As one might expect in a show about a cannibal serial killer, lots of notable characters died on Hannibal, many not killed by Dr. Lecter himself. As great as the movies starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal tended to be, there are many fans of the franchise that now consider Bryan Fuller's Hannibal TV show to be their definitive screen version of Thomas Harris' literary universe and its various characters. It's not hard to see why, as just about everything the show tried worked.
Being a TV show, Hannibal also got to develop Dr. Lecter and "friends" to a much greater degree than any movie could, due to the added breathing time afforded by telling its story over 39 individual episodes. Whether one believes Mads Mikkelsen topped Hopkins' performance or not, his version of Hannibal is definitely more fully-formed, thanks to all the extra opportunities to really look at what makes a fashionable psychopath with an aversion to rudeness tick.
Of course, just because a character was present on Hannibal, doesn't mean they got the show's full run to develop. Many important players met their demises after only a handful of episodes, as being in Hannibal Lecter's orbit is never good for one's well-being. Here's the list.
Beverly Katz (Hettienne Park)
Highly intelligent and armed with a biting wit, Beverly Katz worked alongside Will Graham as part of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, reporting to Jack Crawford. She quickly became a favorite of many fans, but sealed her doom by getting too close to Hannibal Lecter's secret double life as a serial killer and gourmet cannibal. Hannibal couldn't allow his true nature to be revealed, and thus Beverly had to die, which caused a bit of an uproar among viewers, partly due to her being the only Asian-American series regular.
Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl)
Abigail Hobbs was a complex character from the moment she was introduced, having grown up as the daughter of serial killer Garret Jacob Hobbs, and ultimately becoming his assistant to lure in victims. Yet, Abigail wasn't without sympathetic qualities, as she began helping her father out of the fear that if she didn't she would be next on his victim list. Will and Hannibal both shared an odd father-daughter dynamic with Abigail, but when Will betrayed him, Hannibal didn't hesitate to kill Abigail as punishment.
Abel Gideon (Eddie Izzard)
One fun thing about Hannibal is that due to Will Graham's work with the FBI and Hannibal's work as a consulting psychiatrist, fans got to meet lots of other psychopathic serial killers of varying stripes. The best of these non-Hannibal Lecter killers was Abel Gideon, a former surgeon with a dry sense of humor and a coolness under pressure. At one point he's convinced by Dr. Chilton that he's responsible for the Chesapeake Ripper killings, which puts him on the bad side of the actual killer, Hannibal himself, who eventually serves Abel his own limbs before killing him.
Bella Crawford (Gina Torres)
Born Phyllis, "Bella" Crawford begins the Hannibal series having been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She decides she doesn't want to deteriorate due to the effects of chemotherapy, and her refusal of treatment causes a rift with her husband Jack, who understandably doesn't want to lose her. At one point she tries to commit suicide by overdose, but is saved by Hannibal of all people. Bella eventually passes away in season 3, with Jack at her side.
Garret Jacob Hobbs (Vladimir Jon Cubrt)
Garret Jacob Hobbs, aka The Minnesota Shrike, was Abigail Hobbs' aforementioned serial killer father. Will Graham kills him in the premiere episode in an attempt to save Abigail from his wrath, but Hobbs appears a few more times in visions and flashbacks, and his legacy hangs like a black cloud over the show for much of season 1. While Garret doesn't succeed in killing his daughter, he does manage to brutally kill his wife beforehand.
Mason Verger (Michael Pitt & Joe Anderson)
A character imported directly from Thomas Harris' Hannibal novel, the absolutely detestable Mason Verger makes for a memorable antagonist during season 2 and part of 3. Mason was initially played by Michael Pitt, but Pitt exited and the role was recast with Joe Anderson for season 3. As in the books, Mason is maimed and paralyzed by Hannibal, who is appalled by Mason's treatment of others and love of abusing children. Mason is killed by his tortured sister Margot, and deservedly so, doing Hannibal's fictional world a big favor in the process.
Francis Dolarhyde (Richard Armitage)
Francis Dolarhyde, a serial killer dubbed The Tooth Fairy who seeks to "evolve" into a being called The Red Dragon, will be quite familiar to anyone well-versed in the Hannibal Lecter franchise. Half of season 3 was dedicated to telling his story, which partially stuck to the books and partially went off in odd directions. This included Francis' ultimate demise, as he's killed by Will and Hannibal together after targeting Will's family. It's this bonding moment that seems to smooth over all the past bad blood between "Hannigram," and cement their feelings for each other.
Rinaldo Pazzi (Fortunato Cerlino)
Another character well-known to Thomas Harris readers, Italian police inspector Rinaldo Pazzi makes the mistake of aligning with Mason Verger for the money, and attempting to facilitate Hannibal's capture. Dr. Lecter reacts poorly to this plan, opting to disembowel Pazzi and hang his body from a balcony in gruesome fashion. It's hard not to blame Pazzi for his own death, as he knew full well the kind of murderous monster he was dealing with, and chose to move against him anyway.
Cordell Doemling (Glenn Fleshler)
Cordell Doemling functions as Mason Verger's doctor and caregiver after his paralysis and disfigurement, and is in many ways just as psychotic as Mason. In a plot that would make John Travolta and Nicolas Cage blush, Cordell is all set to remove Will's face and put it onto Mason, but Hannibal saves Will and instead replaces Mason's face with Cordell's. Naturally, Cordell doesn't survive the ordeal, but it's impossible to feel bad for such a creepy character.