5 Horror Movie Characters Who Should Have Died (And 5 We Wish Hadn’t)

While Heather Langenkamp did eventually return for the meta-horror Wes Craven's New Nightmare, her character's tragic death in the third Nightmare on Elm Street film still stings.

Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, set in a psychiatric ward for disturbed children, is arguably the best sequel in the entire franchise, featuring seriously creative and gruesome deaths, and starring an excellent cast of young actors.

However, the film also features one of the most tragic deaths in the franchise: Nancy Thompson (Langenkamp), the original final girl of the Nightmare on Elm Street series, finally meets her maker.

After Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) tricks her by masquerading as one of the patients, Nancy is fatally wounded by the sadistic boogeyman. Bravely mustering the strength to stab Freddy with his own glove, Nancy ostensibly kills the depraved murderer, before succumbing to her own wounds.

This death scene is undeniably tragic, as Nancy dies in the arms of one of the inmates. One of horror's most iconic final girls, Nancy's death is as shocking as it is devastating. Furthermore, Freddy, of course, later returns to kill again (and again and again), rendering Nancy's tragic death even more futile.