As far as "Angel"....
To me Wesley's death was sadder because he got shanked up then asked Illyria "let me see her one last time" so she shape-shifted into Fred and told him she loved him right before he died. shyt was because you know he knew that really wasn't her.
On a side note I think Wesley has the GOAT on-screen character transformation, right there with Walter White. Dude went from being a nerdy failed Watcher on "Buffy" to being a complete bad ass on "Angel".
I guarantee Marvel sat Whedon down like "you can't be killing off characters left and right" when he signed for "The Avengers". A lot of these post-"Avengers" Whedon fans don't realize he was infamous for that shyt.
Fred.
Fred's death was what got me. Reason why is because her soul was completely annihalated once Illyria took over. No afterlife for her and no chance of returning.
Wesley got a raw deal too. He's in hell now because of the Wolfram and Hart contract.
u're def right about that. He went from barely knowing how to throw a punch and basically being a virgin to knocking down lilah, keeping that hoe chick in the closet, and bodying vampires and demons dolo. The best thing it wasnt a sudden change but in a period of like 2 seasons.
Not sad necessarily but some of the most memorable for me...
The Shield: Lem being blown up
24: Ryan Chappelle, George Mason, Palmer, Michelle
Lost: Charlie, Locke, Jin-Sun,
Breaking Bad: Gustavo Fring
Angel: Doyle, Cordelia, Fred
The Wire: Bodie, Wallace
Joss Whedon is king at this shyt. All his character's deaths never feel cheap, they feel hella impactful and completely change the dynamic of the shows. Angel is one of my favorite shows ever for this.