Soul crushing moments probably aren’t what you’re looking forward to when you turn on a television show or go to the movies, but if there’s one thing the entertainment world has taught us over the years, it’s that some of the best moments come with a heap of shock and sadness. While there have been numerous downer endings or surprise death scenes over the years, we decided to narrow the list down to five. If we’ve left any out — and we’re sure we have — just let us know in the comments section below. A word of warning — SPOILERS GALORE here for every show mentioned. We’ve tried not to give anything away with our subtitles, but if you have any plans on watching these shows or films, turn the other way and don’t come back until you’re finished. Here goes:
5. The Great Silence: Massacre
In the typical western, our hero goes through a number of hardships before finally getting the drop on the bad guys in the epic final showdown. It’s a formula that has worked for years, up to and including the recent Django Unchained. Director Sergio Corbucci apparently didn’t read the whole memo on that. While he does place his hero through a number of predicaments, he ends it with a horrifying and tragic turn of events. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: “Silence” is gunned down by the bad guys, who then kill his girl and waste a whole bar full of innocent townsfolk. They then get away scot-free.
4. Leon – The Professional: Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Leon and Matilda shot their way into our hearts in Luc Besson’s 1990s action-thriller about a hitman and the little girl he decides to protect after her family is brutally murdered. While the ending to this one isn’t a total downer, it’s still a little hard to watch the climax. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Leon doesn’t make it, but he kills a whole bunch of people, including the main baddie in a most awesome way so Matilda can grow up normally.
3. The Cowboys: Shot In The Back
John Wayne takes a group of school boys on a rigorous cattle drive when his help abandons him for the gold rush. He’s followed by a murderous gang of cutthroats resulting in a fight to the death between him and Long Hair (Bruce Dern). MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Surprisingly, the Duke loses (by cheat, of course) when he’s shot in the back and later expires. Sad moment in the film, for certain, but it did give way to this little bit of awesomeness:
2. Breaking Bad: Ozymandias
The entire episode, but especially the beginning scene in the desert. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: A major beloved character takes a bullet in the head. I still can’t say his name. Just watch the first minute or so of the video if you never have any plans to watch the show yourself. If you do, then run far, far away.
1. Game Of Thrones: The Red Wedding
I thought the Game of Thrones crowd was a tad overly dramatic about the Red Wedding until I actually watched it myself. First, a word: this isn’t my cup of tea. It’s too dense and too medieval. That being said, it’s a matter of preference. It’s pretty clear that GoT is an awesomely done show, and if you’re in to the theme, then you’ll probably love it. As a casual observer, I was shocked watching this scene even though I had no attachment to the characters. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: Pretty much every character you’re supposed to like dies in a few short minutes, including a pregnant woman getting stabbed repeatedly in the belly. If that’s not one of the most soul crushing moments ever filmed, I don’t know what is.
Which scenes do you think should have made our list? Sound off below!
