Top 5: Characters taken out like chumps

There you are, watching a show or a movie and it happens. Some character dies. It was inevitable, but...wait...what? They'd died like that? This list is dedicated to the poor souls who met their ends in an uncharacteristic, unremarkable, and/or lame fashion.

But before I get to the list, I must warn you that there are major spoilers ahead. Major. I mean it. If you haven't seen something and plan on it, then you really shouldn't read this list.

If you haven't watched Buffy to Season 3, both seasons of Heroes, The Mummy, Alien Resurrection, or Star Trek: The Next Generation and plan to and don't want to know anything...well, turn back.

I'm not kidding.

I'm totally serious.

Okay, now that you've been duly warned...

5. Christie - Alien Resurrection
Gary Dourdan plays this character who spends the majority of time before his death carrying paralyzed crew-mate Vriess on his back like a burro. With a dead alien hanging on his foot, an alien-blood acid burn across his face, and human backpack Vriess hanging onto a ladder for both their dear lives, Christie chooses to cut himself loose and plunge to his death instead of...I don't know...kicking loose the creature or shooting it's hand off. Not that I didn't expect him to die, I just wish he'd went out fighting.

4. Dr. Terrence Bey - The Mummy
Evie's boss and secret member of the Medjai, Dr. Bey chooses to sacrifice himself to hold off a host of "zombified" townspeople while Rick, Jonathan, and Ardeth escaped through the sewers to go rescue Evie from the titular bad guy. My question is why? They're slow moving. They probably won't follow. Why not just go with the others and close up the sewer grate behind you? Or, if they do follow, take them out one by one as they come? It made no sense then and it makes no sense now.

3. DL - Heroes
Really? He survives getting shot and nearly bleeding to death, rescues a child from a burning building by phasing through a wall and he can't go intangible in time to not get shot a second time by some sleazeball? Boooooooooo!

2. Kendra - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
So, let me get this straight. Dru gets strong again and ends up hypnotizing a slayer who's been in training all her life just by looking into her eyes, a power that was never shown before or since, and kills her...by slitting her throat with a pinky nail. A pinky nail?!?!?!? Great googily moogily, she didn't even get to throw a punch! Argh! Sure, I've heard it explained that she could be placed under thrall because she was "accustomed to following orders without question," but it doesn't make it any less lame.

1. Tasha Yar - Star Trek: The Next Generation
The patron saint of useless deaths, she gets taken out by a sludge monster. Yes. A sludge monster. She didn't fall in goop and drown in it, she wasn't smothered or suffocated, she just got hit. By a sludge monster. And not content with killing her once, Tasha made repeated appearances and died every time.

Do you agree with my list? Did I miss anyone? Who do you think got taken out like a sucker and you just can't get over it?

Comments

Totally with you on DL's death in Heroes.

Why didn't they have the guy shoot Nikki and then have DL jump in front of the bullet to save her life, choosing not to phase in order to save Nikki, that would make sense, but as it happened, I didn't believe it at all.

Josh Man | Apr 17, 2008 1:48:44 PM | #

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I agree with your #1 (although I could probably come up some others if I had time).

I think the writers/show runners of ST: TNG really, really mishandled the death of Tasha Yar... and actually knew it after some time had passed.

However, they did bring her character back for what could be considered the best 'stand alone' episode of the show's entire run: "Yesterday's Enterprise" (3-15). Interestingly enough, the writers credited with the script for "Yesterday's Enterprise" include Michael Piller (who went on to do much more ST and then create his own re-imagined series, The Dead Zone) and Ronald D. Moore, co-creator/exec producer of the current BSG.

Denise Crosby’s subsequent appearances on ST: TNG (as Sela) weren't nearly as good or effective as "Yesterday's Enterprise."

IDR | Apr 17, 2008 2:53:29 PM | #

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Didn't DL jump in front of Niki and not let the bullet through to save her life? Knocking her out of the way would have made more sense. Or knocking the gun out of his hand... anything really.

Mandy | Apr 17, 2008 3:28:56 PM | #

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I've got to say that Wash's death in Serenity wasn't that great, perhaps Joss Whedon needs to work on his death scenes. Also, the way Boba Fett was taken out in Return of the Jedi was pretty lame. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if that thing in the pit hadn't burped after eating him but that just didn't seem like the way a bad ass bounty hunter should go.

erick | Apr 17, 2008 10:59:13 PM | #

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Another BTVS death that was horrible: Anya. We knew she was gonna die and it was just pitiful.

BTW, the Bey's death in The Mummy is quite stupid. The movies been on several times in the last week and every time I see this part I never get it either.

E | Apr 18, 2008 8:44:28 AM | #

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Halloran in The Shining is my all-time favourite. He battles his way across the country from Florida to the Rockies, gets his hands on a snow-cat and painstakingly makes his dangerous journey up to the Outlook Hotel all to save little Danny. Then finally arriving he rushes into the lobby all ready to save the day, and straightaway gets hit in the head with an axe and dies.

Ash | Apr 18, 2008 10:52:59 AM | #

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Anya died? How did I block that one out?

Yesterday's Enterprise was pretty awesome and they acknowledged how pointless her death was. Also, although a stand-alone, Yesterday's Enterprise caused the continuity/timeline error that allowed Sela to exist. Craaaazy.

Wha | Apr 18, 2008 12:32:43 PM | #

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Even worse than getting a chump's exit is getting an OFF-SCREEN exit. As in the show returns for a new season and a popular character is now dead with no real reason given. Exhibit A: Professor Bergman on Space: 1999.

Alex | Apr 18, 2008 3:39:03 PM | #

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Both when Linderman shot at Nikki and DL jumped in front of her and when the sleeze shot at DL, both times I yelled at my TV: USE YOUR POWERS GENIUS! YOU HAVE THEM FOR A REASON!

*sighs* Stupid stupid quick ways to write off characters.

Holly | Apr 18, 2008 10:41:31 PM | #

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Not sci-Fi unless you count the weird Mork episodes, but what about Chuck Cunningham on Happy Days who simply ceased to have evey existed?

Kenneth J Price | Apr 19, 2008 5:17:09 AM | #

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Joss Whedon likes to make his deaths "unheroic," as a result they can be kinda lame. I hated the way Anya died, she was my favorite character and there was no closure.

Elvy | Apr 19, 2008 4:45:14 PM | #

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When Wash died I nearly lept out of my chair in the movie theatre to leave Serenity, and I'm a HUGE browncoat.. but I hate that movie.

Francesca | Apr 20, 2008 11:04:30 AM | #

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Trip Tucker's death in the Star Trek: Enterprise finale was totally lame. Some random badies of the week sneak aboard the Enterprise and try to take over the ship. Trip 'lures' them into a trap that electrocutes them, and himself. You'd think a Chief Engineer of a starship would know better.

Sands | Apr 20, 2008 12:30:09 PM | #

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Oh another thing, I really didn't care that much about Kendra's death. I really didn't care about the character enough to realize it was a dis kind of death.

Its amazing how Buffy is one of those series while it did that death badly, it totally rocked the death when Joyce and of course Tara died. HOLY CRAP. Talk about a completely different show.

Francesca | Apr 21, 2008 12:15:48 AM | #

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actually Denise Crosby had a big hand in how her character died. she wanted off the show, and wanted her death to be mundane, and the reaction to it very human. She regretted not sticking it out later as the show got better and more popular-hence her return. I agree, yesturdays enterprise is awesome.

heathersfolly | Apr 21, 2008 1:44:01 AM | #

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Prof. Arturo on "Sliders" died a far more pointless death than any of these characters. He was possibly replaced by a parallel double, given a generic cancer mentioned only in one episode, then jumps in front of a bullet instead of pushing the dope out of the way (he clearly had time to do so, given the fact he had time, being a 300lb man, to step in front of him).

Frank Rook | Apr 21, 2008 2:39:33 AM | #

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People need to stop whining about Wash's death. Would you have preferred that Serenity finish in the same way as every other cheesy Hollywood flick, where everyone just SOMEHOW makes it out alive? When you take on a totalitarian space government and a race of savage rapists/murderers/cannibals, realistically, not everyone will come out alive, and sometimes, in real life, people just die. Simple as that. At least Wash died a hero, saving the lives of the rest of the crew. One of the reasons why I love Serenity is because unlike other movies where the heroes walk away with nothing more than a few scratches, the crew of Serenity actually fought and sacrificed for a worthy cause, and that makes them real heroes.

BreakAtmo | Apr 21, 2008 3:47:47 AM | #

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Re Wash's death: I don't think his death was heroic ENOUGH for me. His flying was goddamn awesome, true, but he didn't see any battle, so I feel cheated that I didn't get to see Wash kick ass and at least take down a few Reavers before he kicked it. Hell, Kaylee even got in some good shots, for pete's sake. And judging by how awesome Wash was in War Stories, there could have been a lot done. Though, that being said, at least he died right after having his shining moment doing what he did best.

LiLi | Apr 21, 2008 4:00:20 AM | #

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Mace Windu. Went out like a 4 year-old with a skinned knee.

Scotty B. | Apr 21, 2008 4:48:14 AM | #

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Eko on Lost. Most pointless death so far on that show. He got shaken about a bit and then died. Pitiful. He was a brilliant character and if they were going to take him out, they could have done it in a much better way.

I liked Wash's death in Serenity. I wasn't expecting it, and it hit hard.

Carrie | Apr 21, 2008 4:56:39 AM | #

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Eko on Lost. Most pointless death so far on that show. He got shaken about a bit and then died. Pitiful. He was a brilliant character and if they were going to take him out, they could have done it in a much better way.

I liked Wash's death in Serenity. I wasn't expecting it, and it hit hard.

Carrie | Apr 21, 2008 4:57:02 AM | #

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Although does Lost technically count as Sci-Fi now I'm thinking about it...maybe not. Ignore that one.

Carrie | Apr 21, 2008 4:59:14 AM | #

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Agree with Sands re Trip's death on Enterprise. It was like the writers realized the series was ending and decided they needed to kill off one of the main characters.

CK | Apr 21, 2008 5:26:44 AM | #

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On Drusilla killing Kendra with the hypnosis - the hypnosis did appear again - for example when she hypnotized Giles into giving up the secret of how to awaken Acathla.

shara says | Apr 21, 2008 7:05:42 AM | #

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If we're going to talk Lost, then the most pointless death would have to be Charlie. As if he couldn't have stepped OUT of the room before shutting the door. For that matter, there was really no need to even shut the door - just high-tail it over to the lockers, grab some gear and get the hell out of there.

Then there was Libby, whose death seemed like the writer's decided Ana Lucia getting shot wasn't enough of a shock (because nobody liked Ana anyway) so they had to kill off a popular character too.

While I wouldn't say Eko's death scene was pointless - he was smashed into several trees and then the ground - it did seem like they were taking that character somewhere and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, decided to kill him off.

With Boone, on the other hand, his pointless death seemed to come about because the writers couldn't figure out anything significant to DO with that character.

And finally, as far as Wash - I'd be fine with death in Serenity, just not his. Kill off Captain Mal instead - he's the least interesting and most annoying character on the show anyway.

DanC | Apr 21, 2008 7:11:39 AM | #

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