Slow Horses is a spy thriller Apple TV+ series released on April 1, 2022. Based on Slough House novels by Mick Herron, the series revolves around a team of MI5 officers who have each committed serious mistakes in their careers. They are punished by being sent to a dead-end department called Slough House, where unsuccessful spies are shoved aside.
Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) sits at the helm of this gang of misfits. He can be described as a walking disaster: grumpy, sharp-tongued, and quick-tempered. Yet, somehow, he is always the sharpest one in the room. The show mashes up dark comedy with all the twists and suspense you would expect from a proper spy flick.
As of September 2025, Slow Horses has aired four seasons. Season 5 is dropping on September 24, 2025. Plus, Season 6 and Season 7 have been locked in too.
From day one, this show has made it clear that nobody is safe. Even the big shots get taken out in the nastiest, most jaw-dropping ways. Just when you think someone is untouchable, they’re gone, and the story is heading in some new direction. These deaths aren’t just there to make you gasp; they’re a brutal little reminder that the spy game is dangerous, bloody, and no one has a guaranteed ticket to the finale.
Out of all the casualties of the show, five deaths could be characterized as the most unexpected, emotional, and influential to the plot. These are the most outrageous of them, and why they matter.
Five shocking deaths in Slow Horses
1. Alan Black

Alan Black, who poses as an undercover agent called “Moe,” turns out to be an MI5 informer within the extremist group Sons of Albion. His death is one of the most graphic moments in Slow Horses. In one of the tense stand-offs, he is unexpectedly attacked by Curly, a paranoid and unpredictable group member, who decapitates him on-screen.
This scene hits you with no warning or buildup. The shock value is off the charts, but it’s a crystal-clear sign that these extremists are unpredictable and about three seconds from flying off the handle at any moment. The sudden murder flips the whole story. Now, everyone is scrambling, making desperate moves, and you feel how dangerous deep-cover espionage is.
2. Jed Moody

The killing of Jed Moody in Season 1 reflects the unusual blend of dark humour and actual threat of the Slow Horses. Following his betrayal of Jackson Lamb, Moody engages in a drunken brawl with fellow agents, Min Harper and Louisa Guy. The fight culminates with Moody falling down the stairs and snapping his neck.
The death itself is not as shocking as the absurdity and futility of it. Rather than a professional assassination or a heart-pounding spy-at-spy confrontation, the betrayal of Moody ends in an awkward accident. It is one of those scenes that mirrors the style of the show the most: amusing in a darker manner, but lethal in its implications. His demise also sets the tone of Slow Horses, where even accidents can lead to fatal outcomes.
3. Sid Baker

The destiny of Sid Baker in Season 1 is among the most mysterious in Slow Horses. She is shot by a masked assailant who was after another agent. Although she manages to survive the attack, she dies later in the hospital. However, since the show does not show her death explicitly, it took the fans a long time to understand that she was actually dead.
What makes Sid’s exit especially poignant is its abruptness and the confusion that ensued after her shooting. Being a disgraced yet gifted agent, she brought a new dimension to the team of Slough House, and her absence is felt strongly. This unresolved conclusion keeps her plot alive in fan theories, and her possible return contributes to the suspense and the mystery.
4. Marcus Longridge

The killing of Marcus Longridge (Kadiff Kirwan) at the finale of Season 4 is one of the most emotional moments of Slow Horses. In one of the fierce shootouts in Slough House, Marcus is shot dead by an assassin named Patrice when he attempts to save Shirley and the other people.
The sincerity of this moment is what makes it strike so hard. The death of Marcus is not ironic or accidental; it is heroic. The fact that he decided to intervene for his teammates demonstrates that he was loyal and courageous, which makes his death seem personal to both the characters and the audience. The scene was acclaimed by fans and critics alike due to its emotional impact and was described as one of the strongest moments in Slow Horses.
5. Charles Partner

The death of Charles Partner (James Faulkner) initially seems to be a suicide, but it turns out that he was killed by Jackson Lamb under the directives of the grandfather of River Cartwright, David. Partner, a former high-ranking MI5 officer, was actually a double agent for Moscow. His murder was not only punitive, but it also kept potentially dangerous secrets.
The shock lies not only in the reality of his death but also in the meaning. It demonstrates the extent to which MI5 officials can go to clean up after themselves. The murder of a Partner triggers the waves of betrayal, mistrust, and revenge that shape the series. It pushes one of the major themes of Slow Horses: loyalty is a weak thing in the world of spies, and betrayal may be fatal.