Why Lovable Characters Suffer Gruesome Deaths in Movies and TV

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When Jurassic World came out in 2015, most fans and critics enjoyed it (especially when compared to its later sequels). While people liked the exciting action, one thing caused controversy: the shockingly gruesome death of Bryce Dallas Howard’s assistant in the film. Howard’s character, Claire, had asked her assistant, Zara, to look after her uninterested nephews while they visited the park.

I was absolutely horrified watching Zara’s fate unfold. When the dinosaurs broke free, she was among the first to be caught in the chaos. A Pteranodon snatched her up, and she was tossed around between them like a ragdoll. Then, unbelievably, she was dropped right into the Mosasaurus’s tank! She struggled in the water, desperately trying to stay afloat, but a Pteranodon actually tried to drown her! Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, the Mosasaurus grabbed her, letting her weakly struggle in its jaws before, tragically, it finally ended her life. It was a truly awful thing to witness.

This scene is well-known for being shockingly violent. It’s considered one of the most disturbing deaths in the entire Jurassic series, and many expected such a fate for a villain – someone trying to weaponize the dinosaurs. However, Zara was a relatively innocent character who died simply because her boss disapproved of her family. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a particularly frightening and intense horror film this year, and it features a similar, infamous death scene.

The Grandma Was Done Dirty In Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Lee Cronin’s new horror film, The Mummy, isn’t a typical monster movie. It’s closer to films like The Exorcist or The Omen, using supernatural horror to explore the anxieties of family life. Once the resurrected mummy, Katie, returns home, the film shifts into a somber, character-driven story about parenthood, punctuated by moments of intense violence.

The film’s most pitiable character is Katie’s grandmother, Carmen. She’s incredibly sweet and caring, always looking out for Katie and offering support, while Katie’s parents are preoccupied with their own problems. Despite Carmen’s unwavering kindness, Katie cruelly abuses her – first by headbutting her and breaking her nose, and later by throwing her out a window. Remarkably, even after this horrific treatment, Carmen survives.

Carmen had a horrific end after landing on her father’s car. A pack of wolves immediately attacked, brutally tearing her apart while she was still alive. Compared to this, Zara’s ordeal in Jurassic World seems mild.

Why Do So Many Lovable Characters Get Such Horrific Deaths?

It’s a common trope in movies and TV shows to kill off beloved characters in shocking ways. Zara in Jurassic World and Carmen in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy are recent examples, but it’s happened for years. Think about Ned Stark’s beheading in Game of Thrones, Omar’s death in The Wire, or Sil killing Adriana in The Sopranos. Even Stranger Things regularly eliminates fan favorites, like Bob Newby and Eddie Munson.

As a movie and TV fan, I’ve noticed something that really gets to me – shows like Stranger Things and films like The Mummy (especially Lee Cronin’s take on it) often kill off their most beloved characters. It’s brutal, but it works. When you’ve invested in someone, seeing them go is way more impactful, and honestly, it just gets a bigger reaction out of the audience. It’s sad, but it’s good storytelling, I guess!

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2026-05-06 16:08