23 Shocking TV Character Deaths That Truly Changed Everything

    BRB, just crying over here.

    Lauren Garafano
    by Lauren Garafano

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community which TV deaths were so shocking and monumental that they changed everything. Here are the responses:

    🚨Warning: There are MASSIVE spoilers ahead!🚨

    1. On The Walking Dead, when Glenn was brutally beaten to death by Negan as his friends and Maggie watched.

    Negan beating Glenn with a bat while his friends and family watch in horror.
    AMC

    "It was like losing a member of the family. It came out of nowhere."

    —Supermanc77

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    AMC / youtube.com

    2. On Grey's Anatomy, when George was hit by a bus in an attempt to save another person, and his friends couldn't even recognize him until it was too late.

    Meredith realizes that her John Doe patient is actually George and they rush to put him into surgery and save him.
    ABC

    "I couldn’t function for the rest of the evening after watching that episode. I just turned the TV off and went straight to bed crying."

    —susieunderpants

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    ABC / youtube.com

    3. On Orange Is the New Black, when Poussey tried to help calm Suzanne, but a guard attacked and killed her.

    Poussey being thrown to the ground after trying to help a very panicked Suzanne.
    Netflix

    "It was so heartbreaking to watch her lying on the floor with Bailey on top of her and struggling to breathe. Taystee’s reaction killed me!"

    —courtnie13

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    Netflix / youtube.com

    4. On The Originals, when Mikaelson brothers Klaus and Elijah used the white oak stake to kill each other because they realized that their redemption journey was finally complete.

    Klaus thanking Elijah for being such a great brother and helping him out for so many years, and Elijah responds "My greatest honor."
    The CW

    "This is honestly one of the saddest TV show episodes I've ever watched. I cried for two hours afterwards."

    —Sav

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    The CW / youtube.com

    5. On Once Upon a Time, when Robin Hood was killed by Hades after he saved his true love Regina's life.

    Robin Hood stepping in front of Regina as Hades sends a bolt her way, killing him.
    ABC

    "He and Regina were so happy and good. That moment when his soul stayed there...it was just heartbreaking."

    —brittanijuneb

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    ABC / youtube.com

    6. On Pretty Little Liars, when Maya was murdered by a stalker who pretended to be her cousin.

    Emily's mom telling Emily that they found a body and they think it's her girlfriend Maya's.
    Freeform

    "It was hard going through the rest of the series without her. She was a great character who could've brought a lot to the show, especially with Emily's development as an LGBTQ character. It breaks my heart every time I watch it. When Emily cries for her, I try so hard to hold back tears."

    —j45d7514fa

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    Freeform / youtube.com

    7. On The 100, when Lexa was accidentally shot by someone who actually meant to shoot Clarke.

    Clarke trying to save Lexa, but Lexa telling her not to be afraid because there's nothing else she can do.
    The CW

    "She was unexpectedly killed by a stray bullet. It ruined the show for me after that."

    —pantherfan22

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    The CW / youtube.com

    8. On Grey's Anatomy, when Derek Shepherd got hit by a truck and died solely because of a doctor's careless decision not to get a brain scan.

    Derek getting hit by a truck and dying after not getting a head CT.
    ABC

    "I knew it was going to happen and put off watching the episode for years. When I finally watched, I was completely devastated. I cried my eyes out for hours after the episode was over and was upset for days. I'm still not over it."

    —mandystew

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    ABC / youtube.com

    9. On Glee, when the creators wrote Cory Monteith's real-life death into the series and dedicated an entire episode to him and his character, Finn Hudson.

    Rachel telling the glee club that she loved Finn and he loved them very much.
    Fox

    "Honestly, the episode surrounding his death left me emotionally wrecked."

    —maloneyc

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    Fox / youtube.com

    10. On Sons of Anarchy, when Opie was beaten to death by a prison gang as his friends watched helplessly from the next room.

    Opie getting beaten to death while his friends watch.
    FX

    "I’m still not okay. I gotta skip that episode when I rewatch the series because I bawl my eyes out every time. HE WAS SO PURE."

    —Devilsdaughter

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    FX / youtube.com

    11. On Downton Abbey, when Sybil experienced eclampsia after successfully delivering her baby, which caused her to suffocate and die.

    Sybil suffocating as her loved ones beg for her not to die.
    ITV

    "I had just had a baby myself when I saw that episode, and my postpartum hormones were raging. I bawled through the rest of the episodes dealing with her death and the baby’s christening. It still gets me."

    —Grant101010

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    ITV / youtube.com

    12. On Degrassi: The Next Generation, when J.T. was stabbed outside a friend's party and Liberty found him after it was too late to save him.

    JT being stabbed and his friends crying as they wait to find out if he's okay.
    CTV

    "His death was quite possibly my first heartbreak. To this day it still hurts."

    —biancab4fef94982

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    CTV / youtube.com

    13. On This Is Us, when Jack was at the hospital being treated for a burn on his arm but suffered a heart attack from too much smoke inhalation and died.

    A doctor telling Rebecca that Jack died right after he was up and talking five minutes before.
    NBC

    "Throughout the show, you fall in love with his character, so I was really sad when I found out how he died. He’s such a great dad and husband, and his relationship with Rebecca is so beautiful."

    —camrynj

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    NBC / youtube.com

    14. On Criminal Minds, when Hotch's ex-wife, Haley, was killed just as the FBI were on their way to save her, and the entire team listened to it happen over the phone.

    Haley on the phone with Hotch asking him to promise that their son knows how important love is before she dies.
    CBS

    "Hotch tried SO hard to save her, as did the rest of the BAU. And her son was there when it happened. Watching the agents realize they were too late after they heard the gunshot makes me cry."

    —bells98

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    CBS / youtube.com

    15. On Lovecraft Country, when Tic heartbreakingly died during the ceremony that would make Christina immortal.

    Montrose staring at Tic's lifeless body begging for him to get up and go home.
    HBO

    —Spencer Althouse

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    HBO / youtube.com

    16. On Nashville, when Rayna survived a terrifying encounter with a stalker, only to get into a car accident as she was being escorted away in a cop car.

    Rayna telling her husband that he needs to stay strong for their daughters.
    CMT

    "Survived a whole hostage situation, only to die from a car accident as she was rescued and heading home?"

    —guillendenise65

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    CMT / youtube.com

    17. On Jane the Virgin, when Michael collapsed and stopped breathing because of complications from his gunshot wound.

    Jane on the phone with a doctor who told her that Michael died due to complications from being shot and she breaks down into tears.
    The CW

    "Even though his character came back, his 'death' ruined me. Gina Rodriguez's performance was one of the most heart-wrenching things I've ever seen. I'd tear up every time they mentioned his name later on."

    —alyssag46001af5b

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    The CW / youtube.com

    18. On Money Heist/La Casa de Papel, when Gandia shockingly shot and killed Nairobi.

    Gandia telling Nairobi that he was always going to kill her.
    Netflix

    —Jen Abidor

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    Netflix / youtube.com

    19. On The O.C., when Marissa got into a car crash while on her way to the airport, and Ryan tried to carry her to safety, but she died in his arms.

    Ryan carrying Marissa out of the car wreck and she dies in his arms.
    Fox

    "I was so surprised when I watched the episode, and couldn’t stop crying. She was my favorite character and went through hell."

    —lilyr4ff20ceb6

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    Fox / youtube.com

    20. On How to Get Away With Murder, when Wes's corpse was revealed next to the burning building, and Annalise shouted in horror.

    Annalise crying for Wes and screaming "No, no, no, no, no" after she finds out he died.
    ABC

    "Wes was my favorite character, and killing him off was like killing off the heart of the show. I stopped watching after his character was written off. It just wasn’t the same to me. When I saw that Alfred Enoch was returning for the final episode, I was hoping that his character had somehow survived, but I was wrong."

    —megana459

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    ABC / youtube.com

    21. On The Boys, when Ryan used his powers and accidentally killed Becca in the process.

    Ryan crying and asking for his mom's forgiveness while she tells Butcher to make sure he knows it's not his fault, and promise to take care of Ryan.
    Amazon Prime Video

    —Lauren Garafano

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    Amazon Prime Video / youtube.com

    22. On 13 Reasons Why, when Justin Foley had finally redeemed himself and had the best character arc on the show, only to then be diagnosed with AIDS and killed off.

    Clay and Justin saying they love each other. Justin says he's afraid to die and Clay never leaves his side.
    Netflix

    "He had the best character development on the entire show, and there was just no reason for his death. I’m still asking myself why the writers did this!"

    —SamJones88

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    Netflix / youtube.com

    23. And finally, on The Haunting of Bly Manor, when Dani became the lady in the lake and Jamie went and found her body at Bly Manor.

    The narrator explaining how Dani became the lady in the lake and Jamie begged to take her place.
    Netflix

    —Nora Dominick

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    Netflix / youtube.com

    Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.

    So did your favorite (or least favorite) TV death make the list? Let us know in the comments below.