If you’re anything like me, you get completely obsessed with the characters on your favorite shows. Like unhealthily obsessed…and you have strong feelings about the ones that don’t get the ending they deserve.
Most of my aggression on this topic stems from my grief over the deaths of these characters, as well as the fact that some of them needed richer storylines. I will warn you, these are very passionate feelings and you may tear up.
1. Barb – Stranger Things
I couldn’t write about characters that deserved better without talking about our QUEEN, Barbara Holland. This gorgeous icon left Hawkins too soon and met her fate in the Upside Down. While I’m bitter Shannon Purser won’t be able to reprise her role in the rest of the series, Barb did get to contribute to a lot of the storylines for ST2, and here’s to hoping her legacy will live on in the next season.
2. Bob – Stranger Things
Another victim of the Demogorgon, Bob Newby (Superhero) was truly a hero in the series. He not only helped Joyce find happiness after the horrific trauma of ST1, he was there to mentor Will and help him return to normalcy. The Duffer Bros. have commented on this beloved character’s death, saying that Bob was originally supposed to die early on, but they loved his character so much that they kept him a while longer! Shoutout to ’80s icon Sean Astin for bringing him to life (and death).
3. Charlie Swan – Twilight
At the beginning of the series, when Bella comes back to Forks, Charlie is soooo happy to have his daughter back. Little does he know, she’s about to put him through H E L L for the next few years, and he’ll eventually lose her to an immortal family of Vampires. Thank goodness Sue Clearwater stepped up and started taking care of him; she’s a real one. Bella was the worst part of the series. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
4. Adelaide & Nan – American Horror Story
Jamie Brewer is such an amazing actress, and her roles in American Horror Story have been the perfect mix of heartwarming and badass. However, her two most iconic characters, Adelaide and Nan, met their ends way too soon, in my opinion. I was so ready to call Nan my Supreme in Coven, and I really wanted Adelaide to understand her beauty in Murder House. I’m hoping Brewer makes a surprise appearance this season with a ~killer~ performance.
5. J.T. – Degrassi
I have been grieving this kid’s death since 2007. James Tiberius Yorke was a good friend, a responsible father and an overall gem. His death played a pivotal role in the series for the Degrassi/Lakehurst rivalry as the schools merged and tensions rose. When Drake released the ICONIC music video for “I’m Upset,” and we saw the Degrassi reunion of our dreams, all I could think of was J.T. flying high in the sky…I was truly upset.
6. Uncle Owen & Aunt Beru – Star Wars
Where are my Star Wars nerds at?? So we know Luke was a natural born Jedi and that the blood of the great Anakin Skywalker ran through his veins, but it was the love and care of his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru that made him into the boy that would bring peace to the galaxy. Just simple farm folk that were murdered by the Empire…RIP.
7. Literally everyone that dies in the Harry Potter series (except the baddies).
Every time I re-watch the series, I try to rank which death hits me the hardest, and each one makes me cry even harder than the last. J.K. Rowling has talked about the loss of our favorite characters, and in response to all this, she tells us that if she hadn’t lost her own mother, the characters in Harry Potter may have faired differently. No matter how sad each death makes me, I’m reminded that this series is ultimately about loss, and it is important to remember that even after loss, all will be well.
Well, that was rougher than I thought it was going to be…a moment of silence for all the ones we’ve lost.
Now excuse me while I go cry….