18 Fictional Deaths That Even Time Can't Heal

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11-06-2025

Recently, u/Puzzleheaded-Ruin744 asked r/CasualConversation, "What's a fictional death that hit you way harder than expected?" So we thought we'd share some of the most popular responses.
🚨Spoiler alert – naturally, there are major spoilers in this post, so be on your toes!🚨
Cast Away
"Wilson – that's about as fictional it gets."–IFKhan"That's top storytelling, when the writers make you feel grief over a lost volleyball."–Billazilla
Serenity
"Wash. 'I am a leaf on the wind...'"–WeAreGray
The Lion King
"Soon after my father died suddenly in front of me, a bunch of us went to see The Lion King. When Mufasa died and Simba was nudging him and trying to wake him, I collapsed into loud sobbing and was taken out of the theatre. All these years later, I still won't watch it."–PBfromPhilly
The Lord of the Rings
"Boromir wrecked me. It's such an emotional scene and it's done perfectly. All the feels."–Galinfrey
The Hunger Games
"I cried SO hard when Rue died. I could barely continue reading after that."–IdreamOfPizzaxx
ER
"Dr. Green on ER. I was a loyal fan. I watched from the beginning. I had lost my mother to cancer a short time before. I was like 21 and it wrecked me. I was hysterical. I still can't watch that episode without lots of tears and a good stay in bed."–ladydatabit
Orange is the New Black
"I stopped watching after Poussey."–orelseidbecrying
Inside Out
"Bing Bong – I never even had imaginary friends as a kid, and I felt that one in the depths of my soul."–Billazilla
Narnia
"Aslan in Narnia. My poor little eyes couldn't stop crying long enough to get to and read the resurrection part."–TBeIRIE
Old Yeller
"It still makes me tear up 40+ years later."–TBeIRIE
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
"Sirius Black in the books."–BastMonk"This one was so shocking because like it wasn't a big dramatic thing. He was just gone."–Foxy_locksy1704
Game of Thrones
"Hodor. Oh Jesus, that was horrible. Because it wasn't just the death – it was also the realisation of how he became Hodor and what that meant. Insanely good writing. Still one of the most mind-blowing plot twists I've ever seen in my life."–Flinkle
The Bridge to Terabithia
"That blonde girl in The Bridge to Terabithia."–-Kensho-"I read that in fifth grade. When the movie came out I had forgotten enough (including the title) that I had no idea what was coming until shortly before. Traumatised twice by the same story!"–battlejess
The Land Before Time
"Little Foot's mum in The Land Before Time. It used to really make me cry as a child. I watched it only last week with my seven-year-old. I still sobbed. He didn't even flinch. What am I raising!?"–BiscuitCrumbsInBed
The Last of Us
"Honestly, the episode in The Last of Us S1 focusing on Bill and Frank. It just built up so well and the ending had me in tears. Really impressive for a one-off episode."–MilksteakMayhem
How I Met Your Mother
"Marshall's dad in How I Met Your Mother. Jason Segal's reaction to the news brought back all the memories of my mom's passing. Hit me like a freight train."–TorturedChaos
Guardians of the Galaxy
"Lots of them hit me hard. But in hindsight, it's expected that a beloved character's death would affect you that way. One that really surprised me was Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy. I hadn't realised how much below-the-surface affection I felt for him until that scene."–Amardella
The Walking Dead
"Glenn on The Walking Dead. I don't know about it hitting 'harder than expected,' because for me it was totally UNexpected. So brutal, just horrific."–EnvironmentOk5610
H/T to u/Puzzleheaded-Ruin744 and r/CasualConversation for having the discussion!
What fictional death hit you the hardest? Let us know in the comments below!