The 10 most shocking TV character deaths of 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: One thing 2024 has nailed is delivering some pretty decent TV shows (sure it also had its fair share of turkeys). With a wealth of content available online, the year saw some outstanding performances supported by great plotlines.
This year is also notable for some of the most startling character deaths, which not only caused ripples in the plots but also broke fans' hearts. So, let's look at the nine most shocking deaths on television in 2024.
10. Susie Lawson (Territory)
Susie Lawson's (Philippa Northeast) untimely death in Season 1 of Territory threatens the future of the Marianne Cattle Station. The Netflix neo-Western introduces viewers to the Lawson family, a convoluted cattle baron dynasty that struggles to find an ideal candidate to take over leadership following Daniel Lawson's (Jake Ryan) death. Colin Lawson (Robert Taylor), the aged patriarch, is too out of touch to return to the post.
Emily (Anna Torv) and Colin Lawson were at odds throughout the first season, with Emily's sole power against Marianne being that she was Susie's mother, and Colin had a soft spot for Susie. Susie was young and inexperienced, but she had a flair for the business and was prepared to work hard, and I believe she would have made an excellent candidate to lead Marianne Station in the future.
The fact that Susie's death was tragically caused by a family bull adds more heartache. Now that she's gone, Emily's difficulties are likely to escalate, and I am sure things will intensify further.
9. Toda Mariko (Shōgun)
Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai) is the elegant protagonist who played an important role in the historical drama series Shōgun. What truly stands out about this remarkable character is that, despite the limited role of women in politics during feudal Japan, Mariko not only participated in the intricate political web but also helped Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) gain favor in his fight to claim the title of Shogun.
Mariko's demise was not just for shock value but had a profound impact on the storyline of the show, ensuring Toranaga emerged victorious in the end, making her ninth on our list of the 10 most shocking TV deaths of 2024.
8. Emma Morley (One Day)
While readers of the novel One Day were already aware that Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) eventually dies, adding a profound melancholy tone to her and Dexter Mayhew's (Leo Woodall) incomplete love story, her death still came as a shock, earning her eighth place on our list of the 10 most shocking deaths of 2024.
Emma, as a character, had immense potential, with a future full of aspirations and goals, but the fact that she was unable to accomplish them is deeply saddening. Not to mention the impact her death had on Woodall's character, which was devastating to witness in the final episode.
7. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (House of the Dragon)
While House of the Dragon is notorious for killing off fan-favorite characters, I was still not expecting Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) to leave us so soon, placing her death as the seventh most shocking one on the list. Dubbed "The Queen That Never Was," Rhaenys's demise has to be the most significant character death in Season 2 of House of the Dragon.
Rhaenys' death was foreshadowed in popular books, yet it still came unexpectedly. She dies in a horrific fight at Rook's Rest when Vhagar crushes her dragon, Meleys, forcing her to fall from the sky and spark an explosion. Rhaenys was a strong and daring character who will be deeply missed in future seasons.
6. Sharon Davis aka Mrs. Hart (Agatha All Along)
The most shocking death in Agatha All Along has to be Sharon Davis, better known as Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp), landing her the fifth spot on the list of nine most shocking deaths of 2024. It all starts when a spell-bound Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) is liberated owing to a teen's assistance. Agatha then embarks on the Witches' Road challenges to restore her abilities and uncover the teen's objectives, for which she establishes a new coven of witches.
However, the terrible death occurs in Episode 3 during the trial. The witches drink from a bottle of poisoned wine unknowingly. As they discover an antidote, they undergo intense hallucinations about their pasts. Just as they finish the antidote and hand it to Sharon, the house floods, but a magical tunnel forms in the oven, allowing the coven to flee. When they eventually emerge, they realize Sharon has died.
5. Gambit in X-Men 97
Every bit of X-Men '97 was brimming with nostalgia, but what truly caught me off guard was Gambit's (AJ LoCascio) death, which lands him at number four on the list of the nine most shocking deaths of 2024. Gambit is presented as a mutant and former robber capable of charging items with explosive kinetic energy, including his distinctive playing cards.
It all begins as the Prime Sentinels resume their reign of destruction over the mutants, and Rogue's (Lenore Zann) attempts to attack them are thwarted by Gambit. Gambit is given one last chance to save the woman he loves while also wreaking havoc on his enemy, resulting in a heroic death in Episode 5. While we've seen characters return to the show even after their deaths, Beau DeMayo, the creator of X-Men '97, has reportedly stated that Gambit and Magneto's deaths are likely irreparable.
4. Victoria Neuman in The Boys
The fourth season of The Boys has multiple character fatalities, but the most shocking happens during the finale. It all starts when Homelander (Antony Starr) and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) use Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) to launch a presidential campaign. The CIA and The Boys try to block Neuman from becoming vice president, and she ultimately agrees to stand down. After failing to kill President Robert Singer, Neuman attempts to negotiate with The Boys.
Unfortunately, this does not end well for her, as Butcher (Karl Urban) kills her at the end of The Boys Season 4. The man murders Neuman in a tragic manner, ripping her in half with his tentacles. While Neuman had her moments, I believe she might have been a valuable contributor to the team, with Episode 8 of Season 4 indicating she was capable of redemption. However, she does not get the opportunity to demonstrate her better side, placing her third on our list of the nine most shocking deaths of 2024.
3. Robert Diaz (Palm Royale)
Robert Diaz (Ricky Martin) was one of the main characters in the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale. Diaz is introduced as a military veteran and bartender who looks both attractive and mysterious, leading a serene existence in Palm Beach. However, it is soon revealed that Diaz has his own set of secrets, as he tries his best to conceal his hardships as a homosexual man in a hostile environment.
As his character develops, he discovers a terrible truth: his friend Norma Dellacorte (Carol Burnett) is actually Agnes, who assumed Norma's identity after she died years ago. In the season finale, during an attempt to assassinate President Richard Nixon (Rich Skidmore), Robert is mistakenly shot and dies, leaving Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) and Norma devastated.
2. Bennett Knox (Snowpiercer: Season 4)
Bennett Knox's (Iddo Goldberg) horrific death was perhaps the most unexpected, propelling him to the top of our list of the nine most startling deaths of 2024. Ben has always been an inspiration and a crucial player in the gritty world of Snowpiercer. However, it all starts when Ben learns the truth from Ruth Wardell (Alison Wright) about Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) using Big Alice to barter. If Admiral Milius (Clark Gregg) seizes Big Alice, the New Eden colony will run out of energy and perish.
Unfortunately, after helping Ruth and Bets return to Big Alice, Ben embarks on a suicidal mission. The only way to separate the trains is to physically overcome a lock outside. He succeeds in separating them and lets Big Alice go, but he freezes to death on the tundra. Thus, Snowpiercer Season 4, Episode 5 ends with a devastating scene.
1. John Dutton (Yellowstone: Season 5 Part 2)
The fact that John Dutton (Kevin Costner) died didn't come as much of a surprise as much as how he died. Costner's long-running issues with 'Yellowstone' creator Taylor Sheridan and Paramount are well documented and many speculated the fact that John Dutton was found dead in his briefs after allegedly killing himself was Sheridan's 'revenge' on Costner. Either way, John's death has thrown the entire Season 5 into turmoil, and at the time of writing this the shit is well and truly hitting the fan.