Why Your 20 Favorite Book Characters Almost Didn’t Exist

The Master Detective Almost Stayed Dead

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle famously tried to kill off his most famous creation permanently in 1893’s “The Final Problem,” where Holmes supposedly fell to his death at Reichenbach Falls. People were so upset that more than twenty thousand of them canceled their subscription to The Strand magazine. The public outcry was unlike anything seen before in literature.

Doyle had grown tired of Holmes overshadowing his other work, once telling his mother “I weary of his name.” He believed his historical novels deserved more attention. After seeing the magnificent falls he decided the place would make a worthy tomb for Sherlock Holmes.

It wasn’t until 1901 that Sherlock Holmes reappeared in The Hound of the Baskervilles, though technically set before his supposed death. The complete resurrection came in 1903 with “The Adventure of the Empty House,” where Holmes explained his survival.

The Brilliant Witch Nearly Stayed Unlikeable

Hermione Granger almost remained an insufferable know-it-all forever. Hermione [is] so very arrogant and annoying in the early part of Philosopher’s Stone that I really felt it needed something (literally) huge to bring her together with Harry and Ron. That “something huge” was the troll scene that Rowling’s editor initially wanted removed.

J.K. Rowling also seriously considered killing off the entire golden trio during darker periods of writing. Then midway through, which I think is a reflection of the fact that I wasn’t in a very happy place, I started thinking I might polish one of them off. Out of sheer spite. The series could have been dramatically different.

The character’s development from bossy bookworm to loyal friend mirrors Rowling’s own growth. Rowling has stated that Hermione resembles herself as a young girl, with her insecurity and fear of rejection hidden beneath academic achievement.

The Grey Wizard Was Originally Just a Vague Concept

J.R.R. Tolkien’s early drafts of The Lord of the Rings contained only a shadowy “wizard” figure without the depth we know today. Gandalf’s complete backstory as a Maia sent by the Valar developed much later in the writing process. The character who would become one of fantasy’s most beloved mentors nearly remained nameless.

Tolkien struggled with the wizard’s role throughout his writing process. The transformation from mysterious background character to central figure happened gradually as Tolkien realized the story needed a more substantial guide for the hobbits’ journey. Without this development, Middle-earth would have lacked one of its most iconic figures.

The Clever Dwarf Almost Turned Evil

George R.R. Martin originally planned a much darker path for Tyrion Lannister. In early drafts, the character was set to burn Winterfell and betray the Starks in a shocking heel turn. Fan reaction to the character’s wit and complexity, combined with Martin’s own growing fondness for writing him, led to a complete personality overhaul.

The transformation from potential villain to fan favorite shows how characters can evolve beyond their creator’s initial vision. Martin’s willingness to let reader response influence character development saved one of the series’ most beloved figures from becoming irredeemably evil.

Count Dracula Had a Very Different Name

Bram Stoker’s early notes reveal his vampire was originally called “Count Wampyr” before settling on the more memorable Dracula. The character’s appearance also underwent major changes – instead of the suave nobleman we know, he was nearly portrayed as a hairy, beast-like creature.

The shift from monster to aristocrat changed vampire fiction forever. Stoker’s decision to make his antagonist sophisticated and charming rather than simply monstrous created the template for countless vampire stories that followed. Literature’s most famous bloodsucker almost looked very different indeed.

The Moral Lawyer Started as a Racist

Harper Lee’s original draft of what became To Kill a Mockingbird portrayed Atticus Finch as a segregationist. The manuscript, later published as Go Set a Watchman, showed him attending Klan meetings and holding racist views. Editors convinced Lee to rewrite the story from Scout’s childhood perspective, transforming Atticus into literature’s moral hero.

This dramatic character shift highlights how editorial guidance can completely reshape a story’s message. The Atticus we know – the principled lawyer defending an innocent Black man – emerged from extensive rewrites that fundamentally changed the novel’s moral center.

The Potions Master Almost Died Too Early

J.K. Rowling planned Severus Snape’s redemption arc from the beginning but nearly killed him off in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. His survival was crucial to the series’ emotional core, as his complex relationship with Harry’s parents drove much of the overarching plot.

Rowling later admitted she regretted not giving Snape a happier ending, despite his heroic sacrifice. The character’s journey from apparent villain to tragic hero required careful pacing across seven books. His early death would have eliminated one of the series’ most compelling character arcs.

Huck Finn Was Abandoned as “Trash”

Mark Twain famously abandoned The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn midway through writing, dismissing it as worthless. He set the manuscript aside for years, calling it “trash” and expressing doubt about its literary merit. Only after a friend convinced him of the story’s value did he return to complete what many consider his masterpiece.

The novel’s near-abandonment almost deprived American literature of one of its most important works. Twain’s initial lack of confidence in the project seems incredible given the book’s eventual status as a cornerstone of American fiction.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Almost Stayed Minor

Stieg Larsson’s original title for his breakthrough novel was “Men Who Hate Women,” and Lisbeth Salander was initially planned as a minor character. The story underwent major restructuring as Larsson realized her compelling nature and unique perspective deserved center stage.

The character’s promotion from supporting role to protagonist transformed the entire narrative. Her complex psychology and fierce independence became the driving force of the series. Without this character development, the Millennium trilogy would have been a completely different – and likely less successful – work.

Holden Caulfield Started as a Side Character

J.D. Salinger’s early drafts of The Catcher in the Rye featured Holden as a minor character in a World War II story. The distinctive voice that would make him one of literature’s most recognizable narrators emerged only after Salinger decided to center the entire story around his perspective.

The shift from war story to coming-of-age novel changed American literature’s landscape. Holden’s cynical yet vulnerable voice captured teenage alienation in a way that resonated with readers for generations. His near-invisibility in early drafts makes his eventual prominence all the more remarkable.

The Mockingjay Almost Sang from a Different Perspective

Suzanne Collins initially considered writing The Hunger Games from Peeta’s point of view before recognizing that Katniss’s voice was stronger and more compelling. The decision to focus on her perspective shaped the entire dystopian narrative and its themes of survival and resistance.

Peeta’s gentler nature might have created a very different story – one focused more on healing than fighting. Katniss’s fierce determination and survival instincts drove the plot’s intensity. The perspective change transformed what could have been a gentler romance into a brutal examination of power and oppression.

The Ring-Bearer Had a Ridiculous Name

J.R.R. Tolkien’s early drafts featured a hobbit named Bingo Baggins carrying the One Ring instead of Frodo. The silly name would have completely changed the tone of Middle-earth’s most serious quest. Tolkien’s decision to rename and deepen the character created the earnest, courageous hobbit we know.

The transformation from Bingo to Frodo involved more than just a name change. Tolkien developed the character’s noble nature and sense of duty, making him worthy of bearing such a terrible burden. A hero named Bingo would have been far harder to take seriously during the story’s darkest moments.

The Cannibal Doctor Started Small

Hannibal Lecter was originally a minor character in Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon, appearing in just a few scenes. Anthony Hopkins’s iconic performance in The Silence of the Lambs made such an impression that Harris expanded the character’s role in subsequent books, transforming him from background villain to central figure.

The character’s evolution from supporting antagonist to cultural icon shows how performance can influence literature. Hopkins’s chilling portrayal convinced Harris to explore the character’s psychology more deeply, creating one of fiction’s most memorable villains.

Elizabeth Bennet Lacked Her Sharp Wit

Jane Austen’s first draft of Pride and Prejudice, titled “First Impressions,” featured a less witty version of Elizabeth Bennet. The sharp-tongued heroine we love emerged through extensive revisions that sharpened her intelligence and verbal sparring abilities.

The character’s wit became central to the novel’s appeal, making her one of literature’s most beloved heroines. Without those crucial revisions, Elizabeth might have been just another pretty young woman looking for a husband rather than the formidable intellectual equal she became.

Jay Gatsby Almost Had a Different Name

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s editor strongly disliked the name “Gatsby” and suggested “Gadsby” instead. Fitzgerald refused to change it, insisting the original name better captured his mysterious protagonist’s character. The decision preserved one of literature’s most memorable character names.

The name “Gatsby” carries connotations of reinvention and artificiality that “Gadsby” lacks. Fitzgerald’s instinct about his character’s identity proved correct – the name has become synonymous with the American Dream’s promises and failures. A different name might have changed the character’s entire symbolic weight.

The Faceless God Almost Stayed Nameless

George R.R. Martin’s original plan for A Song of Ice and Fire included a five-year time jump that would have aged Arya Stark into a warrior much sooner. When he scrapped this idea, her entire character arc required rewriting to account for her younger age and slower development.

The decision to abandon the time jump forced Martin to find new ways to develop Arya’s skills and personality. Her journey from innocent girl to deadly assassin became more gradual and psychologically complex. The change created one of the series’ most compelling character transformations.

The Great Lion Almost Never Roared

C.S. Lewis nearly excluded Aslan from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe entirely because he worried a talking lion would seem silly to readers. Only a dream of a lion convinced him to include the character who would become Narnia’s most important figure.

The near-exclusion of Aslan would have completely changed the Chronicles of Narnia’s religious allegory. His sacrifice and resurrection form the series’ spiritual core. Without him, the stories would have been simple adventure tales rather than the profound explorations of faith they became.

The Monster Almost Stayed Mindless

Mary Shelley’s first draft of Frankenstein portrayed the Creature as a mindless horror without depth or tragic dimension. Her husband Percy Shelley encouraged her to give the monster intelligence and emotional complexity, creating one of literature’s most sympathetic villains.

The transformation from simple monster to tragic figure elevated the novel from horror story to philosophical exploration. The Creature’s eloquent speeches about loneliness and rejection became central to the book’s themes. Without this development, Frankenstein would have been forgotten as just another Gothic thriller.

The Telekinetic Girl Was Originally Wicked

Roald Dahl’s early drafts portrayed Matilda as a genuinely wicked child who used her psychic powers for evil purposes. His editor convinced him to reverse her character, making her a sympathetic heroine fighting against adult cruelty instead of embodying it.

The character transformation changed the entire story’s moral framework. Instead of a cautionary tale about dangerous children, Matilda became an empowering story about intelligence triumphing over ignorance. The change made her one of children’s literature’s most beloved protagonists.

The Wise Headmaster Almost Died Too Soon

J.K. Rowling seriously considered killing Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets but decided to save his death for Half-Blood Prince to maximize its emotional impact. The delay allowed his character to develop further and made his eventual sacrifice more meaningful.

His survival through the earlier books allowed him to guide Harry’s development and reveal crucial information about Voldemort’s past. An earlier death would have left Harry without his most important mentor during the series’ darkest moments. The timing of his death became crucial to the story’s emotional arc.

The Characters That Almost Vanished

Literature’s landscape would look dramatically different if these characters had followed their original paths. From Sherlock Holmes’s permanent death to Hermione’s continued arrogance, these near-misses show how creative decisions can completely alter storytelling history.

The evolution of these characters reminds us that great literature often emerges from revision, collaboration, and sometimes pure chance. Authors’ initial instincts aren’t always correct, and the best characters sometimes emerge from unexpected places. These stories prove that even the most beloved fictional figures had uncertain beginnings.

Next time you’re reading about any of these iconic characters, remember how close they came to never existing at all. Makes you wonder what other literary treasures might have been lost to hasty decisions or abandoned manuscripts, doesn’t it?