10 Heartbreaking Times Lead Characters Left TV Shows
4. Charlie Pace - Lost
Charlie is probably the furthest the list strays from bona fide lead characters. Like Community, Lost was an ensemble show, but Charlie weren’t as central a part of that ensemble as Troy was in Community. Jack, Sawyer and Kate were arguably bigger characters, but Charlie was in every single episode of the show until his departure, so that should be more than enough to qualify him as a lead.
Though Lost had many, many twists and turns along the way, Charlie’s story was relatively simple and relatable. A former rock star and current heroin addict, Charlie overcomes his addiction and depression on the island, growing into a stronger person.
Similar to Sawyer, he began as one of the least likeable characters but evolved into one of the most popular by his death in Season Three.
His death is a selfless sacrifice, locking himself in a room filling with water to save the others from the same fate. His final act is to scrawl ‘Not Penny’s Boat’ on his hand, to warn Desmond that they’ve been tricked.
With multiverses and alternate timelines in play, Charlie does return for a handful of episodes, but this is his real, heartbreaking departure.