Spoiler alert: 10 great movies where heroes died

So much for their happy ending...

This goes without saying, but there are heavy spoilers ahead!

There is something magical about traditional stories, where brave and kind heroes defeat the bad guys, save the world, and live happily ever after. However, not all movies end this way. Sometimes heroes don't come out unscathed—sometimes, they might not even make it out of their ordeal at all.

On the rare occasions when the main character dies at some point in the film, the twist often serves as a powerful narrative tool, making the story package more impactful. No matter what, it's always memorable.

^ The Star Wars franchise is no stranger to the deaths of big names, but Rogue One was something else entirely. This remarkable prequel tells the story of a team of Rebels who stole plans for the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star. Things didn't end well for them.

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' (2016)

Towards the end of the film, the Empire launches the Death Star on the planet where the Rebels stole the plan. The main characters are killed by weapons and the future will be destroyed because of them. A strong enough ending a few years ago was made even more devastating by Andor, the next show Killed a rebel during this sequence.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has often been criticized for its tendency to bring every dead character back to life. But in a vacuum, fans still remember the ending of Infinity War as one of the most shocking sequences in the history of superhero movies.

'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018)

Without a doubt, the film has the most poignant, courageous, and impactful ending in the MCU's vast catalog. Watching so many fans' favorite heroes turn into dust, and watch the villains turn into calm and leave... This is rare in a blockbuster like "Infinity War".

Films set against the Holocaust are always harrowing, exploring this tragic event with care and sensitivity. Roberto Benigni's "Life Is Beautiful" takes a bold approach, exploring the event through the eyes of a young boy whose father convinces him of the whole thing It's all a well-designed game.

'Life Is Beautiful' (1997)

The heartwarming tone of the film's themes juxtaposed with the real-life horror is incredibly powerful. It may not have been a shock when Father Guido ended up dying at the hands of the Nazis, but it Heartbreaking of course.

Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is a hellish film (by some accounts it was stripped of the Oscar for Best Picture at the time) about eight World War II soldiers The mission was to infiltrate German-held territory and bring home a stranded American soldier.

'Saving Private Ryan' (1998)

As one might expect, the film had many casualties, the most influential of which was surely protagonist Captain John Miller. His sacrifice is a riveting moment, only one iconic scene in a film.

Ridley Scott's irresistible action film Gladiator follows a deceived and betrayed Roman general as he seeks revenge.

'Gladiator' (2000)

The journey and multiple ordeals of Maximus Decimus Meridius are as emotional and fascinating as they are destructive and brutal. Scott's direction is otherworldly, helping him craft a sprawling character study of stunning technical quality, and an ending that's both heartbreaking and uplifting.

James Cameron's blockbuster Titanic, based on the true tragedy of the sinking luxury liner in 1912, places star-crossed lovers in circumstances that any viewer knew would never end That's fine with them.

'Titanic' (1997)

There is always something fascinating about a doomed romance, and Titanic was no exception. The story before the ship actually sinks is fascinating in its own right, but once disaster strikes, this movie truly becomes the most important disaster movie remembered today.

The '90s were one hell of a decade for the action genre; Terminator 2 stands as one of its best entries in such a prolific era. In it, the Terminator travels back to Sarah Connor's time -- this time to protect her and her son from yet another killing machine.

'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)

The first Terminator movie was a remarkable action thriller. But T2 is just another story. In addition to the exhilarating action, it has excellent character development and some genuinely emotional moments, chief among them the T-800's tragic fate after the villain's defeat.

In Martin Scorsese's Best Picture Oscar winner The Departed, the police send a cop to infiltrate the Irish Mafia, unaware that the group has done the same to them, and that there are moles on both sides.

'The Departed' (2006)

All crime movies tend to be full of loyalty Twists and double crosses, but The Departed takes those a few steps forward. The death of the main hero, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is shocking enough, but it's only when Mark Wahlberg's character reaches the end that kills Matt Damon's character and the credits give the audience a breather .

There are few filmmakers as captivating as Guillermo Del Toro. Pan's Labyrinth, his most acclaimed masterpiece, tells the story of a girl who discovers a terrifying magical world in a new home with her pregnant mother and tyrannical stepfather.

'Pan's Labyrinth' (2006)

It's not easy to effectively juxtapose the macabre terror of the fascist regime with the bewitching beauty, but in Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro somehow pulls it off. Even at the end, when the main character Ofelia dies from a gunshot wound, the movie still marvels with its gleaming beauty.

The possibility of the death of a movie protagonist, while rare these days, is definitely not unheard of. But back in the early '60s, when Alfred Hitchcock filmed Psycho and killed his protagonist halfway through the film, audiences were shocked.

'Psycho' (1960)

Today, even if the scene is not as jaw-dropping as it used to be, Still very strong and well put together. The fact that the story works so well with such a huge twist in between is impressive. Psycho is still considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and for good reason.

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