| abstract | - The step in between Non-Lethal KO and Final Death. It took Jesus three days and the culmination of an entire religion to come back from the dead, but for your party members all it takes is for you to fork over the cash. Game mechanics-wise, there's little difference between Only Mostly Dead and Non-Lethal KO. It's the general feel of the plot that is affected. Some writers feel that this cheapens death too much, or complicates Plotline Death, so they don't use this trope. On the other hand, it avoids that problem with Non-Lethal KO where characters get blasted with the Giant Demonic Hellfire Explosion of Death...only to fall unconcious. Occasionally, a writer may put in guidelines to explain what the difference between Only Mostly Dead and All Dead. This could be the amount of time that passed since death, or amount of damage to the body. Compare with Universes where the Necromantic can only ensure the dead Came Back Wrong. Contrast with Almost-Dead Guy, who is presumed to be a lost cause. Traditionally, if the characters believe the Almost-Dead Guy can be saved, it is only due to Genre Blindness, and angsting will soon ensue. Not to be confused with Not Quite Dead. This may lead it to be a Disney Death. If the villains can do this, then usually the trick is finding a way in making them Deader Than Dead. If this triggers something that was supposed to occur upon the character's death, it's the Revival Loophole. As noted in the quote above, the Trope Namer is from The Princess Bride, wherein Westley turns out to be revivable -- as long as the pill has time to work and he doesn't go swimming for at least... yes, at least an hour. (I'm not going to argue with Max's wife Valerie, are you?) Examples of Only Mostly Dead include:
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