Top 20 Movie Deaths That Still Hurt

“Top Gun” (1986) Goose and Maverick are the best of pals. The two do practically everything together, like attending Top Gun and flying past the control tower and spooking their superior. It’s the type of brotherly love that is often found in the military. But the military is dangerous. The two enter a flat spin during an exercise and eject, and while Maverick makes it to safety, Goose slams into the canopy at high speed. The impact kills him, and Maverick suffers intense survivor’s guilt. The reactions to the death are just as upsetting as the event itself, with Maverick and Goose’s family grieving in equal measure. His passing and legacy was then made into a major subplot in “Top Gun: Maverick,” resulting in buckets of tears.

#19: Emma Greenway-Horton

Also in:

How Emma Stone Prepared to Play Bella Baxter in Poor Things

“Terms of Endearment” (1983) Debra Winger received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for playing the wickedly sympathetic Emma Greenway-Horton. Emma has a fraught but ultimately loving relationship with her domineering mother Aurora, and she remains close to Aurora as she goes through painful transitions in her personal life. Not only is she cheated on, but she’s eventually diagnosed with cancer at a relatively young age. Her mother is there to support her as she weakens from the sickness and eventually dies, and it all proves unbelievably difficult. It’s hard to see a parent losing their child, and the respective performances bring a highly uncomfortable aura of realism to the tragedy. This death may hit a little too close to home for many. But then again, great art often does.

“Rocky IV” (1985) “Rocky IV” was easily the goofiest film in the “Rocky” franchise, eschewing reality in favor of ridiculous Cold War metaphors, a Terminator-esque opponent, and a talking robot. That said, it still found time for drama, represented by the death of Apollo Creed. We watched Apollo grow throughout the “Rocky” series from cocky villain to mentor, and he quickly became Rocky’s closest friend. When Rocky lost Apollo, he lost a part of himself, and the rest of the movie is devoted to exploring his grief and isolation, both physically and mentally. Rocky was never the same after Apollo’s death, and it still hurts to think about.

“Steel Magnolias” (1989) With the help of an iconic cast, “Steel Magnolias” tells a devastating story about sisterhood and sickness. In one of her earliest movie roles, Julia Roberts plays Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, a young woman with type one diabetes. The character was modeled after the sister of author and screenwriter Robert Harling, who passed away in 1985. Like Harling’s sister, Shelby also passes away from the effects of diabetes. The character suffers fatal complications following the birth of her child and an organ transplant. It’s a horrendous death that’s impossible to be indifferent to. When her family finally decides to take her off life support, there’s not a dry eye in the house.

#16: Jack Twist

Also in:

Top 10 Jack Black Roles

“Brokeback Mountain” (2005) Jack Twist meets Ennis Del Mar on the titular Brokeback Mountain, and it’s love at first sight. But there are more than a few problems. This is the 1960s in the prototypically “masculine” American West, and Ennis and Jack are both cowboys. It’s a flurry of obstacles that prevents them from openly embracing each other, and the resulting story is one of complete tragedy. After years of on-and-off hesitant romance, Jack dies in a freak accident while changing a tire. Or, at least that’s what Jack’s wife tells Ennis. Ennis believes that he was violently killed. The ambiguity makes it all the more tragic, not only taking away Ennis’s true love but also preventing him from getting any real closure.

“Million Dollar Baby” (2004) This boxing film from Clint Eastwood makes a major plot detour that comes with incredible emotional power. At first, “Million Dollar Baby” seems like a typical boxing movie about an underprivileged underdog who defeats her personal demons in the ring. But a freak accident occurs during a title fight, and Maggie breaks her neck on a stool. Unwilling to live as a quadriplegic, she asks that her trainer Frankie end her life, and he eventually acquiesces. The hospital sequences are hauntingly performed by Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood, and the unexpected – and controversial – ending is a major tonal whiplash from the uplifting material that came before. This whiplash made “Million Dollar Baby” a classic whose ending is still widely referenced to this day.

#14: The Terminator

Also in:

Top 10 Movie Deaths That Still Hurt

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) James Cameron is a brilliant filmmaker. Not only did he give deep humanity to a killer robot, but he crafted a touching story about fatherhood through the lens of a sci-fi action epic. The Terminator becomes a loving and deeply protective father figure to John, and they share one of the most gut-wrenching goodbyes in the history of cinema. Knowing that he has to die to save the future, the Terminator orders that Sarah lower him into a vat of molten steel. Everything about this scene is legendary, including the music, the respectful handshake between Sarah and the Terminator, and of course, the iconic thumbs up. Hasta la vista, indeed.

“Life Is Beautiful” (1997) Roberto Benigni was the first man to win the Best Actor Oscar for a non-English showing, and he did it playing Guido Orefice. Guido is sent to a concentration camp with his young son, Giosuè, but in order to preserve his childish innocence, Guido pretends that it’s all a big game. He maintains the ruse until the very end, even while he’s being literally taken to his death. He spots Giosuè watching and quickly gets back into character, doing a goofy walk for his son before he’s killed. We’re spared the visual, but that image of his final, defiant walk is simply unforgettable. It’s an incredible visual metaphor for the challenges and ultimate rewards of fatherhood.

“The Notebook” (2004) This classic Nicholas Sparks story chronicles the bittersweet lives of Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton. It’s your classic “poor boy rich girl” story, but with a twist. The core narrative is being told through flashbacks, and we eventually learn that it’s being recounted by the elderly Noah to the now dementia-ridden Allie. Some time after the tale is complete, Noah joins Allie in bed, and they die together while holding hands. Sure, maybe it’s a little sappy. But it’s also really beautiful and heart-wrenching, and that ending will forever live rent free in our collective heads. Dementia is a horrible disease, and “The Notebook” is one of its defining portrayals in pop culture.

#11: Neil Perry

Also in:

Top 10 Neil Patrick Harris Moments

“Dead Poets Society” (1989) With a mature and reserved Robin Williams playing John Keating, “Dead Poets Society” tells a story about the power of literature and the soul-eating effects of demanding expectations. The latter comes through in the story of Neil Perry. Neil suffers at the hands of his cruel father, who demands absolute perfection and studious obedience from his son. The demands weigh heavily on Neil’s psyche, especially when he’s pulled from the boarding school for getting too attached to acting. Physically and emotionally shattered, Neil proceeds to take his own life. This results in a horrific reaction from his parents, and the scene is flawlessly performed by Kurtwood Smith and Carla Belver. This sequence cuts right to the heart and is realistic enough to chill your blood.

“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” (2007) Poor Harry Potter. He finally gets a loving family member in his godfather, Sirius Black, only for him to be ripped away at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. Sirius’s end comes in the climactic battle at the Ministry of Magic, when Bellatrix hits him with the killing curse. The curse takes effect and Sirius dies before we even know what happened. The confusion only adds to the tragedy, as we, like Harry, enter a state of shock. We don’t want to believe it, but he is indeed actually dead, and our hearts are left broken. But the pain wasn’t over, as we were then forced to watch the deaths of both Dumbledore and Dobby in subsequent films. We’re not over them, either.

#9: Wolverine / Logan

Also in:

Top 10 EPIC Wolverine Movie Moments

“Logan” (2017) “Logan” served as a bookend of sorts for the superhero genre. “X-Men” basically kickstarted the movement, and “Logan” closed a chapter in its history. It was as much a superhero story as it was a comment on the genre itself, which grew up, became hardened, and eventually passed the baton to the new generation. Logan’s death served as both this metaphorical baton passing and the culmination of nearly twenty years’ worth of superhero stories and character work. This movie showed us an aging superhero well past his prime and resigned to his tragic fate, and it made for some pretty bleak viewing. People literally grew up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and it was incredibly tough to see him go.

#8: Jack Dawson

Also in:

Top10 Jack Black Lines We Will Never Stop Quoting

“Titanic” (1997) Spoiler alert – the Titanic sinks. We all knew that going in, so we all figured that one of the two main characters would die. But that didn’t make Jack’s death any less despairing. Perhaps it’s the way in which he dies. He continues to protect Rose until the very end, sacrificing himself so Rose can lay on the drifting door. We are then forced to watch him freeze to death, and let us tell you, that did not make for easy viewing! By the end, we are left listening to Rose’s desperate and pained cries as she realizes that her love has died, and Kate Winslet perfectly captures the pain and confusion of such a tragic event.

“My Girl” (1991) There are very few things in life more tragic than the death of a child. While searching for Vada’s mood ring, Thomas kicks a bees’ nest and its occupants proceed to sting him numerous times, resulting in a fatal allergic reaction. It’s not so much the death scene itself that stirs the emotions, as we don’t really see anything except Thomas flailing around and his glasses falling to the ground. It’s Vada’s reaction that really tugs on the heartstrings, and Anna Chlumsky sells her pain with acting skills far beyond her age. That scene in the funeral home has been indelibly ingrained in our brains since childhood, and we can’t help but get emotional every time we think about it.

“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) Brooks served more as a symbol than a fully realized character. He represents the fragility of change and the inability to adapt, especially in inmates who have been locked up for decades. Brooks was imprisoned for fifty years and has incredible difficulty adjusting to the modern world and his newfound freedom. In one of the most heartbreaking montages in film history, we watch him struggle with everyday traffic, loneliness, nightmares, and his job as a grocery bagger. His final words serve as a painful statement for battling anxieties and suicidal thoughts, and it is profoundly personal for anyone who has gone through such a tragic event.

#5: Johnny Cade

Also in:

Top 20 Johnny Depp Performances

“The Outsiders” (1983) S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders” has always been praised for deftly conveying tragedy and mature themes for younger audiences. Perhaps the most important aspect of the story is Johnny’s redemption. Johnny and the Greasers save a group of children from a burning church, and Johnny suffers fatal injuries. His impending death causes him to re-purpose his priorities – not only does he stop caring about the senseless gang drama, he tells Ponyboy to “stay gold”. His death allows Ponyboy to live – not to mention the children – and “stay gold” has remained one of the most iconic quotes in children’s literature. It’s clear that Johnny’s lessons touched not only Ponyboy, but the entire world at large.

“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” (2008) Movies don’t get much darker than this. It tells the story of Bruno and Shmuel, two young boys who are caught in the midst of the Holocaust. Bruno is a young German who is indoctrinated with anti-Semitic propaganda, yet befriends the imprisoned Shmuel. One day, Bruno decides to help Shmuel find his “missing” father, but the two are ferried into a gas chamber. The Holocaust is undoubtedly one of the most tragic events in human history, and by telling this story through the perspective of two children, it allows viewers a more personal glimpse into its utter depravity. This movie perfectly highlights the duality of humanity – its empathy, and senseless wickedness – which makes for some truly unforgettable viewing.

#3: Tony Stark / Iron Man

Also in:

Bruce Wayne Vs Tony Stark

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019) Well, we all knew it was coming, but it still hurt! Much like Logan’s death, Iron Man’s serves as a thematic statement regarding the history of superhero films in the 21st century, perhaps even more so. The Marvel Cinematic Universe began with Robert Downey Jr.’s endlessly charismatic Tony Stark, and phase three with his sacrificial demise. The death is certainly sad from a pure storytelling perspective, but it’s also sorrowful for what it represents – the symbolic end of what we've come to know as the MCU. Sure, we still have about a billion movies to go, but nothing will recapture the cinematic magic of watching the MCU develop throughout the 2010s.

“Forrest Gump” (1994) Despite all his accomplishments and all that he saw, Forrest always returned to Jenny. Forrest was no stranger to death, having seen both his mother and Bubba pass away. But it’s Jenny’s death that truly made an impact, both on Forrest and the viewer. While we don’t see Jenny’s actual death, the final moments between her and Forrest are gorgeous, and the montage where Forrest talks to her grave is one of the saddest yet most uplifting montages in film. Tom Hanks is simply spellbinding, selling every last bit of Forrest’s sadness and loneliness, but also his penchant for bravery. Like Forrest says, dying is just a part of life. We just wish it wasn’t.

#1: John Coffey

Also in:

Top 10 John Hurt Performances

“The Green Mile” (1999) There’s just something about Stephen King’s old timey prison stories that really get the waterworks going. The death of the innocent, childlike, and literally magical John Coffey is one of cinema’s saddest moments. So many aspects of this scene are downright tear-inducing, including the crying officers, the swelling music, the dramatic sparks, and of course the iconic line, “I is afraid of the dark.” John Coffey is the very personification of love and kindness, and while he recognizes humanity’s cruelty and penchant for sin, he decides to die as a scapegoat. Sound familiar? The Biblical allusions allow the story to permeate more effectively, all but ensuring that we never forget the sacrifice of poor John Coffey.