Watchmen Finale Features the Shocking Death of a Major Character

The final season of HBO's continuation of Watchmen was packed with many shocking moments, from Ozymandias' glorious return to the Rorschach gang's plans coming to fruition, not to mention Lady Trieu's master plan unfolding, but it's Doctor Manhattan's fate that everyone was eager to learn about. And this episode did not disappoint in that regard, though a lot of fans might be saddened to learn just how the episode dealt with the omnipotent superhero's destiny after he was captured by Cyclops at the end of the previous episode. But don't worry, hope is not lost.

Warning: Spoilers for the season finale of Watchmen below.

In the episode, after the Rorschach gang teleports Doctor Manhattan to a makeshift prison cell made from melted watch batteries. Senator Joe Keene boasts that he's going to take Doctor Manhattan's abilities and make life in the United States easier for white people, all while the senior membership of Cyclops sits in attendance.

But their plans run awry when Keene activates the machines and immediately gets liquified by the the magnitude of the energy. And just as instantly, Lady Trieu teleports the entire area to the shopping center near the Millennium Clock, which she reveals will siphon Doctor Manhattan's powers and then make it able to be transferred into another human. She basically solves the issue Keene couldn't foresee, but she knows it will kill Doctor Manhattan in the process.

As the pool of Keene's blood spreads all around them, Doc teleports Ozymandias, Laurie Blake, and Looking Glass to an area where they can stop Lady Trieu's plan, knowing that anyone who desires the powers of a god does not truly deserve them. His wife Angela asks why she was left behind and he tells her he doesn't want to be alone, obviously facing his final moments.

As Lady Trieu takes Doctor Manhattan's power, his blue skin is zapped away and for a moment he looks like ordinary Cal Abar. He and Angela share one final moment before the machine siphons all of his essence, effectively killing him in the process.

It is clear that Doctor Manhattan made these choices in order to stop whatever scheme is going on, and hopefully securing the safety of his wife and children, and perhaps even setting up the promise of a better world in the future...

All episodes of Watchmen are now available to stream on HBO Go and HBO Now.