The main deaths on television are almost always sad, but they’re especially devastating when viewers can barely spend time with the character in question. While the death of a longtime favorite has a dramatic impact on the show and its audience, the disappearance of smaller players can be just as difficult.
This is especially true when they have made a good impression, raising hopes that they will take on a more prominent role in the story. In some cases, they come to an early end, leaving viewers wondering what their character’s arc would have been like if they had lasted more than a few episodes.
10
Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou)
Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Game of Thrones’ Syrio Forel is the perfect example of a fan-favorite character which impresses in just a few episodes. Syrio is introduced in the first season of “Lord Snow” when Ned tasks him with training Arya in the art of swordsmanship. Syrio proves to be a competent teacher and a charming character, and his lessons remain with Arya long after she is gone.
Sadly, Game of Thrones kills Syrio after just three episodeswith him fending off the Kingsguard when they attempt to collect Arya for Cersei. Syria’s death is among Game of Thrones’ most heroic exits, but it’s upsetting that the First Sword of Braavos doesn’t get more screen time.
9
Wells Jaha (Eli Goree)
The 100 (2014-2020)
The 100 It’s not shy about killing off characters, and it proves that in its first three episodes. During the series premiere It looks like Wells Jaha will be an important character throughout the dystopian series. After all, he is Clarke’s former best friend, who apparently betrayed her, and is the Chancellor’s son.
However, just as The 100 reveals that Wells did not kill Clarke’s father, he was murdered by another member of the group. Charlotte killing Wells remains one of the CW series’ most shocking and devastating twistsand it gets worse with the revelation that Wells is actually a good person and a loyal friend. It is a shame The 100 I couldn’t lean on that more.
8
Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr)
House of the Dragon (2022-present)
Dragon HouseWesteros’s approach is as brutal as Game of Thrones’, so it’s no surprise that characters are killed quickly. Harwin Strong, the father of Rhaenyra’s first three children, is one of them — and given how much he seems to care about her and their children, it’s a shame he’s leaving so soon.
Of course, given Harwin and Rhaenyra’s need to hide their relationship – and the inevitability of her ending up with Daemon – there’s not much else for him to do. WARM. Still, the fact that he had to die does not mean that his death is season 1, episode 6 less moving. The three episodes he’s present for make you want him to survive.
7
Barbara Holland (Shannon Purser)
Stranger Things (2016-2025)
Stranger Things has a knack for killing our favorites, and which begins during the first season of the Netflix show. Barb Holland is introduced as Nancy’s best friend in the series premiere, and she seems to be the voice of reason in their relationship. She’s initially easier to root for than Nancy, so it’s tragic when she dies in episode 3.
Barb’s death at the hands – or more accurately, the claws – of the Demogorgon is hailed as one of the Stranger Things’ greater injustices. Many viewers wanted to see more of Barbbut his fate remains a grim reminder of what’s at stake in the series.
6
Luke Riordan (Patrick Schwarzenegger)
Generation V (2023 to present)
The first episode of Generation V ends with the shocking death of Luke Riordan, or Golden Boy – one of the Supers looked like he would play a bigger role in The boys spin off. While it’s hard to root for Golden Boy as he attacks Marie, there’s no denying that he’s a complex and interesting character.
The first episode of Generation V prove it yourselfbut memories of characters like Sam, Cate, and Andre also highlight how much potential Golden Boy had in hindsight. Golden Boy’s death is a necessary part Generation Vthe story of, but it would have been more powerful if viewers spent more than one episode with him.
5
Lexi Branson (Arielle Kebbel)
The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
Lexi Branson is one of the most positive influences on Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, but the show kills her off as quickly as it introduces her. Lexi’s debut is in the Vampire Diaries season 1, episode 8 and Damon Salvatore bets on her in the same issue. She appears again later, but it is as a ghost or in flashbacks.
And these later appearances prove a harsh reality about the Vampire Diaries Season 1: Kills Lexi very quickly. His dynamic with the Salvatore brothers would have added an interesting layer to the series, and his friendship with Elena could have been so much more.
4
Crystal (Nuha Jes Izman)
Yellowjackets (2021 to present)
Yellow Jackets season 2 introduces several characters who are not in season 1 but are said to have been in the jungle the whole time. One of them is Crystal (or Kristen, as she later reveals), who quickly becomes friends with Misty. This doesn’t last long, because Misty kills her in Yellow Jackets Season 2, Episode 5 – just five episodes after she first appeared.
Despite being annoying to some of the other Yellowjackets, Crystal seems like a sweet person and a good friend during her short stint on the show. Unfortunately, we will never know how she would have fared as the jungle became more unforgiving. His tragic death ensures this.
3
Colin Zabel (Evan Peters)
Easttown Mare (2021)
Kate Winslet’s title character is the focus of HBO Easttown mare, but Evan Peters’ Colin Zabel is an undeniable highlight of the mystery series. Unfortunately, Detective Zabel is only present in four of the seven episodes of season 1, when he is introduced in the second part and shot dead in the fifth.
Zabel is a great detective and the bond he forms with Mare in Easttown mare The first season has a lot of potential. This makes it sadder that he dies on the job, eliminating the possibility of this dynamic developing further – or of him returning in a potential Easttown mare season 2.
2
Bill (Nick Offerman)
The Last of Us (2023 to present)
The last of us season 1 kills several characters in less than five episodesNick Offerman’s Bill among them. Bill’s story is told over the course of just one episode, which introduces him as a resourceful ally to Joel but later kills him. To be fair, The last of us Season 1 Episode 3 gives Bill and his partner, Frank, a lifetime together – it’s just squeezed into one episode.
This portion of The last of us the first season is easily one of the series’ best, so It’s disappointing that we won’t see Bill and Frank again. Their deaths are perfect, but as you’d expect from supporting players, their narrative is tragically short.
1
Jessica (Adrianne Palicki)
Supernatural (2005-2020)
Jessica’s death is the event that begins Sam’s story in Supernatural, so this has to happen from the beginning. And the CW series wastes little time getting there, introducing and killing off Jessica in its pilot episode. We see very little of her in this issue, but she still makes a good impression.
Jessica’s few scenes in Supernatural pilot drives home how much she supports and loves Sam. She seems like a decent person and she certainly doesn’t deserve the end that awaits her in the pilot’s final moments.