10 Alternative Movie Endings Way Better Than What We Got
2. First Blood: Rambo Shoots Himself
Nobody wanted Rambo to die at the end of First Blood - it's obvious from the start that he's as much a victim of the Vietnam War as anyone who was maimed on its battlefields - but to have him do so felt more fitting, in a harrowing sort of way.
Test audiences didn't respond well to the ending where this happened, even though it was closer to David Morrell's original novel, so another conclusion was shot. This one was only slightly more uplifting, having Rambo turn himself over to the authorities after his exchange with Richard Crenna's Colonel Trautman.
The alternative ending sees Sly Stallone's damaged war vet urge Trautman to kill him at the climax of that heart-wrenching confession scene, and when his former commanding officer refuses, Rambo seizes his gun and does the job himself.
First Blood is a tough watch because there's no real resolution for the main character, but that's reflective of the horrors of armed conflict. Going a shade darker and having him die feels more in keeping with this theme, not to mention the fact this is the ending from the book.