5. Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 2 Finale (Becoming Part 2)
This wasn't Buffy dying; this was far worse. If her season five death pulled at the heart strings, the epic ending to Buffy The Vampire Slayer's second season was an emotional blood bath. Buffy is framed for the death of fellow slayer Kendra, expelled by Principal Snyder and thrown out of her house by her mother, Joyce, after she learns the full nature of her daughter's secret life. Willow nearly dies, Giles is tortured by Angelus and Spike joins team Buffy - this was the culmination of two seasons of phenomenal storytelling and one of the show's greatest episodes. But all that drama was nothing compared to the war between Buffy and Angelus. Her former lover awakens the apocalyptic demon Acathla and a dramatic sword fight between heroine and villain ends with Willow returning his soul, unbeknownst to Buffy. But it is too late; Acathla has already begun to suck the world in Hell. Angel has no recollection of what he has done and Buffy asks him to close his eyes; giving Angel one final, tearful kiss before Buffy runs a sword through him, killing Angel and sucking him into Hell to stop Acathla and save the world. Then just when the audiences thought it was all over, Buffy left Sunnydale, seemingly for good. It was a devastating cliffhanger that cemented Buffy The Vampire Slayer as one of the greatest shows ever committed to television.