]] will [[Shoot the Dog|shoot someone]]. Someone we like. [[And Your Little Dog, Too|And their puppy]].''|[[Joss Whedon]] }}
+# A similarly low-key or unhappy ending to an episode of a normally "happy" series. Also rare, due to the same reasons as above. Sometimes used in an attempt to get Emmy nominations, or to at least surprise the viewer. When the series finale of an otherwise "happy" series is one of these, it's a [[Sudden Downer Ending]].
+Sometimes, a '''Downer Ending''' can conclude the character arcs in a very satisfying way, despite being dark. Other times, it can be overused to the point it feels like a [[Mandatory Twist Ending]]. If it comes out of nowhere or is the result of an [[Ass Pull]], then it may be the result of the writers summoning [[Diabolus Ex Machina]]. If enough people consider it fundamentally unjust, it may acquire the [[Fanon Discontinuity]] and [[Snicket Warning Label]]s.
-'''1.''' A finale to a movie, a TV series, a video game, or some other form of media that ends things in a way that varies from sad to [[Tragedy|tragic]]. These tend to be rare, as there is overwhelming pressure to tie loose ends up in a "[[Happy Ending|happy]]" way. Sometimes done as a way to assure that the show, once canceled, cannot be revived later (similar to the [[Grand Finale]]), but sometimes leaves the show on a [[Cliff Hanger]].
-'''2.''' A similarly low-key or unhappy ending to an episode of a normally "happy" series. Also rare, due to the same reasons as above. Sometimes used in an attempt to get Emmy nominations, or to at least surprise the viewer. When the series finale of an otherwise "happy" series is one of these, it's a [[Sudden Downer Ending]].
-Sometimes, a downer ending can conclude the character arcs in a very satisfying way, despite being dark. Other times, it can be overused to the point it feels like a [[Mandatory Twist Ending]]. If it comes out of nowhere or is the result of an [[Ass Pull]], then it may be the result of the writers summoning [[Diabolus Ex Machina]]. If enough people consider it fundamentally unjust, it may acquire the [[Fanon Discontinuity]] and [[Snicket Warning Label|Snicket Warning Labels]].
 [[Kill'Em All]] and [[The Bad Guy Wins]] are particularly cruel variations of this. A [[Prequel]] may require one, or both; the [[Happy Ending]] was [[Doomed by Canon]].
@@ Line 21: / Line 20: @@
 If the ending mixes elements of happiness and Downer Ending, then it's a [[Bittersweet Ending]]. If the whole adventure leading up to it turned out to be meaningless, then it's [[Shoot the Shaggy Dog]]. The [[Cliff Hanger]] is often a Downer Ending, but one implicitly not final; tune in next time to see how they retrieve this one.
-See also [[Gainax Ending]], [[Last Breath Bullet]], [[World Half Empty]], and [[Yank the Dog's Chain]]. Occasionally, part of a [[Tragedy]] or an [[Utsuge]]. Sometimes a [[Foregone Conclusion]], either because of a historical setting or if the work is a [[Prequel]]. [[The Hero Dies|The hero may or may not die.]] [[Esoteric Happy Ending|Realization of]] an [[Inferred Holocaust]] may turn even the most [[Tastes Like Diabetes]] "happy ending" into one. Downer Endings easily lead to [[Tear Jerker|Tear Jerkers]] or [[Nightmare Fuel]]. Compare [[Downer Beginning]].
+See also [[Gainax Ending]], [[Last Breath Bullet]], [[World Half Empty]], and [[Yank the Dog's Chain]]. Occasionally, part of a [[Tragedy]] or an [[Utsuge]]. Sometimes a [[Foregone Conclusion]], either because of a historical setting or if the work is a [[Prequel]]. [[The Hero Dies|The hero may or may not die.]] [[Esoteric Happy Ending|Realization of]] an [[Inferred Holocaust]] may turn even the most [[Tastes Like Diabetes]] "happy ending" into one. Downer Endings easily lead to [[Tear Jerker]]s or [[Nightmare Fuel]]. Compare [[Downer Beginning]].
 Naturally, '''every single example is a spoiler'''.
-{{examples}}
+{{endingtrope}}
+{{examples on subpages|suf=s}}
-* [[Downer Ending/Anime and Manga|Anime and Manga]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Comics|Comics]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Film|Film]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Literature|Literature]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Live Action TV|Live Action TV]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Music|Music]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Other|Other]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Theater|Theater]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Video Games|Video Games]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Web Comics|Web Comics]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Web Original|Web Original]]
-* [[Downer Ending/Western Animation|Western Animation]]
 {{reflist}}
+[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
 [[Category:Spoilered Rotten]]
 [[Category:Tropes of Legend]]
-[[Category:Identity (Film)]]
 [[Category:Tragedy]]
 [[Category:Ending Tropes]]
 [[Category:Sadness Tropes]]
 [[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
-[[Category:index]]
-[[Category:Downer Ending]]