It was a rough year. People died. Fake people. Fake people we had known and admired for qualities given to them by real people who thought them up. And they will be missed. I am not talking, BTW, about Saruman, Count Dooku, Professor Snape, Hans Gruber or Jareth the Goblin King. Gruber died in 1988. Snape died in 2007. Saruman was 1955 and Dooku was 2005. You see what I am getting at?

Anyway, here are some who died this past year:

• Han Solo. I'd have accepted any other member of his family in his place, whether the aspiring tyrant son, or soccer player of indeterminate kinship. Of all of them, he was the best.

• Stannis Baratheon & Barristan Selmy. Since they're not dead in the books, this totally counts.

• Zeratul. Best exit line on this list. "My life for Aiur..."

• Quicksilver & Ultron. Ultron's quoting Pinocchio is kind of poignant, if you think about it.

• John Connor. His death from Terminator 3 was off-screen, and in a cancelled timeline; doesn't count. And getting turned into a Terminator absolutely counts, for the guy who beat them in a guerrilla war.

• Glenn Rhee. Laaaaame.

Feel free to add any I missed or didn't know about.