10 Great Movies Where The Villain Kills The Hero

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Considering the fact that Harrison Ford had asked for Han Solo to be killed off decades before he was brought back in to the franchise for The Force Awakens, it shouldn't really have come as that much of a surprise when he succumbed in JJ Abrams' franchise awakener.

But it was the manner of the veteran character's death that marks it out as shocking, as he was killed by his own son as part of Ben Solo's dark evolution into Kylo Ren. His death was another step in the young man's attempt to realise his assumed destiny, and while it was difficult to watch, you can't criticise the bravery.

After all, The Force Awakens was about moving away from the past, and killing off arguably the most beloved heroic charcter in such a manner was as effective as it was savage. And it was also a hell of a way to dispel those rumours that Ben might actually be redeemable. There's no fluly coming back from that sort of abherration, after all.

Which other heroes who end up being killed by the villain deserve to be on this list? Share your own picks below in the comments thread.