Line #40 Main/KillerFinale


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6	In various forms of media, main characters are killed off from time to time. This usually happens in the middle of a work, but not always.
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8	Sometimes, to further the story along and make a lasting impact, a main character is killed at the very end. This leaves the consumer emotionally impacted for years to come.
9
10	Sub-trope of GrandFinale. Not to be confused with DeadlyDistantFinale.
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12	!!As this is a {{Death Trope\|s}} and an {{Ending Trope\|s}}, [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers abound]]. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned Beware]].
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14	!!Examples:
15	[[foldercontrol]]
16	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
17	* In the finale of ''Anime/AngelBeats'', the main characters are the only ones left in purgatory and hold a graduation ceremony to say goodbye to each other before they move on. Everyone is able to disappear except Otonashi, who remains trapped in the afterlife, alone. That is, however, if you decide to ignore the potential implication of reincarnation that TheStinger has...
18	* ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'': The main objective of the series is for Class 3-E to kill Korosensei. Mostly because his unstable cells will blow up the planet. The class manage to find out that won't be the case, but circumstances have Korosensei trapped in a force field that will kill him regardless. After a final battle with Shiro, the scientist who was responsible for his powers, he requests the class MercyKill him rather than the military to which they reluctantly carry out after a tearful goodbye.
19	* ''Manga/BananaFish'': The show ends with Ash getting stabbed by Lao and bleeding to death in the library. And this is just after he decides to see Eiji go home to Japan.
20	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia dies in the hands of his best friend, Suzaku Kururugi, who is dressed as the former's alter-ego, Zero. Though [[ThanatosGambit the two actually planned this]] so that the world would finally be reunited as one against the tyrant.
21	* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'': Spike and Vicious square off in a final battle and manage a MutualKill, through Spike does manage to kill him first. Spike later drops from his wounds.
22	* ''Manga/DeathNote'': The ending has Light outed as Kira and arrested (manga) or on the run and wounded (anime) with Ryuk writing Light's name into the titular notebook, resulting in him dying.
23	* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'' kills almost the entire main cast before [[CosmicRetcon resetting the universe]], allowing for the next part, ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureSteelBallRun'' to serve as a ContinuityReboot.
24	* The first half of ''Manga/OnePiece'' ends after the deaths of Portgas D. Ace and Whitebeard before the second half opens after a two-year TimeSkip.
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Comic Books]]
28	* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: In the final issues, which tie into ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', a whole slew of supporting characters are killed off including Lauren Haley and Antiope who had each crept their way into being part of the main ensemble over the years.
29	* In the run-up to ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' and ''ComicBook/Titans1999'' ending, [[ComicBook/WonderGirl Donna Troy]] and Omen from the Titans, and Slobo and Secret from Young Justice, were all killed; the former two were killed by Indigo and a rogue Superman robot, while Slobo and Secret were both killed by Darkseid (although, since Secret was already technically dead, she actually reverted to being Greta Hayes, the girl she was before her death.)
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Fan Works]]
33	* ''Fanfic/FoolyFalls'': The second story in the series, ''Fooly Falls 2: Ride on Shooting Star'', ends with the death of Grunkle Stan, though he's [[GhostReunionEnding able to return as a ghost]].
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Film - Live Action]]
37	* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' ends with ComicBook/{{Batman}} sacrificing himself to save Gotham City from a nuclear bomb attack in the climax of ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''. Subverted when it's revealed Bruce faked his death to retire with Selina Kyle.
38	* The finale of ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' occurred in ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' and culminated with Wash's death and funeral.
39	* ''Film/{{Logan}}'', an AlternateTimeline DistantFinale to the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', features the death of [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} its titular titular character]], with [[GrandFinale much emphasis given as to how this is his final chronological appearance in the series and the final time he would be played by]] Creator/HughJackman. Subverted when he was brought back for ''Film/DeadpoolAndWolverine'', which takes place before ''Logan'' in the timeline. Charles Xavier is a similar case, with this being Creator/PatrickStewart's final time as the character before he was brought back as an alternate version of Xavier in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''.
40	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': In the climax of '' Film/AvengersEndgame'' (which serves as the finale of the ''Infinity Saga''), [[Film/IronMan1 Tony Stark]] dies after using the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out Thanos and his army.
41	* ''Franchise/StarWars'' does this at the end of each trilogy.
42	** Darth Vader dies after betraying Emperor Palpatine in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''.
43	** Padme Amidala dies of childbirth at the climax of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''.
44	** Each film in the sequel trilogy has a major member of the original trilogy's cast dying, with Kylo Ren killing Han Solo in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', Luke Skywalker in ''Film/TheLastJedi'', and Leia dying in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker''.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Literature]]
48	* ''Literature/WarriorCats'':
49	** ''The Darkest Hour'', the last book of the first arc, ended with the deaths of the main villain Tigerstar and several recurring characters: Darkstripe, Stonefur, Whitestorm, and Gorsepaw.
50	** ''Sunrise'', the final book in the ''Power of Three'' arc, ends with Hollyleaf seemingly dying when a tunnel collapses on her.
51	** ''The Last Hope'', the last book of the ''Omen of the Stars'' arc, involves the death of several major characters and supporting side characters, such as the original main character Firestar, ''Power of Three'' protagonist Hollyleaf ([[BackForTheDead who returned only the book prior]]), the [=ThunderClan=] cats Ferncloud and Sorreltail, and the spirits of Spottedleaf, Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, and Brokenstar.
52	** The final ''Dawn of the Clans'' book, ''Path of Stars'', ends with the death of the main character Gray Wing.
53	* Many named characters are killed in the finale of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', which is unsurprising as the series has a huge cast, but among them is [[spoiler: Egwene, who has been one of the main characters since the start]].
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
57	* The final season of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' builds up to the death of [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Green Arrow]], which occurs TWICE during the ''Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' crossover event. First to buy the residents of [[Series/{{Supergirl}} Earth-38]] more time to escape, and the second to destroy the Anti-Monitor once and for all with the powers of ComicBook/TheSpectre and create a new multiverse.
58	* The ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' series finale pulled no punches:
59	** Racetrack and Skulls die what a stray asteroid hits their raptor.
60	** Helo shoots Boomer dead in a HeelFaceDoorSlam.
61	** Tyrol beats Tory to death when he discovers she murdered his wife.
62	** Cavil commits suicide when his plans unravel.
63	** Anders flies Galactica into the sun.
64	** President Roslin's cancer kills her before she can settle on the new Earth.
65	** And Starbuck turns out to have been DeadAllAlong since the previous season, and vanishes.
66	* ''Series/{{Barry}}'': Both Barry and Noho Hank die in the final episode.
67	* Every series of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' ends with this trope.
68	** The first series ends with the entire royal family being poisoned, including the main character.
69	** The last episode of the second series ends with a [[TheStinger stinger]] in which the entire main cast is supposedly killed off by prince Ludwig the Indestructible.
70	** The third series ends with the death of the original prince regent and Blackadder himself taking his place.
71	** The fourth series ends with a famous DownerEnding in which the main characters are sent over the top into No man's land with the implication that they wouldn't have a chance to survive.
72	* ''Series/BigLove'': Bill was killed off via DroppedABridgeOnHim after the TimeSkip in Season 5.
73	* ''Series/BreakingBad'': The last episode ends with Walt dying from a bullet wound he took TakingTheBullet for Jesse after killing all the Neo-Nazis, although his imminent death was a ForegoneConclusion either way due to his advancing cancer.
74	* The fifth season finale of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' ends with Buffy sacrificing herself to protect Dawn, and [[SeriesFauxnale it was almost the final episode of the series]] before it was renewed. The first episode of the following season features Buffy coming BackFromTheDead.
75	* ''Series/TheCallOfWarr'''s final episode ended with a majority of the cast being dead, leaving only Gravesite, Glintz-Terry, and Ashes alive. In order, Killsen was killed by Prince, Durkin and Mabel died [[DemonicPossession exorcizing the demon from Durkin's body]] while Prince fell on his own knife, and then Vid and Sarah both died in the climax. At the end, most of the deceased characters are shown spending time together, picnicking with [[FriendlyGhost Ghost Lady]], while the survivors try and recover.
76	* In the last episode of ''Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman'', the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue seems to have shown that the heroes have done well for themselves three years after the FinalBattle against the BigBad, with two of them getting married. It ends up becoming {{bittersweet\|ending}} when one of the heroes, Gai, tries to protect a woman from a mugger, only to get a fatal stab wound for the trouble. Gai end up having one last meeting with his friends at the wedding, while hiding that he was now SecretlyDying.
77	* In the finale of ''Series/Dark2017'' ''every single major character we've met over the course of the series'' gets [[RetGone Ret Goned]] by the correction of the timelines. In the final scene we meet a bunch of new versions of the few characters whose existence wasn't the result of the multiple [[StableTimeLoop time loops]] in the show, and even they are different people.
78	* In ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', Mike Delfino gets shot by gangsters who wanted to assault Renee's boyfriend in Season 8.
79	* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': The female lead, Debra, died in the Season 8 finale after getting shot but surviving long enough to be declared brain dead. The original ending was initially going to end with [[Characters/DexterDexterMorgan Dexter Morgan's]] death via lethal injection, too, but this ended up not happening. He is instead murdered (though [[MercyKill it's only done to spare him of such a fate]]) by his son Harrison in the finale of ''[[Series/DexterNewBlood New Blood]]'', the sequel miniseries.
80	* The ''Series/DoomPatrol2019'' GrandFinale ''[[Recap/DoomPatrol2019S4E12DonePatrol Done Patrol]]" ends with Rita Farr dying of old age due to it being too late for Immortus to restore her longevity and Cliff Steele fatally succumbing to Parkinson's in spite of his restored longevity after he visits his family during his grandson's first birthday.
81	* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'''s finale miniseries had Jool be blown up by a Scarran attack, D'Argo is fatally wounded and makes a LastStand so the others can escape, and Harvey auto-deletes himself after Einstein removes the wormhole knowledge from Crichton's head.
82	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Daenerys is killed by Jon in the series finale after she goes over the edge and wants to "liberate" the rest of the world by force.
83	** ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'': The first SeasonFinale sees the death of Lucerys Velaryon, kickstarting the CivilWar of the Dance of the Dragons.
84	* In ''Series/TheGoodPlace'', the humans finally have made it to the Good Place where they have newly implemented a door that will allow people to end their existences in order to give their afterlives meaning. Over the course of the episode, everyone in the main four, save Tahani, choses to exit through the door after spending eternity together.
85	* Subverted for the Series Finale of ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'', the MadeForTvMovie "Touchstone Of Ra". From the very beginning of the movie, Eddie told the audience they'd be dying. Then the climax came, and they made their HeroicSacrifice...and survived. It turned out the only "death" was of the Osirian, not Eddie himself.
86	* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'':
87	** Sadoc Burrows dies in the first season finale.
88	** Isildur is also presumed to be dead after going missing.
89	* ''Series/OneFootInTheGrave'' is perhaps notable for being a rare example of a sitcom killing off its main character in its final episode, with Victor becoming the victim of a hit-and-run incident.
90	* In the final episode of ''Series/{{Oz}}'', Schillinger is stabbed to death by Beecher and Keller commits suicide. It's barely averted by Said and Glynn, who die only a few episodes beforehand.
91	* ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'' ends the storyline that started in ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' with BigGood Zordon telling [[TheLeader Andros]] to destroy his containment tube that will unleash an energy wave to defeat the United Alliance of Evil once and for all.
92	* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'': As Season 5 draws to a close, it isn't a question of ''who'' will be killed off, but who ''won't''. In the end, John Reese is the only main character who dies in the series finale. Barely averted with Root, who is killed three episodes before.
93	* ''Series/TheStrainTVSeries'' had no fewer than ''four'' deaths in rapid succession. First, Quinlan and The Master (in Palmer's body) engaged in combat which ended with Quinlan mortally wounding The Master. In his dying throes, The Master then savagely beats Quinlan to death and tries to transfer his consciousness to Zach. Eph intervenes and becomes The Master's new host instead, effectively dying as a result. Zach then sets off the nuclear bomb which kills both him and The Master.
94	* In the series finale of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', Dean dies after being impaled (for good this time). By the end of the episode, Sam has died [[LifeWillKillYou of old age]].
95	* ''Series/WhiteCollar'': Subverted. Neal is carted off to the hospital in pretty bad shape, and a TimeSkip suggests he died. However, Peter eventually figures out he survived. The show ends on Neal living in Paris, having just pulled off the greatest trick he'll ever commit.
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Video Games]]
99	* John Marston is killed by a firing squad in ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption''. You play the epilogue as his son, Jack Marston, but you're not given any story missions (only one stranger mission) and you're allowed to just roam around and finish any business you had and 100% complete the game.
100	** The prequel, ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption2'' does the same thing: Arthur Morgan dies at the end (either gets killed or succumbs to his illness), while you play the epilogue as John Marston, the protagonist from the first game.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Web Animation]]
104	* In the Season 13 finale of ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', which ended ''The Chorus Trilogy'', Church is KilledOffForReal when [[HeroicSacrifice he essentially destroys himself]] to power the Meta's armor so the Reds and Blues can survive their last stand against Charon Industries.
105	* The final few episodes of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'''s third volume features the deaths of three major characters almost one after the other, that being [[CuteMachines Penny Polendina]], [[EvilIsHammy Roman Torchwick]], and [[TheAce Pyrrha Nikos]]. [[BackFromTheDead Penny got better]] in Volume 7, only to be killed off again in Volume 8 and this time permanently.
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Web Video]]
109	* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole: Vox Machina:'' Vax'ildan's [[LivingOnBorrowedTime bargain for his temporary resurrection]] comes due when the BigBad is defeated in the penultimate episode. In the finale, he has enough time to enjoy the party's victory, then vanishes with a manifestation of the [[GodOfTheDead Raven Queen]].
110	* ''WebVideo/MonsterIslandBuddies'':
111	** Subverted in Season 4, which is set up as the final season, centering around Godzilla slowly dying after absorbing the energy of Fire Rodan. He ultimately dies at the end of the season, only for TheStinger to [[SeriesFauxnale reveal the series wasn't over yet]] through a SequelHook.
112	** Played straight in the SeriesFauxnale at the end of Season 8, which sees Gojira, Grand King Ghidorah, Destroyah, and Keizer Ghidorah be KilledOffForReal; minor supporting character Mechani-Kong also dies, only to return in Season 9. It's only barely averted with King Ghidorah, Kumonga, and Kamarucas, who die only a few episodes before the finale.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Western Animation]]
116	* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'', where the penultimate episode was about [=BoJack=]'s DyingDream, but the final episode reveals that he survived.
117	* The first season finale of ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'' features Sir Pentious getting KilledOffForReal by Adam before he can make a HeroicSacrifice, though it’s subverted when later in the episode, Sir Pentious ascends to Heaven.
118	* ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'': Pops, being the ultimate good of the universe, has repeatedly been forced to battle with his brother, Anti-Pops, the ultimate evil. Each battle ended in a tie, which would reset the universe each and every time. To prevent the universe from being reset again, Pops performs a HeroicSacrifice by launching his brother and himself [[HurlItIntoTheSun into the sun]].
119	* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'': Kanan Jarrus dies in the final season episode "Jedi Night" to save the other heroes from an explosion caused by Governor Pryce.
120	* The penultimate episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'''s fourth season, fittingly named “Requiem”, shows [[TheMentor Master Splinter]] being murdered in cold blood by the Super Shredder, and the following episode begins with his funeral before the Turtles and their allies decide to avenge Splinter by defeating Shredder once and for all.
121	* The three-part GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' features the deaths of [[TheStoic Prowl]] and [[TheStarscream Starscream]], with Prowl sacrificing himself to reassemble the Allspark from pieces all around Detroit, including the shard that Starscream was using to stay alive.
122	[[/folder]]

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