10 Iconic Movie Characters Who Suffered Insulting Deaths

Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique was done dirty...

Dark Phoenix Mystique death
20th Century Studios

Darth Vader redeemed himself at the end of Return of the Jedi, before drawing his last breath. During the climax of The Wrath of Khan, Spock gave his life to protect his crew. In Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man made the ultimate sacrifice to save the universe.

These characters had an epic death, not just for the sake of entertainment, but to preserve their legacy. Because each of them played an integral role in cinema, it was imperative they died with poignancy and grace. Although it was devastating to watch them bow out, at least their stories came to a fitting end.

Unfortunately, not all beloved characters kick the bucket in a dignified manner. Because we expect to see them go out in glorious fashion, it's infuriating when they suffer a death that's lazy, stupid, or unintentionally hilarious.

These characters are recognised across the globe, and some of them have been around for decades, in some of the most famous movies of all time - so it's bewildering how the filmmakers didn't handle their deaths better.

10. Admiral Ackbar - The Last Jedi

Dark Phoenix Mystique death
Lucasfilm

When Disney's Star Wars trilogy was announced, the sci-fi community couldn't contain its joy. Not only would we experience brand-new stories in a galaxy far, far away, we'd see familiar faces like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia.

But Star War buffs were just as pumped to see more obscure characters, including Admiral Ackbar. Since he oversaw the destruction of the second Death Star, Ackbar had been a fan-favourite, and even casual viewers knew him for his classic line, "It's a trap!"

Although the lobster-like rebel had to settle for a glorified cameo in The Force Awakens, it was hoped that Ackbar would have a beefier role in The Last Jedi. Instead, he was inelegantly snuffed out within the first 30 minutes.

Despite dying in the line of fire against an enemy he dedicated his life to destroy, nobody seems to acknowledge Ackbar's death. Instead, the scene focuses more on Princess Leia, even though she survives the attack! Worse still, Ackbar's name isn't mentioned again for the rest of the movie.

Even his physical performer Tim Rose and voice actor Tom Kane both exclaimed their frustration with this scene, feeling that Ackbar deserved better.

Contributor
Contributor

James Egan has written 80 books including 1000 Facts about Superheroes Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about TV Shows Vol. 1-3 Twitter - @jameswzegan85