Marvel's The Punisher: 10 Best Moments

5. Billy Kills Sam (Episode 8, "Cold Steel")

Easily the series' most heartbreaking moment was the savage murder of Dinah Madan's DHS partner Sam Stein at the hands of Billy Russo, after Dinah and Sam found themselves being flanked by Anvil soldiers during their investigation.

Though Sam initially seems to get the drop on Russo, he manages to pull a concealed blade and stab Sam to death, escaping just as Dinah arrives and tries to keep Sam alive. Moments later, though, he slips away.

Sam was, like Micro, one of the series' few truly likeable characters, and though he wasn't especially well-developed, Michael Nathanson did a great job portraying him throughout, all the way up to his thoroughly unpleasant and upsetting demise.

Sam's death was highly effective in cementing Russo's villainy, with the added wrinkle that Dinah wasn't aware of him being responsible.