The world has a love-hate relationship with TV shows. Show writers love to tease and anger their audiences by messing with characters they know to be fan-favorites. The list of TV characters who deserved better endings is infinite, but here are some of the most egregious examples:
1. Klaus Mikaelson: “The Originals”
Klaus Mikaelson is a TV “villain,” but long-time fans of “The Originals” and the “The Vampire Diaries” know that Klaus’ true moral leanings are more complex. Despite his misdeeds, all he really wants is to be loved. Throughout the show, the audience recognizes that Klaus isn’t as evil as the world paints him to be; if anything, it seems like the writers created the show around Klaus’ redemption arc. Klaus’ villainous behavior stems from his father’s history of abuse; he was hunted down by his own father, and did whatever he had to in order to survive. Immortality was forced upon him, and he struggles with it throughout the course of the show. However, when Klaus finds out he is going to have a daughter, he tries to become a better person for her. He will do anything to protect her, as any good parent would. Furthermore, when his siblings doubt him, he always fights to be the kind of person they can love and believe in.
2. Chuck Bass: “Gossip Girl“
Chuck Bass is type of TV character who had to develop before becoming a fan-favorite, but once the viewers got his backstory, he quickly became everyone’s character of choice. His dad was abusive and never gave Chuck the love he deserved, causing Chuck to rebel by drinking and throwing parties. He also lied to Chuck and told him that his mother was dead, only for Chuck to discover that she was alive all along. Later on, when Chuck attempts to reconnect with her, she leaves and claims that she isn’t his real mother. Moreover, in later seasons he must watch Blair — the woman he’s in love with — fall in love with someone else, just as he had planned to propose to her. Despite ultimately getting a happy ending Chuck must experience a great deal of turmoil to get there.
3. Stefan Salvatore: “The Vampire Diaries”
Though Stefan Salvatore certainly has his moments, he always manages to find his way back and become a better version of himself. In an attempt to escape his abusive father, his mother abandoned him and his brother by faking her own death. Since Stefan had a close relationship with his mother, her death took an enormous toll on him. So naturally, when he finds out that she is alive centuries later, he’s overjoyed to see her again and ready to rebuild their relationship. Nevertheless, he gets hurt all over again when he finds out that his mother has a new family and wants nothing to do with him or his brother.
Stefan also has to deal with the trauma of being a ripper — a vampire known for taking the lives of innocent people — which haunts him to such a degree that he writes their names on a wall and relives their murders over and over again. Stefan must suppress his humanity multiple times throughout the show to deal with the emotional injury he experiences. The writers did Stefan and the viewers especially dirty by killing him off; he died in the series finale shortly after marrying the love of his life. Even though his death saves the entire town, he never truly gets the happy ending he deserves.
4. Eddie Munson: “Stranger Things”
After its premiere in 2016, Stranger Things quickly became one of the most popular programs on Netflix. The show is packed with lovable characters, but Eddie Munson, who was introduced in the most recent season, holds the title of the “most beloved.” Eddie is a twenty-year-old high school student who was held back several times and really wants to graduate. Because he is the leader of The Hellfire Club, he is considered a weirdo, and is consequently falsely accused of murdering a character named Chrissy. However, Eddie actually feels responsible for Chrissy’s death, and carries that guilt with him until his final moments in the show. Eddie is killed off during a guitar solo in “The Upside Down” in a performance dedicated to Chrissy. As Eddie dies, he utters his final line, “I didn’t run away this time, right?” Despite never feeling like he was good enough, Eddie’s final moments immortalize him as one of the most heroic characters in “Stranger Things.”
5. Conrad Fisher: “The Summer I Turned Pretty“
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” book series, by Jenny Han, recently became an Amazon Prime show. The show features a love triangle between two brothers and their childhood best friend: Belly. Fans of the book are split between Team Conrad and Team Jeremy, and since the release of the show, Team Conrad has grown. Conrad is dark and brooding, and carries a great deal of emotional baggage. He must hide that his mother is dying of cancer to protect his brother, but when Jeremy finds out, he takes it out on Conrad. As a result, many fans consider Conrad to be a jerk, despite his inner pain. He wanted to be with Belly as much as Jeremy, but couldn’t because he didn’t believe he was good enough for her. His tendency to put others before himself ultimately leaves him hurt and alone.
