Top 10 Times Main Characters Were Killed Off In The Finale
#10: Betty Draper
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“Mad Men” (2007-15) We don’t actually witness Betty Draper die in the finale of “Mad Men.” But the writing is on the wall. In a show where almost everyone smokes, Betty is the sole person to be diagnosed with lung cancer by the series’ end. Although the character had previously had a cancer scare in the show’s fifth season, her diagnosis wouldn’t come until “Mad Men”s penultimate episode. The disease was even more of a death sentence in 1970 than it is today, and Betty’s refusal of chemotherapy on top of her poor odds of survival sealed her fate. She spends her final moments on-screen making arrangements for her children, and her own funeral, before lighting up one last cigarette.
#9: Stefan Salvatore
“The Vampire Diaries” (2009-17) Death is sort of an everyday occurrence on “The Vampire Diaries.” Damon Salvatore is shown dying eight times throughout the series, while his brother, Stefan’s, death count is in the thousands. Nonetheless, the deaths in the show’s finale are meant to stick. The first to die is Stefan, who selflessly sacrifices himself for his brother. He clings to life long enough to meet with Elena one last time, telling her that Damon will now age alongside her, before letting go and reuniting with his best friend, Lexi, in the afterlife. After the characters (and fans) have had time to grieve this loss, a flashforward shows Elena and Damon’s future together, ending with another emotional death that reunites the pair with their deceased loved ones.
#8: Daenerys Targaryen
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“Game of Thrones” (2011-19) To say that “Game of Thrones” final season is a disappointment is an understatement for many fans. And at the center of many debates about the show’s downfall is fan favorite character, Daenerys Targaryen. After maintaining an idealistic desire for a better Westeros for seven seasons, the mother of dragons seemingly goes mad with power. She kills innocents and burns cities. It gets to the point that her lover, Jon Snow, grows concerned about her actions and kills her to end the carnage. While many fans were disappointed to see her go, others still maintain that the death was actually one of the better parts of a lackluster finale. Regardless of where you fall, the strong emotions elicited by the scene are simply undeniable.
#7: Jax Teller
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“Sons of Anarchy” (2008-14) Sometimes death is the only logical way to end a character’s story. That’s definitely the case for Jax Teller, who had become a wanted man by the end of “Sons of Anarchy.” Throughout the series, Jax killed several people, including his own mother, and even forced his wife to relapse in order to maintain custody of his son. He knows he doesn’t have a chance of escaping the barrage of law enforcement after him, and that he wouldn’t deserve to escape if he could. Resigned to his fate, Jax bids farewell to his crew before boarding his father’s motorcycle for one last ride. His death is simultaneously harsh and bittersweet, mirroring his dad’s final moments on the same interstate.
#6: Debra Morgan
“Dexter” (2006-13) The relationship between Dexter and Debra Morgan was always… complicated. The first season’s finale forced Dexter to choose between Deb and his long lost brother - who he had just discovered was the Ice Truck Killer. He chose his sister in that moment, and continued to protect her throughout the show. Unfortunately, the “Dexter” finale introduces a new dilemma. After a life saving surgery goes awry, Deb suffers a major stroke and is left brain dead. Rather than see her suffer, Dexter decides to cut off her oxygen and allow her to die. It wasn’t clear what became of Dexter after this merciful act …until “New Blood.” (xref) The 2021 miniseries showed fans where the antihero ended up, and how he too meets his maker.
#5: Barry Berkman
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“Barry” (2018-23) From a narrative standpoint, “Barry”s final season is its most ambitious yet. It takes a hard left turn five episodes in, introducing a shocking time skip that sees Barry and Sally living an isolated family life. Although the former hitman initially seems content to settle down, news of a biopic about his life causes him to backslide. He sets out to kill the man he believes to be responsible, only to find himself on the opposite end of a gun. His final words say it all! The biopic moves forward with Barry as its hero. It’s an ending that’s as ironic as it is tragic, and perfectly mirrors some of the misplaced idolization of Hader’s character in the real world.
#4: Frank Gallagher
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“Shameless” (2011-21) By the series finale, Frank has had his fair share of near-death experiences. A lifetime of drug overdoses and alcohol poisoning leads to his body shutting down in the final season, with the patriarch even developing alcoholic dementia. Apparently this downfall was always in the cards for Frank, but the real world introduced a new element to the “Shameless” finale - COVID-19. After surviving liver disease, almost drowning, and even attempts on his own life, Frank Gallagher ultimately dies in a hospital bed from COVID complications. The topical death came as a shock to some, but it actually makes a lot of sense. In the end, everything added up, and COVID was simply the final nail in his coffin.
#3: The Fisher Family
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“Six Feet Under” (2001-05) This HBO show begins with the death of a funeral home director, so it only makes sense that it ends with one as well. Following the death of his father, Nate Fisher becomes co-owner of Fisher & Sons Funeral Home and spends the next five seasons of “Six Feet Under” trying to make the best of the life he’s been given, despite marital troubles and a distressing diagnosis. It’s a stroke that ultimately does him in, nine episodes into the show’s final season. The next three episodes largely center on the Fisher family’s grief, which is only compounded in the series finale. After a moving farewell dinner for Claire, the show flashes forward to reveal how every major character will meet their end.
#2: Walter White
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“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) While some protagonist deaths come as a complete shock, Walter White seems doomed from the start. He is diagnosed with cancer in the series’ pilot episode, and soon after, leaps head first into the dangerous world of meth manufacturing. As he becomes more well-known within the darkest corners of his community, his inexplicable new career choice becomes just as much of a death sentence as his disease. The final season continuously ramps up the intensity, until the teacher-turned-kingpin is fatally wounded while saving Jesse from his captors. In spite of the irreparable damage he’s left in his wake, he dies with a smile on his face - happy to have had some control over his inevitable fate. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, “Boardwalk Empire” (2010-14)
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Sabrina Spellman, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” (2018-20)
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Norman Bates, “Bates Motel” (2013-17)
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John Reese, “Person of Interest” (2011-16)
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This Heroic Death Was Anything But Anticlimactic
#1: Tony Soprano
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“The Sopranos” (1999-2007) No Tony Soprano on this list? Fuhggeddaboutit! It’s impossible to deny the impact of “The Sopranos'' final episode, even if its “death” scene is still a huge point of contention. Tony and his family met up for a meal at a diner. Fans were on the edges of their seats, eager to see if the mob boss would finally get his comeuppance. Unfortunately, they were met with a shocking cut to black. These final moments, or lack thereof, have been the subject of endless debate post-finale and series creator David Chase didn’t seem eager to clear things up. That is, until a 2020 interview in which Chase seemingly accidentally referred to the ending as a long-planned “death scene.” Definitive? Maybe. We’ll never know for sure.
