20 Most Important Film Deaths This Decade

6. Severus Snape - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 (2011)

The Deathly Hallows Part 2 was everything the concluding movie in the Harry Potter saga needed to be: it was epic, emotional and delivered plenty of surprises along the way. One of the more crucial moments was the death of Alan Rickman's superb baddie Snape, after Voldemort informs him that he cannot tame the Elder Wand until Snape is dead. At that point, he orders his snake Nagini to kill Snape, biting him several times in rather disturbing fashion (though cleverly obscured from view to keep that precious 12A rating). Harry, Hermione and Ron hear this assault, and after Voldemort leaves, they check on Snape, who in his last words tells Harry to take his memories to the Pensieve. Snape expires, and it's only after his death that he is vindicated, as the truth about his ruse with Dumbledore is revealed. In the movie's epilogue, Harry says to his young son, "Albus Severus Potter, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was the bravest man I ever knew." A fitting tribute to one of the franchise's best and most beloved characters.