Death is usually a tragic affair for beloved movie characters, but some of them simply can’t be spared lest plot of the movie they’re introduced in fail to continue to develop. As devastating as the saddest movie character deaths can be, they’re often very necessary for a variety of reasons.

Usually, a given death is necessary for thematic or arc-related reasons, with the narrative not having the same amount of weight or significance without the departure of those within. Other times, for a film’s plot to even exist at all, a death is necessary to set things up, marking the doom of certain unfortunate members of the cast.

8

Mufasa

The Lion King

There are few roles more ᴅᴇᴀᴅly than being a parent in a Disney movie, as their deaths often set up the unfortunate circumstances or drama surrounding the down-on-their-luck heroes at the start of their journeys. No expendable Disney parent traumatized children with their death more than Mufasa, Simba’s father in The Lion King voiced by the late great James Earl Jones.

Considering The Lion King is basically Hamlet with big cats, Mufasa’s death is essentially the entire inciting incident that puts the plot in motion. The major difference is that the audience is treated to plenty of time with Mufasa being a great father to the young, adorable Simba, making his demise hit all the harder when it does finally come.

7

Everyone

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The idea of spin-off movies that were totally divorced from the main Skywalker saga allowed the Star Wars franchise to delve into totally new themes and tones, as demonstrated best by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Even with the prequel’s darker setting, it was certainly a shock to see essentially every named character die via planetary annihilation.

This bold move makes sense in the overarching story, as none of the original characters introduced here were around in the rebellion for the original Star Wars films. Not only that, but it drives home the theme of sacrifice in the face of evil, something that the amazing final scene with Darth Vader emphasizes as well.

6

Duncan Idaho

Dune: Part 2

The trope of a noble sacrifice in which a single hero holds off a vastly overwhelming army long enough for the protagonist to escape is a well-worn idea, but few movies do it better than Denis Villenueve’s Dune: Part 2. Here, Jason Momoa’s House Atreides swordmaster Duncan Idaho is killed after fending off a whopping 19 Sardaukar.

Dunacn’s death might not seem strictly necessary for film-only Dune fans, but those familiar with the books know just how important his post-mortem legacy is. The upcoming Dune Messiah might hint at how the genetic clones of Duncan will go on to play a mᴀssive role in the story to come.

5

Iron Man

Avengers: Endgame

Perhaps the most famous and hard-hitting movie character death of the 21st century, the conclusion of Iron Man’s career in the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is painful, but tragically necessary for the story to conclude.

After a long career as the flagship hero of the franchise, Iron Man dies after using the Infinity Stones.

It’s at this moment that the audience realizes that Doctor Strange’s one observed reality in which the heroes win relies on Tony dying, making it a potent and ironic sacrifice. Just as Tony Stark finds himself happy and settled down, he’s called upon to prove his heroism in the worst way possible.

4

V

V For Vendetta

The big pervasive film of V for Vendetta, the dystopian semi-superhero movie adapted from the famous Alan Moore comic of the same name, is the idea of martyrdom. Donning his iconic Guy Fawkes mask, the vigilante V undergoes a one-man crusade against the tyrannical regime ruling over Britain in Moore’s hellish near-future.

As V states, one can kill a man, but an idea is bulletproof. This phrase embodies his willingness to sacrifice himself to the cause, allowing the sparks of rebellion to take hold, which might not have otherwise happened if he wasn’t around to act as a martyr. If V were allowed to live, the entire film’s thesis statement would be rendered moot.

3

Jack

тιтanic

Another poignant sacrafice that wouldn’t allow a plot to move forward had it not happened, Jack’s fate in тιтanic might have been obvious from the start, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic. A poor lower-class pᴀssenger on the fateful boat voyage, Jack falls in love with the upper-crust pᴀssenger Rose, starting a whirlwind romance.

Sadly, their fling is interrupted by the ship’s infamous sinking. Considering Rose survives to tell the story in the film’s frame narrative, it makes sense that Jack would have to go in order to save her, though the logistics of both Jack and Rose fitting on the door Rose uses to float to safety can still be debated.

2

Dr. Malcolm Crowe

The Sixth Sense

M. Night Shyamalan is known for the plot twists of his movies, but the fact that Bruce Willis’ protagonist of The Sixth Sense, Dr. Malcolm Crowe, had been ᴅᴇᴀᴅ the entire time, is easily his best. When he fails to help a disturbed patient, the psychiatrist is attacked in his home, an event which seemingly causes him and his wife to drift apart.

But it turns out that Dr. Crowe was actually killed in this attack, explaining his wife’s frosty behavior as literally not being able to perceive him. Dr. Crowe only truly interacts with the young Cole, who has the ability to speak with the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, resulting in one of the most fantastic movie surprises of all time.

1

Thomas And Martha Wayne

Every Batman Movie Ever

The idea of superheroes being orphans is a bizarrely common phenomenon, but the loss of parents is integral to no character’s backstory quite like Batman. There have been many Batman movies of varying quality over the years, but all of them concede this core element to the Dark Knight’s character.

It’s the drive for revenge for his parents that drives Bruce Wayne to dress up like a bat and fight crime in every movie version. Not every Batman movie shows the Waynes getting murdered, but their presence haunts any narrative that features Batman as the main character.