When it comes to Whedon deaths, it's generally the most surprising that are the most the shocking. Joyce relapsing after being 'cured' for example, or Penny's 'leaving' the room before Captain Hammer pulls the trigger. The death of Dollhouse's Bennett Halverson was even more surprising than these combined however, equally as shocking, but far too often neglected in terms of impact. Just because Topher's mind works so fast that his morality has trouble keeping up with it, that's not to say he is unfeeling or uncaring. If season one's Epitaph didn't remind us, the second surely hammered home that though it may seem buried deeper than the Dollhouse, he is still a good person somewhere underneath. So to finally find some solace from the chaos that surrounds you in the form of your ideal partner, both romantically and professionally (even if she is even more unhinged than most), only for her to be shot right in front of your eyes, must be unimaginable. Not that Topher is the only fan favourite to lose a loved one so suddenly, but it's hard to find another that was as vulnerable as he was. In fact there's probably a good argument that it was Whiskey's pulling the trigger which started his psychological demise seen in the later episodes.
