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Zafar Younis: Spooks most grizzly death
I know the public has already voted on this one (linked article contains S8 spoiler); the deep fat fryer death of Helen Flynn in season one is Spooks most shocking death. Is it? Allow me the indulgence of playing with semantics here by finessing the question a little; who endured Spooks most grizzly death? In answer to this question I think the demise of another beloved character steals top spot. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that the death of Zafar Younis was the most gruesome. And not by a whisker but by a long shot – even though he didn’t make the top five of the aforementioned poll!
My favourite on screen death in Spooks (wow, that felt like a really perverse thing to say) was Ben Kaplan’s murder in season 7, because it was so unexpected and ruthless; and the weapon! Good lord! But from the point of view of how characters have actually died, rather than what we get to see on screen, I think Zafar wins hands down. Here’s why:
Zafar’s death was prolonged and painful. First he gets shot, then the plague mimicking virus starts taking hold, then he’s taken by a terrorist group and horrendously tortured for intelligence – but wait, there’s more – he is then sold on to another group and tortured again. In the hands of this group, Zaf finally meets his end. His remains are dumped and M15 have to conduct tests to verify his identity. Surely no one has suffered a more intolerable demise than that?
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@Tyme4t – Oh yes! I'd forgotten about that one. That was pretty gasp-worthy too.
I haven't seen Zafar Younis's death, but I was stunned by Ben Kaplan's and had to turn off the DVD for about a day before continuing. A lot of what happened in season 7 I knew of ahead of time and was prepared for because of spoilers, but somehow I had missed that. I was really upset. I had really grown to love him in 7.3 and was looking forward to learning more about the character.
The experience made me think that the show is such that I need to have a certain amount of spoilers before watching it or I will get too upset. I've also had the experience (with Robin Hodd) that when I know what is going to happen and know that seeing it will upset me I slow down watching the episodes up to that point.
I haven't seen Zafar Younis's death, but I was really upset by Ben Kaplan's. I had seen a lot of spoilers for Spooks 7 before seeing the episodes but somehow I missed Ben's death. When it happened, I had to turn off the DVD and stop watching for about a day to process it. I had really loved him in 7.3 and 7.5 and was looking forward to more contact with that character.
It makes me think I shouldn't watch Spooks at all without some spoilers, as I"ll be too upset by it. (I've also had the experience, with RH, that knowledge of something that is about to happen makes me dread it and slow down watching.)
I was genuinely shocked by Ben's death (gasp, hands over the mouth, the works!), more so than any other I had seen on Spooks. As hard as it was to watch, I didn't turn away. The suicide/hanging sequences are the ones I get upset by. There are at least three or four in Spooks throughout the eight seasons. I knew that Lucas North was involved in suicide sequence in S8, but I didn't know why or when it would appear. I wasn't ready for it when it happened, so that was difficult. I think I stopped the DVD for that one and continued in a minute or so when the shock had passed and composure had been regained. Normally I don't like knowing what's going to happen next, but those scenes I feel I need to "prepare" for. But, like you say about slowing down, I also wonder if the knowledge of what's coming can create anxiety that interferes with enjoyment of watching things unfold.
@Skully – Zaf suffered the worse death by a long shot!
**Possible Series 8 spoilers to follow**
The death that made me gasp for its "I did NOT see that coming" was Samuel Walker's! I literally gasped out loud – Sarah just took him by the collar and bomb's away!
Ben's death was gruesome and shocking but the audience knew what was going to happen – I still shout at the tv "look out Ben!"
For pure unexpectedness – "The Sarah" wins imo.
Thanks for that Tym4t! Here I was thinking Raza would be playing a desirable English gentleman! Not so apparently.
@Skully – found this pic on IMDb website SATC photos:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1941671168/tt1261945
if you look to your left – you'll find a familiar face…
I lost track of this, too. Agree that watching Lucas try to end his life is almost unbearable. That episode should have a trigger alert. Nothing about it is for the faint of heart.
I don’t know what to do about the anxiety. As I assume that Lucas will be written out of Spooks sometime during season 9, and that everyone else will know it before I will, I am already trying to figure out how to handle it. I am really, really attached to that character.
Definitely agree on Walker. You are shocked that she pushes him over — and then you have seconds to watch him flailing through the air. I found myself wondering what a person in that situation thinks.
Re: trigger alert. With that particular sequence, although it was difficult, it was edited swiftly so we never lingered on the scene in the cell. Even though it was tough, I thought it was put together sensibly. A few intense moments but it’s over in a few flashes, and then it moves on.
The anxiety I felt was to do with the suicide scene itself, the fact Lucas was involved was not so much the issue. Yes I’m pretty attached to his character too. Having watched the show for so many years, though, I’ve become a little accustomed to seeing characters go, but I am anticipating Ros’s departure very keenly. I REALLY don’t want her to leave! Re Lucas leaving, because he has more backstory and is the most fascinating of the Spooks characters, my greatest fear is that he would leave the show before enough of my curiosity about him was satisfied. Hopefully there will be more Spooks books in the works to cover my need to know more!
I completely agree with this. To my mind, Zaf has been the greatest tragedy on the show to date, because he suffered for so long and most probably lost himself by the end of it, in giving up information he shouldn’t have. There was no dignity, no redemption.
And he died completely alone.
For someone as kind and generous as Zaf, this end was completely out of left field. Jo says it best in that bit to Adam after she storms out of the conference room.
Glad you agree, JHyde. The mystery of Zaf’s death was one of the things that had me hooked on season six. It’s weird, out of all the characters I felt his loss most. It had me reeling for months. I miss Zaf!
Still haven’t gotten to Zaf’s death, but have now experienced Colin’s. Also hugely upsetting, especially his statement before they get ready to hang him. Man.
Yes, Colin’s death is pretty upsetting too. Poor Malcolm!