Sunday, March 3, 2013

Fictional Deaths I Will Never Get Over

#FictionalDeathsIWillNeverGetOver is trending on Twitter. I accidentally made a 6-tweet long list and decided I need therapy. I also decided to share it here, complete with heartbreaking pictures, just to ruin everyone's day. Make sure you tell me in the comments who you're still mourning - I don't want to have forgotten anyone.

The Dead

1. Mufasa. "Somebody... anybody!" I don't care how old I get, this will NEVER stop being devastating. I love and hate Disney for it.



2. Finnick Odair. I read Mockingjay, and I went, "WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY, COLLINS???" And now I have to watch this beautiful man get killed on the big screen.



3. Sirius Black. He's innocent, he's finally vindicated to his friends and his god-son, Harry finally has someone he can call real family, someone he can hold on to, someone who will never leave him. And then he freaking leaves.



4. Simon Birch. Everyone thinks this weird little child is crazy because he believes he's supposed to be an instrument of God. Then he saves everyone and dies as a result, all the while smiling because he fulfilled his destiny.



5. Spock, even though he comes back. The pane of glass between them. The tears in Shatner's eyes. "I have always been, and shall be, your friend." Live long and prosper... no more.



6. Boromir. His death was his redemption, but I will always weep. It has to be one of the most beautiful death scenes in cinematic history. And then the hobbits get taken away... aaahh, it's so heart-wrenching!!



7. Theoden. Why. Just why. Eowyn's all, "I'm going to save you," cradling and comforting this man who is like her father. And he says, "My body is broken, Eowyn." For all her strength and willpower and the fact that she just killed the practically invincible Witch King, she's unable to stop death. TEARS.



8. Beth March. It doesn't help that Claire Danes killed (no pun intended) the death scene in the movie. It also is one of the most beautiful, heartrending death scenes in cinematic history. And she GETS BETTER first. You think she's okay, then she dies. "I never saw myself as anything much," she says, and, "I am not afraid."



9. Phinneas in A Separate Peace. I don't know how I didn't see his death coming, but it totally shocked me in the book. I couldn't stop crying. Part of it was that Gene wasn't even there with him. Finny was just... gone.



10. Angel, even though he comes back. He remembers that he loves Buffy, right before she has to kill him... and he trusts her enough to let her do it.



11. Marian on BBC's Robin Hood. First, she was the best character on the show, the heart and soul of the story. Second, the show went rapidly downhill without her. Third, she died protecting the people and the cause she believed in, and went out bravely.



12. Gurgi. "Taran has many friends. Gurgi has no friends." And with that, this strange, annoying, under-appreciated little creature throws himself into the black cauldron to save the only people who barely like him. I broke inside.



13. Dobby. "Here lies Dobby, a free Elf." It kills me when ugly, abused creatures like Dobby and Gurgi die for a cause and show that their souls are so much more beautiful than their bodies ever were. WHY.



14. Fred Weasley. "Don't worry, George. I'm going to heaven. Guess how I know? Because we're the Holy Spirit! Get it? Because you're holey and I'm... dead. Please don't cry." Why did Fred and George have to be separated? They're two halves of a whole and they loved it that way. WHY ROWLING WHY.



15. Haytham Kenway. Let's be honest, he was the best character in ACIII, despite having some, ahem, flaws. I adored him. He had all the attitude and bad-assity that Connor lacked, and besides, his death was illogical. He wouldn't have forgotten that assassins carry hidden blades. Come on.



16. Haley Hotchner. Criminal Minds makes me cry a lot, but this one was a real kick in the gut. I didn't even like Haley, but I felt so bad for Hotch, and her speech about teaching Jack about love... good Lord.



17. Gavroche. He was a baby, and a revolutionary with the best of them. Brave enough to go in search of ammunition right in front of enemy lines. "You better run for cover when the pup... grows...."



18. Fantine. Sticking with the Les Mis theme for a bit here. The last dream she dreamed was to see her daughter before she died, the daughter for whom she'd sold her teeth, hair, body, and soul. She passed away hallucinating that Cosette was there, but never actually reunited with her.



19. Enjolras and the Friends of the ABC. In reality, they're not fictional characters. They were schoolboys who died for a hopeless revolution. Their deaths were really what opened the people's eyes to the injustice around them - there was no way these boys could have lived to see the world as they hoped it would be.



20. Mordin Solus. I know, I know, technically you can save him if you make certain choices. But that first time through, when you don't know it's coming, and he sacrifices himself.... He really was the very model of a scientist Salarian.



21. Ned Stark & Lady. Getting Game of Thrones season 1 out of the way in one go. Ned was killed in front of his children for being a decent human being. WHY. And Lady was a beautiful, innocent wolf who was put to death. Joffrey is responsible for both. PUT HIM TO DEATH. (I haven't seen season 2 yet, FYI.)





22. Old Dan and Little Ann. The puppies from Where the Red Fern Grows. Old Dan dies protecting Billy from a mountain lion, and Little Ann lies down by Old Dan's grave (which is where the red fern grows) and dies of a broken heart. It almost made me die of a broken heart.



23. Hedwig. It's doubly awful because she doesn't get a burial or a literary eulogy or anything. She just dies, her body is never recovered, and that's it.



24. Gandalf, even though he comes back. "Fly, you fools." "GANDAAAALF!!!!" Then the slow-mo and Boromir having to carry Frodo out of Moria and the hobbits crying on the mountainside....



25. Sherlock (BBC), even though he comes back. It's Watson's speech at his grave that really does it. I even knew beforehand that Sherlock wasn't really dead, and stupid Watson still got me crying.



26. Maes Hughes. I was so mad at Fullmetal Alchemist when Hughes died. He was the happiest person (maybe the only happy person...) on the show/in the manga. And then his daughter is all like, "Mom, why are they burying Daddy?!" and Roy Mustang is crying and oh look, so am I.



27. The finale of Angel. This is going down as one big character death. I won't give spoilers explicitly, but if you've seen it, you know what I mean.



28. Dally Winston. The saddest part of his death is that it was really suicide, even though the police shot him. He just didn't want to keep on living.



29. Rue. This one didn't even really hit me until I saw the movie. Then I couldn't deny anymore that it happened.



30. Artax. Atreyu tries so hard to save his horse's life, and he can't do it. Artax gives up.



31. Jack Dawson. Nobody made it through this with dry eyes. You either cried or you're lying. And again, it's not really a fictional death. So many people died on the Titanic.



32. Agent Phil Coulson. Stupid Loki. I know Coulson's death got the Avengers to come together, but still. He was so pure and good, and he didn't deserve to die. AND he died protecting Thor. Like, what the hell??? Thanks a lot, GOD of Asgard.



33. Uther Pendragon (Merlin). First he lost his dignity and his will to live and Arthur had to take the throne while he was still alive. Then, depressed and ill, he wrenched himself from bed and fought to the death to save Arthur's life.



34. Tony (West Side Story). "Someday, somehow...." NO. Never. Tony and Maria will never be together. And Maria has to just find a way to go on, always wondering how her life might have been. It's always bothered me that nobody blames Anita for this, as a side note.



35. Lewis Young. Lew steps on a land mine. He feels the trigger depress. His best friend Spike was supposed to be the one handling the bomb. Spike won't give up trying to save him, but if he doesn't, they'll both blow up. So when Spike goes for more equipment, Lew calls his family on his cell, says goodbye, then takes his foot off the trigger. Final words? "Spike? It's gonna be okay." Flashpoint will always break me.



36. Wash. "I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar." He landed that ship. He should have lived. You think he's made it, and then... Joss Whedon strikes. Wash was married to the strongest woman in the 'verse, and his death devastated her. Seeing Zoe break was the worst.



37. Doyle (Angel). He was tortured about being half-demon, he was interesting, he was adorable, and he sacrificed himself to save Angel and Cordelia. I was really upset when he went off the show. I'm sure there was a behind-the-scenes reason to get rid of him because there certainly wasn't an on-screen one.



So who's death are you still recovering from?

Peace,
Cayla

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Brom from the first Eragon book. Every time I read that part, I cry like a baby and then I cry again in the fourth book when you learn his identity.

Amanda Shaffer said...

Most of these would be on my list. I completely understand! I think I would add Cinna from The Hunger Games. I cried reading the book. I will watching the movie. And possibly Mags. I would actually add Cannan to my list. I am STILL trying to cope with it!

lucía said...

Maes Hughes death KILLED me. Both times.

resa said...

I have to say I completely agree with Sirius Black, I can never get over that. And then most of all, since I was a child, I have never ever and still can't get over the death of Qui-gon Jinn from Star Wars the Phantom Menace; I'd watch it and be like maybe he won't die THIS time. maybe it will turn out differently, but of course he does and i would sometimes leave beforehand so i wouldn't have to see it, lol. I also hated it when Brom dies in Eragon, and Cinna in Hunger games, and I must add i hated it when Baelic and Destari died in Allegiance.

Unknown said...

Your list is PERFECT, even though I have not seen most of those movies. I can completely relate to the LoTR characters.... they get me every time! Finnick and Rue.... Haldir at Helms Deep.... why do characters have to die?!

Anonymous said...

I would have to add Snape, even though he was horrible to Harry, he was on their side the entire time and he was in love with Lily, I cry every time he dies.
Sirius Black, I have never read the last part of the fifth Harry Potter after the first time because I don't think I can take his death twice (sniff)
Fred Weasly... Maybe I should make it easier and just say that almost everyone who died in the Harry Potter books and was on the good side made me cry.
Finnik, Rue, Cinna
And I cried in Allegiance when I thought Steldor was going to die, even though he doesn't I was so sad! And I was so sure Alera would realize she was in love with him and then he would die. Maybe I should just mention I'm team Steldor

Anonymous said...

One death that truly shocked me and really just... was Coryn from The Guardians of Ga'Hoole. It just blindsided me. He was the Hero, he was the KING. And his was one of the most graphic deaths I have ever read in a child's book. It's only redeeming quality about his death was it was his happiest ending. He knew his mother was dead, and so was the Striga. He had been through so much that he never really would have been happy. He had nothing left.

resa said...

Geez now I need to add Cannan! That probably scarred me for life, nooooo!And a few that I was reminded of after reading the preceding comments, Haldir at Helm's Deep, I always hated that too, I loved him! And then Snape dying after you find out he was actually really good, that was just horrible! Finnick and Rue, Fred Weasley - I was so scared you were gonna kill London in Allegiance or Sacrifice,my only consolation after Cannan's death was that London was still alive, and even then....why, oh why?! I never cry, I just can't, but that was probably the closest I have come since I was young... He was a great character

Anonymous said...

Finnick. His was the most surprising. He was a main character in Mockingjay. I still cant get over it:(

Joanna Marie said...

Absolutely YES on Sirius Black, Fred Weasely, and Agent Phil Coulson! :'''''''''''(

Sara Crewe's father, from A Little Princess... tore me UP!!!! :'(

Anonymous said...

Gus of Lonesome Dove

Anonymous said...

Yes, I totally agree with all of these! At least, the ones that I've watched or read about! And I don't want to spoil A Game of Thrones if you haven't read the book or watched the second season, but lets just say... :( why George R. R. Martin?

Anonymous said...

Prim from the Hunger Games, hits me so hard every time. It's worse than when Rue dies because you have more time to know and love Prim. And then to think it was Gale, Beetey and President Coin' s faults. *Sob*

Anonymous said...

DATA FROM STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. I WILL NEVER BE OVER IT OHMYGOD I MISS HIM SO MUCH

Anonymous said...

Jamie from A Walk To Remember :(

Anonymous said...

The thought of Janie slowly draining away in the the Wake trilogy.

Anonymous said...

Definitely Haytham from Assassin's Creed III. I totally agree with the hidden blade thing too, AND Haytham has a hidden blade. So why try to strangle him Haytham? WHY? God damn, you are Templar on the outside, but Assassin at heart.
AND WHEN LEE GIVES HIS FUNERAL SPEECH OMFG I CRIED.

Anonymous said...

Gus from The Fault in Our Stars... Absolutely depressing...