When shows build up a strong bond between characters or the audience and the characters, it can be a major emotional hit when a secret is revealed and the betrayal comes to light. One of the most important elements of any show is the relationships between the characters. Whether that is romantic, platonic, or any other kind of a relationship of trust.
If a show takes the time to build trust between the characters and with the audience, viewers can get comfortable and familiar with the format. For example, with any good sitcom, the characters should be familiar and that breeds a sense of comfort and positivity. But, with other types of shows, they may take an established trust and turn it upside down with some significant betrayal, which can add to the strength of the story and make things even more emotional as the story suddenly jerks in a new direction.
12 Jesse Was Actually A Spy
Glee
A great example of this type of betrayal comes from the teenage musical TV series Glee. In the latter half of season 1, Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff), a talented singer who was the frontman for the McKinley High Glee club’s biggest rivals, Vocal Adrenaline, transfers to McKinley and joins the team. He slowly earns their trust and even starts a relationship with Rachel. Which made his betrayal in the penultimate episode even worse. He eggs Rachel, reveals he was spying on the team, and leaves to rejoin his old team.
11 Grant Ward Is HYDRA
Agents Of SHIELD
Agents of SHIELD follows a series of highly trained secret operatives as they work to contain any superhuman and extraterrestrial threats. From the start, Grant Ward is portrayed as a gifted spy, and Skye works hard to earn his trust. Framing the relationship with Skye trying to gain his trust, and having him set up as an established member of the team, meant that when Grant revealed himself as a HYDRA agent, it came completely out of the blue. This betrayal stung for as long as Grant kept appearing on the show, and he never turned back after leaving.
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10 Ezra Had Ulterior Motives
Pretty Little Liars
Ezra and Aria had a long, messy relationship for years in Pretty Little Liars, with the pair meeting at a bar and shortly after sparking a relationship, learning that Ezra was a teacher and Aria, six years his junior, was one of his students. Love it or hate it, the two had a connection, and despite several challenges that put their relationship and their personal lives at risk, they went through things together. However, near the end of the fourth season, the fairytale relationship hit a major snag when Ezra reveals the truth about the beginning of their relationship.
As it turned out, Ezra had dated Alison before her death, and when she was murdered, he set out on a mission to write a true crime novel, with her as the central figure for the story. Ezra had known who Aria was from the very beginning, and when he met and started a relationship with the 16-year-old girl, he was fully aware she would be his student and had close ties to his late ex. The entire relationship was altered with this revelation, and Ezra became a much seedier, darker figure than before.
9 Joe Is A Stalker
You
You is a series built around the lovesick stalker Joe Goldberg, but perhaps his greatest betrayal comes in the first season, where his dangerous character is slowly revealed. Joe frequently treads the line between what is right and wrong in his efforts to court Guinevere Beck. However, he quickly crosses the line from a doting admirer, to boyfriend, and then to a creepy, controlling monster. Joe murders for Beck, and eventually murders Beck, in an ultimate betrayal, after winning her affections through careful manipulation.
8 Sylvie Kills He Who Remains
Loki
Loki develops a deep connection with his variant, Sylvie, when they both find themselves the target of the TVA in Loki. Over the course of season 1, Loki gains the trust of his more guarded companion, and together, they set out to take down the TVA and the person who is behind the whole operation. However, when they meet He Who Remains and learn that his position and the TVA are the only thing stopping the entire multiverse from being consumed by an oblivion-level war, Loki decides to stand down and encourages Sylvie to do the same.
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The trust between the two surely stands for something, but when Sylvie pushes Loki through a portal and kills He Who Remains despite the consequences, the betrayal is a jaw-dropping moment. Loki season 2 does much to repair the relationship and open up a new way forward, but this initial twist was unexpected and massively shook Loki’s confidence. Ultimately, Sylvie gave the prime example of selfishness in the season 1 finale, and Loki offered a look at absolute selflessness at the conclusion of season 2.
7 Michael Is A Demon
The Good Place
The Good Place features a small group on their entry into the afterlife as they settle into life in the titular “Good Place.” Throughout season 1, things keep going wrong, and it appears that the Good Place isn’t operating exactly as intended, but the reasons all become clear in the season 1 finale with a huge betrayal. When Michael, the architect of the Good Place, is revealed to be a demon who is actually torturing the group in the Bad Place by having them think they made it, only for things to go wrong and be uncomfortable the whole time.
6 Harrison Wells Kills Cisco
The Flash
The early seasons of The Flash saw Barry and his friends working in Central City and trying to contain the metahuman threats, but when the genius Harrison Wells reveals himself to be the Reverse Flash, it comes as a complete shock to viewers. His true identity as Eobard Thawne, the man responsible for killing Barry’s mother and framing his father, changes him from a helpful genius and part of the team to a terrible villain, and to top it off, he kills Cisco, which Barry manages to reverse, but the team is shaken by the reveal.
5 Nate Leaves AFC Richmond
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso is a heartwarming comedy series that follows the development of AFC Richmond under their new American coach, who knows very little about European Football, Ted Lasso. Ted quickly connects with the team and everyone who works with them, especially the young kit man, Nate. Ted sees great potential in Nate and helps him to develop into a coach for the team working right alongside him. However, when Nate’s ego gets the best of him, and he chooses to betray his team and go work for their rivals, the betrayal is heart-wrenching.
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4 Sang-Woo Betrays Ali
Squid Game
Squid Game is brutal in the way that it pits people against each other, but some people are more comfortable playing the games than others. Sang-Woo befriends a young man named Ali. When the two team up for a game, they are surprised to learn the game will pit them against each other. When Ali is winning fair and square, Sang-Woo becomes desperate and deceives his friend to save his own life and guarantee Ali’s death. The betrayal comes slowly, but that makes it even more painful when Ali is ruthlessly killed.
3 Shane Tries To Kill Rick
The Walking Dead
Rick Grimes was in hospital when the virus outbreak happened in The Walking Dead, so it makes sense that his wife and child thought he may have died in the chaos. His best friend Shane steps up to protect them, but when Rick returns, tensions build between the two. When Rick’s wife and son choose him, Shane loses everything and resents Rick, and eventually, he conspires to kill his best friend. When Shane brings Rick out onto the fields to have a showdown, he hoped Rick would fight back, but Rick’s unwillingness to raise his gun only further cemented Shane’s treachery.
2 Walter Got Jesse Arrested
Breaking Bad
Over the course of Breaking Bad, the relationship between Walt and Jesse soured, with Walt becoming an obsessive drug lord and Jesse struggling to accept the terrible things they were doing. Walt begins to see Jesse as a liability, and despite them creating their drug empire together, Walt attempts to pin things on Jesse and get him locked up and out of the way. Walt goes back and forth on his feelings for Jesse, but by the end of the show, the two have too much history and blood between them thanks to Walt’s greed.
1 The Red Wedding
Game Of Thrones
The infamous Red Wedding scene in Game of Thrones happened in the penultimate episode of season 3. In a show that never shied from killing off central characters from the very first episode, the series had to find new ways to build tension beyond major character deaths. The Red Wedding did exactly that when Robb Stark and a large group of his men were brutally massacred at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. This scene reaffirmed how high the stakes of the show were and changed the dynamics as Robb was positioned to take the Iron Throne.
