Few deaths were as shocking and brutal as Wash's. Serenity, the big screen follow-up to Firefly had already hit the audience with one major character death so they weren't expecting a second. While Book's demise at the hands of the Alliance meant audiences never got the answers to the mysteries behind his character, at least he found peace helping a community. Wash had everything to live for, particularly his wife Zoe, with whom he had talked about having a family with towards the series' end. After heroically landing the ship on Miranda, Wash made the triumphant quote "I am a leaf on the wind" before a massive Reaver-skewer burst through the front of the ship impaling him. It is such a horrific moment, that it took audiences - and the crew - a moment to realise what had happened. Killing off the fun, joker of the pack was like Xander getting vamped in Buffy The Vampire Slayer - no one could imagine it actually happening. Wash's death also ramped up the stakes for the final battle on the planet against the gruesome Reavers. With Wash gone, anyone could be next. Maybe audiences should have guessed he was doomed. Wash was in a happy married relationship. It was never going to end well...