Buffy the Vampire Slayer almost pulled off a major early-series death twist

It has been over two decades since Buffy the Vampire Slayer wrapped up, yet it remains a beloved cult classic. Created by Joss Whedon, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, this supernatural series delves into the life of Buffy Summers, a vampire slayer, and her group of friends – Scoobies, residing in a fictional town of Sunnydale, in Southern California.

Over the seven seasons, the series featured several deaths, including those of Jenny Calendar, Tara Maclay, Joyce Summers, Anya Jenkins, and Kendra Young, to name a few. But one of its earliest deaths—that of Jesse McNally in the pilot episodes—was almost a much bigger twist than it turned out to be. If Joss Whedon's original plan was successful, Jesse's sudden demise would have been one of the most shocking moments of the season. However, due to a budget issue, Whedon couldn't proceed with his plan.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first plot twist was supposed to be a game-changer

In the debut episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Welcome to the Hellmouth, viewers are introduced to Jesse McNally, portrayed by Eric Balfour. McNally, Xander Collins' best friend, becomes a core member of Buffy's group. He also has a major crush on Cordelia Chase. Jesse was then kidnapped by the Aurelian vampires, and by the end of the second episode, titled The Harvest, he was killed by Xander.

Whedon had a clever idea to make Jesse's death truly jarring. He wanted to include Balfour in the opening credits, signaling viewers that Jesse was a series regular. Thus, Jesse's brutal death within the first two episodes would have shocked the audience, delivering the first plot twist of the series.

Unfortunately, the show's limited budget couldn't accommodate two versions of the credits – one with Balfour and one without. Thus, Whedon's plan never made it to the screens.

Even though Jesse's death left Xander emotionally broken, the scene couldn't leave a lasting impact on the viewers. This was because there wasn't enough time to connect with him; he was killed off before the audience could get attached to the character. To make matters worse, he was never promoted as a series regular.

There was, however, another opportunity to revisit Jesse's arc in Season 7's Conversations with Dead People. The episode featured evil elements, haunting characters by appearing as their deceased loved ones, and it was supposed to feature Jesse confronting Xander. However, Balfour was reportedly unavailable, and thus this storyline was scrapped.

In the end, Jesse McNally remains a footnote in Buffy the Vampire Slayer lore — a what-if character who could have helped establish the show's first major twist. And while he's never mentioned again after the first few episodes, his brief arc laid the groundwork for the idea that in the world of Buffy, nobody is truly safe.

Apart from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Eric Balfour appeared in several popular projects, including Backcountry, Fashionista, In Her Shoes, The Offer, and The Runner, to name a few.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

Also read: Where to watch the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer series and movie

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