Via Metro

If you've followed a TV series or movie franchise for any length of time, it's hard not to get attached to some of the recurring characters. But because the primary focus of the producers is to entertain the fans through effective storytelling, sometimes the flow of a story requires some characters to die.

Even though we all know it's make-believe, the on-screen death of a character can break the hearts of fans especially if the actor or actress who portrayed the character did a pretty good job in making the character memorable. But getting that emotional reaction is often what the showrunners are aiming for because it will spike interest in the show or movie and generate online discussion.

Here are some character deaths that really hit the fans hard. Just be aware that there are a lot of spoilers ahead!

1 - Prim (The Hunger Games)

Via Lionsgate

Sure, there were a lot of deaths in the Hunger Games series. But Prim's death really hit hard because it happened just as the "good guys" were winning. In the books, Katniss was so affected by her sister's death that she even lost her voice for several days.

2 - Brooks (Shawshank Redemption)

Via Columbia Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The tragedy of Brooks' situation is that he has been in prison for such a long time that even after being released from prison, he couldn't adjust to living the life of a free man.

3 - Maes Hughes (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Via JNN

Maes was very relatable as a character and endeared fans with his often light-hearted and comedic interactions with the Elric brothers. That made his death all the more heartbreaking.

4 - Legion (Mass Effect 3)

Via BioWare / Electronic Arts/ YouTube

While Legion may have been a robot, he sacrificed his life for the greater good and proved he had a soul. It's hard not to be affected by that.

5 - Lee (The Walking Dead video game)

Via Telltale Games / YouTube

The Walking Dead franchise has been notorious for the deaths of some of its most popular characters so so the death of the game's protagonist shouldn't be surprising. But the way he died is enough to bring tears to the eyes.

6 - John Coffey (The Green Mile)

Via Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

He was mentally challenged but innocent of his crimes and had healing power, too. His death was tragic any way you look at it.

7 - Fred Weasley (Harry Potter)

Via Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The Harry Potter series started out as a light-hearted adventure and the twins with their fun pranks exemplified that. That's why Fred's death shocked a lot of the fans.

8 - Rosie (Jojo Rabbit)

Via Searchlight Pictures

How Rosie met her end is tragic especially after she was doing something good. But such was the peril of sheltering Jews in Nazi Germany.

9 - Poussey (Orange Is the New Black)

Via Netflix

Poussey's death as a result of trying to help her friend makes one think about how much the prison system seems to just swallow everyone in it, heart and soul.

10 - Ben Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

Via Netflix

Although Ben was already dead even before Season 1 started, his continuing presence as a ghost and greater screentime in Season 2 saw fans warming up to him. So it was a shock when he died his "final" death at the end of Season 2.

11 - Shireen Baratheon (Game of Thrones)

Via HBO

Watching how far her father would go for the sake of power was truly shocking. And the scene as she headed to her fate was painful to watch.

12 - Ellie (Up)

Via Disney

She only shows up at the beginning of the movie to set up the basis of Carl's story. But even without words, you can feel how much her loss affected him.

13 - Boromir (The Lord of the Rings)

Via New Line Cinema

From a misguided desire to use the One Ring to sacrificing himself to save Frodo and Sam, who couldn't empathize with the tragic tale of Boromir?

14 - Opie (Sons of Anarchy)

Via Prashant Gupta / FX / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The sudden death of a series regular would shock any fan. But his death did set up the tone for how the rest of the story went and that's what showrunner Kurt Sutter was going for. He didn't do this lightly, though.

15 - Stanley Mellish (Saving Private Ryan)

Via DreamWorks

Soldiers who go into war know that they face death at any turn. Still, the gruesome and up close and personal death that Stanley experienced can be shocking to viewers.

16 - Cedric Diggory (Harry Potter)

Via Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Harry Potter's struggle against Voldemort has cost many lives, starting with Cedric who was killed during Voldemort's resurrection.

17 - D'Angelo Barksdale (The Wire)

Via HBO

With D'Angelo getting a lot of screentime, fans started to root for the guy. Unfortunately, the flow of the story required that he kick the bucket.

18 - Rue (The Hunger Games)

Via Lionsgate

Watching a young girl die is traumatic enough. But when Katniss starts singing to her as she fades away, it's hard not to get affected.

19 - Marley (Marley and Me)

Via 20th Century Fox / Courtesy: Everett Collection

It doesn't matter that the film is supposed to be a comedy. If it involves a dog's death, expect a river of tears to follow!