4. "The Gift" Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Killing off your central character must be such a difficult thing to do especially with a character as iconic as Buffy, because the audience expects so much, especially if the series has already had so many epic moments already. The death needs to really stand out above everything else, and "The Gift", the last episode of season 5 is a perfect example of this. Joss Whedon, as said previously, loves to kill off his characters, and a lot of us would probably never be able to forgive him if it wasn't for how good he was at crafting these scenes. For those that haven't seen the episode, Buffy and her gang of friends are running out of time to stop the impending apocalypse. Buffy's sister has been kidnapped by a super-powerful god in a human body, who plans to use her sister's blood to open every demon dimension, so Glory (the god) can return back to her own hell dimension, leaving earth in chaos as she goes. Her friends suggest killing her sister before Glory can, if it means saving the earth, but Buffy plans on protecting her by all means, and even admits she will kill any of her friends who try to stop her from saving the life of her sister. In the end, Buffy realizes, after her sisters blood has been used to open the hell dimensions, that she can sacrifice her own life to close the portal and save the world. This whole episode (and season) is immensely powerful, and beautifully crafted, written and directed by Whedon himself. From the very beginning, which shows a twenty second montage of scenes showing parts of every episode of the show and of Buffy's journey leading up to this final showdown; to the end, where Buffy makes the ultimate sacrifice, and leaps to her death over a wonderful score that has ever since held a place in my heart by Christoph Beck. Buffy is such a great character who deserved so much more than to die (though she does come back), and her sacrifice to save the world, and the way she is at peace with the idea of her own death, makes you respect the character that much more. Sarah Michelle Gellar, and the rest of the cast for that matter, have rarely acted an episode better. This is one of the best episodes of television of all time. For those that are welling up at just the thought, I leave you with the touching but slightly humorous inscription on her tombstone which closes the episode: Buffy Anne Summers. Beloved Sister. Devoted Friend. She Saved The World A Lot.