10 Most Shocking Moments In Spooks
5. Farewell To Ruth
Nicola Walker's Ruth Evershed had one of the most touching roles in the show. At first, she was desperate to fit in at Section D before becoming the emotional backbone of the team and the one constant in Harry Pearce's life, so much so that they had harboured hopes of marrying and retiring from the Security Service together.
Even though it was clear that tragedy was looming at the end of Series 10, Ruth's death was one of the most profoundly upsetting moments in the entire show.
Having thwarted the threat posed by an extremist group of Russian nationalists, Harry and Ruth looked set to put MI5 behind them and embark on a new life together. However, out of nowhere, enraged Russian agent, Sasha Gavrik (John Weston-Holmes) barged in on their tender moment, accidentally stabbing Ruth when he had actually meant to kill Harry for allowing his father to murder his mother. Whilst the Section D team rallied to try and save Ruth, she passed away in Harry's arms.
It was a truly fitting ending to the show, as Harry returns to Thames House and views its memorial wall, seeing the names of all those who have died in the line of duty, before the latest name to join them is revealed: Ruth Evershed. Despite her death, Ruth remained a key plot point in the 2015 film, Spooks: The Greater Good.