10 MOVIE FRANCHISES THAT KILLED THEIR BEST CHARACTER
Making an audience care for a character is no easy task. Cinema is full of heroes and villains with whom viewers have fallen in love, presenting captivating stories that leave moviegoers wanting more. The most successful movie franchises succeed because of the people who populate their worlds, who would leave a gaping hole if they were no longer there. Sadly, some of these sagas have decided to kill off some of their best characters and left fans devastated at the loss of their favorite characters.
These characters were beloved by many before their respective creators chose to write them out. Sometimes the decision is driven by a good story, while on other occasions, the choice to remove them from the series is caused by behind-the-scenes issues. In either case, these movie characters were greatly missed from their franchises when they were gone, and audiences still lament their loss from the cinematic saga.
King Kong's Death Leaves Viewers Depressed
King Kong
The monster franchise is centered onKing Kong, a giant ape living on a primordial island inhabited by prehistoric creatures.
| Number Of Films | 14 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | King Kong (1933) - 97% |
The King Kong franchise has sustained several remakes and sequels, which is impressive considering how familiar viewers are with how the giant ape's story concludes. King Kong's final moments come as he is shot down by fighter jets while climbing the Empire State Building, which is a beautiful and tragic death for Kong.
The King Kong movies do an excellent job at making viewers care for the enormous ape, without Kong being able to utter a single word. His connection with the empathetic actor Ann Darrow creates one of cinema's most charming friendships, showing that Kong has more complex emotions than the other human characters give him credit for. It leaves viewers depressed by Kong's untimely demise.
Quint's Resilience In Jaws Made Him A Firm Fan Favorite
Jaws (1975)
When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.
| Number Of Films | 4 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Jaws - 97% |
The Jaws franchise has been a mixed bag, depicting a series of shark attacks spanning four movies. The best Jaws movie remains the first entry, which sees a ferocious shark terrorizing the Amity Island seaside resort. Its greatest human character is the experienced shark hunter Quint, who unfortunately meets his untimely demise.
Quint dies during a noble attempt to protect police chief Martin Brody and ocean researcher Matt Hooper onboard the Orca. He is dragged underwater and eaten by the shark. Quint's exit in the Jaws series is devastating, as audiences had grown to admire the Orca ship captain's resilient nature, and perhaps had he survived, Jaws' future installments may have been more successful.
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Morpheus (The Matrix) Is A Wise Mentor To Neo
The Matrix
The Matrix franchise features acyberpunkstory of the technological fall of humanity, in which the creation ofartificial intelligenceled the way to a race of powerful and self-aware machines that imprisoned humans in avirtual realitysystemthe Matrixto be farmed as a power source.
| Number Of Films | 4 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | The Matrix - 83% |
The Matrix is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi franchises, telling the tale of a world that is secretly trapped inside a virtual simulation, while the Machines rule over the Earth. Although The Matrix's most iconic freedom fighter is the computer programmer Neo, Morpheus is a major stand-out character throughout the saga.
He acts as a wise mentor to Neo, and the one who exposes Neo to the truth concerning the Matrix. Laurence Fishburne dominates the screen as Morpheus, imbuing the character with a powerful aura. Sadly, The Matrix Resurrections decides to kill Morpheus off-screen and replace him with a digital recreation played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen, robbing audiences of Laurence Fishburne's iconic portrayal.
The Wicked Witch Of The West (The Wizard Of Oz) Is One Of Cinema's Greatest Villains
The Wizard of Oz
Young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.
| Number Of Films | 23 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | The Wizard Of Oz (1939) - 98% |
The Wizard Of Oz is a beloved classic that has spawned countless adaptations, spin-offs, and a Disney-produced sequel. The first entry follows the naive young girl Dorothy, on her journey to meet the titular wizard. The Wizard Of Oz introduces one of cinema's greatest villains, The Wicked Witch Of The West, who leaves a lasting impression.
The Wicked Witch Of The West is delightfully evil throughout The Wizard Of Oz, taunting Dorothy and sending flying monkeys after the young girl and her friends. Even her death is memorable, being melted by water during her confrontation with Dorothy. The Wicked Witch Of The West holds a dominant presence in the franchise, ensuring her legacy as an iconic movie antagonist.
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Mufasa (The Lion King) Holds Authority Over The Pride Lands
The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King is an animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released in 1994, it tells the story of Simba, a young lion cub who faces the responsibilities of adulthood and reclaiming his birthright as king of the Pride Lands. Featuring an iconic voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy Irons, the film explores themes of family, duty, and the circle of life.
| Number Of Films | 4 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | The Lion King (1994) - 92% |
One of Disney's biggest masterpieces is The Lion King. It follows Simba's journey toward succeeding his father Mufasa as Pride Rock's new leader. One of its biggest highlights is the father and son relationship between Mufasa and Simba, which is largely down to Mufasa being such a likable figure.
The late James Earl Jones brought a commanding demeanor to Mufasa, establishing the lion as the ultimate authority over the Pride Lands. Mufasa is also shown to be a deeply caring and devoted father to Simba in The Lion King. Mufasa's lovable nature makes his demise in The Lion King all the more tragic, sending viewers to tears when he plummets to his demise in the Elephant's Graveyard.
Alan Rickman Leaves A Lasting Impression As Hans Gruber (Die Hard)
Die Hard
A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
| Number Of Films | 5 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Die Hard - 94% |
Die Hard is an action-packed thrill ride, following Bruce Willis's brave police detective John McClane as he fights thugs and terrorists across five movies. The first installment's antagonist, Hans Gruber, is still the best, having delivered many of the franchise's best quotes.
This scheming villain is the perfect foil for John McClane throughout the first Die Hard, taunting him constantly while John works to take him down. His thinly veiled threat that he will "get to someone" who John cares about is chilling, highlighting how dangerous Hans and his terrorists can be. Alan Rickman's fantastic performance allows Hans Gruber to make a lasting impression, leaving viewers deeply unnerved by this callous terrorist, before John McClane sends Hans falling to his death.
Otto Octavius (Spider-Man 2) Is A Tragic Victim Of His Own Scientific Genius
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man
After being bitten by a genetically-modified spider, a shy teenager gains spider-like abilities that he uses to fight injustice as a masked superhero and face a vengeful enemy.
| Number Of Films | 10 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse - 97% |
The best Spider-Man villain remains Alfred Molina's Otto Octavius, who Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man battles in Spider-Man 2. He plans to use a fusion reactor to create a source of renewable energy, but the reactor's core becomes dangerously unstable, threatening New York. Otto is an interesting antagonist because he has good intentions, even if his experiment proves hazardous.
He only turns rogue in Spider-Man 2 because his mechanical arms assume control over his mind, turning Otto into a tragic victim of his own scientific genius. The friendship between Peter and Otto is also a charming watch, showing how Peter looks up to Otto as a mentor figure before Otto sacrifices himself to save his city from the fusion reactor.
Whistler's Sacrifice In Blade: Trinity Cements His Status As Blade's Greatest Character
The Blade Franchise
A half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.
Summary
Blade is a film and television franchise based on the Marvel Comics character Blade, starring Wesley Snipes as Blade in the original trilogy, and Sticky Fingaz in the television serie.
| Number Of Films | 3 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Blade - 58% |
Blade is easily one of the deadliest Marvel heroes, and his overly violent nature made the Blade movies a major hit at the Box Office. Even though audiences enjoyed watching the determined vampire hunter taking on the bloodsuckers, Whistler is the beating heart of the Blade movies.
Whistler is a skilled combatant, training Blade to fight the vampires and creating a bunch of Blade's vampire-killing weapons. His personal reasons for wishing the vampires dead make him a deeply fascinating character, having witnessed his wife and daughters being brutally murdered by the vampires. His character has a glorious exit in Blade: Trinity, sacrificing himself to save Blade from the FBI, and cementing his status as the series' greatest character.
Iron Man/Tony Stark Held The Biggest Heart Out Of The MCU's Avengers
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Created by Marvel Studios, the Marvel Cinematic Universe follows heroes across the galaxy and across realities as they defend the universe from evil.
| Number Of Films | 34 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Black Panther - 96% |
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a media juggernaut, spawning several movies and TV programs. The hero who started it all is Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man. Tony's lasting impact on the MCU can be felt in every subsequent Marvel release since Avengers: Endgame.
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The events of the MCU molded Tony into a better person, starting as a callous alcoholic and ending as a man driven by his desire to keep the world safe. His final moments make him an inspiration to the MCU's inhabitants, turning Thanos and his army to dust under the knowledge that he will die in the process, proving that Tony Stark held the biggest heart out of the Avengers team.
Albus Dumbledore's Methods In Harry Potter May Be Controversial, But His Death is Still Emotional
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter franchise follows the adventure of a young boy introduced a whole new world of magic, mayhem and darkness. Traversing the obstacles in his path, young Harry's rise to heroics pits him against Lord Voldemort, one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and all his minions.
| Number Of Films | 8 |
| Highest-Rated Movie (According To Rotten Tomatoes) | Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 - 96% |
Harry Potter features some of the most beloved characters in fantasy. The most magnificent of these witches and wizards is Albus Dumbledore. Albus holds the prestigious position of Hogwarts' Headmaster, and his eccentric personality has made him a favorite among moviegoers.
The Harry Potter films depict Dumbledore as an extremely wise figure, giving advice to Harry and assisting him in taking down Voldemort. He's also a very complex individual, due to his morally dubious decision to manipulate Harry into being his personal foot soldier against the Dark Lord. Although his actions have faced criticism from Harry Potter fans, his death still makes for emotional viewing, being killed by Snape at the top of the Astronomy Tower.