There are many TV shows and franchises that have created some iconic figures. Could you imagine a world where Leia Organa, Batman, or Captain America didn’t exist? Even if you aren’t a super fan of certain series, comic books, or films, there are characters that you recognize immediately because they are etched into our cultural landscape. And as the entertainment industry continues to grow via streaming services and franchises that make an indelible impact on a swath of fans, the list continues to grow. But there are quite a few fictional household names that almost became footnotes in their stories. These are a few of our fave characters from TV shows and film franchises who were supposed to die early but thankfully lived longer to become legendary.
Steve Harrington (Stranger Things)
If you’d told us that Steve Harrington would become an iconic father figure and the character who would have the best growth arc in the Stranger Things franchise back in 2016, we would have laughed you out of our faces. But that’s exactly what transpired over the wildly popular Netflix series, which wrapped its fifth and final season in 2025. Steve went from being a popular jerk whose main concern was getting into Nancy Wheeler’s pants to a brave and bold warrior who’d risk his life to protect his friends. It is almost impossible to imagine a world where Steve Harrington wasn’t a key figure in the fight against dark forces in Hawkins, Indiana.
In reality, Steve was supposed to die back in season one before he ever got a chance to evolve as a young man. However, Joe Keery’s charisma and depth in the role made the Duffer Brothers change their minds and give him a redemptive arc. We are forever thankful for that choice.
Dewey Riley (Scream)
This deputy (and later sheriff) of Woodsboro was a key figure in solving Ghostface crimes for the franchise’s first four films. David Arquette’s character started off as a bumbling and timid man of the law who wanted to protect others to a full-fledged hero and grizzled survivor who still managed to hold onto his moral compass and trademark humor.
And while Dewey Riley sadly (and stupidly) died in Scream (2022), he lived a lot longer than he was intended to in the Scream franchise. Writer Kevin Williamson was going to kill him off in the first film but Wes Craven decided to film an additional scene of Dewey surviving his wounds to gauge audience reactions. Well, Dewey tested so well with audiences that they kept him around and he became a staple in the franchise.
Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead)
It is endlessly intriguing how Daryl Dixon, a character created for the TV show who did not have a comic book counterpart, somehow became a wildly popular character in The Walking Dead franchise. We’d dare say that Daryl is just as beloved or perhaps even more adored than Rick Grimes himself. When we met him in the show’s first season, he was an aggressive redneck who rode his bike and grumbled about many things. But, Daryl eventually lowered his guard, forming friendships in the core group and becoming an invaluable asset as a tracker, hunter, and skilled fighter.
Daryl also took on a father figure role with Rick’s daughter Judith and formed a couple of romantic bonds. (Long live Donnie!) He even got his own spinoff TV series, which will end with four seasons of its own. That’s not bad for a dude that the franchise intended to kill off in season one. His death would have presumably taken place during the campsite walker attack when Carol’s husband, Amy, and others died. Can you picture a version of the TV series where Daryl wasn’t Rick’s right hand man? We cannot either.
Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)
Believe it or not, Jesse was supposed to die at the end of Breaking Bad’s first season. The original script would have had him dying during a botched drug deal that would’ve left Walter White grieving the following season. But, the undeniable chemistry between Jesse and Walter along with a writers strike that gave Vince Gilligan to give Jesse’s fate another thought led to him living. And, Jesse went on to become ½ of one of the best TV duos to ever exist.
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Spike is one of the most beloved characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His arc from being a full fledged antagonist to falling in love with Buffy, eventually becoming a part of the Scooby Gang, and even sacrificing himself only to be resurrected is quite the powerful story. However, he was originally only supposed to be in five episodes and die sometime in season two. It is nearly impossible to imagine a Buffy world without Spike’s influence, and we are glad we didn’t go into that timeline.
Lafayette Reynolds (True Blood)
A powerful medium with a sharp tongue and impeccable fashion sense, True Blood’s Lafayette Reynolds is a pop culture icon. In a role that could’ve been painfully flat and stereotypical in a lesser actor’s hands, the late and great Nelsan Ellis elevated this character in boundless ways. The character was supposed to follow his book route and die relatively early but he was allowed to live on throughout the entire series. As the seasons went on, he became more powerful and more pivotal in the show’s storylines, cementing himself as a fan favorite and an LGBTQ+ icon.
Eleven (Stranger Things)
Another character who was supposed to die in the show’s first season was Eleven herself. That would have been a rather sad ending, especially if the show had only one season as intended. But, with Netflix wanting more from the Duffer Brothers and Eleven obviously being such a huge part of the story of Hawkins Lab and experiments, Eleven went on to live the entire series.
While her ultimate fate is up for debate among fans, her overall arc was beautiful to see. El went from being a timid and mentally abused child who was subject to experiments to someone who got to experience true friendship, have loving adults in her life, and ultimately have autonomy over her choices. We choose to believe that she’s out there living a quiet and fulfilled life.
Poe Dameron (Star Wars)
An X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance, Poe Dameron became a key figure in Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. He’s perhaps one of the best characters to come to the franchise in the last couple of decades. Funny, brave, and, let’s be honest, fine, Oscar Isaac fueled this character with lots of heart. And thankfully Isaac pushed for Poe’s role in the franchise to be expanded. Poe was supposed to die in The Force Awakens in the opening scene no less, but Isaac convinced J.J. Abrams to keep him alive.
Jack Shephard (Lost)
Yes, you read that right. The literal protagonist of Lost, Jack Shephard, was actually not supposed to lead the survivors. The show’s creative team planned to kill him off in the pilot and have Kate be in charge. Michael Keaton was originally supposed to play Jack and didn’t want to commit to doing a series, so the swift death worked. But then the team decided to keep Jack alive and Keaton didn’t want to commit to a series. So, Matthew Fox came in and, as they say, the rest is history. Jack died in the final episode of Lost, bringing his story full circle for a haunting ending.
Castiel (Supernatural)
Castiel rules. Period. Powerful, impulsive, and chaotic, we love him always and forever. Sadly, he died in the long-running show’s final season but this beloved character was supposed to permanently die not too long after making his debut in season 4. Well, he stuck around and did die a few times but you simply couldn’t keep him down for long.
Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Like Stranger Things, we also have two Buffy characters on this list. In addition to Spike, Faith was yet another baddie with a redemption arc that almost didn’t get a chance to play out on TV. She was meant to die by suicide back in season three, but thankfully the show kept her around. And because of that, we got quite the legendary character transformation. While we are sad that she won’t be in the Buffy reboot, Faith lives forever in our hearts.