Before the Disney era began, George Lucas was busy sketching, outlining, and even drafting early scripts for a fresh Star Wars trilogy. Those notes, concepts, and concept‑art pieces give us a rare glimpse into what could have been. Below we dive into the ten most tantalizing ideas george had tucked away, each one a glimpse at an alternate galaxy far, far away.

10 ideas george: The Vision Unveiled

10 Luke Would Be A Father

Back in 1983, a casually‑dropped line by Mark Hamill hinted at Lucas’ secret plan: Luke Skywalker would eventually become a father. Hamill originally expected filming to start around the year 2000, and while the Disney‑produced Episode VII took far longer to appear, Lucas never abandoned the notion that Luke’s lineage mattered.

Lucas repeatedly emphasized that his sequel trilogy would revolve around Darth Vader’s grandchildren, a phrase that meant not only Leia’s offspring but also Luke’s. In a CBS interview, Lucas described the saga as less about starships and more about a sprawling family drama, calling it “a soap opera” centered on intergenerational conflict.

When Disney’s version arrived, Lucas was visibly displeased. He told Vanity Fair that he asked J.J. Abrams, “What happened to Darth Vader’s grandchildren?” – a question that underscored his lingering frustration that his family‑centric ideas were sidelined.

9 Darth Talon Corrupts Sam Solo

The villain Lucas envisioned for his new saga emerged from the pages of a Star Wars comic: a red‑skinned alien named Darth Talon. Her mission? To seduce and lead Han Solo’s son, Sam, down the dark side.

In Lucas’ early script, Sam was not a fledgling Sith; he was a charismatic, Han‑like youngster, complete with the same jacket and blaster. Michael Arndt described him as “pure charisma,” and the artwork mirrors that youthful swagger.

Darth Talon was meant to be a femme fatale with a voice reminiscent of Lauren Bacall. Lucas even tried to weave her into a LucasArts video game, insisting the character speak with that classic 1940s allure, an anecdote that has become legend among the developers.

8 A Teenage Hero Named Kira

Lucas wanted his new heroes to be children – or at least very young teens – a detail J.J. Abrams confirmed before Disney scrapped it. The centerpiece of this youth‑driven narrative was a teenage Jedi named Kira, a scavenger‑turned‑gear‑head who would later evolve into what Disney released as Rey.

While Abrams suggested the Skywalker kids would be in their twenties, Lucas clarified that only the Skywalker offspring would be that age, leaving Kira as an outsider, not a Skywalker. Michael Arndt reinforced this, describing Kira as the ultimate disenfranchised figure, a fierce teen navigating the chaos of the Force.

This contrast explains why Lucas could claim both that the Skywalkers were adults and that the story’s core protagonist was a teenage outsider – Kira fit neither family tree, allowing her to embody the raw, rebellious spirit Lucas envisioned.

7 Luke Would Be Modeled On Colonel Kurtz

In Lucas’ take on Episode VII, the meeting between Kira and Luke would echo the dark, introspective tone of Apocalypse Now’s Colonel Kurtz. Phil Szostak, author of *The Art of The Last Jedi*, revealed that Lucas intended Luke to be an even more brooding figure than the one Disney presented.

Lucas approved a design for Luke’s hermitage: a golden‑bell‑shaped temple perched on a cliff’s edge, echoing the isolation and existential weight associated with Kurtz. R2‑D2, fully operational in this version, would guide Kira to the reclusive master via a comprehensive map of Jedi temples.

Michael Arndt summed up the plot succinctly: Kira’s home is destroyed, she hits the road, finds Luke, and together they take down the villains. The darker Luke would serve as a mentor who, despite his grim outlook, still lights the way for the next generation.

6 The Whills Who Control The Universe

Midichlorians sparked controversy in *The Phantom Menace*, but Lucas wasn’t about to abandon the scientific angle. Instead, he aimed to double down, introducing a microscopic race called the Whills that actually govern the Force.

Lucas described his upcoming trilogy as a dive into a “microbiotic world,” where audiences would finally meet the tiny beings feeding off the Force and steering the galaxy’s destiny. He admitted fans would likely recoil, but he believed the full story arc would justify the risk.

Had Lucas retained control, the Whills would have become a central mythos, providing a tangible, albeit unseen, explanation for the Force’s omnipresence and linking his original vision to a more concrete cosmology.

5 Felucia: The Mushroom Planet

One of the more vivid locales Lucas wanted to explore was Felucia, a planet already glimpsed in *Revenge of the Sith* and the *Clone Wars* series. In his sequel trilogy, Felucia would have taken center stage.

The world is a kaleidoscope of towering, neon‑colored mushrooms, spore‑shooting fungi, and gigantic, carnivorous puffballs capable of devouring humans whole. Its native Felucians live in harmony with the Force, cohabiting with translucent‑skinned creatures, tube worms, alien birds, and massive, legged larvae that can be ridden like horses.

While the exact plot points remain fuzzy, Pablo Hidalgo confirmed that Lucas intended to delve deeper into Felucia’s alien ecosystem, making it a crucial backdrop for the heroes’ journey.

4 Luke Trains Leia In The Ways Of The Force

Mark Hamill revealed that Lucas planned for Luke to survive until the finale of Episode IX, during which he would finally train his sister, Leia, in the Jedi arts. This revelation came after *The Last Jedi* sparked speculation about Leia’s latent abilities.

According to Hamill, Lucas wanted Leia to become a fully realized Jedi by the series’ end, with Luke acting as her mentor in the later installments. This would have marked a dramatic shift, positioning Leia as a powerful Force user who could inherit Luke’s mantle after his eventual death.

Hamill has repeatedly expressed disappointment that Disney ignored this familial arc, calling the omission a wasted opportunity to explore deeper sibling dynamics within the Skywalker saga.

3 Luke Enters Another Plane Of Existence

Lucas once described Luke’s fate after the original trilogy as “much more ethereal,” a hint that the hero would ascend beyond the typical Force ghost. He mentioned having a “tiny notebook” filled with notes on this other plane of existence as early as 1978.

Mark Hamill later echoed this, suggesting that Luke would exist on a realm beyond the physical, perhaps a higher state of consciousness, rather than simply reappearing as a spectral mentor. This concept hinted at a profound evolution of the character’s spiritual journey.

Lucas even teased the idea back in 1976, asking Hamill if he’d like to appear in Episode IX, promising a cameo where Luke would hand the lightsaber to the next hope—an implication that his role would be both symbolic and transcendental.

2 Han Solo Dies

Not every thread in Lucas’ blueprint was cut, however. According to Harrison Ford, the idea that Han Solo would meet his end was baked into the new trilogy from the start.

Ford recalled being told early on that his character would not survive the upcoming saga, a detail he welcomed as a compelling narrative hook. Lucas, who historically resisted killing off main heroes like Luke or Yoda, made an exception for Solo to satisfy Ford’s enthusiasm.

While it remains unclear whether Lucas would have actually executed Solo’s death on screen, the plan involved his son, Sam, stepping into the hero’s shoes before a tragic showdown that would finally close Han’s legendary arc.

1 An All‑Wookiee Spin‑Off Film

Lucas’ ambitions stretched beyond the nine‑film saga. In 1978, he outlined a plan for three trilogies followed by a handful of oddball projects, including a fully Wookiee‑centric film.

He imagined a movie that would focus exclusively on the towering, hairy species—nothing human, no dialogue beyond growls, reminiscent of the infamous *Star Wars Holiday Special* but with a serious, cinematic approach. He also toyed with a robot‑only feature, again devoid of human characters.

These concepts never materialized, especially after Disney’s acquisition, but they showcase the breadth of Lucas’ imagination and his willingness to explore the galaxy from wildly unconventional angles.

While we’ll never see these spin‑offs, the fragments that survived give fans a fascinating glimpse into the road not taken.

10 celebs who are surprisingly eager to jump onto reality TV have been spotted sharing their secret cravings for the genre. You’d think stars with talent would steer clear, yet many admit they’d love a shot at the spotlight of unscripted TV. Let’s dive into the surprising wishes of these famous faces.

10 Celebs Who Dream of Reality TV

10 Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer really, really loves The Bachelor. In fact, before she ended up getting married to her current husband, the stand‑up comedian fell in love with the show so intensely that she was ready to star on it. To be fair, she had a few conditions when it came to taking up the reins on the reality TV juggernaut. But she desperately wanted to show up on one of the seasons and compete for the hearts and adoration of a hunky leading man. Still, though she begged to be on the show and pleaded to join the cast in one season, she did have one major ask: that the show allow her to be unapologetically herself.

“They would have to say, ‘We will let you be yourself,’” Amy explained to E! News upon admitting her dream to star in the series. “I would be very honest. The casting process would have to be different. First of all, their job descriptions are so weird. It’s like, ‘former investment banker.’ They’re like, ‘flower enthusiast.’ You’re like, ‘But what do you do? How come you could leave your life?’ I love when it’s like, ‘I have five kids at home, but I just came here to follow my heart.’ It’s like, ‘Maybe go take care of your kids?’ I would keep it very real.” That would be very funny, indeed. And that’s why we love her!

9 Kylie Minogue

The Australian pop star has one very simple dream when it comes to her life: to appear on RuPaul’s iconic reality television series Drag Race. Sure, Kylie may have done absolutely everything a pop princess could possibly do in the world. And sure, she may have throngs of adoring fans and decades of massive successes to boast about and tout as a living legend. But for her, life won’t be complete without an appearance on Drag Race.

But it’s not that she hasn’t tried! She has asked to pop up as a guest judge multiple times in the past. Unfortunately, though, her schedule has never worked out with the show’s filming plans. “Hell yeah,” Minogue bluntly told EW when they asked if she’d ever really do Drag Race in the future. “I mean, I have to, right? It’s well overdue, and I can totally see myself doing that, and I would love to. I think we’ve tried to do it before, but it’s just [conflicting] schedules.” Ah, well. Maybe one day, we hope!

8 Keke Palmer

Actress Keke Palmer became a fan of the reality TV show Survivor during the COVID‑19 lockdown early in 2020. She had nothing else to do and was stuck at home all day (pretty much like all of us), so she decided to start watching the old seasons of the show. Naturally and quickly, she got hooked. So hooked, in fact, that she even tweeted CBS and asked when they were planning on doing a celebrity season of the show and if she could take part in it. That’s how you know you’re in deep, right?

A few years after that, Palmer went on the “Hot Ones” interview show. During her time eating hot wings and answering tough questions, she was asked about what her strategy would be should she ever actually go on Survivor. She explained: “I’m playing a social game, all the way. ‘Hey, what’s up, what’s up, what’s up? How y’all doing? Look, I’m gonna tell y’all right now, I really don’t know everything with this stuff, but I got y’all back with it.’ Then, when it gets toward them last things, I’m showing them how I know how to really hone it in. I’m pulling from the inside out. I’m going to the back of my mind with that meditation level of concentration. It’s going to come out of nowhere. I’m going to win every single one of those ones leading up to the final countdown, and I’m going to take it all home.” How cunning!

7 Neil Patrick Harris

Just like Keke Palmer, Neil Patrick Harris is a huge fan of Survivor. And he has been for a very long time, too—even long before the pandemic swept across the globe and locked us all down to watch marathons of the reality series inside our homes. No, Harris has been a fan of the show pretty much since its inception. He once even met up with the show’s host, Jeff Probst, at a Grammy party and begged for a shot at the series. In that meeting, Neil propositioned Jeff about hosting a celebrity version of the show. Just like Palmer, he wanted to see how celebs might fare stranded on a deserted island!

Probst revealed that conversation later on when People Magazine asked him about it. “Mark Burnett and I really want to do a celebrity version,” Jeff told the outlet. “We were just talking about this at a Grammy party last week. Neil Patrick Harris was there, and he told me flat out he wants to play. I challenged him and said, ‘Do you really want to do it, or is this just a fun fantasy that will never happen?’ He said, ‘I want to do it.’” Now, we’ll just have to see if it’ll ever actually happen! Sure would be fun to watch…

6 Billie Eilish

Three list items, three celebrities, and THREE Survivor fans! Let’s complete the trifecta with a look at Billie Eilish’s reality TV obsession, shall we? The pop superstar is also obsessed with Survivor, just like Keke Palmer and Neil Patrick Harris. And just like Palmer, Eilish got into it relatively late—years after the show first came on air. Billie actually watched the show for the very first time in 2022. It wasn’t quite what she expected at first. But she quickly fell in love with the strategy of the game and began to think about how she might play it were she ever on the show.

Speaking to Variety about her reality TV obsession, Billie said this about the show’s fascinating interplay between cast members; “I kind of had this idea that it was this, like, oh, you jump through a hoop and you, like, run through a thing. And it’s not. It is like people almost dying and s**t. I don’t know. I kind of wanna go on it.”

She continued, too, by referencing one celebrity who has already been on the show—television writer and producer Mike White. She reasoned: “What’s his name? Mike White, who went on? Amazing. That was actually the season I was watching when I wrote that line. I think that the physical stuff I’d be great at, but you have to do, like, math and s**t, and I would not be good at that.” Hey, we’ve all gotta know our strengths and weaknesses, right?

5 Katy Perry

Katy Perry already had a turn on a reality TV show: American Idol. Okay, so, to be technical, it was as a host—and not as a contestant. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t thinking about future reality TV appearances! The pop star can’t get enough of the genre, and she wants more. Specifically, just like Kylie Minogue before her, Katy has been begging to get on RuPaul’s iconic Drag Race so she can judge the fiery and fierce competition there.

“Oh, I want to,” she told Rolling Stone when the mag asked whether she’d ever go on RuPaul’s reality TV empire as a judge. “I think it’s just been timing, and it’s been one of those things where we tried to do it a couple of times, but the timing hasn’t worked out. I’m definitely going to do it in the future, I hope. Quite honestly, if it weren’t for drag queens, I probably wouldn’t have a career because I probably learned everything from them.” Well… at least she’s honest.

4 Jennifer Aniston

Even though Jennifer Aniston rose to fame on the sitcom Friends and then did a whole host of movies to follow, she has her eyes on something else entirely for the future: The Bachelor. Yes, really. How’s that for an unexpected left turn from one of the most famous women on the planet?

It’s not quite what you think, though. See, Jennifer doesn’t want to go on the show to find love for herself. Instead, she wants to pop up on The Bachelor to help the contestants through their problems and give them a shoulder to cry on. Think of her as the show’s prospective therapist… or something.

The sitcom alum explained her theory to InStyle Magazine once: “I think they need a psychologist or psychiatrist… There should be someone they can go and talk to. Okay, well, I’ll do that. Gladly. I’ll be the one picking roses in the rose garden.” We can’t imagine that role would really come up on the show in the future, but hey, you never know! Especially for somebody as famous as Jen!

3 John Mayer

Jennifer Aniston isn’t the only person who is a fan of The Bachelor. Ironically, her ex‑boyfriend John Mayer is also a major supporter of the romantic reality TV series! And since Jennifer and John dated for a bit before splitting up in 2009, we can’t help but wonder whether they watched it together back in the day. Little do we know, but maybe celebrities really *are* like the rest of us, busy binging trashy reality TV offerings in their free time. Huh!

Anyways, John went on Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show back in 2017 and admitted to absolutely loving The Bachelor. It’s more than love, too—he wants to go on the show! But unlike Aniston, who wants to play the therapist for the romantic hopefuls and ill‑fated contestants, John actually wants to *be* the bachelor leading the series. He doesn’t think he’d find love doing it, but he at least wants to try.

“I think it would be really fun to be the bachelor,” he told Ellen DeGeneres during that talk show appearance back in the day. “I don’t think that I would find love there unless they would change the vetting process for who would be the contestants.” Jokingly, he then added: “Yeah, I think it would be one of the lowest‑rated shows.” Not sure about that. Something tells us that a lot of people would tune in to see someone as famous as John try his hand at it!

2 KJ Apa

Model‑turned‑actor KJ Apa may be a beautiful and talented person in a lot of ways. But deep down underneath what we see on screen, he’s got an alter ego. And her name is Fifi! No, we’re actually not kidding about this. He has been developing the character since he was a child, with the purpose of using it to “express the feminine side” of his life, as he has explained to media outlets in the past. Accordingly, Fifi has a very keen interest in RuPaul’s Drag Race reality TV show.

And even though KJ hasn’t done Fifi up in hair and makeup yet, the interest in drag makes that reality series a natural point of focus for the actor and his, um, alter ego. It is so much of an interest, in fact, that KJ has been lobbying his agents and management team for a chance to get on the show one day. But unlike a few of the celebs already listed here (Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry), he wants to be on it as a contestant and not a judge!

“I love watching RuPaul’s Drag Race and I’ve told my agents I want to be on that show,” the actor once told NME. “But at the same time, RuPaul’s Drag Race and the characters on that show, they’re the real deal; they’re the most authentic. I don’t think I’d be allowed on that show because I’m not the real deal. But why did I share Fifi with the world? Because it’s not something that I feel like I need to hide. I am proud of Fifi. I really enjoy that [side of myself].” Hey, whatever floats your boat, right?

1 Khloé Kardashian

Yeah, yeah, we already know what you are thinking: Khloé Kardashian is already on reality TV. So how could she be begging to be on it some more? That’s not a bad point. But here’s the thing: Khloé doesn’t want to do more reality TV within the KarJenner family broadcasting‑slash‑influencing empire. She wants to take part in the reality world of… drumroll please… Love Is Blind. That’s right! The uber‑hit Netflix show has taken the streaming world by storm over the last few seasons. And just like the rest of us, Khloé got caught up in the excitement.

After meeting one of the show’s former (and most popular) contestants, Alexa Lemieux, Khloé took to Instagram to explain her theory that some of the single Kardashian sisters ought to maybe sign up for LIB themselves. After all, both Khloé and Kim Kardashian are currently single. And little half‑sis Kendall Jenner is, too! So it was surprising but also not surprising when the KarJenner mogul wrote this on Instagram: “When Hulu and Netflix collide @mrsalexalemieux you beautiful girl you! Twins! I think some of us single K sisters should go on LIB. What do you think?” Sounds like a fun time to us!

When someone declares they’d give their life for a cause, most of us imagine a poetic sacrifice. Yet history is littered with individuals who turned that declaration into a literal final act, using their own demise to secure a goal, a legacy, or a payoff. Below, we count down ten striking examples of people who achieved exactly what they wanted – at the ultimate price.

10 People Who Died To Get What They Wanted

10 Charles Vance Millar

Charles Vance Millar was a Canadian lawyer with a mischievous streak that made him more prankster than prosecutor. He delighted in concocting schemes that exploited the avarice of his acquaintances, and his final act was no exception. After a stroke claimed his life on October 31, 1926, the reading of his will revealed a series of eccentric bequests designed to keep the jokes alive beyond the grave.

Among the oddities, Millar gifted a Jamaican vacation home to three men who could barely tolerate each other, and handed shares in a horse‑racing club to two staunch anti‑racers. Yet the pièce de résistance was the infamous Great Stork Derby, a contest that offered a share of his estate to the Toronto woman who birthed the most children in the ten years following his death.

Ten years later, after a protracted legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, four women each received a $110,000 payout. Millar’s posthumous prank not only enriched a handful of mothers but also cemented his reputation as a master of macabre humor.

9 Codrus

Codrus, the final king of Athens, ruled from 1089 to 1068 BC, a period marked by looming Dorian aggression. The Dorians, before launching their invasion, consulted the Oracle of Delphi, which foretold that their campaign would succeed as long as the Athenian king remained unharmed.

Understanding the weight of the prophecy, Codrus devised a self‑sacrificial plan to protect his people. Disguised as a humble peasant, he slipped into the Dorian encampment and provoked a fight, during which he was killed. The Dorians, believing the omen had been fulfilled, withdrew their forces, fearing a doomed outcome without the king’s safety.

In recognition of his ultimate sacrifice, the Athenians deemed no successor worthy, abolishing the monarchy altogether. Codrus’s death thus reshaped the political landscape, turning a personal act of heroism into a foundational moment for Athenian democracy.

8 Giles Corey

During the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692‑93, more than 200 people faced accusations of witchcraft, with nineteen ultimately executed. Among those condemned was Giles Corey, a farmer whose fate became a grim illustration of legal cruelty.

When his wife was arrested for alleged witchcraft, Corey initially testified against her but later attempted to withdraw his statement. Arrested himself in April, authorities tried to bring him to trial, but Corey stubbornly refused to enter a plea. Under the law of the time, a defendant who declined to plead could not be tried, prompting officials to resort to “pressing,” a form of torture involving heavy stones placed upon his chest.

Corey’s only response to the crushing weight was the defiant utterance, “More weight.” After enduring days of this brutal method, he succumbed to his injuries. His refusal to plead protected his estate from seizure, though the sheriff later attempted to extort his surviving family.

7 R. Budd Dwyer

Robert Budd Dwyer served as Pennsylvania’s State Treasurer from 1981 until 1987, when a scandal over alleged bribes for a state contract brought his career to a crashing halt. Convicted in December 1986, Dwyer faced sentencing the following January and maintained his innocence to the bitter end.

On January 22, 1987, Dwyer called a press conference, delivering a final proclamation of innocence. With a calm that belied the tension, he reached into a manila envelope, produced a revolver, and shot himself in the head on live television, shocking the nation.

Had he lived to be sentenced, state law would have barred his survivor benefits from reaching his wife. Dwyer’s desperate act was therefore motivated by a desire to safeguard his family’s financial future, ensuring they would receive the full pension he had earned.

6 Thomas G. Doty

Thomas G. Doty’s story serves as a stark reminder that using death as a financial strategy can backfire catastrophically. On May 22, 1962, Doty boarded Continental Airlines Flight 11, ostensibly to travel from Chicago to Kansas City. While aboard, he entered the aircraft’s bathroom and detonated six sticks of dynamite he had smuggled aboard, causing the plane to crash and killing all 45 passengers and crew.

Prior to the ill‑fated flight, Doty had purchased a $300,000 life‑insurance policy, intending for his family to benefit from the payout. However, because the crash was ruled a suicide, the insurer voided the policies, leaving his widow with a paltry three‑dollar reimbursement.

This tragic outcome underscores the peril of attempting to engineer a posthumous windfall through violent means, as the legal system often nullifies benefits when the death is self‑inflicted.

5 Charles Joeseph Gliniewicz

Charles Joeseph “Joe” Gliniewicz was a police lieutenant in Fox Lake, Illinois, whose career ended in a baffling and tragic tableau. On September 1, 2015, he radioed that he was in pursuit of three armed suspects, only to be found dead later that day, prompting a massive manhunt for the alleged perpetrators.

Investigations after his funeral uncovered a darker narrative: Gliniewicz had been siphoning funds from a youth‑mentorship program for years. When an upcoming audit threatened to expose his embezzlement, he allegedly plotted to have the auditor eliminated. When that plan fell through, he staged a suicide, hoping the dramatic scene would mask his financial crimes.

The case sparked intense media scrutiny, revealing how a law‑enforcement officer could manipulate his own death to conceal wrongdoing, turning a tragic loss into a cautionary tale about accountability.

4 Lasantha Wickrematunge

Lasantha Wickrematunge, a Sri Lankan journalist renowned for his fearless reporting, lived under constant threat. Early in his career, he and his wife were violently pulled from their car and beaten, prompting his family to relocate their three children to Australia for safety.

Before his murder on January 8, 2009, Wickrematunge warned that the government would be responsible for his death. He was shot while en route to work, but he had anticipated the attack and prepared a final editorial to be published after his demise, accusing the government of using assassinations as a primary tool to silence the press.

His death galvanized international attention toward press freedom in Sri Lanka, sparking calls for accountability and highlighting the peril journalists face when confronting authoritarian regimes.

3 Dave Duerson

Dave Duerson enjoyed a distinguished eleven‑year NFL career, playing for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and Phoenix Cardinals, and earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections. Yet the physical toll was severe; his family later estimated he suffered at least ten concussions during his playing years.

On February 17, 2011, Duerson was found dead from a self‑inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. In a suicide note, he requested that his brain be donated to Boston University’s School of Medicine for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research. Physicians later confirmed he indeed suffered from CTE, labeling the condition “indisputable.”

Duerson’s death brought renewed public scrutiny to the long‑term neurological risks associated with professional football, prompting ongoing debates about player safety and concussion protocols.

2 Mishima Yukio

Yukio Mishima, a celebrated Japanese author and fervent nationalist, harbored two all‑consuming passions: literature and a vision of a militaristic Japan. Misdiagnosed with tuberculosis, he was barred from serving in World War II, yet his desire to restore imperial power never waned.

On November 25, 1970, Mishima and four members of his private militia, the Tatenokai (Shield Society), seized the Eastern Command headquarters of Japan’s Self‑Defense Force. From a balcony, Mishima delivered a ten‑minute speech urging soldiers to rise in a coup. When his call was met with mockery, he retreated indoors and performed seppuku, assisted by his followers.

Most scholars agree Mishima never expected his coup to succeed; instead, the dramatic suicide served as a final, theatrical statement of his ideals. He had arranged financial support for his followers’ legal defense, ensuring his ideological legacy would endure beyond his death.

1 Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton’s bitter rivalry with Aaron Burr culminated in a fateful duel that sealed both men’s destinies. Their animosity dated back to Burr’s 1804 defeat of Hamilton’s father‑in‑law for a U.S. Senate seat, after which Hamilton repeatedly thwarted Burr’s political ambitions.On the morning of July 11, 1804, the two met for a duel. Hamilton fired first, deliberately missing his opponent. Burr then shot, striking Hamilton and delivering a mortal wound. Some historians believe Hamilton’s intentional miss was a calculated move to end Burr’s career, a strategy that succeeded as the duel effectively destroyed Burr’s political future.

About The Author: Dan Cayce is a writer who occasionally has interesting thoughts. You can read some of them here @WriteAtRandom.

When you hear the phrase top 10 jobs, you probably picture office cubicles, corporate ladders and endless spreadsheets. But the reality is far more colorful. From elite child‑care specialists to daring underwater ball hunters, the world of work hides a treasure trove of unexpected opportunities. If you’re itching for a career change that feels less like a chore and more like an adventure, keep scrolling – you might just discover your next calling.

Explore the Top 10 Jobs

10 Becoming a Norland Nanny

I know what you’re thinking… nannying? Really?

Don’t let the cute‑on‑the‑outside stereotype fool you – Norland nannies undergo a four‑year training marathon that would make a secret‑service operative blush. They master everything from classic childcare chores to high‑speed car drifting, martial arts, and self‑defence, all so they can protect their charges from anything from a rogue stroller to a potential kidnapping plot. Their reputation is so polished that the British Royal Family has called on them, and the college itself boasts that its graduates are “Mary Poppins mixed with a little James Bond.”

The price tag for this elite education is steep – up to £14,990 (about $20,150) per year, which actually eclipses the tuition at Oxford or Cambridge. The payoff, however, can be spectacular: a graduate can command salaries as high as £126,000 (roughly $170,000) when employed by high‑profile families. Norland even backs its students with a 100 % guaranteed placement through its in‑house recruitment arm, The Norland Agency, because the demand for such highly trained nannies far outweighs the supply.

In short, if you crave a career that blends luxury, responsibility, and a dash of James Bond‑style intrigue, the Norland nanny route may be your ticket to a rewarding, well‑paid, and undeniably unique profession.

9 The Ravenmaster

NASA scientists, world leaders, and billionaires alike all agree that the “Ravenmaster” is the coolest‑sounding job title in the entire world. The job of a Ravenmaster is to take care of the Tower of London’s famous ravens; legend has it that the birds and the Tower are connected, and should all six ravens go missing, the Tower will crumble to dust while great harm installs itself within the kingdom. The current Ravenmaster is Chris Skaife (since 2011), who keeps a total of eight ravens at the Tower grounds “just in case” one goes missing.

The birds are incredibly well looked after, and they’re regularly supplied with special “enrichment” toys (aka cool bird stuff). The job was a relatively new invention, as only five other people had been appointed the title. It used to be the job of the Yeoman (more commonly known as the Beefeater) Quartermaster but became a separate position as of 1968.

To become a Ravenmaster, you must first become a Yeoman Warder. In order to qualify for that, though, you must be a military veteran with at least 22 years of service.

8 Golf Ball Diver

Imagine sitting on the bus with your diving suit on, snorkel in hand, telling the driver that you want to be dropped off at the local golf course. There goes the town lunatic, right? Wrong! There goes the town golf ball retriever.

These professional recyclers have a rather unique role when it comes to being environmentally friendly. They wade around in golf course ponds and water features to retrieve balls, which are then cleaned, repackaged, and resold. Since the average course has between four and twelve ponds, divers typically spend around 8–10 hours per day in the water!

The job is surprisingly dangerous, though; divers may face low visibility, sharp objects hidden underwater, and adversity from wildlife (that means alligators!). For safety reasons, divers will usually take shifts in pairs to minimise the risk of danger. In order to become a professional golf ball diver, you first need to be a certified, professional diver with training in both first aid and dive rescue. It’s also incredibly hard work; lugging around 30‑kilogram (65‑pound) sacks of used golf balls is highly taxing.

7 Car‑Plate Blocker

Hiring someone to block your licence (number) plate is a truly intuitive solution when breaking the law.

In Iran’s capital city of Tehran, vehicle congestion is at over six times the city’s capacity, meaning something had to be done to rectify the numbers. Luckily, Iranian officials conducted a plan to reduce the traffic nightmare: every other day, all the cars with licence plates that ended in even numbers would be allowed to drive, and vice versa for the odd‑numbered plates.

On paper, this sounds good, but in reality…Iranian drivers weren’t too thrilled. Drivers came up with the ingenious idea to outsmart the city’s traffic cameras: hire a pedestrian to run behind the car and block the plate from view! It may not be the most glamorous job out there, but it certainly would incite that I’m‑breaking‑the‑law thrill that always livens up a boring week. Some number‑plate blockers use motorbikes to closely follow a car driving at higher speeds, while in more traffic‑stricken areas, pedestrians (or “human shields” as they’re known colloquially) are hired.

6 Professional Pusher

Japan has outdone itself with its solution to subway congestion—hiring people to forcefully shove other people into train cars! Given the fact that Tokyo Metro has a total of 6.84 million people using their transport services every day, it is actually very effective. The trains are regularly overloaded by a whopping 70 %…so imagine how lucky you’d be to get a seat! Granted, this technique is not practiced on all Tokyo’s subway lines—of which there are many in operation around the metropolitan area.

Within two weeks, someone can become a professional pusher. They wear sleek suits, fancy white gloves, and a hat so that passengers are very clear about who’s a pusher. Surprisingly, passengers hardly complain about being rammed into an overcrowded train carriage, so there is no need to worry about having someone yell at you. Because there is no required qualifications and the pay averages at $10 per hour, the main demographic for Pushers is students who’re working part‑time.

5 Venetian Gondolier

Okay, how awesome does being a gondolier sound? In case you’re unfamiliar, Venetian gondoliers are people who navigate the canals of Venice by boat; it’s one of the most highly regarded and highly sought‑after professions in Italy! Why is the demand to drive what is effectively a thin piece of wood so high? Well, gondoliers can command salaries of up to $150,000 each year!

It’s no easy accomplishment, though. Trainees must first find an experienced/established gondolier to be their mentor, then complete 400 hours of instruction, and THEN pass a rigorous examination. For over 900 years, Italian tradition has strongly favored men as captains. To this day, there’s only been one officially licensed “gondoliera”—her name is Giorgia Boscolo, and she passed the Gondolier examination in 2010. The training covers navigational skills, knowledge of other languages, and most importantly, knowledge of Venice’s culture and sights.

4 Ethical Hacker

Hollywood often portrays hackers as isolated, black‑hoodied, dark‑room‑dwelling individuals, but in reality, they’re actually the complete opposite! Ethical hackers, often called “white‑hats,” are people who assist companies by breaking into their software and databases. They do this to highlight vulnerabilities so that the company can fix them before malicious hackers, or “black‑hats,” can’t exploit them.

Because networks are mostly designed to be tough to break into, ethical hackers provide ways to strengthen systems from the inside. Along with doing online penetration attempts, white‑hat hackers must also consider physical hacking attempts. Sometimes companies are so large that infiltrating it could be as easy as printing off an ID badge.

Professional ethical hackers earn on average $102,000 in the U.S.

3 Hand Model

Imagine being able to point to the cover of Vogue and say: “Those are my hands.” Pretty cool, right?

That’s what life is like for some professional hand models. Established modelling agencies like Sandra Reynolds offer this unique job as a form of “parts modelling.” Professional portfolios are created specifically for hands, feet, legs, arms, even collarbones! Essentially, hand models act as another person’s hands…but professionally.

The typical daily routine of a hand model is no easy task…especially as hands need to be treated very well and stay moisturised. Elaborate measures need to be taken to ensure their hands are protected at all costs. This means maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding injuries, and never, ever washing the dishes without gloves. It seems a little extreme, but it’s important to remember that any scratch or blemish can result in a lost job.

Models are freelancers who are paid per job, but day rates are really unpredictable and can range from $150 to $1,500+.

2 Concert Promoter

Concert promoters get to independently produce live concerts! As a holder of this job title, you get to produce single shows, tours, festivals, and special events. Salaries average at around £31,600 ($42,500) yearly. The best thing about this job is that anyone can start at any time; most concert producers start out small with concerts or festivals in their local areas, then go on to find success with their own independent companies within the DIY music scene. Because experienced concert producers advocate that on‑the‑job training is best, getting any practical experience is really, really valuable.

Producers need to be resilient, patient, and all‑around disciplined. While it’s definitely glamorous, it’s also a numbers game at heart, so success depends entirely on the promoter’s music and market savvy. Because promoters need to continuously be networking, it can become a pretty time‑consuming job; expect constant business meetings during the week and a lineup of concerts on the weekend. Patience is another huge factor in this job… Promoters need to be content with starting small and working their way up to bigger artists and venues.

1 Mahout

The bond between a Mahout and their elephant is unbreakable; these skilled elephant riders are often paired with a single animal for life, meaning they’re as close to their elephants as they are to family members!

Though their past is controversial (mahouts traditionally lead elephants into war), their role has recently been defined by conservation. Professional mahouts are repurposing their skills to become habitat keepers and forest protectors. Ecotourism has become their new focus; it’s a model that prioritises the welfare of the domesticated animals, as well as protecting wild species.

Alternative (and definitely more colourful!) roles of the mahout include decorating their elephants for special cultural events…the Elephant Festival, for example. For this festival, elephants are nicely groomed and clothed with colourful rugs, huge elephant jewellery, and anklets decked with bells. Their tusks also get jeweled up with gold and silver bracelets and rings—it’s customary for mahouts to match their elephant in fancy dress.

Unfortunately, the salary is pretty…non‑existent. It’s definitely only a job for those who really bond with elephants and are willing to take care of them.

Playing an iconic character can make an actor’s career. But our beloved stars may not always want to play a character for too long, as much as fans may wish for the opposite. In fact, a number of performers have asked writers to kill off their characters for various reasons. And here are ten of them.

Related: Top 10 TV Shows Cancelled Too Soon

10 Isaac Hayes (Chef)—South Park

If there’s one thing South Park is known for, it’s its mockery of everything. An equal opportunity offender if there ever was one.

Soul singer Isaac Hayes voiced Jerome McElroy, referred to simply as “Chef,” in the animated comedy. For nine years, Hayes went along with South Park as the screenwriters mocked anyone and everyone. Liberals, conservatives, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Mormons… you name it. But he called it quits when South Park crossed a line… and made fun of Scientology.

“There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends, and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices,” Hayes, a Scientologist himself, said in a 2006 statement.

His character, Chef, met a gruesome death on screen in the season 10 premiere that subtly mocked his beliefs.^[1]

9 Tom Payne (Jesus)—The Walking Dead

Set in a world riven by anarchy, AMC’s The Walking Dead has one of the highest death counts on television. Its “No one is safe” philosophy leads to characters dying all the time, usually by violent means. While plot requirements kill many of the characters, some actors ask for it, the most notable being Jeffrey DeMunn and Tom Payne.

DeMunn quit and asked for the death of his character Dale Horvath in the second season after The Walking Dead fired his friend and producer Frank Darabont.

Tom Payne’s Paul “Jesus” Rovia was killed off in the middle of season nine. This was because Tom Payne, feeling that too many leading characters were alive, volunteered him for death in a bid to return the show to its “anyone can die” roots.^[2]

8 McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Blake)—M*A*S*H

One of M*A*S*H’s most beloved characters was Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, played by McLean Stevenson. Blake died in a plane crash at the end of season three, a tragic loss mourned by many fans.

The death was caused by McLean Stevenson. Tired of playing second fiddle to Alan Alda’s Hawkeye, Stevenson wanted to leave for greener pastures. He wanted to be on a set where he was the leading man instead of a mere supporting actor. The writers indulged him and killed off Lt. Col. Blake.

Stevenson went on to star as the leading man in a couple of failed sitcoms. Unfortunately, he never found the success he sought.

Summing up his biggest mistake, Stevenson admitted, “The mistake was that I thought everybody in America loved McLean Stevenson. That was not the case. Everybody loved Henry Blake.”^[3]

7 Jessalyn Gilsig (Siggy)—Vikings

As the wife of Jarl Haraldson, Siggy was the most powerful woman in Kattegat. However, she loses that status when her husband is killed in a duel by the upstart Ragnar Lothbrok, who takes his place.

Hers is a riveting tale of a woman brought low by circumstances beyond her control and trying to claw her way back to the top. Siggy went from Ragnar’s mistress to his servant yet took all the challenges life heaped upon her with quiet and admirable grace.

It would have been gratifying to see Siggy rise again, and many fans who had hated the character at the beginning of the series started actively rooting for her. But that never came to be, as Siggy drowned while saving Ragnar’s children who had fallen into a frozen lake.

It looked like a cruel decision by the showrunners until the real reason came to light. The Canadian actress playing Siggy, Jessalyn Gilsig, found it challenging to live in Ireland for long periods. Her family in Canada needed her, but the filming schedule stood in the way. So she had Siggy written off the show.^[4]

6 Raymond Cruz (Tuco Salamanca)—Breaking Bad

Raymond Cruz portrayed the deranged and unstable drug dealer Tuco Salamanca in Breaking Bad.

While Tuco was being set up to be the big bad of season two, he died rather early in the season. That’s because Raymond Cruz hated the character. Iconic as his portrayal was, Cruz found Tuco Salamanca difficult to play. Convincingly Pulling off the performance drained the actor, a feat he felt he couldn’t keep up for a whole season.

As he said in an interview, “I asked them to kill me. Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to coming back and doing the part. It’s really difficult to pull off. They were like, ‘We want you to come back and do eight more episodes.’ And I said, ‘No. I’ll do one more, and that’s it. You guys have to kill me.’ They’re like, ‘We never heard of an actor that wanted to die.’ And I’m like, ‘You don’t understand. This part’s really hard.’”^[5]

5 Josh Charles (Will Gardner)—The Good Wife

Fans of The Good Wife spent five seasons rooting for Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and Will Gardner (by Josh Charles), only for Gardner to be shot dead in a courtroom by a client in the finale of season five.

However, this wasn’t due to the screenwriters pulling a George R.R. Martin. The Good Wife focused on Alicia Florrick and her relationships rather than an ensemble cast, and few characters were ever in danger of being killed off. Will Gardner’s exit was entirely due to Josh Charles deciding against renewing his contract.

Charles only had year-long contracts with the CBS production, which he kept re-upping. Finally, after four renewals, he decided he had had enough and wanted to try something else. His co-star Julianna Margulies tried dissuading him… to no avail.

“I called Josh, and I gave him terrible Jew guilt. I knew he was about to get married. I’m good friends with his wife, and they’re dear friends of ours. I said, ‘Josh, how about this: 15. Think about it. Wait. Think about it. Money in the bank for 15 episodes. Do you know how expensive it is to have a baby in New York City?’ I went right to the kid thing, and it was disgusting, honestly,” Margulies said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.^[6]

4 Kal Penn (Dr. Lawrence Kutner)—House, MD

Dr. Lawrence Kutner had a memorable two-season run on House, M.D. as one of the members of the diagnostic team assisting the eccentric but brilliant Dr. Gregory House.

Dr. Kutner tragically committed suicide in the fifth season. Dr. House insisted that Kutner’s suicide made no sense given the circumstances and that his brilliant subordinate had been murdered. Kutner had never displayed any suicidal tendencies or mental health problems. Everything had been going well for him when he shot himself in the head. But the death was ruled a suicide despite House’s misgivings because the gun belonged to Kutner and had his fingerprints on it. No one found any evidence of foul play.

As always, House was right. Somewhat. Kutner’s suicide had been sudden and unexpected, but it wasn’t due to some in-world bad guy. The actor playing Kutner, Kal Penn, had asked for the death of his character following his landing of a role on Barrack Obama’s staff at the White House in 2009. To ease Kal Penn’s transition from House, M.D. to the White House, Kutner had to die.^[7]

3 Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley)—Downton Abbey

With over 120 million viewers around the world, Downton Abbey is considered one of the most popular series in British television history. Its appeal to viewers has one wondering why anyone would want to leave such a popular show. But wary of being typecast, Dan Stevens asked for Matthew Crawley to be killed off in Downton Abbey. This was heartbreaking for fans of the period drama who had fallen in love with the character.

His stint on the period drama came to a teary end when Matthew Crawley perished in a car crash in the finale of the third season. Fans everywhere were distraught, but Stevens had had enough of playing Matthew Crawley. He wanted to pursue other projects.^[8]

2 John Francis Daley (Dr. Lance Sweets)—Bones

During his six seasons on Bones, Dr. Sweets became a fan favorite and a consistent source of comedic relief. Brought onto the show to counsel both Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), he eventually squashed their initial about his ability to help. So his unexpected death in Season 10 was a surprise. However, it wasn’t a result of story concerns but rather due to the actor, John Francis Daley.

Daley wanted to be behind the camera instead of in front of it. He had received an offer to direct National Lampoon’s Vacation and decided that the death of his character would make for a fitting exit. The showrunners obliged him, and Dr. Sweets bit the dust.^[1]

1 Chyler Leigh (Lexie Grey)—Grey’s Anatomy

Chyler Leigh was better known as Dr. Alexandra “Lexie” Grey, the half-sister of Meredith Grey, the titular heroine of Grey’s Anatomy.

Lexie Grey took a job at the Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, the fictional hospital where Grey’s Anatomy is set, after learning from her father that she had an older half-sister she had never known about.

Meredith’s lack of eagerness dampened Lexie’s hopes of bonding with her sister. But her elder sister eventually warmed up to her, and the two started getting along.

After five years in the medical drama, Lexie Grey died in a plane crash alongside her on-and-off-again love interest, Mark Sloan. The two lovebirds, unable to stay together for any extended period of time in life are reunited for eternity in death. The Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital was renamed the Sloan Grey Memorial Hospital in their honor.

Leigh asked for her character to be written off so she could spend more time with her family.^[10]