Such are the situations of a tearful movie ending or a silence after the end of a TV-series that a sequel is usually considered. Final scenes have an interesting power to stay with the viewer long after he/she leaves the theater or switches off the TV. They are break of the heart, faith reinforcing, or speechless leaving, but anyway, these moments haunt us in the form of a rewatch, discussion, and memory. We compiled 10 unforgettable movie and TV endings that made the audience cry, shocked them, or felt completely in awe.
10. The Spinning Top in Inception
Christopher Nolan was serious about this. Cobb goes back home, he spins his top to check if he is still in a dream, and we don’t get to see the result. The screen goes dark. Is it reality? Is it a dream? The ending doesn’t explain to the viewer—it actually invites the viewer to decide for himself. Those intense discussions at 2 a.m. are to be expected.
9. An Empty Apartment in Friends
After a decade of coffee-fueled anarchy, the gang departs their legendary apartment for the final time. The camera pans over the empty, silent room—no joke, no song, only the wistful heft of farewell. Sometimes silence speaks volumes.
8. From the Trenches to the Poppies in Blackadder Goes Forth
A sitcom ending that breaks your heart? This one does. While the characters charge off to war, the sound of war gradually recedes into a vision of a serene poppy field. It’s a symbolism gut-punch—making comedy a moment of deep remembrance.
7. The Door Closes in The Godfather
A final glance. Kay stands outside, observing Michael wholly immersing himself in the life he vowed he wouldn’t. Then the door closes in her face—and ours. In a single stroke, Francis Ford Coppola closes Michael’s makeover and leaves us wondering at what price power is obtained.
6. Wanda and Vision’s Farewell in WandaVision
For a superhero series, this farewell comes achingly near to home. As Wanda delivers her last words to Vision, the moment mixes colossal imagery with naked human sorrow. Magic or otherwise, there is no such thing as losing what has been lost—and this one stings.
5. The Beach in The Shawshank Redemption
After all the hopeless nights and quiet acts of defiance, Andy and Red finally reunite on a sunlit beach. It’s the emotional exhale we’ve been waiting for, and proof that hope can survive the longest, darkest storms.
4. One Last Hug in The Golden Girls
Not all endings are tragic—some are exquisitely bittersweet. Dorothy’s departure after marrying Blanche’s uncle reduces her friends to tears, clinging a moment longer. It’s a goodbye clothed in gratitude and love.
3. Driving Into the Future in Six Feet Under
Claire embarks on the road trip, and as she drives, we flash forward to the eventual death of every character. It is horrific, but also in a weird way comforting—binding together the show’s whole reflection on life, death, and everything between.
2. “Here’s Looking at You, Kid” in Casablanca
Rick’s decision at the airport—to release Ilsa—is one of the greatest acts of sacrifice in cinema. The scene is bittersweet, dreamy, and indelible, with a final line that continues to send shivers.
1. Joel’s Ending in The Last of Us
Brutal. Heartbreaking. Unapologetic. Joel’s ultimate decisions make us grapple with love, tragedy, and what we’d sacrifice for the people we love. It’s not tidy—but that’s precisely why it lingers.
Why are these endings still remembered after such a long time? The major cause is that they are not only the final scenes. They are truth moments—short periods during which a story reveals its innermost to you and then shuts it forever. A finale can be the main character losing their mind all of a sudden, a door being slammed shut, or a hug that was waiting to happen; these occurrences offer us a moment that stands for the entire storyline.