Top 30 Satisfying Deaths of Hated Movie Characters

Top 30 Satisfying Deaths of Hated Movie Characters

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the deaths of villains and other antagonistic characters that felt most deserved. Needless to say, spoiler warning is in effect!

#30: Egor Korshunov
“Air Force One” (1997)
One of the greatest undoings of movie villains is hubris. As is the case of Egor Korshunov, who hijacks the President’s plane in this thriller. Korshunov boasts about his pending escape via parachute. However, his need for theatrics takes up valuable time, allowing the Commander in Chief to tackle and restrain him before deploying his parachute prematurely. He then delivers a literally killer sendoff line in a way only Harrison Ford can. This wasn’t the first time a deliciously loathsome Gary Oldman character met a memorable demise, as a few years earlier, the corrupt Stansfield met his maker via surprise grenades in “Léon: The Professional.”

#29: Castor Troy
"Face/Off" (1997)
This thriller from action auteur John Woo makes the most of a can’t-miss premise, with John Travolta playing Sean Archer, who switches bodies and identities with terrorist Castor Troy, played by Nicolas Cage. Towards the end, Archer is receiving a merciless assault from Troy when he notices a speargun. Not giving up easily, Troy tries to wrangle it from him and carves up his borrowed mug. This is more than enough motivation for Archer to pull the trigger and shut Troy up once and for all. This scene, as well as much of the rest of the movie, would not work the same without its stars do of acting like and playing off each other.

#28: Brad Wesley
“Road House” (1989)
Speaking of spears, here’s another! In the climax of this classic of late 80s machismo, the powermad Brad Wesley, played by Ben Gazzara unsuccessfully throws one at Patrick Swayze’s heroic bouncer, James Dalton before trying to kill him with another. But while Dalton is obviously physically stronger than Wesley, this scene also demonstrates his emotional strength, as he doesn’t deliver what would surely be a brutal final blow. For a moment, Wesley thinks he has the upper hand. But the townspeople he’s tormented all these years aren’t nearly as merciful. The sound of the coffee table glass shattering is still music to our ears.

#27: Retch
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)
There have been so many memorable villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years that it’s perfectly understandable if this name isn’t ringing a bell. Retch, played by Evan Jones, isn’t anywhere close to being the primary antagonist of the second “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie. And while joining Taserface’s mutiny against Yondu was certainly a lot, what really ensured our hatred of him was his torment of Baby Groot. But while Groot may be cute, he’s no pushover. Realizing the wrath he’s incurred, Retch wisely attempts an escape. The keyword here being “attempts,” as Groot ensnares him and sends him over the catwalk. It’s a swift, brutal, and incredibly satisfying demise.

#26: Colonel Tavington
“The Patriot” (2000)
Though it’s set during the American Revolutionary War, Roland Emmerich’s epic action drama shouldn’t be used as a historical reference. One of the most common criticisms leveled against it was its over-the-top depiction of the British army. Inaccuracies aside, Jason Isaacs’ Colonel William Tavington is one truly nasty villain, and this death was definitely deserved. During a battle, Tavington squares off against Colonel Benjamin Martin, seeking revenge for the death of his son. As it often goes, right it seems like all hope is lost, Tavington gets his. Of course, it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying if Isaacs wasn’t so adept at depicting such a remorseless character.

#25: Iosef Tarasov
“John Wick” (2014)
So many bullets have been fired and bodies have been dropped over the course of four “John Wick” movies that it can be easy to forget that it all started because the titular hitman sought revenge for the death of his beagle, Daisy. The party responsible is Iosef Tarasov, the impulsive and cold-hearted son of a Russian mob boss, played by Alfie Allen. Wick comes out of retirement and pulls out all the stops to track down Iosef. And even his own father knows his fate is sealed. Iosef tries to downplay the weight of his action, but Wick literally won’t let him get the last word in.

#24: Felix & Zee
“You’re Next” (2011)
If you’re in the mood for a slasher that has more going for it than just blood splatter, we highly recommend “You’re Next.” A family is terrorized by a masked clan, only for it to be revealed that two of the members orchestrated it in a twisted inheritance scheme. They might have gotten away with it, if not for the resolve of Erin, played by Sharni Vinson, who’s accompanied her boyfriend, Crispian, on this family reunion gone wrong. His brother, Felix and his partner, Zee, try to pick her off. But she has the power of kitchen equipment, specifically a knife and a blender, on her side. We also can’t forget the punishment she inflicts upon Crispian, upon learning of his involvement.

#23: Bill
"Kill Bill: Volume 2" (2004)
It’s pretty simple: if you have two movies called “Kill Bill,” Bill had better be killed by the end of the second one. While David Carradine’s gravitas and Quentin Tarantino’s writing does make Bill more sympathetic than he might seem on paper, we can’t forget about all the pain he’s inflicted upon Beatrix. When the two finally have their long-anticipated showdown, it’s fairly short on action, as Bill accepts his fate just as quickly as Beatrix delivers it. That might be disappointing for those hoping for an ultraviolent death scene á la other Tarantino antagonists, but the more we revisit this finale, the more we appreciate it.

#22: Captain Vidal
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
Though director Guillermo del Toro’s films are full of fantastical monsters, arguably none of them are as frightening as Captain Vidal, the psychopathic officer and stepfather to young Ofelia. Played by Sergi López, Vidal is the perfect encapsulation of someone who will stop at nothing to eliminate opponents of the Falangism cause, as well as anyone perceived as such, including a child. Vidal soon finds himself surrounded by rebels and tries a last ditch effort at a noble death. But Mercedes and her brother Pedro, refuse to give Vidal - or his name - any kind of legacy. Though much of “Pan’s Labyrinth” is grim and bleak, moments like this remind us that evil can only persist for so long.

#21: Howard Payne
“Speed” (1994)
The premise of this 90s action thriller, about a runaway bus that can’t go under 50 miles per hour, is so good that it would be impossible to completely screw up. But it also wouldn’t be the same without the talents of Dennis Hopper. As bomb squad officer turned terrorist Howard Payne, Hopper is teeming with absolute deranged fury, up to and including in his death scene. Grappling with Keanu Reeves’ Officer Jack Traven atop a speeding subway car, Payne brags about his superior intelligence. But if he was really as a smart as he claims to be, he would know things like when to duck. It’s just too bad he wasn’t around to hear Traven’s perfect retort.

#20: Mola Ram
“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984)
While we love a face-melting demise as much as the next person, that iconic scene was more terrifying than satisfying. (x-ref) Mola Ram on the other hand, is a single, despicable person whose defeat we keenly anticipated from the moment he appeared and attacked a person’s heart. At the climax of the film, Mola Ram confronts Indiana Jones on a precarious rope bridge while looking to obtain the mystical Sankara Stones he so desperately craves. In a surprise move, however, Indy cuts the rope bridge. Jones and Ram struggle for the stones as they hang from the bridge. But Ram’s greed to catch a burning hot one spells his undoing. He promptly falls to his doom and gets up close and personal with a few crocodiles.




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#19: Sebastian Shaw
“X-Men: First Class” (2011)
Klaus Schmidt once asked Erik to move a coin with his powers. When Erik failed, Schmidt took his mother’s life. This fostered a burning rivalry between the two. After Schmidt changed his name to Sebastian Shaw, he finally confronted Erik. During an opening in the battle, telepath Charles Xavier freezes Shaw in place. It’s here where we see an antagonist fall and a villain rise. Erik uses a coin to finally dispatch his old foe.. While there are more despicable villains than Shaw, few meet their ends in such a thematically appropriate fashion.





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#18: Alma Coin
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” (2015)
Speaking of coins, this duplicitous leader of the Second Rebellion made us actually appreciate the dastardly President Snow for his forthrightness. Alma Coin was the President of the ostensibly eradicated District 13. She drummed up a propaganda campaign against the Capitol with Katniss Everdeen as their figurehead, or, figuratively, their mockingjay. Though her cause was just, Coin’s secretly made ruthless plans. in order to usurp the enemy. She even let innocents like Katniss’s sister Prim perish to achieve her goals After realizing Coin will just become another Snow after the war, Katniss aims an arrow and puts Coin down. The mockingjay ended a cycle of tyranny and taught everyone the price of messing with her sister.






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#17: Henry Rhodes
“Day of the Dead” (1985)
When you’re the leader of an underground military compound, you’d better show respect for your subordinates, even if one of them is a zombie with above-average intelligence. Upon finding himself in charge, Captain Rhodes slowly starts losing his mind. He becomes quick to dispatch any dissenters without a second thought. When the base becomes overrun with zombies, Rhodes puts his self-preservation above all else. But karma returns to haunt him in the form of Bud, a zombie in the scientists’ domestication program with a bone to pick. After the undead man shoots Rhodes, the panicked captain picks the wrong door. Bud’s militaristic salute to Rhodes as zombies descend upon the captain is the icing on the cake of this perfect sendoff.





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#16: August Walker / John Lark
“Mission: Impossible - Fallout” (2018)
Though Owen Davian from “M:I 3” is the more despicable villain, his end isn’t quite as sweet as August Walker’s. (x-ref) Sporting a luscious moustache, Walker is initially Ethan’s anti-hero ally that we really got behind. But when he’s revealed to be nuclear arms buyer John Lark with intentions for global catastrophe, we realize what a formidable and dangerous foe he really is. Ethan Hunt and the team track him to India. After a thrilling helicopter chase, Ethan and Walker battle on a cliffside. With both hanging from the edge, Ethan yanks the cable one of the helicopters is dangling from and sends it in Walker’s direction. The mustachioed villain falls right before the IMF averts yet another disaster.





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#15: Colin Sullivan
“The Departed” (2006)
We don’t usually root against a Matt Damon character. However, he's just so hateable in “The Departed”. He plays Colin Sullivan, a mole in the Massachusetts State Police that's even disloyal to the criminals he’s supposed to protect. Upon learning mob boss Frank Costello is an FBI informant, Sullivan aids the police and takes out Costello. Billy Costigan, the police mole in the mob, nearly apprehends Sullivan some time later. But a lucky break results in Costigan biting the bullet before justice is served. We shuddered at the thought that Sullivan might walk away unscathed. But the last scene shows Sean Dignam coming to the rescue by surprising Sullivan in his home and ending the crooked man’s life.




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#14: Stuntman Mike
“Death Proof” (2007)
Quentin Tarantino has a lot of despicable characters in his movies. Fortunately, he’s a master of gleefully taking the villains down before the credits roll. One character whose end we sorely anticipated was Stuntman Mike. Driving a ride that’s virtually death-proof provided he’s in the driver’s seat, Mike got used to using it as a dangerous weapon against women on roadways. When he sees a woman performing a risky stunt on the hood of a car, he can’t help himself. He torments them for what seems like hours. Thankfully the girls are able to avoid wrecking. They eventually turn the tables and give him a taste of vigilante justice. Huh, guess Mike himself wasn’t death proof.





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#13: Mrs. Carmody
“The Mist” (2007)
Mrs. Carmody used everyone’s fear of a supernatural mist to craft a violent cult. We get it: a mist that envelopes the town and unleashes a host of otherworldly monsters is scary stuff. But you’d hope cooler heads would prevail. Not so, as Mrs. Carmody is slowly able to amass followers and preach that the only way to get out of this situation is for certain people to give up their lives. While our band of heroes looks to sneak away from the supermarket, Mrs. Carmody incites the crowd and turns her attention to a vulnerable survivor. Out of options, store manager Ollie decides to permanently silence her. Trust us, we’re not crying over this spilt milk.




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#12: Carlo Rizzi
“The Godfather” (1972)
The extended opening sequence of “The Godfather '' details the goings on at a wedding as Carlo Rizzi marries into the Corleone crime family. However happy the occasion is, the marriage itself is anything but. Miffed at being looked over in the family, Carlo mistreats his new wife Connie. In retaliation, Connie’s brother Sonny beats him to a pulp. Unable to relent, Carlo colludes with a rival family to orchestrate Sonny’s brutal assasination. Michael Corleone has his suspicions about his sibling’s demise. When he assumes control of the family following his father’s passing, he tricks Carlo into basically admitting his involvement before having him taken out. It was cold but well deserved.




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#11: Dick Jones
“RoboCop” (1987)
There are plenty of gruesome and over-the-top fatalities in this Paul Verhoeven classic. But the most cathartic demise belongs to OCP Senior Vice President Dick Jones. To combat the rampant crime plaguing Detroit, Jones tries to issue the ED-209 droid for police use. When the demonstration fails drastically, RoboCop rises in its place. Undeterred, Jones continues his plans to control both the city’s police and criminal empire. He even goes so far as to install a directive in RoboCop preventing him from acting against an OCP executive. This initially keeps RoboCop from harming Jones in the final scene. But after Jones’ superior promptly fires him, RoboCop is free to deal out justice.





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#10: Margaret White
“Carrie” (1976)
Before Mrs. Carmody in “The Mist,” there was no more detestable horror movie villain linked to religion than Margaret White. Though not quite as extreme as Mrs. Carmody, Margaret is first seen punishing her daughter Carrie just for having her first period. Unfortunately for Carrie, her burgeoning telekinesis only furthers Margaret’s belief that she’s a witch and ought to be eradicated. After Carrie returns from her horrific prom, Margaret attacks Carrie while pretending to comfort her. Whether consciously or purely by instinct, Carrie uses her powers to bring Margaret’s reign of terror to an end.




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#9: Cypher
“The Matrix” (1999)
While we can sympathize with Cypher preferring the safe confines of the Matrix to the ravaged and bleak real world, that’s no justification for what he did. This member of the human resistance makes a deal with the machines that he’ll be put back into the matrix in exchange for the leader Morpheus. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Cypher unplugs back into the real world and assassinates multiple allies while they’re plugged in and essentially defenseless. Before he can do the same to Neo, Tank reveals himself to still be alive. He ultimately gets vengeance on Cypher in glorious fashion. In a story where Neo is a Christ-like figure, Cypher was definitely the Judas.




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#8: Annie Wilkes
“Misery” (1990)
Like both Mrs. Carmody and Margaret White before her, Annie Wilkes continues Stephen King’s legacy of writing captivatingly horrendous villainesses. The unbalanced Annie Wilkes holds her favorite author Paul Sheldon captive under the guise of nursing him back to health. All the while, she forces him to write his premiere character back to life. If he doesn’t, he’ll face horrible repercussions. After several unsuccessful attempts to flee, Paul is forced to scrap with Annie in order to survive. Although she initially seems to meet her end after a collision with a typewriter, Paul ultimately puts an end to her story with his own hands.

Wilkes rhymes with milks






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#7: Emperor Palpatine
“Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi” (1983)
Is there a movie villain more classically evil than Emperor Palpatine? He already deserved a terrible fate for luring Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side. But not satisfied with ruining one Skywalker, Palpatine tries to tempt Luke to strike down Darth Vader and become evil too. Although an intense lightsaber duel does take place, Luke ultimately refuses to take his father’s life. Palpatine rewards this restraint by hitting Luke with force lightning. In a classic moment, Vader’s familial love brings him back to the light and he decides to defy his master. He sacrifices himself to take Palpatine down. Though “The Rise of Skywalker” would later play around with the details of the emperor’s end, his demise in “Return of Jedi” is still satisfying.





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#6: Bellatrix Lestrange
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011)
Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange became one of the most hated people in the wizarding world after she took the life of Harry Potter’s godfather Sirius. Her comeuppance finally came during the climactic Battle of Hogwarts. Bellatrix attempts to take the life of Ginny Weasley in the Great Hall. This prompts Molly Weasley to step in with an epic line and defend her daughter. While their duel is quick, it’s thrilling. Molly’s able to stun Bellatrix before obliterating her completely. What’s really satisfying about Bellatrix’s defeat is the fact that it comes at the hands of Molly Weasley, who normally doesn’t get to show off how fierce she is on the battlefield.





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#5: Immortan Joe
“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)
Immortan Joe was the self-imposed leader of the post-apocalyptic city known as the Citadel. The cruel leader ruled with an iron fist. Not only did he hoard the only known water source over its citizens, but he neglected to care about what several of his wives actually wanted. And he’s so possessive that he flies into a frenzy when Lieutenant Imperator Furiosa flees with his spouses. For the majority of the movie, Joe’s forces chase his wives down. On the ride back to the Citadel, Furiosa finally confronts him on the side of his rig. She makes sure that Immortan Joe will never have the opportunity to mistreat one of his wives again.




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#4: The Armitage Family
“Get Out” (2017)
On the outset, the Armitage family seems like your average, upper-class family that tries way too hard to show they’re accepting of everyone. But it’s clear there’s something much more sinister going on under the surface. As Chris comes to learn, the Armitages have made a business of abducting people and stealing their bodies by implanting the mind of the highest bidder. Before this can happen to Chris, he fights back. Dean Armitage, his wife Missy and their eldest son Jeremy all receive brutal - but just - ends. Once Chris takes the three of them down, he's confronted by his “girlfriend” Rose. But after a brainwashed groundskeeper is temporarily freed, he puts an end to this horrendous family.





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#3: Hans Gruber
“Die Hard” (1988)
We love to hate this villain so much it almost circles back to just love. This is partially because Hans Gruber took out Harry Ellis, a character we just plain hated.(x-ref) But that obnoxious man’s demise isn’t the most glorious one in the film. Gruber is a supposed extremist who casually hurts people but is really nothing more than an extremely brutal thief. He eventually gets more than he bargained for when everyman cop John McClane arrives to save his wife Holly. The conflict between the cop and thief comes to a head when Gruber is left hanging out the window by Holly’s wrist. Fortunately, McClane unclasps Holly’s wristwatch and sends Gruber to his doom. Happy trails indeed, Hans.




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#2: Count Tyrone Rugen
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
Few characters have focused more on taking out their enemies than Inigo Montoya has. He spent years thinking about getting revenge against the man who slayed his father. Inigo eventually learned that the vicious Count Rugen was responsible. While he’s helping with a rescue mission in a castle, he and the Count finally meet. During their long awaited duel, Inigo repeats his promise to get revenge on the Count. For a moment, it seems like it won’t happen at all. But Inigo’s sheer tenacity and will ensures that he finally gets closure and avenges his father by slaying the Count.






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#1: Commodus
“Gladiator” (2000)
There is hardly a greater tale of revenge than that of Maximus Decimus Meridius against Commodus. After Commodus usurps his father as Emperor of Rome, he asks General Maximus to swear allegiance. But the warrior refuses. A slighted Commodus takes the lives of Maximus’s wife and son. After Maximus escapes his own grim fate, he swears vengeance against the Emperor. He rose through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena and slowly gained favor with the people of Rome. Desperate to see his enemy fall, Commodus wounds Maximus before the two compete in gladiatorial combat. But Maximus manages to overcome his fatal wounds and slay Commodus before finding peace.






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What movie death gave you the most satisfaction? Let us know in the comments!