17 Finales That Really KILLED
Diana Keng
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7. Happily Ever After - Once Upon A Time
STATUS: Dead and extremely happy in the afterlife
TWIST: By sacrificing his own heart, he not only ended his life but destroyed his Wish Realm self who had planned to trap all the Storybrooke citizens in books with unhappy endings.
It's interesting to note that the Rumpelstiltskin of folklore did NOT get a happy ending, stomping his way through the castle floor in a fit of rage. An ignoble ending, to be sure.
The redemption of the character in giving up his heart to save Wish Hook, thus cleansing it of darkness and going out a huge hero, was a beautiful tribute to a character who has proven his nobility over the scope of the series.
8. The Price Paid - Chicago P.D.
STATUS: Dead from blood loss after being stabbed in prison
TWIST: Al was wrongfully imprisoned for a murder committed by his friend and colleague, Voight.
It's incredibly painful to see a well-loved character die and when that death is really to punish another character it becomes a true tragedy. Olinsky's death becomes the catalyst that brings Voight and Woods' conflict to a head and, eventually, to a conclusion.
Although an argument can be made that the "good guys" come out on top, the truth is that an innocent paid the price.
9. Alexander Pope and Aldrich - Counterpart
FATALITY: Alexander Pope (Prime)
STATUS: Dead (assuming there is no Alpha to take his place)
TWIST: He was the mastermind behind Project Indigo so who steps up now?
FATALITY: Aldrich (Alpha)
STATUS: Dead (ditto on a Prime version)
TWIST: He laid the trap in order to kill both Howard Prime and Baldwin but gets ambushed by Baldwin instead.
These were both big players in this inter-dimensional spy game and probably had accepted a long time ago that they'd never get to retire in the conventional manner. Their deaths are only surprising in that they create some intense power vacuums in both worlds.
10. Just As the Visions Foretold - Timeless
STATUS: Dead... but wait.
TWIST: He dies. They mourn. Then future Them arrive and say he's save-able.
Time travel shows are so weird.
Yes, it's cool that there are lots of loopholes through which you can save your recently dead awesome techie but there's also a sense that death loses all its gravitas when you can just take a joyride back and bullet-block something that was freakin' FORETOLD.
Sure, Jiya's no gypsy woman but her visions are pretty spot-on. Anyhow, Rufus is cool people so we'll take the win.
11. Served Cold - Gotham
STATUS: Dead (well, as dead as anyone in Gotham gets)
TWIST: After being brainwashed, decapitated, comatose, and resurrected (twice), the dude deserves a rest.
Gotham folks are super freaky about their revenge.
Poor Butch finally gets back into the swing of things only to end up on Hugo Strange's table for "restoration" but when he's all fixed up, Penguin shoots him to pay Tabitha back for killing his mother, what, TWO SEASONS AGO?
Vendetta, thy name is Cobblepot.
12. Sister Dear - Law and Order: SVU
STATUS: Dead
TWIST: Another case of dying because of "who you know" not "what you did"
Pamela Stone falls victim to her brother's job when she is killed by cartel gunfire. The character, a troubled woman being treated for schizophrenia, appeared in multiple episodes this season for the sole purpose of giving Peter Stone a vulnerability. A cheap emotional ploy but effective nonetheless.
