Shocking Homeland Finale Twist Left Fans Jaws Dropping

[MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD]

You must have seen it coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. Nicholas Brody, the sergeant-turned-Al-Qaeda-terrorist-turned-CIA-asset, was killed off Homeland last night in the season three finale.

Showtime reportedly resisted letting Damian Lewis, who won an Emmy for his portrayal of Brody, leave the show — even though the show’s writers have said for years that they thought killing Brody was best for the narrative. The twist was inevitable, but the gruesome way Brody died — a public hanging as his pregnant lover, Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) looked on — still left fans and critics in shock. They took to Twitter to react (beginning with TIME’s own James Poniewozik).

Have not watched this #Homeland in advance, but my prediction is Brody is saved by a Showtime executive who stops a bullet with his hand.

— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) December 16, 2013

So "Homeland" ended with a deus ex loose-wire and a major character getting a memory wipe? And people are cool with this?

— Adam Sternbergh (@sternbergh) December 19, 2011

I've watched enough Homeland not to be fooled by that Brody "death" scene

— Michael Agger (@magger) December 16, 2013

Sorry #Homeland I'm done. You killed the character I was sticking around for. I'm OUT.

— Ya Think?! (@MyReveww) December 16, 2013

Homeland Season III matches Carolina Panthers 2013: Terrible start, and then very good.

— Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) December 16, 2013

The only thing that could have been more correct about Homeland's season finale would have been calling it a series finale.

— bobby finger (@bobbyfinger) December 16, 2013

dear homeland: please have a season finale that involves writing dana off the show forever. signed, everyone.

— Brandon Wenerd (@brandonwenerd) December 16, 2013

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