10 Great Movies Where The Villain Kills The Hero

8. Braveheart

Braveheart Mel Gibson
Paramount Pictures

As the true history of William Wallace would have revealed well before the movie came out, there was no happy ending for the Scottish freedom fighter. But, swept up in the romance of his story - both in terms of his close personal relationships and his defiance of the villainous English nobility - it was impossible not to feel hope that he could somehow change history.

After all, it's hardly a film that prides itself too much on historical accuracy...

But in the end, after all the "Freedom" shouting is done and pasty backsides have been bared defiantly, Wallace comes to a sticky end at the hands of the very men he seeks to defend his people against. And boy, do they do a number on him, hanging, drawing and quartering him as the crowd begs for mercy on his behalf. Affected, the magistrate gives Wallace a chance to beg for mercy and receive a quick death, only for the hero to scream "Freedom" stirringly and has his head chopped off.

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