10 shocking deaths in Prison Break, ranked in chronological order

The Prison Break TV series, which ran from 2005 to 2017, has no shortage of tragic stories and surprising events. The show, which revolves around two brothers as they navigate prison life and the conspiracies of a higher power, presents the viewers with relatable characters who make questionable choices.

The storyline also explores morally gray and downright evil characters who undergo character development and showcase their humanity to the viewers. The show’s central theme plays to the narrative that desperation and bad situations influence people’s actions—whether for bad or good.

The complex nature of Prison Break’s plot results in the deaths of some favorite characters that have left viewers shocked. This article explores some of those tragic moments.

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion. It also contains spoilers from the show. Reader's discretion is advised.

***Prison Break*'s 10 most shocking deaths, in chronological order**

The deaths of these characters in Prison Break are ranked according to the time of occurrence.

Veronica Donovan’s death in Season 2 Episode 1
John Abruzzi’s death in Season 2 Episode 4
David “Tweener” Apolskis’ death in Season 2 Episode 7
Charles “Haywire” Patoshik’s death in Season 2 Episode 16
Sara Tancredi’s death in Season 3 Episode 4
Agent Mahone’s son’s death in Season 4 Episode 6
Roland Glenn’s death in Season 4 Episode 8
Brad Bellick’s death in Season 4 Episode 10
Michael Scofield’s death in Season 4 Episode 24 (The Final Break)
Whip’s death in Season 5 Episode 9

1) Veronica Donovan’s death in Season 2 Episode 1

In the first episode of Prison Break's second season, Veronica Donovan, played by Robin Tunney, is murdered by Agent Blondie (Steven Chester Prince).

Donovan’s death was unprecedented and shocking as she was a major protagonist in the first season and a character perceived as good. Donovan, a lawyer, uses her resources to help her ex-boyfriend, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell), clear his name of a wrong murder charge. However, after discovering the truth, she is killed to prevent it from getting out.

2) John Abruzzi’s death in Season 2 Episode 4

John Abruzzi’s (Peter Stomare) death in the second season of Prison Break was shocking because of his character progression and position as one of the escapees from prison.

Abruzzi starts off as a villain, an incarcerated mob boss who uses his resources to reign supreme at the Fox River State Penitentiary. His character becomes likable as he joins forces with Scofield and devotes his time and resources to helping them escape. He dies at the hands of FBI agents on the hunt for the escapees of Fox River.

3) David “Tweener” Apolskis’ death in Season 2 Episode 7

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David Apolskis (Lane Garrison) was sentenced to the Fox River State Penitentiary for crimes of grand larceny and forced to live amongst convicted hardened criminals as an outcast. As a recurring character in the Prison Break series, viewers witness his character progression as he forms an alliance with the lead character, Michael Scofield.

He breaks out of the prison but is apprehended by FBI Agent Mahone (William Fichtner). He is then killed as he adamantly refuses to disclose Scofield’s hideout to the authorities.

4) Charles “Haywire” Patoshik’s death in Season 2 Episode 16

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Haywire (Silas Weir Mitchell) is introduced in the series as an inmate of the psychiatric ward at Fox River Penitentiary. He becomes a recurring character as he joins forces with Michael Scofield to break out of prison.

In the series, it is hinted that Haywire’s mental issues may have been a result of an abusive household. In the second season of the show, he kills an abusive father to prevent him from hurting his daughter. Haywire shockingly jumps to his death after he is caught by Agent Mahone and Brad Bellick.

5) Sara Tancredi’s death in Season 3 Episode 4

Michael Scofield and Sara Tancredi (Image via Instagram/@prisonbreak)

Sara Tancredi’s (Sarah Wayne) supposed death in the last episode of Season 3 is one of the most shocking deaths in the Prison Break franchise due to the fact that she was a central character and was Michael Scofield’s love interest.

In the fourth episode of the third season, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) receives the decapitated head of Sara Tancredi in a box. This is done as punishment by Gretchen Morgan (Jordyn Lyn O’Keefe) for Tancredi’s refusal to disclose Scofield’s whereabouts.

However, in the fourth season of the show, she is revealed to still be alive.

6) Agent Mahone’s son Cameron’s death in Season 4 Episode 6

Agent Mahone’s son Cameron (Image via Fox TV)

Just like some other antagonists in Prison Break, Agent Mahone undergoes character development and becomes a likable character. The show reveals that Agent Mahone’s driving force is his son, Cameron.

Agent Mahone even accepts to work with The Company as long as they keep his family safe. It then comes as a rude shock when Cameron is killed by Wyatt Mathewson (Cress Williams) as directed by General Krantz. Agent Mahone had been trying to smooth out his relationship with his wife and son before he learned of his son’s tragic death.

7) Roland Glenn’s death in Season 4 Episode 8

Roland Glenn (James Hiroyuki Liao) is a tech genius with a criminal past who starts working with Scofield to take down The Company. Glenn is initially distrusted by the remaining escapees of Fox River, Agent Mahone, and Sara.

Glenn proves himself by being useful— by creating a device that could copy Scylla cards for them. He finds himself without any use for the group when the device is taken from him. However, he later betrays the group by trying to sell their location to Wyatt Mathewson, retrieves the information and in a surprising turn of events, shoots Glenn on the spot.

8) Brad Bellick’s death in Season 4 Episode 10

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Brad Bellick (Wade Williams) is introduced as an unlikeable character and antagonist in the first two series of Prison Break. He tries to sabotage Scofield's escape efforts on multiple occasions.

Brad Bellick undergoes a character transformation and becomes a genuine friend to Michael Scofield and his team. His character arc sees him teaming up with Scofield to infiltrate the Company’s headquarters through a tunnel in the water pipe. Bellick eventually becomes an anti-hero as he sacrifices himself for Scofield and his team.

9) Michael Scofield’s death in Season 4 Episode 24 (The Final Break)

Michael Scofield (Image via Instagram/@prisonbreak)

Prison Break proved that no character is indispensable when Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) dies in the season 4 movie finale. Expectedly, his death comes as a shock to viewers as he is the main protagonist of the show.

In The Final Break, which is the TV movie special to wrap up the show, Sara is arrested for the murder of Scofield’s mother and detained at the Miami-Dade Penitentiary Women’s Facility. In a bid to break her out, Scofield is purportedly electrocuted by a power surge and deemed dead. He is revealed to be alive in the next season.

10) Whip’s death in Season 5 Episode 9

Whip and Michael Scofield (Image via Instagram/@prisonbreak)

Whip’s (Augustus Prew) death in the fifth season of Prison Break is especially tragic as he is killed off only after reconnecting with his father, T-Bag. He is portrayed as a loyal friend of the lead protagonist, Michael Scofield.

Whip joins forces with Scofield after they are held as inmates and escape from Ogygia prison. He saves Scofield from being killed and teams up with Scofield and his team to defeat Poseidon and rescue Scofield’s son. He is shot by A&W (Marina Benedict) and dies in front of his father.

Hulu announced a reboot of the critically acclaimed series in November 2023. Fans can catch up on the original series on Hulu or Netflix before the new release.