Warning: This article contains spoilers for Killing Eve season 4 and mentions of violence.
The weird and vicious Killing Eve came to a largely unsatisfactory end last weekend, and fans have been reminiscing about the early glory days of the show since the series finale. While Villanelle, Eve, Carolyn, and Konstantin were constants in the suspense drama, a plethora of leading characters were introduced through four seasons.
Every character in Killing Eve has left a mark on audiences, with the show's mostly great writing and snappy dialogue. Very few players lasted right till the end, but as they appeared and left the show, the things they said were ed.
Villanelle
(In French) "Come On! Come On! You Can Do It!"
"Jump, Eve!"
Easily one of Jodie Comer's best roles, Villanelle was colorful and unpredictable right from the start. Shrouded in mystery since her first scene, when she finally spoke up, it was to make fun of the lady next door by talking to her like one would with a dog. Her casual ruthlessness and comedy came through shiningly.
Her arc steadily became about Eve, so even as she was shot in the shoulder and dying, her last dialogue was telling Eve to jump to save herself. Unfortunately, as they were underwater, Villanelle couldn't really say goodbye.
Eve Polastri
"I Fell Asleep On Both My Arms."
"Don't You Mean 'We' Did It?"
MI5 agent Eve was one of Killing Eve's most likable characters, and her entry scene was dramatic and funny as well. Screaming in her sleep, it truly seemed like she was suffering from a nightmare, but she woke up to tell her husband that she had pins and needles.
Her first scene may have been with Niko, but her last was with her true love, Villanelle. The two had finally managed to take down The Twelve, and as the assassin celebrated her victory, Eve was quick to remind her that the two of them had done the unthinkable together.
Carolyn Martens
"Good Morning. There's Been An Assassination In Vienna. Victor Kedrin Was A Russian Politician Visiting Austria Last Week. He Was Not A Popular Man, But He Had An Unfortunately High Profile. Yesterday, Kedrin Was Coming Out Of A Sushi Restaurant Near Stephansplatz With His Girlfriend Kasia Molkovska. Somehow, About 50 Yards From The Restaurant, The Assassin Managed To Slice Kedrin's Femoral Artery With A Blade Without Him Or His Girlfriend Noticing. He Was Bleeding For About A Minute Before He Collapsed."
"Jolly Good."
Carolyn came onto the scene in the most verbose way possible, with a monologue about Villanelle's latest crafty kill for Eve to listen to and take in. She was staccato and to-the-point, which is the way she continued to be throughout the series. Her aura was formidable right from the beginning.
As wordy as her first line was, that was how short and crisp her last one was. After clearly ordering the hit on Villanelle, she spoke these words of confirmation on her walkie-talkie and walked away to do more mysterious things with her life.
Konstantin Vasiliev
"Villanelle? Villanelle. I Can See You Breathing."
"I Have A Letter In My Bag. Bring It To Carolyn Martens For Me... And Tell Her I Always Loved Her. I'm So Proud Of You."
Konstantin was the perfect character in many ways, even if unpopular opinions denied that. He was a paternal figure to Villanelle, playing with her and tolerating her wild antics. He could see through most of them, like the first time she pretended to be dead when he came to meet her, but he could see her move.
He was not like the people he hung out with and had loved Carolyn since they were young, even though he was instrumental in much of her family being killed. His dying words to Pam were a proclamation of love for Carolyn and a declaration of his pride in the newest assassin-in-training.
Kenny Stowton
"Oh My God. Sorry, There's Just... There's Never Anyone In Here."
"Hello?"
Carolyn's son was a good egg and a much better person than his mother. Kenny was a great character who was friendly and well-intentioned, and his innocence showed even as he walked onto the screen at first, surprised by Eve and Carolyn's presence in his little office.
The young hacker's death was something no one saw coming on Killing Eve, and tragically enough, his last line was him wondering who was in his office just moments before his death. Kenny was missed sorely.
Niko Polastri
"Eve! Eve! Darling, What Is It?"
"Piss. Off. Forever."
He may have been annoying to many viewers, but Niko always tried to be a good husband to Eve. They shared a good dynamic for a long time, and he cared for her long after she delved into Villanelle's matters. His first words on the show were to show concern for a screaming, sleeping Eve.
However, Villanelle and Dasha made him suffer a lot for being associated with Eve, and when he ended up stabbed in the neck and unable to speak, he told his wife to leave him alone for the rest of his days as he recovered, done with her choices in life.
Hélène
"You Have Hat Hair."
"Make It Glorious, Huh?"
Mysterious and enigmatic, viewers were intrigued when Hélène made her appearance on the show in season 3. She was high up in The Twelve and in touch with the lethal Dasha. Like most other assassins on the show, she was conscious of others' looks and pointed out Dasha's weird hat hair as she sat pristinely by the pool.
Her end came at the hands of a jealous and frustrated Villanelle, and even moments before her death, Hélène went out in style. She requested Villanelle to make her end a glorious one, right before she slit her throat and bled out.
Pam
"Hmm. I Suppose."
"No. Thanks For The Coffee."
Nobody is quite sure why Pam was given so much screen time in season 4 — perhaps to show viewers how the assassins were chosen and trained by The Twelve. She was lonely and disenfranchised, which meant she was ripe for the picking. Eve met her as she embalmed a body, and she answered the ex-agent's questions in shy, slipped words.
She had become a lot more confident by the finale, so when Carolyn asked Pam to work for her, she flat out declined and chose a less violent life for herself, paying Carolyn for the coffee.
Elena Felton
"Happy Saturday. You Were Superb Last Night."
"Please Take Me With You. I'm Dying Here!"
Eve's co-worker was a pleasant, friendly woman, well-suited to office life and birthday karaokes. After a rather drunk night out, she met Eve in the office, complimenting her on the Disney songs that she had sung the previous night with Bill.
Even though she worked with Eve on Villanelle's case for a while, she bowed out gracefully when it got too much for her. Even after not coming on the Russia trip, she showed some enthusiasm and dug out where Villanelle was staying in Paris, pleading with Eve to take her along.
Irina Vasilieva
"My Dad Is Going To Kill You In The Face!"
"You Know I Can't Tell You. They're The Rules, Old Man."
Konstantin's daughter was whip-smart and hilariously funny. After being kidnapped by Villanelle, she showed no fear and actually yelled at her kidnapper to feed her, threatening her with her life. She was not just some kid to be toyed with.
Irina proved her defiance when she called up Konstantin, letting him know that she had been incorporated into The Twelve by Hélène after Konstantin abandoned her with her mother. She got her revenge on her father and left him with a last, ominous message.