Not everyone can have a happy ending . It’s as true in life as it is in film. Sometimes, the good guys just don’t make it to the end, no matter how badly we might wish otherwise .
Below are 10+ movie characters who had iconic last moments.
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Let us all come together to honor the incredible sacrifices these characters made and may their names may never be forgotten!
Sgt. Elias Gordon in *Platoon*.
If you’re looking for a great film that depicts what the Vietnam War was really like, look no further than Oliver Stone’s classic, Platoon .
Sgt. Elias’ death is an incredibly symbolic turning point in the film.
Tony Stark in *Avengers: Endgame*.
Tony Stark sacrificing himself for the good of the world was the perfect ending to this hero’s journey over the last decade.
But that doesn’t mean it was easy to say goodbye. People everywhere cried when he uttered his iconic line “I am Iron Man” one last time.
Sam Quint in *Jaws*.
If it weren’t for a painful stroke of bad luck, Sam Quint would have “the head, the tail, the whole damn thing!”.
Sadly, audiences had to watch helplessly as he became fish food. I can still hear the screams…
Bambi’s Mom in *Bambi*
Say what you will, but this is one of the most iconic deaths of all time.
Bambi’s mother dying really scarred people everywhere, and considering that, it definitely proves itself to be one of the most iconic deaths of all time.
Gilbert Kane in *Alien*.
So, I saw this movie when I was way too young. Let me tell you: watching an alien parasite explode out of a man’s stomach is a tough image to shake as a kid.
This scene would go on to haunt the dreams of millions for years to come.
Li Mu Bai in *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*
If you haven’t seen this movie, first of all, you definitely should.
Secondly, this death is one of the most heartbreaking ones ever. The last moments between the two characters really got people crying for a long time.
Sonny Corleone in *The Godfather*.
Sonny’s death was incredibly violent for the time The Godfather was made.
Not only that, but the manner in which the film was prepared to so unapologetically part with one of its main characters is nothing short of fearless.
Dobby in *Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows*.
Dobby dying is, quite possibly, one of the worst moments in cinema, and in books, ever.
A perfectly innocent being who only wanted to help met his untimely fate when he tried to protect the person he loved most: Harry Potter.
Mufasa in *The Lion King*.
The first time I ever really began to understand the concept of death and loss was after watching Mufasa’s death in The Lion King (thanks a lot, Disney).
The only thing more traumatizing than watching him fall is seeing Simba try in vain to revive him.
Boromir in *Lord of the Rings*.
Poor Sean Bean.
Every time he died in a movie, it definitely became iconic. So much so that people know him for dying so much!
Boromir dying was just one of those many moments, where we had to say goodbye to someone who was taken from us too soon.
Logan in *Logan*.
Logan finally gets to have some peace as he leaves behind his life full of pain and enters the afterlife.
When he tells his daughter, “Don’t be what they made you,” he is essentially telling her to go on with her life and be better than him.
But it’s hard to get better than you, Wolverine.
Jack Dawson in *Titanic*.
Jack Dawson slowly floating away while Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” softly plays in the background is heartbreaking.
It’s one of the rare moments that Titanic is actually able to elicit a true emotional response from its audience.
Rue in *The Hunger Games*.
Rue dying in The Hunger Games is quite possibly one of the most heartbreaking moments in book-to-movie moments.
Her death served as the catalyst for major events to come, and more importantly, watching a child die on screen was just awful for viewers.
Hans Gruber in *Die Hard*.
Has there ever been a more iconic death scene in an action movie? If there is I sure haven’t seen it. Hans Gruber is in a league all on his own.
You can actually see the fear in his eyes as he plummets from Nakatomi Tower.
Han Solo in *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*.
Whether you liked the scene (or the movie) or hate it, we can’t deny that we all felt horrified watching Han Solo die.
His last moments were spent trying to do good, just as he lived his entire life.
Roy Batty in *Blade Runner*.
Roy Batty’s death soliloquy is truly worthy of Shakespeare. There’s something about the line “like tears in the rain” that I find just hauntingly beautiful.
I’m still not sure whether Deckard was a replicant or not, either.
Bruce Wayne in *The Dark Knight Rises*
Hey, not every last moment has to be a death, am I right?
Bruce Wayne closing up shop and retiring in Europe was pretty much the best thing that we could have asked for to wrap up the trilogy!
Vincent Vega in *Pulp Fiction*.
There have been two people in history unfortunate enough to die on the toilet: Elvis Presley and Vincent Vega.
What makes this scene even more memorable is the sheer randomness to it. Before the audience even has time to process what’s happened, Vince is already dead.
The Golden Trio in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2*
No words needed to be spoken.
No matter how you feel about the makeup or CGI of these final seconds, it’s impossible to say that you were not affected by them. Seeing them alive, happy, and healthy at the end of their long journey was incredibly satisfying.
Col. Kurtz in *Apocalypse Now*.
Col. Kurtz’s death is one of the most abused cinematic scenes in the history of pop culture.
If you’ve ever heard a film, show, or character say the line “the horror, the horror,” they’re quoting Kurtz.
Woody in *Toy Story 4*.
Having to say goodbye to Woody, and actually acknowledging that he would be leaving behind his friends was HEARTBREAKING.
John Bender in *The Breakfast Club*.
This particular scene has literally gone down in history.
The scene song has been played over and over again, and people have put their fist in their air in movies, television, and real life. It’s nothing short of iconic.
Jack Torrance in *The Shining*.
The final scenes of The Shining are what all great horror movies should aspire to be: a culmination of suspense, establishing character, and executing in the right moment.
Jack Torrance’s death is all that and more.
The Joker in *The Dark Knight*.
Personally, I love that we don’t really get to see the Joker after this.
It was an iconic last scene for an iconic actor who gave the world an iconic performance. These last moments will live with viewers forever.
Lt. Raine in *Inglourious Basterds*.
Lt. Raine, played by Brad Pitt, spends his last scene carving a swastika into the forehead the movie’s villain, SS Colonel Hans Landa, played by Christoph Waltz.
His final words are: “I think this just might be my masterpiece.”
Greedo in *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope*.
No movie death in the last 40-plus years has sparked as much controversy and outrage as Greedo’s. But no matter what you read, no matter what you hear, never forget this one absolute truth:
Han shot first.
Donald Gennaro in *Jurassic Park*.
You know that you’ve had an iconic death when Weird Al Yankovic makes a parody song about it.
Watching Donald Gennaro get eaten by the T-Rex right off the toilet? If that doesn’t sum up the ’90s in a single scene I don’t know what will.
Darth Vader in *Star Wars: Episode VI – Return Of The Jedi*.
I’m not saying that I necessarily like the way things wrapped up with Vader, but you can’t deny that it was impactful.
For years fans had been clamoring to see the face behind the mask. In his final moments, they got their wish.
Rey Skywalker in *Star Wars: The Last Skywalker*.
Despite personal opinions, the visuals alone during this last scene are enough to get people’s pulses racing, especially considering we got to see Leia one last time.
It was the perfect way to end this trilogy.
Black Widow in *Avengers: Endgame*.
Natasha Romanov was a true hero. She gave her life not only so that her friend could live, but so that the world would survive.
Her sacrifice for the Avengers will never be forgotten.
The Cullens in *Breaking Dawn Part 2*.
Whether you like or hate these movies, it’s impossible to say that they haven’t had an effect on the world.
Ending the movie with a focus on just Edward and Bella, with Bella showing Edward her thoughts, was quite possibly, the most romantic scene ever.
