Justified: Walton Goggins' Boyd Was Almost Killed Off In The First Episode

Like Spike (James Marsters) in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in "Breaking Bad," Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) went on to play such a pivotal role in "Justified" that it's hard to even imagine what the show would look like had he been killed off as originally planned.

All the same, though, Boyd went on to be a central force in the storytelling of "Justified," not just because of the past that he shares with Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) but also because of his ability to switch from friend to foe as the plot required, while still maintaining the bond and begrudging respect that the two characters share.

Still, the plan was for Boyd to die in the series premiere of "Justified," just as his character did in the story by Elmore Leonard, "Fire in the Hole," that inspired the FX crime-drama. However, after test audiences responded strongly to the character, showrunner and creator Graham Yost decided to keep Boyd alive by having him survive the gunshot wound that he received from Raylan at the end of the first episode.

"We had our doubts about killing off Boyd, even as we were killing him off in the first go-round of the pilot," Graham Yost told USA Today. "Walton's so wonderful, and Walton and Tim together are so wonderful." Being that the two characters are master operators on opposite sides of the law and that they once worked together in a coal mine, it's easy to see why Boyd is more valuable alive than dead on "Justified."

This is especially true when you consider how excellent Walton Goggins is in the role. While the performer has since gone on to appear in everything from HBO comedy series to Quentin Tarantino movies, he was a much lesser-known commodity when the show launched back in 2010.

"Boyd's ability to hold up a dark mirror to Raylan was pretty invaluable," Yost further explained. "This show wouldn't be on the air without Tim playing Raylan, but I think right behind that, it would have a tough time if we didn't have Boyd." Like many of the best villains, Boyd is as charismatic as he is despicable, and as such, he makes for a fantastic antagonist that audiences clearly responded to.

While the character won't be returning for "Justified: City Primeval," Boyd does cast a long shadow over the sequel series. With that in mind, hopefully, the show's new villains will be able to live up to the high bar set by his character and by Goggins' incredible portrayal.