5 most iconic Final Destination deaths ranked: the best kills before Bloodlines

Final Destination has carved out a niche of its own among legendary horror series—pun definitely intended. From a straightforward idea of cheating death, what evolved into a film epic was fate transforming the ordinary into a morbid dance of inevitability.

Not only did the franchise terrify us with its dramatic death sequences, but it also caused us to reevaluate commonplace scenarios, such as placing ourselves in close proximity to a glass window or driving behind a log truck.

There has never been a better opportunity to explore the most famous deaths that have tormented viewers for years than now, when Final Destination: Bloodlines has finally been released. Here are the top five kills that left their mark—and a little bit of trauma—on generations of horror fans.

Disclaimer: This ranking blends the author’s twisted sense of humor with the blood-soaked consensus of horror fans who still flinch at log trucks and tanning beds.

5. Candice’s gymnastics accident – Final Destination 5 (2011)

Candice Hooper (Ellen Wroe) didn’t just meet her demise: she became the poster child for how Final Destination could turn even the most disciplined athletic routine into a gruesome spectacle.

Picture this: a sunlit gym packed with aspiring young athletes, happily ignorant that a single misplaced screw and a storm of chalk dust may finish it all as they teeter on beams.

Every step Candice takes on the balancing beam feels like it might be her last, therefore the scene expertly creates tension. The menacing creaking of the machine, the unstable chalk bag on the edge, and a fan blowing the powder in erratic directions all combine to create a picture.

Though the buildup is unrelenting, the viewer knows something awful is about to happen. Her foot slips on the chalky surface just as you believe she is safe, propelling her to the ground. Brutal is the effect: her spine snaps in a nauseatingly realistic manner, exposing bone and eliciting a collective cry from onlookers.

The psychological disturbance the sequence causes, not only the bloodshed, defines this death as legendary. Trained to see background danger—broken equipment, exposed wires—we viewers know Candice's destiny reveals how Final Destination delights in overturning such assumptions.

You’re left wondering: was it the chalk, the screw, the fan, or just fate having a particularly bad day? It’s a masterclass in building anxiety, and to this day, it makes anyone walking into a gym a little more cautious.

4. Kat’s airbag impalement – Final Destination 2 (2003)

There’s something almost comedic about Kat Jennings (Keegan Connor Tracy) surviving a car crash, only to be killed by the very thing designed to save her. After enduring a highway pile-up that would make any driver sweat bullets, Kat finds herself trapped in her car, alive but undeniably shaken. Rescue workers arrive, and the situation seems under control—until it’s not.

Kat’s demise is an exercise in irony. A sharp metal pipe from the crash is lodged right behind her head, and any sudden jolt could send it through her skull. It’s a tense setup—viewers hold their breath as the firefighter attempts to extricate her from the wreckage. After that, without any prior notice, the airbag explodes with full force, causing Kat's head to be hurled directly into the pipe.

It is a brief and terrifying moment, which is accentuated by the sobering knowledge that safety devices may not always guarantee survival (plus, this is the kind of thing that actually happens more than it should in real life scenarios).

The genius of this scene lies in its timing. Just when the audience thinks the danger has passed, death strikes in the most unexpected way. Kat’s death epitomizes the cruel sense of humor that Final Destination has perfected: even when you think you’ve cheated death, it finds a way to claim its due.

3. Ashley and Ashlyn’s tanning bed tragedy – Final Destination 3 (2006)

Who knew that something as simple as a day at the tanning salon could turn into one of the most skin-crawling deaths in horror history? Ashley (Chelan Simmons) and Ashlyn (Crystal Lowe) just wanted a golden glow before their next big night out. Unfortunately, they got something much darker.

The setup is deceptively simple: the two friends hop into adjacent tanning beds, completely unaware that a freak series of events is about to unfold. A misplaced drink spills into the electrical system, causing a short circuit.

The temperature rises as the beds lock shut, trapping the girls inside. Panic sets in as they frantically bang on the glass, wanting to escape the situation. Both the physical pain of being burned alive and the overwhelming sense of helplessness contribute to making this death scene unforgettable.

Final Destination 3 didn’t just give us a grotesque kill. It gave us a cautionary tale. To this day, some fans admit they can’t step into a tanning bed without feeling a twinge of anxiety. The scene’s claustrophobic framing and the juxtaposition of a routine beauty regimen with lethal consequences make it an unshakable memory.

2. Flight 180 explosion – Final Destination (2000)

This was the beginning of everything: the tragic accident that occurred on Flight 180, which served as the foundation for the entire series. Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) has a terrible premonition of his plane exploding in the middle of the sky, and as a result of his terror, he and many other passengers end up leaving the plane.

Several moments later, his vision is realized when the airplane explodes in a fiery deathtrap, resulting in the deaths of all those who were on board.

The horrible sight is not the only thing that makes this death legendary; the psychological impact that it has on viewers is also a significant factor. The anxiety of flying now became about more than simply the possibility of experiencing turbulence or having the engine fail; it was about the entire idea of fate itself.

Although the film's depiction of the explosion is a sensory experience, the idea of narrowly escaping death is what truly stays with the viewer and stays with them the longest.

Rather than merely being the beginning of the franchise, this moment went on to become a cultural classic. There are still a lot of people who think of Final Destination whenever they are on a plane, and the unnerving concept of being able to see your own death before it actually occurs is still as powerful as it was in original.

1. Highway 23 pile-up – Final Destination 2 (2003)

If there’s one scene that cemented Final Destination as a franchise that truly understands primal fear, it’s the log truck disaster on Highway 23. The moment those logs break free and start hurtling toward unsuspecting cars, it’s pure nightmare fuel.

The reason this death is number one isn’t just because of its sheer brutality, but because it instilled a real-world phobia in countless viewers. To this day, there’s a generation of drivers who refuse to follow log trucks on the highway, all thanks to this film.

In contrast with the previous fatalities in the franchise, which are either imaginative or surprising, this one is based on a horrible truth. It’s not just a death scene; it’s a collective trauma shared by anyone who’s ever been stuck in traffic behind a truck loaded with timber.

Final thoughts on the more iconic death scenes of the Final Destination franchise

Final Destination doesn’t just kill off its characters. No, it messes with your mind long after the credits roll. Whether it's the sudden brutality of a gym disaster or the gut-wrenching fear of a highway pile-up, these fatalities are (in)famous because they combine commonplace circumstances with horrible twists. That's why they are so memorable.

Have we managed to pull off the most famous kills, or is there a particular scenario that continues to terrify you for as long as you close your eyes? Drop your pick in the comments and let the death debate begin!