I love thinking about what if scenarios in my favorite movies and shows. Like what if Frodo had accepted the Ring's power instead of destroying it? What if Walter White had taken the money from Elliott and Gretchen? What if Jon Snow had actually died for good?
These what if scenarios can reveal a lot about the characters and themes. What are some interesting what if scenarios you've thought about that would completely change the story? I'm looking for theories that make sense based on the characters' established personalities and motivations.
What if Harry Potter had been sorted into Slytherin? This what if scenario completely changes the story. He might have become friends with Draco, learned to embrace his ambition rather than fight it, and possibly even joined Voldemort.
But more interestingly, what if he used Slytherin's values for good? Ambition to reform the wizarding world, cunning to outsmart Voldemort in different ways, resourcefulness to find solutions without violence. The symbolism in media about houses representing parts of ourselves suggests Harry rejecting Slytherin is him rejecting parts of himself he's afraid of. This what if scenario explores what happens when we integrate rather than reject our shadow selves.
What if Walter White had taken the money from Elliott and Gretchen? This what if scenario shows how pride and ego drove his descent into evil. He could have had his cancer treatment paid for, provided for his family, and kept his soul intact.
But he couldn't accept charity from people he felt had wronged him. The plot twist explanation of Breaking Bad is that it's not about a man turning to crime to provide for his family, it's about a man using his family as an excuse to indulge his ego. This what if scenario reveals that Walter always had choices, he just preferred the ones that made him feel powerful rather than the ones that were actually good for his family.
What if Jon Snow had actually died for good at the end of season 5? This what if scenario changes Game of Thrones completely. No King in the North, no uniting the wildlings, no riding dragons, no killing Daenerys.
But more interestingly, what if his death had consequences for Melisandre's faith? She brought him back because she believed he was Azor Ahai, but what if she was wrong? What if the Lord of Light doesn't exist, or doesn't care about their war? This what if scenario explores how faith can be misinterpreted, and how characters create meaning from random events. It would make the story more tragic but also more realistic - sometimes people die, and there's no magical resurrection or divine purpose.