"Heroic Sacrifice" is a common theme for certain heroes and is linked to "The Noble Choice", "Facing the Enemy", and "Negativity turned Positivity". It is reserved for heroic or supporting characters who embrace their last moments with acts of honor or morality (usually to show they are willing to redeem themselves or undo their wrongdoings they indirectly caused).
While some examples of The Noble Choice are non-fatal ALL examples of Heroic Sacrifice are lethal, by its very definition - also many heroes who died with honor are directly responsible for their own demise (for example a character may know they are about to die, as their last action was one of nobility or kindness - thus making them an example of this theme).
Examples[]
- Walt Disney - died to save the Disney world from the Heartless by using the full power of the White Disney Crystal
- Bender - died to protect Angemon and Angewomon from an attack of Emperor X, who had been turned evil by Jack of Blades. Luckily, his brain chip survived and Commander Keen knew the anatomy of Beer Bots.
- FrostAngel Freeze and Shadow - died to protect Myotismon from a solar attack from the 22-Element Dragon
- Lucemon - died to protect Myotismon and Darth Menslady from Darth Vader, who had turned back into Anakin Skywalker
- Alpha X - killed by Omega Shenron after pushing his father out of the way of one of Omega Shenron's attacks. Luckily, Arceus came along and brought Alpha back to life.
- The Phantom - died by exhausting his powers to get rid of Unicron so the heroes could escape. Later, he came back as Jonathon Tangelo.
- Optimus Prime - simply standing for the freedom of others was killed by the Illusive Man and General Tor while trying to make peace between the two sides. He has returned, but something seems wrong about him...
- Pongo and Perdita - killed by Peter Pan after helping their children escape from Never Land
- Profion - died by exhausting his powers to save Angewomon from Albert Wesker and TheIhatemishkaclub. Fortunately, some of the B Team members were able to bring him back.
- Beelzemon - died while taking out the defenses of an advanced Death Star to save Ophanimon, her friends and the whole Sanctuary of Cosmos.
- Captain Falcon - died by allowing Rick Wheeler, Yugi Muto, Yami Yugi (Atem), Joey Wheeler, and the rebellion heroes to escape the destruction of the Dark Star Base - died just before finishing Deathborn off for good.
- Ichabod Crane - died as his son, Jeremy Crane, pulled a fast one on him as he and Abraham van Brunt were catching their breaths during the fight; his soul was sent to Hell after that. His soul was saved by Team Witness, unlike the alternate ending.
- Prof. Horatio Hart - died as there was nowhere to run as he allowed the Troopers, and Galileo, to escape his devastating lab from Colonel Icebot and General Ivar.
- Scary Ice - sacrificed himself, along with other Mutants, to fail to defend Chita Comett from Doom Master's ambush.
- Leon Lucas - Gavin's ancestor was willing to serve as a part of the militia in the Revolutionary War in order to save himself from execution since he was handicapped; he did die from the hands of a nameless Hessian trooper as he blasted off his head.
- Master Hand - didn't necessarily die, but rather got infected by Daemon shielding Mewtwo and Samus Aran, he was then turned into a trophy as they fought her.
- Mitch Talbot - died as he was fighting against ISIS during the start of the Rapture.
- Rauru - sacrificed himself as he defended Queen Zelda at Sanctuary before Link and Zelda II showed up after retaining the Master Sword; it was implied in one of Ikran's blogs as she made ideas for her version of A Link to the Past.
- JB Reese and Kaitlin Starr (double) - They both died during the Virtual Reality War; one lost to Doom Master and gave Blood Clot his inactive Laser Lance, while the other protected her original from Despera's lethal staff.
- Victoria Terpsichore, Reshiram, and Zekrom - All 3 heroes died during the war against the Red Dragon Syndicate, each one being hammered by a humongous avalanche from Mars' Olympus Mons as they attempted to power up the Heavy Metal Queen.
- Rick Wheeler - as Young Capt. Falcon as he succumbs to the T-Virus while he powers up the train escaping from The Hive utilizing the energy of his Reactor Mights.
- Spike Spiegel - he DID succumb to his injuries by the end of the Bebop series, as well as the prologue in Recessional of the Red Dragons.
- Haruka Misaki - died from a broken heart; more like a suicide as she was grieving over her loss of Rick while hesitating to confront Zoda.
- Gavin Lucas, Jenny Mills, Diana Thomas, Jake Wells, Alex Norwood - not just in the war in Lara's future, but also protecting Lara Thomas and Ichabod as they escaped Hell and chased after Lucifer during the Missing Episodes' alternate ending.
- Dr. Theodore Clash - committed suicide dying as himself while fighting Dark Million's thrall over him; he pleaded Rick to push him off the track as he was strapped into his Crazy Bear.
- Cecil Harvey - not a crossover, but he did sacrifice himself from his darker counterpart, Dameon, from his attack on Rosa Joanna Farrell.
- Link - twice. One was when he was willing to be swayed by Namira, and another when he was willing to take Tussey's mesmerization.
- Ryan Steele - at first he was willing to sacrifice himself from the devastating Dark Fortress, kinda like a suicide, till he was taken in and recovered by Ling Yu.
- Leo Conrad - died of assuming Wild Liger's Evolution into Beast Liger.
- Sally Land - died of assuming Wild Liger's Evolution into Beast Liger.
- Yan Baihu - died of risking himself by pushing the Graze Custom away and letting Gusion's strike crush his unit's cockpit, causing his death. Before dying, he shared a few words with He Jin before holding hands for the last time.