The Fans Have Ranked the 15 Saddest Death Scenes in the History of Cinema

Ranker is a popular place on the Internet where people can rank whatever they want, however, they want, and whenever they want. This is always a fan-focused ranking system, and it is never officially tied to the people behind the projects in question.

Recently, a large survey was organized on Ranker, whose goal was to determine the saddest death scenes in the history of cinema. The list includes just under 30 moments, but in our report, we have decided to list the top 15 moments from the site to provide you with better insight, combined with our original comments and opinions, which will add flavor to the whole report.

Of course, since this is indeed an important list, we have decided to report on it, so we are going to bring you the results by listing the top 15 moments on this list, from 15th to first place. We hope you’ll enjoy it!

15. Sam’s death from Ghost

Ghost is now considered a classic among romantic films and the moment when Patrick Swayze’s Sam was shot was the trigger for the whole movie. It was a shocking death that pushed the plot forward, but it is still one of the saddest moments in the history of cinema as Sam was not someone who deserved to die, especially not when such foul reasons were involved.

14. Walt asking for a light from Gran Torino

Well, when Clint Eastwood dies on screen, it is always a heroic, badass moment. Gran Torino is a prime example of that. And while there is inherent epicness in this death, it is also a very sad ending to a complex and layered story that came as a culmination of a brilliant example of character development shown in that movie.

13. Snape kills Dumbledore from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Imagine not knowing what was going to happen in the final book and seeing Snape, the guy you’ve always suspected of being a villain, killing one of the most beloved characters in the series. Dumbledore’s death was a necessity, but it was nevertheless a tragedy that no one really recovered from. Of course, Snape’s name was cleared, but the tragedy of the moment lingers on.

12. Frankie euthanizes Maggie from Million Dollar Baby

Another Clint Eastwood movie on this list, eh? Well, it shows us that the famed filmmaker has a thing for tragedy, as Million Dollar Baby is a truly interesting piece of drama that shows us a lot of different aspects that we could enjoy. The moment in the video was an absolute tragedy and we agree that it deserves to be here.

11. The truth about Severus Snape from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Getting back to the Harry Potter franchise, the moment of Snape’s death was an absolute heartbreak for the fans because it had been revealed that he was one of the biggest heroes of the whole series. And while his death was likewise a necessity from a plot-related perspective, it destroyed everyone and is still one of the saddest moments in the franchise as a whole.

10. Captain Miller’s final words from Saving Private Ryan

Did Miller deserve to die? Probably not. Should he have died, nevertheless? Well… we leave that one to you. But whatever the outcome, this was a truly memorable moment from a memorable movie that came as a culmination of an adventure that everyone loved. It wasn’t the fairest of endings, but it was a heartbreaking one.

9. Skip’s death from My Dog Skip

Canine and animal deaths, in general, are always tear-jerkers, as you can imagine. My Dog Skip was a touching family drama, and Little Skip was a character loved by everyone. And while he finally got to rest in the end, the moment when he passed away on that bed was just so sad that it makes us tear up even now while just thinking about it.

8. Yondu’s goodbye from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Yondu’s death might not deserve the eighth place, but it does deserve to be on this list. Up until this moment, Yondu was a character we thought was incapable of such emotions and reactions, but the blue guy proved us all wrong by delivering one of Marvel’s best moments of all time and definitely one of the franchise’s saddest and most impactful deaths of all time.

7. The snap from Avengers: Endgame

Immediately after Yondu, we have Tony’s sacrifice from Endgame. The fact that it was expected watered down the emotional impact of the moment, but what cannot be denied is that it was an epic moment and a heroic death, befitting of a character like Tony Stark. This is, whatever you might think of it, a highlight of Marvel’s cinematic approach.

6. Scar’s betrayal of Mufasa from The Lion King

This death happens so soon in the movie that you don’t even have the time to process it properly, but when you think about it later, you realize just how big of a tragedy it is. It was a betrayal, a tragedy that scarred the young Simba and made Scar one of the most hated, but also one of the best villains in Disney’s history.

5. Bambi’s mom from Bambi

No one ever will be able to get over the death of Bambi’s mother from Disney’s cult classic animated film. It is a moment that is often cited in popular culture and a prime example of how cruel humans can be towards nature and animals. Everyone hated the unknown Hunter and for a good reason, because this moment still breaks us fully.

4. Shelby’s life support is turned off from Steel Magnolias

Steel Magnolias is a dramedy that you probably wouldn’t have expected on this list, but it is a very heartwarming and, at the same time, heartbreaking story that we absolutely loved. But, it also provided us with some excellent dramatic moments, like the one from the video, which was absolutely devastating.

3. Thomas and the bees from My Girl

This coming-of-age story showed us just how beautiful and horrible life can be at the same time. While the movie is centered on Vada, it was Thomas’ death that actually stayed with us because it was an unprecedented tragedy that was never supposed to have happened.

2. Ellie’s story from Up!

Up! is one of Pixar’s classics and is still lauded as one of the greatest animated stories ever told. Ellie’s life was a beautiful story, but also one of the film’s saddest moments, which is why we completely understand why the fans voted for it on this list; this is definitely deserved.

1. John Coffey’s execution from The Green Mile

John Coffey’s death in The Green Mile remains one of the most famous moments from any Stephen King adaptation. It was a tear-jerker because what lingered on after the benevolent giant’s death was a sense of injustice, that wrong had been done to a man who did not deserve it, and that makes the tragedy even bigger.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!