Spoilers for – Doctor Who, Angel, Buffy, and Game of Thrones (the first book/first season of HBO show)
I had a total geek epic fail. I realized I never saw David Tenant’s last Doctor Who episode (the two parter-The End of Time). How I missed it, I’ll never know, but I have been wondering around thinking “That was an abrupt changeover to Matt Smith.” I got caught up last night. It was the most touching time lord regeneration yet. I got a little teary eyed when he popped in on Sarah Jane Smith. And then visit after visit to old friends and companions, the tears just kept coming and there was no plugging the floodgates.
I’m a cryer. Tears will come at the drop of a hat. Pretty piano solo, an ASPCA commercial, a favorite characters death- pass the box of tissue please. Now because I feel like emotionally torturing myself, I present a few sci-fi/fantasy deaths that I still haven’t recovered from. These aren’t going back in time very far right now, but more will come and I’m sure Proffitt will have additions.
Please note I haven’t finished Lost or Battlestar Galactica yet and I’m sure there will be scenes to add from each. But that is why they are absent from this list. And if Proffitt wants to come in and add from those shows, I promise I won’t look at her post.
The picture makes me cry
1. Angel: A Hole In the World. The death of Winifred Burkle. Beloved nerd Winifred Burkle dies in Wes’ arms and her last words are “ I’m not scared. I’m not scared. I’m not scared. Please, Wesley. Why can’t I stay?” Knife in our heart, right? It wasn’t just that she passed away either. It was not just that she was taken over by the god Ilyria. What really hurt was finding out Fred’s soul was utterly destroyed and gone. I can’t find a clip of the actual death scene, just fan video tributes with music that are just too cheesy and wouldn’t do the actual scene justice.
We didn't want you to go either
2. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part 2. David Tenant’s regeneration reminded me of Fred’s last words. He said “I don’t want to go.” Simple and eloquent and we all felt the same way about him. I disagree with those who say his last episode was too sci-fi based and didn’t get to explore the human side this doctor loved delving into. I think it showed his love for mankind, his love for where he came from, and the struggle that is always inside the Doctor over what he had to do to save the world as a whole. He got a whiz bang story of a send off. I think Matt Smith’s Doctor is getting too far away from sci-fi and too ensconced into human drama. This seems to be happening more in the new Doctor Who, probably because the companions are some of the best ever and Americans are used to sexual tension in their male/female leads on tv. But I digress.
No words...
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Body. I totally did not see the death of Joyce Summers, Buffy’s mom, coming. When Buffy came home and she was lying still, eyes open on the couch. Buffy’s “Mom…Mom…Mommy,” oh the incomprehension. We were right there with the character. When Buffy says to Giles “We’re not supposed to move the body” it’s real. Joyce Summers has left the building and the slayer is helpless and can offer no fight to bring her back. She’s just a body, not Buffy’s mom. I found the original preview of the episode here . The most heart breaking moment is Anya, the former demon now human, who asks questions a child might and you just think “That’s so rude and terrible but she’s so right.” Anyone who dares to say this wasn’t a good show or Joss Whedon is a hack, needs to watch this episode he wrote and directed. Anya’s little rant deserves to be printed in its full glory, here it is
But I don’t understand! I don’t understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I mean, I knew her, and then she’s, there’s just a body, and I don’t understand why she just can’t get back in it and not be dead anymore! It’s stupid! It’s mortal and stupid! And, and Xander’s crying and not talking, and, and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she’ll never have eggs, or yawn or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why.
4. I think this will have to be the last one for now because I’m about to waterlog my computer. I hadn’t read George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones yet nor watched the HBO show either. But the one time I turn it on, it’s THAT episode. Stark is being executed and his daughter is in the crowd and stumbles upon the scene. I wasn’t aware of the characters names, their story, but I was enthralled and I knew something awful and unexpected was happening. When I stared reading the book, even knowing it was coming, it didn’t lessen the blow. My sorrow is for his daughters and sons. His death was unfair and treacherous but his children are left to bear the burden and be tormented by the Lannisters.
Sure most lists are at least a top five, but I can’t go one more round and still look pretty for tomorrow.
What scenes have ripped you apart? Made you mad? Are you a cryer or do you keep it all in?
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Fred’s death still makes my eyes all watery just thinking about it. I also thought Darla’s death in season 3 (I think?) was pretty moving.
Oh yes. That one too. Whedon does death so eloquently.
See, I was not as sad for Darla’s death… aside from Fred & Wes, I was most affected by Doyle’s death. I loved that character.
Her death when they brought her back the first the time when she was dying and she was trying to change til Ursula came around, that was sad to me. Maybe more because of what it meant for Angel.
I loved that actor. Such a loss.
I cried as much, if not more, when Wes died. “Do you want me to pretend now?” “Oh, yes.”
David Tenant’s final episode/scene was so powerful and emotional (even though I don’t cry, cause you know, I’m a dude and we don’t have feelings) that I can’t get into Matt Smith’s Dr. nearly as much.
You can’t just replace your favorite dog with a new dog next season and expect everything to go continue on as normal.
Nice analogy there. Doctor Who is kind of humanity’s dog. In a way. Whatever humans do he is faithful to us and our loyal companion to the end. Oh I’m getting all sniffly again.
The death scene that totally got to me was when Wash was killed in Serenity. When we saw it in the theater I sobbed uncontrollably for a long time.
Writing the “Learning to Say Goodbye” post is what got me thinking of all these. That was just a harsh, harsh thing Joss did with Wash.
Wow, your first exposure to Game of Thrones was the execution huh? Pretty crazy.
I don’t really cry during stuff, but I will get choked up, teary eyed ect. David Tennant leaving was sad, but its weird for me because regeneration is so weird.
The biggest one on this list for me is Fred, because the death was traumatic, plus we have to watch Illyria walk around in her body. Creepy.
And yes that Anya monologue is one of the best things in all seven seasons period.
This is a little different, but I teared up multiple times during Toy Story 3. During the scene when they are sliding towards the melting pit, and just accept that at least they can die together. And then later the scene of Andy giving his toys away on the way to college.
I haven’t seen Toy Story 3 yet. One day. Wes’ death on Angel was heart wrenching too- when she asked if he wanted her to be Fred and she was Fred for him for awhile. Oh I’m verklempt.
Yup, the execution. It was like – *channel flip, channel flip* “Oh Game of Thrones-this is supposed to be good, what’s going on here? Oh..oh…oh no.”
You definitely need to watch it.(Toy Story 3 that is) It’s my favorite movie of 2010. And that’s including Inception, True Grit, Scott Pilgrim…
I agree completely on Wash’s death being the saddest possible moment ever; however the most I’ve ever cried (and forgive me, I know it’s more fantasy than sci-fi) was during Snape’s death scene/memory montage. I was practically hysterical.
Oh that was so sad. Snape is by far one of the best characters ever created/written. No one had any clue if he was bad or good and had us guessing until the end.
Without question; the fall of Gandalf under Moria.
I mean, come on! “Servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor”,”You shall not pass!” “Fly, you fools!”
The curtain is pulled back just a hair on the true nobility and strength of this character only to have him suddenly ripped from our lives.
I was 6 years old when I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the first time and for some weeks after that seen I was absolutely despondent. I grieved for that wizard. When Merry and Pippin met a familiar stranger under the eaves of Fanghorn I dropped my book and ran around the house screaming for joy. I hugged my mother around the waist shouting “He’s alive! He’s alive again!”
I still weep openly when I think about Moria and squee more than a little when I recall the reunion – often at the same time. I measure all other emotional scenes (whether ones I read or ones I write) against that one.
Oh reading all that gave me chills.
We’ll have a scene in books that make us cry post one day.