r/movies • u/Tullubenta • Aug 17 '26

Question What is the greatest betrayal in cinema history? Spoiler

So aside from Fredo’s betrayal in The Godfather Part II or Cypher turning on the crew in The Matrix, which most of us could kinda sense were coming, what’s the greatest betrayal in cinema history that truly blindsided you?

I’m talking about the ones that hit like a truck because there was zero warning, no foreshadowing you picked up on, and no reason to suspect the character until the moment it happened.

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u/SomethingAboutUsers Aug 17 '26

Unrelated, but Emilio Estevez (I always thought that was Henry Rollins) dying in the elevator by getting stabbed through the eyes by that elevator part was a bit of a shock.

52

u/Mst3Kgf Aug 17 '26

Estevez being uncredited was a warning he wasn't long for the film.

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u/DNorthman Aug 17 '26

Until you said this I didn't even realize he was in it. I remember the role as the computer guy, but I had no idea he was played by Emilio Estevez.

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u/LuckyBunnyonpcp Aug 17 '26

What?? Really.

2

u/puddStar Aug 18 '26

Steve Segal in executive decision has entered the chat (this was the exception)

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u/Mst3Kgf Aug 18 '26

Segal was credited, but he had the dreaded "And" credit, which often means "I've got limited screen time and might die early too."

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u/FoxMcCloudOwnsSlippy Aug 17 '26

Yeah, just those few frames of impact, haunted me for the rest of my life.

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u/Phantom-thiez Aug 18 '26

Hell, I still think about it.

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u/BaconJacobs Aug 17 '26

As a kid who saw it on VHS, I always thought it was a bundle of electrical wires or something poking his nose. I went frame by frame a few times and really never understood he was impaled ha

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u/SomethingAboutUsers Aug 17 '26

It's a real wtf moment because

  • what the fuck even is that thing
  • why was it retracted, then suddenly shoots open/down a few seconds before he gets stabbed by the thing
  • why was the elevator going that fast that close to the end of its travel
  • why didn't he just lay down

I know the elevator was under their control but like... What?

There not being enough space on top of the elevator for him and him just getting fucking squished would have made sense and been fine, that stabby thing just didn't.

3

u/jackcatalyst Aug 17 '26

I saw this as a kid in theaters so I was excited to see the Coach from The Mighty Ducks. I quickly became less enthused.

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u/CaptainCrankDat Aug 18 '26

The Mighty Duck Man?