Top 10 Dark Character Moments We All Choose to Forget

Carrie Bradshaw’s whole thing is that she’s a writer whose topic of choice is relationships. That doesn’t mean she’s great at navigating romance herself. If she was, there wouldn’t be a show. But you didn’t have to be a columnist to know that cheating on a great guy like Aidan for an emotionally stunted playboy like Mr. Big was not a good idea. Breaking the news in public at her friend Charlotte’s wedding just seemed like adding insult to injury. Maybe it’s just a matter of taste, but it did seem like a boneheaded decision.

The final season of Shonda Rhimes’ soapy political thriller found crisis management specialist Olivia Pope trading in her white knight costume for a black hat. Caught between responsibilities in the White House and a literal spy network, she engages in some light treason. When President Mellie Grant wants to declare war on a politically advantageous region whose president she’s romantically interested in, Olivia orchestrates his death. She arranges for a bomb to kill him and his innocent niece as their plane takes off. It’s not the first life Olivia’s taken, but for someone who used to talk herself up as a white knight, she’s certainly become comfortable killing anyone who gets in the way of her agenda.

After years of battling against supernatural villains of all kinds, Buffy Summers and the Scooby Gang are up against the vicious Caleb. However, when things are pushed to a breaking point, the team confronts Buffy, confessing that they no longer trust her leadership. Even her best friends, Willow and Xander, and her sister, Dawn, are no longer on her side. Despite all she’s done for them, including saving their lives more times than we can count, they essentially throw her out of her own house. This doesn’t last, as the group is kinda useless without her guidance, but turning pon her is so out of left field that it’s hard to see the logic in it all.

The series finale of this CW classic opened up a wormhole that you just can’t ignore on repeat viewings of the show. Perennial outsider and sensitive writer Dan Humphrey reveals that he began the infamous Gossip Girl blog as a years-long ploy to woo the socialite Serena van der Woodsen. Apparently, his love for her didn’t stop him from publishing her secrets. It certainly makes all those times he was alone reading the Gossip Girl blog or receiving emails from her seem illogical. You could argue that he had to do all this to cover his tracks, but then what’s the point? Either he’s a giant sociopath or it’s just an audience-insulting plot twist thrown in for pure shock value.

Relationships are hard, especially when you have all those musical numbers to remember. Kurt and Blaine, dubbed Klaine by fans, weren’t exempt from the pressures of adulthood. Despite transferring schools to be with Kurt and enjoying a shockingly problem-free relationship, Blaine cheated on Kurt in season 4. Given that Blaine suspected Kurt of cheating the season before, it’s kind of interesting how much the tables have turned. Turning it back on Kurt, Blaine doesn’t seem capable of actually taking accountability. Fans suspected it was just lazy writing, meant to stir up some drama at the expense of Blaine’s established character.

No one flames out quite like Rory Gilmore. She may be the golden child of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, but clearly her credits didn’t transfer when it came to common sense. Dropping out of Yale and not speaking to her mother for months was bad enough, but so much of her trouble started when she acted out of jealousy over her high school boyfriend, Dean. Knowing he was married, but unable to handle someone else with him, she acted on an impulse and even had the audacity to throw it in her mother’s face. When the show started, she was a confused teenager who wanted to do the right thing. In moments like these, it’s clear just how much growing up she didn’t do.

On paper, Daenerys Targaryen’s trajectory makes complete sense. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. While we initially cheered for her, once she assumes power, she is plagued by vengeance and paranoia, and kills friend and foe alike. At a glance, it’s a powerful and tragic story. Viewers had always seen the potential for her to turn to the dark side, but her arc, along with several other characters, felt rushed and incomplete at series end. Once a fierce but pragmatic and moral leader, Daenerys’ switch to merciless tyrant felt unearned and underbaked. It gave fans just one more reason to feel cheated by the epic show’s final season.

It was easy to feel sorry for Debbie Gallagher in the early seasons. She was just old enough to handle some major tasks, but still too young to have to take on all that she had to. I mean, she did steal a baby, but she was young then. As the seasons wore on, though, Debbie’s manipulative side came to light. In season 5, she drugs and assaults Matty, an older boy she likes, and seems to show no remorse or even understanding of what she’s done. On a show where terrible behavior is sort of the point, it stands out as one of the worst and most disturbing moments.

Over the many, many, many seasons of the ABC medical drama, Alex Karev underwent a massive transformation. He went from being an arrogant and soulless intern to a caring pediatric surgeon. No one could blame actor Justin Chambers for wanting to move on after 16 seasons. However, the character’s exit came with a massive setback in character development. He returned to his former flame, Izzie Stevens, who had left the show several seasons prior, and left his current girlfriend, Jo Wilson, with only a letter. Given Wilson’s abandonment issues, it seems like something the old Alex would do. It’s not the worst moment on this list, but it’s one of the most character-betraying.

If you want to strike deep fear, shame, and cringe into the hearts of “The Office” fans everywhere, two words will do it: Scott’s Tots. We may want to forget it ever happened, and the lucky among us may have learned to forget, but it will never really go away. In this sixth season episode, Michael Scott is forced to tell several underprivileged students that he can’t fulfill his promise to pay for their college. This is after they’ve spent a decade believing they had college funds. Even fans who don’t skip over the episode on a rewatch can’t deny it’s one of the show’s most horrific episodes.

Which of these moments gave you some unwanted discomfort? Sound off in the comments.