No one wants their favorite character to die, but sometimes the dramatic death of a fan favorite is necessary to move the plot forward, tie up loose threads, or transition from one arc to another. But even though these characters are fictional, it doesn’t make losing them much easier.
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What hurts even worse than losing a beloved character is feeling like one lost them too soon. Sometimes the character leaves the show because the actor died, sometimes because of contract issues, and sometimes because the writers simply deemed it time. Whether the character appeared only once or in every episode of the series, fans wanted more. Here are some of the most devastating early losses in TV history.
8Lost — Charlie Pace
Fan-favorite character Charlie Pace, played by Dominic Monaghan, is one ofLost’sbest. Charlie is a rock star and drug addict, and he hasno shortage of personal demonsthat keep him fighting against himself for his three seasons on the show.
In the end, Charlie sacrifices himself for the others in a noble and necessary gesture, but knowing the good that comes of his death only takes so much of the sting away. Of everyone stranded on the island, Charlie arguably shows the most growth, and watching the demise of a character who had already been through so much was bitter medicine indeed.
7House Of Cards — Zoe Barnes
The narrative tension between protagonist and antagonist is a delicate thing. Having a foil is necessary to keep viewers engaged and to keep the plot moving at a brisk pace. Though the conflict must eventually be settled, settling it too early can disrupt the entire story.
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Reporter Zoe Barnes had been a threat to Congressman Frank Underwood from the very beginning ofHouse of Cards,but her abrupt murder at Frank’s hands in the season two premiere caught many fans off guard. Disposing of Frank’s potent rival so early cut short the cat-and-mouse game the two had been playing, shutting down what could have been seasons of intrigue. Zoe had more work to do, and she never got to do it.
6The Wire — Stringer Bell
Idris Elba is a phenomenal talent, and he brings every bit of his skill as an actor to bear in his portrayal of gangster Stringer Bell. One of the most intelligent and calculating characters inThe Wire,Stringer planned to unseat Avon Barksdale as the local drug kingpin. Unfortunately for him,Avon caught wind of the plot,and at the end of season three Omar and Brother Mouzone kill Stringer.
It’s a gutting scene emotionally, and it’s perfectly written and performed. Still, it’s hard to say goodbye to a character like Stringer before his schemes come to fruition.
5Killing Eve — Bill Pargrave
Bill is more than MI5’s head of security and Eve’s boss. He’s also her friend, trusted confidant, and a necessary dose of comic relief in this dark show. Bill does his best to protect Eve by following Villanelle, but tracking an assassin is a predictably dangerous idea.
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Villanelle stabs Bill to death in a club and leaves him for Eve to find, maximizing the psychological torment she can inflict on her rival. From the moment fans see the chemistry between Bill and Eve, there’s no doubt that their friendship will be one of the highlights of the show. Killing Bill off in season one makes sense for the narrative, but that doesn’t make it any easier to stomach, and Villanelle’s delight in what she’s done makes it even worse.
4Star Trek: The Next Generation — Tasha Yar
By the end of season one ofStar Trek: The Next Generation,actress Denise Crosby had grown dissatisfied with the development of her character and asked to leave the show. The writers obliged, and Lieutenant Tasha Yar died a quick, unceremonious death. In fact, the death was so swift and that many fans resented it, feeling thatit contributed nothing to the episodeand that her character should have received a better sendoff, regardless of the reason for her departure.
Introduced in the pilot “Encounter at Farpoint,” Tasha had been a significant character from the very beginning. Seeing the malevolent alien Armus simply toss her aside with a psychokinetic blast felt hollow.
3Mr. Robot — Angela Moss
Angela Moss stood by Elliot Alderson’s side long before his involvement with Mr. Robot and fsociety. As dedicated a friend and companion as Darlene, Angela’s loyalties were tested again and again throughout the series.
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Mr. Robot’sseason four premiere picks up where season three left off, with Angela in a conversation with Phillip Price, whom she has just learned is her real father. Price does everything in his power to dissuade Angela from taking on Whiterose, but she remains defiant, and that defiance leads to her immediate execution by the Dark Army. Her death didn’t come until the final season, and it undoubtedly kicked the season off with a bang, but many viewers felt the sudden death closed her storyline too soon.
The racist, misogynistic, cantankerous brother of Daryl Dixon, Merle beginsThe Walking Deadasa bully and a threat.However, with time and exposure to Daryl and his brother’s new way of life, Merle’s cactus exterior begins to soften. He never becomes an angel, but the good in him begins to shine through, little by little. On top of that, his dramatic and comedic chemistry with Daryl are amongst the show’s best.
Instead of growing further, though, he’s shot by the Governor and finished off by his own brother. It’s a scene that, even by the high standards ofThe Walking Dead,is agonizing to watch.
1Buffy The Vampire Slayer — Tara Maclay
One of the most interesting and important character arcs inBuffy the Vampire Slayerbelongs to Willow Rosenberg, who over the course of the show gains confidence, learns magic, and in time embraces her sexuality. Willow’s friend and girlfriend Tara Maclay is instrumental in these changes. When a stray bullet killed Tara in “Villains,” Willow wasn’t the only one to react with rage.
At a time when LGBTQ characters struggled for representation even more than they do today, Tara’s loss hit many fans on multiple levels, and they weren’t shy about making their feelings known. Unfortunately, there would be no retcon to bring the good witch back, leaving a vacancy in the show that was never quite filled.
