The Terror has the most ‘brutal’ death scene ever seen on Netflix
AMCSince landing on Netflix, The Terror has been terrifying audiences all over again, not least thanks to a truly brutal death scene.
There are many factors that make AMC’s horror series so chilling, from its haunting Arctic setting to the gripping narrative, based on Dan Simmons’ 2007 novel of the same name.
But most sinister of all is that it’s based on the real-life doomed 19th-century Franklin Expedition to the Canadian Arctic, which saw the crews of ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror perish.
While it’s widely presumed they died due to the harsh environments and dwindling food supply, The Terror masterfully combines historical events with supernatural elements. Warning: spoilers ahead!
As for Captain Sir John Franklin, in real life, he died suddenly on board the HMS Erebus on June 11, 1847, aged 61. In the TV show, however, he (Ciarán Hinds) meets a gruesome end at the hands of the Tuunbaq – the horrifying bear spirit that’s been stalking the crew.
In Episode 3, ‘The Ladder’, the crew ruthlessly dump the body of the Inuit shaman they accidentally killed, failing to show respect or follow the customs (despite pleas from his daughter).
The team, led by Franklin, later attempts to lure the creature with their bait, believing it’s a polar bear. But in a shocking act of revenge, the Tuunbaq pulls one of the men from their hiding spot before turning its attention to Franklin.
As the HMC Terror team approaches, Franklin reaches towards them in desperation only to be pulled away by the creature (which is never shown on screen).
He’s thrust towards the edge of the makeshift grave with his leg having been ripped off, bleeding out on the snow in horror.
Attached to a rope, he’s pushed into the ice hole and left dangling there, where he considers his life (and perhaps his failings). Eventually, the rope gives way and he falls to his icy death – in the same spot as the shaman.
After a period of grieving, the remaining crew hold a funeral using the only remains they could salvage: Franklin’s leg. It’s one of the most brutal death scenes ever shown on Netflix, and many fans of the series agree.
Taking to Reddit, one wrote about the sequence in question, “The Terror has, I kid you not, the most terrifying death sequence I’ve seen in any horror medium.
“The veracity of the kill, the brutality, and, perhaps most Lovecraftian, the sheer indifference towards human life from the killer is something yet to be replicated in any show or movie imo. It’s absolutely gut wrenching.”
Another said, “The music during that moment still haunts me today.”
“I found Franklin’s death pitiable, sad, and horrifying, and it was honestly the moment in the show where I felt it lived up to its name for the first time,” added a third.
“Poor Franklin is still processing all the terrible things happening to him even as he dies and wishes desperately for it all to be a dream.”
If you, like many others, want to listen to the haunting composition that plays out during Franklin’s gruesome end, Redditor Practical-Iron-9065 put together the sequence:
The Terror Season 1 is streaming on Netflix now. For more real-life tales, check out all the true crime and documentaries out this month. You can also catch up on new TV shows coming up and movies to add to your watchlist.