10 TV Character Deaths Fans Still Aren't Over

Sons of Anarchy was a drama made up of tragic characters, but perhaps none were quite as doomed as Opie Winston, the best friend of series protagonist Jax Teller and one of the most loyal and emotionally strong figures on the show.

During his four-and-a-bit season stint in the series, Opie lost his wife, father and hope to the very club he refused to betray or leave behind. With the tragedies mounting around him, it became clear as the show went on that his days were numbered.

In jail at the beginning of season five, Jax, Chibs, Tig and Opie were told one of them would have to die to appease their recent foe Damon Pope, and though Jax was more than willing to sacrifice himself for his friends, Opie gave himself up and the others were forced to watch him get beaten to death by a prison gang.

In a lot of ways, Opie's death signalled the true beginning of Jax's eventual downfall, and despite being a bitter pill to swallow, his final stand was still one of the best and most affecting moments of the show.