23 Teen Drama Characters Who Were Absolutely Robbed Of The Happy Endings They Deserved

    Are you still devastated about J.T. Yorke or are you normal?

    Kelly Martinez
    by Kelly Martinez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Teen dramas are great because you get to see the characters grow and change so much. There's nothing like getting to see your favorite character finally get the happy ending they deserve!

    Netflix

    But unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Sometimes characters' stories don't end the way you want, and it makes you want to throw your TV in the trash and cry for a week. (Just me? Okay).

    Fox

    Here are 23 teen drama characters who deserved better:

    Spoilers ahead!

    Note: Some of the following contain mentions of sexual assault and suicide.

    1. J.T. Yorke from Degrassi: The Next Generation

    Liberty holding J.T. after he was stabbed
    TeenNick

    Okay, we're all in agreement on this one, right? James Tiberius Yorke did NOT deserve to be stabbed!!! The fact that he died on his way to tell Liberty he loved her just made it all the more painful.

    2. Maya St. Germain from Pretty Little Liars

    Maya and her girlfriend Emily posing in the photo booth
    ABC

    Obviously, Pretty Little Liars killed off a lot of characters, but did they really have to kill MAYA?! She and Emily were so happy together and her character had so much potential.

    3. Justin Foley from 13 Reasons Why

    Clay visiting Justin in his hospital bed
    Netflix

    Justin started off the show as a real fuckboy, but he grew and changed so much. He and Clay formed an amazing brotherhood, he was working hard to stay sober, and he even got into college. After all he'd been through, his death felt unnecessary and cruel.

    4. Chris Miles from Skins

    E4

    I'm still not over his death, tbh. He and Jal forever have my heart.

    5. Marissa Cooper from The O.C.

    Marissa tells Ryan she's sorry "for all the craziness" and he says he "wouldn't have done it any differently"
    Fox / Via theo-fucking-c.tumblr.com

    Yeah, yeah, I know she was dramatic and messy, but she didn't deserve to die. She was actually getting back on the right track — she'd broken up with Volchok, made up with Summer, and was going to work for her dad. She wasn't irredeemable by any means, and I think the show died with her.

    6. Jessica Davis from 13 Reasons Why

    Jessica speaking at her trial against Bryce
    Netflix / Via spider-woman.tumblr.com

    Everyone on 13 Reasons Why went through too much for high school students, but Jessica really, really did not deserve to deal with so much pain and tragedy. She was sexually assaulted by someone she thought she could trust, witnessed Bryce's death and had to keep it a secret to protect Alex, and then had to watch the love of her life die. Can she, like...catch a break?

    7. Esme Song from Degrassi: Next Class

    Netflix / Via rasharivas.tumblr.com

    I think they were setting her character up for more, but unfortunately the show was canceled before Esme could be given a proper redemption arc. There are still SO many unanswered questions about her backstory, and I desperately wanted her to get the development she deserved. Plus, I think her and Frankie had real potential.

    8. Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars

    UPN

    WHO thought it was okay to end Season 4 this way?? Veronica and Logan are happily married and living their best lives, thank you very much!

    9. Bonnie Bennett from The Vampire Diaries

    The CW

    Bonnie was one of the most interesting characters on the show and had so much potential, yet she never got the spotlight she deserved. Most of her storylines seemed to revolve around helping Elena and the others. Even her death was less about her and more about how it affected everyone else.

    10. Campbell Saunders from Degrassi: The Next Generation

    TeenNick

    I know the writers always intended for Cam's character to only last for a season, but his suicide was still shocking. He was clearly struggling with so much, and I desperately wanted him to get a happy ending. Maya was never the same after his death.

    11. Josie McCoy from Riverdale

    The CW

    I know Josie's character left for Katy Keene (which also deserved better, by the way), but gosh, her character had so much more potential on Riverdale. I never expected to ship her and Archie so hard, but they turned out to be one of the healthiest couples on the show and I really wish they had lasted longer. Josie definitely deserved way more screen time.

    12. Lane Kim from Gilmore Girls

    heavily pregnant Lane lying down with her husband Zach
    The WB

    I wouldn't have minded Lane getting married and having twins so young if it had seemed like it was what she really wanted, but her character had always dreamed of being a rock star and traveling and living life on her own terms. It just felt like a disappointing ending for such a great character.

    13. Erin Silver from 90210

    Dixon comforting Silver after she's diagnosed with cancer in the finale
    The CW

    Her character made mistakes (who didn't on this show?!), but she went through so much and deserved a much happier ending. Getting diagnosed with cancer in the finale was just awful, especially since she'd had to watch her mom die of it just a couple of years prior. Everyone got a happy ending except for her.

    14. Nate Archibald from Gossip Girl

    Nate happy with Serena
    The CW

    Nate was the only guy on the show with any semblance of morals in the end, yet he still ended up alone. He and Serena should have been endgame, and I will die on that hill.

    15. Lexa from The 100

    The CW

    Even if Alycia Debnam-Carey was leaving the show, killing off Lexa like this was so jarring. Lexa and Clarke's relationship may have been short-lived, but it meant a lot to so many people. Seeing yet another LGBTQ character get killed off was awful.

    16. Jackie Cook from Veronica Mars

    UPN

    I know a lot of fans had mixed feelings about Jackie and Wallace's relationship, but Jackie had so much potential as an individual character. She was a great foil for Veronica, and they actually ended up being pretty good friends. I was super bummed when she was written off out of nowhere at the end of Season 2.

    17. Carla Rosón Caleruega from Elite

    Netflix

    Yes, Carla did some awful things (helping cover up Marina's murder, for starters), but she grew so much as a character. She fully intended to do the right thing in court, but then her father pressured her into lying under oath and basically forced her to be with Yeray for money. She deserved to be happy with Samuel.

    18. Allison Argent from Teen Wolf

    Allison dies in Scott's arms
    MTV

    This one still hurts. Scallison deserved better!!

    19. Alex Kelly from The O.C.

    Alex and Marissa
    Fox

    Having Olivia Wilde on The O.C. was pretty freakin' iconic, and I really liked seeing Marissa explore her sexuality. It was great to have an openly bisexual character on the show, and it was such a waste for her character to just leave after half a season.

    20. Adam Torres from Degrassi: The Next Generation

    TeenNick

    Adam was one of the first main trans characters on TV, and suddenly killing him off in car accident was absolutely devastating. He deserved to be happy with Becky and graduate with his brother.

    21. Ander Muñoz from Elite

    Ander crying after his cancer diagnosis
    Netflix

    I really don't know what's up with this trend of giving LGBTQ characters terminal illnesses (lookin' at you, Skins Fire), but I am not here for it. Ander had already been through more than enough and to give him cancer and have his boyfriend cheat on him while he was going through chemotherapy was awful.

    22. Tara Maclay from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

    Willow watches as Tara dies
    The WB

    There's a lot of debate over Tara's death and whether it was necessary or not, but I personally think Willow and Tara deserved their happy ending after all they had been through. Also, killing off one of the only LGBTQ characters on the show just really sucked.

    23. And finally, Rachel Gatina from One Tree Hill

    The WB

    Rachel wasn't necessarily my favorite character, but she deserved more. They kept showing that she was capable of being better and changing, then always made her character take 12 steps back. Having her marry DAN was just ridiculous, and she deserved to at least reconcile with Brooke.

    Got any teen drama characters who didn't make this list? Tell us in the comments!