List of cliffhanger endings
Encyclopedia
Godzilla film series:
Friday the 13th film series
Spider-Man 2
: Harry Osborn discovers the Green Goblin's lair and picks up a vial of the Performance Enhancers formula.
X2: X-Men United
: Jean Grey
dies getting the X-Jet to safety. The Brotherhood of mutants leave with a new member, Pyro
.
X-Men: The Last Stand
: A powerless Magneto
moves a magnetic chess piece without touching, implying that his powers will return.
Dragonball Evolution: Lord Piccolo is resurrected after the credits.
Bhoothnath
: Bhoothnath retuns to tell Banku that he will always be there for help whenever Banku remembers him, and the film ends with a "To be continued" card.
Masters of the Universe
: Skeletor
says that he would be back.
Street Fighter
(1994): After the end credits, a scene depicts the believed-dead Bison's fist smashing through the rubble of his base.
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
(1994): Ryu, while walking alone down a street, is suddenly attacked from behind by M. Bison, who was thought dead, in a huge truck. Ryu prepares to fight Bison again and the film ends.
The Italian Job
(1969): Possibly the most famous film cliffhanger for being a literal example of the term, as it ends with the main character's escape vehicle hanging halfway off a cliff in the Swiss Alps
.
Halloween series
:
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
(2003): The film ends with the revelation that the Bride's unborn daughter is still alive, followed by a cut to black.
Inspector Gadget 2
: Dr. Claw
escapes and vows revenge in the end of the film.
Final Destination
: Alex saves Clear from being killed, and the two of them and Carter head to Paris. While they are there, however, a sign falls off its shingles and nearly hits Alex. He is pushed out of the way by Carter, only for the three of them to realize Death has skipped Alex. The film ends as Carter asks "So who's next?" and he is struck by the sign as the screen flashes to black.
Child's Play 2
: In the alternate television ending, Chucky's face is remade in the Play Pals Toys factory, which gives an evil smile.
Bride of Chucky
: A baby
is born from Tiffany
and attacks the police officer as the film ends.
Seed of Chucky
: Chucky's arm leaps and grabs Glen
's neck and laughs evilly as the film ends.
The Evil Dead
: Ash
welcomes daybreak as the only survivor of the demonic feast that possessed and killed his friends and sister. As he steps out of the cabin, relieved to have survived the ordeal, the Unseen Evil spirit rushes through the forest in his direction, breaks its way through the cabin's doors and eventually reaches Ash, who screams in terror as the screen cuts to black.
Evil Dead II
:Ash
is sent back in time, where he is trapped and the knights hail him.
Flash Gordon
(1980): Ming's ring is picked up by an unknown individual. As this happens, the words "The End?" appear QWERTY KEYBOARDmutter cryptic words and a bolt of lightning hits the grave.
Stealth
(2005): After the credits, EDI is shown to be still online, but in pieces.
Silent Hill
(2006): The film's main character Rose rescues her daughter and both escape the town of Silent Hill. When she and her daughter arrive home, the environment and interior of the house mirror the conditions of Silent Hill. Rose's husband, Christopher, sees from the living room that the front door is open but no one is nearby. The film ends with both Rose and her husband in the living room unable to see one another and no evidence to whether Rose and her daughter can return to normal.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
(2006): Jack is eaten by the Kraken. As the remaining survivors head to Tia's place and she claims they can get Jack back at World's End, but they need a captain to get there. Captain Barbossa comes downstairs (even though he was seen dying in the first film).
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007): Barbosa makes off with the Black Pearl yet again, but not before Jack steals a piece of the map leading to the Fountain of Youth, setting up the events of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
(2011)
Austin Powers in Goldmember
(2002): Scott Evil
takes over his reformed father
's empire and vows revenge on Austin Powers as the film ends.
Casino Royale
(2006): The package containing the stolen British Secret Service money which would be shipped to terrorists is lost in a Venice building collapse near the ending. At the very end, James Bond
shoots the mysterious terrorist Mr. White in the leg, without revealing the purpose of Mr. White's terrorist organization or whether he lives. Bond walks onscreen with a gun and says "The name's Bond. James Bond," as the screen fades out. The following film, Quantum of Solace, begins moments after this scene.
Saw
(2004): As it is revealed that Jigsaw was in the bathroom with them the whole time, Adam attempts to shoot him but is electrocuted through the shackle on his leg. Jigsaw informs him that it's "Game Over" and he slams the door shut as Adam realizes he is now trapped alone. He can be heard screaming even while the credits begin to roll. The following sequels tend to continue the pattern of using a twist ending and then leaving a cliffhanger where the survival of the main character is in question.
Vacancy
(2007): After killing Mason and the rest of the killers in the motel, Amy runs to her near-death husband David (who had been previously beaten and stabbed by the killers the night before). Upon finding him barely alive, she calls 911 using a telephone cord and goes back to caress David. The film ends with both Amy and David waiting for the cops' arrival, leaving the audience unaware if David died from the injuries or if the couple was rescued.
Batman Begins
(2005): After defeating Ra's al Ghul
, James Gordon showed Batman evidence of another villain on the loose. The evidence was a joker card which leads Batman and Gordon to battle the Joker in The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight
(2008): Following the death of Harvey Dent, Batman decides to let himself be blamed for the murders that Dent committed so that the people of Gotham will still have hope. Batman then vanishes into the night. Gordon destroys the batsignal and then issues a manhunt for Batman.
Futurama: Bender's Big Score
(2007): After Bender returns from the past and invites his time traveling duplicates, all duplicates explode and the space rips open to which Bender replies "Well we're boned!"
Dawn of the Dead (1978): In an attempt to escape the zombie-infested mall, the two remaining survivors, Peter and Fran, take off in the helicopter with only a small amount of fuel.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992): After Laura is killed and her body is discovered, the film cuts to what appears to be a scene that is after the series were Laura leaves the black lodge with her angel. It is hinted that she goes to the white lodge. Cooper watches on while he is still trapped in the lodge and BOB is still in control of his body outside of the lodge. The fates of several other characters are still left unanswered as well.
The Thing (1982): The film ends with both survivors wondering if the thing is dead or if it escaped. The film suggests that one of the two might be the thing.
Phir Hera Pheri
(2006): The Bollywood
film ends with Raju trying to grab hold of antique guns. Then Babu Rao and Shyam call him on his cell phone to tell him that those guns are very valuable and to stop him to throw those guns.
Swing Vote
(2008): Kevin Costner
's character, whose vote will decide the result of the U.S. Presidential election, steps into the voting booth and closes the curtain. His choice is never revealed.
Watchmen
(2009): The film ends with the possibility of Rorshach's journal being discovered and the world being plunged into nuclear war again.
District 9
(2009): The film ends with Wikus as a prawn
. A few scenes before that Christopher Johnson
said he would return in three years to help Wikus become a human again.
Psycho II (1983): The film ends with Norman Bates
, having become mentally ill again, murdering his aunt. After that he re-opens the Bates Motel for business while the corpse of Emma Spool
watches from the Bates Mansion.
Freddy vs. Jason
(2003): After the fight between Freddy and Jason, in which Freddy is decapitated, they both fall into the lake, seemingly dead. In the last scene, Jason emerges from the lake alive carrying Freddy's severed head, which winks to the audience.
Sherlock Holmes
(2009): At the end Holmes deduces that Irene's employer was Professor Moriarty
and he was after a different part of Blackwood's device than the one Irene stole. She tells Holmes, Moriarty is like him except more devious, where he replies "We'll see about that." When Watson and Holmes are informed a police officer was found dead near Blackwood's device, the film ends with him saying "Case reopened."
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009): Ends with Zartan being revealed to have impersonated the President of United States.
Inception
(2010): In the movie's final scene, Cobb spins his totem top on a table to test reality before meeting his children, but is distracted by the long-awaited reunion. A shot of the top continuing to spin with a slight wobble is seen as the screen cuts to black, leaving it unclear if Cobb was in the real world or was still dreaming.
Batman: Under the Red Hood
(2010): The movie ended without revealing the whereabouts of Jason Todd.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010): The movie ends with Voldemort breaking into Dumbledore's tomb to steal the Elder Wand, leaving people to wonder what power he will possess. (Of course this is only a cliffhanger to fans who know only the films. Those who know the original novels, more importantly Deathly Hallows know what happens in the final film because Hallows is actually one novel split into two films for its adaptation.)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011): Ends with Po accepting Mr. Ping as his father as well as being the last Giant Panda, it cuts to Po's biological father is alive in a far away hidden village of Giant Pandas and senses that his son is alive as well.
s (both daytime and nighttime), but other genres also use them frequently.
24
: Because of the format of the show (each episode represents one hour of one day, with a season of 24 episodes representing a complete 24 hour period), each episode can be considered a cliffhanger with many of them ending with a twist in one of the season's multiple plotlines that creates a cliffhanger leading into the next episode. However, several season finale
s have also involved a cliffhanger whose outcome would not be revealed until the next season. The series finale ends with Jack Bauer
fleeing the country. Overall Season 3 is the only season finale to not end with a cliffhanger.
Alias
: The first half of season one had each episode end with a cliffhanger. While this format was largely abandoned midway through season one, the season finales often ended on cliffhangers.
Angel
: Each season ends on a cliffhanger.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
:
Bad Girls
: six out of the eight series ended with a cliffhanger.
Batman
(the 1960s series): Most of the episodes ran as two half-hour shows over two days, with an announcer famously saying "Tune in tomorrow - same bat-time, same bat-channel" at the end of the first half.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
: The episode "Deep Cover for Batman" ended with a cliffhanger. In Season 2 several cold open
s had been notorious for ending with a cliffhanger, which will eventually be resolved in an upcoming two part episode.
Battlestar Galactica
: "Battlestar Galactica" uses cliffhangers regularly in every season as well as the pilot miniseries. In addition, a mid-season cliffhangers were employed from seasons 2, 3 and 4.
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien: Sixteen of the twenty episodes of Season 1 have ended with a cliffhanger.
Birdy the Mighty: Decode: The first season literally ends with a "To Be Continued" The series itself also ended with several plotlines unresolved, including the fact that Birdy still did not know the true mastermind behind the Ryunka incident as well as leaving things open on whether Birdy and Nataru would be reunited again.
Breaking Bad
:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Several episodes end with a cliffhanger, and from the fourth season onwards, the season would end with a major storyline carrying over 4 or 5 episodes, ending each episode with a cliffhanger. The most notable cliffhanger is in season two, where Willow succeeds in restoring Angel's soul, but Acathla is already awake. He opens his mouth, creating an expanding vortex. While Angel is disoriented, Buffy kisses him and then drives her sword through him into the vortex. The world is saved but Angel, bewildered, is sucked into hell. Buffy, feeling her life shattered, boards a bus to leave Sunnydale. Season two is the only season in the series to end on a cliffhanger.
Charmed
: The season 3 finale ends with the sisters separated and two of them dying, with no way of them being healed. This gives way to season 4, with the introduction of the character Paige Matthews following the departure of Shannen Doherty as Prue.
Cheers
: Before most other sitcoms even considered the idea of the season-ending cliffhanger, many seasons of Cheers ended on such. Often the cliffhangers include Sam and Diane's rocky relationship. The later seasons include more Rebecca/Sam orientated cliffhangers, often including bar ownership changes, hints at a possible romantic relationship (which never really moves past friendship), and Rebecca burning down the bar, much to Sam's dismay.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 ends with a Mexican Standoff
between three main characters and ends by cutting to black with the sound of a single gunshot.
Cold Case: Season 4 ends with Lily Rush in the hospital after being shot.
Crime Story
: The first season ends with the main villains driving away from the Nevada Test Site as a nuclear bomb goes off.
Criminal Minds
: Every season so far has ended with a cliffhanger.
In addition, many mid-season episodes of the series end with cliffhangers as well, some of the most notable being:
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
:
CSI: Miami
:
CSI: NY
:
Dallas
: All seasons end on a cliffhanger, most notably the episode when J.R. was shot by an unknown assailant.
Desperate Housewives
: All seasons end with a cliffhanger for each of the main housewives (Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gabi) along with one or more main cliffhangers.
Digimon
: Half way in season 1 and onward, the show end with a brief announcement about the episode and a "To Be Continued".
Dynasty
: All seasons except the 1991 mini-series end on a cliffhanger.
Doctor Who
: Almost every episode ends in a cliffhanger
Torchwood
:
The Sarah Jane Adventures
: Almost every episode ends in a cliffhanger
Dragon Ball
Series: Episodes sometimes ended during the powering-up of a special attack during a confrontation with an enemy, or just as the attack is about to be used, or other endings. The notable line, "Stay tuned for scenes from the next episode" is almost always used.
Family Guy
: At the end of the episode "The Thin White Line", Brian abruptly tells the Griffins that he is leaving for good and heads to the airport in a taxi. The next episode, "Brian does Hollywood", begins with a "previously on Family Guy" recap that shows eleven fake, unrelated cliffhangers, most involving the main characters in life-threatening situations. The twelfth reveals that Brian has gone to LA to find himself.
Friends
: Every season except season 6 and the final season end on a cliffhanger, with many episodes also having cliffhangers.
Frisky Dingo
: The first season ends with Simon activating the Annihallatrix and the screen going completely white.
Fushigi Yūgi
: Cliffhangers in this anime/manga are usually employed at the beginning of battle scenes, a sudden and unprecedented event (e.g. Miaka being taken away by a pair of disembodied hands at the end of Episode 8), or the revelation of another plot element (among the most notable being at the end of Episode 22, where Nakago tells Yui of another trap he has set for Miaka and the Suzaku Seven).
Modern game show
s like Deal or No Deal
and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
, among others: The shows' respective hosts often segue to commercial breaks during suspenseful moments, usually when said moment directly influences what prize a contestant might win. Cliffhangers are almost always explicitly announced by the host, usually by means of a long pause before the phrase "Right after this (break)" or one of similar meaning. This is one of the few cases where a cliffhanger is present in front of a studio audience. An example of a game show episode ending with a cliffhanger was the ninth episode of the second season of Minute to Win It
. Two cheerleaders from Atlanta were competing in the second challenge at the conclusion of the episode when the program cut to black screen.
The Gates (TV series)
: Devon saves Charlie's life but after he wakes up, his family realises he has red eyes and attacks his father with just a look. When Charlie's mother, Sarah, asks Devon what she did to her son, she answers: "I told you I could bring him back, I never said he'd be the same", meaning he is not a human, anymore.
George Lopez
:
Germany's Next Topmodel:
Glee
:
Gossip Girl
:
Green Wing
:
Hawaii Five-0 : Season 1 ended with McGarrett and Kono arrested by the HPD.
Heroes
: This show contains several cliffhangers and the end of seasons and halfway through seasons. But also, some cliffhangers are resolved as the opening scene of the next season is shown before the credits.
InuYasha
: Some episodes (including the series finale itself) have cliffhangers (mostly 2 to 3 part episodes). The final episode of the series, when the title character and his friends still chase after Naraku, vowing to defeat him once and for all, ends with many long-running plots unresolved, until the sequel InuYasha: The Final Act was made.
The IT Crowd
:
iCarly
: Sam and Freddie kiss while a shocked Carly looks out of a window.
Jericho
:
King of the Hill
:
Lost
: Almost every episode ends with an intense cliffhanger or a twist, season finales on the other hand end with multiple cliffhangers. For example:
Melrose Place : Every episode could be interpreted as ending with a cliffhanger. The most dramatic reserved for the season-ending episode(s) in May. The most notable, the 3rd season ending with Kimberly Shaw poised to blow up Melrose Place with the majority of the series regulars inside.
Medium
:
Misfits
:
Nip/Tuck
:
NCIS
:
The O.C.
: Every episode could be interpreted as ending with a cliffhanger. The most dramatic reserved for the season-ending episode(s) in May. The most notable, the 3rd season ending with Marissa Cooper dying in Ryan Atwood's arms after a car-crash.
One Piece
: Every episode ends with a black screen upon which the words "TO BE CONTINUED" are displayed in large letters which fill up the screen. Most episodes are cliffhangers, and those that are not still have the "TO BE CONTINUED" screen at the end, implying that even if this episode's story has been resolved, the larger quest for Gold Roger's treasure continues.
Pokémon
: Even the episodes' conflicts are solved within the show, there are some exceptions. Some episodes (such as "Hello Pummelo" and "Enter The Dragonite") are two parters, whereas others (like the "Indigo Arc") are multiple part storylines that take more than a few to resolve, these usually take place during a major tournament that Ash has made his way towards. Also, all of the episodes end with the trite "To Be Continued ..." with the show's picture shrinking to the upper-left corner of the screen. One episode of the series ("The Battle Of The Badge") also dovetails into Pokémon: The First Movie
as Mewtwo
escapes from Giovanni, having defeated Gary's Pokémon earlier.
Power Rangers
: Half of the episodes have a cliffhanger ending and the ending gets resolved in the next episode. With the exception of the first two seasons, the sixth season (although there was a minor cliffhanger) and the reboot seasons (except RPM), each series ended on a cliffhanger:
Primeval
: The endings of each season appears to have a cliffhanger.
Prison Break
: Most episodes spend the last minute or two setting up the main plot of the next episode, and produce a cliffhanger to be resolved. The season finales end with multiple cliffhangers that will be resolved over the course of the entire next season.
Prisoner Cell Block H
: for the whole eight year run of the popular Australian 80's soap opera, the last episode of the year always ended with a cliffhanger. Except for the final episode in 1986.
Quantum Leap : Each episode ended with a minute or so long intro to the next episode's storyline.
ReBoot
:
Season 1 ended with a two part episode, with the first ending with a cliffhanger. Starting with Season 2, the series contained a long running story arc, with many episodes (including the final episode) ending on a cliffhanger.
Red Dwarf
:
The cartoon version of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
: Often ends each episode in some sort of a cliffhanger, left to be resolved in the next episode.
Robin Hood (2006-2009 series):
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated :
Scrubs
: Some of the seasons end on cliffhangers.
The Simpsons
:
Slayers
: As per most anime series with long-running story arcs, several episodes often end with the main characters in some type of peril. However, the fourth season (Revolution) ended on an actual cliffhanger in which Lina and her friends were still looking for a way to save Pokota's people. The very end of the episode after the credits featured a shot of Zuuma, one of the villains from the season, indicating that he was going to make his return. These two plot threads would be continued in the following season, Evolution-R.
Smallville
: Each third of the season (consisting of about 6-9 episodes) usually ends with a cliffhanger, with the most intense cliffhangers reserved for the season-ending episode(s).
Sonic the Hedgehog
:
Sonic X
:
South Park
:
Spooks
:
Stripperella
:
Star Trek
series : The only cliffhanger pair in the original series was "The Menagerie", which incorporated footage of the aborted pilot, "The Cage". However, since Star Trek: The Next Generation, most of the seasons of the various series have ended with a cliffhanger, and later seasons have included cliffhangers in the middle of a season. In the episode "The Best of Both Worlds" when Captain Picard was held prisoner on the Borg cube, Commander Riker needed to take this opportunity to try and destroy the Borg vessel. Using a makeshift weapon developed using the deflector dish, he commanded Worf to "Fire". The next screen was "To Be Continued". This left the fans on the edge of their seats until the next season. A literal cliffhanger occurred just before a commercial break in the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", when Captain Kirk
tries to escape from an underground colony run by a mad scientist. He falls into a bottomless pit where two redshirts
have already died but manages to hold onto the rim with his fingers as the murderous, hulking android Ruk glares over him.
Stargate SG-1
and Stargate Atlantis
: The first four seasons and the ninth season of SG-1 ended with cliffhangers. The last episodes of the fifth through eighth seasons were all written as possible series finales. In contrast, all three seasons of Atlantis ended with cliffhangers, and the trend seems likely to continue. Both SG-1 and Atlantis also have mid-season cliffhangers, as the seasons air in blocks (one from July to September; one from January to March).
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
: Seasons 2, 3, and 4.
Supernatural
: Every season finale featured a cliffhanger ending.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
: Seasons 1, 2, and 4 have all ended with different cliffhangers.
Totally Spies! : Seasons 1 and 3 have all ended with different cliffhangers.
The Transformers
: In the 3-part series finale of what was said to be the fourth season, Galvatron
plots to rule the galaxy, but Lord Zarak
plots to do the same.
Transformers Animated : Seasons 1 and 2 have all ended with different cliffhangers. * Season 1: Season 1 ended with Professor Isaac Sumdac kidnapped by the newly-rebuilt Megatron.
Tru Calling
: Season 1 (and the unfinished season 2) both ended on a cliff hanger with many questions left unanswered.
True Blood
: Nearly every episode ends in a cliffhanger.
The West Wing :
The X-Files
: Most episodes end in mysterious conclusions. And each season finale ends mysteriously as well.
Twin Peaks
:
Ugly Betty
:
Weeds
: Each season so far has ended on a cliffhanger. Most episodes, especially in the latter parts of seasons, also end in cliffhangers.
Xena: Warrior Princess
: Several episodes end with a cliffhanger
Xiaolin Showdown
: While most Saturday morning shows shy away from season ending cliffhangers, this show (and the TMNT revival) has embraced them. Seasons 1 and 2 end with one of the Xiaolin monks having been temporarily turned to evil. The final episode was when Raimundo was made the new leader instead of Omi, who eventually accepted. All the villains joined together to fight the heroes, but the outcome was never resolved as the heroes freeze-framed as they advanced toward the camera, about to fight, and the show faded out.
Zoey 101
: In the Zoey 101 movie, "Goodbye Zoey", Michael tries to turn off Quinn's webcam, but starts a connection with Zoey at the same time Michael & Chase tried to make Chase admit he misses Zoey. But along with him admitting it, he admits he loves Zoey and says why and when he first met her. Then the screen goes to Zoey and goes black.
: Season 8 never mentioned what happened to Aaron Pierce and Tony Almeida
after the events of Season 7. It's not known if they will appear in the feature film.
Aaron Stone
: In the final episode, main antagonist Elias Powers has seemingly been captured, however, it is actually a shape-shifting mutant that has been captured, and the final shot sees the real Elias going into the Uriah Chamber, which contained pure evil. The series was not renewed for a third season due to the network Disney XD
deciding to have all of their live-action programs be comedies, making this announcement prior to the end of the first season.
Ace of Wands
: At the end of the third season in 1972, the three regular characters are apparently caught in an explosion. A fourth season was never commissioned. This was possibly the earliest example of a season finale cliffhanger .
The Agency : Stiles' attempt to rescue Terri puts both of them in jeopardy when he is discovered. Her captors are forced to flee with Joshua, but not before detonating the bomb they'd attached to Terri's neck. This episode ends the season as well as the series with a cliffhanger that was never resolved.
Alien Nation (TV series) : The Francisco family is infected with a biowarfare infection and is taken to the hospital. The unaired second-season continuation was published as a novel, and several years later, as a television film.
All My Children
: In the final act of the network finale, the citizens of Pine Valley are gathered for the engagement party of Adam Chandler
and Brooke English
. From the shadows lurks his son, JR Chandler, wielding a handgun. A shot is fired and fade to black, with no resolution as to who was caught in the crossfire.
The Amanda Show
: In the last episode in the sketch, "Moody's Point", Moody learns that she's not the real Moody, she was switched at birth with another baby. At the end, she is given back to her real parents, but the real Moody is never revealed because The Amanda Show got cancelled.
Aquila
: The owners of Aquilla are able to activate the onboard computer to discover that it was in fact a liferaft of a much larger battlecruiser orbiting the sun, declaring that "We could have some serious fun with a battle cruiser!"
Avatar: The Last Airbender
: In the final moments of the series, Zuko, now the new Fire Lord, visits his father's prison cell and demands him to reveal the whereabouts of his mother. But Ozai's answer is never revealed. Also, after going insane, Azula loses a final fight with both her brother and Katara. Her fate was not shown in the series but Nick.com revealed that Azula was placed in a mental health facility to be monitored around the clock.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
: The series never explained why did the Justice League of America disbanded. Also the episode "Time Out For Vengeance" ended with Batman and the Justice League International
saying "they haven't heard the last of Equinox". It was never resolved in the final episodes, but producers James Tucker and Michael Jelenic and writer J.M. DeMatteis have announced that they've all expressed interests in doing a Justice League International animated series spin-off.
Benson
: The famous "Who Won?" cliffhanger featuring a gubernatorial race between the title character and his former employer was never resolved.
Berserk
: The anime series ends with Griffith betraying his allies and being reborn as the god Femto. With the rest of the Band of Hawk dead, Femto proceeds to rape Casca while forcing Guts to watch. Although the viewer knows that Guts escapes somehow as the epilogue to the final episode as well as the entirety of the first episode (which actually took place after the events of the rest of the anime) feature him alive, it is unknown how he managed to do so.
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
: This animated series ended with the scientist who built the Legion Ex Machina robots telling the titular characters that he had built seven robots, rather than just the six they had been aware of and defeated over the course of the series.
The Big O
: In the last episode, Angel becomes the Fourth Big, Big Venus, and begins removing Paradigm City from reality. Roger and Big O attempt to negotiate with her on the survival of humanity. Afterwards, Big Venus and Big O walk towards each other and the screen fades to white. In the last few minutes, the opening of the first episode is shown, with Dorothy and Angel watching Roger drive off unlike in the original footage. This does not tie up any plot threads, and simply confuses people further, as not only was Roger driving off to rescue Dorothy in the first place, but Angel should not appear until Episode 3. The cryptic ending is the rushed result of the series being cancelled unexpectedly, instead of being extended to a third season.
Blade: The Series
: Ends in a cliffhanger that is supposed to set up a second season for the show, with Marcus Van Sciver grabbing Krista Starr by the throat asking her how long she worked for Blade. Despite a large success, actress Jill Wagner
stated on her MySpace
blog that Spike TV would not renew the series.
Blake's 7
: At the end of the fourth and final season the lead characters were surrounded and shot by a Federation security squad. The intention was for those actors who chose to continue on into the fifth season to have merely been stunned by the shots instead of being killed. In the event, there was no fifth season and the frustration inflicted on the audience led to much fan fiction
and a novel
regarding what happened next.
Capitol
: Sloane Denning is facing execution by firing squad, and as soon as the executioner says "fire," the episode ends with no resolution of what happened. Also, preceding the execution, Myrna Clegg is shown not taking her husband asking for a divorce so well, and trying to get their children to choose sides. The executive producers deliberately chose not to tie up these threads, in response to CBS' sudden cancellation of the show.
Caroline in the City
: This sitcom ended with the sudden appearance of Richard Karinsky (Malcolm Gets
) at Caroline's wedding.
Cliffhangers
: Perhaps the definitive cliffhanger program. An hour-long show composed of three segments per week. Each weekly segment ended in a cliffhanger. The series was cancelled with two of the three storylines incomplete. The episode tying up those incomplete stories were actually shown overseas, and one of the unfinished stories was re-edited into a telefilm (as was the one that was completed).
Clone High
: The series ended with most of the cast being frozen in a meat locker by Principal Scudworth.
The Colbys
: The series ended with Fallon (Emma Samms) abducted by aliens in the series finale. This cliffhanger was resolved however in its parent show Dynasty
.
Crusade
: As it was cancelled before the main thrust of the plot could even begin to unfold, much less come to fruition.
Cybill
: Dr Dick steals Maryann's money. Cybill and Maryann take revenge by blowing up his ostensibly deserted boat, but are then arrested for his murder.
Danger Mouse : The series finale "The Intergalactic 147" ended with Danger Mouse and Penfold alive and well in their pillar box
on a sidewalk fragment surrounded by a giant empty wasteland where London
had been. They had helped the earth
avoid being bumped into a black hole
in an alien
's intergalactic snooker
game, but not before the whole city of London around them disappeared, its exact whereabouts unknown. While DM and their boss, Colonel K, who's on the videophone
, fret over what to do about the missing city, Penfold asks if they have a "spare", to which both DM and the Colonel reply, "Penfold, shush!". With London's fate still unresolved, the show faded out for the final time.
Darkwing Duck
: The episode "Steerminator" ends with a cliffhanger, which was intended to be resolved two seasons later, but the show was canceled before production of next season.
Dead Like Me
: Ended with a number of "loose ends" especially as concerned the status of the relationship between Georgia Lass, the main character, and her mother and younger sister.
Desperate Housewives
: Felicia Tilman plans her final act of revenge on Paul Young after sneaking into his home to "borrow flour" when in reality she takes his house keys. Then we're shown Felicia calling police and saying that her neighbour Paul Young threatens her while she's pumping her blood. She's answered that nothing can be done with threatens and Felicia says that in that case she'll do everything herself. The following evening, Paul walks into his kitchen to slip and discover blood on the floor and on the kitchen walls. Paul then follows a trail to the garage where the door is ajar. The police quickly come upon the scene and place Paul in handcuffs then discover two of Felicia's fingers in the trunk of his car. While Paul is escorted to prison, Felicia escapes to the mountains and retreats to a log cabin where she takes the alias of "Mrs. Huber" and covers a bandage over her two missing fingers. This cliffhanger is finally resolved 5 years later (9 years in the show), in the season seventh premiere.
Duckman
: In the final episode, Duckman's supposedly deceased wife, Beatrice, unexpectedly appears during his second marriage. It is soon revealed that Cornfed knew Beatrice was still alive the entire time. Notably, none of the previous episodes of the series had ended on a cliffhanger.
Earth 2
: This one-season series ended with Devon Adair (Debrah Farentino
) falling ill with a mysterious illness and being placed in hibernation. Her voiceover implies that the planet they are trying to colonize is "rejecting" them, and that the same fate may befall the other characters. The series was not renewed for a second season, leaving the cliffhanger unresolved.
Emerald Point N.A.S.
: Ends on a cliffhanger, which was intended to be resolved, but was canceled before production of next season. Principal character Maggie Farrell (played by Maud Adams
) is kidnapped by former lover David Marquette (Michael Brandon
) on the eve of her wedding to Thomas Mallory (Dennis Weaver
), who finds her wedding gown stuck to the wall with a knife in the final scene.
Eve
: At Diva Style, Janie, Rita, and several friends are arrested by the FBI for an illegal botox party. Shelly derided her pregnant mother for remarrying her father after she found out her father is the baby's father; Shelly felt her father would abandon the baby like he abandoned Shelly and her sister. Finally, the husband of Nick's girlfriend approaches the closet where he and J.T. were hiding. J.T. grabbed a shoe, ready to do battle. At that point "To Be Continued" appeared on-screen, ending the series with no hope of immediate resolution.
The Event: This show's cliffhanger sees the aliens bringing their whole planet over.
Exosquad
: Ends with a cliffhanger when an alien race
of enormous power unexpectedly attacks the Solar System
shortly after the end of the war between Neosapien
s and humans.
Farscape
: The show was abruptly cancelled after it had completed production of its fourth season, with a fifth season contracted, effectively ending the series on a cliffhanger. A mini-series in 2004, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
wrapped up some of the show's hanging plot threads.
Fastlane
: This highly stylized FOX television series, starring Tiffani Thiessen
, Peter Facinelli
, and Bill Bellamy
ended its 22-episode, 1 season run with undercover officers Van (Facinelli) and Deaq (Bellamy) successfully preventing a jewel heist spearheaded by the first employee Lt. Billie Chambers (Thiessen) recruited to work for The Candy Store, back when she hired criminals to pose as cops, instead of cops posing as criminals. Though the perp, Nick Cassavetes, was killed in the climax of the encounter, the satisfied undercover duo are none the wiser that Lt. Billie Chambers has been kidnapped by Cassavetes' female associate (Gina Tognoni
), who injects the formerly-addicted Billie with heroin. Also, Van and Deaq have seemingly lost their jobs after Lt. Roland Hill (Jay Mohr
) has taken over The Candy Store.
First Monday
: As law clerk
Ellie Pearson and Justice Deborah Szwark's CIA
attorney daughter walk to a restaurant, Szwark's daughter is struck by a car. Ellie cradles her and screams for help, as the season (and the series) ends with a cliffhanger ending.
Flamingo Road : The primetime soap ended in May 1982 with the murder of villain Michael Tyrone. At the very end of the series finale, Michael rises from the dead in a burning barn.
FlashForward
: The unplanned series finale ends with the FBI building exploding, possibly with Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes
) still inside. This was followed by a series of flash-forwards to various points in the future (in contrast to the original FlashForward showing just one particular moment in time), set to Band of Horses
' The Funeral.
Frisky Dingo
: The second season revealed that the main character Killface was assigned by his Mother of an alien species to destroy Earth. The Spin-off show The Xtacles hinted at the aftermath but it was never developed as the series was canceled.
Generations : In the final scene of the final episode, Adam Marshall (Kristoff St. John
) discovers Doreen Jackson (Jonelle Allen
) frantically trying to revive Henry Marshall (James Reynolds
), who has just had a heart attack just after saying that he'd rather go see his wife sing at the opening of a nightclub than committing adultery with Doreen. The words, "To Be Continued" then appeared on the screen, and then fades to black. (Ironically, this episode was never shown in some markets in the US due to Gulf War
coverage, so for those viewers, the series ended with the previous episode's cliffhanger ending instead.)
Grown Ups : J. inadvertently proposes to his on-again-off-again girlfriend Melissa.
Hellcats
: Vanessa gets fired from her job as Hellcats coach for unknowingly causing the team to get strep throat. Savannah steps down as Hellcats captain to take care of her mother and sister and her newborn nephew and gives the captain position to Alice. Marti discovers that her half-sister Dierdre has been in contact with their father after he called her phone and she storms out of Cheertown, presumingly to find their father.
Heroes
: Claire jumps off the Ferris wheel at the carnival and everyone watches as she automatically heals from the fall and she says her name and that she lost count of her jumps from high places and the show ends with the words "To be continued".
Hey Arnold!
: In the series finale episode The Journal Arnold finds a journal that was written by his missing father. The episode ends with Arnold finding a map that could lead to his parents possible location. The episode was going to lead to another Hey Arnold! movie called The Jungle Movie, but because of the low gross of the first film and legal issues with the show's creator
, the film was shelved. Hence, the series was left in a cliffhanger.
Inspector Gadget
: The show ended without revealing the face of the main antagonist Dr. Claw
's face, and he was still at large.
Invasion
: The first and only season ended with two major cliffhangers: the fate of Larkin and her baby and the outcome of the hybrid pregnancies.
The IT Crowd
: Series 1: After the party, it is revealed that Jen slept with Moss, Roy slept with Doctor Mendall and that Richmond slept with Denholm and they both scream in horror as the screen fades to black and "to be continued" appears on the screen. however, this cliffhanger was never resolved.
JAG
: The final episode involved Harm and Mac getting married. As they were being posted away from each other, one had to give up his/her career for the marriage to work. To decide, they flipped a commemorative coin. The result was not shown.
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
: The series finale ended with Jeff and his family and friends surviving a tornado
. But when Jeff and wife Karen come up out of the cellar they find that their house has been completely leveled by the storm. The series' final fadeout shows a panout of the two looking around at the wreckage while Jeff makes with a "You might be a redneck
" statement.
John Doe
: In the unplanned series finale, the Stocking Cap man seemingly in charge of the evil Phoenix Organization is revealed in the last seconds as Digger, John Doe's employer and one of his closest friends. According to the series creators, "Digger" would have been revealed in the next season not to be the real Digger, but "a Phoenix member with some fancy facial reconstruction" http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,701496,00.html.
JPod
: In the series finale, "Colony Collapse Disorder", Kaitlin is put into a coma by a hug machine installed in the pod. Cowboy calls 911 (Which he has on speed-dial) and the series ends with Ethan announcing "I think she's gone into a coma." (Possibly a reference to the Douglas Coupland novel "Girlfriend in a Coma)
Kings
: In the series finale, King Silas gets a message from God telling him that David will take his place. Outraged, Silas tries to kill David, but David escapes him. The reverend
tells David that God will keep David in a safe place in Gath. The series ends with David running into the woods.
Las Vegas
: The 2007-2008 Writer's Strike cancelled production of the remaining three episodes of the series, forcing the series to end on a cliffhanger involving Danny and Delinda's pregnancy/baby, and Cooper's ownership fight for the Montecito.
Last Man Standing : Cam was about to confront Adam having just remembered a drunken conversation about his affair with Zoe.
Living with Fran
: Merryl and Danny announce their engagement and Merryl asks Fran to be her Matron of Honor and Danny asks Riley to be his Best Man. Fran realizes that she will run into Riley at the engagement party causes Fran to bring Ted as her date in order to tell Riley that she has moved on from him and is giving Ted another chance. Fran finds Ted hitting on Riley's date. When Riley learns that Fran was just trying to protect him he proposes to Fran.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
: This ended with then married Lois and Clark finding a baby left in their living room, with a note "Lois and Clark - This baby's for you." The baby was intended to turn out to be their baby from the future.
Love of Life
: On its final episode on February 1, 1980, heroine Betsy Crawford, after testifying in a trial, collapsed as she was leaving the stand. No one knew what happened to her as the show was cancelled, and not picked up by another network. (It is not known whether the whole episode exists; at the very least, the credits sequence that followed does, as does a CBS news report on the cancellation.)
Malcolm & Eddie
: After the 50/50 Club is wrecked in an accident, Nicolette offers Malcolm and Eddie money to rebuild it on the condition that she becomes a full partner.
Martian Successor Nadesico
: Main character Akito confesses his love for Yurika and the crew of the Nadesico escapes the battlefield on Mars, but the subsequent fate of the crew, and the result of the war, is left unresolved - the ending narration even refers to the series' "inevitable second season". No second season was ever produced, however, although several video games and a movie were made. Director Tatsuo Sato
later stated mysteriously that any sequel to Nadesico was "impossible".
Models, Inc. : In the finale that originally aired on FOX
, the series ended with a assassin (Mitch Pileggi
) hired by Grayson (Emma Samms
) bringing his gun to her ex Adam's (James Wilder
) wedding to Monique (Stephanie Romanov
) wedding to shoot the latter. While Grayson was frantically trying to get her son Daniel away from the couple, the gun was shown pointing at the ensuing chaos and then the gun was shot. It ended in slow motion panning to the assassin's face with, "To Be Continued ..." The show was cancelled soon after, but there was an alternate ending which resolved the cliffhanger that later aired on international distribution and in repeats on E!
cable network. The shot killed Grayson and showed Hillary Michaels (Linda Gray
) announcing to the models that she was closing Models, Inc. The show ended with Gray turning off the lights to each model's photo on the wall in the lobby and the office going dark and zooming up to the Models, Inc. logo in the hallway. However, the one cliffhanger that wasn't resolved on either endings was the ending of the character of Carrie (Carrie-Anne Moss
): Before the wedding sequence, Grayson had her kidnapped and in a scene saying "Somewhere in Central America" she woke up tied and was in "Hooker Hell."
Moesha
: The show was cancelled on a cliffhanger, with Moesha's younger brother Miles having been kidnapped and a positive pregnancy test suggesting that one of the girls in Moesha's dorm was pregnant. The cliffhanger was originally planned to be solved on the Moesha spinoff The Parkers
, but the writers of the show ultimately declined, feeling that the spinoff had a cliffhanger of its own to solve with the season premiere.
Mortal Kombat: Conquest
: Due to the cost of making the show, it ended with only one season being made, despite its popularity. The series ended with all the major cast dead and Shao Kahn being victorious in pulling off his plan to get rid of his foes. Depending on source, the next season was supposed to start with either the Elder Gods resetting everything because Shao Kahn broke the rules, and/or the last two episodes being Kahn's dream.
My Name Is Earl
: Earl finds out he is Dodge's father, but Darnell finds out he's not Earl Jr.'s father, and the series ends without viewers knowing who Earl Jr.'s father is.
My Own Worst Enemy
: The series wouldn't have ended the way it did if it was ordered a full season, but ended on its ninth episode with no resolution, with Henry/Edward (Christian Slater
) discovering that someone who has offered to fix him has been killed.
My So-Called Life
: After discovering that Brian wrote the eloquent apology letter that was supposedly penned by Jordan Catalono, Angela ends up looking back and forth between the two deciding what she should do. She ends up getting into Jordan's car, but staring at Brian the whole time as she departs. The creator of the show, Winnie Holzman, is proud of the end of series. She said, "... there was a rightness in how short the season was. This was a show about adolescence and sort of ended in its own adolescence. There was an aura about how short the series was like all things that die young. The show ended at a point that it was still all potential."
No Ordinary Family
: George and a bunch of prisoners are involved in a plane crash and they all get superpowers, but it's unknown what powers George got. Special Agent Hawkins of the NSA comes to the Powell home and tells the family that they're no ordinary family, and that they need their help in rounding up the prisoners.
Odyssey 5
: Was cancelled after one season. The show ended on a cliffhanger which was never resolved. Unresolved plots included the main plot about saving the earth, but also the subplots about the Karder, the Sentients and the kidnapping of Angela Perry.
Over There
: Was canceled immediately after its one and only season concluded, leaving a number of "loose ends" including the future of Bo Ryder, one of the principal characters, who hoped to recover from the loss of his right leg and return to active duty with his unit in Iraq.
Peak Practice
: Was axed in 2002, with the final episode ending with two of the series' main characters literally falling off a cliff. Despite receiving hundreds of complaints from loyal viewers, ITV were steadfast in their decision not to make any further episodes of the series.
Peyton Place
: When this evening soap opera was cancelled in 1969, the final episode made no attempt to tie-up the various story threads in the expectation another network would pick-up the show.
Popular
: This show's second season finale ends with a cliffhanger that was never resolved due to an unexpected cancellation by the network after the episode was already shot. In the cliffhanger, Nicole (Tammy Lynn Michaels
) runs over former friend Brooke (Leslie Bibb
) with her car and it is unclear if the latter survives the hit or not. Also, it was revealed a drag queen (RuPaul
) was Mary Cherry's (Leslie Grossman
) father, and immediately preceding the accident, Brooke and Sam (Carly Pope
) were shown arguing over the aftermath of Harrison's (Christopher Gorham
) choice between the two, a decision that was never revealed, though series creator Ryan Murphy said after the cancellation that Harrison had picked Brooke, in spite of her reaction suggesting otherwise, and that Brooke, having broken every bone in her face, would have returned from her coma as a brunette (Bibb is a brunette) http://www.foreverpopular.net/popular/three.html.
Port Charles
: The soap opera concluded its run with heroine Allison not knowing who the father of her baby was.
Power Rangers RPM: After Disney's announcement to drop the show in 2009, the 17th series of the well known franchise
ended with a cliffhanger implying that Venjix is still alive in Ranger Red's Morpher and the franchise was revived by Nickelodeon
in 2011 and one of the episodes of the 18th series
will resolve the cliffhanger.
The Prisoner : The Prisoner had two parts, one featuring Lieutanant Strainer's escape, and one featuring him and The Technician trying to find a comrade being held captive by Mercenaries. The first part ends with Strainer getting shot as well as The Technician. The screen cuts to black as The Technician puts the wounded Strainer in the escape van, with an epilogue explaining how the two escaped from the base, and stating the van was discovered crashed into a tree, but no bodies were found, and there was blood all over the vehicle. In the second part, the two are revealed to be alive, and they battle with the Mercenaries on a deserted street. The episode ends with Strainer climbing out of a rock pit and The Technician being shot dead by the lead Mercenary. Cue end credits.
Pushing Daisies
: Another victim of early cancellation, the series finale, as originally filmed, ended with main character Chuck, revealing herself to be still alive to her aunt and mother, who thought that she was killed aboard a ship. However, it was re-edited in post to provide some closure, with the addition of shots "donated" (provided at a much lower price than normal) by the various effects houses that the show had worked with, and narration by series narrator Jim Dale
http://thetorchonline.com/2009/06/21/what-wouldve-happened-on-pushing-daisies-if-it-hadnt-been-cancelled/. Nevertheless, the finale still left many loose ends, for example, Ned never sees his father again.
ReBoot
: There are two different cliffhanger endings. In the UK, the show ended with the heroes in the web gone to rescue Bob, and the episode ended with a zoom in on Matrix's eye. The reason for this cliffhanger is CITV
did not air the rest of the season, as they deemed the content unsuitable. In the US and Canada (and/or anywhere other than the UK that aired ReBoot) got a different cliffhanger ending, at the end of Series 4 (The halfway point of Series 3 was where CITV stopped it), it is revealed that the clone of Bob is an upgraded version of the virus Megabyte, who is inside Mainframe's core office, and in a position to destroy it.
Red Dwarf
: In the end of series 8 Rimmer is trapped on Red Dwarf as it is disintegrating around him and everyone else has abandoned ship. Then the Grim Reaper comes to take him away and he kicks the Grim Reaper in the testicles and runs off. Red Dwarf returned in Back to Earth which took place 10 years after the end of series 8 with no mention of how the cliffhanger was resolved.
Return to Eden
: Ended on a dramatic cliffhanger in Australia. For subsequent international sales, a specially shot new ending hurriedly tied-up the unresolved story threads.
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
: Ends in a cliff-hanger on Episode 37 showing the Arachnid race doing a full-scale assault on Earth. There were originally plans to create three more episodes to create the resolution (with the voice-overs already recorded), but it was not possible due to running out of resources. In an audio commentary by producer Jeff Kline on the Homefront Campaign DVD, he outlines what would happen in those three episodes.
Silver Surfer
: After 13 episodes the story was cut as Silver Surfer starts his battle with Thanos for the existence of the universe leaving the viewers with a white screen and a yellow "The End?" sign.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World : The season 3 cliffhanger was never resolved, for the series was cancelled in 2002 after funding for a fourth season fell through..
Sliders
: In the last episode (The Seer), lone remaining original Slider Rembrandt Brown
went to Earth Prime
to defeat the Kromagg
s, while the other sliders remained on the previous parallel earth, not knowing if Rembrandt would live or die.
Soap
: The show ended on several cliffhangers, not least of which was the fate of Jessica Tate, who was facing execution by firing squad
. Jessica's fate was more or less resolved in a subsequent 1983 episode of Benson
, wherein Jessica's spirit visits her former butler to reassure him on his life's choices, and realizing that she is not dead but in a coma. Burt Campbell, a police officer, is about to walk into a trap, and Chester is about to shoot his son Danny.
Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM)
: The final scene of the season finale "The Doomsday Project" set up the plot point of Snively teaming up with a new villain for the next season. It was revealed in 1997 that Ixis Naugus was the mystery villain being set up. A third season was planned and a plot put out but the head of ABC
was replaced, and the show was cancelled.
The Sopranos
: Many episodes find their ending in a cliffhanger when some character or obscure scene ostensibly leaves the audience unsatisfied, often with subtle allegations. Occasionally obvious or subtle references to these episodes are made in future episodes, often resolving the cliffhangers in unexpected ways or further perpetuating the mystery of their outcome. The series finale ended deliberately with an abrupt cut-to-black in the middle of a scene, leaving the outcome of all surviving characters unknown.
Space: Above and Beyond
: The final episode ends in an open-ended fashion, where T.C. McQueen is badly injured and most of the major cast is apparently killed or missing, with only Cooper Hawkes and Nathan West remaining. Yet with the Earth force in a much better strategic position, there is the motif of hope through initiative, despite losses and sacrifices.
Spider-Man
: In the final episode of this series, Spider-Man saves all of reality from Spider-Carnage, an unstable alternate universe version of the character. Madame Web congratulates Spider-Man and transports both he and a powerless alternate world self (who had helped tremendously despite his lack of powers) to that person's Earth, where the truth about his origins are revealed, he is an actor who portrays the character on television, and takes him to see Stan Lee in this reality. Web promises Spider-Man they will find Mary Jane Watson, as unbeknownst to Spider-Man, she had fallen into a portal in the third season finale. The cliffhanger was never resolved due to the dreaded "65 episode rule" of Syndication, which had not yet been challenged as sternly as it is now (also, there were conflicts between Fox Kids network head Margaret Loesch
and executive producer Avi Arad
). Head writer John Semper had hoped to continue the series and resolve the cliffhanger, one proposed arc involved Spidey finding MJ in Colonial England and fighting Carnage once more, who had by now joined with Jack The Ripper.
Spider-Man Unlimited
: There were a few cliffhangers in Spider-Man Unlimited. The Counter-Earth version of the Green Goblin was hinted to be the missing husband of Dr. Yamanda-Naoko Jones, who allowed Peter to stay with her and her son, (the Spider-Man Unlimited comic book also hinted a Bestial version of Wolverine was her husband, but its place in canon is uncertain). The series also looked at Carnage and Venom's attempts at contacting a symbiote hive on Counter-Earth known as "The Synoptic", which would menace Counter-Earth in the final moments of the final episode, just as Spider-Man and The Resistance had succeeded in overthrowing The High Evolutionary and his Bestial forces.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
: Much like Spider-man Unlimited, the CGI
series also ended on a cliffhanger with the expectation that a second series would be produced to resolve it. The main string of Peter Parker giving up being the Spider-man is not really a cliffhanger as fans know he would recant, but the trigger for it with one of the few new supporting cast members/love triangle member Indy being put into coma still remains. However the fact that the series was implied to have continuity with the first movie and the fact he is Spider-Man again in the second movie, with a second series planned (but never produced) means this still counts as a cliffhanger.
The Spectacular Spiderman : The series ends with Miles Warren taking control of Connors' lab and using it to perform illegal experiments to create super soldiers and the believed dead Norman Osborn seen in disguise leaving for Europe to continue his criminal schemes from afar.
Stargate SG-1
: The final episode resolves none of the story dealing with the Ori Army's invasion of the Milky Way Galaxy.) This story arc was wrapped up with the straight-to-DVD movie Stargate: The Ark Of Truth
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
: In the last episode, Benjamin Sisko
is taken by the Bajoran Prophet
into the Celestial Temple, leaving his son
and pregnant wife behind on DS9
. As this was an actual planned finale, and references were made to Sisko being back "in a year," there was early speculation of a theatrical movie in the works. (Although the movie never materialized, the Sisko family situation was resolved in Unity, a novel by S.D. Perry from the DS9 relaunch
novel series. However, this novel, like all other Star Trek
novels, is not considered to be official series canon
, and did not actually happen in the series.)
Strip Mall
: Every episode of this soap opera parody ended on a cliffhanger, including the last, in which Tammi gets thrown out of an airplane by Barry, who then yells, "Goodbye Tammi Tyler!" (In June 2001, Comedy Central
made a cost-cutting move due to a rough economy by cancelling Strip Mall
and That's My Bush!
)
Stroker and Hoop
: This animated comedy on Adult Swim
ended with the titular characters falling to their presumed deaths.
Surface
: cancelled after 15 episodes within running story.
Teen Titans : The final episode of the series, "Things Change", finds the Titans facing an unknown enemy while a grieving Beast Boy ttries to understand what happened to the Titans' former member, Terra, who supposedly died in a cave collapse, and he finds her, somehow alive, yet the girl states her name is not Terra, but the girl looks like her, and it is revealed that the girl later on is actually Terra, who now has moved on and goes to school. She leaves Beast Boy in the mess of the student crowd as the bell rings and disappears. Beast Boy then gets a broadcast from Robin asking for assistance, and Beast Boy responds and leaves the school, and the screen fades to white, leaving the audience to wonder if Terra would ever return to being a hero. It was never resolved in the television film
. Other questions left unanswered include what happened to Slade after Season 4 and who is Red X. It is presumably that it is a "What If?" episode.
That '70s Show
: The series ends on new years of 1979 with Eric
returning from Africa
and it is unknown if he gets back together with his old girlfriend Donna
. Given the nature of the ending, though, it can be presumed that they do get back together.
Tilt
: The series' archvillain, Don "The Matador" Everest, is arrested for murder, but in the final seconds, a key witness against him is found hanged to death in an apparent suicide.
Trailer Park Boys
: The one hour series finale ended with Ricky, Julian, Bubbles and Ray going to jail for bootlegging
. They all swear revenge on Jim Lahey as he changes the trailer park.
Traveler
: The first season of Traveler ended with Jay, Will, and Tyler talking to the police station on a payphone, with the man and proof needed to save them from escaping jail. As they are telling the police chief that they have the proof outside, the car containing the proof explodes. They stand in awe, and then run away. It was then cancelled.
Tru Calling
: After the original 13 episode season (2) had been officially picked up, production started for the new season. After 6 episodes were produced, Fox
axed the series leaving the six episode season on an unanswered cliffhanger dealing with many unanswered questions about the mythology of Tru, Jack, Tru's father and the entire set up of her mother's death.
Twin Peaks
: Dale Cooper is trapped in the black lodge, while BOB takes over his body. The show ends as Dale/BOB bangs his head against a mirror, repeating the words: "How's Annie?", as well as having several other characters involved in some type of cliffhanger.
V : The 1984 NBC version of V ended on Diana implying that she has put a bomb on the ship that Elizabeth has boarded and the reveal that Kyle has also stowed away on the ship, while the ABC remake in 2010 ended on Diana's daughter Anna "blissing" the entire Earth to allow her alien race to take over the planet.
: The game ends with the main character being sent to a frozen planet after defeating the final boss. The character passes out from the cold and is apparently saved by a large creature as the words "To be continued ..." appear on screen. Production of a sequel never came to pass because of financial issues.
Assassin's Creed
: With Altaïr's memory complete, Desmond, no longer being of use to Abstergo Industries, is to be silenced; however, he is saved by Lucy Stillman, who reveals herself to be an Assassin by bending down her ring finger, to imply her membership. In the conclusion of the game, Desmond, having become "synchronized" with Altaïr, is able to use the eagle vision (a sort of empathic sight to see hidden messages and tell friend from foe), and sees messages scrawled across the floors and walls that only he can see that refer to the end of the world described by several religions, among other writings. The game abruptly ends right after Desmond sees the writings on the wall in his bedroom.
Assassin's Creed II
: The game ends with the Roman god Minerva revealing that a catastrophe involving the sun will eradicate the Earth on December 21, 2012. During the credits, Desmond, Shaun, Rebecca and Lucy are found by the Templars and are forced to abandon their hideout, with Lucy vowing that Warren Vidic will get his comeuppance in the end.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
: The game ends with Desmond stabbing Lucy under the control of Juno and the two falling to the ground unconscious.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
: Ezio's storyline ends after he finds Altair Ibn L'ahad's Apple of Eden, Desmond comes out of Animus Island and is told by the God's what he has to do. When he awakes he tells the modern day Assassin's, along with his father that he knows what he has to do. This will most likely be resolved in the upcoming Assassin's Creed III.
Axelay
: At the end of the game on the hardest difficulty, after beating the game twice, a message saying "See you again at Axelay 2" promises a sequel to this game. However, Axelay 2 never materialized.
BattleTanx: Global Assault
: Ended with the main villain being resurrected by an unidentified magician. No sequel was released before the company behind the game, 3DO
, went bankrupt.
Beyond Good and Evil
: This Ubisoft
game ended with a main character, Peyj, being infected with a substance thought to be destroyed, setting up for a sequel. However, though it got very good reviews, Beyond Good and Evil had dismal sales but a sequel has been planned as of May 15, 2008.
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space
: The game ends with a strange turnaround. The players team sets peace to the world (supposedly sacrificing themselves). Soon after, the Mother Computer malfunctions and another World is deemed unstable. As Time Sweepers run towards a glowing door, Blinx is knocked aside, but gets up and gasps in shock, growling 'Not them again!'. The CEO hands everyone medals, yet it is unknown what Blinx saw in the door, whether the player's team ever got back, if the Tom-Toms are still fighting with the Cats or who Mina really is.This cliffhanger is unlikely to ever be resolved due to the poor sales and mediocre reviews of it and its predecessor,
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
: At the end of the final mission, the main character Soap and Captain Price were both wounded by an exploding tanker, and Imram Zakhaev comes and kills the SAS squad, but a Loyalist helicopter comes in and destroys their helicopter. Captain Price then slides a pistol to Soap, which he uses to kill Imran Zakheav. After that the loyalists come to rescue both Soap and Price. As Soap is lifted in the air a Russian medic tries to revive Captain Price, and Soap's view turns white as at a previous character's death, leaving the fate Captain Price and Gaz unknown.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
: At the end of the final mission, Soap was stabbed in the stomach by Shepard. As Shepard is about to shoot him, Captain Price quickly jumps in the way and fights him. While they were fighting, Soap managed to pull the knife out of his stomach and throw it into Shepard's eye, killing him. Soap and Price are then taken on to a little bird helicopter with the pilot Nikolai saying he knows a place where they can hide. The game then goes to the credits.
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
: In the third and final act, LEGION (The Brotherhood of Nod's second AI after CABAL) reawakens in the post-Tiberium War 3 period, and Kane
focuses it on recovering the Tacitus. The Global Defense Initiative (GDI) has been meddling with the device, causing it to become highly unstable; Kane needs the Tacitus for his master plan, so he orders the player to first awaken the Marked of Kane, a faction of cyborgs that only LEGION is capable of controlling due to its link with the destroyed CABAL. After its reactivation, Kane then sends the player to recover the Tacitus from GDI's facility in the Rocky Mountains. Kane then connects it to LEGION in the concluding scene of Act III, and the AI becomes infused with the vast knowledge of the object. The ending video shows a reverse of the Scrin campaign introduction video in Tiberium Wars
with the words, Earth Warp Gate Status Active, followed by Commencing Phase 2 and lastly Invasion.
The Conduit
: The main character, Michael Ford, ends the game by entering a Conduit that leads to an unknown destination to escape from a building set to explode. His fate is left ambiguous. During the end credits, the main villain can be heard talking to an alien contact, and reveals himself to be an alien disguised as a human on earth, and that there is still a plan to destroy the earth.
Dante's Inferno
: After defeating Lucifer, the last scenes involve Dante seeing the freed soul of Beatrice and later at the step of Mt. Purgatory while ripping the tapestry off his chest. The tapestry then transforms into a snake and slithers away as Lucifer's laugh can be heard. Dante then heads to Mt. Purgatory as the message "To be continued" appears moments before the screen fades to black.
Dead Rising
: After defeating the final boss, Frank screams into the air surrounded by hundreds of zombies and infected with the zombie virus. However, while the player is told that Frank is able to escape, there are other unresolved problems, such as kids infected with the zombie virus planted around the country, Frank's own zombie virus and whether he is cured, and the fate of Isabella, a supporting character.
Dead Space
: Ends with the main character Isaac Clarke boarding a shuttle to escape the doomed mining colony on the planet Aegis 7. Having seemingly eluded danger, he removes his helmet and stares blankly into space for a moment. Then, something to his right catches his attention and he turns to see a monstrous apparition, which resembles his late girlfriend Nicole lurching forward to attack him. A quick cut to the credits follows and no explanation is given as to what happened to Isaac.
Diablo
: Ended with the player jabbing Diablo's Soulstone
into the player's head. The narrator says that you feel Diablo already trying to control you from inside the Soulstone and you feel that your salvation lies to the east. This cliffhanger was resolved in Diablo II
as the player in the first game became Diablo himself and then the new player must defeat him and destroy the soulstone.
Diablo II
: After the player defeats Diablo, a cinematic happens where Marius tells the hooded figure who he believes to be Tyrael that Diablo's Soulstone was destroyed. Then, upon Tyrael's request, Marius gives him Baal's Soulstone, and then Tyrael reveals that he is "not the archangel Tyrael" but actually Baal. Baal kills Marius, and sets the building they were in ablaze, and then the game ends with Baal walking out of the burning building with a horde of insect-like demons following him. This cliffhanger is resolved in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
when the player kills Baal. However, the datadisc ends with a cliffhanger, too: After killing Baal, Tyrael enters the Worldstone Chamber and tells the hero that Baal has already corrupted the Worldstone. Tyrael must therefore destroy the Worldstone, but admits even he cannot foresee the consequences of doing so.
Diddy Kong Racing
:
Doom 3
: While the Doomguy
still makes it out alive, the game ends by showing a transformed Dr. Betruger flying through hell, still alive and waiting to strike back. He is finally killed by another marine in the Doom 3 expansion pack, Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil
.
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey : Ended (and began) with Zoe Castillo, the main protagonist, in a coma while April Ryan
from the prequel, The Longest Journey
is apparently killed and Kian Alvane under custody. The antagonists were unaffected as shown in the ending and leaves many questions unanswered. (see Dreamfall: The Longest Journey#Story). According to the game's designer, Ragnar Tørnquist
, these cliffhangers will be resolved in the upcoming episodic sequel, Dreamfall Chapters.
Driv3r
: Following a car chase and violent shootout between Jericho's men and the Turkish police, Tanner faces crime lord Jericho in a final showdown. Tanner shots Jericho and injuries him, however he spares Jericho's life. However, Tanner turns his back, Jericho shots him. The game ends showing one of the men flatlining
and a doctor using the defibrillator
.
Driver: Parallel Lines
: The game ends with TK giving the main antagonist, Corrigan, to Maria that tells him that he'll suffer more in her hands. However it's unknown if he dies.
EarthBound
: After the ending credits, the protagonist, Ness, is awoken in the middle of the night by someone knocking at his front door. The knocker is Picky, who gives Ness a note from Pokey, which reads "Come and get me, loser! Spankety spankety spankety!" The screen then fades out to "The End?" However, Pokey's fate is revealed in the sequel, Mother 3
.
F.E.A.R. : The game ends with the main character seeing the evil little girl "Alma" climb up on the side of your escape helicopter right before the game cuts to credits. After the credits, the player can also hear a conversation between a senator and the CEO of Armachan which explains that the whole game was created as a test for you, the Point Man.
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core: The game ends with Cloud Strife
taking the Buster Sword and Zack Fair's clothes. Cloud claims that he is SOLDIER First Class. The game ends with to be continued in Final Fantasy VII
.
Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus: A post-credits scene shows the character Genesis Rhaspodos awakening from a chamber, he picks up the limp body of Weiss and implies that he may still be alive.
Gabriel Knight III
: Ended on a cliffhanger, as Grace leaves Gabriel and goes to India. The story would have continued in the next Gabriel Knight game, but shortly after the release of Gabriel Knight III, Sierra officially stopped making adventure games.
The Getaway
: The game's second ending, the second protagonist Frank Carter tracks down the mob on the Sol Vita ship, when the mob boss activates the bomb, all the gangs attack each other. while frank manages to escape by jumping out of the ship by the time the ship exploded, it's unclear if he survived.
God of War II
: The game ended with the titans and Kratos climbing Mount Olympus. At the end, the title said "The End Begins." This occurred because PlayStation 3
and PSP
sequels are in development.
Golden Sun
: The game ends with a big earthquake, leaving all the points of the plot unresolved. The second game of the series, reads the savegame of the previous for continue the story. Initially the series was planned to be a single game, but it was divided in half due to hardware limitations.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn : After the final boss, the world is now imperiled by a new threat. Psynergy Vortexes, which suck the elemental Psynergy from both the land and power-wielding Adepts alike, are spreading across the world. A new generation of heroes - the children of those from the previous games - are drawn into the mystery behind the vortexes, as they cross a chaotic world that is succumbing to a new evil
Half-Life : This series of games is perhaps the best known for its clever and even weird cliffhanger endings, with the games always ending with the hero being transported to an indeterminate dimension in the middle of a high climax for a meeting with the G-Man
, who then congratulates the hero and cryptically tells him he has "assignments" for him. Three exceptions to this rule are the endings to Half-Life: Blue Shift
, Half-Life 2: Episode One
and Half-Life 2: Episode Two
, although the last two also ended with cliffhangers, with Episode One ending with the fates of the two main characters being unresolved and Episode Two ending with Eli Vance's death; only Blue Shift has a non-cliffhanger ending.
Halo: Combat Evolved
: While not as overt as the ending to its sequel, the ending to the original Halo game left the Master Chief
and Cortana
stranded in space on a single Longsword space fighter, with an ominous note that indicated that the story was not over, the Master Chief stating "No, I think we're just getting started." The novel, Halo: First Strike
details the duo's return to Earth.
Halo 2
: The game ended with the Master Chief
ordering the UNSC fleet to cease fire on the Forerunner ship that he had stowed away on, to "finish this fight." The post credits scene shows Cortana
with the Gravemind
wanting to ask her some questions and her answering "Alright, Shoot". The limited comic series, Halo: Uprising
bridges the gap between Halo 2 and 3.
Halo 3
: The game ends with the Master Chief and Cortana trapped in deep space, aboard a destroyed frigate and going into a cryo chamber
. In the Legendary ending, Master Chief and Cortana are heading towards an unknown structure.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
: In the secret ending after getting 100 Power Cells, it shows Jak and the gang opening a Precursor Door that just shines brightly and everyone is saying how cool it looks, but it is never revealed until the beginning of Jak II
.
Killzone
: The game ends with the Strategic Defense (S.D.) Platforms destroyed, as Templar, Rico, Luger, and Hakha fly away.
Killzone 2 : In the final cutscene, Sev and Rico finally find the Helghast Emperor Scolar Visari. Sev attempts to arrest Visari, but Visari goes on to deliver a little speech. Visari says that if the ISA were to arrest him and take him away, then Helghan will dissolve into chaos. The will of the Helghast people will be too much to contain, and the ISA would then be begging him to return order to Helghan. However, after hearing enough of Visari's speech, Rico (who has grudges against the Helghast) suddenly shoots Visari. Visari dies saying, "Madness ... The madness ... begins." As Sev walks outside, he finds that Visari was indeed correct. Hundreds of Helghast ships fly overhead and overwhelm the ISA forces.
Kingdom Hearts
: After Ansem is destroyed, Sora, with the help of King Mickey and Riku, closes the door to Kingdom Hearts with Riku & King Mickey still inside. After Sora tells Kairi that he would come back to her, Sora, Donald & Goofy disappear as the worlds are restored & disconnected. After the credits, Sora, Donald & Goofy are seen chasing Pluto how has a letter from the King.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
: In the end of Sora's story, he, Donald & Goofy go into a deep sleep while Naminé rearranges their memories back to the way they were, but at the cost of erasing their memories of their time in Castle Oblivion. In Riku's story, after destroying the last of Ansem's Essence, Riku still fears that Ansem is inside of him. He & King Mickey go on a quest to destroy it once & for all. As they exit Castle Oblivion they run into DiZ outside. After asking what he wants now, DiZ asks Riku which way will he take the "road to light or the road to darkness?" Riku tells him neither & that he's taking the middle road. After DiZ asks "The road to twilight night fall?" Riku says "No, the way to dawn."
Kingdom Hearts II
: After the credits it shows Sora, Kairi, and Riku receiving a letter from the king. They read the letter, but ends without the letter visible to the player.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
: The game ends with Roxas being finally kidnapped by Riku and DiZ, who put him in a virtual Twilight Town. On day 359, after the first scene of Kingdom Hearts II is shown, Roxas runs eagerly to "The Usual Spot", clearly having forgot about his time in Organization XIII
. The game ends after showing the clock tower, then fading to black, with Roxas' narration reminding the audience that there are only seven days left in his "summer vacation".
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: In the secret ending of the game, "Blank Points", it is revealed that the note that Sora received at the end of Kingdom Hearts II detailed the story of Terra, Ven, and Aqua. Sora states that he has made up his mind, and he will save them. Kairi gives Sora her wayfinder, saying "See you soon", and the game cuts to a black screen reading: Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts.
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
: During the ending sequence of the game, after most of the plot is already untied, a major plot twist is introduced that questions many aspects of the story that appeared clear before, including the identity of the main character himself. The ending sequence finishes with the main character sucked off through a vortex to an unknown location (if any). If this cliffhanger was ever supposed to be resolved, remains subject of discussion until today, since later games of the Klonoa series do not pick up the Door to Phantomile storyline again.
Legacy of Kain
: Each game in the series ends on a cliffhanger leading into the next game.
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
: After defeating Gaul, Spyro found his friends Sparx and Cynder getting stuck in a crystal. After the credits, The Chronicler told Spyro he's not alone, and that when he wakes up, it will be a "new world". This means that Dawn of the Dragon comes out after this game.
Mass Effect
: At the game's end, Commander Shepard states that the Reapers are still a threat, and subsequently vows to find a way to stop them while leaving the room. This is later explored in the sequel
.
Mass Effect 2
: Before the credits roll, countless Reapers awaken in dark space and begin their journey toward the galaxy, setting the stage for Mass Effect 3
.
Metal Gear Solid
: After the credits, a phone conversation between Revolver Ocelot and an unknown individual reveals that the man he is talking to is the third survivor of the Les Enfants Terribles project codenamed Solidus, who is at the time the President of the United States. Solidus would be one of the main antagonists of the sequel, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
: A conversation between Solid Snake
and Otacon reveals that the data recovered from Arsenal Gear does contain information on the Patriots, the group of people responsible for the political power in the United States. However, Otacon tells Snake that all twelve of them have been dead for about a hundred years.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
: Revolver Ocelot, in a phone conversation with the Director of the CIA
, Ocelot him that the microfilm stolen by EVA was a fake and that half of the Philosopher's Legacy is now in America's hands. It transpires that Ocelot has been triple-crossing everyone from the very beginning. He then reveals that he is in fact ADAM, and he has been working for the CIA all this time.
Mother
: A man, revealed to be the protagonist Ninten's father, attempts to reach Ninten on the phone, saying that a new crisis has arisen.
No More Heroes
: As a likely homage to cliffhangers in general, Travis is seen about to get cut down unprepared, on the toilet, by a challenger assassin in the "fake" ending, unarmed and completely unprepared. In the real ending, he is rescued by Henry, only to be challenged by him outside the hotel. In the concluding cut-scene after this boss battle, both characters rush each other headlong, with the result of the battle left unknown. The game teases the player with the message "Too bad there won't be a sequal". This is untrue, as No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle is due to be released.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
: The game ended with Sekto revealing his true form and escaping down the Mongo River leaving the player unsure of what will become of him and also the fate of the native grubbs
'Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
'
Although the game features two endings, both conclude with the same cliffhanger, the Prince (alone in one ending and with empress Kileena in another) return to Babylon to find it under attack by a mysterious force. Curiously, this event is only explainable in the Kileena ending (the one which the game's sequel Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
picked up on) as the attacker, the Vizier, was looking for her.
Portal :At the end, as the credits roll, GLADOS says that she is "still alive".
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
: The game ends with the General's demise and a hostile helicopter entering the facility. Sara believes it to be help, but Nick informs her otherwise now that he finally regains his memory fully. Nick begins to use Telekinesis (presumably on the chopper) and the scene fades to black followed by "To be continued." No sequel has been announced.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction : The ending cutscene of the game has Clank taken away by the Zoni but story was then continued in its 2008 sequel, Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
.
Resident Evil Gaiden
: One of the bio-organic weapons is able to mimic other life forms, but it bleeds green blood instead. After a boss fight where the bioweapon is supposedly slain, Leon's neck is shown bleeding green blood, revealing him to be the second B.O.W. Since Leon appears in Resident Evil 4, Gaiden is probably not canon.
Quake 4
: After Kane destroys the Strogg nexus he is told he has new orders. What the orders were was never explained
Shenmue II
: The saga is abruptly cut off shortly after the main protagonist Ryo Hazuki travels to Guilin China and meets the girl he was destined to encounter, Ling Shenhua. They discover giant replicas of the two mystical mirrors as the screen fades to black with text 'the story goes on ...' A third game is yet to be announced.
"Sin and Punishment" : The game ends without revealing Achi's origins or who her true enemy is. It also fails to reveal whether or not Saki was able to return to human form and defeat the Ruffians or if he chose to side with them and take over the world.
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
: In the end Sly obtains Amnesia (He actually fakes it to get closer to Carmelita) and disappears. Right before the credits, Bently wonders if he will ever find Sly, then says "Time will tell, literally, 'cause I'm building a time machine to find out!" Then the screen closes in.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 : If the game is finished with all 7 Chaos Emeralds collected, a cutscene is shown in which Eggman is seen with the shadow of Metal Sonic, with his red eyes lighting up. The cutscene ends with "To Be Continued".
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
: The game ends with Tutankhamen's mummy joyously rushing to collect his final canopic jar and restore himself to true life, only to clumsily trip and accidentally smash the jar, sending the final fragment of his soul flying off into the ether. Although kindly priest Imhotep vows that he and Sphinx will search for the final shard of Tutankhamen's soul, suggesting a sequel (a sequel may also be suggested by the lone "special feature," a making-of documentary, which shows footage of areas that are not visited in the game, such as a lush rainforest, although these could simply have been areas that were planned for inclusion but struck from the final game), no sequel is currently planned.
StarCraft: Brood War
: In the last mission of the game, Sarah Kerrigan
and her Zerg forces destroy the Protoss fleet, as well as the UED and Terran Dominion forces. Now Kerrigan becomes the most powerful entity in the universe, and Jim Raynor
vows to stop her. This cliffhanger will probably be resolved in the sequel, StarCraft II.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords : The game ends with the Jedi Exile leaving to find Revan (the protagonist from the prequel), who is seeking the "True Sith" empire.
Super Mario 3D Land : After Mario rescues Peach, a floating letter lands in World 1-1 which appears to be Luigi being kidnapped by Bowser's minions. Mario must rescue Luigi from Dry Bowser in Special World 1-Castle.
The House of the Dead III
: In one of the game endings, a businessman, which re-appears in The House of the Dead 4
picked up a vial containing the genes which contains the reanimation genes. The man's true identity, as well as his motives, are unknown, although it is likely that he might cause trouble at some point in the future. A fifth game is yet to be announced.
Tex Murphy: Overseer
: The fifth entry in Access Software
's popular Tex Murphy
series of adventure games ended with the titular protagonist being shot by an unseen character. Access had intended to produce two sequels to Overseer but was bought out by Microsoft
in 1998 as the adventure game market bottomed out, thus bringing an unexpected end to the series. In 2001, series creator Aaron Conners and co-creator/star Chris Jones independently produced six episodes of an online radio series to tie up Overseers loose ends.
Thunder Force VI
: The sixth entry in the Thunder Force series, in the endings of Rynex-R and Syrinx the game ends in "To Be Continued" indicating a possible sequel, however there's no news about that.
Toonstruck
: Ended with Drew, back in the real world, sitting at his desk, when Flux Wildly calls him on the transmitter, explains that Nefarious is back and that Drew must return. Drew has no idea how to return, but is then turned into a toon, due to being hit by Nefarious transmorpher earlier in the game, and this pulls him back into the other world. The game was actually split in half during production, for the second half to be used as the sequel, but sales did not meet expectation, and the sequel was scrapped.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
: The game ended with a possible "To be continued" showing one of your former allies (turned traitor) escaping in a helicopter (or if you destroyed the helicopter, it says that only the body of the pilot was found). The sequel, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
resolves the cliffhanger.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
: The game ends with a possible "To be continued" after the main character, Sam Fisher
, jumps off a coast guard boat that is about to be blown up after disarming a bomb, while being pursued by the FBI
.
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness : The games ending is Lara walking into the place where Kurtis fought Boaz. She finds Kurtis's weapon on the floor, but his body is gone. The blades on his weapon come out and it seems to turn Lara to a dark opened doorway. The blades go back in and Lara smiles. She walks into the shadows and the game ends.
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
: Had two different cliffhangers, one for the Orc Campaign and one for the Human Campaign. The Orc Campaign ends with Ner'zhul stating to the player that the orcs left on Azeroth had "fulfilled their purpose", and so the player, Ner'zhul and the orcs on Draenor with them travel to perhaps another world through one of the newly opened portals on Draenor, now being destroyed and would be later called "Outland
". In the Human Campaign, Alleria, Khadgar, and the rest of the heroes you control close the portal on their end (Draenor), to prevent Azeroth also being destroyed. The Heroes are trapped on Draenor, so they wander off to try and survive its destruction. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
follows the human campaign history with all the heroes except Alleria and Turalyon now residing in Alliance outposts in Outland.
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
: At the end, Arthas defeats Illidan and succeeds Ner'Zhul. Arthas puts on Ner'zhul's helm and then Arthas and Ner'zhul's spirits fuse. Arthas becomes the new Lich King and the most powerful entity in the world. This cliffhanger was resolved in the second World of Warcraft
expansion, entitled "The Wrath of the Lich King"
XIII
: In the last ten seconds of the game, the ultimate conspirator is revealed and the hero is left in a potentially deadly situation.
Shadow
and Silver's endings in Sonic the Hedgehog '06 : Both end on a cliffhanger, with Shadow's episode ending with him being ambushed by Mephiles clones, and Silver's episode ending with Blaze sealing herself within the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow's fate was revealed in the final episode but Silver never finds out what happened to Blaze. The game then ends with a time paradox
, and everyone seems to have forgotten everything that happened in the game but Sonic
seems to have full memory of everything…
Enter the Matrix
: Ends with Niobe and Ghost sitting in the pilot room after destroying hundreds of Sentinels and Niobe announces whatever will come next will be "one hell of a ride". Niobe and Ghost's fates were revealed in The Matrix Revolutions
.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
: Has two endings, one being of the light side and the other of the dark side. In the first, Kyle tells Jaden that he still has some missions in the galaxy for him to make. In the second ending, Kyle says to Luke that they must capture Jaden. The light side ending is considered canonical
, as Jaden is shown as a Jedi in Fury
.
"There's no more District 12. END OF BOOK TWO.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
: Nearly every novel of the series end on cliffhangers, notably beginning with the seventh.
Harry Potter
series:
Captain Underpants
series
: The Internet Machinima web series has cliffhanger endings in almost every season. The Blood Gulch Chronicles season 1 ends with Donut sticking Tex with a Sticky Grenade. Season 2 ends with almost every soldier leaving the canyon to multiple locations. Season 3 ends with The Reds arriving at Blood Gulch again, and Church being attacked by the entity "The Great Destroyer". Season 4 ends with Donut being supposedly killed by a crashing ship and Tucker gave birth to an alien.
Homestar Runner
: Pokes fun at cliffhangers in a Strong Bad
E-Mail, as it shows many cliffhangers, and immediately after resolves them. Some examples includes Homestar "being pregnant, Strong Bad heading straight into what tuns out to be a "grodulated produce belt". This eventually leads to the cliffhanger of Strong Bad's laptop being stolen, which is resolved in a two-part email.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Primary and Secondary Phases
: Arthur steals the Heart of Gold and leaves with Lintilla, Marvin, and all of the sentient systems of the ship. Ford, Zaphod, and Zarniwoop are left stranded with the ruler of the universe. This was never resolved because Douglas Adams never made a third series. Years later, the Tertiary Phase implies that it happened inside of a virtual universe, and Zaphod is the only one to have truly experienced it.
Mega Man Comic Book: At the end of issue 4, Mega Man
, Dr. Light, and Roll are now on a trailer travelling when they are approached by X, who was sent back in time by Zero to change the dark future of Mega Man X
where teh Maverick virus has gone completely contagious. This was meant to continue into a Mega Man X arc, but Dreamwave Productions
went bankrupt before any issue could be published.
Darker Projects: Darker Projects is notorious for its unresolved cliffhanger endings and premature endings. In September 2011, it clearly became more apparent when Eric Busby, founder of Darker Projects, announced that he would move on to his next adventure and eventually retire his old computer which is the provider of this site for nine years.
- The original Japanese film, GojiraGodzilla (1954 film)is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
(1954) ends with Dr. Yamane saying that he doubted there was only one GodzillaGodzillais a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
creature, and that if mankind wasn't more careful with its use of nuclear weaponNuclear weaponA nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
s, other monstersKaijuis a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
would undoubtedly come and wreak havoc. (To soften the general message, this was removed in the heavily re-edited American version, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!Godzilla, King of the Monsters!Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is a 1956 Japanese/American black-and-white science fiction kaiju film. It is an "Americanized" version of the original Godzilla film, which had previously been shown subtitled in the United States in Japanese community theaters only, and was not known in Europe...
[1956].) This is shown to be true when another Godzilla does return in Godzilla Raids AgainGodzilla Raids Again, also known in the United States as Gigantis, the Fire Monster, is a 1955 Japanese black-and-white kaiju film directed by Motoyoshi Oda, written by Shigeru Koyama, Shigeaki Hidaka and Takeo Murata, and produced by Toho....
(1955). - While Godzilla vs. Monster ZeroInvasion of Astro-MonsterInvasion of Astro-Monster is a Science Fiction kaiju film released in 1965 as a direct sequel to Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster...
(1965) does end on a happy note, Godzilla and RodanRodanis a fictional Japanese mutated pterosaur introduced in Rodan, a 1956 release from Toho Studios, the company responsible for the Godzilla series. Like Godzilla and Anguirus, he is designed after a type of prehistoric reptile...
are not proven to have survived until subsequent films. GhidorahKing Ghidorahis a kaiju, a fictional Japanese monster featured in several of Toho Studios' Godzilla films...
does not die in the end, but instead flies out to space. The Xilians appear to survive (although they do not make another appearance in the series, unless the alternate versions from Godzilla: Final WarsGodzilla: Final Warsis a 2004 Japanese science fiction-kaiju film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, written by Wataru Mimura and Isao Kiriyama and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. It is the twenty-eighth film in the Godzilla film series, and the sixth in terms of the series' Millennium era...
(2004) are counted). - Son of GodzillaSon of GodzillaSon of Godzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1967 science fiction kaiju film. The eighth part of the Toho studio's Godzilla series, it was directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa It is the first film to feature Kamacuras, Kumonga, and Minilla.-Plot:A team of scientists are...
(1967) ends with Godzilla and MinillaMinillais a Kaiju from the Godzilla series of films and is the first of several young Godzillas. He first appeared in the Showa film Son of Godzilla and also appeared in Destroy All Monsters, All Monsters Attack and the Millennium film Godzilla: Final Wars.-Origin:The son of the famous Godzilla, Minilla...
being frozen in a nuclear winterNuclear winterNuclear winter is a predicted climatic effect of nuclear war. It has been theorized that severely cold weather and reduced sunlight for a period of months or even years could be caused by detonating large numbers of nuclear weapons, especially over flammable targets such as cities, where large...
. - GiganGiganis a kaiju from the Godzilla series, introduced in the 1972 film Godzilla vs. Gigan. Gigan is a cybernetic monster sporting a buzzsaw weapon in its frontal abdominal region and large metallic hooks for hands. Gigan is considered Godzilla's most brutal and violent opponent, alongside Destroyah,...
and Ghidorah both survive the events of Godzilla vs. GiganGodzilla vs. GiganGodzilla vs. Gigan, released in Japan as and also known as Godzilla on Monster Island when first released to U.S. theaters, is a 1972 Science Fiction Kaiju film. The 12th of Toho Studio's Godzilla series, it was directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. It is the fourth film...
(1972). - Gigan also does not die in Godzilla vs. MegalonGodzilla vs. Megalonis a 1973 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed and co-written by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. It was the thirteenth film in the Godzilla franchise...
(1973). Although his death is shown in the TV series Zone FighterZone FighterZone Fighter, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu science fiction superhero television series. Produced by Toho Company Ltd., the show aired on Nippon Television from April 2 to September 24, 1973, with a total of 26 episodes, it was cancelled due to the oil crisis of 1973...
, its canonicity is disputed. - In Godzilla vs. MechagodzillaGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, originally known in the United States as Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster and subsequently Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster, is a 1974 science fiction kaiju film. This was the 14th of the Toho studio's Godzilla series , it was directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano and the...
(1974), the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens are not completely destroyed and therefore are able to return for Terror of MechagodzillaTerror of MechagodzillaTerror of Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 1975 science fiction kaiju film. The film was titled The Terror of Godzilla in its original American theatrical release. The 15th film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano...
. - The ending of The Return of GodzillaThe Return of GodzillaThe Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla The Return of Godzilla (released as in Japan and as Godzilla 1985 in North America, is a 1984 Science Fiction Kaiju film. The sixteenth film in Toho's Godzilla series, it was produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka and directed by Koji Hashimoto with special...
(1984) is not clear about whether Godzilla dies or not, instead leaving the audience after he is lured into an active volcano. - Because Godzilla is still perceived as a villain at this point in the Heisei series, the ending of Godzilla vs. BiollanteGodzilla vs. Biollanteis a 1989 science fiction kaiju film written and directed by Kazuki Ōmori. It was the seventeenth film to be released in the Godzilla franchise and the second in terms of the franchise's Heisei period...
(1989), in which Godzilla is not killed by the Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria, but shakes it off and goes back to the sea, counts as a cliffhanger. - The same is true for Godzilla vs. King GhidorahGodzilla vs. King Ghidorah, alternatively spelled Godzilla vs. King Ghidora, is the 18th installment in the Godzilla series of films. This is the fifth film to feature King Ghidorah and the first film to feature Mecha-King Ghidorah, . The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 14, 1991...
(1991), where the last scene shows Godzilla awakening underwater and angrily thrashing about and spouting his atomic ray, and, by extension, Godzilla vs. MothraGodzilla vs. Mothra, translated in English as Godzilla vs. Mothra, is the 19th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the sixth film to feature Mothra and the only film to feature Battra. The movie was released theatrically in Japan on December 12, 1992...
(1992) (not to be confused with the 1962 film Mothra vs. Godzilla) and perhaps also Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, released in Japan as , is a 1993 science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Wataru Mimura. It was the twentieth film in Toho's Godzilla series and the first to feature BabyGodzilla. It is also the fifth film to feature Rodan and the third film...
(1993). - The characters say in the ending of Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzillaGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzillais a 1994 science fiction kaiju film directed by Kensho Yamashita and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara. It was the twenty-first film released in the Godzilla series and sixth in the Heisei series of films. It is the second film to feature the Moguera and Little Godzilla and also the seventh film to...
(1994) that another, possibly worse monster than SpaceGodzillaSpaceGodzilla, is a modified clone of Godzilla featured in the Heisei Godzilla film Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla . SpaceGodzilla is the main antagonist of the film. It was originally planned for use in the Showa era of films but dropped, and its physical appearance is nearly identical to Super Godzilla, a variant...
might show itself again one day unless man did something about it, slightly like the original film (though with a much less somber tone). - In Godzilla vs. DestoroyahGodzilla vs. Destoroyah, alternatively titled Godzilla vs. Destroyer, is a 1995 science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Kazuki Omori. It was released in Japan on December 9, 1995. It is the 22nd installment in the Godzilla series of films and the seventh and last of the Heisei series...
, after Godzilla melts down, all of his radiation is absorbed by Godzilla's son. As the smoke clears, it is revealed that Godzilla Jr.Godzilla Junior, also known as Baby Godzilla and Little Godzilla, is the biological son of Godzilla featured in the last three films of the Heisei series of Godzilla films.-Character biography:...
has grown into an adult Godzilla. - After the end credits of Godzilla vs. MegaguirusGodzilla vs. MegaguirusGodzilla vs. Megaguirus, released in Japan as is a 2000 science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura...
(2000), in which it is said towards the end that GodzillaGodzillais a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
may not have been killed by the Dimension Tide black holeBlack holeA black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
gun after all but instead simply transported underneath TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, the child character featured in the film ("Kenny," unofficially) is putting away something in the science lab. As he is walking out, the ground starts to shake, he looks out in horror at something out the window the audience cannot see, and Godzilla's roarGodzilla roarThe Godzilla roar is the trademarked sound the film monster Godzilla makes in most of his movies. What typifies the roar is that it sounds very mechanical and does not resemble an animal’s sound as such....
is heard. - In the end of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out AttackGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attackis a 2001 science fiction kaiju film co-written and directed by Shūsuke Kaneko with a very catchy name. It was the twenty-fifth film to be released in the Godzilla film series. This is the eleventh film to feature Mothra, sixth to feature King Ghidorah, and third to feature Baragon. It is part of...
(2001), Godzilla's heart is shown still beating at the bottom of Tokyo Bay, indicating that it is still alive and in the process of regenerating a new body. - Godzilla Against MechagodzillaGodzilla Against MechagodzillaGodzilla Against Mechagodzilla, released in Japan as , is a 2002 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, written by Wataru Mimura, and produced by Toho Co., Ltd. It is the 26th installment in the Godzilla series of films. It is the fourth film to feature Mechagodzilla...
(2002) ends with Godzilla heading out to sea, grievously injured, KiryuMechagodzillais a fictional character from various films in the Godzilla series, introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla . He is Godzilla's mechanical doppelgänger and one of the most popular Toho kaiju...
badly damaged and unable to fight, and Akane swearing that the next time they meet, Godzilla will be defeated. - After the end credits of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., released in Japan as , is a 2003 science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka. It was the twenty-seventh film to be released in the Godzilla series. It is the twelfth film to feature Mothra, the second film to feature Kamoebas, and the fifth and latest film to...
(2003), a secret lab is shown that has samples of kaijuKaijuis a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
.
Friday the 13th film series
- Friday the 13th (1980 film): Tierney says that they didn't find any boy in the lake, implying that Jason is still there
- Friday the 13th Part 2Friday the 13th Part 2Friday the 13th Part II is a 1981 slasher film directed by Steve Miner, who also directed its sequel, Friday the 13th Part III and several other popular horror films. A sequel to Friday the 13th , it is the second film in the Friday the 13th film series. It was a moderate box-office hit, opening on...
: Ginny wakes up and discovers Paul is not there and asks where he is - Friday the 13th: The Final ChapterFriday the 13th: The Final ChapterFriday the 13th: The Final Chapter is a 1984 slasher film. It is the fourth film in the Friday the 13th film series. Though it was billed as "The Final Chapter," there have been many further sequels in the franchise. The popularity and financial success of the film, which grossed over $32 million,...
: As Tommy hugs his sister, he looks psychotically at the camera. - Friday the 13th: A New BeginningFriday the 13th: A New BeginningFriday the 13th: A New Beginning is a 1985 slasher film. It was released on March 22, 1985. It is the fifth film in the Friday the 13th film series...
: Tommy dons Roy Burn's Jason mask and raises a knife to stab Pam Roberts. - Friday the 13th (2009 film)Friday the 13th (2009 film)Friday the 13th is a 2009 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. It is a reboot of the Friday the 13th film series, which began in 1980 and the twelfth Friday the 13th film in total...
: After supposedly being killed, Jason bursts up through the wooden docks and grabs Whitney as the film ends.
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
: Harry Osborn discovers the Green Goblin's lair and picks up a vial of the Performance Enhancers formula.
X2: X-Men United
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
: Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
dies getting the X-Jet to safety. The Brotherhood of mutants leave with a new member, Pyro
Pyro (comics)
Pyro is a fictional character in Marvel Comics and an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne, he first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #141 ....
.
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It was directed by Brett Ratner and stars an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones,...
: A powerless Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
moves a magnetic chess piece without touching, implying that his powers will return.
Dragonball Evolution: Lord Piccolo is resurrected after the credits.
Bhoothnath
Bhoothnath
Bhoothnath is an Bollywood Ghost film directed by Vivek Sharma, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Shahrukh Khan, Aman Siddiqui, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Rajpal Yadav...
: Bhoothnath retuns to tell Banku that he will always be there for help whenever Banku remembers him, and the film ends with a "To be continued" card.
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe (film)
Masters of the Universe is a 1987 science-fiction fantasy film based on the toy line by the same name. The movie stars Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor...
: Skeletor
Skeletor
Skeletor is a featured villain in the Masters of the Universe franchise and the arch-enemy and main antagonist of He-Man. Depicted as a muscular blue humanoid with a purple hood over his yellowing bare-bone skull, Skeletor seeks to conquer Castle Grayskull so he can learn its ancient secrets,...
says that he would be back.
Street Fighter
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
(1994): After the end credits, a scene depicts the believed-dead Bison's fist smashing through the rubble of his base.
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, known as in Japan and Australia, is a 1994 Japanese animated film adaptation of the Street Fighter II fighting games written by Kenichi Imai, directed by Gisaburō Sugii and animated by Group TAC. The film, originally released in Japan on August 8, 1994, has...
(1994): Ryu, while walking alone down a street, is suddenly attacked from behind by M. Bison, who was thought dead, in a huge truck. Ryu prepares to fight Bison again and the film ends.
The Italian Job
The Italian Job
The Italian Job is a 1969 British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. Subsequent television showings and releases on video have established it as an institution in the United Kingdom....
(1969): Possibly the most famous film cliffhanger for being a literal example of the term, as it ends with the main character's escape vehicle hanging halfway off a cliff in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
.
Halloween series
Halloween (franchise)
Halloween is an American horror franchise that consists of ten slasher films, novels, and comic books. The franchise focuses on the fictional character of Michael Myers who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his older sister, Judith Myers...
:
- HalloweenHalloween (1978 film)Halloween is a 1978 American independent horror film directed, produced, and scored by John Carpenter, co-written with Debra Hill, and starring Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in her film debut and the first installment in the Halloween franchise. The film is set in the fictional midwestern...
: The film ends with Michael MyersMichael Myers (Halloween)Michael Myers is a fictional character from the Halloween series of slasher films. He first appears in John Carpenter's Halloween as a young boy who murders his older sister, then fifteen years later returns home to murder more teenagers...
being shot down from the balcony. Minutes later he is gone. Some clips are exhibit from the house, showing that he is not in the building. - Halloween 4: The Return of Michael MyersHalloween 4: The Return of Michael MyersHalloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 slasher film and the fourth installment of the Halloween film series, directed by Dwight H. Little and written by Alan B. McElroy. The central plot focuses on Michael Myers returning home to kill his niece Jamie Lloyd , the daughter of Laurie...
: Jamie Lloyd, apparently posessed by Michael, stabs her foster mother with a pair of scissors and then stands at the top of the stairs while Dr. Loomis and the police look up at her in horror. - Halloween 5Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael MyersHalloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers is a 1989 American slasher film and the fifth installment in the Halloween film series. It was directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard and starred Donald Pleasence, who again portrayed Dr. Sam Loomis and Danielle Harris, who returned to play Jamie Lloyd...
: The film ends with Jamie seeing that Myers' cell is empty and he is gone. - Halloween: ResurrectionHalloween: ResurrectionHalloween: Resurrection is a 2002 American horror film and eighth installment in the Halloween film series. Directed by Rick Rosenthal, who had also directed Halloween II, the film builds upon the continuity of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later...
: A female doctor opens his bodybag and his eyes suddenly open.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill
Kill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
(2003): The film ends with the revelation that the Bride's unborn daughter is still alive, followed by a cut to black.
Inspector Gadget 2
Inspector Gadget 2
Inspector Gadget 2 is a live-action comedy film, released directly to VHS and DVD in March 2003. It was based upon the cartoon series created by DiC Entertainment and is a direct-to-video sequel to the 1999 Walt Disney Pictures film Inspector Gadget and also released by DIC Entertainment...
: Dr. Claw
Doctor Claw
Dr. Claw is a partially seen character who is the main villain in the animated television series Inspector Gadget and the films that followed...
escapes and vows revenge in the end of the film.
Final Destination
Final Destination
Final Destination is a 2000 supernatural slasher film written and directed by James Wong. The film was co-written by Glen Morgan and Jeffrey Reddick, both of them having previously worked with Wong in the TV series The X-Files. The film stars Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith and Tony Todd...
: Alex saves Clear from being killed, and the two of them and Carter head to Paris. While they are there, however, a sign falls off its shingles and nearly hits Alex. He is pushed out of the way by Carter, only for the three of them to realize Death has skipped Alex. The film ends as Carter asks "So who's next?" and he is struck by the sign as the screen flashes to black.
Child's Play 2
Child's Play 2
Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American horror film, the sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia . It was released on November 9, 1990. Veteran actors Gerrit Graham and Emmy and BAFTA-winner Jenny Agutter, star as Andy's foster parents...
: In the alternate television ending, Chucky's face is remade in the Play Pals Toys factory, which gives an evil smile.
Bride of Chucky
Bride of Chucky
Bride of Chucky is a 1998 American comedy horror film directed by Chinese director Ronny Yu. It is the fourth entry in the Child's Play series. The film stars Jennifer Tilly and Brad Dourif...
: A baby
Glen Tilly
Glen Ray, formerly known as Shitface, is a fictional character, in the Child's Play horror film series, with the original screenplay credited to Don Mancini. He is voiced by Billy Boyd, making him the only living doll character not to be voiced by an Academy Award-nominee...
is born from Tiffany
Tiffany (Child's Play)
Tiffany is a murderous doll and the main protagonist featured in the latter two films in the Child's Play series of horror films, famous for featuring the iconic killer doll Chucky....
and attacks the police officer as the film ends.
Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky, also known as Child's Play 5: Seed of Chucky or Child's Play 5, is a 2004 horror comedy film, which is the fifth entry in the Child's Play series. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created Child's Play and has written all sequels to date...
: Chucky's arm leaps and grabs Glen
Glen Tilly
Glen Ray, formerly known as Shitface, is a fictional character, in the Child's Play horror film series, with the original screenplay credited to Don Mancini. He is voiced by Billy Boyd, making him the only living doll character not to be voiced by an Academy Award-nominee...
's neck and laughs evilly as the film ends.
The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Betsy Baker. The film is a story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area...
: Ash
Ash Williams
Ashley J. "Ash" Williams is the protagonist in the Evil Dead horror film franchise, played by Bruce Campbell, and created by director Sam Raimi. Throughout the series, Ash has to face off against his loved ones inside an abandoned cabin as they are possessed by "deadites", the evil souls of the dead...
welcomes daybreak as the only survivor of the demonic feast that possessed and killed his friends and sister. As he steps out of the cabin, relieved to have survived the ordeal, the Unseen Evil spirit rushes through the forest in his direction, breaks its way through the cabin's doors and eventually reaches Ash, who screams in terror as the screen cuts to black.
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is a 1987 horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is a retcon sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film was written by Raimi and Scott Spiegel, produced by Rob Tapert and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams...
:Ash
Ash Williams
Ashley J. "Ash" Williams is the protagonist in the Evil Dead horror film franchise, played by Bruce Campbell, and created by director Sam Raimi. Throughout the series, Ash has to face off against his loved ones inside an abandoned cabin as they are possessed by "deadites", the evil souls of the dead...
is sent back in time, where he is trapped and the knights hail him.
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon (film)
Flash Gordon is a 1980 British/American science fiction film, based on the comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond. The film was directed by Mike Hodges and produced and presented by Dino De Laurentiis. It stars Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Topol, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian...
(1980): Ming's ring is picked up by an unknown individual. As this happens, the words "The End?" appear QWERTY KEYBOARDmutter cryptic words and a bolt of lightning hits the grave.
Stealth
Stealth (film)
Stealth is a 2005 American science fiction action film starring Jessica Biel, Josh Lucas, Jamie Foxx, and Sam Shepard. The film was directed by Rob Cohen, director of The Fast and the Furious and xXx....
(2005): After the credits, EDI is shown to be still online, but in pieces.
Silent Hill
Silent Hill (film)
Silent Hill is a 2006 horror film directed by Christophe Gans and written by Roger Avary. The story is an adaptation of the Silent Hill series of survival horror video games created by Konami. The film, particularly its emotional, religious and aesthetic content as well as its creature design,...
(2006): The film's main character Rose rescues her daughter and both escape the town of Silent Hill. When she and her daughter arrive home, the environment and interior of the house mirror the conditions of Silent Hill. Rose's husband, Christopher, sees from the living room that the front door is open but no one is nearby. The film ends with both Rose and her husband in the living room unable to see one another and no evidence to whether Rose and her daughter can return to normal.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
(2006): Jack is eaten by the Kraken. As the remaining survivors head to Tia's place and she claims they can get Jack back at World's End, but they need a captain to get there. Captain Barbossa comes downstairs (even though he was seen dying in the first film).
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007): Barbosa makes off with the Black Pearl yet again, but not before Jack steals a piece of the map leading to the Fountain of Youth, setting up the events of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a 2011 adventure fantasy film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series...
(2011)
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
(2002): Scott Evil
Scott Evil
Scott Evil is a fictional character from the Austin Powers series of films. He is played by Seth Green.Scott Evil was born in 1969 or 1970. He is the son of Dr. Evil and Frau Farbissina. He was conceived in 1969 after Dr. Evil obtained and used some of Austin Powers' mojo to have a one-night stand...
takes over his reformed father
Dr. Evil
Dr. Evil is a fictional character, played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers film series. He is the antagonist of the movies, and Austin Powers' nemesis. He is a parody of James Bond villains, primarily Donald Pleasence's Ernst Stavro Blofeld . Dr...
's empire and vows revenge on Austin Powers as the film ends.
Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
(2006): The package containing the stolen British Secret Service money which would be shipped to terrorists is lost in a Venice building collapse near the ending. At the very end, James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
shoots the mysterious terrorist Mr. White in the leg, without revealing the purpose of Mr. White's terrorist organization or whether he lives. Bond walks onscreen with a gun and says "The name's Bond. James Bond," as the screen fades out. The following film, Quantum of Solace, begins moments after this scene.
Saw
Saw (film)
Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
(2004): As it is revealed that Jigsaw was in the bathroom with them the whole time, Adam attempts to shoot him but is electrocuted through the shackle on his leg. Jigsaw informs him that it's "Game Over" and he slams the door shut as Adam realizes he is now trapped alone. He can be heard screaming even while the credits begin to roll. The following sequels tend to continue the pattern of using a twist ending and then leaving a cliffhanger where the survival of the main character is in question.
Vacancy
Vacancy (film)
Vacancy is a 2007 American horror film, starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. It was distributed by Screen Gems and was released on April 20, 2007. Production was scheduled to commence in August 2006 with Nimród Antal signing on to direct it....
(2007): After killing Mason and the rest of the killers in the motel, Amy runs to her near-death husband David (who had been previously beaten and stabbed by the killers the night before). Upon finding him barely alive, she calls 911 using a telephone cord and goes back to caress David. The film ends with both Amy and David waiting for the cops' arrival, leaving the audience unaware if David died from the injuries or if the couple was rescued.
Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
(2005): After defeating Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
, James Gordon showed Batman evidence of another villain on the loose. The evidence was a joker card which leads Batman and Gordon to battle the Joker in The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
(2008): Following the death of Harvey Dent, Batman decides to let himself be blamed for the murders that Dent committed so that the people of Gotham will still have hope. Batman then vanishes into the night. Gordon destroys the batsignal and then issues a manhunt for Batman.
Futurama: Bender's Big Score
Futurama: Bender's Big Score
Futurama: Bender's Big Score is an Annie Award-winning direct-to-video film based on the animated series Futurama. It was released in the United States on November 27, 2007. Bender's Big Score, along with the three follow-up films, comprise season five of Futurama, with each film being separated...
(2007): After Bender returns from the past and invites his time traveling duplicates, all duplicates explode and the space rips open to which Bender replies "Well we're boned!"
Dawn of the Dead (1978): In an attempt to escape the zombie-infested mall, the two remaining survivors, Peter and Fran, take off in the helicopter with only a small amount of fuel.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992): After Laura is killed and her body is discovered, the film cuts to what appears to be a scene that is after the series were Laura leaves the black lodge with her angel. It is hinted that she goes to the white lodge. Cooper watches on while he is still trapped in the lodge and BOB is still in control of his body outside of the lodge. The fates of several other characters are still left unanswered as well.
The Thing (1982): The film ends with both survivors wondering if the thing is dead or if it escaped. The film suggests that one of the two might be the thing.
Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri is an Indian Bollywood film released in 2006.The film stars the three men from the previous film: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. Bipasha Basu and Rimi Sen are the leading actresses of the film. The movie released on 9 June 2006. The movie was inspired from Guy...
(2006): The Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film ends with Raju trying to grab hold of antique guns. Then Babu Rao and Shyam call him on his cell phone to tell him that those guns are very valuable and to stop him to throw those guns.
Swing Vote
Swing Vote (2008 film)
Swing Vote is a 2008 comedy-drama film about an entire U.S. presidential election determined by the vote of one man. It was directed by Joshua Michael Stern and starred Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and Madeline Carroll...
(2008): Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
's character, whose vote will decide the result of the U.S. Presidential election, steps into the voting booth and closes the curtain. His choice is never revealed.
Watchmen
Watchmen (film)
Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
(2009): The film ends with the possibility of Rorshach's journal being discovered and the world being plunged into nuclear war again.
District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
(2009): The film ends with Wikus as a prawn
Prawn
Prawns are decapod crustaceans of the sub-order Dendrobranchiata. There are 540 extant species, in seven families, and a fossil record extending back to the Devonian...
. A few scenes before that Christopher Johnson
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
said he would return in three years to help Wikus become a human again.
Psycho II (1983): The film ends with Norman Bates
Norman Bates
Norman Bates is a fictional character created by writer Robert Bloch as the central character in his novel Psycho, and portrayed by Anthony Perkins as the main antagonist of the 1960 film of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock...
, having become mentally ill again, murdering his aunt. After that he re-opens the Bates Motel for business while the corpse of Emma Spool
Emma Spool
Mrs. Emma Spool is a fictional character in the Psycho film series, created by Tom Holland for the screenplay of the 1982 sequel to the 1960 film Psycho, Psycho II. More attention is given to her character in Psycho III, although she's a corpse...
watches from the Bates Mansion.
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy vs. Jason is a 2003 American slasher film directed by Ronny Yu. The film is a crossover between the A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th franchises...
(2003): After the fight between Freddy and Jason, in which Freddy is decapitated, they both fall into the lake, seemingly dead. In the last scene, Jason emerges from the lake alive carrying Freddy's severed head, which winks to the audience.
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)
Sherlock Holmes is a 2009 action-mystery film based on the character of the same name created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film was directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. The screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon...
(2009): At the end Holmes deduces that Irene's employer was Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
and he was after a different part of Blackwood's device than the one Irene stole. She tells Holmes, Moriarty is like him except more devious, where he replies "We'll see about that." When Watson and Holmes are informed a police officer was found dead near Blackwood's device, the film ends with him saying "Case reopened."
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009): Ends with Zartan being revealed to have impersonated the President of United States.
Inception
Inception
Inception: The Subconscious Jams 1994-1995 is a compilation of unreleased tracks by the band Download.-Track listing:# "Primitive Tekno Jam" – 3:23# "Bee Sting Sickness" – 8:04# "Weed Acid Techno" – 8:19...
(2010): In the movie's final scene, Cobb spins his totem top on a table to test reality before meeting his children, but is distracted by the long-awaited reunion. A shot of the top continuing to spin with a slight wobble is seen as the screen cuts to black, leaving it unclear if Cobb was in the real world or was still dreaming.
Batman: Under the Red Hood
Batman: Under the Red Hood
# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
(2010): The movie ended without revealing the whereabouts of Jason Todd.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010): The movie ends with Voldemort breaking into Dumbledore's tomb to steal the Elder Wand, leaving people to wonder what power he will possess. (Of course this is only a cliffhanger to fans who know only the films. Those who know the original novels, more importantly Deathly Hallows know what happens in the final film because Hallows is actually one novel split into two films for its adaptation.)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011): Ends with Po accepting Mr. Ping as his father as well as being the last Giant Panda, it cuts to Po's biological father is alive in a far away hidden village of Giant Pandas and senses that his son is alive as well.
Examples of television series with regular (or notable) cliffhangers
Of course, cliffhangers are the main "hook" of soap operaSoap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s (both daytime and nighttime), but other genres also use them frequently.
24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
: Because of the format of the show (each episode represents one hour of one day, with a season of 24 episodes representing a complete 24 hour period), each episode can be considered a cliffhanger with many of them ending with a twist in one of the season's multiple plotlines that creates a cliffhanger leading into the next episode. However, several season finale
Season finale
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
s have also involved a cliffhanger whose outcome would not be revealed until the next season. The series finale ends with Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer
Jack Bauer is the main protagonist of the American television series 24. His character has worked in various capacities on the show, often as a member of the fictional Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles, and working with the FBI in Washington, D.C...
fleeing the country. Overall Season 3 is the only season finale to not end with a cliffhanger.
Alias
Alias (TV series)
Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006...
: The first half of season one had each episode end with a cliffhanger. While this format was largely abandoned midway through season one, the season finales often ended on cliffhangers.
Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
: Each season ends on a cliffhanger.
- Season 1: Angel's deceased vampire sire (and lover) is resurrected.
- Season 2: Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley discover that Buffy sacrificed herself to save the world.
- Season 3: Angel is imprisoned in a steel box by his son Connor, and dropped to the bottom of the ocean to live forever confined and alone. Meanwhile Cordelia is told she has become a higher being. Wesley begins an affair with Lilah Morgan, and Lorne leaves Los Angeles to spark a career in Las Vegas.
- Season 4: Angel and the team take over Wolfram and Hart. Angel also makes a deal with the senior partners that Connor be given a new life, and is erased from everybody's minds. Cordelia is left in a coma, on the edge of death.
- Season 5: Angel, Spike, Gunn, and Illyria are the last team members to take on the Circle of the Black Thorn. The Senior Partners sends an army to destroy them, and the audience is left unclear whether the characters will survive.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
:
- Season 1: After saving the Northern Water Tribe, Aang, Katara and Sokka continue their quest to stop the Fire Lord and restore balance to the World. Meanwhile Fire Lord Ozai tells Zuko's sister that his brother has failed and Iroh has betrayed the Fire Nation and orders her to arrest them.
- Season 2: Azula and the Dai Li stage a coup and all five major generals are captured at once. Aang is unable to stop Azula's plan and the Earth Kingdom falls to the Fire Nation. Aang is critically injured by Azula in battle, and Iroh gives him time to escape before being betrayed by Zuko. At the end of the episode, Aang and the gang escape on Appa, where Katara heals Aang using water from the Spirit Oasis. As the Gang fly atop Appa's back over the Outer Wall and out of the city, the Earth King looks back and sadly proclaims, "The Earth Kingdom... has fallen."
- Season 3: In the final moments of the series, Zuko, now the new Fire Lord, visits his father's prison cell and demands him to reveal the whereabouts of his mother. But Ozai's answer is never revealed.
Bad Girls
Bad Girls (TV series)
Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...
: six out of the eight series ended with a cliffhanger.
- Series 2: Shell Dockley lures Officer Jim Fenner into her cell for a good night kiss, leading to them snogging on the bed, Jim is unaware that Shell is armed with a broken bottle.
- Series 3: Virginia O'Kane is drowned in the bath by an unseen person. Nikki Wade and Helen Stewart are last seen snogging in the street after Nikki is released. Shell Dockley and Denny Blood avoid re-arrest by jumping off a boat in Spain.
- Series 4: Snowball Merriman's escape plan involves a bomb which detonated, leaving eight of the inmates are trapped in the library, Snowball is caught and locked in a cell with revenge hungry Yvonne Atkins. Neil Grayling's life is hanging by a thread after being close to the bomb after it detonated. While a gun that was planted in Karen Betts' handbag went missing.
- Series 5: Yvonne Atkins attempts to escape and is locked in a blocked off tunner under the prison by Officer Jim Fenner.
- Series 6: Jim Fenner is sent to prison after CCTV footage of him framing Karen Betts for death by dangerous driving is found. Kris Yates and Selena Geeson are last seen protesting Kris' innocnce on top of a monument in London. Darlene believes she is cursed.
- Series 7: The women and officers are left wondering whether the ghostly presence of Jim Fenner is gone for good.
Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
(the 1960s series): Most of the episodes ran as two half-hour shows over two days, with an announcer famously saying "Tune in tomorrow - same bat-time, same bat-channel" at the end of the first half.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
: The episode "Deep Cover for Batman" ended with a cliffhanger. In Season 2 several cold open
Cold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
s had been notorious for ending with a cliffhanger, which will eventually be resolved in an upcoming two part episode.
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
: "Battlestar Galactica" uses cliffhangers regularly in every season as well as the pilot miniseries. In addition, a mid-season cliffhangers were employed from seasons 2, 3 and 4.
- Miniseries: It ends revealing that Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, one of the most important of Galactica's pilots, is in fact a CylonCylon (Battlestar Galactica)The Cylons are a cybernetic civilization at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity in the Battlestar Galactica science fiction franchise, in the original 1978 and 1980 series, the 2004 reimagining, as well as the spin-off prequel series, Caprica...
. - Season 1: ends with Valerii shooting Commander AdamaWilliam AdamaWilliam "Bill" Adama is a fictional character portrayed by Edward James Olmos in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series...
twice in the chest. - Season 2: breaks halfway through on a cliffhanger. The initial elation of both battlestarBattlestar (reimagining)A battlestar is a space battleship in the reimagined science fiction television series Battlestar Galactica. The reimagined series' battlestars, as well as the series' other visual effects were designed and created by Zoic Studios for Battlestar Galactica.The battlestars Galactica, Atlantia,...
crews upon meeting each other has totally broken down, and Battlestars Galactica and Pegasus have launched their VipersColonial ViperThe Colonial Viper is the primary fighter spacecraft type used by the human protagonists in the Battlestar Galactica fictional universe. Appearing in both the 1978 original series and the 2003 reimagined series, as well as various derivative works, the single-pilot spacecraft are carried aboard...
against each other. Even the "resolution" of this cliffhanger is itself a cliffhanger, as the next episode ("Resurrection Ship (Part 1)") ends as Adama and Admiral Caine each ask a trusted lieutenant to kill the other. The season ends with the planet of New Caprica being suddenly occupied by the Cylons in force, and Kara "Starbuck" ThraceKara ThraceKara Thrace is a fictional character in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica franchise. Played by Katee Sackhoff, she is a revised version of Lieutenant Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
promising to "fight 'em 'til we can't." - Season 3: Midway through the season, "The Eye of Jupiter" ends with Starbuck shot down by Cylon Centurions and Adama about to launch nuclear weapons at a planet where a clue to the location of Earth is hidden. Later, the season ends with four characters discovering they are Cylons (Samuel AndersSamuel AndersSamuel T. Anders is a fictional character from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series, played by Michael Trucco...
, Galen TyrolGalen TyrolGalen Tyrol is a character on the television series Battlestar Galactica. Tyrol is responsible for the maintenance of the Vipers and Raptors aboard Battlestar Galactica...
, Saul TighSaul TighSaul Tigh is a fictional character on Battlestar Galactica played by Michael Hogan. The character was named Paul Tigh in early scripts, and was renamed due to legal issues, according to producer Ronald D. Moore. He is one of the main characters of the show.-Overview and personality:Saul Tigh is a...
and Tory FosterTory FosterTory Foster is a fictional character from the 2004 TV series Battlestar Galactica, portrayed by Rekha Sharma.-Character biography:Tory, like the other members of the Final Five, was originally from a planet called Earth...
), and Starbuck returning in a pristine, brand-new Viper after her apparent death in a previous episode. - Season 4: Also breaks halfway through on a cliffhanger with the episode "Revelations", the fleet finally reaches Earth, only to discover that it is a radioactive wasteland.
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien: Sixteen of the twenty episodes of Season 1 have ended with a cliffhanger.
Birdy the Mighty: Decode: The first season literally ends with a "To Be Continued" The series itself also ended with several plotlines unresolved, including the fact that Birdy still did not know the true mastermind behind the Ryunka incident as well as leaving things open on whether Birdy and Nataru would be reunited again.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
:
- Season 1: While in the junkyard, Tuco's assistant tries to translate what he is saying, but Tuco kills him and tells Walt and Jesse "they're next".
- Season 2: After Jane's death, Donald goes to the airport, but accidentally says Jane's name instead of another name, causing a plane to crash, leading to the events that opened the season.
- Season 3: Jesse drives over to Gale's house and pulls out his gun and shoots him, his fate unknown.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Several episodes end with a cliffhanger, and from the fourth season onwards, the season would end with a major storyline carrying over 4 or 5 episodes, ending each episode with a cliffhanger. The most notable cliffhanger is in season two, where Willow succeeds in restoring Angel's soul, but Acathla is already awake. He opens his mouth, creating an expanding vortex. While Angel is disoriented, Buffy kisses him and then drives her sword through him into the vortex. The world is saved but Angel, bewildered, is sucked into hell. Buffy, feeling her life shattered, boards a bus to leave Sunnydale. Season two is the only season in the series to end on a cliffhanger.
Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
: The season 3 finale ends with the sisters separated and two of them dying, with no way of them being healed. This gives way to season 4, with the introduction of the character Paige Matthews following the departure of Shannen Doherty as Prue.
Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
: Before most other sitcoms even considered the idea of the season-ending cliffhanger, many seasons of Cheers ended on such. Often the cliffhangers include Sam and Diane's rocky relationship. The later seasons include more Rebecca/Sam orientated cliffhangers, often including bar ownership changes, hints at a possible romantic relationship (which never really moves past friendship), and Rebecca burning down the bar, much to Sam's dismay.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Season 1 ends with a Mexican Standoff
Mexican standoff
A Mexican standoff is a slang term defined as a stalemate or impasse; a confrontation that neither side can foreseeably win. The term is most often used in lieu of "stalemate" when the confrontational situation is exceptionally dangerous for all parties involved.In popular culture, the Mexican...
between three main characters and ends by cutting to black with the sound of a single gunshot.
Cold Case: Season 4 ends with Lily Rush in the hospital after being shot.
Crime Story
Crime Story (TV series)
Crime Story is an NBC TV drama created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. The executive producer was Michael Mann, who had left Miami Vice to oversee Crime Story and direct the film Manhunter. The show premiered with a two hour pilot — a movie which had been exhibited theatrically —...
: The first season ends with the main villains driving away from the Nevada Test Site as a nuclear bomb goes off.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
: Every season so far has ended with a cliffhanger.
- Season 1: Furious that the team ignored his order that they not inform the media about him, the Unsub (series word for the perpetrator) comes after Agent Elle GreenawayElle GreenawayElle Greenaway is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Lola Glaudini.-Background:Before joining the Behavioral Analysis Unit , Greenaway was assigned to the FBI's Seattle field office with a specialty in profiling sexual offenders, a skill that would prove to...
in her home and shoots her before the credits roll. - Season 2: Section Chief Erin Strauss attempts to blackmail Agent Emily PrentissEmily PrentissEmily Prentiss is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Paget Brewster. Prentiss first appeared in "The Last Word" - episode nine of season two, replacing Agent Elle Greenaway who had quit in "The Boogeyman"...
into forcing BAU Chief Aaron HotchnerAaron HotchnerAaron "Hotch" Hotchner is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Thomas Gibson. He is a Supervisory Special Agent within the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and has appeared from the series' first episode, originally broadcast on September 22, 2005. Hotch begins...
to resign. - Season 3: Investigating a terrorist group in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, all the team members are shown getting into different black SUVs before one of them explodes. - Season 4: BAU Chief Aaron HotchnerAaron HotchnerAaron "Hotch" Hotchner is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Thomas Gibson. He is a Supervisory Special Agent within the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and has appeared from the series' first episode, originally broadcast on September 22, 2005. Hotch begins...
is shot in his apartment by his old nemesis The ReaperThe ReaperThe Reaper is fifth studio album by the German Power metal/Speed metal band Grave Digger. It was released on 2 November 1993 for the label GUN Records. This was the band's return after a long hiatus, released seven years after their previous album War Games.- About the album :A new line-up was...
after returning home from work one night.
In addition, many mid-season episodes of the series end with cliffhangers as well, some of the most notable being:
- Season 2, Episode 5: Traumatized after being shot in the previous season, Agent Elle GreenawayElle GreenawayElle Greenaway is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Lola Glaudini.-Background:Before joining the Behavioral Analysis Unit , Greenaway was assigned to the FBI's Seattle field office with a specialty in profiling sexual offenders, a skill that would prove to...
botches an undercover job and arrests a serial rapist with no evidence, which forces the team to let him go soon after. Furious, Elle follows the man home. After admitting he is in fact the rapist the team is after, Greenaway promptly shoots him in cold blood. - Season 2, Episode 14: Chasing an Unsub through a cornfield, Reid is tricked into thinking the man is in front of him rather than behind. The episode ends with the man having Reid at gunpoint.
- Season 3, Episode 1: Distraught over his girlfriend's death last season, Agent Jason GideonJason GideonJason Gideon is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Mandy Patinkin. Along with Agents Aaron Hotchner and Emily Prentiss, he seemed to be the traditionally academic of the group...
is shown having some sort of mental breakdown. Before the credits, Gideon holds his gun up in front of him and appears to be contemplating shooting himself. - Season 3, Episode 8: After meeting a seemingly pleasant man at a cafe, computer technician Penelope GarciaPenelope GarciaPenelope Garcia is a fictional character on the CBS crime dramas Criminal Minds and its short-lived spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, portrayed by Kirsten Vangsness...
goes on a date with him. Afterward, he walks her to her front stoop. After saying goodnight, the man suddenly pulls out a gun and shoots her. - Season 4, Episode 6: Through a dreamlike flashback, Reid discovers that the man who assaulted and murdered a little boy 20 years ago may have been his own father.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
:
- Season 7: ends with Sara SidleSara SidleSara Sidle is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by actress Jorja Fox. Sidle is a forensic scientist and one of the core characters of the show, which revolves around a crime scene investigation team from Clark County, Nevada that investigates...
trapped under a car by the miniature killerThe Miniature KillerNatalie Davis is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Jessica Collins....
. - Season 8: ends with Warrick BrownWarrick BrownWarrick Brown is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Gary Dourdan. Warrick appeared in every episode until his death in season nine, with the exceptions of "After the Show" from season four, "Crow's Feet" and "Committed" from season five, and...
being shot twice by the Undersheriff while sitting in his car. - Season 10: ends with Raymond LangstonRaymond LangstonRaymond "Ray" Langston, M.D. is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Laurence Fishburne. He joined the show in the ninth season, after the departure of Gil Grissom, played by William Petersen...
being stabbed by serial killer Nate Haskell. - Season 11: ends before Langston can answer to Internal Affairs about whether killing Nate Haskell was self defense or murder.
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
:
- Season 4: ends with Horatio CaineHoratio CaineHoratio Caine is a fictional character and the protagonist in the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, portrayed by David Caruso. He is currently head of the crime lab, under the rank of Lieutenant of the MDPD.-Fictional character biography:...
and Eric DelkoEric DelkoDetective Eric Delko is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, portrayed by Adam Rodríguez.- Background :...
going to Brazil to hunt down Antonio Riaz who ordered a hit on Marisol Delko-Caine. - Season 6: ends with Horatio CaineHoratio CaineHoratio Caine is a fictional character and the protagonist in the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, portrayed by David Caruso. He is currently head of the crime lab, under the rank of Lieutenant of the MDPD.-Fictional character biography:...
shot in the chest. - Season 7: ends with Eric DelkoEric DelkoDetective Eric Delko is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami, portrayed by Adam Rodríguez.- Background :...
missing in action. - Season 8: ends with several CSIs collapsing due to poisoning in the lab.
- Season 9: ends with Horatio shot and Natalia trapped in the trunk of a car sinking into the ocean.
CSI: NY
CSI: NY
CSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
:
- Season 4: ends with Mac TaylorMac TaylorMckenna "Mac" Boyd Taylor II is a fictional character and the protagonist on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by Gary Sinise. Andy García was originally offered the lead role, a character who would have been named Detective Rick Calucci...
being held hostage. - Season 5: ends with shots fired in a bar with the CSIs inside.
- Season 6: ends with Shane Casey holding Lucy on one hand and a gun in the other when Danny entered the room, while Lindsey wakes to notice Danny is not there, and a shot is heard.
Dallas
Dallas (TV series)
Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
: All seasons end on a cliffhanger, most notably the episode when J.R. was shot by an unknown assailant.
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
: All seasons end with a cliffhanger for each of the main housewives (Susan, Lynette, Bree, and Gabi) along with one or more main cliffhangers.
- Season 1: Bree's husband, Rex, dies; Gabi's husband, Carlos, is jailed, and also learns of her affair with John; Lynette is forced by her husband, Tom, to rejoin the work force and give up being a mom; Susan is inside of a house with Zach, who is holding her hostage with a gun, and the season ends as Mike enters the house, his fate uncertain.
- Season 2: Gabi kicks Carlos out after discovering his affair with Xiao-Mei, but decides to keep their baby, which Xiao-Mei is carrying; Tom's daughter, Kayla, from another woman, Nora, moves to Fairview, to the chagrin of Lynette; Susan, who is living in a trailer due to Edie's burning her house down, is stood up by Mike, who was about to propose to her, who was intentionally (but for unknown reasons) hit by a car driven by Orson, who Bree later starts a relationship with.
- Season 3: Susan marries Mike at a small wedding; Lynette's mother moves in with her once she finds out that she has cancer; Gabi marries Victor Lang, a politician, only to find out that he only married her for the "Latino vote"; Bree begins a fake pregnancy to cover up for her daughter's real pregnancy; the season ends as Edie presumably kills herself, however, it is revealed in the season 4 premiere that she faked the attempt.
- Season 4: The series flashes forward five years in the final moments of the season 4 finale, in which Gabi is shown to have two daughters; Katherine has become good friends with the other housewives; Bree is a successful cookbook writer, still married to Orson; Lynette's sons are just as mischievous as ever; Susan is with a new man, leading the audience to wonder what happened to Mike.
- Season 5: Bree begins an affair with Karl when Orson blackmails her into staying married to him; Lynette finds out that she is pregnant with twins once again; Gabi and Carlos adopt Carlos' troublesome teenage niece, Ana; Mike is shown marrying an unknown bride, the audience is lead to believe that it is either Susan or Katherine, and it was indeed Susan, as revealed in the season 6 premiere.
- Season 6: Lynette has another child; Susan moves off of the lane and into a small apartment nearby; Bree loses her business due to blackmail, causing Orson to leave her, and she decides to admit that her son ran over Carlos' mother to Gabi, but her reaction is not shown. Someone on Wisteria Lane is raising a child that isn't really theirs, although it is unknown who. At the end of season, Paul Young is revealed to be the new owner of Susan's house.
- Three episodes ("The Ballad of BoothThe Ballad of Booth (Desperate Housewives)"The Ballad of Booth" is the 133rd episode of the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. It is the twenty-second episode of the show's sixth season and aired on May 9, 2010.-Plot:...
", "I Remember ThatI Remember That"I Remember That" is the 61st episode of the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. It was also the fourteenth episode of the show's third season. The episode was written by John Pardee and Joey Murphy and directed by David Warren. It aired on February 11, 2007...
", and "A Spark. To Pierce the Dark.A Spark. To Pierce the Dark."A Spark. To Pierce the Dark." is the 105th episode of the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. It is the eighteenth episode of the show's fifth season and aired on March 22, 2009.-Plot:...
"), ended with "To Be Continued...", and they all ended with characters in life-threatening situations, although none of these episodes were season finales.
Digimon
Digimon
, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
: Half way in season 1 and onward, the show end with a brief announcement about the episode and a "To Be Continued".
Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
: All seasons except the 1991 mini-series end on a cliffhanger.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
: Almost every episode ends in a cliffhanger
Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
:
- Series 1: ends with Captain Jack Harkness seemingly gone with the Doctor. Oddly, this cliffhanger was partly resolved in another show,
- Series 2, Episode 12: Ended when a villain from earlier in the series, Captain John, returned with Jack's brother Gray hostage.
- Series 3: The third series "Children of Earth" was a five part story, and therefore all the episodes minus the final ended on a cliffhanger.
- Series 4:
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
: Almost every episode ends in a cliffhanger
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995; later the 519 individual chapters were published into 42 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Dragon Ball was inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the...
Series: Episodes sometimes ended during the powering-up of a special attack during a confrontation with an enemy, or just as the attack is about to be used, or other endings. The notable line, "Stay tuned for scenes from the next episode" is almost always used.
Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
: At the end of the episode "The Thin White Line", Brian abruptly tells the Griffins that he is leaving for good and heads to the airport in a taxi. The next episode, "Brian does Hollywood", begins with a "previously on Family Guy" recap that shows eleven fake, unrelated cliffhangers, most involving the main characters in life-threatening situations. The twelfth reveals that Brian has gone to LA to find himself.
Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
: Every season except season 6 and the final season end on a cliffhanger, with many episodes also having cliffhangers.
- Season 1: Rachel realizes Ross has feelings for her, only to be eventually left shocked by his new girlfriend.
- Season 2: Monica and Richard break up, while Chandler and Janice fall back in love.
- Season 3: Ross has to choose between his current girlfriend and Rachel, while Phoebe discovers her mom was not her birth mother.
- Season 4: At the wedding of Ross and Emily, at which Ross misspeaks and says Rachel's name at the altar, the season ends on arguably the most shocking cliffhanger. Furthermore Monica and Chandler have begun sleeping together.
- Season 5: While in Vegas, Monica and Chandler are about to elope, only to discover Ross and Rachel just got married while heavily intoxicated.
- Season 6: Chandler proposes to Monica and she accepts.
- Season 7: Another highly popular cliffhanger is Monica and Chandler's wedding, in which the audience thinks Monica is pregnant with Chandler's child until the camera's zoom on Rachel in the very last seconds shows that it is in fact Rachel who is pregnant.
- Season 8: Rachel gives birth to Emma and fears Ross will abandon her, so she accepts a misunderstood proposal from Joey.
- Season 9: Rachel and Joey begin a relationship when they discover Ross and Charlie (Joey's Paleontologist girlfriend) have feelings for each other. Meanwhile Mike returns and proposes to Phoebe, much to the dismay of her current boyfriend David.
Frisky Dingo
Frisky Dingo
Frisky Dingo is an American animated cartoon series created by Adam Reed and Matt Thompson for Adult Swim. The series revolved around the conflict between a supervillain named Killface and a superhero named Awesome X, and much of the show's humor focuses on parodying superhero and action movie...
: The first season ends with Simon activating the Annihallatrix and the screen going completely white.
Fushigi Yūgi
Fushigi Yugi
, also known as Curious Play, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yu Watase. Shogakukan published Fushigi Yûgi in Shōjo Comic in its original serialized form from May 1992 through June 1996. Viz Media released the manga series in English in North America starting in 1999...
: Cliffhangers in this anime/manga are usually employed at the beginning of battle scenes, a sudden and unprecedented event (e.g. Miaka being taken away by a pair of disembodied hands at the end of Episode 8), or the revelation of another plot element (among the most notable being at the end of Episode 22, where Nakago tells Yui of another trap he has set for Miaka and the Suzaku Seven).
Modern game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s like Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is a television game show format based on asking grade-school level questions to adults, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy...
, among others: The shows' respective hosts often segue to commercial breaks during suspenseful moments, usually when said moment directly influences what prize a contestant might win. Cliffhangers are almost always explicitly announced by the host, usually by means of a long pause before the phrase "Right after this (break)" or one of similar meaning. This is one of the few cases where a cliffhanger is present in front of a studio audience. An example of a game show episode ending with a cliffhanger was the ninth episode of the second season of Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It is an American prime time game show on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri. Contestants take part in a series of 60-second challenges that use objects that are commonly available around the house....
. Two cheerleaders from Atlanta were competing in the second challenge at the conclusion of the episode when the program cut to black screen.
The Gates (TV series)
The Gates (TV series)
The Gates is an American supernatural crime drama television series that aired on the ABC network from June 20, 2010 to September 19, 2010. The show was canceled after its first season due to its poor ratings.-Plot:...
: Devon saves Charlie's life but after he wakes up, his family realises he has red eyes and attacks his father with just a look. When Charlie's mother, Sarah, asks Devon what she did to her son, she answers: "I told you I could bring him back, I never said he'd be the same", meaning he is not a human, anymore.
George Lopez
George Lopez (TV series)
"The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...
:
- Season 3: Carmen runs away from home with Zack Powers, Mel Powers' son, and George goes to look for her.
- Season 4: Carmen announces that she wants to marry her boyfriend Jason. George and Angie say that she can't get married at 16. But Carmen says she can in Georgia if she's pregnant. George and Angie ask her if she's pregnant, and the episode ends.
- Season 5: The police arrive at George's house looking for Benny. Angie thinks she may be pregnant and takes a pregnancy test. Carmen keeps getting rejection letters from college and she opens the last letter. Vic is about to propose to his new girlfriend. Ernie thinks that the Power's brothers are selling the factory, and Max is about to have his first beer.
Germany's Next Topmodel:
- Cycle 2Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 2Germany's Next Topmodel Cycle 2, started airing on March 1, 2007 with a batch of 15 fresh wannabe models and the judges that would determine the winner. Two girls, Sophie and Alina, left during the second episode after deciding that their education was more important...
: This season's eleventh episode left open the elimination of controversial contestant Fiona ErdmannFiona ErdmannFiona Erdmann is a German model and reality television contestant. She finished in fourth place on the second cycle of Germany's Next Topmodel. She was studying design and product design prior to being cast on the program....
. - Cycle 3Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 3Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 3 is the third season of the show that was aired on the German television network ProSieben. The show started airing on February 28, 2008 with 120 semi-finalists in the competition, and finished on June 5, 2008....
: The elimination process was completely cut from this season's third episode and shown next week. Best friends Gina-Lisa Lohfink and Sarah Knappik were about to be separated on the season's sixth episode. As host Heidi KlumHeidi KlumHeidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
is about to pronounce the judgement, hysterical Knappik leaves panel with Lohfink running after her and the episode comes to an end.
Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
:
- Season 1 Midseason: The first midseason finale ended with Will leaving Terri and kissing Emma, who just quit her job as counselor. Sue is suspended from the school and removed as Cheerios coach. Finn finds out that Quinn's baby is really Puck's, and does not forgive him. Rachel, Quinn, and Kurt all still have feelings for Finn. New Directions must now prepare for regional competition. Artie and Tina continue to feud.
- Season 1 Finale: New Directions lose at the regional championships without even being placed. Just as Glee Club seems to be finished, Sue Sylvester gives Will Schuester another year for the Glee Club. Will announces to the Glee Club that they have another year to pass Sectionals and Regionals again.
Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
:
- Season 3: The last scene of the third season shows 2 thugs stealing a ring that Chuck was going to give to Blair. He struggles and ends up getting shot and left to die in the alley.
Green Wing
Green Wing
Green Wing is a British sitcom set in the fictional East Hampton Hospital. It was created by the same team behind the sketch show Smack the Pony, led by Victoria Pile, and stars Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt....
:
- Season 1: Literal cliffhanger, with Guy SecretanGuy SecretanGuy Secretan is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Stephen Mangan. In Channel 4's The World's Greatest Comedy Characters, Guy was voted 34th.- History :...
, Dr. "Mac" MacartneyMac (Green Wing)Dr Macartney or Dr Mac is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Julian Rhind-Tutt.- History :Often simply referred to as "Mac", Dr Macartney is a surgeon working in the fictional East Hampton Hospital...
and Martin DearMartin DearMartin Dear is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Karl Theobald.- History :Martin is a house officer at East Hampton Hospital. His mother is human resources director Joanna Clore and his half-brother is Dr. Guy Secretan....
all stuck in an ambulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
hanging over the edge of a cliffCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
. - Season 2: The same thing has happened in the second series, except instead of Guy and Mac, it is Joanna CloreJoanna CloreJoanna Clore is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Pippa Haywood.- History :Joanna Clore is the director of human resources at East Hampton Hospital. She is 48 years old, has had two unsuccessful marriages, has two sons who both work at the hospital Dr. Guy Secretan and Dr....
and Alan StathamAlan StathamAlan Statham is a fictional character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Mark Heap.- History :Alan is the consultant radiologist at East Hampton Hospital....
in a camper vanCampervanA campervan , sometimes referred to simply as a camper, or a caravanette, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out, often with a coachbuilt body for use as accommodation...
, though Martin DearMartin DearMartin Dear is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Karl Theobald.- History :Martin is a house officer at East Hampton Hospital. His mother is human resources director Joanna Clore and his half-brother is Dr. Guy Secretan....
is still there.
Hawaii Five-0 : Season 1 ended with McGarrett and Kono arrested by the HPD.
Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
: This show contains several cliffhangers and the end of seasons and halfway through seasons. But also, some cliffhangers are resolved as the opening scene of the next season is shown before the credits.
- Season 1: An explosion in the sky of New York, injures Matt, who is last seen been loaded into an ambulance, nearly dead. A trial of blood is then seen leading from Sylar's body to an open manhole, leaving his fate unknown.
- Season 2: Angela watches the news report on Peter's attack, while talking to an unidentified person on the phone. She calmly states that she understands why Nathan was attacked, but that Peter's attack has opened Pandora's Box.
- Season 3, Episode 13: Meredith trapped in the fire of the CHP (Company Headquarters of Primatech), while Noah, Angela and Clare watch, and she that Meredith is inside.
- Season 3: Clare, Noah, Angela, Peter, Nathan, Mohinder, Matt, Ando and Hiro gather around the burning corpse of Sylar, which is actually the morphed body of James Martin. They all go their separate ways and Nathan reveals that the President has shut down Building 26, and gives the funds to Angela and Noah who start their own company, which they call "The Company".
- Season 4: Claire jumps off of a ferris wheel in front of reporters and it's unknown what their reaction is. This was also the final episode ever and the cliffhanger is never resolved.
InuYasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
: Some episodes (including the series finale itself) have cliffhangers (mostly 2 to 3 part episodes). The final episode of the series, when the title character and his friends still chase after Naraku, vowing to defeat him once and for all, ends with many long-running plots unresolved, until the sequel InuYasha: The Final Act was made.
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
:
- Season 2: Jen finds out the potion is Rohypnol and locks Moss and Roy in the office with Douglas and the season ends with Jen running off and Moss and Roy screaming. The cliffhanger is resolved in Season 3, Episode 3.
iCarly
ICarly
iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
: Sam and Freddie kiss while a shocked Carly looks out of a window.
Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
:
- Season 1: Ended when the townspeople of Jericho open fire on the invading residents of a neighboring town, New Bern, with gunfire sounding as the credits rolled.
King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
:
- Season 2: Explosion of a department store with Hank inside.
- Season 3: Peggy having a parachute failure.
Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
: Almost every episode ends with an intense cliffhanger or a twist, season finales on the other hand end with multiple cliffhangers. For example:
- Season 1: Walt is kidnapped by the Others. Also, the last shot is of Jack and Locke staring into "The Hatch," its contents as yet unknown. The theme of "What's In the Hatch?" was the main force in ABC's ad campaign for season 2.
- Season 2: Desmond turns fail-safe key, in order to stop the system failure in the hatch. Jack, Kate and Sawyer end up being captured by the Others. The last scene shows two characters sitting in an arctic environment, in contrast to the tropical setting of the show, who receive an unknown message and call Ms. Widmore, saying "I think we've found it." The audience recognizes Widmore as the name of one of the islanders' ex-girlfriend.
- Season 3: Last scene shows Jack and Kate confronting each other off the island. Based on the knowledge that they met on the island, the audience realizes that they are actually witnessing a glimpse into the future, as opposed to the common-place flashbacks. The final scene shows a distraught Jack shouting "We have to go back!" as Kate drives off angry.
- Season 4: Last shot is of John Locke dead in an open coffin, which we initially saw in the season 3 finale without knowing who was inside. The audience is left with no idea as to how and when he has come to die.
- Season 5: Near the end, Jacob is murdered and whispers to his killers "They are coming". The last scene is a badly injured Juliet detonating "Jughead", an hydrogen bomb.
Melrose Place : Every episode could be interpreted as ending with a cliffhanger. The most dramatic reserved for the season-ending episode(s) in May. The most notable, the 3rd season ending with Kimberly Shaw poised to blow up Melrose Place with the majority of the series regulars inside.
Medium
Medium (TV series)
Medium is an American television drama series that premiered on NBC on January 3, 2005, and ended on CBS on January 21, 2011. Themed on supernatural gifts, its lead character, Allison DuBois , is a medium employed as a consultant for the Phoenix, Arizona district attorney's office...
:
- Season 5: ended with Allison DuBoisAllison DuBoisAllison DuBois is an American author and medium. DuBois has controversially claimed to possess psychic abilities and use them to help U.S. law enforcement officials solve crimes, which formed the basis of the TV series Medium....
is in a coma
Misfits
Misfits (TV series)
Misfits is a British science fiction comedy-drama television series about a group of young offenders forced to work in a community service programme, where they obtain supernatural powers after a strange electrical storm. The first series started broadcasting on 12 November 2009 on E4, and was...
:
- Season 1: After Nathan kills Rachel and destroys the Virtue organisation he loses his balance and is hanging from a rail. Simon runs up trying to rescue Nathan but Nathan and says the last words of the season "Save me, Barry!". The season ends with Nathan in his coffin with an iPodIPodiPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
and wakes up and leaves the viewers wondering if he escapes
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
:
- Season 2: ended with plastic surgeon Christian Troy at the mercy of the Miami serial rapist, The Carver. The season ends with the Carver raising his knife, and slashing it across the neck of the terrified doctor.
- Season 5: ended with Sean on the floor spitting blood after being stabbed on the back by his former agent, Colleen Rose.
NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
:
- Season 2: one of the agents, Caitlin Todd, gets murdered by a sniper.
- Season 3: the team leader, Gibbs, quits.
- Season 4: we discover that Tony has been dating the daughter of an arms dealer who the director is obsessed with catching.
- Season 5: the new director breaks up Gibbs's team.
- Season 6: Ziva remains in Israel after the death of Michael Rivkin and is last seen being tortured for information on NCIS.
- Season 7: Paloma Reynosa, head of a drug cartel who threatened to kill Gibb's father previously in the episode, is shown entering Jackson's store.
- Season 8: Anthony DiNozzo, one of the main characters, is given access to top secret material, and the episode ends with him seeing who he must "handle".
The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
: Every episode could be interpreted as ending with a cliffhanger. The most dramatic reserved for the season-ending episode(s) in May. The most notable, the 3rd season ending with Marissa Cooper dying in Ryan Atwood's arms after a car-crash.
One Piece
One Piece
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
: Every episode ends with a black screen upon which the words "TO BE CONTINUED" are displayed in large letters which fill up the screen. Most episodes are cliffhangers, and those that are not still have the "TO BE CONTINUED" screen at the end, implying that even if this episode's story has been resolved, the larger quest for Gold Roger's treasure continues.
Pokémon
Pokémon (anime)
, abbreviated from , is a children's TV anime series, which has since been adapted for the North and South American, Australian and European television markets...
: Even the episodes' conflicts are solved within the show, there are some exceptions. Some episodes (such as "Hello Pummelo" and "Enter The Dragonite") are two parters, whereas others (like the "Indigo Arc") are multiple part storylines that take more than a few to resolve, these usually take place during a major tournament that Ash has made his way towards. Also, all of the episodes end with the trite "To Be Continued ..." with the show's picture shrinking to the upper-left corner of the screen. One episode of the series ("The Battle Of The Badge") also dovetails into Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie
Pokémon: The First Movie, originally released as , is a 1998 Japanese animated film directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, the chief director of the Pokémon television series. It is the first theatrical release in the Pokémon franchise...
as Mewtwo
Mewtwo
is a fictional creature in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon media franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, it first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and their sequels, and later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles, as well as animation adaptations of the franchise...
escapes from Giovanni, having defeated Gary's Pokémon earlier.
Power Rangers
Power Rangers
Power Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
: Half of the episodes have a cliffhanger ending and the ending gets resolved in the next episode. With the exception of the first two seasons, the sixth season (although there was a minor cliffhanger) and the reboot seasons (except RPM), each series ended on a cliffhanger:
- Season 3: The Rangers are reversed into children and become powerless without the Power Coins.
- Mini-seriesMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
: The Command Center is destroyed by Rita and Zedd, leaving Zordon and Alpha 5 presumed dead. - Season 4: Rita and Zedd destroys the Machine Empire and there is no explanation to whatever happened to the Zeo Zords.
- Season 5: Zordon is kidnapped by Dark Specter, the Turbo Zords are destroyed, the Turbo Powers are gone forever, the Power Chamber is destroyed and the Rangers (except Justin) go to the shuttles to rescue Zordon from Divatox.
- Season 6Power Rangers in SpacePower Rangers in Space is a television show that aired in 1998 as the sixth season and fourth installment of the Power Rangers franchise...
: Although not technically a cliffhanger, this season ended without any explanation as to what happened to the Psycho Rangers after they were turned into data cards. However, this was resolved in a team up special of next season. - Season 17: In the final shot of the final episode, Venjix is seen alive on Ranger Red's morpher. However, this was resolved in a team up special of next seasonPower Rangers SamuraiPower Rangers Samurai is the nineteenth season of the American children's television series Power Rangers. With Saban Brands buying back the franchise, the show is produced by SCG Power Rangers and began airing on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons on February 7, 2011...
.
Primeval
Primeval
Primeval or primæval may refer to:* Primeval, a British science fiction television series.* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
: The endings of each season appears to have a cliffhanger.
- Season 1: for season one, Nick Cutter discovered that Claudia Brown had been removed from history due to something that had changed in the past during his trip there.
- Season 2: and in season two, Helen Cutter was seen with multiple versions of one man around a grave of a deceased main character. Also, the second to last episode of series 2 ended with the team finding thousands of creatures in an underground base, which was concluded in the finale. the first episode of series 2 ended when Jenny Lewis first entered the Arc, a woman who looked exactly the same as the missing Claudia Brown.
- Season 3: Also, in series 3 Danny is trapped with the Hominids and Conner and Abby are in the Cretaceous and Sarah says she has an idea. whilst the same episode of series 3 ended with the team setting off to find Helen Cutter in the future.
- Season 5: In Series 5, Matt Anderson sees the alternative version of himself and the alternative version says to him: "You have to go back.".
Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
: Most episodes spend the last minute or two setting up the main plot of the next episode, and produce a cliffhanger to be resolved. The season finales end with multiple cliffhangers that will be resolved over the course of the entire next season.
Prisoner Cell Block H
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
: for the whole eight year run of the popular Australian 80's soap opera, the last episode of the year always ended with a cliffhanger. Except for the final episode in 1986.
- 1979: As Greg and Karen enjoyed a quiet night in, the phone rang and when Karen answered the phone she was shot by David O'Connel who was outside waiting, he was meaning to shoot Greg.
- 1980: As six of the inmates attempted to escape through a tunnel under the prison, the tunnel collapsed trapping them under ground.
- 1981: While Meg Jackson & Jim Fletcher were doing their nightly rounds, checking the prison, they were chased by a group of inmates that had got out of their cells and attempting to take them hostage and start a riot.
- 1982: A small diversion fire escalated and destroyed the prison, trapping Officer Joan Ferguson, Bea Smith, Paddy Lawson, Barbara Fields & 'Mouse' Trapp.
- 1983: Officer David Bridges revealed himself as the person responsible for the disappearnce of several prisoners, by killing them, holding Lizzie Birdsworth at knife point.
- 1984: As Myra Desmond played a recorded conversation between her and, then top dog, Reb Kean, to the other women, Yemil came to tell them Pixie Mason was at risk of being bashed.
- 1985: Eve Wilder's lawyer, David, couldnt keep up their lies and shot himself in front of her.
Quantum Leap : Each episode ended with a minute or so long intro to the next episode's storyline.
ReBoot
ReBoot
ReBoot is a Canadian CGI-animated action-adventure cartoon series that originally aired from 1994 to 2001. It was produced by Vancouver-based production company Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Communications, BLT Productions and created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell and John Grace,...
:
Season 1 ended with a two part episode, with the first ending with a cliffhanger. Starting with Season 2, the series contained a long running story arc, with many episodes (including the final episode) ending on a cliffhanger.
- Season 2: Megabyte betrays Bob after a brief alliance, shooting him into the Web, leaving the system in the hands of young Enzo Matrix.
- Season 3: Although Megabyte has been defeated, and the system has been restored to normal, there is still the threat of Supervirus Daemon, who has infected the entire Guardian collective apart from Bob and Matrix.
- Season 4: After his supposed capture, it is revealed that the Megabyte that was captured was really an alias, and the real Megabyte takes over the Principle Office, telling the citizens that he has no plan, only revenge, then telling them to 'Prepare Yourselves.. For The Hunt!'
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
:
- Season 2: After finding out that Lister is pregnant, Rimmer finds out he is the baby's uncle.
- Season 6: The crew have a battle with their future selves who destroy them by blowing up Starbug.
- Season 7: The crew arrive on the reconstructed Red Dwarf, only to find it is an alternate version.
- Season 8: The Grim Reaper comes to take Rimmer and the series ends with Rimmer kicking the Reaper in the crotch and saying Only the good die young. and running off.
The cartoon version of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959 to June 28, 1964 on the ABC and NBC television networks...
: Often ends each episode in some sort of a cliffhanger, left to be resolved in the next episode.
Robin Hood (2006-2009 series):
- Season 1: The second to last episode ended with the supposed death of Maid Marian, although it was revealed in the finale that she survived.
- Season 2: the second to last episode concluded with the Merry Men riding off to the Holy land to help King Richard.
- Season 3: the second to last episode finished with the return of the Sheriff (assumed dead earlier in the series). Also, series 3 featured several interlinking episodes, the main story of each being cleared up, but several minor elements carrying on to form bigger plot features in later episodes. (For example, the episode "The king is dead, long live the king" concludes its main story, but a final scene shows Isabella becoming Sheriff and announcing Guy of Gisbourne's execution, the first being a major twist in the overall series, and the second being the main focus of the following episode)
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated :
Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
: Some of the seasons end on cliffhangers.
- Season 1: The first one ended with Jordan revealing everyone's secrets to the others.
- Season 2: The second one ended with Dr. Cox punching Dr. Kelso. J.D. ended it with saying We'll work on that one tomorrow.
- Season 4: The fourth season ended with Elliot taking another job at another hospital.
- Season 5: The fifth season ended with Kim revealing that she was pregnant.
- Season 6: The sixth ended with J.D. and Elliot (both of whom were relationships with other people) lying in the On-call room, leaning in to kiss.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
:
- Season 6: After a town meeting about what to do after Mr. Burns put the town in darkness and quickly fled, many citizens were seen holding guns. Marge leaves Maggie in the car, and hears a gunshot and walks over to the town hall to find Mr. Burns bleeding and being shot, lying on the sundial.
- Season 22: Ned and Krabapel start dating, but after finding out her secret, that she slept with every citizen of Springfield who isn't in a relationship, Homer helps him realise he should break up with Edna, but when he is about to do so, he cannot do it and she tells him that if their relationship will work, he has to forget her secret. Homer and Marge then give fans a link to where they can decide what happens.
Slayers
Slayers
is a series of over 52 light novels written by Hajime Kanzaka and illustrated by Rui Araizumi. It was later developed into several manga titles, five televised anime series, two three-episode original video animations , and five movies. It also spawned several console role-playing games for the...
: As per most anime series with long-running story arcs, several episodes often end with the main characters in some type of peril. However, the fourth season (Revolution) ended on an actual cliffhanger in which Lina and her friends were still looking for a way to save Pokota's people. The very end of the episode after the credits featured a shot of Zuuma, one of the villains from the season, indicating that he was going to make his return. These two plot threads would be continued in the following season, Evolution-R.
Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
: Each third of the season (consisting of about 6-9 episodes) usually ends with a cliffhanger, with the most intense cliffhangers reserved for the season-ending episode(s).
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)
Sonic the Hedgehog: The Animated Series is an American animated series produced by DIC Entertainment with the partnership of Sega of America and was based on the Sonic the...
:
- Season 2: The second season finale ("Doomsday") was not planned to be the series finale, but the show was cancelled before the third season could be fully written. After the destruction of the Doomsday Project and Robotnik's mysterious diappearance, Snively emerged from his escape elevator in the wreckage, dressed in more sinister clothes, to pick up where his uncle left off with the help of a strange character.
Sonic X
Sonic X
is an anime series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. It was produced in Japan by TMS Entertainment with the partnership of Sega and was created by Sonic Team and Sonic Project. In the United States, 4Kids currently owns and manages copyright and branding of the series.- Series 1 ...
:
- Season 1: Season 1 ended with a cliffhanger. It ended with a piece of Sonic's world and Angel Island appeared on Chris' world.
- Season 3: The following 3rd season ended with numerous cliffhangers, including whether or not Shadow the HedgehogShadow the Hedgehogis a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Shadow is an artificially-created life form. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic, and with a Chaos Emerald he has the ability to distort time and space using "Chaos Control." Often referred to as being...
was alive (this was only in the 4Kids4Kids Entertainment4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
dub of the show. Due to a mess up with the story the English version had to have the shot of Shadow after the final fight taken out leading to confusen among American and British fans as to shadow's state at the end of the show), or the question of what the SeedSeedA seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
that Cosmo gave Miles Tails ProwerMiles "Tails" Prower, better known by his nickname , is a character, as well as the main deuteragonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, comics, animated series and film released by Sega....
was. Overall it's still not known if Sonic X will have a fourth season or if there's ever going be another Sonic TV series.
South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
:
- Season 1: When the show became immensely popular, season one ended with a search for Eric Cartman's father. The next episode was supposed to air four weeks later, which happened to be April Fools' Day 1998. The creators decided to pull "The Ultimate South Park Joke" by premiering season 2 with a completely unrelated episode about Terrance and Phillip. Fans were angered by this and the creators made the conclusion episode.
- Season 4: Also, season 4 had a cliffhanger arc and season 10 had two separate arcs.
- Season 6: During Season 6, the episode Professor Chaos had a spoof cliffhanger ending, by asking three questions that theoretically would be answered in the following episode (One of which had nothing to do with the events of the preceding episode). Instead of all three questions being answered in the following episode, they were answered verbally immediately before the closing credits. The following episode, Simpsons Already Did ItSimpsons Already Did It"Simpsons Already Did It" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 86th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on June 26, 2002...
, simply elaborated on the answers to the three aforementioned questions. Also, there was another cliffhanger in both season's 11With Apologies to Jesse Jackson"With Apologies to Jesse Jackson" is the first episode of the American animated television series South Park, and the 153rd episode overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 7, 2007...
and 12Tonsil Trouble"Tonsil Trouble" is the first episode of the twelfth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 168th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 12, 2008...
, which leads the audience to suspect that the creators will have at least one cliffhanger in each season to come.
Spooks
Spooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
:
- Season 1: After being told about the C4 in the laptop, Tom finds out he is locked out of the house and Ellie and Maisie are trapped inside.
- Season 2: Tom tells Harry that Joyce died 5 years ago in a car crash and while Harry calls for back-up, Tom shoots Harry in the shoulder and swims into the North SeaNorth SeaIn the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. - Season 4: Adam defuses the bomb in the bunker and goes back to Thames House where Angela shoots him and prepares to kill Harry.
- Season 6: After arresting Bob Hogan, the British, Americans and Venezuelans arrive at the school and save Adam and Jo and just as they arrive Adam kills Jo.
- Season 7: Lucas and Ros escape from the bomb which kills Connie. Lucas calls Harry but gets no answer.
- Season 8: After finding the bomb in the Home Secretary's office, Ros tells the other to go and the building blows up with Ros and the Home Secretary inside.
- Season 9: After finding out Lucas is a traitor, Harry tells Lucas to shoot him and turns around to find Lucas nowhere.
Stripperella
Stripperella
Stripperella was an American animated series created by Stan Lee. The main character, voiced by and based on Pamela Anderson, is a stripper named Erotica Jones who is also the superheroine/secret agent Stripperella. The series was produced by The Firm and Spike Animation Studios...
:
Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
series : The only cliffhanger pair in the original series was "The Menagerie", which incorporated footage of the aborted pilot, "The Cage". However, since Star Trek: The Next Generation, most of the seasons of the various series have ended with a cliffhanger, and later seasons have included cliffhangers in the middle of a season. In the episode "The Best of Both Worlds" when Captain Picard was held prisoner on the Borg cube, Commander Riker needed to take this opportunity to try and destroy the Borg vessel. Using a makeshift weapon developed using the deflector dish, he commanded Worf to "Fire". The next screen was "To Be Continued". This left the fans on the edge of their seats until the next season. A literal cliffhanger occurred just before a commercial break in the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", when Captain Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
tries to escape from an underground colony run by a mad scientist. He falls into a bottomless pit where two redshirts
Redshirt (character)
A "redshirt" is a stock character in fiction who dies soon after being introduced. The term originates with fans of Star Trek , from the red shirts worn by Starfleet security officers who frequently die during episodes.-Star Trek:...
have already died but manages to hold onto the rim with his fingers as the murderous, hulking android Ruk glares over him.
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
and Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
: The first four seasons and the ninth season of SG-1 ended with cliffhangers. The last episodes of the fifth through eighth seasons were all written as possible series finales. In contrast, all three seasons of Atlantis ended with cliffhangers, and the trend seems likely to continue. Both SG-1 and Atlantis also have mid-season cliffhangers, as the seasons air in blocks (one from July to September; one from January to March).
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, commonly known by its initialism, SRMTHFG, is an American/Japanese anime television series, and was created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, with animation being done by a Japanese studio known as The Answer Studio...
: Seasons 2, 3, and 4.
- Season 4: The series ended with the title characters gathering all of their allies to fight the resurrected Skeleton King who was about to lead his army to attack Shuggazoom City.
Supernatural
Supernatural (TV series)
Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
: Every season finale featured a cliffhanger ending.
- Season 1: After escaping a near-death encounter with the Yellow-Eyed Demon, Sam, Dean, and their father John are crashed into by a truck being driven by another demon, and the viewer is left unclear on whether any of them have survived.
- Season 2: Although Sam and Dean succeed in killing the Yellow-Eyed Demon they are unable to stop him from briefly opening the gates to Hell, allowing numerous demons to be set free on Earth. Dean also sold his soul to bring back Sam earlier after he had been killed, and he only has one year left before it will be claimed.
- Season 3: Despite their best efforts, Dean and Sam fail in killing Lilith, the demon holding the contract on Dean's soul. Dean is killed by the hell hounds, and the season ends showing him being tortured in Hell.
- Season 4: Sam finally manages to kill Lilith. However in doing so her death manages to break the final seal and allow Lucifer to be set free. The screen fades to white as Sam and Dean prepare for Lucifer to escape from his prison.
- Season 5: Sam lets Lucifer possess him and then throws his body into a portal to Hell. Distraught by the apparent death of his brother Dean quits being a hunter, however at the very end Sam mysteriously reappears watching him from afar.
- Season 6: Castiel, angel and former ally of the Winchesters, absorbs countless souls into himself and becomes a god, then proceeds to give Sam, Dean, and Bobby an ultimatum: bow down to him or die.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
: Seasons 1, 2, and 4 have all ended with different cliffhangers.
- Season 1: Season 1 ended with the turtles being beamed to an unknown location, leaving the Utroms dumbstruck.
- Season 2: Season 2 ended with the turtles at home, celebrating their victory, while the bloodthirsty Triceratons approaching Earth, planning a full-scale invasion.
- Season 4: Season 4 ended with the turtles and their new allies being held captive on a ship that is headed for Japan.
Totally Spies! : Seasons 1 and 3 have all ended with different cliffhangers.
- Season 1: Season 1 ended with Alex being kidnapped by Marco Lumiere.
- Season 3: Season 3 ended with Terence being escaped from WOOHP prison.
The Transformers
The Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
: In the 3-part series finale of what was said to be the fourth season, Galvatron
Galvatron
Galvatron is the name of several fictional Transformers, most often the recreated version of Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He was voiced by Leonard Nimoy in the 1986 Transformers movie, and then by Frank Welker in season 3 and 4 of the animated television series. Since then, other Transformers...
plots to rule the galaxy, but Lord Zarak
Scorponok
Scorponok is the name shared by several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are Decepticons that turn into Scorpoins.- Transformers: Generation 1:...
plots to do the same.
Transformers Animated : Seasons 1 and 2 have all ended with different cliffhangers. * Season 1: Season 1 ended with Professor Isaac Sumdac kidnapped by the newly-rebuilt Megatron.
- Season 2: Season 2 ended with Sari discovering she has a robotic elbow.
Tru Calling
Tru Calling
Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled....
: Season 1 (and the unfinished season 2) both ended on a cliff hanger with many questions left unanswered.
True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
: Nearly every episode ends in a cliffhanger.
- Season 1: Sookie and Tara watch as a black leg, heavily hinted to be Lafayette's, falls out of Andy's police car. The season ends as Sookie and Tara scream in terror. Also, a mysterious woman named Maryann moves to Bon Temps and takes Tara under her wing, while posing an unknown threat to Sam.
- Season 2: After Bill proposes to Sookie and she accepts, Bill is kidnapped by an unknown character. The season ends with Sookie entering the room and calling Bill's name.
- Season 3: Holly performs a strange ritual on Arlene's unborn baby, and it is hinted that there are dark intentions. Jesus reveals to Lafayette that he is a brujo. Sam shoots Tommy. After Sookie finds out the truth about Bill's moving to Bon Temps, she breaks up with him in a rage. In an attempt to keep Sookie safe, Bill challenges the Queen of Louisiana to a fight, the result of which is left unknown. Confused and hurt, Sookie goes to her grandmother's grave, where Claudine meets her and transports her to an unknown location.
- Season 4: Rene's ghost warns Arlene that Terry isn't as good as he seems. Lafayette kills Jesus while possessed by Marnie, and is racked with guilt over it. After being involved in Marcus' death, Sam is confronted by a wolf. After Jessica informs Jason that she doesn't want to be his girlfriend, Steve Newlin comes to his house, now a vampire. Alcide is called to a parking garage that his family owns, only to discover that someone has helped Russell escape his cement prison. Debbie comes to Sookie's house to shoot her, but Tara jumps in the way and is killed. Sookie kills Debbie and cries over Tara's body.
The West Wing :
- Season 1: Season 1 ends with the PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and his staff being shot at. - Season 2: Season 2 ends with the President, after just revealing his failure to disclose he has MSMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, being asked the question, "Will you seek a second term in office?" However, creator Aaron SorkinAaron SorkinAaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
and others dispute this on the Second Season DVD Set, having set up earlier in the episode a 'tell' that President Bartlet, upon deciding to go ahead with something, puts his hands in his pockets, looks away, and smiles. The end of the episode, while not giving an answer, shows his body language indicating his answer. - Season 3: Season 3 ends with the President having just ordered the assassination of Abdul Shareeff and the impending kickoff of his reelection campaign.
- Season 4: Season 4 ends when the President's daughter has been kidnapped, and temporarily with no Vice-PresidentVice presidentA vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, he evokes the 25th AmendmentTwenty-fifth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities...
, naming the Speaker of the House, who is from the opposing party, Acting PresidentActing presidentAn Acting President is a person who temporarily fills the role of an organization's or country's president, either when the real president is unavailable or when the post is vacant .-See also:*Acting *Acting President of Pakistan*Acting President of Malta*Acting President of...
. - Season 5: Season 5 ends with an attack on the Presidential envoys sent to promote peace in the Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The blast kills the Chairman of the Joint ChiefsChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
and seriously wounds Donna MossDonna MossDonnatella "Donna" Moss is a fictional character played by Janel Moloney on the television serial drama The West Wing. Donna is a recurring character during the first season, although she appears in every episode, making her a de facto regular...
. - Season 6: Season 6 ends with the nominations of Matt SantosMatt SantosMatthew Vincente "Matt" Santos is a fictional character on the American television show The West Wing, played by Jimmy Smits. His initial appearance is as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Houston, Texas. According to West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie, Santos was based on the then...
and Leo McGarryLeo McGarryLeo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by John Spencer on the television serial drama The West Wing. The role earned Spencer the 2002 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. McGarry's character, the former United States Secretary of Labor, begins the series as the White...
as the Democratic ticket and Arnold VinickArnold VinickArnold Vinick is a fictional character on the television series The West Wing played by Alan Alda.-Biography:A Republican senator from California and Republican presidential nominee, he is narrowly defeated by Democrat Matt Santos in the 2006 presidential election, with Vinick winning the popular...
as their challenger. - Season 7: Season 7 and the series ends with the start of the Santos administration.
The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
: Most episodes end in mysterious conclusions. And each season finale ends mysteriously as well.
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
:
- Season 1: Season 1 ends with Dale Cooper being shot in the chest by an unknown assailant.
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
:
- Season 2: In the season 2 finaleJump (Ugly Betty)"Jump" is the eighteenth episode in the second season, the 41st episode overall, and the second season finale of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on May 22, 2008, the same day as Naomi Campbell's 38th Bithday...
, it is unrevealed if Betty chose to go to RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with Gio or TucsonTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
with Henry until the season 3 premiere. - Season 3: In the end of Filing for the EnemyFiling for the Enemy"Filing for the Enemy" is the second episode in the third season, the 43rd episode overall, of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on October 2, 2008...
, it is revealed that Christina was pushed down a flight of stairs but Betty finds out in Crimes of FashionCrimes of Fashion (Ugly Betty)"Crimes of Fashion" is the third episode in the third season, the 44th episode overall, of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which will air on October 9, 2008. The episode was written by Henry Alonso Myers and directed by Victor Neili Jr. -Plot:...
. In the season 3 finaleThe Fall Issue"The Fall Issue" is the twenty fourth episode in the third season, the 65th episode overall and the third season finale of the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, which aired on May 21, 2009...
Wilhelmina sees someone in her apartment saying, "What are YOU doing here?!?" but it is not revealed who it was in her apartment.
Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
: Each season so far has ended on a cliffhanger. Most episodes, especially in the latter parts of seasons, also end in cliffhangers.
- Season 1: Nancy forms a grow house operation. Andy must avoid being inducted into the army and deployment to Iraq. Silas reveals that he knows Nancy is a dealer. She wonders if she should tell Shane. Nancy realizes her new love interest is a DEA agent.
- Season 2: Nancy has multiple guns pointed at her by thugs looking to steal a large quantity of marijuana from her. However, the marijuana has been stolen by her son, Silas, who is about to be arrested by a police officer being escorted by Celia. Meanwhile, Shane has run away with Cat; Andy following close behind her to rescue him.
- Season 3: Nancy burns down her house and drives away on her segway as her hometown of Agrestic burns to the ground, her past with it. Celia is arrested. In their last episode, Conrad and Heylia plan to open a marijuana club.
- Season 4: After Esteban discovers that Nancy has become a DEA informant, he orders her to his office for execution. Nancy shows an ultrasound image of her baby to him, thereby announcing her pregnancy. Celia is kidnapped by her daughter, who plans to blackmail Dean for a ransom. Shane begins to deal drugs. Silas makes plans to grow marijuana. Andy deals with his romantic interest for Nancy.
- Season 5: After Pilar threatens to kill Silas and Shane, Shane kills her with a croquet mallet. Guillermo, who despises Nancy for ratting him out, is free in Mexico. In her last episode, Celia starts a "team" for drug-dealing. Andy leaves Audra, his fiancé, with a crazed protester with a crossbow.
- Season 6: Shane, Silas, and Andy board a plane to Europe, leaving Nancy behind. Esteban and Guillermo take Nancy and Stevie away, planning to kill Nancy for taking Stevie away from Esteban. However, they are stopped by the police, and Nancy takes the blame for Pilar's murder in order to keep her family safe.
- Season 7: Shane enrolls in the NYPD academy. Nancy's family, Jill and her daughters, and Doug live a house in suburban Connecticut. A sniper in the bushes takes aim at Nancy's head and fires a shot.
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
: Several episodes end with a cliffhanger
Xiaolin Showdown
Xiaolin Showdown
Xiaolin Showdown is an American animated television series that aired on Kids WB and was created by Christy Hui. Set in a world where martial arts battles and Eastern magic are commonplace, the series follows four young warriors in training that battle the forces of evil...
: While most Saturday morning shows shy away from season ending cliffhangers, this show (and the TMNT revival) has embraced them. Seasons 1 and 2 end with one of the Xiaolin monks having been temporarily turned to evil. The final episode was when Raimundo was made the new leader instead of Omi, who eventually accepted. All the villains joined together to fight the heroes, but the outcome was never resolved as the heroes freeze-framed as they advanced toward the camera, about to fight, and the show faded out.
Zoey 101
Zoey 101
Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
: In the Zoey 101 movie, "Goodbye Zoey", Michael tries to turn off Quinn's webcam, but starts a connection with Zoey at the same time Michael & Chase tried to make Chase admit he misses Zoey. But along with him admitting it, he admits he loves Zoey and says why and when he first met her. Then the screen goes to Zoey and goes black.
Other unresolved cliffhangers
Some TV shows were cancelled in between seasons, and viewers were left wondering what happened. Some other media also have shown unresolved cliffhangers.Television series
2424 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
: Season 8 never mentioned what happened to Aaron Pierce and Tony Almeida
Tony Almeida
Anthony "Tony" Almeida is a fictional character played by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 115 episodes, the third highest number of episodes of any character in the series behind Chloe O'Brian and main character Jack Bauer , portrayed by Mary Lynn Rajskub...
after the events of Season 7. It's not known if they will appear in the feature film.
Aaron Stone
Aaron Stone
Aaron Stone is a live-action, single-camera adventure series created by Bruce Kalish. Originally broadcast with the launch of Disney XD on February 13, 2009...
: In the final episode, main antagonist Elias Powers has seemingly been captured, however, it is actually a shape-shifting mutant that has been captured, and the final shot sees the real Elias going into the Uriah Chamber, which contained pure evil. The series was not renewed for a third season due to the network Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
deciding to have all of their live-action programs be comedies, making this announcement prior to the end of the first season.
Ace of Wands
Ace of Wands
Ace of Wands is a fantasy-based British children's television show broadcast on ITV between 1970 and 1972, created by Trevor Preston and Pamela Lonsdale and produced by Thames Television. The title, taken from the name of a Tarot card describes the principal character, called "Tarot" who combined...
: At the end of the third season in 1972, the three regular characters are apparently caught in an explosion. A fourth season was never commissioned. This was possibly the earliest example of a season finale cliffhanger .
The Agency : Stiles' attempt to rescue Terri puts both of them in jeopardy when he is discovered. Her captors are forced to flee with Joshua, but not before detonating the bomb they'd attached to Terri's neck. This episode ends the season as well as the series with a cliffhanger that was never resolved.
Alien Nation (TV series) : The Francisco family is infected with a biowarfare infection and is taken to the hospital. The unaired second-season continuation was published as a novel, and several years later, as a television film.
All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
: In the final act of the network finale, the citizens of Pine Valley are gathered for the engagement party of Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler
Adam Chandler, Sr. is a fictional character from the daytime drama All My Children, portrayed by David Canary from December 1983 through his departure on April 23, 2010. Adam Chandler was one of the most devious and powerful individuals within the town of Pine Valley, Pennsylvania...
and Brooke English
Brooke English
Brooke Allison English is a fictional character on the television soap opera All My Children. After being originated by Elissa Leeds in 1976, she was portrayed by Julia Barr from 1976 to 1981 and from 1982 to 2006. Harriet Hall temporarily played the role in 1981...
. From the shadows lurks his son, JR Chandler, wielding a handgun. A shot is fired and fade to black, with no resolution as to who was caught in the crossfire.
The Amanda Show
The Amanda Show
The Amanda Show is an American live-action sketch comedy and variety show that aired on Nickelodeon from November 6, 1999 to September 21, 2002. It starred Amanda Bynes, Drake Bell, and Nancy Sullivan, along with several performing artists who came and left at different points, such as John Kassir,...
: In the last episode in the sketch, "Moody's Point", Moody learns that she's not the real Moody, she was switched at birth with another baby. At the end, she is given back to her real parents, but the real Moody is never revealed because The Amanda Show got cancelled.
Aquila
Aquila (TV series)
Aquila is a British children's television show which aired on the BBC from 1997 to 1998. An episode was aired once a week, and was based on the story of two boys, Tom Baxter and Geoff Reynolds, who find a spacecraft when digging in a field...
: The owners of Aquilla are able to activate the onboard computer to discover that it was in fact a liferaft of a much larger battlecruiser orbiting the sun, declaring that "We could have some serious fun with a battle cruiser!"
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
: In the final moments of the series, Zuko, now the new Fire Lord, visits his father's prison cell and demands him to reveal the whereabouts of his mother. But Ozai's answer is never revealed. Also, after going insane, Azula loses a final fight with both her brother and Katara. Her fate was not shown in the series but Nick.com revealed that Azula was placed in a mental health facility to be monitored around the clock.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
: The series never explained why did the Justice League of America disbanded. Also the episode "Time Out For Vengeance" ended with Batman and the Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
saying "they haven't heard the last of Equinox". It was never resolved in the final episodes, but producers James Tucker and Michael Jelenic and writer J.M. DeMatteis have announced that they've all expressed interests in doing a Justice League International animated series spin-off.
Benson
Benson (TV series)
Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the...
: The famous "Who Won?" cliffhanger featuring a gubernatorial race between the title character and his former employer was never resolved.
Berserk
Berserk (manga)
is a manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Set in a medieval Europe-inspired world, the story centers around the characters of Guts, an orphaned mercenary, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary band called the...
: The anime series ends with Griffith betraying his allies and being reborn as the god Femto. With the rest of the Band of Hawk dead, Femto proceeds to rape Casca while forcing Guts to watch. Although the viewer knows that Guts escapes somehow as the epilogue to the final episode as well as the entirety of the first episode (which actually took place after the events of the rest of the anime) feature him alive, it is unknown how he managed to do so.
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (TV series)
The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot was an American animated TV series based on the comic book of the same name by Frank Miller and Geof Darrow.-Overview:...
: This animated series ended with the scientist who built the Legion Ex Machina robots telling the titular characters that he had built seven robots, rather than just the six they had been aware of and defeated over the course of the series.
The Big O
The Big O
is a Japanese animated television series created by director Kazuyoshi Katayama and designer Keiichi Sato for Sunrise Studios. The writing staff was assembled by the series' head writer, Chiaki J. Konaka....
: In the last episode, Angel becomes the Fourth Big, Big Venus, and begins removing Paradigm City from reality. Roger and Big O attempt to negotiate with her on the survival of humanity. Afterwards, Big Venus and Big O walk towards each other and the screen fades to white. In the last few minutes, the opening of the first episode is shown, with Dorothy and Angel watching Roger drive off unlike in the original footage. This does not tie up any plot threads, and simply confuses people further, as not only was Roger driving off to rescue Dorothy in the first place, but Angel should not appear until Episode 3. The cryptic ending is the rushed result of the series being cancelled unexpectedly, instead of being extended to a third season.
Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series is a 2006 American live-action television program based on the Marvel Comics character and film series. It premiered on Spike on June 28, 2006...
: Ends in a cliffhanger that is supposed to set up a second season for the show, with Marcus Van Sciver grabbing Krista Starr by the throat asking her how long she worked for Blade. Despite a large success, actress Jill Wagner
Jill Wagner
Jillian Suzanne "Jill" Wagner is an American television actress, model, and game show personality.-Early life:Wagner was raised primarily by her father, David Wagner, a Marine, and her grandmother...
stated on her MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog that Spike TV would not renew the series.
Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
: At the end of the fourth and final season the lead characters were surrounded and shot by a Federation security squad. The intention was for those actors who chose to continue on into the fifth season to have merely been stunned by the shots instead of being killed. In the event, there was no fifth season and the frustration inflicted on the audience led to much fan fiction
Fan fiction
Fan fiction is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator...
and a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
regarding what happened next.
Capitol
Capitol (TV series)
Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C....
: Sloane Denning is facing execution by firing squad, and as soon as the executioner says "fire," the episode ends with no resolution of what happened. Also, preceding the execution, Myrna Clegg is shown not taking her husband asking for a divorce so well, and trying to get their children to choose sides. The executive producers deliberately chose not to tie up these threads, in response to CBS' sudden cancellation of the show.
Caroline in the City
Caroline in the City
Caroline in the City is an American situation comedy that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC television network. It starred Lea Thompson as cartoonist Caroline Duffy. The series premiered in the two-hour Thursday night block led by Friends.-Premise:Caroline Duffy is a...
: This sitcom ended with the sudden appearance of Richard Karinsky (Malcolm Gets
Malcolm Gets
Hugh Malcolm Gerard Gets is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Richard in the American television sitcom Caroline in the City. Gets is also a dancer, singer, composer, classically trained pianist, vocal director, and choreographer. He has a small part in the film adaptation of...
) at Caroline's wedding.
Cliffhangers
Cliffhangers (TV series)
Cliffhangers was an American television series that debuted on February 27, 1979 on NBC.Cliffhangers attempted to revive the genre of movie serials in a made-for-TV format. Each hour-long episode was divided into three 20-minute segments featuring different storylines...
: Perhaps the definitive cliffhanger program. An hour-long show composed of three segments per week. Each weekly segment ended in a cliffhanger. The series was cancelled with two of the three storylines incomplete. The episode tying up those incomplete stories were actually shown overseas, and one of the unfinished stories was re-edited into a telefilm (as was the one that was completed).
Clone High
Clone High
Clone High is a Canadian-American animated television series that aired for one season on MTV and Teletoon....
: The series ended with most of the cast being frozen in a meat locker by Principal Scudworth.
The Colbys
The Colbys
The Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season...
: The series ended with Fallon (Emma Samms) abducted by aliens in the series finale. This cliffhanger was resolved however in its parent show Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
.
Crusade
Crusade (TV series)
Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
: As it was cancelled before the main thrust of the plot could even begin to unfold, much less come to fruition.
Cybill
Cybill
Cybill is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre, which aired on CBS from January 2, 1995 to July 13, 1998. Starring Cybill Shepherd, the series revolves around Cybill Sheridan, a twice-divorced single mother of two and struggling actress in her 40s, who has never gotten her show...
: Dr Dick steals Maryann's money. Cybill and Maryann take revenge by blowing up his ostensibly deserted boat, but are then arrested for his murder.
Danger Mouse : The series finale "The Intergalactic 147" ended with Danger Mouse and Penfold alive and well in their pillar box
Pillar box
A pillar box is a free-standing post box. They are found in the United Kingdom and in most former nations of the British Empire, members of the Commonwealth of Nations and British overseas territories, such as the Republic of Ireland, Australia, India and Gibraltar...
on a sidewalk fragment surrounded by a giant empty wasteland where London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
had been. They had helped the earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
avoid being bumped into a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
in an alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
's intergalactic snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
game, but not before the whole city of London around them disappeared, its exact whereabouts unknown. While DM and their boss, Colonel K, who's on the videophone
Videophone
A videophone is a telephone with a video screen, and is capable of full duplex video and audio transmissions for communication between people in real-time...
, fret over what to do about the missing city, Penfold asks if they have a "spare", to which both DM and the Colonel reply, "Penfold, shush!". With London's fate still unresolved, the show faded out for the final time.
Darkwing Duck
Darkwing Duck
DarkWing Duck is an American animated television series produced by The Walt Disney Company that ran from 1991–1992 on both the syndicated programming block The Disney Afternoon and Saturday mornings on ABC. It featured the eponymous anthropomorphic duck superhero whose alter ego is mild-mannered...
: The episode "Steerminator" ends with a cliffhanger, which was intended to be resolved two seasons later, but the show was canceled before production of next season.
Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me
Dead Like Me was an American-Canadian comedy-drama television series starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who reside and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons...
: Ended with a number of "loose ends" especially as concerned the status of the relationship between Georgia Lass, the main character, and her mother and younger sister.
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
: Felicia Tilman plans her final act of revenge on Paul Young after sneaking into his home to "borrow flour" when in reality she takes his house keys. Then we're shown Felicia calling police and saying that her neighbour Paul Young threatens her while she's pumping her blood. She's answered that nothing can be done with threatens and Felicia says that in that case she'll do everything herself. The following evening, Paul walks into his kitchen to slip and discover blood on the floor and on the kitchen walls. Paul then follows a trail to the garage where the door is ajar. The police quickly come upon the scene and place Paul in handcuffs then discover two of Felicia's fingers in the trunk of his car. While Paul is escorted to prison, Felicia escapes to the mountains and retreats to a log cabin where she takes the alias of "Mrs. Huber" and covers a bandage over her two missing fingers. This cliffhanger is finally resolved 5 years later (9 years in the show), in the season seventh premiere.
Duckman
Duckman
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man is an American animated sitcom that aired from 1994–1997, created by Everett Peck and developed by Peck. The sitcom is based on characters created by Peck in his Dark Horse comic...
: In the final episode, Duckman's supposedly deceased wife, Beatrice, unexpectedly appears during his second marriage. It is soon revealed that Cornfed knew Beatrice was still alive the entire time. Notably, none of the previous episodes of the series had ended on a cliffhanger.
Earth 2
Earth 2 (TV series)
Earth 2 is an American science fiction television series which aired on NBC from November 6, 1994 to June 4, 1995. The show was canceled after one season of 22 episodes...
: This one-season series ended with Devon Adair (Debrah Farentino
Debrah Farentino
Debrah Farentino is an American model and actress.-Early life:Farentino was born Deborah Mullowney in Lucas Valley, California. She attended Miller Creek Junior High School, and Terra Linda High School in San Rafael, California...
) falling ill with a mysterious illness and being placed in hibernation. Her voiceover implies that the planet they are trying to colonize is "rejecting" them, and that the same fate may befall the other characters. The series was not renewed for a second season, leaving the cliffhanger unresolved.
Emerald Point N.A.S.
Emerald Point N.A.S.
Emerald Point N.A.S is an American television drama starring Dennis Weaver that premiered on CBS on Monday, September 26, 1983. It was cancelled in 1984 after twenty-two weeks, its final episode airing March 12, 1984....
: Ends on a cliffhanger, which was intended to be resolved, but was canceled before production of next season. Principal character Maggie Farrell (played by Maud Adams
Maud Adams
Maud Solveig Christina Wikström , known professionally as Maud Adams, is a Swedish actress, known for her roles as two different Bond girls: in The Man with the Golden Gun , and as the title character in Octopussy .-Early life:Adams was born Maud Solveig Christina Wikström in Luleå, Sweden, the...
) is kidnapped by former lover David Marquette (Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
) on the eve of her wedding to Thomas Mallory (Dennis Weaver
Dennis Weaver
William Dennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel....
), who finds her wedding gown stuck to the wall with a knife in the final scene.
Eve
Eve (TV series)
Eve is an American sitcom starring Eve, Jason Winston George, Ali Landry, Natalie Desselle-Reid, Brian Hooks and Sean Maguire. That aired on the UPN network from September 15, 2003 to May 11, 2006, with 66 episodes produced spanning 3 seasons...
: At Diva Style, Janie, Rita, and several friends are arrested by the FBI for an illegal botox party. Shelly derided her pregnant mother for remarrying her father after she found out her father is the baby's father; Shelly felt her father would abandon the baby like he abandoned Shelly and her sister. Finally, the husband of Nick's girlfriend approaches the closet where he and J.T. were hiding. J.T. grabbed a shoe, ready to do battle. At that point "To Be Continued" appeared on-screen, ending the series with no hope of immediate resolution.
The Event: This show's cliffhanger sees the aliens bringing their whole planet over.
Exosquad
Exosquad
Exosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response to Japanese anime. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves...
: Ends with a cliffhanger when an alien race
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
of enormous power unexpectedly attacks the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
shortly after the end of the war between Neosapien
Neosapien
The Neosapiens , featured in the science fiction animated television series Exosquad, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoids.-Background:...
s and humans.
Farscape
Farscape
Farscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
: The show was abruptly cancelled after it had completed production of its fourth season, with a fifth season contracted, effectively ending the series on a cliffhanger. A mini-series in 2004, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars is a television science fiction mini-series written by Rockne S. O'Bannon and David Kemper and directed by Brian Henson. Following the Farscape series' unexpected cancellation in September 2002, it aimed to wrap-up the season four cliffhanger and tie up some elements...
wrapped up some of the show's hanging plot threads.
Fastlane
Fastlane (TV series)
Fastlane is an American action/crime drama series that was broadcast on Fox from 2002 to 2003. On August 14, 2005 G4 began rebroadcasting the complete series. After finishing its initial run on the network, Fastlane stopped airing on G4...
: This highly stylized FOX television series, starring Tiffani Thiessen
Tiffani Thiessen
Tiffani Thiessen is an American actress best known for her roles as Kelly Kapowski in Saved by the Bell and as Valerie Malone in Beverly Hills, 90210. She is also known for her role on Fastlane as Wilhelmina 'Billie' Chambers...
, Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli is an American actor. He became known as the star of Fox's 2002 television series Fastlane. He plays Carlisle Cullen in the film adaptations of the Twilight series. He is also well known for his role as Mike Dexter in the film Can't Hardly Wait...
, and Bill Bellamy
Bill Bellamy
William "Bill" Bellamy is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as...
ended its 22-episode, 1 season run with undercover officers Van (Facinelli) and Deaq (Bellamy) successfully preventing a jewel heist spearheaded by the first employee Lt. Billie Chambers (Thiessen) recruited to work for The Candy Store, back when she hired criminals to pose as cops, instead of cops posing as criminals. Though the perp, Nick Cassavetes, was killed in the climax of the encounter, the satisfied undercover duo are none the wiser that Lt. Billie Chambers has been kidnapped by Cassavetes' female associate (Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni is an American actress.-Career:Tognoni has won Miss Rhode Island Teen USA in 1991 and Miss Rhode Island Teen All-American in 1993. In 1995, she was cast as Kelly Cramer on ABC's soap opera One Life to Live, a role she originated and portrayed to 2001...
), who injects the formerly-addicted Billie with heroin. Also, Van and Deaq have seemingly lost their jobs after Lt. Roland Hill (Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
) has taken over The Candy Store.
First Monday
First Monday
First Monday was a short-lived U.S. television midseason replacement drama centered on the U.S. Supreme Court. Like another 2002 series, "The Court," it was inspired by the prominent role the Supreme Court played in settling the 2000 presidential election...
: As law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
Ellie Pearson and Justice Deborah Szwark's CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
attorney daughter walk to a restaurant, Szwark's daughter is struck by a car. Ellie cradles her and screams for help, as the season (and the series) ends with a cliffhanger ending.
Flamingo Road : The primetime soap ended in May 1982 with the murder of villain Michael Tyrone. At the very end of the series finale, Michael rises from the dead in a burning barn.
FlashForward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
: The unplanned series finale ends with the FBI building exploding, possibly with Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes is an English film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayals of William Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Robert Dudley in Elizabeth, Commisar Danilov in Enemy at the Gates, Martin Luther in Luther, Merlin in Camelot, and his portrayal of Mark Benford in the...
) still inside. This was followed by a series of flash-forwards to various points in the future (in contrast to the original FlashForward showing just one particular moment in time), set to Band of Horses
Band of Horses
Band of Horses, originally briefly known as Horses, are an American rock band formed in 2004 in Seattle by Ben Bridwell. They have released three studio albums, the most recent and most successful of which is 2010's Grammy nominated Infinite Arms...
' The Funeral.
Frisky Dingo
Frisky Dingo
Frisky Dingo is an American animated cartoon series created by Adam Reed and Matt Thompson for Adult Swim. The series revolved around the conflict between a supervillain named Killface and a superhero named Awesome X, and much of the show's humor focuses on parodying superhero and action movie...
: The second season revealed that the main character Killface was assigned by his Mother of an alien species to destroy Earth. The Spin-off show The Xtacles hinted at the aftermath but it was never developed as the series was canceled.
Generations : In the final scene of the final episode, Adam Marshall (Kristoff St. John
Kristoff St. John
Kristoff St. John is an American actor, best known for his role as Neil Winters on the daytime US drama The Young and the Restless.-Career:...
) discovers Doreen Jackson (Jonelle Allen
Jonelle Allen
Jonelle Allen is an American actress, singer, and dancer.Born in New York City, Allen grew up in Harlem's Sugar Hill among neighbors that included Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, and Johnny Hodges, all of whom had an influence on her career choice...
) frantically trying to revive Henry Marshall (James Reynolds
James Reynolds (actor)
James Reynolds is a long-time American dramatic television actor.Reynolds orignated the character of Abe Carver on the long running NBC dramatic serial Days of our Lives in 1981. He has been on contract with the show since 1981 with only two short breaks in 1991 and 2003 where he still appeared...
), who has just had a heart attack just after saying that he'd rather go see his wife sing at the opening of a nightclub than committing adultery with Doreen. The words, "To Be Continued" then appeared on the screen, and then fades to black. (Ironically, this episode was never shown in some markets in the US due to Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
coverage, so for those viewers, the series ended with the previous episode's cliffhanger ending instead.)
Grown Ups : J. inadvertently proposes to his on-again-off-again girlfriend Melissa.
Hellcats
Hellcats
Hellcats is an American cheerleading comedy-drama television series that originally aired on The CW in the United States from September 8, 2010 to May 17, 2011...
: Vanessa gets fired from her job as Hellcats coach for unknowingly causing the team to get strep throat. Savannah steps down as Hellcats captain to take care of her mother and sister and her newborn nephew and gives the captain position to Alice. Marti discovers that her half-sister Dierdre has been in contact with their father after he called her phone and she storms out of Cheertown, presumingly to find their father.
Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
: Claire jumps off the Ferris wheel at the carnival and everyone watches as she automatically heals from the fall and she says her name and that she lost count of her jumps from high places and the show ends with the words "To be continued".
Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends...
: In the series finale episode The Journal Arnold finds a journal that was written by his missing father. The episode ends with Arnold finding a map that could lead to his parents possible location. The episode was going to lead to another Hey Arnold! movie called The Jungle Movie, but because of the low gross of the first film and legal issues with the show's creator
Craig Bartlett
Craig Michael Bartlett is an animator best known for writing for Rugrats and creating the television series Hey Arnold!.-Career:...
, the film was shelved. Hence, the series was left in a cliffhanger.
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
: The show ended without revealing the face of the main antagonist Dr. Claw
Doctor Claw
Dr. Claw is a partially seen character who is the main villain in the animated television series Inspector Gadget and the films that followed...
's face, and he was still at large.
Invasion
Invasion (TV series)
Invasion is an American science fiction television series that aired on ABC for only one season beginning in September 2005. Somewhat similar to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the show told the story of the aftermath of a hurricane in which water-based creatures infiltrate a small Florida town and...
: The first and only season ended with two major cliffhangers: the fate of Larkin and her baby and the outcome of the hybrid pregnancies.
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd
The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
: Series 1: After the party, it is revealed that Jen slept with Moss, Roy slept with Doctor Mendall and that Richmond slept with Denholm and they both scream in horror as the screen fades to black and "to be continued" appears on the screen. however, this cliffhanger was never resolved.
JAG
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
: The final episode involved Harm and Mac getting married. As they were being posted away from each other, one had to give up his/her career for the marriage to work. To decide, they flipped a commemorative coin. The result was not shown.
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show is the name of two short-lived television series starring comedian Jeff Foxworthy and based on Foxworthy's stand-up comedy routine...
: The series finale ended with Jeff and his family and friends surviving a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
. But when Jeff and wife Karen come up out of the cellar they find that their house has been completely leveled by the storm. The series' final fadeout shows a panout of the two looking around at the wreckage while Jeff makes with a "You might be a redneck
Redneck
Redneck is a historically derogatory slang term used in reference to poor, uneducated white farmers, especially from the southern United States...
" statement.
John Doe
John Doe (TV series)
John Doe is an American science fiction drama television series that aired on Fox during the 2002–2003 TV season.-Synopsis:"I woke up in an island off the coast of Seattle. I didn't know how I got there ... or who I was. But I did seem to know everything else. There were things about me I didn't...
: In the unplanned series finale, the Stocking Cap man seemingly in charge of the evil Phoenix Organization is revealed in the last seconds as Digger, John Doe's employer and one of his closest friends. According to the series creators, "Digger" would have been revealed in the next season not to be the real Digger, but "a Phoenix member with some fancy facial reconstruction" http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,701496,00.html.
JPod
JPod (TV series)
jPod is a comedic television series based on Douglas Coupland’s novel of the same name. It premiered on CBC Television on January 8, 2008. Starting with the fifth episode, the show began airing Fridays at 9:00....
: In the series finale, "Colony Collapse Disorder", Kaitlin is put into a coma by a hug machine installed in the pod. Cowboy calls 911 (Which he has on speed-dial) and the series ends with Ethan announcing "I think she's gone into a coma." (Possibly a reference to the Douglas Coupland novel "Girlfriend in a Coma)
Kings
Kings (U.S. TV series)
Kings is an American television drama series which aired on NBC. The series' narrative is loosely based on the Biblical story of King David, but set in a kingdom that culturally and technologically resembles the present-day United States....
: In the series finale, King Silas gets a message from God telling him that David will take his place. Outraged, Silas tries to kill David, but David escapes him. The reverend
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
tells David that God will keep David in a safe place in Gath. The series ends with David running into the woods.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
: The 2007-2008 Writer's Strike cancelled production of the remaining three episodes of the series, forcing the series to end on a cliffhanger involving Danny and Delinda's pregnancy/baby, and Cooper's ownership fight for the Montecito.
Last Man Standing : Cam was about to confront Adam having just remembered a drunken conversation about his affair with Zoe.
Living with Fran
Living With Fran
Living With Fran is an American sitcom that debuted on The WB network in April 2005 that starred Fran Drescher. The show last aired on March 2006.-Premise:Drescher plays Fran Reeves, an interior designer and divorced mother of two...
: Merryl and Danny announce their engagement and Merryl asks Fran to be her Matron of Honor and Danny asks Riley to be his Best Man. Fran realizes that she will run into Riley at the engagement party causes Fran to bring Ted as her date in order to tell Riley that she has moved on from him and is giving Ted another chance. Fran finds Ted hitting on Riley's date. When Riley learns that Fran was just trying to protect him he proposes to Fran.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
: This ended with then married Lois and Clark finding a baby left in their living room, with a note "Lois and Clark - This baby's for you." The baby was intended to turn out to be their baby from the future.
Love of Life
Love of Life
Love of Life is an American soap opera which aired on CBS Daytime from September 24, 1951 to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation Search for Tomorrow had premiered three weeks before Love of Life, and who would go on to create The Secret Storm two and a half years...
: On its final episode on February 1, 1980, heroine Betsy Crawford, after testifying in a trial, collapsed as she was leaving the stand. No one knew what happened to her as the show was cancelled, and not picked up by another network. (It is not known whether the whole episode exists; at the very least, the credits sequence that followed does, as does a CBS news report on the cancellation.)
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000...
: After the 50/50 Club is wrecked in an accident, Nicolette offers Malcolm and Eddie money to rebuild it on the condition that she becomes a full partner.
Martian Successor Nadesico
Martian Successor Nadesico
, is a science fiction comedy anime TV series, and a later manga series created by Kia Asamiya. The manga, published in English by CPM Manga, is significantly different from the anime....
: Main character Akito confesses his love for Yurika and the crew of the Nadesico escapes the battlefield on Mars, but the subsequent fate of the crew, and the result of the war, is left unresolved - the ending narration even refers to the series' "inevitable second season". No second season was ever produced, however, although several video games and a movie were made. Director Tatsuo Sato
Tatsuo Sato (director)
' is a Japanese anime director most famous for Martian Successor Nadesico.- Works :* Martian Successor Nadesico* Cat Soup* Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars* Stellvia* Ninja Scroll: The Series* Tokyo Tribe 2...
later stated mysteriously that any sequel to Nadesico was "impossible".
Models, Inc. : In the finale that originally aired on FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, the series ended with a assassin (Mitch Pileggi
Mitch Pileggi
Mitchell Craig "Mitch" Pileggi is an American actor. Pileggi is known for playing FBI assistant director Walter Skinner on the long-running popular series The X-Files. He also had a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis as Col. Steven Caldwell...
) hired by Grayson (Emma Samms
Emma Samms
Emma Samms is a British television actress best known for her role as Holly Sutton on the American daytime soap opera General Hospital and for replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Colby on the primetime soap opera Dynasty.-Early life:Samms was born in Willesden, London, England, the...
) bringing his gun to her ex Adam's (James Wilder
James Wilder
James Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
) wedding to Monique (Stephanie Romanov
Stephanie Romanov
Stephanie A. Romanov is an American model and actress, best known for playing Lilah Morgan on Angel.-Career:She first began modeling in Europe and was discovered at 15 by Elite Model Management founder, John Casablancas. Her first professional modeling job was in Europe, shooting fashion layouts...
) wedding to shoot the latter. While Grayson was frantically trying to get her son Daniel away from the couple, the gun was shown pointing at the ensuing chaos and then the gun was shot. It ended in slow motion panning to the assassin's face with, "To Be Continued ..." The show was cancelled soon after, but there was an alternate ending which resolved the cliffhanger that later aired on international distribution and in repeats on E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
cable network. The shot killed Grayson and showed Hillary Michaels (Linda Gray
Linda Gray
Linda Ann Gray is an American actress, best known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the television prime-time soap opera Dallas.-Career:Prior to acting, Gray began working as a model in the 1960s...
) announcing to the models that she was closing Models, Inc. The show ended with Gray turning off the lights to each model's photo on the wall in the lobby and the office going dark and zooming up to the Models, Inc. logo in the hallway. However, the one cliffhanger that wasn't resolved on either endings was the ending of the character of Carrie (Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss
-External links:...
): Before the wedding sequence, Grayson had her kidnapped and in a scene saying "Somewhere in Central America" she woke up tied and was in "Hooker Hell."
Moesha
Moesha
Moesha is an American sitcom series that aired on the UPN network from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, a high school student living with her family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles.-Overview:The show...
: The show was cancelled on a cliffhanger, with Moesha's younger brother Miles having been kidnapped and a positive pregnancy test suggesting that one of the girls in Moesha's dorm was pregnant. The cliffhanger was originally planned to be solved on the Moesha spinoff The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
, but the writers of the show ultimately declined, feeling that the spinoff had a cliffhanger of its own to solve with the season premiere.
Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Mortal Kombat: Konquest is an American martial arts television series that aired for one season from 1998 to 1999, and was based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The program was filmed at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.-Storyline:"In each of us there burns a soul...
: Due to the cost of making the show, it ended with only one season being made, despite its popularity. The series ended with all the major cast dead and Shao Kahn being victorious in pulling off his plan to get rid of his foes. Depending on source, the next season was supposed to start with either the Elder Gods resetting everything because Shao Kahn broke the rules, and/or the last two episodes being Kahn's dream.
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
: Earl finds out he is Dodge's father, but Darnell finds out he's not Earl Jr.'s father, and the series ends without viewers knowing who Earl Jr.'s father is.
My Own Worst Enemy
My Own Worst Enemy (TV series)
My Own Worst Enemy is an American television drama that aired on NBC in 2008. It premiered on October 13 and ended on December 15 after 9 episodes. The series was produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic was the executive producer; David Semel was the director and executive producer...
: The series wouldn't have ended the way it did if it was ordered a full season, but ended on its ninth episode with no resolution, with Henry/Edward (Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
) discovering that someone who has offered to fix him has been killed.
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
: After discovering that Brian wrote the eloquent apology letter that was supposedly penned by Jordan Catalono, Angela ends up looking back and forth between the two deciding what she should do. She ends up getting into Jordan's car, but staring at Brian the whole time as she departs. The creator of the show, Winnie Holzman, is proud of the end of series. She said, "... there was a rightness in how short the season was. This was a show about adolescence and sort of ended in its own adolescence. There was an aura about how short the series was like all things that die young. The show ended at a point that it was still all potential."
No Ordinary Family
No Ordinary Family
No Ordinary Family is an American television series on ABC. The 45-minute science fiction comedy-drama was produced by ABC Studios for the 2010–11 television season. The series ran from September 28, 2010 to April 5, 2011, on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT...
: George and a bunch of prisoners are involved in a plane crash and they all get superpowers, but it's unknown what powers George got. Special Agent Hawkins of the NSA comes to the Powell home and tells the family that they're no ordinary family, and that they need their help in rounding up the prisoners.
Odyssey 5
Odyssey 5
Odyssey 5 is a Canadian science fiction series that first ran in 2002 on Showtime in the United States and on Space in Canada.In the United States, the initial run of the series ran for 14 of the 20 episodes, leaving the six remaining episodes unaired for a period of roughly two years...
: Was cancelled after one season. The show ended on a cliffhanger which was never resolved. Unresolved plots included the main plot about saving the earth, but also the subplots about the Karder, the Sentients and the kidnapping of Angela Perry.
Over There
Over There (TV series)
Over There is an action / drama / war television series that aired on FX. It premiered in the United States on July 27, 2005 and premiered in Canada on September 6, 2005 on the History Television channel. The series was presented in 16:9 widescreen format in the U.S...
: Was canceled immediately after its one and only season concluded, leaving a number of "loose ends" including the future of Bo Ryder, one of the principal characters, who hoped to recover from the loss of his right leg and return to active duty with his unit in Iraq.
Peak Practice
Peak Practice
Peak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time...
: Was axed in 2002, with the final episode ending with two of the series' main characters literally falling off a cliff. Despite receiving hundreds of complaints from loyal viewers, ITV were steadfast in their decision not to make any further episodes of the series.
Peyton Place
Peyton Place (TV series)
Peyton Place is an American prime-time soap opera which aired on ABC in half-hour episodes from September 15, 1964 to June 2, 1969.Based upon the 1956 novel of the same name by Grace Metalious, the series was preceded by a 1957 film adaptation. A total of 514 episodes were broadcast, in...
: When this evening soap opera was cancelled in 1969, the final episode made no attempt to tie-up the various story threads in the expectation another network would pick-up the show.
Popular
Popular (TV series)
Popular is an American teenage comedy-drama on The WB Television Network in the United States, created by Ryan Murphy and Gina Matthews, starring Leslie Bibb and Carly Pope as two teenage girls that reside on polar opposite sides of the popularity spectrum at their high school, but are forced to...
: This show's second season finale ends with a cliffhanger that was never resolved due to an unexpected cancellation by the network after the episode was already shot. In the cliffhanger, Nicole (Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels
Tammy Lynn Michaels , also known by the surname Etheridge after marrying Melissa Etheridge, is an American actress....
) runs over former friend Brooke (Leslie Bibb
Leslie Bibb
Leslie Louise Bibb is an American actress and former fashion model. She transitioned into film and television in late 1990s. She appeared in television shows such as Home Improvement , before she appeared in her first film, the comedy Private Parts , which was followed by her first show The Big Easy...
) with her car and it is unclear if the latter survives the hit or not. Also, it was revealed a drag queen (RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
) was Mary Cherry's (Leslie Grossman
Leslie Grossman
Leslie Erin Grossman is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Mary Cherry on the television series Popular and as Lauren in What I Like About You.-Early life and education:...
) father, and immediately preceding the accident, Brooke and Sam (Carly Pope
Carly Pope
-Early life:Pope was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, with an older brother, Kris, also an actor, and a younger brother, Alexander. She began acting during her high school years in Vancouver where she appeared in stage classics such as The Odd Couple, playing Mickey, and A Midsummer...
) were shown arguing over the aftermath of Harrison's (Christopher Gorham
Christopher Gorham
Christopher David Gorham is an American actor.- Early life :Gorham was born in Fresno, California to David Gorham, a certified public accountant and Cathryn Gorham, a school nurse. He attended high school at Roosevelt School of the Arts and graduated from UCLA with a BA in Film & Theater Arts...
) choice between the two, a decision that was never revealed, though series creator Ryan Murphy said after the cancellation that Harrison had picked Brooke, in spite of her reaction suggesting otherwise, and that Brooke, having broken every bone in her face, would have returned from her coma as a brunette (Bibb is a brunette) http://www.foreverpopular.net/popular/three.html.
Port Charles
Port Charles
Port Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...
: The soap opera concluded its run with heroine Allison not knowing who the father of her baby was.
Power Rangers RPM: After Disney's announcement to drop the show in 2009, the 17th series of the well known franchise
Power Rangers
Power Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
ended with a cliffhanger implying that Venjix is still alive in Ranger Red's Morpher and the franchise was revived by Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
in 2011 and one of the episodes of the 18th series
Power Rangers Samurai
Power Rangers Samurai is the nineteenth season of the American children's television series Power Rangers. With Saban Brands buying back the franchise, the show is produced by SCG Power Rangers and began airing on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons on February 7, 2011...
will resolve the cliffhanger.
The Prisoner : The Prisoner had two parts, one featuring Lieutanant Strainer's escape, and one featuring him and The Technician trying to find a comrade being held captive by Mercenaries. The first part ends with Strainer getting shot as well as The Technician. The screen cuts to black as The Technician puts the wounded Strainer in the escape van, with an epilogue explaining how the two escaped from the base, and stating the van was discovered crashed into a tree, but no bodies were found, and there was blood all over the vehicle. In the second part, the two are revealed to be alive, and they battle with the Mercenaries on a deserted street. The episode ends with Strainer climbing out of a rock pit and The Technician being shot dead by the lead Mercenary. Cue end credits.
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
: Another victim of early cancellation, the series finale, as originally filmed, ended with main character Chuck, revealing herself to be still alive to her aunt and mother, who thought that she was killed aboard a ship. However, it was re-edited in post to provide some closure, with the addition of shots "donated" (provided at a much lower price than normal) by the various effects houses that the show had worked with, and narration by series narrator Jim Dale
Jim Dale
Jim Dale, MBE is an English actor, voice artist, singer and songwriter. He is best known in the United Kingdom for his many appearances in the Carry On series of films and in the US for narrating the Harry Potter audiobook series, for which he received two Grammy Awards, and the ABC series Pushing...
http://thetorchonline.com/2009/06/21/what-wouldve-happened-on-pushing-daisies-if-it-hadnt-been-cancelled/. Nevertheless, the finale still left many loose ends, for example, Ned never sees his father again.
ReBoot
ReBoot
ReBoot is a Canadian CGI-animated action-adventure cartoon series that originally aired from 1994 to 2001. It was produced by Vancouver-based production company Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Communications, BLT Productions and created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell and John Grace,...
: There are two different cliffhanger endings. In the UK, the show ended with the heroes in the web gone to rescue Bob, and the episode ended with a zoom in on Matrix's eye. The reason for this cliffhanger is CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
did not air the rest of the season, as they deemed the content unsuitable. In the US and Canada (and/or anywhere other than the UK that aired ReBoot) got a different cliffhanger ending, at the end of Series 4 (The halfway point of Series 3 was where CITV stopped it), it is revealed that the clone of Bob is an upgraded version of the virus Megabyte, who is inside Mainframe's core office, and in a position to destroy it.
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
: In the end of series 8 Rimmer is trapped on Red Dwarf as it is disintegrating around him and everyone else has abandoned ship. Then the Grim Reaper comes to take him away and he kicks the Grim Reaper in the testicles and runs off. Red Dwarf returned in Back to Earth which took place 10 years after the end of series 8 with no mention of how the cliffhanger was resolved.
Return to Eden
Return to Eden
Return to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series...
: Ended on a dramatic cliffhanger in Australia. For subsequent international sales, a specially shot new ending hurriedly tied-up the unresolved story threads.
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles
Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles was a CGI animated television series based on both the novel by Robert A. Heinlein and the 1997 film adaptation directed by Paul Verhoeven...
: Ends in a cliff-hanger on Episode 37 showing the Arachnid race doing a full-scale assault on Earth. There were originally plans to create three more episodes to create the resolution (with the voice-overs already recorded), but it was not possible due to running out of resources. In an audio commentary by producer Jeff Kline on the Homefront Campaign DVD, he outlines what would happen in those three episodes.
Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer (TV series)
Silver Surfer, also known as Silver Surfer: The Animated Series, is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero which aired on the Fox Kids Network in 1998.-Overview:...
: After 13 episodes the story was cut as Silver Surfer starts his battle with Thanos for the existence of the universe leaving the viewers with a white screen and a yellow "The End?" sign.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World : The season 3 cliffhanger was never resolved, for the series was cancelled in 2002 after funding for a fourth season fell through..
Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
: In the last episode (The Seer), lone remaining original Slider Rembrandt Brown
Rembrandt Brown
Rembrandt Lee Brown is a fictional character played by Cleavant Derricks on the science fiction television show Sliders. In 1994, Rembrandt was living in San Francisco. Rembrandt is a musician, whose stage name is The Crying Man because of his ability to "cry real tears" on stage...
went to Earth Prime
Earth Prime (Sliders)
Earth Prime, a term used in the television show Sliders, is the name of the alternate Earth where the four original sliders started their journey. Although it is very similar to our Earth, the creator of the show, Tracy Tormé, has stated that it is not our Earth...
to defeat the Kromagg
Kromagg
The Kromaggs , are a fictional species of humanoid primates from the science fiction television show, Sliders...
s, while the other sliders remained on the previous parallel earth, not knowing if Rembrandt would live or die.
Soap
Soap (TV series)
Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
: The show ended on several cliffhangers, not least of which was the fate of Jessica Tate, who was facing execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad
Execution by firing squad, sometimes called fusillading , is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war.Execution by shooting is a fairly old practice...
. Jessica's fate was more or less resolved in a subsequent 1983 episode of Benson
Benson (TV series)
Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the...
, wherein Jessica's spirit visits her former butler to reassure him on his life's choices, and realizing that she is not dead but in a coma. Burt Campbell, a police officer, is about to walk into a trap, and Chester is about to shoot his son Danny.
Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM)
Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)
Sonic the Hedgehog: The Animated Series is an American animated series produced by DIC Entertainment with the partnership of Sega of America and was based on the Sonic the...
: The final scene of the season finale "The Doomsday Project" set up the plot point of Snively teaming up with a new villain for the next season. It was revealed in 1997 that Ixis Naugus was the mystery villain being set up. A third season was planned and a plot put out but the head of ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
was replaced, and the show was cancelled.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
: Many episodes find their ending in a cliffhanger when some character or obscure scene ostensibly leaves the audience unsatisfied, often with subtle allegations. Occasionally obvious or subtle references to these episodes are made in future episodes, often resolving the cliffhangers in unexpected ways or further perpetuating the mystery of their outcome. The series finale ended deliberately with an abrupt cut-to-black in the middle of a scene, leaving the outcome of all surviving characters unknown.
Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond was a short-lived mid-90s American science fiction television show on the FOX Network, created and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. Originally planned for five seasons, it ran only for the single 1995–1996 season. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards and one Saturn...
: The final episode ends in an open-ended fashion, where T.C. McQueen is badly injured and most of the major cast is apparently killed or missing, with only Cooper Hawkes and Nathan West remaining. Yet with the Earth force in a much better strategic position, there is the motif of hope through initiative, despite losses and sacrifices.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
: In the final episode of this series, Spider-Man saves all of reality from Spider-Carnage, an unstable alternate universe version of the character. Madame Web congratulates Spider-Man and transports both he and a powerless alternate world self (who had helped tremendously despite his lack of powers) to that person's Earth, where the truth about his origins are revealed, he is an actor who portrays the character on television, and takes him to see Stan Lee in this reality. Web promises Spider-Man they will find Mary Jane Watson, as unbeknownst to Spider-Man, she had fallen into a portal in the third season finale. The cliffhanger was never resolved due to the dreaded "65 episode rule" of Syndication, which had not yet been challenged as sternly as it is now (also, there were conflicts between Fox Kids network head Margaret Loesch
Margaret Loesch
Margaret Ann Loesch, is a veteran television executive, multi-award–winning producer, who is currently the President and CEO of Discovery Communications and Hasbro Inc's joint venture television network, The Hub.-Early life:...
and executive producer Avi Arad
Avi Arad
Avi Arad is an Israeli-American businessman. He became the CEO of the company Toy Biz in the 1990s, and soon afterward became the chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment, a Marvel director, chairman, CEO and the founder of Marvel Studios....
). Head writer John Semper had hoped to continue the series and resolve the cliffhanger, one proposed arc involved Spidey finding MJ in Colonial England and fighting Carnage once more, who had by now joined with Jack The Ripper.
Spider-Man Unlimited
Spider-Man Unlimited
Spider-Man Unlimited was a short-lived animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man. The series was released in 1999, but, although it had fair ratings, was overshadowed by Pokémon, and was canceled after airing only a few episodes. Fox later resumed airing the show, airing...
: There were a few cliffhangers in Spider-Man Unlimited. The Counter-Earth version of the Green Goblin was hinted to be the missing husband of Dr. Yamanda-Naoko Jones, who allowed Peter to stay with her and her son, (the Spider-Man Unlimited comic book also hinted a Bestial version of Wolverine was her husband, but its place in canon is uncertain). The series also looked at Carnage and Venom's attempts at contacting a symbiote hive on Counter-Earth known as "The Synoptic", which would menace Counter-Earth in the final moments of the final episode, just as Spider-Man and The Resistance had succeeded in overthrowing The High Evolutionary and his Bestial forces.
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series is an animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man, which ran for one season, 13 episodes, starting on July 11, 2003...
: Much like Spider-man Unlimited, the CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
series also ended on a cliffhanger with the expectation that a second series would be produced to resolve it. The main string of Peter Parker giving up being the Spider-man is not really a cliffhanger as fans know he would recant, but the trigger for it with one of the few new supporting cast members/love triangle member Indy being put into coma still remains. However the fact that the series was implied to have continuity with the first movie and the fact he is Spider-Man again in the second movie, with a second series planned (but never produced) means this still counts as a cliffhanger.
The Spectacular Spiderman : The series ends with Miles Warren taking control of Connors' lab and using it to perform illegal experiments to create super soldiers and the believed dead Norman Osborn seen in disguise leaving for Europe to continue his criminal schemes from afar.
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
: The final episode resolves none of the story dealing with the Ori Army's invasion of the Milky Way Galaxy.) This story arc was wrapped up with the straight-to-DVD movie Stargate: The Ark Of Truth
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
: In the last episode, Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is the main character of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Early life and career:...
is taken by the Bajoran Prophet
Prophet (Star Trek)
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Prophets, also known as Wormhole Aliens, are non-corporeal beings who inhabit the artificially constructed Bajoran wormhole which connects a distant point in the Gamma Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant, near the planet of Bajor and the space station Deep Space...
into the Celestial Temple, leaving his son
Jake Sisko
Jacob "Jake" Sisko, played by Cirroc Lofton, is a character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is the son of Deep Space Nine's commanding officer, Benjamin Sisko.-Overview:...
and pregnant wife behind on DS9
Deep Space Nine (space station)
Deep Space Nine is a fictitious space station, and is the eponymous primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole, and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens...
. As this was an actual planned finale, and references were made to Sisko being back "in a year," there was early speculation of a theatrical movie in the works. (Although the movie never materialized, the Sisko family situation was resolved in Unity, a novel by S.D. Perry from the DS9 relaunch
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine relaunch
The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine relaunch is an unofficial name for a series of non-canon novels released since 2000 detailing events involving the characters, species and settings portrayed in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
novel series. However, this novel, like all other Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
novels, is not considered to be official series canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
, and did not actually happen in the series.)
Strip Mall
Strip Mall
Strip Mall is a situation comedy that aired on Comedy Central from June 2000 until March 2001.The series, a spoof of prime time soap operas, was set in Van Nuys, California which is series star/creator/executive producer Julie Brown's hometown. The titular "Strip Mall" was the fictional Plaza del...
: Every episode of this soap opera parody ended on a cliffhanger, including the last, in which Tammi gets thrown out of an airplane by Barry, who then yells, "Goodbye Tammi Tyler!" (In June 2001, Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
made a cost-cutting move due to a rough economy by cancelling Strip Mall
Strip Mall
Strip Mall is a situation comedy that aired on Comedy Central from June 2000 until March 2001.The series, a spoof of prime time soap operas, was set in Van Nuys, California which is series star/creator/executive producer Julie Brown's hometown. The titular "Strip Mall" was the fictional Plaza del...
and That's My Bush!
That's My Bush!
That's My Bush! is an American comedy television series that aired on Comedy Central from April 4 to May 23, 2001. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, best known for also creating South Park, the series centers on the fictitious personal life of President George W. Bush, as played by Timothy...
)
Stroker and Hoop
Stroker and Hoop
Stroker and Hoop is an American Flash animated television series on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. The series is a parody of buddy cop films and television series such as Starsky and Hutch, and features the voices of Jon Glaser as Stroker and Timothy "Speed" Levitch as...
: This animated comedy on Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
ended with the titular characters falling to their presumed deaths.
Surface
Surface (TV series)
Surface is a science fiction television series that premiered on NBC on 19 September 2005. The program aired fifteen episodes before going on hiatus on February 6, 2006 due to NBC's coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics...
: cancelled after 15 episodes within running story.
Teen Titans : The final episode of the series, "Things Change", finds the Titans facing an unknown enemy while a grieving Beast Boy ttries to understand what happened to the Titans' former member, Terra, who supposedly died in a cave collapse, and he finds her, somehow alive, yet the girl states her name is not Terra, but the girl looks like her, and it is revealed that the girl later on is actually Terra, who now has moved on and goes to school. She leaves Beast Boy in the mess of the student crowd as the bell rings and disappears. Beast Boy then gets a broadcast from Robin asking for assistance, and Beast Boy responds and leaves the school, and the screen fades to white, leaving the audience to wonder if Terra would ever return to being a hero. It was never resolved in the television film
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is a 2006 animated film adaptation of the DC Comics superhero team Teen Titans. It is set in the milieu of the animated series' Teen Titans that ran from 2003-2006. The film premiered on Cartoon Network on September 15, 2006...
. Other questions left unanswered include what happened to Slade after Season 4 and who is Red X. It is presumably that it is a "What If?" episode.
That '70s Show
That '70s Show
That '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
: The series ends on new years of 1979 with Eric
Eric Forman
Eric Albert Forman is a fictional character and the male lead on the Fox Network's That '70s Show between seasons one through seven. Portrayed by Topher Grace, Eric is based on the adolescence of show creator Mark Brazill. Most of the show takes place at the Formans' home, particularly in the...
returning from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and it is unknown if he gets back together with his old girlfriend Donna
Donna Pinciotti
Donna Marie Pinciotti is a fictional character and one of the two female leads in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, appearing in all eight seasons...
. Given the nature of the ending, though, it can be presumed that they do get back together.
Tilt
Tilt (TV series)
Tilt is a U.S. TV series set against the backdrop of the World Championship of Poker tournament in Las Vegas, and with the tagline "You're playing poker. They're playing you." The series first aired on January 13, 2005, and is the second original drama series from ESPN, following Playmakers...
: The series' archvillain, Don "The Matador" Everest, is arrested for murder, but in the final seconds, a key witness against him is found hanged to death in an apparent suicide.
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...
: The one hour series finale ended with Ricky, Julian, Bubbles and Ray going to jail for bootlegging
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
. They all swear revenge on Jim Lahey as he changes the trailer park.
Traveler
Traveler (TV series)
Traveler is a short-lived American television series that ran from May 10, 2007 until July 18, 2007 on ABC in the United States. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Television....
: The first season of Traveler ended with Jay, Will, and Tyler talking to the police station on a payphone, with the man and proof needed to save them from escaping jail. As they are telling the police chief that they have the proof outside, the car containing the proof explodes. They stand in awe, and then run away. It was then cancelled.
Tru Calling
Tru Calling
Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled....
: After the original 13 episode season (2) had been officially picked up, production started for the new season. After 6 episodes were produced, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
axed the series leaving the six episode season on an unanswered cliffhanger dealing with many unanswered questions about the mythology of Tru, Jack, Tru's father and the entire set up of her mother's death.
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
: Dale Cooper is trapped in the black lodge, while BOB takes over his body. The show ends as Dale/BOB bangs his head against a mirror, repeating the words: "How's Annie?", as well as having several other characters involved in some type of cliffhanger.
V : The 1984 NBC version of V ended on Diana implying that she has put a bomb on the ship that Elizabeth has boarded and the reveal that Kyle has also stowed away on the ship, while the ABC remake in 2010 ended on Diana's daughter Anna "blissing" the entire Earth to allow her alien race to take over the planet.
Video games
Advent RisingAdvent Rising
Advent Rising is a third-person, science fiction action-adventure video game. It was developed by GlyphX Games and published by Majesco. The game was released on May 31, 2005 for Xbox and on August 9, 2005 for Microsoft Windows. The story of this game was created by Donald Mustard, and featured a...
: The game ends with the main character being sent to a frozen planet after defeating the final boss. The character passes out from the cold and is apparently saved by a large creature as the words "To be continued ..." appear on screen. Production of a sequel never came to pass because of financial issues.
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
: With Altaïr's memory complete, Desmond, no longer being of use to Abstergo Industries, is to be silenced; however, he is saved by Lucy Stillman, who reveals herself to be an Assassin by bending down her ring finger, to imply her membership. In the conclusion of the game, Desmond, having become "synchronized" with Altaïr, is able to use the eagle vision (a sort of empathic sight to see hidden messages and tell friend from foe), and sees messages scrawled across the floors and walls that only he can see that refer to the end of the world described by several religions, among other writings. The game abruptly ends right after Desmond sees the writings on the wall in his bedroom.
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
: The game ends with the Roman god Minerva revealing that a catastrophe involving the sun will eradicate the Earth on December 21, 2012. During the credits, Desmond, Shaun, Rebecca and Lucy are found by the Templars and are forced to abandon their hideout, with Lucy vowing that Warren Vidic will get his comeuppance in the end.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011...
: The game ends with Desmond stabbing Lucy under the control of Juno and the two falling to the ground unconscious.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game in the Assassin's Creed franchise developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. For Microsoft Windows, the game is delayed until December 2, 2011...
: Ezio's storyline ends after he finds Altair Ibn L'ahad's Apple of Eden, Desmond comes out of Animus Island and is told by the God's what he has to do. When he awakes he tells the modern day Assassin's, along with his father that he knows what he has to do. This will most likely be resolved in the upcoming Assassin's Creed III.
Axelay
Axelay
Axelay is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Konami of Japan for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released on September 11, 1992 in Japan, later in that month in North America, and the following year in Europe...
: At the end of the game on the hardest difficulty, after beating the game twice, a message saying "See you again at Axelay 2" promises a sequel to this game. However, Axelay 2 never materialized.
BattleTanx: Global Assault
BattleTanx: Global Assault
BattleTanx: Global Assault is a multi-player video game for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation in which players control futuristic tanks. It is a sequel to the popular N64 game BattleTanx, which utilized the same method of game play. New features were added, such as the ability to utilize special...
: Ended with the main villain being resurrected by an unidentified magician. No sequel was released before the company behind the game, 3DO
The 3DO Company
The 3DO Company , also known as 3DO , was a video game company...
, went bankrupt.
Beyond Good and Evil
Beyond Good & Evil (video game)
Beyond Good & Evil is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft and released in late for the GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox platforms. The story follows the adventures of Jade, an investigative reporter and martial artist, who works with a resistance...
: This Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
game ended with a main character, Peyj, being infected with a substance thought to be destroyed, setting up for a sequel. However, though it got very good reviews, Beyond Good and Evil had dismal sales but a sequel has been planned as of May 15, 2008.
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space is a 3D third-person platform game developed by Artoon and published by Microsoft Game Studios...
: The game ends with a strange turnaround. The players team sets peace to the world (supposedly sacrificing themselves). Soon after, the Mother Computer malfunctions and another World is deemed unstable. As Time Sweepers run towards a glowing door, Blinx is knocked aside, but gets up and gasps in shock, growling 'Not them again!'. The CEO hands everyone medals, yet it is unknown what Blinx saw in the door, whether the player's team ever got back, if the Tom-Toms are still fighting with the Cats or who Mina really is.This cliffhanger is unlikely to ever be resolved due to the poor sales and mediocre reviews of it and its predecessor,
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...
: At the end of the final mission, the main character Soap and Captain Price were both wounded by an exploding tanker, and Imram Zakhaev comes and kills the SAS squad, but a Loyalist helicopter comes in and destroys their helicopter. Captain Price then slides a pistol to Soap, which he uses to kill Imran Zakheav. After that the loyalists come to rescue both Soap and Price. As Soap is lifted in the air a Russian medic tries to revive Captain Price, and Soap's view turns white as at a previous character's death, leaving the fate Captain Price and Gaz unknown.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
: At the end of the final mission, Soap was stabbed in the stomach by Shepard. As Shepard is about to shoot him, Captain Price quickly jumps in the way and fights him. While they were fighting, Soap managed to pull the knife out of his stomach and throw it into Shepard's eye, killing him. Soap and Price are then taken on to a little bird helicopter with the pilot Nikolai saying he knows a place where they can hide. The game then goes to the credits.
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath is an expansion pack for the 2007 real-time strategy video game Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. Developed by Electronic Arts Los Angeles and BreakAway Games studios, it was released on March 24, 2008 in the United States and on March 28, 2008 in Europe by...
: In the third and final act, LEGION (The Brotherhood of Nod's second AI after CABAL) reawakens in the post-Tiberium War 3 period, and Kane
Kane (Command & Conquer)
Kane is a fictional character in the alternate history universe of Westwood Studios' and Electronic Arts' Command & Conquer real-time strategy video games in which he is a seemingly immortal mastermind behind the ancient and secretive Brotherhood of Nod society...
focuses it on recovering the Tacitus. The Global Defense Initiative (GDI) has been meddling with the device, causing it to become highly unstable; Kane needs the Tacitus for his master plan, so he orders the player to first awaken the Marked of Kane, a faction of cyborgs that only LEGION is capable of controlling due to its link with the destroyed CABAL. After its reactivation, Kane then sends the player to recover the Tacitus from GDI's facility in the Rocky Mountains. Kane then connects it to LEGION in the concluding scene of Act III, and the AI becomes infused with the vast knowledge of the object. The ending video shows a reverse of the Scrin campaign introduction video in Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts for the Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox 360 platforms, and released internationally in March 2007...
with the words, Earth Warp Gate Status Active, followed by Commencing Phase 2 and lastly Invasion.
The Conduit
The Conduit
The Conduit is a first-person shooter video game developed by High Voltage Software for the Wii console. The Conduit was first revealed by the developer on the video game website IGN on April 17, 2008, and on October 29, 2008, the developer announced that Sega had signed on to be the game's...
: The main character, Michael Ford, ends the game by entering a Conduit that leads to an unknown destination to escape from a building set to explode. His fate is left ambiguous. During the end credits, the main villain can be heard talking to an alien contact, and reveals himself to be an alien disguised as a human on earth, and that there is still a plan to destroy the earth.
Dante's Inferno
Dante's Inferno
Dante's Inferno is the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Divine Comedy.Dante's Inferno may also refer to:* Dante's Inferno , a silent film about a slum landlord sent to hell...
: After defeating Lucifer, the last scenes involve Dante seeing the freed soul of Beatrice and later at the step of Mt. Purgatory while ripping the tapestry off his chest. The tapestry then transforms into a snake and slithers away as Lucifer's laugh can be heard. Dante then heads to Mt. Purgatory as the message "To be continued" appears moments before the screen fades to black.
Dead Rising
Dead Rising
is an action-adventure, survivor horror video game, developed by Capcom and produced by Keiji Inafune. It was released on August 8, 2006 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. The game was a commercial success. It has been introduced into the Xbox 360 "Platinum Hits" lineup, and a cell...
: After defeating the final boss, Frank screams into the air surrounded by hundreds of zombies and infected with the zombie virus. However, while the player is told that Frank is able to escape, there are other unresolved problems, such as kids infected with the zombie virus planted around the country, Frank's own zombie virus and whether he is cured, and the fate of Isabella, a supporting character.
Dead Space
Dead Space (video game)
Dead Space is a survival horror third-person shooter video game, developed by EA Redwood Shores for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was made available on Steam on October 20, 2008...
: Ends with the main character Isaac Clarke boarding a shuttle to escape the doomed mining colony on the planet Aegis 7. Having seemingly eluded danger, he removes his helmet and stares blankly into space for a moment. Then, something to his right catches his attention and he turns to see a monstrous apparition, which resembles his late girlfriend Nicole lurching forward to attack him. A quick cut to the credits follows and no explanation is given as to what happened to Isaac.
Diablo
Diablo (video game)
Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on December 31, 1996....
: Ended with the player jabbing Diablo's Soulstone
Diablo (series)
Diablo is an action role-playing game franchise owned and produced by Blizzard Entertainment. , the series has sold over 18.5 million copies worldwide.-Story:...
into the player's head. The narrator says that you feel Diablo already trying to control you from inside the Soulstone and you feel that your salvation lies to the east. This cliffhanger was resolved in Diablo II
Diablo II
Diablo II is a dark fantasy/horror-themed hack and slash, with elements of the role playing game and dungeon crawl genres. It was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment, and was developed by Blizzard North. It is a direct sequel to the 1996 hit PC game, Diablo.Diablo II...
as the player in the first game became Diablo himself and then the new player must defeat him and destroy the soulstone.
Diablo II
Diablo II
Diablo II is a dark fantasy/horror-themed hack and slash, with elements of the role playing game and dungeon crawl genres. It was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment, and was developed by Blizzard North. It is a direct sequel to the 1996 hit PC game, Diablo.Diablo II...
: After the player defeats Diablo, a cinematic happens where Marius tells the hooded figure who he believes to be Tyrael that Diablo's Soulstone was destroyed. Then, upon Tyrael's request, Marius gives him Baal's Soulstone, and then Tyrael reveals that he is "not the archangel Tyrael" but actually Baal. Baal kills Marius, and sets the building they were in ablaze, and then the game ends with Baal walking out of the burning building with a horde of insect-like demons following him. This cliffhanger is resolved in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction is an expansion pack for the hack and slash action role-playing game Diablo II...
when the player kills Baal. However, the datadisc ends with a cliffhanger, too: After killing Baal, Tyrael enters the Worldstone Chamber and tells the hero that Baal has already corrupted the Worldstone. Tyrael must therefore destroy the Worldstone, but admits even he cannot foresee the consequences of doing so.
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing
Diddy Kong Racing is a 1997 racing game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Rareware. 800,000 copies were ordered in the two weeks before Christmas 1997, making it the fastest selling video game at the time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the first game to spin off from the...
:
Doom 3
Doom 3
Doom 3 is a science fiction horror video game developed by id Software and published by Activision. An example of the first-person shooter genre, Doom 3 was first released for Microsoft Windows on August 3, 2004. The game was later adapted for Linux, as well as being ported by Aspyr Media for Mac...
: While the Doomguy
Doomguy
The Doomguy is the protagonist of the Doom series of video games created by id Software, and its sequels and spin-off media.In all the games, he is a UN marine, wearing green combat armor, working with the Union Aerospace Corporation. He never speaks . In the games, he is never referred to by name...
still makes it out alive, the game ends by showing a transformed Dr. Betruger flying through hell, still alive and waiting to strike back. He is finally killed by another marine in the Doom 3 expansion pack, Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil
Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil
Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil is a first-person shooter video game developed by Nerve Software and id Software. It was released for the PC on April 3, 2005, as an expansion pack for Doom 3 and on October 5, 2005, for the Xbox video game console...
.
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey : Ended (and began) with Zoe Castillo, the main protagonist, in a coma while April Ryan
April Ryan
April Ryan is a fictional character from the adventure game The Longest Journey and its sequel Dreamfall: The Longest Journey . In the former, she is the protagonist, and in the latter, one of the three primary characters. In both games she is voiced by Sarah Hamilton.-Background:April Ryan is a...
from the prequel, The Longest Journey
The Longest Journey
The Longest Journey is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Norwegian studio Funcom for the PC. First published by IQ Media Nordic in Norway in 1999, it was later localized for and released in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Denmark,...
is apparently killed and Kian Alvane under custody. The antagonists were unaffected as shown in the ending and leaves many questions unanswered. (see Dreamfall: The Longest Journey#Story). According to the game's designer, Ragnar Tørnquist
Ragnar Tørnquist
Ragnar Tørnquist is a Norwegian game designer and author. He works for Funcom in Oslo.-Biography:Tørnquist studied art, history and English at St Clare's, Oxford from 1987 to 1989. From 1989 to 1990, he studied philosophy and English at the University of Oslo...
, these cliffhangers will be resolved in the upcoming episodic sequel, Dreamfall Chapters.
Driv3r
Driv3r
Driv3r, more commonly known as Driver 3 , is a racing, shooting, and adventure video game. It is the third installment in the popular Driver series and was developed by Reflections Interactive and published by Atari. Driv3r was released in North America for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on June 21, 2004...
: Following a car chase and violent shootout between Jericho's men and the Turkish police, Tanner faces crime lord Jericho in a final showdown. Tanner shots Jericho and injuries him, however he spares Jericho's life. However, Tanner turns his back, Jericho shots him. The game ends showing one of the men flatlining
Flatline
A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity , or to a flat electroencephalogram,...
and a doctor using the defibrillator
Defibrillation
Defibrillation is a common treatment for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Defibrillation consists of delivering a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the affected heart with a device called a defibrillator...
.
Driver: Parallel Lines
Driver: Parallel Lines
Driver: Parallel Lines is the fourth video game in the Driver series. The game was released on March 2006 on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox by Atari, Wii and Microsoft Windows on June 2007 by Ubisoft.-Overview:...
: The game ends with TK giving the main antagonist, Corrigan, to Maria that tells him that he'll suffer more in her hands. However it's unknown if he dies.
EarthBound
EarthBound
EarthBound, also known as EarthBound: The War Against Giygas! and released as in Japan, is a role-playing video game co-developed by Ape and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
: After the ending credits, the protagonist, Ness, is awoken in the middle of the night by someone knocking at his front door. The knocker is Picky, who gives Ness a note from Pokey, which reads "Come and get me, loser! Spankety spankety spankety!" The screen then fades out to "The End?" However, Pokey's fate is revealed in the sequel, Mother 3
Mother 3
Mother 3 is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo, Brownie Brown and HAL Laboratory, and published for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It has only been released in Japan, alongside a limited supply bundle. It is the third video game in the Mother series, following EarthBound...
.
F.E.A.R. : The game ends with the main character seeing the evil little girl "Alma" climb up on the side of your escape helicopter right before the game cuts to credits. After the credits, the player can also hear a conversation between a senator and the CEO of Armachan which explains that the whole game was created as a test for you, the Point Man.
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core: The game ends with Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife
is a fictional character and the main protagonist in Square's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs. His original design was created by Final Fantasy VII character designer Tetsuya Nomura...
taking the Buster Sword and Zack Fair's clothes. Cloud claims that he is SOLDIER First Class. The game ends with to be continued in Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
.
Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus: A post-credits scene shows the character Genesis Rhaspodos awakening from a chamber, he picks up the limp body of Weiss and implies that he may still be alive.
Gabriel Knight III
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned is the third and final game in the Gabriel Knight series of adventure games by Sierra Online. The game was designed by Jane Jensen, Gabriel Knight's creator. In a departure from the previous two entries, the score is composed by David...
: Ended on a cliffhanger, as Grace leaves Gabriel and goes to India. The story would have continued in the next Gabriel Knight game, but shortly after the release of Gabriel Knight III, Sierra officially stopped making adventure games.
The Getaway
The Getaway (video game)
The Getaway is a video game series focused on gang life and the police in the city of London. The series was created by Brendan McNamara and is developed by Team Soho for the PlayStation 2...
: The game's second ending, the second protagonist Frank Carter tracks down the mob on the Sol Vita ship, when the mob boss activates the bomb, all the gangs attack each other. while frank manages to escape by jumping out of the ship by the time the ship exploded, it's unclear if he survived.
God of War II
God of War II
God of War II is an action-adventure video game released for the PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March, 2007....
: The game ended with the titans and Kratos climbing Mount Olympus. At the end, the title said "The End Begins." This occurred because PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
sequels are in development.
Golden Sun
Golden Sun
Golden Sun, released in Japan as , is the first installment in a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. It was released in November 2001 for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and was followed by a sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, in...
: The game ends with a big earthquake, leaving all the points of the plot unresolved. The second game of the series, reads the savegame of the previous for continue the story. Initially the series was planned to be a single game, but it was divided in half due to hardware limitations.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn : After the final boss, the world is now imperiled by a new threat. Psynergy Vortexes, which suck the elemental Psynergy from both the land and power-wielding Adepts alike, are spreading across the world. A new generation of heroes - the children of those from the previous games - are drawn into the mystery behind the vortexes, as they cross a chaotic world that is succumbing to a new evil
Half-Life : This series of games is perhaps the best known for its clever and even weird cliffhanger endings, with the games always ending with the hero being transported to an indeterminate dimension in the middle of a high climax for a meeting with the G-Man
G-Man (Half-Life)
The G-Man, voiced by Michael Shapiro, is a mysterious recurring character in the Half-Life series of first-person shooter video games. He is known to display peculiar behavior and capabilities beyond that of a normal human, and his identity and motives remain almost completely unexplained...
, who then congratulates the hero and cryptically tells him he has "assignments" for him. Three exceptions to this rule are the endings to Half-Life: Blue Shift
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Half-Life: Blue Shift is an expansion pack for Valve Software's science fiction first-person shooter video game Half-Life. The game was developed by Gearbox Software with Valve Corporation and published by Sierra Entertainment on June 12, 2001...
, Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode One
Half-Life 2: Episode One is the first in a series of episodes that serve as the sequel for the 2004 first-person shooter video game Half-Life 2. It was developed by Valve Corporation and released on June 1, 2006. Originally called Half-Life 2: Aftermath, the game was later renamed to Episode One...
and Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Half-Life 2: Episode Two is the second episode in a series of sequels to the 2004 first-person shooter video game Half-Life 2. It was developed by Valve Corporation in tandem with Episode One, the first game in the series, and released in Q4 2007 via Valve's Steam content distribution platform...
, although the last two also ended with cliffhangers, with Episode One ending with the fates of the two main characters being unresolved and Episode Two ending with Eli Vance's death; only Blue Shift has a non-cliffhanger ending.
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...
: While not as overt as the ending to its sequel, the ending to the original Halo game left the Master Chief
Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a fictional character and protagonist of the Halo fictional universe, created by Bungie. Master Chief is a player character in the trilogy of science fiction first-person shooter video games Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 and will appear in the...
and Cortana
Cortana
Cortana is a fictional artificially intelligent character in Bungie's Halo video game series. Voiced by Jen Taylor, she appears in Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3, in the prequel and epilogue of Halo: Reach, as well the novels Halo: The Flood, Halo: The Fall of Reach, ...
stranded in space on a single Longsword space fighter, with an ominous note that indicated that the story was not over, the Master Chief stating "No, I think we're just getting started." The novel, Halo: First Strike
Halo: First Strike
Halo: First Strike is the third novel in the Halo series and the second Halo novel written by Eric Nylund. Published in 2003, it serves as a bridge between the events of the video games Halo: Combat Evolved and its 2004 sequel Halo 2...
details the duo's return to Earth.
Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
: The game ended with the Master Chief
Master Chief (Halo)
Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a fictional character and protagonist of the Halo fictional universe, created by Bungie. Master Chief is a player character in the trilogy of science fiction first-person shooter video games Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 and will appear in the...
ordering the UNSC fleet to cease fire on the Forerunner ship that he had stowed away on, to "finish this fight." The post credits scene shows Cortana
Cortana
Cortana is a fictional artificially intelligent character in Bungie's Halo video game series. Voiced by Jen Taylor, she appears in Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3, in the prequel and epilogue of Halo: Reach, as well the novels Halo: The Flood, Halo: The Fall of Reach, ...
with the Gravemind
Gravemind
The Gravemind is a parasitic intelligence in the Halo universe. While only one Gravemind is ever seen in the games, the title is given to the final stage of Flood evolution. The Flood is a highly-infectious parasite which is released several times during Halos story...
wanting to ask her some questions and her answering "Alright, Shoot". The limited comic series, Halo: Uprising
Halo: Uprising
Halo: Uprising is a four-issue American comic book limited series set in the Halo universe. The series was written by Brian Michael Bendis, illustrated by Alex Maleev, and published by Marvel Comics...
bridges the gap between Halo 2 and 3.
Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
: The game ends with the Master Chief and Cortana trapped in deep space, aboard a destroyed frigate and going into a cryo chamber
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
. In the Legendary ending, Master Chief and Cortana are heading towards an unknown structure.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a platform game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and is the first video game in the Jak and Daxter series. It was released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation 2 on December 3, 2001 for North America, December 7, 2001 for...
: In the secret ending after getting 100 Power Cells, it shows Jak and the gang opening a Precursor Door that just shines brightly and everyone is saying how cool it looks, but it is never revealed until the beginning of Jak II
Jak II
Jak II, , is a platform game developed by Naughty Dog...
.
Killzone
Killzone
Killzone is a first-person shooter exclusive to the PlayStation 2 game console, developed by Netherlands-based Guerrilla Games and released on November 2, 2004 in North America. A sequel, Killzone: Liberation was released on the PlayStation Portable and another followup, Killzone 2 was released for...
: The game ends with the Strategic Defense (S.D.) Platforms destroyed, as Templar, Rico, Luger, and Hakha fly away.
Killzone 2 : In the final cutscene, Sev and Rico finally find the Helghast Emperor Scolar Visari. Sev attempts to arrest Visari, but Visari goes on to deliver a little speech. Visari says that if the ISA were to arrest him and take him away, then Helghan will dissolve into chaos. The will of the Helghast people will be too much to contain, and the ISA would then be begging him to return order to Helghan. However, after hearing enough of Visari's speech, Rico (who has grudges against the Helghast) suddenly shoots Visari. Visari dies saying, "Madness ... The madness ... begins." As Sev walks outside, he finds that Visari was indeed correct. Hundreds of Helghast ships fly overhead and overwhelm the ISA forces.
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
: After Ansem is destroyed, Sora, with the help of King Mickey and Riku, closes the door to Kingdom Hearts with Riku & King Mickey still inside. After Sora tells Kairi that he would come back to her, Sora, Donald & Goofy disappear as the worlds are restored & disconnected. After the credits, Sora, Donald & Goofy are seen chasing Pluto how has a letter from the King.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. The game serves as an intermediary between the two larger-scale PlayStation 2 games in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was one of the first GBA games to...
: In the end of Sora's story, he, Donald & Goofy go into a deep sleep while Naminé rearranges their memories back to the way they were, but at the cost of erasing their memories of their time in Castle Oblivion. In Riku's story, after destroying the last of Ansem's Essence, Riku still fears that Ansem is inside of him. He & King Mickey go on a quest to destroy it once & for all. As they exit Castle Oblivion they run into DiZ outside. After asking what he wants now, DiZ asks Riku which way will he take the "road to light or the road to darkness?" Riku tells him neither & that he's taking the middle road. After DiZ asks "The road to twilight night fall?" Riku says "No, the way to dawn."
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
: After the credits it shows Sora, Kairi, and Riku receiving a letter from the king. They read the letter, but ends without the letter visible to the player.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
is an action roleplaying game developed and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS with assistance from h.a.n.d. It is the fifth installment in the best-selling Kingdom Hearts series, and serves as an interquel beginning near the end of the first game, Kingdom Hearts, and covering the period...
: The game ends with Roxas being finally kidnapped by Riku and DiZ, who put him in a virtual Twilight Town. On day 359, after the first scene of Kingdom Hearts II is shown, Roxas runs eagerly to "The Usual Spot", clearly having forgot about his time in Organization XIII
Organization XIII
is a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' Kingdom Hearts video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings without hearts called NobodiesIn the video game series' setting, beings comprise a body, heart and soul, known as a 'Whole'. When a heart...
. The game ends after showing the clock tower, then fading to black, with Roxas' narration reminding the audience that there are only seven days left in his "summer vacation".
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: In the secret ending of the game, "Blank Points", it is revealed that the note that Sora received at the end of Kingdom Hearts II detailed the story of Terra, Ven, and Aqua. Sora states that he has made up his mind, and he will save them. Kairi gives Sora her wayfinder, saying "See you soon", and the game cuts to a black screen reading: Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts.
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
is a 1997 platform game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation. The game's story focuses on an anthropomorphic creature and a "spirit" encapsulated in a ring. The game was critically praised, with high sales in Japan, but low sales elsewhere. The game was followed by a sequel, Klonoa...
: During the ending sequence of the game, after most of the plot is already untied, a major plot twist is introduced that questions many aspects of the story that appeared clear before, including the identity of the main character himself. The ending sequence finishes with the main character sucked off through a vortex to an unknown location (if any). If this cliffhanger was ever supposed to be resolved, remains subject of discussion until today, since later games of the Klonoa series do not pick up the Door to Phantomile storyline again.
Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain is a series of action-adventure video games developed initially by Silicon Knights in association with Crystal Dynamics. After a legal battle, Crystal Dynamics continued the series without Silicon Knights and Eidos Interactive became the publisher...
: Each game in the series ends on a cliffhanger leading into the next game.
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night is a video game in the Spyro the Dragon series. It is the second game in "The Legend of Spyro" trilogy, released for the PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and Wii...
: After defeating Gaul, Spyro found his friends Sparx and Cynder getting stuck in a crystal. After the credits, The Chronicler told Spyro he's not alone, and that when he wakes up, it will be a "new world". This means that Dawn of the Dragon comes out after this game.
Mass Effect
Mass Effect
Mass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
: At the game's end, Commander Shepard states that the Reapers are still a threat, and subsequently vows to find a way to stop them while leaving the room. This is later explored in the sequel
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
.
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
: Before the credits roll, countless Reapers awaken in dark space and begin their journey toward the galaxy, setting the stage for Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...
.
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
: After the credits, a phone conversation between Revolver Ocelot and an unknown individual reveals that the man he is talking to is the third survivor of the Les Enfants Terribles project codenamed Solidus, who is at the time the President of the United States. Solidus would be one of the main antagonists of the sequel, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
: A conversation between Solid Snake
Solid Snake
Metal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
and Otacon reveals that the data recovered from Arsenal Gear does contain information on the Patriots, the group of people responsible for the political power in the United States. However, Otacon tells Snake that all twelve of them have been dead for about a hundred years.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
is an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
: Revolver Ocelot, in a phone conversation with the Director of the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, Ocelot him that the microfilm stolen by EVA was a fake and that half of the Philosopher's Legacy is now in America's hands. It transpires that Ocelot has been triple-crossing everyone from the very beginning. He then reveals that he is in fact ADAM, and he has been working for the CIA all this time.
Mother
Mother (video game)
, planned to be released in English as Earth Bound , is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo Tokyo Research and Development Products in...
: A man, revealed to be the protagonist Ninten's father, attempts to reach Ninten on the phone, saying that a new crisis has arisen.
No More Heroes
No More Heroes (video game)
, is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games...
: As a likely homage to cliffhangers in general, Travis is seen about to get cut down unprepared, on the toilet, by a challenger assassin in the "fake" ending, unarmed and completely unprepared. In the real ending, he is rescued by Henry, only to be challenged by him outside the hotel. In the concluding cut-scene after this boss battle, both characters rush each other headlong, with the result of the battle left unknown. The game teases the player with the message "Too bad there won't be a sequal". This is untrue, as No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle is due to be released.
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is an action-adventure game developed by Oddworld Inhabitants and published by Electronic Arts for the Microsoft Xbox. Music for the game was written by composer Michael Bross. It was released on January 25, 2005. A version for the PlayStation 2 was planned, but...
: The game ended with Sekto revealing his true form and escaping down the Mongo River leaving the player unsure of what will become of him and also the fate of the native grubbs
'Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a video game and sequel to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Warrior Within was developed and published by Ubisoft, and released on December 2, 2004 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. It picks up where The Sands of Time left off,...
'
Although the game features two endings, both conclude with the same cliffhanger, the Prince (alone in one ending and with empress Kileena in another) return to Babylon to find it under attack by a mysterious force. Curiously, this event is only explainable in the Kileena ending (the one which the game's sequel Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is an action-adventure computer and video game developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. It was released in December, 2005 in North America for the Xbox, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and the Nintendo GameCube...
picked up on) as the attacker, the Vizier, was looking for her.
Portal :At the end, as the credits roll, GLADOS says that she is "still alive".
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy is a video game developed by Midway Games for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows PC platforms. It was also being developed for the Nintendo GameCube titled ESPionage but later cancelled. The game was released in North America on June 14, 2004; the...
: The game ends with the General's demise and a hostile helicopter entering the facility. Sara believes it to be help, but Nick informs her otherwise now that he finally regains his memory fully. Nick begins to use Telekinesis (presumably on the chopper) and the scene fades to black followed by "To be continued." No sequel has been announced.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction : The ending cutscene of the game has Clank taken away by the Zoni but story was then continued in its 2008 sequel, Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty is the second in the Ratchet & Clank Future trilogy. It was released on PlayStation Network in Japan, North America and Europe on August 21, 2008 and on Blu-ray Disc in Europe on September 12, 2008 and in Asia on September 25, 2008...
.
Resident Evil Gaiden
Resident Evil Gaiden
Resident Evil Gaiden, known as Biohazard Gaiden in Japan, is a survival horror game for the Game Boy Color co-developed by Capcom and M4, and first released on December 14, 2001...
: One of the bio-organic weapons is able to mimic other life forms, but it bleeds green blood instead. After a boss fight where the bioweapon is supposedly slain, Leon's neck is shown bleeding green blood, revealing him to be the second B.O.W. Since Leon appears in Resident Evil 4, Gaiden is probably not canon.
Quake 4
Quake 4
Quake 4 is the fourth title in the series of Quake first-person shooter computer games. The game was developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. Raven Software has collaborated with id Software, the creators and historical developers of preceding Quake games...
: After Kane destroys the Strogg nexus he is told he has new orders. What the orders were was never explained
Shenmue II
Shenmue II
is a adventure game for the Dreamcast and Xbox. It is the sequel to Shenmue, and was produced and directed by Yu Suzuki of Sega AM2.Due to exclusivity rights obtained by Microsoft, the North American Dreamcast version was cancelled. Because of this, no English dub was recorded for the Dreamcast...
: The saga is abruptly cut off shortly after the main protagonist Ryo Hazuki travels to Guilin China and meets the girl he was destined to encounter, Ling Shenhua. They discover giant replicas of the two mystical mirrors as the screen fades to black with text 'the story goes on ...' A third game is yet to be announced.
"Sin and Punishment" : The game ends without revealing Achi's origins or who her true enemy is. It also fails to reveal whether or not Saki was able to return to human form and defeat the Ruffians or if he chose to side with them and take over the world.
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves is a platform stealth video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. It is the third game in the Sly Cooper franchise. Sly 3 has optional 3-D stages, and it comes with a pair of specially designed 3-D glasses inside the manual...
: In the end Sly obtains Amnesia (He actually fakes it to get closer to Carmelita) and disappears. Right before the credits, Bently wonders if he will ever find Sly, then says "Time will tell, literally, 'cause I'm building a time machine to find out!" Then the screen closes in.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 : If the game is finished with all 7 Chaos Emeralds collected, a cutscene is shown in which Eggman is seen with the shadow of Metal Sonic, with his red eyes lighting up. The cutscene ends with "To Be Continued".
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is an original 3rd person action-adventure video game inspired by the mythology of Ancient Egypt for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles. The game was developed by Eurocom and published by THQ. It was released on November 10, 2003 in North America and...
: The game ends with Tutankhamen's mummy joyously rushing to collect his final canopic jar and restore himself to true life, only to clumsily trip and accidentally smash the jar, sending the final fragment of his soul flying off into the ether. Although kindly priest Imhotep vows that he and Sphinx will search for the final shard of Tutankhamen's soul, suggesting a sequel (a sequel may also be suggested by the lone "special feature," a making-of documentary, which shows footage of areas that are not visited in the game, such as a lush rainforest, although these could simply have been areas that were planned for inclusion but struck from the final game), no sequel is currently planned.
StarCraft: Brood War
StarCraft: Brood War
StarCraft: Brood War is the expansion pack for the award winning military science fiction, real-time strategy video game StarCraft. Released in 1998 for Windows and Mac OS, it was co-developed by Saffire and Blizzard Entertainment. The expansion pack introduced new campaigns, map tilesets, music,...
: In the last mission of the game, Sarah Kerrigan
Sarah Kerrigan
Sarah Louise Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades, is a major character and the predominant villain in Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft series of video games and novels. The character was created by Chris Metzen and James Phinney, and her appearance was originally designed by Chris Metzen...
and her Zerg forces destroy the Protoss fleet, as well as the UED and Terran Dominion forces. Now Kerrigan becomes the most powerful entity in the universe, and Jim Raynor
Jim Raynor
James Eugene "Jim" Raynor is a fictional character and a major protagonist in Blizzard Entertainment's science fiction StarCraft series. Raynor is a predominant character in the science fiction real-time strategy video games StarCraft and Brood War, and is the player character in StarCraft II:...
vows to stop her. This cliffhanger will probably be resolved in the sequel, StarCraft II.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords : The game ends with the Jedi Exile leaving to find Revan (the protagonist from the prequel), who is seeking the "True Sith" empire.
Super Mario 3D Land : After Mario rescues Peach, a floating letter lands in World 1-1 which appears to be Luigi being kidnapped by Bowser's minions. Mario must rescue Luigi from Dry Bowser in Special World 1-Castle.
The House of the Dead III
The House of the Dead III
The House of the Dead III is a 2002 light gun arcade game with a horror zombie-survival theme, and the third installment to the House of the Dead series of video games, developed by Wow Entertainment and Sega. It was later ported to the Xbox in 2003, Microsoft Windows in 2005, and the Wii in 2008,...
: In one of the game endings, a businessman, which re-appears in The House of the Dead 4
The House of the Dead 4
The House of the Dead 4 is a light gun arcade game with a horror theme and the fourth installment of the House of the Dead series of video games, developed by Sega. The game is an interquel and takes place between the events of The House of the Dead 2 and The House of the Dead III, and introduced...
picked up a vial containing the genes which contains the reanimation genes. The man's true identity, as well as his motives, are unknown, although it is likely that he might cause trouble at some point in the future. A fifth game is yet to be announced.
Tex Murphy: Overseer
Tex Murphy: Overseer
Tex Murphy: Overseer is the 5th installment in the Tex Murphy series of adventure games for the PC. In it, the player controls Private Investigator Tex Murphy as he recounts the story of his first case to his girlfriend, Chelsee Bando...
: The fifth entry in Access Software
Indie Built
Indie Built, Inc. was a Salt Lake City, Utah based video game developer founded in 1982 by Bruce Carver as Access Software.They are popular for creating the golfing Links series and also for creating the video game detective series based on the character Tex Murphy.In 1987, Access announced The...
's popular Tex Murphy
Tex Murphy
Tex Murphy is a series of five adventure games from Access Software, designed by Chris Jones. The games feature the titular character, performed by Chris Jones himself...
series of adventure games ended with the titular protagonist being shot by an unseen character. Access had intended to produce two sequels to Overseer but was bought out by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in 1998 as the adventure game market bottomed out, thus bringing an unexpected end to the series. In 2001, series creator Aaron Conners and co-creator/star Chris Jones independently produced six episodes of an online radio series to tie up Overseers loose ends.
Thunder Force VI
Thunder Force VI
is a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up video game released for the PlayStation 2 on October 30, 2008. The director is SEGA employee Tetsu Okano, who has previously worked on Segagaga, Astro Boy: Omega Factor and Gunstar Super Heroes. The game was licensed by Twenty-One Company's Tecnosoft...
: The sixth entry in the Thunder Force series, in the endings of Rynex-R and Syrinx the game ends in "To Be Continued" indicating a possible sequel, however there's no news about that.
Toonstruck
Toonstruck
Toonstruck is a 1996 point-and-click adventure game in which, although all the imagery is drawn and scanned into the game, the protagonist Drew Blanc is an actual video-captured representation of the actor...
: Ended with Drew, back in the real world, sitting at his desk, when Flux Wildly calls him on the transmitter, explains that Nefarious is back and that Drew must return. Drew has no idea how to return, but is then turned into a toon, due to being hit by Nefarious transmorpher earlier in the game, and this pulls him back into the other world. The game was actually split in half during production, for the second half to be used as the sequel, but sales did not meet expectation, and the sequel was scrapped.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas is the fifth game in the Rainbow Six series of video games. It was released for the Xbox 360 on November 21, 2006 and Windows on December 12, 2006. The PlayStation Portable version was released on June 12, 2007, while the PlayStation 3 version was released on June...
: The game ended with a possible "To be continued" showing one of your former allies (turned traitor) escaping in a helicopter (or if you destroyed the helicopter, it says that only the body of the pilot was found). The sequel, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is the sixth installment in the Rainbow Six series. It is a first person shooter video game and the sequel to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas. It was announced by Ubisoft on November 20, 2007...
resolves the cliffhanger.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent is an action-adventure stealth game, developed and published by Ubisoft. The series, endorsed by American author Tom Clancy, follows the character Sam Fisher, an agent employed by a black-ops division of the National Security Agency, dubbed Third...
: The game ends with a possible "To be continued" after the main character, Sam Fisher
Sam Fisher
Samuel "Sam" Fisher is the protagonist of the Splinter Cell series of video games and novels . His full name is first seen in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, the first game of the series, when he was using the computer in the V-22 Osprey to encrypt his call home...
, jumps off a coast guard boat that is about to be blown up after disarming a bomb, while being pursued by the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
.
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness : The games ending is Lara walking into the place where Kurtis fought Boaz. She finds Kurtis's weapon on the floor, but his body is gone. The blades on his weapon come out and it seems to turn Lara to a dark opened doorway. The blades go back in and Lara smiles. She walks into the shadows and the game ends.
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal is an expansion pack developed by Cyberlore Studios, released in 1996 by Blizzard Entertainment for their award winning real-time strategy computer game Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness...
: Had two different cliffhangers, one for the Orc Campaign and one for the Human Campaign. The Orc Campaign ends with Ner'zhul stating to the player that the orcs left on Azeroth had "fulfilled their purpose", and so the player, Ner'zhul and the orcs on Draenor with them travel to perhaps another world through one of the newly opened portals on Draenor, now being destroyed and would be later called "Outland
Warcraft
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans is a real-time strategy game , developed by Blizzard Entertainment and published by Blizzard and Interplay Entertainment. The MS-DOS version was released in November 1994 and the Macintosh version in late 1996. Sales were fairly high, reviewers were mostly impressed, and the...
". In the Human Campaign, Alleria, Khadgar, and the rest of the heroes you control close the portal on their end (Draenor), to prevent Azeroth also being destroyed. The Heroes are trapped on Draenor, so they wander off to try and survive its destruction. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, often referred to as TBC or BC, is the first expansion pack for the MMORPG World of Warcraft...
follows the human campaign history with all the heroes except Alleria and Turalyon now residing in Alliance outposts in Outland.
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne is a real-time strategy computer game developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Mac OS X by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the official expansion pack to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, requiring Reign of Chaos to play...
: At the end, Arthas defeats Illidan and succeeds Ner'Zhul. Arthas puts on Ner'zhul's helm and then Arthas and Ner'zhul's spirits fuse. Arthas becomes the new Lich King and the most powerful entity in the world. This cliffhanger was resolved in the second World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
expansion, entitled "The Wrath of the Lich King"
XIII
XIII (video game)
XIII is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Ubisoft. It was released for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube consoles and the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. The game is based upon the 1984 Belgian XIII comic book series.XIII was developed and published by...
: In the last ten seconds of the game, the ultimate conspirator is revealed and the hero is left in a potentially deadly situation.
Shadow
Shadow the Hedgehog
is a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Shadow is an artificially-created life form. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic, and with a Chaos Emerald he has the ability to distort time and space using "Chaos Control." Often referred to as being...
and Silver's endings in Sonic the Hedgehog '06 : Both end on a cliffhanger, with Shadow's episode ending with him being ambushed by Mephiles clones, and Silver's episode ending with Blaze sealing herself within the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow's fate was revealed in the final episode but Silver never finds out what happened to Blaze. The game then ends with a time paradox
Temporal paradox
Temporal paradox is a theoretical paradoxical situation that happens because of time travel. A time traveler goes to the past, and does something that would prevent him from time travel in the first place...
, and everyone seems to have forgotten everything that happened in the game but Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
seems to have full memory of everything…
Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix is the first video game based on The Matrix series of films. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Atari and WB Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube game systems, and for the PC. It was published in Japan by Bandai...
: Ends with Niobe and Ghost sitting in the pilot room after destroying hundreds of Sentinels and Niobe announces whatever will come next will be "one hell of a ride". Niobe and Ghost's fates were revealed in The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a first and third-person shooter action game set in the Star Wars universe. It was developed by Raven Software and published, distributed and marketed by LucasArts in North America and by Activision in the rest of the world. Jedi Academy was released in...
: Has two endings, one being of the light side and the other of the dark side. In the first, Kyle tells Jaden that he still has some missions in the galaxy for him to make. In the second ending, Kyle says to Luke that they must capture Jaden. The light side ending is considered canonical
Star Wars canon
The Star Wars canon consists of the six Star Wars feature films, along with all officially licensed, non-contradicting spin-off works to the six films. As once defined by Lucas Licensing:- History :...
, as Jaden is shown as a Jedi in Fury
Fury (Star Wars novel)
Fury is the seventh book in the Legacy of the Force series. It is a paperback by Aaron Allston and was released on November 27, 2007. It was #4 on the New York Times Best Seller list.-Plot summary:...
.
Books
- Catching Fire (The Hunger Games # 2) Katniss survives the Quarter Quell and arrives in a Capitol Hovercraft where she meets her friend Gale.
"There's no more District 12. END OF BOOK TWO.
- Shaman KingShaman Kingis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. Shaman King follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King in the Shaman tournament....
- Yoh ends up falling asleep before the last battle with Hao and the reader is in the dark about how the fight ends. - The AnimorphsAnimorphsAnimorphs is an English language science fiction series of young adult books written by K. A. Applegate and published by Scholastic. Five humans, Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias, and one alien, Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill , obtain the ability to morph into any animal they touch. They name...
series of children's books - Ended with a cliffhanger which disappointed many fans. The final members of the renegade Yeerk are located after 3 years of searching, and one of the Animorphs is mutated to become a god-like entity called "The One" to rule the New Yeerk Empire. The final chapter features all surviving Animorphs but Cassie setting their ship to full speed to ram the Yeerk command ship. - Chapterhouse: Dune - The novel ends on a cliffhanger with unanswered questions regarding the escaped ship, the merging of the Honored Matres and Bene Gesserit, the role of Scytale, the development of Idaho and Teg, what chased the Honored Matres, the role of the Jews, and the identity of the god-like characters in the books final chapter. This cliffhanger was left unresolved for almost 30 years before a follow-up was written by the original author, Frank Herbert's son Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. There is debate about the cannonicity of the follow-up book mainly due to severe inconsistencies with the rest of the series.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A Series of Unfortunate Events is a series of children's novels by Lemony Snicket which follows the turbulent lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire after their parents' death in an arsonous house fire...
: Nearly every novel of the series end on cliffhangers, notably beginning with the seventh.
- In The GiverThe GiverThe Giver is a 1993 soft science fiction novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which is at first presented as a utopian society and gradually appears more and more dystopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life...
, the story ends with Jonas experiencing symptoms of hyothermia and illusions. It was left unclear if he died or found a new land.
- In James Potter and the Hall of Elders' Crossing, it is revealed that there is a bloodline that belongs to Voldemort out in the Wizarding World, and the book ends with the New Trio preparing for the challenges that await them.
- In James Potter and the Curse of the Gatekeeper, it is discovered that Petra could be the bloodline and is cursed to serve under the Dark Arts.
- The most notable cliffhanger of the James Potter series is in the Vault of Destinies, where Petra sides with Judith and Izzy, Lucy being killed by Judith, and the three disappearing.
- In the second volume of The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, The Two TowersThe Two TowersThe Two Towers is the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. It is preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring and followed by The Return of the King.-Title:...
after Frodo is stung by Shelob, he collapses and if lifeless and pale. Sam who thought Frodo was dead took the Ring to finish the quest. But when Orcs take Frodo's body, Sam follows them and learns that Frodo is not dead, but only unconscious, and is now a prisoner. Sam sets off to rescue Frodo.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series:
- In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The book was published on 8 July 1999. The novel won the 1999 Whitbread Book Award, the Bram Stoker Award, the 2000 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and was short-listed for other...
after Harry and Hermione save Sirius Black Harry learns that the prediction that Professor Trelawney had was of Pettigrew escaping and that he will now look for Lord Voldemort and help him return to power again. - In Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
after Cedric Diggory is killed by Peter Pettigrew Harry is forced to help Voldemort regain his body. Then, after a brief duel Harry escapes with Cedric's body and tells Dumbledore that Voldemort has come back. However, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, does not believe Harry. - In Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, and was published on 21 June 2003 by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic in the United States, and Raincoast in Canada...
Harry's godfather Sirius Black is killed and Harry learns of a Prophecy that says that either he must kill Voldemort or Voldemort must kill him. - In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth and penultimate novel in the Harry Potter series by British author J. K. Rowling...
Snape kills Dumbledore and Harry go's after Snape to kill but fails. After Snape and the other Death Eaters escape, Harry and most of the school go to Dumbledore funeral at which point Harry ends his relationship with Ginny to protect her from Voldemort which she agrees. Harry then tells Ron & Hermonie that he is going to go & destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes and kill him and Ron and Hermonie tell Harry that they are going with him. Also Harry opens the locket he received from the cave and finds a note inside claiming it to be a fake and it is signed R.A.B. but nobody knows who those initials belong to. - The GoosebumpsGoosebumpsGoosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
books always contained cliffhanger or twist ending's. - In the Tintin book Cigars of the PharaohCigars of the PharaohCigars of the Pharaoh is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
, it is not revealed who was the unseen boss, which was revealed in the sequelThe Blue LotusThe Blue Lotus , first published in 1936, is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Hergé featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero. It is a sequel to Cigars of the Pharaoh, with Tintin continuing his struggle against a major gang of drug...
. - In the Tintin book The Seven Crystal BallsThe Seven Crystal BallsThe Seven Crystal Balls is the thirteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero....
Tintin and Haddock set out to search for Prof. Calculus and to solve the mystery of the crystal balls and the book ends and the story continues in the next bookPrisoners of the SunPrisoners of the Sun is the fourteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero. It is a continuation of The Seven Crystal Balls, and is one of very few Tintin...
. - In the Tintin book Destination MoonDestination Moon (Tintin)Destination Moon is the sixteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
Tintin, Haddock, Calculus, Snowy and Wolff almost die and the book ends with a cliffhanger leaving a mystery whether they die or survive, which is revealed in Explorers on the MoonExplorers on the MoonExplorers on the Moon, published in 1954, is the seventeenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero. Its original French title is On a marché sur la Lune...
.
Captain Underpants
Captain Underpants
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey is a series of American children's books about two fourth graders, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, and the aptly named superhero they accidentally create by hypnotizing their principal, Mr. Benny Krupp...
series
- In "Captain Underpants and the Big Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part 1", George, Harold, Mr. Krupp, Melvin, and Sulu were chased by the 3 robo-boogers.
- Also in "Bionic Booger Boy Part 2", George and Harold used the time machine 2 days in a row, which resulted in (non-deadly) ultimate universal distortion.
- In "The Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People", George, Harold, Sulu, and Crackers were all chased by Professor Poopypants and his Freeze Ray. This cliffhanger is leaving readers hanging for 4 years and counting!
- It's possible that "The Terrifying Re-Turn of Tippy Tinkletrousres" will have a cliffhanger judging by the pattern.
Other media
Red vs. BlueRed vs. Blue
Red vs. Blue, often abbreviated as RvB, is a set of related comic science fiction video series created by Rooster Teeth Productions and distributed through the Internet and on DVD...
: The Internet Machinima web series has cliffhanger endings in almost every season. The Blood Gulch Chronicles season 1 ends with Donut sticking Tex with a Sticky Grenade. Season 2 ends with almost every soldier leaving the canyon to multiple locations. Season 3 ends with The Reds arriving at Blood Gulch again, and Church being attacked by the entity "The Great Destroyer". Season 4 ends with Donut being supposedly killed by a crashing ship and Tucker gave birth to an alien.
Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner
Homestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
: Pokes fun at cliffhangers in a Strong Bad
Strong Bad
Strong Bad is one of the major characters of the Homestar Runner series of animated Flash web cartoons. He is portrayed by Matt Chapman, the principal voice actor and co-founder of the series. Strong Bad enjoys pranking the other characters of the series, along with his ever-diligent lackey pet...
E-Mail, as it shows many cliffhangers, and immediately after resolves them. Some examples includes Homestar "being pregnant, Strong Bad heading straight into what tuns out to be a "grodulated produce belt". This eventually leads to the cliffhanger of Strong Bad's laptop being stolen, which is resolved in a two-part email.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Primary and Secondary Phases
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Primary and Secondary Phases
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series written by Douglas Adams was first broadcast in 1978 and was the first incarnation of his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy franchise...
: Arthur steals the Heart of Gold and leaves with Lintilla, Marvin, and all of the sentient systems of the ship. Ford, Zaphod, and Zarniwoop are left stranded with the ruler of the universe. This was never resolved because Douglas Adams never made a third series. Years later, the Tertiary Phase implies that it happened inside of a virtual universe, and Zaphod is the only one to have truly experienced it.
Mega Man Comic Book: At the end of issue 4, Mega Man
Mega Man (character)
Mega Man, known as in Japan, is a cybernetic video game character, and the main protagonist of what has been referred to as the original Mega Man series developed by Capcom since 1987. The pixel art for the character was created by the designer of the original game in the series, credited under...
, Dr. Light, and Roll are now on a trailer travelling when they are approached by X, who was sent back in time by Zero to change the dark future of Mega Man X
Mega Man X
The Mega Man X series is the second Mega Man franchise released by Capcom. It debuted December 17, 1993 in Japan on the Super NES/Super Famicom and spawned sequels on several systems, with the PC platform notably having the most releases within the series...
where teh Maverick virus has gone completely contagious. This was meant to continue into a Mega Man X arc, but Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions
Dreamwave Productions was a Canadian art design studio and comic book publisher founded in 1996 and is best known for their multiple Transformers comic book series...
went bankrupt before any issue could be published.
Darker Projects: Darker Projects is notorious for its unresolved cliffhanger endings and premature endings. In September 2011, it clearly became more apparent when Eric Busby, founder of Darker Projects, announced that he would move on to his next adventure and eventually retire his old computer which is the provider of this site for nine years.
- Tales from the Museum
- It was announced that the final two episodes would be released after being in post-production. Only one of them, Beyond the Veil was released in June 2011, thus leaving the door wide open for more to come, besides concluding the monthly "trilogic" lineup of current releases on Darker Projects