History Main / WhatCouldHaveBeen

* In a 1963 speech to the United Nations, UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy suggested that the race to the moon need not a competition, but a joint effort between the US and the [[UsefulNotes/SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]]. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was supposedly open to the idea, but any negotiations past the idea stage were scrapped after JFK's assassination. Sources are divided over whether the deciding factor was Khrushchev's distrust of JFK's successor, UsefulNotes/LyndonBJohnson or Johnson's distrust of the Soviets (or a combination of both).

* Aside of Warner Bros., Classic Media and Peanuts characters, Deputy Dawg was going to be featured in the MetLife commercial for the Super Bowl XLVI.

See also TheOtherMarty (where a character is recast mid-production, often at a point where the new actor will have to reshoot/re-record their predecessor's scenes/lines), {{Vaporware}} (which is about video games that never get released), DevelopmentHell (where a production has obstacles preventing its development from being finished), DummiedOut (content in a video game removed from the final release), MidDevelopmentGenreShift and DivorcedInstallment (where a work is initially intended as part of a specific franchise before being retooled into being its own thing). Contrast with OffscreenMomentOfAwesome where a particularly grand moment is seemingly perfectly set up to happen but then isn't seen, and TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot for when they used an awesome idea in a less than ideal way. Occasionally something that was removed survives in another part of the series, then it is RefittedForSequel. If fans prefer the original idea or concept over the final product, then it's FanPreferredCutContent.

See also TheOtherMarty, {{Vaporware}}, DevelopmentHell, DummiedOut, MidDevelopmentGenreShift. Contrast with OffscreenMomentOfAwesome where a particularly grand moment is seemingly perfectly set up to happen but then isn't seen, and TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot for when they used an awesome idea in a less than ideal way. Occasionally something that was removed survives in another part of the series, then it is RefittedForSequel. If fans prefer the original idea or concept over the final product, then it's FanPreferredCutContent.

* [[Tropers/Dmmaus David Morgan-Mar]] wanted to feature Quercus, the assistant engineer of the starship ''Legacy'', in cyberspace in the Space theme of ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic''. He even had a specific cyberspace avatar in mind for him -- a simple LEGO tree. However, [=DMM=] had none in possession, and he had trouble finding LEGO sets with trees. It took him until [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3877.html No. 3877]], 2652 strips since his first appearance, to have Quercus finally appear in cyberspace[[note]]If you want to get technical, then [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3871.html No. 3871]], 2646 strips since his first appearance, would be his actual first cyberspace appearance[[/note]], since by that time [=DMM=] had finally resorted to getting some trees from [=BrickLink=].

* Tropers/DavidMorganMar wanted to feature Quercus, the assistant engineer of the starship ''Legacy'', in cyberspace in the Space theme of ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic''. He even had a specific cyberspace avatar in mind for him -- a simple LEGO tree. However, [=DMM=] had none in possession, and he had trouble finding LEGO sets with trees. It took him until [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3877.html No. 3877]], 2652 strips since his first appearance, to have Quercus finally appear in cyberspace[[note]]If you want to get technical, then [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3871.html No. 3871]], 2646 strips since his first appearance, would be his actual first cyberspace appearance[[/note]], since by that time [=DMM=] had finally resorted to getting some trees from [=BrickLink=].

* Originally, each new expansion of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' was going to have a new color scheme on the card backs instead of the usual brown and tan -- for instance, ''Arabian Nights'' would have been orange and magenta, ''Ice Age'' would have been two shades of blue. This was nixed when the designers realized this would make it too easy for your opponents to identify the cards you have in your hand by their backs, giving them an unfair advantage, so the card backs have remained unchanged since day one. (Nowadays of course, most people have card sleeves...)

[[folder: Military]]

[[folder: Space Exploration]]

** A crossover between ''Hellsing'' and ''Franchise/LupinIII'' where Hellsing teams up with Zenigata to try to thwart a heist of Lupin's. (Lupin and co would make cameo appearances during the Millennium attacks, fighting Rip van Winkle.)

** He also said he originally didn't want to, but thought it might make his story stand out more and be more "dramatic." He then decided that a good writer doesn't ''need'' to kill important characters to be a good writer, and went back to his original plan. A rare case of What Could Have Been turning around and becoming What Was instead.

-->"''Gunnerkrigg Court'' was originally going to be more adult when I started working on it, but by the time I finished the first chapter I realized it would work better if I made it more accessible to a wider audience."

* ''Webcomic/{{Oglaf}}'' describes itself thus: "This comic started as an attempt to make pornography. It degenerated into sex comedy pretty much immediately." It could have made some good porn.

** Conversely, everybody was going to survive the storyline with the [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext army of murderous preteen catgirls]], until one fan wrote that Milholland wasn't "allowed" to kill anybody--"not even [[spoiler:[[JerkassWoobie Pepito]]]]." He's already drawn it at that point, but this gave the push he needed to post it.

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'': Jeph Jacques stated that he created Cubetown with the intent of putting Marten and Claire [[PutOnABus on a bus]]. He was running out of ideas for Marten and considered him in a good enough place to bring his story to a close. But as Cubetown developed, he kept coming up with story ideas and eventually he decided Cubetown would be another part of the ongoing narrative.

* Creator/MichelGondry had a typically surreal pitch for {{Music/Weezer}}'s "Dope Nose" video, as revealed in a booklet included with the DVD ''Director's Label Volume 3: The Work of Michel Gondry'': Gondry's video would have involved the band playing a game of soccer while simultaneously miming their instruments, possibly playing against a "Mexican heavy metal band" who were doing the same. In the pitch, Gondry said the concept was inspired by an analogy he'd made between rock bands and soccer teams, particularly the idea of the drummer being the goalie of a band: they play an essential but sometimes overlooked role, are always positioned furthest to the back, and don't have as much range of movement around the stage/field.

* Creator/MichelGondry had a typically surreal pitch for {{Music/Weezer}}'s "Dope Nose" video, as revealed in a booklet included with the DVD ''Director's Label Volume 3: The Work of Michel Gondry'': Gondry's video would have involved the band playing a game of soccer while simultaneously miming their instruments, possibly playing against a "Mexican heavy metal band" who were doing the same. In the pitch, Gondry said the concept was inspired by making an analogy between soccer teams and rock bands, and particularly the drummer being like the goalie of a band: they play an essential but sometimes overlooked role, are always positioned furthest to the back, and don't have as much range of movement around the stage/field.

* '''The creator wanted to change it:''' The writer sat down to review a draft of their work and came to the realization that there is more to be done beyond fixing a few typos. No, this thing needs a serious rewrite. Or ten. Maybe they planned to kill off a [[TheWoobie sympathetic]] or [[EnsembleDarkhorse popular]] character, but realized the character had more story potential walking the mortal plane instead of touring with the choir invisible (not that it stops [[Creator/JossWhedon a]] [[Creator/RomanPolanski few]] [[Creator/ChristopherNolan people]]). Maybe those scenes were good, but didn't fit with the tone or themes of the story they wanted to tell; no matter how well-written that TrainingFromHell scene is, it probably doesn't belong in this episode of ''WesternAnimation/BluesClues''. Or maybe they just changed their mind and happily threw an old idea into a fire after coming up with a new one.

** Enrico teaming up with an [[Anime/ReadOrDie I-Jin]] of Gregor Mandel to try to create a Catholic version of Integra, and implied [[spoiler: in the future a successor would be successful at it, creating Caterina Sforza of ''Anime/TrinityBlood''.]]

* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'': Jeph Jacques stated that he created Cubetown with the intent of putting Marten and Claire [[PutOnABus on a bus]]. He was running out of ideas for Marten and considered him in a good enough place to bring his story to a close. But once Cubetown evolved, he kept coming up with story ideas and eventually he decided Cubetown would be another part of the ongoing narrative.

* Tom Siddell mentioned in [[http://www.brokenfrontier.com/lowdown/details.php?id=1180 an interview]] that ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' is actually a LighterAndSofter take on his original idea. If you read much of the comic you'll realize this is saying something.
-->"''Gunnerkrigg Court'' was originally going to be more adult when I started working on it, but by the time I finished the first chapter I realized it would work better if I made it more accessible to a wider audience."

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'':
** The sequence where Roy wears the [[ManIFeelLikeAWoman Girdle of Femininity/Masculinity]] was originally envisioned as Roy putting it on to engage in "girl talk" with Miko before discovering he couldn't remove it. However, as Rich Burlew wrote Miko, he discovered that her character didn't really mesh with "light romantic comedy", so the sequence became much more dramatic.
** Roy was also originally intended to be the party wizard, with Belkar being the warrior of the five-man group. Vaarsuvius only came into being because Rich needed someone to serve as the know-it-all character, and it would limit the jokes if Roy did that because he could hardly be his own straight man.

* ''Webcomic/{{Oglaf}}'' describes itself thus: "This comic started as an attempt to make pornography. It degenerated into sex comedy pretty much immediately." It could have made some good porn.
* ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'':
** In an early strip, Davan takes Monette to a lesbian bar and winds up annoying one of its patrons. Originally that lesbian was going to be a recurring character named Rochelle whom Davan would develop feelings for; the author wound up scrapping the idea and gave the IncompatibleOrientation gag to [=PeeJee=]==>Jhim instead.
** Davan was almost made Rory's biological father, after a bunch of fans straight up told Randy Milholland that he "couldn't" do it. Randy realized that he'd be acting just as stupid as the readers who pissed him off, so stuck with his original "not Davan" plan.
** Conversely, everybody was going to survive the storyline with the [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext army of murderous preteen catgirls]], until one fan wrote that Milholland wasn't "allowed" to kill anybody--"not even [[spoiler:[[JerkassWoobie Pepito]]]]." He's already drawn it at that point, but this gave the push he needed to post it.
** Originally Pepito could only speak Spanish; Randy Milholland did his best to translate the dialogue correctly, but when one irate fan wrote to harangue him about a relatively minor mistake, he struck back by just running Pepito's dialogue through a translator and writing whatever came out. Sometimes he would even translate it back into English and then back into Spanish just to make it extra garbled.
** Monette was only supposed to stay with Fred and Faye for a few months before they got sick of her and kicked her out; instead she wound up HappilyAdopted.
** Davan's whole relationship with Branwen wasn't originally planned; she was just supposed to be a nameless {{Goth}} who Davan hit on and then drove away with his typical attitude. A friend suggested that Randy Milholland ThrowTheDogABone this time, and she became his girlfriend and then [[AmicableExes Amicable Ex]]. This also delayed Vanessa's entry into the comic, because Randy knew that she would [[DieForOurShip get hate]] if she appeared too soon after.
** [[https://somethingpositive.net/comic/twenty-damn-years/ He posted a few more of these for the strip's twentieth anniversary]]. They're all depressing and cruel, unsurprisingly.

* ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'':
** [[WordOfGod Mookie himself]] stated that he intended for Luna to die at the end of the Maltak arc. He realized that Luna's death would psychologically destroy Dominic, so he altered the story so that Luna is saved at the last moment by Jacob.
** He also said he originally didn't want to, but thought it might make his story stand out more and be more "dramatic." He then decided that a good writer doesn't ''need'' to kill important characters to be a good writer, and went back to his original plan. A rare case of What Could Have Been turning around and becoming What Was instead.
* In ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'', [[http://gigidigi.tumblr.com/post/13773662051/first-thanks-for-all-those-character-questions Almond originally had blue hair.]] Gigi also considered making a comic with Tartelette and Baguette and their bakery as the focus.

* ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}'':
** Silvana Rosechu's entire backstory was meant to be different. Silvana was to be a space-traveling Pikachu who crash landed on the moon, and was hit by the Rainbow created from the collision of Super Sonic and Pikachu, transforming her into a Rosechu with a Pikachu's tail. She would have created a spaceship out of the spare parts of her destroyed ship, and traveled to Earth to abduct all the Sonichus on the planet, to fill the gap of loneliness she holds while being on the moon for so long. Because of outside influences however, the author has scrapped this backstory and created the shapeshifting Silvana Rosechu we know today.
** Chris' original plan for Issue 9 involved Punchy and Layla Flaaffy having sex in the handicapped stall of the women's bathroom at the UsefulNotes/McDonalds substitute [=CWCee=] Dees, and Reginald Sneasel [[InterruptedIntimacy walking in on them]] and slashing Punchy's tires.
** The 13th issue was going to have a crossover with ''WebAnimation/PlanetDolan'', but outward drama involving some of the castmates changes it to involve a crossover with ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' instead.
* The ContinuityReboot of ''Webcomic/CommanderKitty'' originally had a ''much'' different introduction for Nin Wah and her crew. While the final version cuts to [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2009/04/12/nin-wah/ them meeting a contact at a hotel]], an unfinished, more action-oriented sequence with Grootly and company stealing a box from a SpaceTrucker was posted on [[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151352934335259&set=a.215101020258.176419.213857110258&type=1&relevant_count=1 the]] [[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151354820205259&set=a.215101020258.176419.213857110258&type=1&relevant_count=1 Facebook]] [[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151364792350259&set=a.215101020258.176419.213857110258&type=1&relevant_count=1 page.]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'': [[WordOfGod Mark Stanley, on the forums]], has said that Winston was originally to be a one-shot character, with Niomi to be [[UpliftedAnimal Florence]]'s primary human contact with the local colonists. The readership made comments to the effect that [[InterspeciesRomance the relationship between him and Florence]] was too good to leave by the wayside, so that particular plot course was amended.
* ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'': The original plan was for the San siblings to be revealed to be Weres and Jyrras to die and rise Undead around the same time Dan's lineage is uncovered; this was dropped due to Amber deciding it wouldn't leave enough Beings on the cast. This leaves a number of hints at the first orphaned, up to and including [[http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_366.php a human Biggs in shadow]] that a [[http://www.missmab.com/Demo/were.php similar-looking Were]] had to be introduced to [[{{Retcon}} explain away]], to the point that it remains a perennial EpilepticTree despite being thoroughly {{Jossed}}. The "undead Jyrras" thing is mentioned (and rejected by Mab) in [[http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_1029.php Comic #1029.]]
* In ''Webcomic/CrossedClaws'', Pages 11 and 12 of Chapter 5 were originally going to be [[http://geckozen.deviantart.com/gallery/52430711/Scrapped-pages much different]]. They were ultimately changed both for making things too easy for the villains ''and'' [[OnlyTheAuthorCanSaveThemNow too hard for the heroes to later deal with believably]].
* For ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'', trial sketches of character designs are available on the site, with many characters undergoing fairly radical makeovers. Personalities have shifted too - originally, the main antagonists were going to be Klaus Ujebeck and his son Gilgamesh, who were not going to be sympathetic at all. Instead, Klaus is the EmperorScientist and a very clear demonstration of the fact that TheExtremistWasRight (although still pretty much an antagonist, [[spoiler:especially after his override of Gil's personality]]), and Gil is one half of the LoveTriangle involving Agatha and an occasionally misguided [[spoiler:and occasionally mind-controlled]] protagonist.

* When ''Webcomic/AndShineHeavenNow'' ended, Erin Ptah did a segment on 'Storylines That Weren't', ideas she had considered for the comic that never made it in:
** A storyline about the time Reseda and [[Anime/{{Hellsing}} Helena]] met during the time of the French Monarchy. Dropped cause it didn't get anywhere past the initial concept and the idea of constantly drawing French court dresses intimidated Erin.
** A storyline involving Literature/{{Madeline}}'s early days in the Holy League alongside Pepito (now her husband) and a Muslim confidant codenamed Mitraille. Didn't get anywhere past the character cast.
** Enrico teaming up with an [[Anime/ReadOrDie I-Jin]] of Gregor Mandel to try to create a Catholic version of Integra, and implied [[spoiler: in the future a successor would be successful at it, creating Caterina Sforza of ''Anime/TrinityBlood''.]]
** A BizarroEpisode version of the 'fangirl' story arcs where 'flamers' would come instead and antagonize Millennium.
** A storyline where Pip experiments with his gender presentation [[spoiler: after becoming Seras's familiar.]] Likely dropped because Erin wished to move on to working full time on ''Webcomic/ButImACatPerson'' after the spoilered event happened.
** A crossover between ''Hellsing'' and ''Franchise/LupinIII'' where Hellsing teams up with Zenigata to try to thwart a heist of Lupin's. (Lupin and co would make cameo appearances during the Millennium attacks, fighting Rip van Winkle.)
** Integra searching for someone to adopt as her heir. Dropped when canon revealed her position would be government appointed in the future.
** A storyline hinted in ''Shine'' (by the existence of an InUniverse book) about the time Literature/SherlockHolmes'' and Watson met [[Manga/PetShopOfHorrors Count D]], which Watson shelved as he knew no one would believe the more supernatural elements.
** Integra does ''Literature/TheDivineComedy''. Dropped because Erin couldn't decide what Integra was searching for.
** Cameos during the Millennium attacks that never came to fruition include:
*** Literature/PippiLongstocking, who ends up going on the run after she's suspected of being not human
*** Manga/KaitouSaintTail, who comes out of retirement to steal a Nazi death ray.
*** [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Mystery Inc.]], who after their initial encounter with Hellsing became a very efficient monster fighting squad. [[spoiler: One of them makes a HeroicSacrifice to save the others.]]
*** [[WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus Ms. Frizzle's class]], now college aged and reunited with Ms. Frizzle to use the Bus as a mecha to fight Millennium.

* ''Webcomic/Rain2010'': The story was originally planned as a first-person fantasy story instead of slice-of-life. Differences include Fara not being blood related, Maria being a LoveInterest, Ky being a cis-gendered minor character (though still bi), and Emily being the BigBad, older, and the LoveInterest of Aiken. The story was reworked as what it is now due to being unintentionally offensive towards other trans people due to [[Creator/JocelynSamara the author's]] lack of knowledge about trans people at the time.

** ''Muppet High'' was going to be a television series set in TheFifties featuring the Muppets. Kermit was going to be a leather jacket clad motorcycle rider, Piggy in a poodle skirt and Fozzie Bear as a soda jerk. It was in planning around 1990 but was most likely cancelled due to the death of Jim Henson. The series was far enough in development that a toy company actually put out Muppet High merchandise such as [[https://img.2ememain.be/f/normal/396430962-toy-muppets-pvc-figuren-muppet-high.jpg PVC figures]].

** WhatCouldHaveBeen/{{Nijisanji}}

* There have been several storyboard sketches by Rich Seidelman for unproduced Advertising/McDonaldland ads that have circulated online, including an ad where Ronald [=McDonald=]'s parents appear stating how proud they are of their son after watching one of his commercials, one where Ronald, Grimace and Birdie the Early Bird compare baby pictures and a sketch suggesting that it was considered to make Ronald's dog Sundae from ''WesternAnimation/TheWackyAdventuresOfRonaldMcdonald'' a CanonImmigrant by using him in the offical ads.

** According to an early concept art, [[https://a2-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/43/5bcd00744fe646b2a58a60d8eb627acc/full.jpg Lomax was originally going to be black with tan markings and his collar had a tag with a music note on it]]. He was later changed to solid brown and his collar does not have a tag.

* There have been several storyboard sketches for unproduced Advertising/McDonaldland ads that have circulated online, including an ad where Ronald [=McDonald=]'s parents appear stating how proud they are of their son after watching one of his commercials, one where Ronald, Grimace and Birdie the Early Bird compare baby pictures and a sketch suggesting that it was considered to make Ronald's dog Sundae from ''WesternAnimation/TheWackyAdventuresOfRonaldMcdonald'' a CanonImmigrant by using him in the offical ads.

* Music/{{ABBA}} originally planned to film the circus-themed video for "Super Trouper" in London's Piccadilly Circus, but the local police vetoed the idea as the use of animals in Central London is restricted on safety grounds, specifically the risk of an EscapedAnimalRampage. Also, if word had spread that a world famous pop group were filming in the middle of the West End, it would have caused major traffic disruption as people came to see for themselves. The video was instead filmed in a film studio in Stockholm, but kept the circus theme.

* The ''Cassini-Huygens'' mission to Saturn began as a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariner_Mark_II very different probe]], paired with another spacecraft of similar design that would explore an asteroid and a comet, with instruments mounted on rotable platforms as the ''Voyager'' probes, before budget cuts transformed it into the much blockier design that went to Saturn.