Top 20 Darkest Deaths in TV History

20 Darkest Deaths in TV History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the 20 most emotionally traumatizing deaths in the history of television. Even years - or decades - later, these grizzly ends still collectively haunt us. Viewers be warned: there are major spoilers ahead.

#20: Victor Aguilar

“The Penguin” (2024)

From the first episode of “The Penguin”, Victor Aguilar’s fate felt written in blood. In a chilling “Of Mice and Men” homage, Oz tells Victor to 'look at the sunrise' before attempting to kill his young accomplice. Victor manages to talk his way out of peril, and the two grow close. But, in the finale, it becomes clear that Oz never really changed his mind despite their friendship. The Penguin lures Victor in close, arm around him like a big brother. But after all the mentorship and crime, Oz can't afford to let anyone close. He strangles Victor as they gaze at the Gotham skyline together. After building Victor up for an entire season, “The Penguin” crushed our hearts when Oz crushed his windpipe.

#19: Howard Hamlin

“Better Call Saul” (2015-22)

Howard Hamlin wasn’t everyone’s favorite at first. As the slick, silver-haired face of HHM, he came across as smug and privileged, the perfect foil for Jimmy McGill. But as the series unfolded, fans realized Howard wasn’t the villain—he was a decent man trapped in the crossfire of other people’s schemes. Jimmy and Kim’s cruel campaign to humiliate him left Howard unraveling, and by the time he stormed into their apartment, he was more wounded than dangerous. That’s when Lalo Salamanca walked through the door. In one shocking moment, Howard’s life was ended with a single bullet to the head, his body unceremoniously buried with Lalo’s. For audiences, it was a gut-punch: a good man destroyed by proximity to chaos.

#18: Abigail Hobbs

“Hannibal” (2013-15)

Abigail Hobbs first appeared on “Hannibal” as a victim, daughter of a serial killer groomed to lure in his prey. Saved by Will Graham after her father’s attack, she seemed destined for redemption. Twice the series tricked us with her death, only to reveal she had survived. There was a fragile hope her soul could be saved. But Abigail was trapped in the orbit of an apex predator: Hannibal Lecter. She became his surrogate daughter, bound by fear and manipulation. Abigail was the show’s lone flicker of innocence, a fragile chance that goodness might endure. But Hannibal won't even spare what he loves. In the season two finale, he ends her life before Will’s eyes, a death staged as a dark sacrament.

#17: Omar Little

“The Wire” (2002-08)

Omar Little became more than a supporting character: he was a TV legend. He was a shotgun-wielding stick-up man who robbed drug dealers with a code of honor on “The Wire”. He quickly became one of TV’s most unforgettable antiheroes. But a man who lives by the sword is expected to die by it. Viewers anticipated Omar going down in a blaze of glory and lead. Instead, “The Wire” threw audiences a sad, albeit realistic curveball. In season five, Omar is gunned down in a corner store by Kenard—a young kid. There were no epic speeches, no last stand. His death was deflating, stripping away myth to reveal the brutal randomness of life and death on Baltimore's streets.

#16: Nell Crain

“The Haunting of Hill House” (2018)

Nell Crain’s death didn’t merely shock audiences: it haunted them for years. One of the youngest of the Crain siblings, Eleanor was plagued by sleep paralysis. Since she was a little girl, her sleep was sometimes disturbed by a phantom she called the Bent-Neck Lady. For much of the series, viewers saw Nell as a victim doomed to collapse under Hill House’s shadow. Then came the shocking reveal: the specter stalking her life was Nell herself, looping endlessly through time. The Bent-Neck Lady wasn't a monster at all, but her own body in its death throes. When Nell hangs inside Hill House, her fate is the show's cruelest twist of all. She has lived her entire life haunted by her own future ghost.

#15: Joel Miller

“The Last of Us” (2023-)

When TV adaptations set up audiences for heartbreak, fans of the original gleefully wait for newcomers' shock and sadness. It was true with “Game of Thrones”, and it was true with “The Last of Us”. The HBO series stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, a hardened survivor who finds purpose again as Ellie’s protector. After losing his own daughter, he becomes her surrogate father in a broken world. Viewers adored the tenderness of their unlikely bond. But fans of the games knew the sorrow they had in store. In season two, Joel and Ellie are ambushed by a vengeful group led by Abby. Joel is beaten to death while Ellie is forced to watch. The brutality is unforgettable, sparking Ellie’s descent into obsession and revenge.

#14: Poussey Washington

“Orange Is the New Black” (2013-19)

Poussey Washington was one of the most beloved characters in “Orange Is the New Black”. Despite the bleakness of her world, she was bright, funny, and full of hope for life after prison. That made her murder even more devastating. During a peaceful protest, Poussey is pinned to the ground by a guard who kneels on her back until she suffocates. The scene was written to echo countless real-world incidents of police brutality. In hindsight, it became tragically prophetic. When George Floyd was murdered in 2020 in almost the same way, the parallel was not lost on audiences. On-screen, her death shattered the prison community, sparking riots and grief. Off-screen, it left viewers reeling, a reminder that Poussey’s story was depressingly common.

#13: Flight 37

“The Boys” (2019-)

In a show full of horrors, the crash of Flight 37 is one of the most pivotal - and horrifying - moments in “The Boys”. At first, it looks like standard superhero fare: Homelander and Queen Maeve swoop in to save the day. But when Homelander realizes he can’t land the plane without exposing his limits, he makes a chilling choice. Instead of rescuing even a handful, he abandons them all to their deaths. Maeve can't hide from their terrified screams echoing as the plane plummets. Flight 37 loomed over Homelander for years, a ghost that could bring him down if revealed. Yet by the time he casually murders a protestor in public and is celebrated, he’s finally free. The monster is embraced by his fans.

#12: Zoe Barnes

“House of Cards” (2013-18)

The world of “House of Cards” existed in shades of grey. Zoe Barnes, intrepid young reporter, was no exception. Ambitious and relentless, she traded journalistic integrity for access to Frank's inner circle. The gamble paid off... at first. Zoe's scoops netted her fame and influence. She also bound herself to a man who viewed people as either tools or obstacles. By season two, she was piecing together Frank’s web of corruption. Zoe thought she could confront him, maybe even outmaneuver him. She was wrong. Meeting her under the guise of conversation, Frank shoved her into the path of an oncoming train. The brutal swiftness of Zoe’s death set the tone for season two: in Frank’s world, no one was untouchable.

#11: Opie Winston

“Sons of Anarchy” (2008-14)

Opie Winston started as SAMCRO’s gentle giant. He was Jax Teller’s affable best friend, and a good dad and husband to boot. But Opie got the rawest deal of anyone on “Sons”. Manipulated by ATF agent June Stahl, Opie was set up as a rat, a move that led to his wife’s murder. From then on, the fun-loving family man hardened into a brutal enforcer. Still, his love and loyalty to Jax never wavered, and audiences adored him for it. In season five, that loyalty cost him everything. In prison, Damon Pope demanded a sacrifice. Jax prepared to take the fall, but Opie stepped in, beaten to death with pipes as his brothers watched. The show’s warmest soul was extinguished in the coldest way.

#10: Chrissy Cunningham

“Stranger Things” (2016-25)

We thought Demogorgons were the height of terror until we met Vecna. This telekinetic monster preys on his victims’ worst fears before killing them in horrific fashion. Sadly, Chrissy was one of them. She seemed like the perfect high school cheerleader, but underneath, Chrissy was a troubled teen, grappling with an abusive mother and an eating disorder. She was deeply relatable and her unexpected bond with Eddie made us hope she’d stick around. But Vecna showed no mercy. Her end started slowly, an eerie chime of a clock, her mother’s horrifying voice taunting her. When her time came, her limbs were broken, eyes gouged out and worst of all, she didn’t get the chance to fight back. Was any of it her fault?

#9: Nicholas Brody

“Homeland” (2011-20)

Throughout his time on this espionage thriller, Nicholas Brody never caught a break. First a pawn for a terrorist group, then a tool for the CIA, his life was a never-ending cycle of torture, betrayal and turmoil. Sure, he did some awful things, but over time, he grew on us. But what did we get? Right when we thought he could be saved, the CIA betrayed and abandoned him. Branded a traitor, he was publicly hanged while a devastated Carrie watched, unable to stop it. Yeah, Brody was no saint, but his end felt too grim for someone who was also a victim of circumstance. The show moved on, but for some fans, it was never the same.

#8: Laura Palmer

“Twin Peaks” (1990-91)

Is there a fate more tragic than this small-town beauty’s? In the show, agent Dale Cooper digs into Laura Palmer’s death, slowly unravelling the mysterious nature of her life. But it’s the prequel film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” that truly exposes the ugliness of Laura’s reality. Repeatedly abused and trapped in a nightmare, her life was a true horror show. Living day after day with an abusive demon-possessed father? That’s not a life anyone deserves. Instead of escape or even the slightest bit of respite, she’s violently murdered by the very beast who tormented her for years. Dark doesn’t even cut it - her entire existence was a gut-wrenching, messed-up nightmare. It’s the kind of tragedy that sticks with you.

#7: Rita Morgan

“Dexter” (2006-13)

Dexter dedicated his life to hunting those who preyed on the innocent, yet he couldn’t save the one person who meant the most to him. Rita was a loving mother and a symbol of normalcy in Dexter’s life. Someone as sweet as Rita didn’t deserve to die at the hands of a sadistic killer. But that’s exactly what she got. After capturing the Trinity Killer, Dexter returns home to the horrifying sight of Rita’s lifeless body, her child wailing in that crimson pool. That image alone is haunting enough. Worse still, it echoes Dexter’s own childhood trauma. It’s a cruel twist that doesn’t only rob his life of warmth but casts a dark shadow over the entire series.

#6: Anatoly Ranskahov

“Daredevil” (2015-18)

Wilson Fisk isn’t a man you want to cross and Anatoly learned that the hard way. Desperate to speak with Fisk, he makes the fatal mistake of interrupting his date. Furious, the crime lord cuts the evening short and shows Anatoly how much he doesn’t like being embarrassed. Unaware of what’s coming, a shocked Anatoly is yanked out of a car and thrown into a violent brawl. He fights back but he’s no match for Fisk. It ends with him pleading for help as his head is repeatedly bashed. Brutal! When you factor in the hell Anatoly already endured in prison, you’d realize how badly his life sucked. He may have been bad,but it doesn’t make his death any less jarring.

#5: Adrianna La Cerva

“The Sopranos “ (1999-2007)

There’s no doubt about it, Adriana is one of the saddest souls in “The Sopranos.” Her biggest flaw was loving Christopher too much. Had he loved her with the same intensity, perhaps she might’ve made it out alive. Instead, when she tearfully confesses to her so-called lover that she’s an FBI informant, he nearly chokes her out. As if that isn’t wicked enough, he sells her out to his boss, sealing her fate. Under the impression she’s meeting Christopher, Adriana’s driven to her doom. By the time she realizes what’s happening, it’s too late. Despite her desperate pleas for mercy, she’s coldly executed. What a heartbreaking end for a woman whose only sin was loving the wrong man.

#4: Col. Henry Blake

“M*A*S*H*” (1972-83)

Is this medical series a sitcom or a heavy war drama? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Well, to remind fans about its serious undertones, the creators chose to kill off a beloved character - none other than Henry Blake. Though we understand it was because McLean Stevenson was leaving the show, it didn’t make his death any less jolting. Just as he was bound for home, almost free from the horrors of war, his plane gets shot down? That’s cruel! His death wasn’t even shown, yet mere news of it shattered both fans and characters. Some mourned, others complained heavily and in the end, it darkened the series in a way that lingered. “M*A*S*H” was no longer just comedy.

#3: Jane Morglis

“Breaking Bad “ (2008-13)

Sober for months, Jane was on the road to recovery when Jesse Pinkman entered her life. Brushing him off at first, she eventually fell for him and that changed her fate for the worse. Soon she’s back to old habits and becomes too involved in Walter and Jesse’s beef. Then the moment of her undoing arrives. After securing Jesse’s cut from Gustavo’s deal, the lovers decide to run away but not before one last heroin hit. Unfortunately for them, Walter finds them unconscious. As he tries to wake Jesse, Jane rolls onto her back and begins choking. Driven by his own twisted agenda, Walter lets her die. Just like that, Jane’s promising life is cut short.

#2: Glen & Abraham

“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)

At the start of season 7, the creators of this zombie thriller delivered a gut punch that left many fans reeling. After Rick’s group is captured by Negan, he asserts dominance by hacking down Abraham, arguably the toughest in the group. But he doesn’t stop there. To shock us even more, he doubles down on brutality by smashing Glenn’s head with a club - the same Glenn who was set to be a father. How utterly unbearable! Some fans abandoned the show after these soul-crushing, visceral deaths and it’s totally understandable. Even for a show known for its relentless violence, this moment felt like it crossed a line. It was hard to forgive and even harder to forget.

#1: The Starks

“Game of Thrones” (2011-18)

Losing one person is painful, but nearly an entire family getting slaughtered? That’s another level of savagery. But it’s GOT, where we’re always hit by the unexpected - just like we were stunned by Oberyn’s death when we thought victory was his. Still, the Starks had it worse than other houses. After Ned’s execution, Arya was displaced, Sansa was traumatized and Winterfell was captured. Then came the massacre. To gain Walder Frey’s support, Robb Stark agreed to a marriage pact - one he failed to honor. Unfortunately, Walder wasn’t the forgiving type. Returning to Walder’s hall, the Starks walked straight into an ambush. Despite Catelyn pleading for mercy, none was given, not even to Robb’s unborn child. A horrifying price to pay for a broken deal!

Have we left you with a sense of devastation and loss by not including a TV death that left you in tears? Let us know in the comments!