the afterlife theme
The idea that we somehow continue to exist in spirit after we die is discussed. The story contains some information about what might be in store for us, spiritually, post-mortem.
Notes
This theme is considered to be topical, for example, if it is featured that a living person dies and transitions to being a ghost as the idea that this can happen when we die, is then implicit. The theme is not otherwise applied in a story where there just appears to be an incorporeal spirit, unless it is made explicitly clear that this is the after-life existence that can occasionally happen to people. In some stories there is a character that is the Grim Reaper, or similar. Surprisingly often, nothing further is said about whence (if anywhere) he is to escort the deceased. Thus "the afterlife" does not appear to apply. In some stories, the deceased character appears to remain in the world briefly for the purpose of relaying the story more than to suggest that this is a possible continuation of their spiritual existence. Unless matters are clarified further, we do not apply "the afterlife" as a theme.
Examples
Ro and Geordi thought they might have died and become wandering spirits in tng5x24 "The Next Phase", before finding out that they had merely been phase shifted.
59 total · 5 choice · 20 major · 33 minor
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| gdtcoc2022e06 | choice | The story concerns a ghostly limbo-like world where people go who die but are not quite ready to move on. |
| tz1959e3x19 | choice | Hyder and Rip died and walked as ghosts for a while until they reached first the gate to Hell, and then the gate to Heaven. |
| voy1x09 | choice | Vhnori notions of afterlife on asteroid explored |
| voy4x12 | choice | Neelix' great forest |
| voy6x03 | choice | B'Elanna in Klingon hell |
| ahh2x16 | major | Adelaide convinced Edward that his son was speaking to them from some sort of existence in the afterlife that was described as comfortable. Edward further became convinced that he and Adelaide must join his son there. |
| ahh3x04 | major | Although the exact concerns weren't made explicit one gathers that Juan Diaz's own, and his family's, concern for how his corpse was interned had something to do with how they perceived he had a posthumous existence. Juan's son and his widow both spoke to the mummified corpse and saw it respond by it's eyes seemingly coming to life. |
| ahp1x26 | major | The viewer is shown a caricatured depiction of Heaven that included such things as angels with little wings, puffy white clouds, and harps. |
| ahp5x22 | major | Central to the story were Sofie's firm convictions about the ever-after. |
| as1985e1x01 | major | The Highball Express was seemingly a metaphor-come-real for Grandpa Clyde dying and traveling into whatever afterlife there might be for him. |