23 TV Characters Who Got The Most Messed Up, Brutal, Unnecessary Deaths That Still Make Me Mad
We asked the BuzzFeed Community which brutally heartbreaking (or totally unnecessary) TV character deaths still hurt them to this day. Here's what they said:
🚨Warning: There are MASSIVE spoilers ahead!🚨
Some submissions mention suicide.
1.On The Last Of Us, when Henry killed himself immediately after he killed his younger brother Sam, who'd been infected.
"The real devastating shock was when Henry shot his brother after being infected and then himself."
"I had to take a break after that episode. I think I cried for, like, 25 mins on the couch after. Bill and Frank's deaths devastated me but Henry and Sam's deaths broke my heart."
2.On Killing Eve, when Villanelle was shot and killed during the series finale while protecting Eve, and only moments after she and Eve finally got together.
"I’m heartbroken, TBH. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE AT ALL. Villanelle and Eve finally got their happy ending. They understood each other, and I think they could've been really good together. I get that the show needed to end, but this wasn’t the way. I WANT ONE FUCKING HAPPY ENDING FOR THE GAYS. STOP KILLING US."
3.On You, when Love was outsmarted by Joe (her seemingly perfect match) and then framed for several other murders that he committed.
"I thought the entire second season would lead to Joe finally finding his match with Love, someone who was like him and who understood him. Then, I thought the third season would be about Joe and Love married with a baby and working through marital problems, in order for Joe to confirm Love as his match. But, it only ended up with him killing her to turn his attention to his new obsession. I totally lost interest because the show seemed to me to be a gimmick. It didn't warrant my viewing investment anymore."
4.On Veronica Mars, when Logan was blown up right when he and Veronica were finally happy.
"100000000% devastated by Logan Echolls. I don’t care if they needed to get back to more mystery and less romance. He didn’t have to die for them to do that. And then, they never made more of the show to top it all off!"
"How dare you traumatize Veronica over and over again?! Why can't she just be happy????"
5.On One Tree Hill, when Keith survives an active shooter situation and saves his nephew, only to be shot minutes later by his own brother.
"He was such a great guy and had overcome so much. Just when things were getting good for him and his relationship with Karen was growing, they killed him off! I was devastated. I love his character so much. I still cry every time I watch that episode."
6.On Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when Tara was shot and killed by a bullet that was meant for Buffy.
"She and Willow had all of two episodes of happiness after reuniting, and then BAM! The death of one of the purest, sweetest characters of the entire series, by the sleaziest, scummiest villain of the entire series."
7.On Criminal Minds, when Hotch's ex-wife, Haley, was killed just as the FBI were on their way to save her, and the entire team listened to it happen over the phone.
"Not only was she absolutely innocent, her killer also forced her loved ones to listen to her death."
8.On 13 Reasons Why, when Justin had finally redeemed himself and had the best character arc on the show, only to then be diagnosed with AIDS and killed off.
"No TV death got me the way Justin Foley's did. Four seasons of some of the best character growth I've ever seen only for the writers to give him HIV and die surrounded by his friends and family. And the speech between him and Clay...ugh! Heartbreaking! I've never cried so hard at a TV death."
9.On Money Heist/La Casa de Papel, when Nairobi was shockingly shot and killed by Gandia.
"She was a phenomenal character and I absolutely loved her. Her death bothered me so much that I actually never returned to finish the show."
10.On Lucifer, when Dan was kidnapped by French mercenaries, got killed trying to escape, and then ended up in hell because of the unresolved guilt he had during his life on Earth.
"My heart was fully broken when it happened. I've put off re-watching the entire series because I don't think I can let my heart break like that again. He was a treasured character, played by a fully awesome actor. I initially didn't like Dan (like, who did?) but his character development was huge and I loved him in Season 5. The way he'd *just* found out about Lucifer's... alternative state... only to die at the hands of Luci's evil twin, Michael. Man, that funeral... Watching that was sadder than some IRL funerals I've been to!"
11.On Stranger Things, when Eddie gave his life to save a town that never respected him, and only thought he was a killer.
"This man sacrificed his life just because he wanted to change his narrative and be seen as a hero. For all of Season 4, Hawkins saw him as the enemy, but if they only knew or understood how he really saved them all, they'd consider him a hero, too. It made me even sadder because all he really wanted to do was graduate high school and move on with his life; he was destined for greatness but never got to see it."
"For me (I'm gonna get so much hate), it's Eddie Munson. I'm still not over his death. I think I died that day too lmao."
12.On The Walking Dead, when Carl survived years fighting against walkers only to get bit by one and die.
"I know everyone says Glenn's death on TWD was the hardest (and trust me, it ranks amongst the most painful for sure), but the one that got me was Carl. Here was a kid who was just out doing right by someone, and they decided to kill him with a walker bite?! He deserved a much better send off, and not until much later in the series!"
13.Also, on The Walking Dead, when Beth was accidentally shot just seconds after she was released from Dawn's captivity.
"It was the most frustrating thing!! She was saved and all she had to do was walk out. Watching Darryl carry her out of building and seeing her sister Maggie just crumble. Ugh, I gave up on the whole damn show in that moment."
14.On Bones, when Sweets was beaten to death in a parking lot, and sadly, never got to see the birth of his son.
"He made the show so much better. He beautifully brought out the kind and caring sides of Booth and Bones. The show felt empty without him. I alway stop my rewatch the episode before because I really don’t enjoy post-Sweets Bones.
15.On The Boys, when Ryan used his powers to save his mom and accidentally killed her in the process.
"My heart hurt so much for Becca and Ryan. And now we already know what this moment and Homelander's influence has changed Ryan forever."
16.On Orange Is the New Black, when Poussey tries to help calm Suzanne, but a guard attacks and kills her.
"Totally unnecessary, heartbreaking, and completely crushed me. Her death also changed a lot of other characters permanently and in my opinion, the whole show from that episode onwards. I kept watching but if I re-watch the show I don't care to watch Season 4 onwards."
17.On Sons of Anarchy, when Opie was beaten to death by a prison gang as his friends watched helplessly from the next room.
"I have never cried so hard over a fictional character in my life. I cried uncontrollably for about 30 minutes. If I even hear the words 'I got this,' I tear up immediately."
18.On The Haunting of Hill House, when Nell goes back to the house, thinking she was being greeted by her family, and actually falls to her death. Then, as she saw flashbacks she realized she was the Bent Neck Lady all along.
"When it’s revealed she’s been the Bent Neck Lady all along and was terrorizing her younger self throughout the years, I was just devastated. And it’s so fucking dark!"
19.On Game of Thrones, when Talisa Stark was murdered during the Red Wedding, along with her unborn child.
"As horrendous as the Red Wedding massacre was, the worst kill is the first one. Sweet Talisa Stark who was welcomed into this absolutely loving and noble family as Robb's beloved future Queen is cruelly murdered along with her unborn child in a heartbeat."
20.On Breaking Bad, when Andrea finally made a life for herself and her son only to be killed by Todd, who was really just angry with Jesse.
"Her character had been through so much from her own drug addiction, her brother joining a gang then being executed, and her son getting poisoned as a ploy for Walt to have Jesse help kill Gus. She had finally gotten everything together and made a nicer life for herself and Brock, and then Todd killed her just to gain more power over Jesse. It felt like the writers used her character to give Jesse something good only to take it away from him."
21.On The Resident, when Nic got into a car accident and was declared brain dead and so Conrad decided to take her off life support.
"I understand why Emily VanCamp wanted to leave the series but I loved watching Nic and Conrad's relationship from the beginning. I rarely cry at shows but the scene where everybody watches her body being rolled in when they donate her organs was brutal. The flashbacks of her with everybody at the hospital broke me."
22.On The Good Wife, when Will is shot and killed by his client in the middle of the courtroom.
"Will’s death was so violent, and graphic, and unexpected, and unnecessary. If the actor wanted to leave the show, so be it. But the graphic nature of the death and giving no warning to fans was shocking in the worst way."
23.And finally, on Grey's Anatomy, when Lexie got crushed by plane debris and slowly suffered while Mark told her about the life they would have together.
“Lexie Grey’s death on Grey’s Anatomy still hurts, and it’s one of those deaths that totally didn’t need to happen. Yes, Chyler Leigh wanted to leave the show, but honestly, if there was ever a time to just have a character drive off into the sunset, it was here. The show hasn’t felt the same since Meredith lost Lexie, and while Amelia and Maggie have been great sisters since, there was something so magical about the OG Grey sisters. There’s a reason her brief return in Season 17 was so massive. It’s because Lexie deserved better.”
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.