23 most shocking and devastating character deaths in 2023
Characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Much like The Last of Us and Jujutsu Kaisen, Marvel also decided to pull the plug on a few characters, and that hurt.
15) Maria in Secret Invasion
Maria's death in Secret Invasion hit hard, and it's not just because she was such a cool character. She died in the first episode of the show.
Maria was the tough-as-nails, no-nonsense leader, suddenly caught in the whirlwind of an alien invasion. She's the kind of person who'd face any danger, but this time, it's different. There’s chaos everywhere, Skrulls disguising as humans, trust is a rare commodity, and Maria finds herself right in the thick of it, doing her best to keep things together.
And then, in a moment that really shouldn't have happened, she's gone. Just like that. It's not just the surprise of it, but the way it all goes down — the Skrull Gravik takes the shape of Nick Fury, Maria's trusted friend, and kills her. It's honestly a waste, in my opinion. Instead of expanding on this badass character, the show's writers decided it'd be better if she died to make the bad guy look bad, and then they failed to make that kind of connection in the rest of the episodes.
It’s gut-wrenching and annoying because you realize how much she meant to everyone, how she was the glue holding so many things together, and how much her death didn't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
16) MODOK in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the demise of MODOK was equal parts funny and sad. MODOK, a big-headed baddie with a personality as complicated and bizarre as his appearance, meets his untimely end in a very... heroic way. It wasn’t just the unexpectedness of it that got us, but the way it happened. Throughout the movie, MODOK, with his oversized noggin and those teeny tiny limbs, brought a mix of both humor and menace. You couldn't help but be intrigued by this oddball of a character.
But then, in a twist of fate, his downfall comes, and it kind of hits you right in the feels. There's this important moment where you see beyond the villain facade, catching a glimpse of the real, maybe even relatable, character beneath. His death wasn't solely a plot point — it was a moment that makes you pause, maybe even shed a tear for the big-headed bad guy.
But hey, at least he died an Avenger. (Sh, don't tell him he's not an actual Avenger.)
17, 18, 19) Floor, Teefs, and Lylla from Guardians 3
MY. FREAKING. HEART.
James Gunn left the MCU with a bang, didn't he? And he gets to claim the Most Shed Tears award for Guardians 3. And, before you ask, no — my kids have not seen this one yet because I think it would just make them very, very sad.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we witnessed the incredibly cruel, evil, heartbreaking, unnecessary, and depressing departure of Floor, Teefs, and Lylla — characters who, despite their brief time in the spotlight, managed to capture our hearts with their unique charm.
Let's see if I can get through this one without crying.
Floor, with her silent yet impactful presence, Teefs, whose every appearance brought a smile, and Lylla, the adorable and fiercely loyal companion, all left a huge mark on the movie. Their traumatic exit from the movie was not just a plot twist — it was a moment that made us pause and reflect on the fleeting nature of connections.
The way their stories concluded was a painful reminder of the sacrifices heroes often make. I'll never forget Rocket turning around after a shootout with the High Evolutionary's men and finding his three friends dead, hit by multiple bullets. The desperation. The pain, The anger. It wasn't just a goodbye to characters — it was personal.
I have not forgiven Gunn yet.
20) Victor Timely from Loki
Victor Timely's death in Loki was like losing a piece of our hearts in the most unexpected way, but over and over again. Victor, with his charismatic and pretty adorable presence, had us all hooked on him from the get-go. His journey was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with moments that made us cheer, gasp, and even chuckle. But then, in a spaghetti-like twist, he gets completely undone by the Temporal Loom's radiation as soon as he bravely walks out to try and fix it.
We saw it once, twice, 10 times as Loki went back in time and tried to fix this very moment. Though each time lessened the blow and kind of made things comical, you can't deny that the first time we see Victor turn into Multiverse Pasta was pretty heartbreaking.