2021 In Review: The 40 Most Heartbreaking TV Character Deaths

The TV year isn't over just yet, but our tear ducts have had enough.

Even with a couple weeks left in our 2021 viewing, television has broken our hearts many times already this year, by way of some truly gut-wrenching character deaths.

In the list below (alphabetized by show), we're revisiting 40 demises that shattered us this year, which kicked off with a tragic Lupin murder early in the year and culminated with the recent loss of a Walking Dead: World Beyond favorite.

And though other characters have met unfortunate ends on the small screen in 2021, we've whittled down our choices to the most heartbreaking deaths of the bunch, with only one tragedy per show represented. (Exceptions were made when multiple characters perished at the same time, as happened with an ill-fated For All Mankind couple.)

Needless to say, we're slapping a big ol' SPOILER ALERT on the list below. If you're not caught up on the following series (listed alphabetically), you might want to bookmark this page for later: 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Baby-Sitters Club, Batwoman, Black Lightning, The Blacklist, Charmed, DC's Stargirl, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Fear the Walking Dead, For All Mankind, Foundation, Grey's Anatomy, The Handmaid's Tale, The Haves and the Have Nots, It's a Sin, Loki, Lucifer, Lupin, Mare of Easttown, Mayans MC, Money Heist, NCIS, On My Block, Pose, The Resident, The Rookie, SEAL Team, Snowfall, Squid Game, Station 19, S.W.A.T., Sweet Tooth, THEM, Titans, The Underground Railroad, Walker, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, What We Do in the Shadows, The White Lotus and/or Who Killed Sara?

But if you're ready to get a little weepy, scroll through our list of the year's saddest character deaths, then hit the comments with any others that left you in tears.

The way Claudia's beloved grandmother lingered as she bid the girl goodnight and told her to keep painting made it seem like the older woman had a sense that her time on the planet was drawing to a close. But that didn't make it any easier for Claudia (or us!) to accept the loss of such a gentle, welcoming soul. We'll miss you, Mimi!

Date of Death: Oct. 11, 2021

Alice had finally allowed herself to love Ocean, which is why it was so devastating when she found him dead as part of Safiyah's retribution for burning Coryana to the ground. After rekindling their romance amid brainwashing that wiped their memories of each other, Alice being tricked into "killing" Ocean with a blade she didn't know had been dipped in Desert Rose and the pair still reconciling after all of that, it looked like they would finally start to build a future together. Instead, their love story ended with tragedy, leaving Alice emotionally destroyed and us lamenting on what could have been.

Date of Death: June 13, 2021

The budding romance between Uriah and JJ created a much-needed Season 4 sweet spot. Sadly, the sweetness proved short-lived when Tobias' henchman Red attacked the couple while they were out on a date. Despite JJ's shield, one of Red's magnetic balls claimed Uriah's young life. Before he died, Uriah told JJ, "Don't cry. Go light up the world."

Date of Death: May 10, 2021

Liz's actions during The Blacklist's eighth season may have been polarizing, but there's no denying her story came to an abrupt and tragic end. After pursuing the truth about Red's identity for nearly a decade, Liz came thisclose to getting legitimate answers, only to be gunned down unexpectedly by Neville Townsend's right-hand man. As her life flashed before her eyes, Liz maybe had an epiphany about who Red really is, but it was a fleeting payoff after eight years of heartache.

Date of Death: June 23, 2021

Actress Madeleine Mantock announced her departure a week before her character died on screen, but no amount of time could have sufficiently prepared fans to watch her say goodbye to her sisters — not to mention Harry, with whom she got to play out a full dream wedding — in the Season 3 finale. We can take some solace in knowing that she's now a sacred guardian, but we'd rather still have her with us.

Date of Death: July 23, 2021

When Rick showed up in the Season 2 finale to help battle Eclipso, the demon scoffed at the powerless Hourman. Rick then revealed the ginormous ace up his sleeve, in the form of a stampeding Solomon Grundy. The redeemed ISA grunt got some good licks in, until Eclipso blasted a hole straight through his belly — as his new friend Rick wailed. (Hopefully what The Shade said is true, and Grundy hasn't necessarily munched on his last apple....)

Date of Death: Nov. 2, 2021

John Walker's best friend and right-hand man met a sudden and thoroughly unexpected end, after a super soldier serum-powered Karli Morgenthau sent him flying into a stone column, killing him instantly. Given Lemar's history as Battlestar in the Marvel comics, we didn't expect him to perish so abruptly in the Disney+ series — nor did we expect John's brutal act of revenge on the Flag Smashers that followed moments later.

Date of Death: April 9, 2021

We never saw it coming — and neither did he. No sooner had Garret Dillahunt's suicidal gunslinger discovered that young Dakota had in her possession the broken knife used to dispatch Cameron (wait, who?) than she'd fatally shot the dyed-in-the-wool good guy, sending him bobbing down the river to be found, zombified, by true love June.

Date of Death: April 11, 2021

The soulmates' final act of heroism — running across the face of the moon covered in nothing but duct tape to avert a nuclear meltdown — ended tragically (for them, at least). The fact that their deaths came just as they found their way back to each other was irony at its most cruel.

Date of Death: April 23, 2021

Raych and Gaal's beautiful love story met a tragic end when Hari Seldon asked Raych to kill him. Per his calculations, this moment would set off a chain of events that would preserve humanity when the Empire eventually fell. What he didn't predict, though, was that Raych helped Gaal escape in the pod meant for him and stayed behind. In Episode 5, we learned that he was executed as Harry's murderer by being ejected into space.

Date of Death: Oct. 15, 2021

Yes, Giacomo Gianniotti's Andrew got the satisfaction of knowing he'd brought to justice a remorseless sex trafficker. But at what cost, huh? At what cost? After being stabbed in hot pursuit of the flesh merchant in Station 19's midseason premiere, Meredith's first post-Derek love interest succumbed to his injuries on Grey's and was reunited with his late mother on his ex's limbo beach.

Date of Death: March 11, 2021

June's fellow rebels didn't always agree with her methods or decisions, but there was an undeniable bond among the women in red that superseded any squabbles that arose during their time in Gilead. That very bond, unfortunately, was the reason June — and we! — were so crushed when Alma and Brianna were mowed down by a train during a last-ditch escape attempt in Episode 3.

Date of Death: April 28, 2021

Tyler Perry's OWN soap made a real killing of its finale, bumping off one character after another. But the death that hit us the hardest was Candace's brutal drowning at the hands of a vengeful Jim. Pregnant and thisclose to becoming FLOTUS, she was robbed of the second chance that even she probably would've agreed she didn't deserve.

Date of Death: July 20, 2021

Sadly, HBO Max's 1980s AIDS chronicle gave us multiple deaths to choose from here, but the most devastating was sweet and soft-spoken Colin, aka Gladys, the most innocent of the group. Even worse, he was cruelly isolated from his friends and family by ignorant doctors, and his demise underlined the fact that truly no one was safe from this disease.

Date of Death: Feb. 18, 2021

After just one episode, Richard E. Grant's Loki variant completely captured our hearts, making his demise via the smoke monster Alioth an immediate addition to this list. As Loki and Sylvie attempted to enchant Alioth, Classic Loki distracted the beast by casting a projection of the city of Asgard — and when his magic weakened and Alioth came hurtling toward him, Classic Loki embraced his glorious purpose and sacrificed himself with his head (and Horned Helmet!) held high.

Date of Death: July 7, 2021

As devastating as Dan's death, almost randomly at the hands of Vincent Le Mec and his French mercenaries, was... and as disheartening as it was to learn that Chloe's ex didn't land in Heaven... the saving grace was that in the final season that followed, Dan got the closure he needed, said some proper goodbyes, and ultimately reunited with Charlotte.

Date of Death: May 28, 2021

The disgraced journalist's smarts and determination made her a worthy ally to Assane, which in turn made her a tragic target. After Pellegrini's man attacked Fabienne in her home and staged the murder to look like a suicide, Assane was greeted by the horrific sight of Fabienne's body hanging from the ceiling. It's the kind of unjust death that makes you understand Assane's quest for revenge.

Date of Death: Jan. 8, 2021

We were just starting to fall in love with Evan Peters' goofy detective — he was such a fun drunk! — when a routine check led to a deadly shootout, with Colin taking a sudden bullet to the skull from the gun of a demented kidnapper. And just when Mare was beginning to warm up to him, too!

Date of Death: May 16, 2021

Across its three seasons thus far, Mayans MC has been plenty violent and often tragic — and yet, we were still wholly unprepared for club member Steve's suicide at the end of Episode 9. After paying his dues as a lowly prospect, Steve at last received his full patch from the charter. But Santo Padre's newest member couldn't overcome the crippling guilt of taking another biker's life during a recent fistfight, and he later shot himself at his own patching celebration.

Date of Death: May 4, 2021

Tokyo was easily the most likable Bella Ciao bandit on Netflix's hit Spanish drama because she was tough, loved with all her being and never stopped fighting; that's why her death at the end of Season 5, Volume 1 hurt so much. Tokyo died protecting her friends from the Spanish Army, and she avenged her bestie Nairobi's murder by pulling the pins on a handful of grenades, blowing up herself and Nairobi's hateful killer, Gandía. And just like that, Tokyo died how she lived – like a badass.

Date of Death: Sept. 3, 2021

Discovering that Jimmy Palmer's wife, Breena, had died off-screen during the pandemic was plenty sad, but the news that Tobias' daughter did not survive an overdose was downright heartbreaking. Yes, Emily was a recovering addict — her previous brush with death set the stage for Season 17's jump backward in time, to Gibbs and Tobias' hunt for an opioid supplier — but everyone concerned had to hope she had bested her demons.

Date of Death: March 9, 2021

The sudden loss of Charles Vega, the devoted husband of 9-1-1: Lone Star's superstar paramedic Tommy, wasn't just unexpected — it was unthinkable. It was a senseless tragedy, one that afforded Gina Torres the opportunity to deliver a heartbreaking performance as a woman struggling to accept her new life as a single mother of twin girls, all while following protocol and attempting to maintain a sense of normalcy.

Date of Death: May 10, 2021

Losing a fan favorite like Oscar is difficult to swallow, especially since he finally got his life together after ditching the Santos for good. He packed up his house and was ready to move to Portland to raise his daughter with partner Isabel, and follow his longtime dream of running his own restaurant. He even made peace with his brother Cesar, who agreed to go with them, and it felt like they were on the verge of a much-needed fresh start. However, their plans were tragically cut short when Oscar was gunned down in his front yard, leaving Cesar — and us — devastated.

Date of Death: Oct. 4, 2021

We all feared this day would come, and it did in the series finale, with Billy Porter's boisterous ball emcee finally succumbing to AIDS. But as hard as it was to say goodbye, at least he went out on a high note by performing a killer Diana Ross lip-sync duet alongside Blanca — and by giving his meds to Ricky to save his life instead.

Date of Death: June 6, 2021

News of Emily VanCamp's departure from The Resident broke weeks before the show returned for Season 5... which did absolutely nothing to soften the blow of Nic's eventual death, caused by head trauma she'd experienced during a car accident. It was gutting to watch the heartbreak of Nic's demise radiate through Chastain Park Memorial, and that final procession toward the operating room — oof. We'll never hear "Iris" the same way again.

Date of Death: Oct. 5, 2021

When last truly seen/not played by a stand-in, Jackson was nearly as happy as Angela on her wedding day. But in an instance of "right place, wrong time," he was abducted with the bride-to-be. It was soon learned that Jackson defied the kidnappers best he could (and even "dug up" DNA evidence from one) before being unceremoniously executed.

Date of Death: Sept. 26, 2021

"The doctors did everything they could, but..." With that always-dreadful lead-in, Davis broke the news to Bravo, upon their completion of the mission where Metal put himself in harm's way to shield his brothers, that his shattered leg wound up slicing a femoral artery. Metal's prepared "farewell" letter was bittersweet with its candor, while his funeral at sea brought his service to a fitting end.

Date of Death: May 26, 2021

Ever the dutiful soldier, Fatback never gave up Leon's location, even as Khadijah repeatedly stabbed and eventually killed him. Khadijah knew Fatback didn't kill her 5-year-old daughter; Leon had. But Fatback was Leon's boy, and because he was going to take the rap for him legally, he became the gruesome proxy for Khadijah's vengeful message.

Date of Death: March 24, 2021

The Netflix drama is very much about who dies last, of the 456 down-on-their-luck individuals recruited to participate in a series of deadly children's games — so consider that a spoiler warning! But of the meaningful deaths of characters whom we got to know well throughout this ordeal, the one that hit hardest came in Episode 8. When it was revealed to us that "Pickpocket," aka Sae-byeok, had suffered a grave wound at the conclusion of the penultimate game, it was devastating to see the light dim in the plucky lass' eyes. And though her condition was clearly grave, the reveal that Sang-woo ended Sae-byeok's suffering when Gi-hun's back was turned made her journey's abrupt end all the sadder.

Date of Death: Sept. 17, 2021

Everything about Okieriete Onaodowan's stouthearted firefighter being fatally injured in an explosion hurt like hell — from the surprise of it, after the Grey's Anatomy spinoff made us fear that Vic would be the casualty, to the agony etched across Ben's face as he tried in vain to resuscitate his friend. What was most painful, though, might have been the fact that the only kind of "I love you" Dean got from his crush — even after saving her life — was the one of the "like a brother" variety.

Date of Death: Nov. 11, 2021

In just a few episodes, Erika Rogers — the second woman to make S.W.A.T. — endeared herself to both us and Chris, especially as she encouraged Chris during TLI training. As such, and because we had just dodged the bullet of Tan being shot while storming an Imperial Dukes hideout, Erika's discovery that she, too, had taken a bullet was a huge gut punch, especially as Chris valiantly tried to save her friend and soon-to-be roommate.

Date of Death: Jan. 27, 2021

Pubba wasn't around long before he succumbed to "the sick," but we still felt the weight of his fatherly love to Gus. Thanks to his handy survival skills, the duo lived a healthy, peaceful life for as long as possible before the unstoppable virus took him out. We know Pubba had to die so that Gus' real story could begin, but it still hurt. A lot.

Date of Death: June 4, 2021

The mere thought of anyone harming an innocent baby was enough to make some THEM viewers disavow the horror series. For those who were able to complete Episode 5 and the series, there was comfort in knowing the baby playing Chester wasn't actually killed in a horrifically dehumanizing game of "Cat in the Bag" — and that Chester's death, the racist white perpetrators of which were never brought to justice, was in many ways symbolic.

Date of Death: April 9, 2021

We've seen this scenario countless times before. A bomb with a countdown clock, a race against time, but the explosive gets defused at 00:00:01.  Except... that didn't happen this time. Instead, as Red Hood gloated to Dawn that she had been tricked into triggering the detonator, Superboy supersped to save Hank, only to arrive a millisecond too late. (But at least Krypto scampered away safely!)

Date of Death: Aug. 12, 2021

The love and respect Cora and Caesar shared was the stuff of storybooks. That's why the latter's murder at the hands of an angry, racist mob felt so cruel and unsettling. And because his slaughter wasn't shown, viewers were left to imagine the worst. Unlike Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name, however, Cora and Caesar did get the heartwarming closure they deserved in Barry Jenkins' Prime Video adaptation.

Date of Death: May 14, 2021

The titular Texas Ranger and his family had already suffered so much loss with the murder of his beloved wife. So when Walker's enemy Clint took his entire brood hostage and stabbed his best friend Hoyt in the abdomen, it felt more like yet another stab in a still-healing heart. Then Hoyt's last words — "I always knew it'd end this way, buddy" — did us in.

Date of Death: June 10, 2021

We knew the teenage grifter was a goner the second he began making plans for his future with Iris — aloud, even! But that in no way lessened the sting when, in the Walking Dead spinoff's penultimate episode, the sly charmer was shot in the head by the CRM while chasing after runaway hostage Mason.

Date of Death: Nov. 28, 2021

Yes, we know he was later reborn as a highly unsettling infant, but it still hurt like a stake to the heart to see our favorite energy vampire on FX's supernatural comedy expire after reaching his 100-year lifespan. Who will bore us with pointless trivia now?

Date of Death: Oct. 21, 2021

Lorenzo and Chema finally seemed to be settling into their happy lives together when an attempt at having a baby via surrogate turned everything upside down. Making matters worse, Clara, the surrogate mom-to-be, had a violent ex-boyfriend who attacked the trio before Chema killed him in self-defense... but their troubles only deepened when the ex's brother murdered Lorenzo in retaliation.

Date of Death: May 19, 2021

Did the drug-addled hotel manager played so exquisitely by Murray Bartlett deserve to be punished? Especially after, um, dropping a deuce in a guest's suitcase? Yes, he did. But he didn't deserve to die! His demise at the hands of annoying guest Shane via accidental stabbing had a certain tragic justice to it, but we're still miffed we won't get to see him behind the front desk in future seasons.

Date of Death: Aug. 15, 2021