Vote for 2016's Most Painful TV Death

Yahoo TV Staff
(Credit: FX/AMC/HBO/The CW/Netflix)
(Credit: FX/AMC/HBO/The CW/Netflix)

It’s time for the Yahooies, Yahoo TV’s second annual reader-voted awards honoring the best — and sometimes worst — of 2016. Each day from Dec. 5 to Dec. 16, we will announce the nominees for one category, with an accompanying poll. The winners will be crowned Monday, Dec. 19.

The nominees for Most Painful Death are…

Annet Mahendru as Nina (Credit: Jessica Miglio/FX)
Annet Mahendru as Nina. (Credit: Jessica Miglio/FX)

Nina Sergeevna, The Americans (Watch)
Nina had survived so much, for so long, avoiding what seemed like a certain death sentence after getting caught double-agenting with Stan Beeman, and then rebounding into triple-agent work and an affair with co-worker Oleg Burov. But after being betrayed by Stan and used by the KGB, Nina’s original treason against her country caught up with her, and this beautiful woman who had managed to look graceful even inside a grim, isolated prison room was shot in the back of the head and dumped into a burlap bag. —Kimberly Potts

Kristian Nairn as Hodor (Credit: HBO)
Kristian Nairn as Hodor. (Credit: HBO)

Hodor, Game of Thrones (Watch)
Game of Thrones’ gentle giant met a most ungentle end, torn to pieces by White Walkers as his charge, Bran, is spirited away into the night. And the worst part is that Hodor knew it was coming: Thanks to Bran’s warg powers, he’s had the command to “Hold the door!” reverberating in his head since boyhood, and those words became his name and sealed his fate. Move over, Superman — it takes a real man of steel to live with that knowledge. —Ethan Alter

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Lexa (Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW)
Alycia Debnam-Carey as Lexa. (Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW)

Lexa,The 100 (Watch)
Not only was the death of the Commander of the 12 Clans unexpected, it was a stupid accident — not a fitting exit for the fierce, strong, smart warrior who united all the Grounders. Even worse, Lexa died after finally consummating her relationship with Clarke, and that sparked outrage among fans who felt the death fed the “Bury Your Gays” trope (when LGBTQ characters are killed off, often right after having sex). Lexa was a fighter and a lover, and she deserved better. —Kelly Woo

Samira Wiley as Poussey (Credit: Netflix)
Samira Wiley as Poussey. (Credit: Netflix)

Poussey Washington, Orange Is the New Black (Watch)
Smart, kind Poussey was one of the Litchfield residents who made it her business to avoid much of the drama her fellow inmates embraced. After finding personal happiness with girlfriend Soso, Poussey’s friendship with celeb chef Judy King led to the promise of an opportunity to get her career on track after being released from Litchfield — which made her accidental suffocation death in the peaceful protest-turned-riot one of the series’ most tragic events. —KP

Michael Cudlitz as Abraham, Steven Yeun as Glenn (Credit: Gene Page/AMC)
Michael Cudlitz as Abraham, Steven Yeun as Glenn. (Credit: Gene Page/AMC)

Abraham Ford and Glenn Rhee, The Walking Dead (Watch)
There have been plenty of deaths — big deaths — on the show before, but these two still have fans reeling. Is it because they were arguably the kindest (Glenn) and funniest (Abraham) characters, played by fan favorite actors (Steven Yeun and Michael Cudlitz)? That’s part of it, but what makes them especially tragic is what lay ahead for both: impending fatherhood for Glenn, and a plan by Abraham to pour some Bisquick batter of his own with new love Sasha. —KP

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