7 Times a character played by Pedro Pascal dies in a movie or TV show

Sayan
2024 Sundance Film Festival - "Freaky Tales" Premiere - Source: Getty
Pedro Pascal (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Pedro Pascal has played characters who protect, betray, lead, and die. Most people now know him as the tough father figure in shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us. But long before those roles, he was the guy who usually never made it to the end of the episode. His earlier career is packed with performances where he gets taken out fast and sometimes in ways you don’t forget.

He has been stabbed in the head, shot in the chest, crushed by bare hands, and tossed off towers. In one film, he gets fed into a meat grinder. In another, he takes a corkscrew to the neck. He has died as a vampire and as a corrupt agent. Each time, the role might be short, but the death is impactful.

Pascal became famous later, but he paid his dues by playing characters who went out hard and fast. These roles may not have lasted long, but they stuck with people. He brought charm to side characters, and even when the script killed him off, he made sure the scene hit.

Here are seven times Pedro Pascal’s characters died in wild and brutal fashion and why they still stand out.


7 Times a character played by Pedro Pascal dies in a movie or TV show

1. Game of Thrones (2014) – Skull Crushed

Pedro Pascal in Game of Thrones (Image via HBO)
Pedro Pascal in Game of Thrones (Image via HBO)

Pedro Pascal plays Oberyn Martell. He is a prince from Dorne who arrives in King's Landing to seek justice for his sister’s death. His charisma makes him a fan favorite quickly. He challenges Gregor Clegane to a trial by combat. He fights with speed and precision and wounds the Mountain. But he delays the final blow. He wants a confession.

The delay becomes a mistake. The Mountain knocks him down and drives his thumbs into Oberyn’s eyes. He crushes Oberyn’s skull with his bare hands in front of a shocked crowd. Blood spills onto the ground.

This death becomes one of the most unforgettable scenes in television. It flips a near-victory into sudden horror. It impacts the story by condemning Tyrion to death and leaves Dorne craving revenge. For Pascal, this single season role changes everything. It puts him on the radar for bigger roles and proves his screen presence is unmatched.


2. The Equalizer 2 (2018) – Stabbed and Thrown Off a Watchtower

Pedro Pascal in The Equalizer 2 (Image via Sony Pictures Releasing)
Pedro Pascal in The Equalizer 2 (Image via Sony Pictures Releasing)

Pedro Pascal plays Dave York. He is a former CIA agent who turns into a contract killer. He helps plan the murder of Susan Plummer, a close friend of Robert McCall. York pretends to be clean but works behind the scenes.

McCall confronts him during a storm in a coastal town. The two fight inside a crumbling watchtower. McCall gains the upper hand and stabs York multiple times. He then throws him from the top of the tower. York’s body crashes against the rocks below.

This moment closes out the film’s personal vendetta. It ties back to earlier betrayals and brings justice full circle. It matters because York is not a random villain. He is someone McCall once trusted. Pascal brings quiet menace to the role and sells the shift from ally to enemy. The death is harsh and permanent. It shows how easily trust can turn fatal in this world.


3. Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) – Meat Grinder Death

Pedro Pascal in Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Image via 20th Century Studios)
Pedro Pascal in Kingsman: The Golden Circle (Image via 20th Century Studios)

Pedro Pascal plays Agent Whiskey. He works for the Statesman and fights alongside Eggsy and Harry for most of the film. He charms everyone with confidence and old-school cowboy style. But his intentions are not pure.

He reveals his real agenda near the end. He wants to let a deadly virus wipe out all drug users. He believes it will fix the world. Eggsy and Harry stop him during the final fight. After a brutal hand-to-hand battle, they overpower him.

Whiskey is slammed face-first into a meat grinder. The death is gory and over-the-top. It shocks even in a movie known for chaos. The moment stands out because it mixes violence with dark humor. Pascal gives Whiskey enough depth to make him more than a villain. His death is not just punishment. It is the result of twisted logic taken too far. It proves that good looks and charm mean nothing if the cause is rotten.


4. Drive-Away Dolls (2024) – Decapitated

Pedro Pascal in Drive-Away Dolls (Image via Focus Features, Universal Pictures)
Pedro Pascal in Drive-Away Dolls (Image via Focus Features, Universal Pictures)

Pedro Pascal plays Santos. He shows up in the first scene and never makes it out alive. He carries a strange briefcase filled with sex toys modeled after powerful people. He stops at a run-down motel and draws unwanted attention.

A bartender confronts him with quiet rage. Santos tries to talk his way out, but it fails. The bartender stabs him in the neck with a corkscrew. He then gouges out his eyes and begins to saw off his head with a hacksaw. The film cuts away, but his decapitated head shows up later.

This moment is quick and nasty. It sets the tone for the rest of the movie. The violence is ridiculous but not meaningless. It’s a direct jab at people who trade in secrets. The death also mirrors a scene from Game of Thrones. That makes it an inside joke for longtime fans. It’s short, sickening, and unforgettable.


5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1999) – Staked After Becoming a Vampire

Pedro Pascal in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (image via UPN, WB)
Pedro Pascal in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (image via UPN, WB)

Pedro Pascal plays Eddie. He is a new student at Sunnydale University. He meets Buffy during orientation and comes off as friendly and honest. They talk about school pressures and seem to connect.

But Eddie never shows up again. Buffy finds out he was attacked by a gang of vampires. He returns with a blank face and a cold tone. He tries to attack her. She fights back and quickly stabs him in the chest.

This happens in the very first episode of Season 4. It marks a shift in Buffy’s world. College is not a fresh start. Danger follows her everywhere. Eddie’s death is the first reminder. For Pascal, this is one of his earliest TV roles. He makes the most of the few scenes. He plays a likable guy who turns deadly. It is fast and brutal. The impact comes from how normal Eddie seemed right before the turn.


6. Gladiator II (2024) – Shot With Arrows

Pedro Pascal in Gladiator II (Image via Paramount Pictures)
Pedro Pascal in Gladiator II (Image via Paramount Pictures)

Pedro Pascal plays General Marcus Acacius. He serves the Roman Empire and is married to Lucilla. He becomes a stepfather figure to Lucius, the film’s main hero. But their relationship is strained by the past.

Lucius believes Acacius had a role in his wife’s death. The tension builds until the emperors order them to fight in the arena. Acacius refuses. He chooses not to kill Lucius in front of the Roman crowd. That act of defiance costs him.

The emperors order his execution. Archers fill his body with arrows until he collapses. The scene is painful and public. It shows what happens when a soldier values honor over orders. His death becomes a turning point for Lucius. It also shows how corrupt the empire has become. Pascal gives Acacius quiet strength. He plays a man trying to protect what little good he sees left. The death is slow and symbolic. It means something.


7. Bloodsucking Bastards (2015) – Stabbed in the Head and Heart

Pedro Pascal in Bloodsucking Bastards (Image via Scream Factory)
Pedro Pascal in Bloodsucking Bastards (Image via Scream Factory)

Pedro Pascal plays Max Phillips. He is a new manager at a corporate office. He looks slick and sounds smart. But something is off. People start disappearing. Soon, it becomes clear. Max is a vampire.

He turns the workplace into a feeding ground. Employees are converted into vampires or killed. The remaining humans plan a last stand. Max is powerful and confident. He mocks the survivors and prepares to crush them.

During the final battle, someone stabs him in the skull with a sharp object. As he reels, they drive a stake through his heart. He explodes into a huge splash of blood and dust. The death is loud and ridiculous. It fits the movie’s tone. The scene wraps up a horror comedy that pokes fun at office life. Pascal plays Max with full energy. He mixes menace with charm. His death ends the madness. It also adds to his long list of unforgettable exits.


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Edited by Nimisha