Breaking Bad: Vince Gilligan Originally Envisioned An Even Darker Death For Jane
Jane Margolis (Krysten Ritter) didn't spend long on "Breaking Bad," though her death is one of the most harrowing of those seen during the show's run. While asleep in bed with her boyfriend, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), she flips onto her back and chokes on her own vomit due to a heroin overdose. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) watches her die, doing nothing to help her or alert Jesse of the situation. As if this scene wasn't hard enough to watch, it turns out that series creator Vince Gilligan had something even darker in mind.
"My original version that I never even presented to them — I got voted down by my six writers on my writing staff — my original was that [White] gives her a second dose of heroin. He kills her on purpose," Gilligan shared during the 2013 Edinburgh TV Festival to a shocked response. According to him, Walter would've done this out of self-preservation since Jane, in his mind, could've outed him as a drug manufacturer to his family and destroyed his entire operation. Ultimately, though, this take on the scene never even made it to film.
Even though this version of Jane's death never came to fruition, "Breaking Bad" fans still have very strong feelings about it.
Most agree that this version of Jane's death would've been too much
While the idea of Walter White contributing to Jane Margolis' death isn't too far-fetched, as it turns out, "Breaking Bad" fans aren't on-board with the idea in the least. Redditor u/charm_and_style opened the floor for discussion about Vince Gilligan's initial idea, and folks were quick to explain why the version we see on "Breaking Bad" is the superior one. "If he purposely kills Jane (as opposed to just letting her die) his development into a monster would have been more forced and far less organic," commented u/Slap_N_Pickle, with others seeming to agree.
Supporting the version of Jane's death that made it to the small screen, u/Milton_Friedman added, "The passive way Walt non-reacted just fits perfectly." Meanwhile, others jumped into the comment section to voice how twisted Gilligan's idea was and tear it down at face value. Still, it's easy to see where the "Breaking Bad" mastermind was coming from with his alternate pitch. The further Walter delved into the criminal underworld, the more paranoid and dangerous he became. Why wouldn't he effectively kill Jane? Well, as fans on Reddit succinctly pointed out, he just wasn't there yet in his criminal journey.
At any rate, Jane Margolis met a sad end on "Breaking Bad" that Walter White easily could've tried to prevent. All we can do is wonder how him aiding in her death could've changed the complexion of the series in the aftermath.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).