8 Character Deaths That Completely Ruined Their Movie Or TV Show
When a fictional character meets an untimely demise, it can make or break the story. Some character deaths, such as Harry Potter's Albus Dumbledore or Game of Thrones' Ned Stark, are gutwrenchingly emotional but feel necessary to further the plot.
Others are hastily thrown together due to the departure of an actor or to create a shocking plot twist. As an avid consumer of TV and movies, I got to thinking about the most disheartening fictional deaths in media. In my opinion, these eight losses changed the trajectory of their story... and not for the better!
1.Matthew Crawley's car accident in Downton Abbey
First up is a moment that tragically lives in my mind rent-free. One of the best parts of Downton Abbey was the romance between Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary, which hit a new milestone during the season three finale with the birth of their first child, George. Moments after Matthew gets to meet his baby, he is killed in a car accident as a way to write Dan Stevens off the show. Since Stevens was planning to leave the series, his character's demise was inevitable, but Downton Abbey never quite felt the same after his departure.
2.Dr. Derek Shepherd's untimely exit in Grey's Anatomy
McDreamy was a long-standing favorite in "Grey's Anatomy", making his death by a car accident in season 11 something viewers were not prepared to witness. The untimely demise of Derek Shepherd came about due to Patrick Dempsey's decision to leave the show, but it left fans mourning alongside Meredith and the rest of the Grey's family.
3.Finn Hudson's tragic death in Glee
Perhaps one of the most horrific character deaths in television is that of Glee's beloved musical jock, Finn Hudson, whose death in the show was written in due to actor Cory Monteith's tragic passing in real life. In my opinion, the season five episode called "The Quarterback" is one of the saddest things to air given it is both a tribute to the character and Monteith. After losing a cast member and main character, Glee never recovers and loses its charm for the remaining seasons.
4.Glenn Rhee's gruesome demise in The Walking Dead
Fans of The Walking Dead were not about the terrible opening episode of the show's seventh season. After losing far too many quality characters to the zombie apocalypse, Glenn's brutal death at the hands of Negan feels like a serious blow to the series. He was one of the best characters in the show, and you can feel his absence in subsequent TWD seasons.
5.Daenerys Targaryen's mad queen arch at the end of Game of Thrones
Not to open up old wounds, but remember the Game of Thrones ending? The hit HBO series is revered as some of the best television until season 8. GOT's final episodes left fans with unanswered questions and sent the Mother of Dragons on a killing spree which ultimately results in Jon Snow plunging a dagger through her heart. Daenerys Targaryen's mad queen arch felt like a bummer given all the time spent building her up as the breaker of chains and, sadly, soured many viewers to the series as a whole.
6.Dewey Riley's murder in Scream 5
The Scream franchise is full of campy dialogue, murder mysteries, and memorable characters. One of the most popular long-standing characters is Dewey Riley, the officer who gets roped into helping solve the creepy crimes of Ghostface in each film. While it's inevitable that characters will get killed off in these slasher movies, Dewey's death in the fifth installment felt like an injustice to fans and the franchise doesn't feel the same without him.
7.The entire ending of the movie adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist
The 2007 film version of Stephen King's famous novel, The Mist, heavily diverted from its source material. The story follows David and his family as their small town becomes overtaken by a strange mist concealing monsters. The book's ending is fairly open-ended with the characters setting off into the mist in hopes of finding help. The movie version culminates with David killing his son and friends to spare them a more gruesome death from the monsters, only to find out moments later that the army has arrived with rescue aid. This bleak and horrible ending ruined the film for many who enjoyed the novel.
8.Samantha's emotional death in I Am Legend
Apocalyptic movies are bound to have death and destruction but no one was prepared for the sad demise of Sam, the adorable German Shepard in I Am Legend. As a viewer, things feel pretty hopeless for Robert Neville, a lonely survivor in a desolate city. When his beloved dog and only companion, Samantha, get infected with a terrible virus, Neville sings to her until the zombie-like infection takes hold and he must put her down. This treacherous scene is terrible for any dog lover and, in my opinion, taints the film as a whole.
Do you agree with this list? Have more to add? Share your opinions in the comments below.