10 Greatest Cliffhangers In Movie Franchise History

8. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

"We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honoured dead. And yet it should be noted, in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human."

Star Trek II-IV delivered one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies of all time; even if people generally think of them as just part of a larger franchise. These three films tie together in a narrative that begins with Khan's vengeance against Kirk, charts the creation and destruction of Genesis, and ends with the crew saving Earth following the the destruction of the original Enterprise. Throughout this trilogy fans also witnessed the shocking death of Spock and his subsequent resurrection. In the thrilling climax of the battle with Khan, the titular villain of Star Trek II activates the Genesis device and the Enterprise is left stranded, about to obliterated by the blast. Spock makes the ultimate sacrifice, flooding his body with radiation as he seeks to repair the warp core and allow the ship to escape. It was a shocking climax to the film, ending with Spock's coffin being blasted into space. William Shatner delivered a powerful speech and the by the time the credits rolled, audiences were left devastated as one of the most beloved - and iconic - characters in sci-fi was dead. Given the title of the third Star Trek film (The Search For Spock) it didn't take a genius to know old pointy ears would find a way to live again - thanks to the Genesis planet's restorative qualities - but before then audiences had no idea that would happen. Few character deaths have had quite the impact of this cinematic cliffhanger.