The trend to kill off the main character is not new. Many series such as Game of Thrones, Oz, Six Feet Under, Watchmen, The Shields, etc have left fans aghast by taking the leader out of the equation.
While it has happened multiple times, the unexpected turn of events is something we can’t accept even to this day. This is why when Utopia, an adaptation of the 2013 British original, killed off its main character, it opened a Pandora box, full of questions that fans wanted to be answered.
Look no further for we’ve got the answers to the biggest one right here:
Gillian Flynn explains her decision to kill Samantha:
Gillian Flynn who adapted the screenplay from the British original, in a recent interview revealed the reason behind killing off Samantha.
Flynn said that she intended to create the character of Samantha that isn’t present in its original version only so she could kill her later. For Flynn has been fascinated by the idea of “suddenly shot and killed”, showing it through Samantha’s death was the only way she could and in the process also set the tone for where the web series is headed.
The Gone Girl screenwriter wanted for the viewers to experience the same level of shock when knowing that the character they believed to be “the leader” was actually, not and incite a “Welcome to the new world order, b****” vibe.
Jessica Rothe reacts to her character’s short arc:
The Happy Death Day star revealed that when she first came across the script, regardless of the character, knowing it was written by Gillian Flynn she already knew she was going to play the role. Further speaking about her character Samantha, Rothe revealed that it was her fiery presence, albeit short, that attracted her to Utopia.
Not to mention, Samantha’s unapologetic, intelligent and headstrong character was for Rothe a memorable experience and a joy “to jump into that space”.
Additionally, she also praised working alongside her cast member, Sasha Lane who plays Jessica Hyde in the drama series and is the one who pulled the trigger and put a bullet in Samantha’s head.
And despite being killed off early, the 33-year-old finds that her character’s death helped the Nerds who are on a quest to save the Earth, which was Samantha’s sole aim, anyway. It all served for the better.
