On April 17, The Magicians Season 4 has finally concluded. And while the fans of the show have come prepared for the season finale, it came as a surprise to everyone that the lead character, Quentin Coldwater, died just right before the episode ends.
Apparently, no one predicted Quentin's death. Aside from the fact that the plot showed no signs of the character's exit, The Magicians revolved mainly around Quentin. And for four seasons, he has been the lead character of the show.
This surprising twist is actually one of the most shocking exits in the history of television series as per Cartermatt. And what's even more remarkable is the fact that no one from the cast knew about his death. As it happens, the rest of the production just learned about Jason Ralph's exit either the day before the premiere or hours after the actual airing of The Magicians Season 4 finale.
Sadly for the fans, Quentin's death is irrevocable as Jason Ralph is permanently leaving the show. And based on the producers' explanations, this has been the plan all along ever since the end of Season 3. Moreover, this decision was smoothly and creatively tackled with Jason Ralph, himself, who happens to agree that this decision "felt right for everyone" involved.
This death is apparently the result of Quentin's actions to save Eliot and his friends. In short, he decided to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. But this has become a controversial matter since the production intendedly framed this as a potential suicide.
As every fan knows it, Quentin's character has been suffering from depression ever since the series started its course. And having suicidal thoughts has become an integral part of his life. But while his death is potentially a suicide due to his depression, there is no confirmation about it. This is why Quentin did ask himself in the end whether he just committed suicide or he did actually choose to save his friends.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the show's executive producers revealed that this question is an important aspect of Quentin's death. And asking himself about his apparent decision is a way to give depth to his character.
All in all, this broke the heart of many including the fans and the cast. However, Quentin's death actually opened more doors for The Magicians Season 5. But so far, little has been shared about the upcoming season. Nevertheless, the new season is already sealed and it's already on its way to production.
