10 TV Characters Whose Fates Are Never Resolved

FX's hit cop drama The Shield boasts perhaps the most integrity-filled series finale in TV history, completely eschewing sentimentality in favour of a more realistic - and yes, bleak as hell - ending for all of the show's focal characters.

And perhaps no single character's fate is more agonising than that of Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell), the most soft-spoken member of Vic Mackey's (Michael Chiklis) corrupt Strike Team, though an undeniably intelligent and resourceful police officer in his own right.

In the final episode, however, Ronnie ends up arrested for his part in the Strike Team's myriad criminal activities throughout the years, due to Vic running down all of their dirty deeds in order to secure immunity for himself and safety for his estranged family.

The last time we see Ronnie, he's being walked away in cuffs while attempting to assault a distraught Vic.

The immediate implication is that Ronnie will go to prison for a very long time (if not life) and effectively face the most prolonged punishment of the entire Strike Team, despite ironically being its most careful and well-guarded member.

Then again, it's possible Ronnie will quickly find himself a target of imprisoned drug kingpin Antwon Mitchell (Anthony Anderson), given his prior crossing of paths with the Strike Team.

Though it's clear Ronnie's fate isn't a happy one, it's just a case of whether he lives the rest of his life in jail, gets an early release for good behaviour down the line, or simply gets shanked for his trouble shortly after going behind bars.